Blockchain will be the most in-demand hard skill in 2020, according to a new study by the educational subsidiary of professional social network LinkedIn. A newcomer to LinkedIn’s annual list of top-demanded hard skills, blockchain now tops the list of the most-needed skills in 2020, according to a LinkedIn Learning blog post on Jan. 13. Blockchain to surpass cloud computing and AI in 2020 In 2019, blockchain-as-a-skill overtook major hard skills including cloud computing, analytical reasoning, artificial intelligence (AI), and user experience (UX) design, becoming the number one hard skill in demand among global employers in 2020, according to LinkedIn …

Researchers from cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX have suggested that the privacy and scalability benefits of Bitcoin’s (BTC) implementation of the Lightning Network are less than expected. A report published by BitMEX on Jan. 11 illustrates the researchers’ efforts to determine the growth of the Lightning Network by trying to extrapolate information about private payment channels from readily available data. The team focused on non-cooperative channel closures and they suggest that — since the network started its activity — about 60,000 such transactions took place. A non-cooperative channel closure happens when a Lightning Network node initiates the closure of a payment channel …

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb has established its own research and development (R&D) center. According to an announcement on Jan. 6, the initiative makes Bithumb the first company with a blockchain and cryptocurrency research center in South Korea. Bithumb expressed high hopes for the research center’s impact on the company: “Bithumb will become a leading company in the blockchain and cryptocurrency ecosystem by strengthening its own R&D capabilities.” The center’s purpose The new R&D center is going to employ around 30 people and will start its activities this month. Bithumb’s research team will study system architecture design to strengthen public …

Tencent, the operator of Chinese social media app WeChat, is planning to create a digital currency research group for the further advancement of blockchain technology research projects. On Dec. 23, Chinese media outlet iFeng reported that the Chinese internet giant released a statement to its employees saying that the company is currently on the lookout for the new head of the research group. The yet-to-be-established digital currency research group will reportedly focus on Tencent’s further advancement in the digital payment industry by utilizing blockchain technology. Cointelegraph contacted Tencent regarding these latest developments but had yet to receive a response as …

Large crypto exchanges appear to have stopped misreporting their trading volumes in 2019, a new study by Chainalysis says. According to the New York-based blockchain analytics firm, there are still some crypto exchanges including Bitforex that likely report fake trading volumes to simulate greater market activity and liquidity. Chainalysis posted the study on its blog on Nov. 15. In the study, Chainalysis analyzed the top 10 cryptocurrency exchanges, known as the “Bitwise 10,” which were reportedly considered the only large exchanges that reported their actual volumes. Those exchanges include Binance, Bitfinex, Kraken, Bitstamp, Coinbase, BitFlyer, Gemini, itBit, Bittrex, and Poloniex. …

China’s spending on blockchain technology will exceed $2 billion in 2023, official state-run publication Xinhua reported on Nov. 10. The report claims that blockchain development in China will see a compound annual growth rate of 65.7% from 2018 to 2023. China’s banking sector responsible for the bulk of blockchain spending in 2019 Citing a study by American market intelligence firm IDC published on Nov. 7, the report says that the bulk of China’s blockchain spending was geared to the banking sector in 2019. Other high-spending industries reportedly included manufacturing, retail, professional services and process manufacturing. Xue Yu, a researcher at …

Searches for crypto-related jobs have dropped 53%, while the share of job postings in the industry has surged 26% in 2019, new research says. On Nov. 7, Texas-based recruitment platform Indeed.com has published a new research devoted to the analysis and prospects of the job market in blockchain and crypto industry. To deliver the report, Indeed analyzed the percentage change in the share of job postings and share of job searches per million for roles related to Bitcoin (BTC), cryptocurrencies and blockchain from 2015 to 2019. Discrepancy between growth rates of job seeker and employer interest since 2015 As such, …

73% of leading global banks have claimed that central bank digital currencies (CBDC) should be available “under all circumstances” in a new study. “CBDC will substitute much more easily for cash” According to a joint report conducted by tech giant IBM and the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF), global central banks now admit that CBDCs would be a good substitute for cash in some use cases such as point of sale merchants with a network connection. Released on Oct. 29, the study “Retail CBDCs: The next payments frontier” involves banks from 13 advanced economies and 10 emerging markets …

A global technology research firm urges the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to offer clear guidance on blockchain apps to improve food safety. Federal research needed FoodOnline reported on Oct. 21 that Alex Manders, the head of blockchain solutions at Information Services Group (ISG), a Connecticut-based tech research and advisory firm, has urged the FDA to take a closer look at the potential of blockchain technology. Speaking at an FDA public meeting called "A New Era of Smarter Food Safety," Manders argued that the FDA should examine blockchain vendors, solutions and investment options and provide guidance for enterprises …

Energy blockchain applications are expected to see a 67% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next ten years, according to new research. Annual market size to reach $7.7 billion in 2028 Navigant Research, Colorado-based market research and consulting team, has released a report devoted to the development of blockchain applications in the energy industry on Oct. 22. Titled “Energy Blockchain Applications Overview,” the research provides an analysis of the blockchain market by region and segment as well as global forecasts of blockchain-driven revenue in the energy market until 2028. As such, global energy blockchain implementations are forecasted to generate …

Telegram Open Network’s (TON) value is expected to surpass $20 billion over five years, according to new research by New York-based blockchain venture and digital assets fund Decentral Park Capital. “A sleeping giant awakens” The 59-page document — entitled The Current State of Telegram Open Network: A Sleeping Giant Awakens — claims TON’s native cryptocurrency Gram (GRM) has the potential to become one of the top 10 protocol assets in five years. The research points out TON’s high potential, stressing that it can serve as a gateway for crypto assets and related apps to “bank the unbanked” as well as …

The Netherlands-based Bitcoin (BTC) futures and options trading platform Deribit is launching a weekly publication called Deribit Insights. Research publication on crypto In a news release shared with Cointelegraph on Oct. 9, Deribit announced that it will be launching a weekly in-depth analytical research publication focused on various crypto topics, tailored for both novice and expert cryptocurrency users. The Deribit Insights publication will review cryptocurrency events, delve into recent market developments and explore future advancements in the industry. The first research report takes a closer look at the liquidation mechanisms used by cryptocurrency derivatives platforms. It also covers the May …