The Ledger Wallet company was founded in 2014 in France, and since then, Ledger has become one of the biggest hardware wallet providers in the industry. 

Ledger’s competition includes hardware wallets such as TREZOR.

In this Ledger Nano S review, we’ll go over a few different aspects such as usability, security, and convenience.

Court of Public Opinion

It seems like most of the users submitting reviews are beyond satisfied with the Ledger Nano S.

Numerous users have called it a great method of “sleeping well at night”, especially since hardware wallets are generally used by those who have a higher number of coins. The public also believes that the device works smoothly, and most have no major complaints about it.

However, the wallet may not be the best choice for those who hold multiple digital currencies and actively use most of them. This is due to the low storage space available on the device.

When storing and using a digital currency in the wallet, users have to download a specific app for that token. Currently, the hardware only has enough storage space for two or three of these apps. This means that if you wish to use a different currency, you’ll have to uninstall an app and install another.

This process is pretty straightforward especially if you’re near a computer. However, it can become a nuisance for those who make payments using different digital currencies constantly.

User Interface

The user interface of the Ledger Nano S has been designed with a fluid user experience in mind.

Using the wallet is similar to the usage of most other hardware wallets on the market, and the process is fairly straightforward. When the hardware wallet is set up for the first time, users will have to select a pin. Later on, a 24-word seed will be given which can be used for the creation of private keys.

The initial setup takes about three minutes, with most of the time being spent on having to write down your seed to keep it in a safe place. Once the device has been set up, users will have to install the apps required to use the device depending on the digital currency of choice. These apps are used to either send or receive currency- they have no purpose in helping the wallet store your coins.

A Chrome extension is available as well, and it makes things even easier. Its main functionalities are accessing account details, sending Bitcoin via the hardware wallet, generating Bitcoin addresses to receive funds, as well as various settings for the app including the exchange rate and language of use.

A great feature is that the Ledger Nano S also works with existing Bitcoin wallets. Users aren’t required to set up an additional wallet to store the coins. Some of the supported online wallets include, but are not limited to Electrum, MyCelium, Copay, MyEtherWallet, and Bitgo.

At this time, the Ledger Nano S supports the following digital currencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, LiteCoin, Zcash, Dash, and Stratis. The device supports sending payments, receiving payments, checking account details, as well as managing multiple addresses.

The Ledger Nano S is generally easy to understand if you understand how digital currencies work and the basics behind transactions, and even if you don’t, it’s pretty easy to pick up. The hardware wallet is also controlled via two buttons, so the margin for user error is fairly small.

Security

Hardware wallets represent by far the most secure way of storing digital currencies.

While hardware wallets come with some security flaws as well, most of them are user-based, rather than the fault of the company providing the wallet.

If you do choose to use the Ledger Nano S (or any other wallet, for that matter) you need to take special precautions such as noting down your security seed on paper, rather than on a computer, or avoiding using the wallet on PCs that could potentially be infected.

Theoretically, the Ledger Nano S wallet has no known security vulnerability. It’s a hardware wallet, and when it isn’t connected to a computer, it is close to impossible to hack.

Accessibility/ Convenience

Accessing your coins on the Ledger Nano S requires the use of a computer. The wallet needs to be plugged in with a USB. While this isn’t really much of an inconvenience if you’re at home and have the time, accessing your coins on the go can be a bit difficult.

It’s important to note that hardware wallets aren’t really purposed for convenience, but are rather meant to be used for the secure storage of large amounts over long periods of time.

So, if you want to get on the “I pay for my coffee with BTC” level, your best bet would be to use an online digital currency wallet on your mobile phone.

Compared to other hardware wallets, the Ledger Nano S is simple to use. Your coins can be easily accessed, but having to uninstall and install multiple apps for different tokens can get tedious.

Final Thoughts/ Recommendations

The Ledger Nano S hardware wallet is bound to satisfy the needs of most digital currency enthusiasts. It offers an easy-to-use interface, nice coin accessibility, and great security features.

Ultimately, the Ledger Nano S is a leader in the market for a reason: it produces a product users trust while protecting their tokens and gets the job done effectively.

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The post Ledger Nano S Wallet Review appeared first on CoinCentral.

Covered in this comparison:

• Coinbase vs Gemini: Key Information
• Two Different Ways to Buy Cryptocurrencies
• Purchasing Limits
• Companies’ Trust
• Saftey of Funds
• Customer Support
• Available Cryptocurrencies
• Fees
• Final Thoughts

Coinbase vs Gemini: Key Information

Two Different Ways to Buy Cryptocurrencies

While both of these sites can be used to buy cryptocurrencies, they work differently.

Coinbase directly facilitates the sale of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin to their users.  When you buy cryptocurrency from their site, there is a set price at the time of your purchase.  You can think of Coinbase as a “cryptocurrency retail store”.

Most other sites where users can buy cryptocurrency operate as an exchange.  They work similarly to a forex or stock exchange.

Coinbase’s system of selling cryptocurrency comes with a few key advantages:

• Users can buy cryptocurrencies instantly with credit and debit cards after verifying their accounts. (See verification note below.)
• Users can immediately lock in their purchase price when buying cryptocurrencies with bank transfers, although these purchases require processing time.

To help illustrate these advantages, we’ll show you the steps for buying cryptocurrency on Coinbase, then show you the steps for buying cryptocurrency at traditional exchanges.

Buying Cryptocurrencies with a Credit Card on Coinbase

1. Create and verify your account.
2. Buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin at their set price and receive it instantly.

Buying Cryptocurrencies via Bank Transfers

1. Create and verify your account.
2. Buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin at their set price.
3. You will receive the agreed upon amount of cryptocurrency that you purchased after a few days of processing time.

Buying Cryptocurrency from Most Traditional Cryptocurrency Exchanges

1. Create and Verify Your Account.
2. Deposit fiat currency to the exchange via bank transfer, which typically takes 1-5 business days.
3. Place an order on the exchange’s market.
4. When your order has filled, you receive your cryptocurrency.

As you can see, Coinbase can allow you to receive your cryptocurrency faster than traditional exchanges, when buying with credit cards.  Coinbase also allows you to lock in your price immediately, unlikely traditional exchanges.

Gemini falls somewhere in the middle between traditional exchanges and Coinbase.  While Gemini is a cryptocurrency exchange, they allow users to immediately trade for cryptocurrency when depositing via bank transfers.  In other words, you can begin trading before your deposit is fully processed.  However, you won’t be able to withdraw your cryptocurrency before your deposit is fully processed.

Buying Cryptocurrencies via Bank Transfers on Gemini

1. Create and verify your account.
2. Deposit fiat currency to the exchange, which will be instantly available for trading.
3. Place an order on the exchange’s market.
4. When your order has filled, you receive your cryptocurrency.
5. You can withdraw your cryptocurrency once your bank transfer has been fully processed.

Like Coinbase’s bank transfer purchase option, this process allows you to lock in your price faster than on traditional exchanges.

*Verification – Reputable sites that allow users to buy cryptocurrencies in exchange for fiat currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, Etc.) require users to verify their identity.  This is required to comply with laws and regulatory bodies where these companies operate.  Keep in mind, similar verification would be required when creating a traditional stock brokerage account.

Purchasing Limits

Coinbase does not clearly define limits on its site for new users.  Instead, limits can vary depending on account age, buying history, and account verification.  Your personal limits will be shown on your account’s verification page.

In our personal experience, bank transfer limits were quickly set to $5,000 per week, while credit card limits were initially set to only $60 per week.

Gemini has predefined purchasing limits for bank transfers, of $500 per day.

If you’re looking to immediately lock in a price for more than $500, Coinbase will most likely provide you more limits.

Both sites offer wire transfers for users looking to deposit larger sums, although you may have to apply or contact them directly.

Two Trusted Companies

Both companies are based out of the U.S. and serve U.S. customers.  This means both companies are regulated by various U.S. government and regulatory bodies.

Coinbase was launched in 2012.  In this time, they have served over 8 million customers and helped to exchange over $20 billion of digital currency.  They have also received investments from Alexis Ohanian (Reddit Co-Founder), Blockchain Capital, Bank of Tokyo, and various other trusted investors.

Gemini was launched in 2015 and was founded by Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss.  While they haven’t been around as long as Coinbase, they’ve quickly built a great reputation in the community.  They consistently have some of the largest daily Bitcoin trading volumes of all exchanges.

Safety of Funds

Both sites segregate customer funds from company operational funds.  Additionally, both sites follow industry best practices for securing cryptocurrency funds.  The majority of cryptocurrency funds are stored in secure offline cold storage wallets.

Customer Support

While customer support is an issue plaguing many cryptocurrency companies, Coinbase and Gemini both do a pretty good job in this department.

Coinbase customer support is handled through email.  In our personal experience, we’ve always gotten responses within 24-48 hours.  The majority of reports from online forums echo this, although 24-72 hours may be a more accurate time frame.

Gemini also handles its customer support through email.  Response times seem to be very similar to Coinbase.

Available Cryptocurrencies

Coinbase allows users to buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin.

Gemini only supports trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Fees

If your goal is to save as much as possible on fees, Gemini is your best bet.

Gemini does not charge fees for deposits or withdrawals and only charges .25% or less fee for trading.

Coinbase charges around 1.49% for bank transfer purchases and 3.99% for credit/debit card purchases.

Coinbase vs Gemini: Which is better?

With both sites being trustworthy and secure, the battle of Coinbase vs Gemini comes down to your preferences and needs. Both give you about $10 for signing up with those links. 

If you’re looking to quickly buy cryptocurrency or you want to use a credit card, Coinbase is the option for you.

If you want to save the most on fees, Gemini is the best option.

More Coinbase Comparisons

• Coinbase vs GDAX
• Coinbase vs Kraken
• Coinbase vs Bittrex
• Coinbase vs XAPO

More Gemini Comparisons

• Gemini vs GDAX
• Gemini vs Kraken

The post Coinbase vs Gemini Comparison appeared first on CoinCentral.

Coinbase vs Kraken: Key Information

Coinbase vs Kraken: Instant Buy or Crypto Exchange?

When looking at the key information table above, you probably noticed Coinbase is listed as beginner friendly. However, Kraken is not. Though both sites allow users to buy cryptocurrency, they provide this service in different ways.  

Kraken operates as a cryptocurrency exchange. To explain, you’re able to trade currency pairs with each other, similar to a forex or stock exchange. This design leaves more room for human error than Coinbase does, especially if you have no previous trading experience. 

Assuming you’re wanting to trade with fiat currency (USD, EUR, etc.), it will most likely take you longer to purchase your cryptocurrency on Kraken. In order to buy cryptocurrency with fiat on Kraken, you must complete the following steps:

1. First, verify your account.
2. After that, deposit fiat currency through bank transfer.
3. Next, wait for your deposit to hit your account, which usually takes 1-5 business days.
4. Finally, trade your fiat currency for cryptocurrency.

As you’ll see below, Coinbase allows you to lock in your price more quickly.

Alternatively, Coinbase simplifies buying cryptocurrency by removing many of the more complex aspects found at exchanges. Even more, it allows you to buy cryptocurrency with both bank transfers (ACH) and debit cards. Below, we’ll show you what the Coinbase buying process is like for each payment method.

Debit Card Purchases

1. First, verify your account and debit card.
2. Next, instantly buy Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Litecoin, or several other coins at the set price.

Note: Coinbase debit card and bank transfer purchasing limits vary by user. For example, debit card limits are determined by account age, buying history, and verification status. If you’re hoping to purchase larger amounts, bank transfer purchases are a great option, as you can immediately have access to higher limits after verification.

Bank Transfer Purchases

1. First, verify your account.
2. After that, buy Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Litecoin, or several other coins at the set price.
3. Then, you’ll receive the agreed-upon amount of cryptocurrency that you purchased after a few days of processing time.

When using a debit card, it’s easy to see the benefits of Coinbase. Not only are you able to use an often-preferred payment method, but you also receive your cryptocurrency instantly.

If you’re looking to lock in a price as soon as possible, you can also benefit when using a bank transfer. Unlike on Kraken, Coinbase allows you to lock in your purchase price before your bank transfer is processed. This can be useful if you’re expecting prices to rise quickly. Note that you cannot transfer cryptocurrency from your account while your bank transfer is being processed.

Regardless of which payment method you use, the price and fees will be clearly shown at the time of your purchase. The price is based on exchange rates, so you can be sure it’s a fair price. Coinbase does charge fees for their service, which you can see in the Fees section below.

Coinbase vs Kraken: Customer Support

Although both platforms struggled with customer support in the past, they’ve made numerous improvements in the past year. So, you shouldn’t have trouble with support on either Coinbase or Kraken.

Coinbase offers customer support through email and phone. While not flawless, Coinbase seems to respond to customer support issues in a reasonable time frame. In our personal experience, Coinbase has responded within 24-48 hours for support tickets. This experience is mostly echoed across online forums, although 24-72 hours may be a more accurate overall mark.

Kraken has typically been known for having good customer service, although there appear to be some complaints surrounding account verification times. Around online forums, users have said they’re struggling to get new accounts verified as well as being unable to get ahold of customer support in a reasonable time frame.  

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Both Companies Are Trusted by the Community

When observing the community trust of Coinbase vs Kraken, you won’t find much difference. Both have been pioneers in servicing the purchase and sale of cryptocurrency, beginning in 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Both companies are located in San Francisco, California. As U.S.-based companies, both sites are fully committed to complying with all U.S. laws and regulations.

Safe and Secure

With millions of dollars being held on these sites, the security of funds should be one of their top concerns. Both Kraken and Coinbase adhere to industry best practices for storing both cryptocurrency and fiat currency funds.

• They keep company and user funds segregated, meaning they don’t use your funds for company operational purposes.
• Most importantly, the vast majority of cryptocurrency funds are stored in secure offline cold storage wallets. This type of storage protects these funds from a potential hack or other security breaches.
• Also, both sites offer a variety of methods to secure your personal accounts, including 2-factor authentication.

Additionally, Coinbase provides a few extra precautions. Cryptocurrency funds held online are insured by a syndicate of Lloyd’s of London. On top of that, U.S. customer’s USD wallet balances are covered up to $250,000 by FDIC insurance.

However, if your personal account is directly compromised due to you improperly securing it, neither site will be held responsible for any lost funds.

Coinbase vs Kraken: Fees

If saving on fees is your primary concern, Kraken comes out ahead in this comparison. That being said, you should keep in mind that these two companies offer different services and payment methods.

Kraken’s trading fees are generally below 0.36%, varying by currency pair. For more information, you can view the fee schedule here.

Coinbase understandably has higher fees when you consider:

1. They provide additional services that Kraken does not.
2. And, they accept debit cards, which naturally carry higher fees. These fees are due to the fees charged by card companies and the risks of fraudulent chargebacks.

On Coinbase, bank transfer purchases typically carry 1.49% fees while debit card purchases carry 3.99% fees.

Coinbase vs Kraken: Available Cryptocurrencies

If you’re hoping to purchase a variety of altcoins, Kraken is likely the better option for you.

Coinbase only offers users the ability to buy and sell Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Litecoin, 0x, USD Coin, Basic Attention Token, and Zcash. Although, they’ve begun adding more cryptocurrencies at a fairly rapid pace.

On the other hand, Kraken allows you to trade the following cryptocurrencies:

• Bitcoin
• Cardano
• Bitcoin Cash
• Bitcoin Satoshi’s Vision
• Dash
• EOS
• Ethereum Classic
• Ethereum
• Gnosis
• Litecoin
• Melon
• QTUM
• Augur
• Tether
• Stellar Lumens
• Monero
• XRP
• Zcash

Coinbase vs Kraken: Final Thoughts

In the battle of Coinbase vs Kraken, there’s no clear winner. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. In fact, both sites are good options for buying cryptocurrencies.

If simplicity and time are concerns of yours, Coinbase is the better option for you. Of the two, it’s also the only option that accepts debit cards.

If low fees and a large number of available cryptocurrencies are important to you, then Kraken is a better option. 

Editor’s Note: This article was updated on 5.12.2020 to reflect the changes in the exchanges.

More Coinbase Comparisons

• Gemini vs Coinbase
• GDAX vs Coinbase
• Bittrex vs Coinbase
• XAPO vs Coinbase
• CEX.IO vs Coinbase
• Changelly vs Coinbase

More Kraken Comparisons

• GDAX vs Kraken
• Gemini vs Kraken
• Bittrex vs Kraken
• Poloniex vs Kraken

The post Coinbase vs Kraken | Cryptocurrency Exchange Comparison appeared first on CoinCentral.

The San Francisco-based Coinbase is endearingly viewed as a cryptocurrency unicorn (a company with a valuation over $1B) with a valuation at a whopping $8 billion. 

It has raised $547.3m from a star-studded roster of investors such as Andreessen-Horowitz, Y-Combinator, Reddit Founder Alexis Ohanian, Union Square Ventures, and more. As such, Coinbase is regarded as a pioneer in the cryptocurrency space, working closely with regulators to ensure compliance. Coinbase is registered as a Money Services Business with FinCEN, and complies with the Bank Secrecy Act,  USA Patriot Act, and with state money transmission laws and regulations.

The Coinbase experience is designed to be as simple and straightforward as possible, a convenience reflected in its fees.

Let’s explore Coinbase and its various features. 

Is Coinbase Safe?

If you’re reading this Coinbase review, chances are this is the main question you’re asking. The short answer is yes, but we’ll take a closer look at this in three parts below.

Company Legitimacy

As a company operating in the United States, Coinbase is required to comply with U.S. laws and regulations, at both a federal and state level. Here are some of the laws, regulations, and regulatory bodies that Coinbase complies with:

• Registered as a Money Services Business with FinCEN.
• Complies with the Bank Secrecy Act.
• Complies with the USA Patriot Act.
• Complies with state money transmission laws and regulations.

These regulations and laws force accountability onto Coinbase, something that may be lacking from some of their offshore competitors in other countries with less strict regulations.

It’s also worth noting, Coinbase has many trustworthy investors backing the company. These investors include Alexis Ohanian (Reddit Co-Founder), Bank Of Tokyo, Blockchain Capital, and Digital Currency Group.

Safe Keeping of Funds

Coinbase segregates customer funds from company operational funds. These customer funds are held in custodial bank accounts. This means they will not use funds of yours to operate their business. They also claim, “Even if Coinbase were to fail as a business, the funds held in the custodial bank accounts could not be claimed by Coinbase or its creditors. The funds held in those accounts would be returnable to Coinbase’s customers.”

98 percent of customers’ cryptocurrency funds are stored in secure offline cold storage. These cryptocurrencies are held on multiple hardware wallets and paper wallets. The physical cryptocurrency wallets are then stored in vaults and safety deposit boxes around the world. These measures protect customers’ funds from being lost or stolen by hackers.

The remaining portion of cryptocurrency that’s stored online is fully insured by a syndicate of Lloyd’s of London.

United States residents who use Coinbase’s USD wallet are covered by FDIC insurance, up to a maximum of $250,000.

It’s important to note that, despite all of this, customers are still liable if their personal accounts are compromised. This is why it’s typically recommended to store your cryptocurrencies in an offline cold storage wallet that you control. You can view our recommended wallets here.

Personal Account Security

Coinbase offers its you a variety of features to secure your personal accounts.  ou should also use a strong, unique password.

Multiple 2-factor authentication (2FA) methods are available to help secure your account. The most basic 2FA option is through SMS texts, but we recommend setting up a third party 2FA app. Options for this include Google Authenticator and Authy.

You can also track the activity of your account and get notified if a new device or IP address attempts to access your account.

Customer Support

Coinbase offers customer support through email or phone. Email responses from support typically arrive within 24-72 hours. For general questions, they also have an extensive FAQ section on their site.

Supported Countries

Coinbase serves customers in the following countries:

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Buy and Sell Limits

Buy and sell limits can vary by user location, payment method, and verification status. You can view your limits at any time, by viewing your account’s limits page. As a verified U.S. customer, you likely will be able to get these weekly limits fairly easily:

• $5,000 Buy through Bank Account.
• $50 Buy through Credit/Debit Card
• $50,000 Sell

You can apply for higher limits if these limits don’t meet your needs. Your limits for instant purchases may not be able to be increased.

Coinbase Info

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Sending Cryptocurrency From Your Coinbase Wallet

The wallet on Coinbase allows you to easily store, send, and receive cryptocurrency.  Sending BAT, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Litecoin, Zcash, and ZRX from your wallet can be completed in just a few steps:

Note: Coinbase is constantly adding support for new cryptocurrency, so this list of coins will most likely grow.

1. Navigate to the Send tab of your account.
2. Choose the wallet you want to send from, effectively choosing what cryptocurrency you’re sending.
3. Enter the amount you’d like to send.
4. Enter the address you wish to send funds to.
5. Send funds.

Receiving Cryptocurrency to Your Coinbase Wallet

Receiving cryptocurrency is also easy using Coinbase.

Navigate to your Accounts tab. Then, find the wallet where you want funds to go and click the Receive button.

You will then be provided with your account’s wallet address.  Use this address in the send field of a transaction to receive cryptocurrency.

Be Careful Where You Send Funds From Coinbase

Coinbase has been known to track where their users send their cryptocurrency and ban users for certain transfers. Coinbase has shut down accounts for the following activities:

• Sending cryptocurrency to gambling sites.
• Sending cryptocurrency to LocalBitcoins.
• Sending cryptocurrency for darknet purchases.

In situations where Coinbase has closed accounts, users are almost always paid back to their bank accounts.

While we’re not condoning using cryptocurrency for illegal activity, we don’t think a business should decide how you can spend your cryptocurrency. This is another reason the community recommends storing your cryptocurrency in a wallet you control.

Coinbase Review Summary

To summarize this Coinbase review, we think Coinbase is a great place for newcomers to buy cryptocurrency. Newcomers will find Coinbase easier to use than an exchange while being able to use more payment methods. However, we do recommend storing your cryptocurrency on a wallet you control if holding large amounts.

Pros

• Easier to use than an exchange
• Buy cryptocurrency faster than most exchanges
• Buy cryptocurrency with debit cards (in addition to bank transfers)
• Lower fees than “easy buy” competitors
• Trustworthy and regulated company
• Safely stores customer funds

Cons

• Monitors how you spend your cryptocurrency
• Wallets are less secure than a wallet you control yourself
• Slightly higher fees than most exchanges

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Get $10 When You Open A New Coinbase Account

When you click the link below and open a new Coinbase account, you will receive $10 immediately funded into your account.

Don’t miss free cash – even $10… click the link below today to get started.

Click Here To Get $10 When You Open A New Account

How to Use Coinbase to Buy Cryptocurrency in 5 Simple Steps (just follow the bouncing ball)

In this step by step guide, I’ll show exactly how to buy cryptocurrency through Coinbase.

1) Signup and Verify Your Email Address

The first step is to create an account.  Initially you will only be asked for your name, email, password, and state.

2) Choose Your Account Type

After you confirm your email address, you will be taken through a 4 part process to buy.

Choose whether you want to create an individual or business account.

3) Verify Your Phone Number

You will then need to verify your phone number.  This is used as a form of 2-Factor Authentication, helping to secure your account.

4) Set Up Payment Method

The next step is to set up a payment method.

Coinbase accepts payment through bank transfer and credit card.  Both payment methods may require verification.

When setting up your bank account with Coinbase, they may first initiate two small transactions, then require you to verify the amounts.

When setting up a credit card, you’ll likely need to upload pictures of your credit card.

Both methods may require you to verify your identity.  This is required by almost all cryptocurrency exchanges that handle fiat currencies (USD, EUR, Etc.), to comply with various government regulations.

5) Buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, and/or Litecoin

Lastly, it’s time to make your cryptocurrency purchase.  The price and all Coinbase fees are clearly stated at the time of placing your order.

If you made your purchase via bank transfer, your cryptocurrency will arrive after your bank transfer has been processed.

Note:  This process may have changed slightly by the time you’re signing up for Coinbase.  They have continuously made small adjustments to their design and sign up process, but we’ll be sure to update any major changes.

Get $10 When You Open A New Coinbase Account

When you click the link below and open a new Coinbase account, you will receive $10 when you buy or sell $100 worth of cryptocurrency. 

Click Here To Get $10 When You Open A New Account

The post Coinbase Review: Is Coinbase a Safe Exchange to Buy Cryptocurrency? appeared first on CoinCentral.

As two of the world’s most popular ways to buy and sell cryptocurrency, many newcomers are eyeing Coinbase and GDAX as options to make their first crypto investment.

In this Coinbase Pro (GDAX) vs Coinbase comparison, we’ll show you the key differences and help you decide which is best for you.

Two Products from the Same Company

Coinbase and GDAX are two separate but connected products, owned by the same company.  Coinbase is geared towards retail consumers and cryptocurrency newcomers, while GDAX targets more hardcore traders.

(If you’re looking to learn more about the company, we recommend you read our Coinbase Review.)

GDAX is a full-fledged cryptocurrency exchange, allowing users to trade cryptocurrencies Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, as well as USD and EUR fiat currencies.  The platform works similarly to traditional stock and forex platforms.  Users can place a variety of orders, including:

• Market Orders
• Limit Orders
• Stop Orders
• Margin Orders

Deposits and withdrawals can be made using bank transfers or using cryptocurrencies.  You can also transfer funds between your GDAX and Coinbase accounts instantly.

Coinbase aims to make buying, selling, and storing cryptocurrency as easy as can be.  Rather than having to trade on an exchange, Coinbase allows you to buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin directly from them at a set price.  This price is typically very close to the current market price being traded on GDAX.

In addition to bank transfers and cryptocurrency deposits, Coinbase also allows you to use credit cards to make purchases.  They also allow users to make withdrawals using PayPal.

GDAX vs Coinbase: Key Differences

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Beginner Friendliness – It should come as no surprise that Coinbase is the more beginner friendly option, considering the company’s goals with these two platforms.

Deposit and Withdrawal Methods – As mentioned above, Coinbase offers additional payment methods, including credit card deposits and PayPal withdrawals.

Fees – GDAX shines when it comes to saving on fees.  Trading fees are typically .25% or less.  You can see the specifics on their fee structure page.

Coinbase charges ~1.5% when buying or selling via bank transfer and ~4% when using credit cards or PayPal.  Keep in mind that alternative payment methods will always have higher fees.  Coinbase actually offers some of the lowest credit card buy/sell fees in the industry.

Which Platform is Best For You?

Coinbase is the option for those of you looking for a simple way to buy and store Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Litecoin.

If you’re familiar with trading platforms or willing to learn to use them, GDAX is the option that can help you save on fees.

Both sites come from a trustworthy company, well respected in the cryptocurrency community.

More Coinbase Comparisons

• Coinbase vs Kraken
• Coinbase vs Gemini
• Coinbase vs Bittrex
• Coinbase vs XAPO

More GDAX Comparisons

• GDAX vs Gemini
• GDAX vs Kraken
• GDAX vs Poloniex

The post Coinbase vs Coinbase Pro (GDAX) Comparison appeared first on CoinCentral.

Both allow you to get setup in just minutes and start using cryptocurrency including via mobile apps, but the caveats are in how those funds are deposited and transacted. This guide will help you make a decision about which wallet is best for your own cryptocurrency storage use.

(See Our Full Listed of Recommended Cryptocurrency Exchanges)

Coinbase vs. Blockchain.info: Key Information

See the chart to compare differences in Coinbase and Blockchain.info.

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Robust Tools/Resources or Easy Buying/Selling?

Both Coinbase and Blockchain offer great wallets. The key differences between Blockchain and Coinbase for the end user are the buying/selling methods offered as a service by the provider.

Coinbase is best suited for easy setup and buying/selling Bitcoin.

Blockchain, however, offers more resources and tools for using Bitcoin in the marketplace and only facilitates transactions carried out in cryptocurrency.

Both platforms offer an easy to use website, app, and wallet. The dashboards are similar and offer information about your account as well as currency prices and trends. Once logged in, however, you will notice the differences between platforms. It takes only a few minutes to register for either service. This process entails verifying your account using email and phone numbers. Additionally, with Coinbase, you must add/verify financial accounts to start buying BTC, LTC or ETH with USD.

Coinbase makes it simple for you to buy and sell BTC, LTC or ETH using your bank account to purchase and PayPal or bank account to sell. This is likely the easiest and fastest way, with very minimal fees, to start converting dollars (USD) or another type of currency, into cryptocurrency.  

The user interface for Coinbase is very similar to Blockchain, laid out in panels on the website and navigation screens on the app, and both allow you to monitor the state of the cryptocurrencies on the exchange. Coinbase displays information about your portfolio on the dashboard.  

With Blockchain, you are only able to deal in cryptocurrency in all transactions. Notice in the screenshot that you can “send” or “request” right below where it says, “BE YOUR OWN BANK”, which kind of sums up the ideological difference in both services as well. Blockchain doesn’t deal with banks at all. You can send cryptocurrency to others and you can create a link to receive it, but there is no way to link your bank or other payment services provider accounts to buy/sell with USD the way you can on Coinbase.

In a way, Blockchain’s send and receive system is similar in interface and workflow terms (not actual processing) to PayPal’s system of sending money to others via email or receiving money with the PayPal.me link. Instead of sending a balance of actual cash, the link references the blockchain ledger technology so you can send or receive Bitcoin and Ethereum.  

One interesting feature to the dashboard on Blockchain is the security center, where you can work out various ways to keep your account as safe as possible.

Blockchain aims to provide people and businesses with information, tools, research and resources that Coinbase has not really made a priority. This is why Blockchain has slowly become a  hub for enthusiasts in the digital coin space.

Customer Support

Customer support seems to be a sore spot for both Blockchain and Coinbase, though many people online complain little about the actual platform interfaces. In fact, most complaints about both Coinbase and Blockchain were the result of poor customer service responsiveness, which is usually the case for the majority of exchanges. Some users reported that they had not heard back from support teams for months and were only contacted by chatbots that relayed automated messages.

Some Coinbase users have even registered complaints with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) but Coinbase still managed to earn an A+ rating without being an accredited BBB company. However, our experience has generally been that the companies respond via email within a few days, but customer support responsiveness could definitely use improvement in the industry as a whole and these two platforms could certainly lead the way since they are so high profile in the cryptocurrency community.

Both Companies Are Trusted by the Community

The names Blockchain and Coinbase are frequently referenced in countless forums and other resources about Bitcoin and other digital currencies. Both are popular platforms in the cryptocurrency community and are certainly more accessible to newcomers. Also, both are in compliance with laws as U.S. based corporations and put security in high priority.

Safe and Secure

Safety and security is always a top concern when dealing with digital financial transactions. High profile hacks and fraud in the traditional financial system have put consumers on high alert. Cryptocurrency startups like Coinbase and Blockchain are keenly aware of this and continue to invest millions to secure their networks and minimize vulnerabilities.

Coinbase took the step of insuring transactions through Lloyd’s of London, in addition to the maximum $250,000 FDIC insurance on your wallet. However, both Blockchain and Coinbase users have reportedly been hacked in the past, some as a result of phishing schemes or other attacks, which have left users with emptied wallets after investing in cryptocurrency. The issue with these two services is not widespread, however, and users have sometimes received money back from the companies, whose executives themselves in the past have been targets of hacks.

The companies have been targets of sophisticated attacks, but their respective internal security systems helped prompt rapid response. This was true in the case in which Blockchain’s registrar was targeted in an attempt to gain access to user information. Blockchain shut the service down for hours to find the vulnerability and repair it.

Coinbase user accounts have been taken over by phishing scams involving mobile carriers, which is a problem industry-wide. On the whole, however, Coinbase’s security systems rival or outperform many of the largest banks and financial institutions with their machine learning security that can detect suspicious activity on accounts.   

Fees

Coinbase and Blockchain both charge fees on a per transaction basis and are quite minimal, but Coinbase remains among the highest. For Coinbase users, the fees are a trade-off for key storage, security and other key features and convenience of the platform.

The above chart shows how typical Coinbase transaction fees work, with a base rate of 4% on all transactions. Blockchain charges fees in a similar way when sending and receiving funds, however, the fees vary a bit. Blockchain recently introduced dynamic fees, so users pay higher fees when network traffic is higher.

Available Cryptocurrencies

Coinbase:

Coinbase users can buy and sell Ethereum (ETH), LiteCoin (LTC) or Bitcoin (BTC) cryptocurrencies.

Blockchain:

Blockchain users can send and/or receive Ethereum (ETH) or Bitcoin (BTC) cryptocurrencies.

Coinbase vs Blockchain: Final Thoughts

In using both services, it’s clear that each has its own benefits, depending on your own intent for use. You can use either to acquire BTC or ETH and use a mobile app for convenience. However, it is likely easier for newbies to get set up on the intuitive Coinbase platform. If you’re only planning to use cryptocurrency transactions without the need for a bank, Blockchain is your perfect wallet.

The post Coinbase vs. Blockchain: How Do the Exchanges Stack Up? appeared first on CoinCentral.

Coinbase vs XAPO: Key Information

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Comparing the Features of Coinbase and Xapo

You might just be starting out with Bitcoin or other digital currencies and you’re not sure where to start. Who can actually be trusted to deliver what you want in exchange for your traditional hard earned fiat mullah? Coinbase and Xapo have likely both popped up during your research with plenty of haters and celebrators for each company.

So which should you choose to get started?

Both companies offer very similar services as they strive to create a trusted platform that makes switching between fiat and cryptocurrencies simple and straightforward for new users. They want to help you bridge the gap between traditional finance and digital currency without risk.

The main difference between the two companies is the selection of cryptocurrencies you are able to buy and sell. Coinbase is one of the most famous names in the industry can get you started with digital currency in a matter of minutes. Not only can you buy and hold Bitcoin, you are also able to purchase Ethereum and Litecoin with the same ease.

Coinbase also allows you to purchase Bitcoin directly from them via a credit card which is useful if you are in a hurry, but watch out for the hefty fees with this method. European and UK customers can save up to 4% on fees by depositing money via bank transfer.

Xapo is a newcomer on the crypto exchange block. Their Bitcoin services are pretty simple for new users, but it’s worth noting you can’t directly purchase Bitcoins via a credit card. They only operate in Bitcoin which is a distinct frustration for anyone wanting to expand their range of cryptocurrencies.

Once you are fully verified you can work in multiple fiat currencies. You can seamlessly transfer between Bitcoin and all major currencies, USD, GBP, Euro etc. Perfect if you are using different fiat currencies because there is no need to select a ‘local’ currency and then be stuck with high fees for moving to another alternative.

You can easily include multiple fiat currency wallets and transfer instantaneously between them at competitive exchange rates whilst viewing your overall net worth. That means you could buy your Bitcoin in pounds before switching back to euros in just a couple of clicks.

Simplicity and trust are what drive both of these providers you can buy coins directly from Coinbase and Xapo so you don’t have to learn the ins and out of trading markets. You can also decide to store your private keys offline in cold storage for industry-leading standard security. Xapo keeps its cold storage locked away inside a Swiss mountain, which makes for a cool marketing story to show they are serious about the security of your Bitcoins.

Customer Support

As you would expect, companies that are aiming to make cryptocurrency user-friendly have really well-structured support for their customers. As a somewhat new concept to the wider world, Coinbase does an excellent job of making you feel at home.

You are pretty much walked through every step of the process from the moment you land on their website. They greet you with information about Bitcoin and genuinely want to make the experience painless.

Xapo does a respectable job at helping the customer but for me, there are still some questions unanswered. It’s 2017, it’s Bitcoin, so you’d assume you can expect to find everything you need online, right? Xapo looks to have a pretty extensive support center, however, most of it is hollow with little helpful information. They seem to be more interested in selling their Bitcoin debit card before you even have any Bitcoins.

When it comes to customer support after you’ve signed up, both platforms are lacking. This is largely due to the large influx of people into the cryptocurrency world, and it’s likely that both platforms will improve their customer service as time goes on.

Both Companies Are Trusted by the Community

Coinbase remains a longstanding name with within the cryptocurrency world having built its reputation as early adopters and is now starting to penetrate the wider public. Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam launched the company in the summer of 2012, originally providing an exchange for professional Bitcoin traders.

Xapo has scaled fast since its 2014 birth, particularly during 2017 when they cemented their place in the Bitcoin growth. The founder Wences Casares is now seen as a thought leader in the industry, even payment giants such as Paypal seek out his advice now.

Both companies have become big players in Bitcoin’s expansion providing consumers with different options. With Coinbase growing out of the US and Xapo building from Hong Kong, there are different business ideals on the table alongside worldwide banking options.

Safe and Secure

Security is a core component to any great exchange and wallet service. Coinbase and Xapo have some of the best security out there.

Coinbase combine their easy to use service with top-tier security. They use offline storage methods and 2-step authentication meaning your account can’t be accessed with just your regular password.

Xapo offers a little more flexibility in how you store your funds, allowing you to move between online and vault storage at your discretion. They focus on constantly pushing industry security methods. You’ll find access to various parts of your account needs 2-step authentication and an extra pin code. If you really want a next layer, you can even store your Bitcoins in a mountain.

Fees

As mentioned above, Coinbase offers instant credit card purchases but this comes with a 4% interest rate which becomes pretty chunky for large Bitcoin buys. You can deposit funds into their account to purchase cryptocurrency which removes this fee but all buy transactions are still subject to a 1.5% fee rate.

Xapo has varying costs depending on how you go about your business. You’ll need to deposit money into a Xapo fiat wallet to get started. This can be done by credit card but again will result in large fees. Bank transfers are available for minimal cost or you can use a local trusted Xapo teller with varying fees. Once you have your deposit loaded you can quickly buy Bitcoin for no fee at near market value.

Available Cryptocurrencies

Coinbase has the distinct advantage of providing Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum services. If you a looking to create a portfolio of strong digital currencies then that is really helpful. Xapo on the other hand only provides Bitcoin storage and exchanges. I found this frustrating when looking to either receive or buy Litecoin to complement current Bitcoin holdings. If they are serious about providing a complete cryptowallet option then more currencies would be a bonus.

Coinbase vs Xapo: Final Thoughts

There is a lot to like about both services and neither are severely lacking when it comes to getting your Bitcoin life off to a smooth start. Coinbase might just edge it for the absolute beginner who just wants to get some cryptocurrency and learn the ropes. Xapo takes pride in their security and, with a touch more effort, can reduce your fees quite dramatically. There is top quality security from both companies but Xapo feels like your account has its own personal bodyguard.

The major deciding factor might just be currency offerings. If you want multiple cryptocurrencies then Coinbase leaps off the page. For those wanting multiple fiat currency choices, Xapo is seamless.

(You Can See Our Full List of the Top Cryptocurrency Exchanges Here)

More Coinbase Comparisons

• Coinbase vs GDAX
• Coinbase vs Kraken
• Coinbase vs Gemini
• Coinbase vs Bittrex

The post Coinbase vs Xapo Comparison appeared first on CoinCentral.

Is Coinbase Safe?

If reading this Coinbase review, chances are this is a question you’re asking.  The short answer is yes, but we’ll take a closer look at this in 3 parts below.

Company Legitimacy

As a company operating in the United States, Coinbase is required to comply with U.S. laws and regulations, at both a federal and state level.  Here are some of the laws, regulations, and regulatory bodies that Coinbase complies with:

• Registered as a Money Services Business with FinCEN.
• Complies with the Bank Secrecy Act.
• Complies with the USA Patriot Act.
• Complies with state money transmission laws and regulations.

These regulations and laws force accountability onto Coinbase, something that may be lacking from some of their offshore competitors in other countries with less strict regulations.

Aside from the United States, none of the other 31 countries, where Coinbase operates, require licenses to operate a cryptocurrency business.

It’s also worth noting, Coinbase has many trustworthy investors backing the company.  These investors include Alexis Ohanian (Reddit Co-Founder), Bank Of Tokyo, Blockchain Capital, and Digital Currency Group.

Safe Keeping of Funds

Coinbase segregates customer funds from company operational funds.  These customer funds are held in custodial bank accounts.  This means they will not use funds of yours to operate their business.  They also claim, “Even if Coinbase were to becomes insolvent, the funds held in the custodial bank accounts could not be claimed by Coinbase or its creditors.  The Funds held in those accounts would be returnable to Coinbase’s customers.”

98% of customers’ cryptocurrency funds are stored in secure offline cold storage.  These cryptocurrencies are held on multiple hardware wallets and paper wallets.  The physical cryptocurrency wallets are then stored in vaults and safety deposit boxes around the world.  These measures protect customers’ funds from being lost or stolen by hackers.

The remaining portion of cryptocurrency, that is stored online, is fully insured by a syndicate of Lloyd’s of London.

United States residents who use Coinbase’s USD wallet are covered by FDIC insurance, up to a maximum of $250,000.

It’s important to note that, despite all of this, customers are still liable if their personal accounts are compromised.  This is why it’s typically recommended to store your cryptocurrencies in an offline cold storage wallet that you control.  You can view our recommended wallets here.

Personal Account Security

Coinbase offers its users a variety of features to secure their personal accounts.  You should also use a strong, unique password.

Multiple 2-factor authentication (2FA) methods are available to help secure your account.  The most basic 2FA option is through SMS texts, but we recommend setting up a third party 2FA app.  Options for this include Google Authenticator and Authy.

You can also track the activity of your account and get notified if a new device or IP address attempts to access your account.

Customer Support

Coinbase offers customer support through email.  In our personal experiences, we’ve typically received responses from support within 24-72 hours.  For general questions, they have an extensive FAQ.

Supported Countries

Coinbase serves customers in the following countries:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Buy and Sell Limits

Buy and sell limits can vary by user location, payment method, and verification status.  You can view your limits at any time, by viewing your account’s limits page.  As a verified U.S. customer, you likely will be able to get these weekly limits fairly easily:

• $5,000 Buy through Bank Account.
• $50 Buy through Credit/Debit Card
• $50,000 Sell

You can apply for higher limits, if these limits don’t meet your needs.  Your limits for instant purchases, like credit card purchases, may not be able to be increased.

Sending Cryptocurrency From Your Coinbase Wallet

The wallet on Coinbase allows you to easily store, send, and receive cryptocurrency.  Sending Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin from your wallet can be completed in just a few steps:

1. Navigate to the Send tab of your account.
2. Choose the wallet you want to send from, effectively choosing what cryptocurrency you’re sending.
3. Enter the amount you’d like to send.
4. Enter the address you wish to send funds to.
5. Send funds.

Receiving Cryptocurrency to Your Coinbase Wallet

Receiving cryptocurrency is also easy using Coinbase.

Navigate to your “Accounts” tab.  Then, find the wallet where you want funds to go and click the “Receive” button.

You will then be provided with your account’s wallet address.  Use this address in the send field of a transaction to receive cryptocurrency.

Be Careful Where You Send Funds From Coinbase

Coinbase has been known to track where its users send their cryptocurrency and ban users for certain transfers.  Coinbase has shut down accounts for the following activities:

• Sending cryptocurrency to gambling sites.
• Sending cryptocurrency to LocalBitcoins.
• Sending cryptocurrency for darknet purchases.

In situations where Coinbase has closed accounts, users are almost always paid back to their bank accounts.

While we’re not condoning using cryptocurrency for illegal activity, we don’t think a business should decide how you can spend your cryptocurrency.  This is another reason the community recommends storing your cryptocurrency in a wallet you control.

Coinbase Review Summary

To summarize this Coinbase review, we think Coinbase is great place for newcomers to buy cryptocurrency.  Newcomers will find Coinbase easier to use than an exchange, while being able to use more payment methods.  However, we do recommend storing your cryptocurrency on a wallet you control, if holding large amounts.

Pros

• Easier to use than an exchange.
• Buy cryptocurrency faster than most exchanges.
• You can buy cryptocurrency with Credit and Debit Cards (In addition to bank transfers).
• Lower fees than “easy buy” competitors.
• Trustworthy and regulated company.
• Safely stores customer funds.

Cons

• Monitors how you spend your cryptocurrency.
• Wallets are less secure than a wallet you control yourself.
• Slightly higher fees than most exchanges.

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Get $10 When You Open A New Coinbase Account

When you click the link below and open a new Coinbase account, you will receive $10 immediately funded into your account.

Don’t miss free cash – even $10… click the link below today to get started.

How to Use Coinbase to Buy Cryptocurrency in 5 Simple Steps (just follow the bouncing ball)

In this step by step guide, I’ll show exactly how to buy cryptocurrency through Coinbase.

1) Signup and Verify Your Email Address

The first step is to create an account.  Initially you will only be asked for your name, email, password, and state.

2) Choose Your Account Type

After you confirm your email address, you will be taken through a 4 part process to buy.

Choose whether you want to create an individual or business account.

3) Verify Your Phone Number

You will then need to verify your phone number.  This is used as a form of 2-Factor Authentication, helping to secure your account.

4) Set Up Payment Method

The next step is to set up a payment method.

Coinbase accepts payment through bank transfer and credit card.  Both payment methods may require verification.

When setting up your bank account with Coinbase, they may first initiate two small transactions, then require you to verify the amounts.

When setting up a credit card, you’ll likely need to upload pictures of your credit card.

Both methods may require you to verify your identity.  This is required by almost all cryptocurrency exchanges who handle fiat currencies (USD, EUR, Etc.), to comply with various government regulations.

5) Buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, and/or Litecoin

Lastly, it’s time to make your cryptocurrency purchase.  The price and all Coinbase fees are clearly stated at the time of placing your order.

If you made your purchase via bank transfer, your cryptocurrency will arrive after your bank transfer has been processed.

Note:  This process may have changed slightly by the time you’re signing up to Coinbase.  They have continuously made small adjustments to their design and sign up process, but we’ll be sure to update any major changes.

Get $10 When You Open A New Coinbase Account

When you click the link below and open a new Coinbase account, you will receive $10 immediately funded into your account.

Don’t miss free cash – even $10… click the link below today to get started.

The post Coinbase Review: Is Coinbase Safe to Buy Cryptocurrency? appeared first on CoinCentral.

Bitcoin Cash Enters the Coinbase Ring. Bitcoin Takes a Hit: Coinbase spontaneously added Bitcoin Cash, the 8 MB fork & potential nemesis of Bitcoin, the news of which skyrocketed the price by over 50% and dropped Bitcoin by over $1800. 

The Champ Takes a Bigger Breather: Bitcoin continued its slump from an explosive month, which was rapidly accelerated by Coinbase adding BCH. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is sitting around $13,200.00.

Ripple Continues to Go HAM: Last week, Ripple hit an ATH of $0.87 to the surprise of many holders who were used to Ripple hanging around the $0.30 range. This week, Ripple nearly touched $1.40.

Christmas Came Early for Alts: Tokens such as Ripple (+62.30%), Cardano (+112%), NEM (+68%), QTUM (+192.74%), TRON (+150%), Lisk (+123%), Komodo (+200%), and Hshare (+90%) saw a huge spike in market cap and attention. Even Verge was able to make out with a humble +588% gain. All twenty top market cap tokens hit record highs this week. The rapid growth of the alt-coin market has started to attract more and more attention to the many blockchain-based projects being built.

….That was until Thursday when everything took a steep nose dive into the red. The much-anticipated market correction led to the majority of tokens taking a 20% – 40% hit in the span of just a few hours, with Bitcoin falling back down into the high $12,000s. Is the sky falling? Probably not. If you’ve been eyeing cryptocurrency markets for a while, you’re likely used to the occasional pullback.

Goldman Sachs to Establish Cryptocurrency Trading Desks: According to
Bloomberg, Michael DuVally of Goldman Sachs said in a statement “In response to clients interest in digital currencies, we are exploring how best to serve them”. If Goldman Sachs continues with the move, it will be the first major Wall Street Bank to create cryptocurrency markets. Let’s not forget our bi-monthly reminder JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon called anyone who buys Bitcoin “stupid.”

Fueled by Bitcoins Momentum, NYSE Files to List Bitcoin ETFs: The proposed rule change is under review by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). If passed, the ruling would give way for investors to bet on Bitcoin’s success using a vehicle brand new to the cryptocurrency world.

Buzz Around Which Currencies Coinbase Will Add Next: Many speculators believe that any coin added to Coinbase is expected to surge in value. Seeing what happened to Bitcoin Cash, this isn’t an unfounded assumption. Rumors are leaning towards Ripple, Dash, and Iota, among others, creating hype around what the next cash cow in cryptocurrency will be.  

Rumors Favor Ripple?: After a spectacular week for Ripple and passing its $1 Milestone, XRP exploded once again from around $0.65 on December 15th to an ATH of $1.22. The push was largely connected to circulating rumors that Coinbase will soon add the currency to its exchange. Many people in the cryptocurrency community have been speculating that Ripple very well might be the next coin to be added.

Coinbase Investigating Claims of Insider Trading:

Coinbase policies prohibit employees from discussing the potential addition of new currencies to the platform with anyone outside the organization. In a blog post by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, “If we find evidence of any employee or contractor violating our policies — directly or indirectly — I will not hesitate to terminate the employee immediately and take appropriate legal action.” This post comes after the sharp price increase in BCH hours before the currency was added to the exchange.  

What’s New at CoinCentral?

This week, we brought you a handful of new guides and resources about various new exciting projects. New cryptocurrency guides made this week:

• The Upcoming Bitcoin Forks: What You Need to Know– As more and more projects plan to fork from Bitcoin, it’s important to know what to expect.
• What is Tether–  Learn more about this somewhat controversial dollar-pegged asset. 
• BitConnect: Is It Legit or a Ponzi Scheme? -Is this investment platform too good to be true? 
• What are Masternodes? An Introduction and Guide – Welcome to an integral component of many blockchain-based projects.
• What is Augur? – This decentralized prediction market platform could be a huge disruptor for a wide variety of industries and sectors of society. 

If you’re interested in seeing some of the brightest minds in the cryptocurrency such as Tim Draper, Brad Garlinhhouse (CEO of Ripple), and Charlie Lee (Founder of Litecoin) speak, come join us at Blockchain Connect in San Francisco on January 26th, 2018. Oh, our readers can also snag 30% off with the code “coincentral”

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More Cryptocurrency News From Around the World

Litecoin Founder Sells All His Litecoin: Due to a “conflict of interest”, the Founder of Litecoin, Charlie Lee sold all his coins. Below is a statement he posted on Reddit to express the decision.

“Over the past year, I try to stay away from price related tweets, but it’s hard because price is such an important aspect of Litecoin growth. And whenever I tweet about Litecoin price or even just good or bads news, I get accused of doing it for personal benefit. Some people even think I short LTC! So in a sense, it is conflict of interest for me to hold LTC and tweet about it because I have so much influence. I have always refrained from buying/selling LTC before or after my major tweets, but this is something only I know. And there will always be a doubt on whether any of my actions were to further my own personal wealth above the success of Litecoin and crypto-currency in general.

For this reason, in the past days, I have sold and donated all my LTC. Litecoin has been very good for me financially, so I am well off enough that I no longer need to tie my financial success to Litecoin’s success. For the first time in 6+ years, I no longer own a single LTC that’s not stored in a physical Litecoin. (I do have a few of those as collectibles.) This is definitely a weird feeling, but also somehow refreshing. Don’t worry. I’m not quitting Litecoin. I will still spend all my time working on Litecoin. When Litecoin succeeds, I will still be rewarded in lots of different ways, just not directly via ownership of coins. I now believe this is the best way for me to continue to oversee Litecoin’s growth.

Please don’t ask me how many coins I sold or at what price. I can tell you that the amount of coins was a small percentage of GDAX’s daily volume and it did not crash the market.”

The Woeful Souls of Lost Bitcoin: Bitcoin wallets have complex passwords and security keys that prevent hackers from stealing Bitcoin. Some unfortunate early adopters of Bitcoin have forgotten their passwords and in desperation turning to hypnotists such as Jason Miller to help them remember. And then there’s James Howell, the man who would be worth $126 Million in Bitcoin today if his hardware wallet wasn’t buried in a landfill in Newport, Wales.

Nothing Like a Nice, Cold Sip of Blockchain: Formerly known as Long Island Iced Tea Corp. (LTA), the beverage company added “Blockchain” to its name. The stock nearly instantly increased up to 180%. To some, this is eerily reminiscent of the dot com era where any company could add a “.com” to its name and jump in price. While the company will remain in the drink industry, it claims it is going to build and purchase blockchain infrastructure to enter the financial services industry. Watch out world.

Estonia to Become First Country to Launch an ICO: Kaspar Korjus, managing director at e-residency, recently announced the creation of Estonia’s very own ‘estcoin’. The token will be issued to all members of its e-residency program.

EtherDelta Suspends Service Following Hack: EtherDelta users were in for a shock Wednesday when the popular cryptocurrency exchange platform was hacked. The hack tricked users into sending tokens to the hacker instead of the exchange. Roughly 308 ETH ($266,789), as well as a few hundred thousand dollars of other tokens, were stolen during the time of the digital attack.  

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The post This Week in Cryptocurrency – December 22nd, 2017 appeared first on CoinCentral.

Bitcoin Takes a Breather: Following Bitcoin’s near one month sprint, the flagship cryptocurrency took a break this week and hovered around the $16,500.00 range. It’s worth noting that this is after the release of futures contracts, which many thought would signal a rapid “big short” of the token.

Ripple Goes HAM, Upgrade from Bologna: Ripple (XRP) was relatively dormant for a few months exploded from around $0.24 all the way to an ATH of $0.87, a near 300% jump in only a few days.

Ethereum Keeps Growing: Ethereum hit a new ATH around $750.00 and has been able to maintain a price around that level at the close of this week.

The Rise of Litecoin: The child of @SatoshiLite (Charlie Lee) surged from around $130 to near $350 this week. This lovely jump in price is estimated to be due to the horde of new investors getting access to Coinbase and buying the cheapest option.

SEC Issues Quasi-supportive Crypto Statement?: In a world where many people in the cryptocurrency community look at any regulatory body with weary and suspicious eyes, this piece of news might catch you by surprise. SEC chairman Jim Clayton issued a cautious, yet supportive statement concerning ICOs and cryptocurrency investments.  While devoting most of the statement to warning investors of the potential troubles with investing in ICOs that are beyond the SEC’s jurisdiction.

“It has been asserted that cryptocurrencies are not securities and that the offer and sale of cryptocurrencies are beyond the SEC’s jurisdiction.  Whether that assertion proves correct with respect to any digital asset that is labeled as a cryptocurrency will depend on the characteristics and use of that particular asset.”

While these words of warning are well-received by a community of people who have themselves become weary with garbage ICOs coming out of the woodwork, the statement ended on a positive note.

“We at the SEC are committed to promoting capital formation.  The technology on which cryptocurrencies and ICOs are based may prove to be disruptive, transformative and efficiency enhancing.  I am confident that developments in fintech will help facilitate capital formation and provide promising investment opportunities for institutional and Main Street investors alike.

I encourage Main Street investors to be open to these opportunities, but to ask good questions, demand clear answers and apply good common sense when doing so.  When advising clients, designing products and engaging in transactions, market participants and their advisers should thoughtfully consider our laws, regulations and guidance, as well as our principles-based securities law framework, which has served us well in the face of new developments for more than 80 years.  I also encourage market participants and their advisers to engage with the SEC staff to aid in their analysis under the securities laws.”

This is a huge step towards legitimizing cryptocurrency investment, as well as pushing any potential impending regulatory gavel from landing on a more friendly surface.

RIP Net Neutrality: While not directly crypto-related, the repeal of net neutrality on Thursday was a swift punch to the gut of every Internet nerd and digital entrepreneur. The end of net neutrality means that net service providers will be allowed to charge websites for faster download speeds. What this means for the cryptoworld in general, only time will tell.

Bitcoin’s a Big Boy: With a market cap hovering over $275 billion, the total value of all Bitcoins surpassed the value of Coca-Cola, Toyota, Verizon, Bank of America, Chevron, AT&T, Walmart, Pfizer, and Procter & Gamble, and is nipping at the heels of Alphabet (Google). What’s this mean? Big boys have gravity. As Bitcoin continues to surpass household names, it’s going to keep drawing attention from the general population.

Indiegogo Gogoes ICO: One of the world’s largest crowdfunding platforms announced it’s going to start offering the ability to invest in ICOs to all accredited and unaccredited investors. Indiegogo also listed a strategic partnership with its broker-dealer MicroVentures to handpick quality crypto investments.

Coinbase Adding New Tokens: In an interview with CNBC this week, Coinbase co-Founder and CEO Brian Armstrong likened the exchange to being a Stock Market 2.0. Most notably, he included that Coinbase will be adding new tokens to the platform in 2018.

“The ones that are the most exciting to us that we have on the platform today are bitcoin, ethereum and litecoin, but there’s many more that are going to be added to the platform in 2018 and I think this is going to be a really exciting space for all kinds of institutional investors to make money.”

To really understand the gravity of this statement, it’s important to note that Coinbase currently only has three tokens for users to choose from: Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. As THE premier beginner friendly exchange, there are a ton of investors that have limited themselves to these three tokens and not ventured out into other altcoins. Any altcoin that gets added to Coinbase will be immediately available to many of the investors within the Coinbase platform, and it’s not unreasonable to expect at least a minor jump in trade volume and price.

As far as which tokens we’ll be likely to see on Coinbase in 2018, there are a few rumors circulating around. Although purely speculative, two of the frontrunners are Ripple (XRP) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH).

What’s New at CoinCentral?

This was an exciting week at CoinCentral because we got to work on some more sweet guides.

New cryptocurrency guides made this week:

• What is Einsteinium? – A token with a brianiac name that sets the bar high, a beginner’s guide. 

• What is Decred? –  Learn about a how decentralized governance and decision making on the blockchain token operates. 

• What is NEM? – A beginners’ guide to an enterprise-grade solution to power the impending blockchain economy.

• What is Factom? – A guide on the a blockchain protocol that makes it easier and cheaper for businesses to store data on the blockchain.
• What is Stellar Lumens? – Find out more about the token aiming to create “a worldwide financial network open to anyone.”
• Where do Bitcoins come from?  – When a papa Bitcoin and a mama Bitcoin really love each other, they make a new Bitcoin. Just kidding, find out here. 
• How long do Bitcoin transfers take? – If you’ve ever wondered about the mechanics behind a Bitcoin transaction/transfer. 

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More Cryptocurrency News From Around the World

Craigslist Adds Crypto Payments: The massive online classified marketplace Craigslist snuck in a feature that allows users to specify that they accept crypto payments. While the feature only consists of a checkbox that says “cryptocurrency ok”, which isn’t too shabby for the 16th most popular site in the United States. This seems like a technological jump by leaps and bounds, as Craiglist has virtually the same exact website since 1995.

The discovery was originally posted on Reddit and was met with mixed reactions:

1. “No more having to use cash and worry about being mugged, it truly is the future.”
2. “I don’t feel safe transacting in crypto with strangers. I feel that it would be very easy for skeezers to target someone who potentially carries thousands on them (in their crypto wallet) versus someone who they can only rob for the item they are selling and the $20 paper cash in their pocket.”
3. “we did it boys…. we mainstream now.”

BreadWallet Rebrands to Bread, ICOS: The popular Bitcoin wallet chose to rebrand itself from BreadWallet to Bread and announced an ICO campaign. The wallet currently has over 750,000 customers spread over 140 countries.

Bread is looking to raise $20 million from December 15th to 23rd, where a maximum of 160 Bread tokens will be issued (900 BRD = 1 ETH). The details include:

• $12 million raised in presale (sold out in 4 days)
• 106M total tokens for sale
• 32M tokens to be used for administrative cost of the token sale
• 22M tokens to be retained for future development.

Trouble in South Korea: Many of South Korea’s major commercial and state-run banks have started to pull back from cryptocurrencies and have declared that they will no longer be offering accounts for cryptocurrency trading. This is due to South Korean regulators announcing a plan that would ban all South Korean banks from participating in any cryptocurrency-related activity. This naturally has and will continue to affect South Korean top exchanges such as Bithumb, Coinone, and Korbit.

Well, what had happened was: Although IOTA hinted at a partnership with Microsoft in early November 2017, it formally stated that it currently has no formal partnership with the tech behemoth. However, the two companies are collaborating on innovating with IOTA’s Tangle network without any signed agreements. Following the hint of the Microsoft “partnership”, IOTA’s market share 4xed from $2.95 billion to well over $13 billion. It currently sits at around $10 billion, which is interesting to note how reactionary the market was to the first piece of news, but much less (so far) to the clarification.

South Korea Ignites Ripple: Although South Korea could tentatively ban cryptocurrency trading, that hasn’t stopped the South Korean cryptocurrency market from pushing Ripple’s price up 71% within a 24 hour span. Within this 24 hour period, the main South Korean exchanges Bithumb, Korbit, Coinoine processed around $1.7 billion of trades, which is more than the daily trading volume of Bitfinex, Bittrex, Poloniex, Bitstamp, Binance, and Kraken. The catalyst for this massive bull run was the Ripple blockchain-based payment trial ran by South Korean and Japanese banks. There was a point where South Korean exchanges (Bithumb, Korbit, Coinoine) accounted for around 50% of all Ripple trades.

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The post This Week in Cryptocurrency – December 15th, 2017 appeared first on CoinCentral.