Canada’s Royal Mint is launching a digital currency called MintChip. Its suppose to allow small or large, anonymous transactions. Sounds familiar, no? The transaction has to take place between two specifically equipped hardware devices (potentially a microSD card) but that has not been fully worked out yet. What has been worked out is a contest! Developers can access the MintChip code to use in apps and the winner will get one 10-ounce wafer of pure gold.
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Chad Pankewitz: Ruxum, Bitcoin and Namecoin
July 19, 2011 
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Chad Pankewitz sees an opportunity in the new digital currency opportunities provided by Bitcoin and fork, Namecoin. Bitcoin has been in the news lately and has focues new attention on virtual fiat currencies. Chad’s background as the head of eBusiness for Citigroup Private Bank seems to be a good sign for his ability to lend credability and security to the nascent currency platforms.
Read more Bitcoin: MT Gox hacked, Tradehill in the spotlight
June 20, 2011 1 Comment
The hits just keep on coming with every one’s favorite virtual currency. In addition to a number of new mainstream articles, the primary bitcoin exchange, MT Gox got hacked a few hours ago. Tradehill, a new exchange, also halted trading to give people time to change passwords that they may have been using for both systems.
Read more Bitcoin: trouble in paradise
June 15, 2011 1 Comment
Ars Technica reports that a long time Bitcoin miner says his system was compromised and Bitcoins were stolen. I guess following the hype and valuation jump some kind of subterfuge was to be expected.
Read more Bitcoin: goes mainstream, breaks $31, bounces off $10
June 13, 2011 1 Comment
Its been a big week for Bitcoin, everyone’s favorite p2p digital cryptocurrency. There was a spot on CBS a post on Smart Money and two Senators pushed for “something to be done!” Most all of the recent buzz can be linked to the Gawker article about Silk Road, an underground digital market place that sells drugs. But in this case the buzz was big enough to attract some interest from the main stream media, albeit from the weird offshoot of needing to fill a 24 hour news cycle.
Read more Bitcoin doubles in weekend trading
June 6, 2011 0 Comments
I was planning on getting some Bitcoins and looked at the price on Thursday when it was trading around 10, up from the 8 or so jump after the Gawker article. I decided I would get ready, see what happened and either way buy today. Until I checked the price this afternoon. It went from 10 on the 2nd to 19 on the 4th. That’s a pretty big move in any market.
Read more Bitcoin’s Silk Road
June 2, 2011 5 Comments
A recent Gawker article about online drug sales highlighted the virtual currency Bitcoin’s use in black markets. Bitcoin has been on a roll lately, receiving publicity and raising awareness. That fact is reflected in the value of a Bitcoin vs the US dollar. That’s a hell of an increase in a short time.
Read more Stan Stalnaker talks about Ven and Bitcoin
May 20, 2011 0 Comments
Bitcoin blew up this week with some new attention from Calacanis and his team. Now in a guest post on TechCrunch, Stan Stalnaker of Hub Culture talks about the recent history of virtual currencies and in particular Ven and Bitcoin.
Read more CoffeeandPower from Second Life founder
May 19, 2011 0 Comments
Philip Rosedale, Second Life founder, launches a new company today called CoffeeandPower. Testing in San Fransico first, CoffeeandPower lets users exchange virtual currency for real world services. If it sounds a bit like Zaarly, you are right it does.
Read more Bitcoin is the most dangerous open-source project ever created
May 16, 2011 1 Comment
I made a quick mention of Bitcoin in a previous post but its back in the news as Jason Calacanis and the LAUNCH team post some updates on their show and then subsequent traffic from new stories. Bitcoins are a virtual currency stored on your computer or other device that can be exchanged between people as a form of payment.
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