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Huobi Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of Singaporean crypto giant Huobi Group, is set to raise $4.6 million in January 2020. The exchange will raise the funding from Japanese financial services firm Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings. The new funding comes just two months after the exchange raised another $4.6 million from FPG Corporation. Tokai Tokyo signed a business alliance agreement with Huobi Japan which will see the two firms strengthen cooperation in the digital assets business. The financial services giant, which mainly deals in brokerage services, believes that blockchain and cryptos are about to explode in the Japanese market and it doesn't want to miss out. In its press release, the company stated, "Here in Japan, the relevant ministerial ordinances are expected in force next spring. Therefore, we believe that the business dealing with crypto assets and blockchain will accelerate further." Tokai Tokyo will promote new businesses in areas such as initial exchange of...

According to one researcher, quantum computing faces more hurdles than many realize when it comes to achieving viability in breaking encryption. In a recent report Dr. Subhash Kak, Regents Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Oklahoma State University, notes that there are issues such as "noise" and error correction that render the buzz about quantum supremacy when it comes to Bitcoin, still largely theoretical. Where Quantum Supremacy Falls Short In essence "quantum supremacy" refers to the demonstration that a quantum computer can solve some problem classical computers can't. There's no doubt this has been done, but the important question for those in the crypto space centers on what kind of problem is being solved. While the development of quantum supremacy is a haunting specter indeed for hodlers worried about their private keys, there's yet little evidence the problems being solved by this technology have much utility in cracking encr...

More global giants continue to adopt the blockchain, setting the stage for what could be a momentous year in 2020 for the technology. Asia has continued to set the pace, with China, South Korea and India leading the pack. This week, China's internet giant ByteDance launched a new partnership which will develop blockchain and AI solutions for its clients. Known mainly as the owner of video sharing app TikTok, ByteDance partnered with a state media conglomerate to launch a new company named Pengpai Audiovisual Technology Co. Also in China, the country's judiciary revealed this week that the smart courts system has been quite a success. The courts are powered by blockchain and other technologies such as AI and cloud computing. According to a recent report, these smart courts settled over 3 million cases between March and October this year. The race for a national digital currency is still on course, with Iran revealing its intentions this week. The country's president proposed...

Cryptocurrency-focused banking startup SEBA Crypto AG has expanded into nine new jurisdictions, just months after it received a Swiss banking license. With its latest expansion, the startup aims to bridge the gap between digital currencies and the legacy banking system. Based in the Zug crypto valley in Switzerland, SEBA aims to offer the crypto industry with the banking services that it has lacked for so long. It obtained a Swiss banking license in August and became fully operational a month ago. In a statement shared with media houses, the company revealed that it had expanded into nine new jurisdictions. These are Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, the U.K and Portugal. For SEBA, it's all about bridging the gap between the traditional financial system and the new era of digital currencies. As CoinGeek has reported severally, crypto companies have struggled to access even the most basic banking services. For banks, it doesn't matter how bi...

Indian Parliament member Dr. Subramanian Swamy has shared his view on cryptocurrency. Advocating for India to make the transition to crypto, he reportedly said, "cryptocurrency is inevitable." The lawmaker will chair a conference at the UN India's headquarters next week where issues surrounding cryptocurrency in the country will be discussed. Indian Member of Parliament (MP) Dr. Subramanian Swamy has reportedly spoken about cryptocurrency following the statements made last week on digital currency by the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP was nominated to Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India's parliament, by the President of India. According to Sarkaritel news portal, Dr. Swamy supports cryptocurrency adoption. He was quoted on Wednesday as saying: Last week, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das revealed that the central bank had examined internally the prospect of issuing an RBI-backed digital rupee. "I think it is an area ...

Weiss Ratings has downgraded EOS once again, taking its ranking from a B to a C-. The group cites "failure to decentralize," "misallocation of resources," and a congested network as reasons for the fall in rank. "Weiss Crypto Ratings model is not based on opinion. It's driven by data," the group claims. In this article we'll look at EOS, as well as top coins by market cap to see how Weiss — and other voices in the space — view their progress. The Weiss Rating System The self-described "only ratings agency that combines the broadest coverage, strictest independence, complete objectivity, high ethics, and a commitment to safety," has moved EOS down to a C- rating. Weiss Crypto Ratings took to Twitter over the weekend to explain their reasoning. "We've had great respect for work and thinking that went into the EOS project. But the Weiss Crypto Ratings model is not based on opinion. It's driven by data," the group tweeted. ...

For those standing very close to the crypto charts, it might be easy to get discouraged by the gloomy nature of recent markets. However, new comparisons of the current halving cycle to those in the past have emerged and might put some wind back into the sails of traders, hodlers, and cryptocurrency enthusiasts in general. Miners Unfazed as Halving Approaches Though crypto prices took a big dip in November, with BTC falling 30% from a high of $9,486 to a bottom of around $6,575, hash rates on both the BTC and BCH chains have held relatively steady as the next block reward halving approaches. Data also points to miners hoarding coins in view of the upcoming subsidy reduction, as the event is generally viewed as price favorable. In combination with these factors, new analysis has emerged which might suggest that in spite of the recent bearish climate, things might be more on track than previously supposed. Comparing Halving Cycles The image above aligns the block reward halving points of ...