Blockchain Capital partner Spencer Bogart compared Bitcoin (BTC) to a “tinderbox” July 26, telling CNBC prices could grow further due to multiple “catalysts.” Speaking to CNBC’s Fast Money, Bogart, who is regular commentator on the network and on cryptocurrency social media, adopted a notably bullish tone compared to just weeks ago when Bitcoin was trading around $6,000. “Any number of catalysts could send bitcoin exploding higher,” he forecast, adding: “Bitcoin is kind of a tinderbox right now, waiting for reasons to go higher.” Bogart’s increasing optimism adds to a popular narrative in the cryptocurrency industry that has grown out of …

A licensed U.S. crypto asset brokerage dubbed ‘Voyager’ has revealed plans to launch a zero-fee mobile trading app in Q4 this year, according to a press release published on BusinessWire today, July 25. The new platform intends to bring investors a single access point to trade and manage their assets across multiple crypto exchanges, without charging fees or setting minimums for orders. Voyage will use smart order routing (SOR) -- a software popular with banks and brokers in traditional markets that uses algorithms when directing orders across various trading venues in order to optimize the execution of buy/sell orders. Stephen …

For the first time, Fortune has created a crypto-focused version of its prestigious “40 under 40” honor roll for the most impressive young disruptors in the finance and technology industry, published July 23. Dubbed “The Ledger 40 under 40,” the list is dedicated to innovators at the helm of the “financial revolution” ushered in by cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and other distributed ledger technologies. Last week, five crypto industry representatives had already clinched four spots on Fortune’s existing “40 under 40” — all of whom reappear in the inaugural Ledger list. These include the CEO of major U.S. crypto exchange and wallet …

Seven Stars Cloud Group, Inc. (SSC), a global fintech firm focused on blockchain and AI-powered digital asset management, has partnered with the China Venture Capital Research Institute (CVCRI), according to a press release published July 23. The partnership will purportedly help SCC extend its to extend its asset digitization services. The new partnership will enable SSC to create a fully-compliant digital asset ecosystem, with “blockchain-enabled fractionalization, securitization and tokenization, and distribution and trading services through banks and security broker dealer networks in China, [and] the ability to extend sales and trading globally.” CVCRI’s strong relationships with Chinese authorities and regulators …

July 20: Bitcoin (BTC) has split off from other top cryptocurrencies and shows markedly more resilience in holding on to gains secured in the major upswing that kicked off earlier this week. Market visualization from Coin360 As Coin360 data shows, the top coin is an island of green, while most major alts are struggling to maintain positive momentum. Bitcoin (BTC) is trading around $7,398, up a fraction of a percent over the 24 hour period to press time. The leading cryptocurrency has been trading sideways as of early trading hours July 18, following an impressive uptick on July 16 that …

The U.K. Law Commission will review legal frameworks to ensure that British courts remain a “competitive” choice for businesses that use smart contracts. The announcement was made in the Commission’s 2018 report released July 19. The Law Commission was established in 1965 with the main tasks of monitoring the laws of the U.K. and recommending reforms. According to the Commission, smart contract protocols presage an era of trustless and more efficient business transactions that compels lawmakers to ensure that existing frameworks have the necessary flexibility and clarity to keep pace with innovation. Initial research into the matter is reportedly due …

Five major crypto innovators have clinched four spots on Fortune’s “40 Under 40” annual rankings for the most powerful young disruptors in global business, released for 2018 on July 19. The first incarnation of Fortune’s under 40 list ran from 1999-2003 and ranked the new titans of the dot-com boom purely based on their wealth. Post-2008 financial crash, the list has been reinvented to take the pulse of figures’ wider achievements, power, and influence on the global stage. This year, Ethereum (ETH) co-founder Vitalik Buterin, 24, has sealed a spot on the list for the third year running, ranked 22nd …

Big-name insurers such as AIG, Allianz, Chubb, and XL Group are increasingly tailoring coverage options to protect businesses in the crypto space, Bloomberg reports July 19. Aon, a major insurance broker that claims to occupy 50 percent of the crypto-insurance market, told Bloomberg the firm is seeing more crypto-specific protections catering to the new industry. Another broker, Marsh & McLennan, said that 2018 has been “brisk” for crypto-insurers, revealing that Marsh has now formed its first-ever team dedicated to broker policies for blockchain startups. Bloomberg’s sources say that premiums for crypto-related firms can tally to over fivefold the average coverage …

The deputy director of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has urged the country to “unite” forces to foster blockchain as a “core” technology for the new digital economy, according to a post on MIIT’s official website today, July 16. Speaking at the 2018 National Expert Forum on Manufacturing Powerful Countries, the Ministry’s deputy director Xin Guobin said that the “important role” of blockchain should be “grasped from a strategic perspective”: “[Blockchain] can make up for the deficienc[ies] of traditional credit system, prevent information tampering and forgery, and save [costs across] society. [This applies to] finance, e-commerce, smart …

The world-renowned Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) examination has added cryptocurrency and blockchain to its curriculum, Bloomberg reports today, July 16. The exam, run by the CFA institute, has reportedly prepared over 150,000 financial sector professionals through its intensive 3-tiered program, which is now set to include crypto and blockchain as part of its Level I and II curricula. According to Bloomberg, CFA said that a “surging interest” across surveys and focus groups was behind its decision. Stephen Horan, managing director for general education and curriculum at the CFA Institute in Virginia, USA, told Bloomberg: “We saw the [crypto and blockchain] …

A blockchain-driven, curated stock photography marketplace is helping artists increase their earnings — by giving them the chance to connect with their buyers directly. Wemark believes the current, centrally controlled nature of the industry disadvantages photographers. The company claims major agencies can take up to 85 percent of the revenue that’s generated when one of their images is sold -- and, as a result, it can be hard for even professionals to make a living. Shutterstock now has over 200 million images in their collection, and it became extremely difficult for photographers to stand out and earn a substantial income …

Knowledge is power, particularly in the Information Age, where an understanding of ‘the new’ can provide an edge over the competition. This is why, barely a year since crypto exploded into mainstream awareness — and long before it's likely to enjoy blanket adoption — it’s already been the object of a growing number of university courses. While a minority of these have focused on the actual coding, computer science and cryptography lying behind cryptocurrencies, most others have sought to provide a detailed introduction to crypto, so that a more business-focused audience will have the basis for deciding whether — and …