Cryptocurrencies kept rising Friday morning, extending the upward trend witnessed for most of the week. Recent data revealed that more money was made through initial coin offerings in the first quarter of this year than in the whole of last year. Elsewhere, a Japanese information technology conglomerate is set to demonstrate a next generation blockchain at a famous trade fair in Germany. And a consortium of banks successfully conducted live cross-border transactions involving corporate clients on a blockchain-based trade finance platform.
Here is a wrap of the main news from the cryptocurrency and blockchain space over the past 24 hours.
ICOs Raised More Money In Q1 2018 Than The Whole Of 2017
An unprecedented hike in fund-raising via Initial Coin Offerings, or ICOs has been reported in the first quarter of 2018 than what was recorded in the previous year. The total ICO funding for last year was $5.5 billion, while in the first quarter of 2018 itself global ICOs raised $6.3 billion, which is 118 percent of the 2017 total, according to data collected by CoinDesk. Read more...
Fujitsu To Demonstrate 'Next Gen Blockchain' IOTA At Hannover Messe Trade Fair
Fujitsu, the Japanese information technology conglomerate, is set to introduce IOTA, which it calls the next generation distributed ledger technology or blockchain, at the Hannover Messe trade fair in Germany this month. The trade fair, Germany's biggest, is set to take place between April 23-27. The show will host 6,500 exhibitors and 250,000 visitors. Read more...
First Global Trade Agreements On Batavia Blockchain Platform
A consortium of international banks and IBM has successfully conducted its first live cross-border transactions involving corporate clients on a blockchain-based trade finance platform. Batavia was founded by banking giant UBS in partnership with IBM Blockchain in 2016. Bank of Montreal (BMO), CaixaBank, Commerzbank and Erste Group later joined it and formed a consortium to advance its technological development. Read more...
Momentous Entertainment To Accept Investment In Cryptocurrencies
Digital media and entertainment company Momentous Entertainment Group is set to start accepting cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ether, as a form of alternative investment. Momentous will probably become the first publicly traded company to accept investments in cryptocurrencies. Momentous has appointed Andrew Birnbaum in the newly created role of Chief Digital Currency Officer. Read more...
Bittwatt Launches Electricity Trading Platform On The Blockchain
A new startup company Bittwatt is launching a unique electricity trading platform using blockchain technology with the intention of offering transparency to all involved in the energy sector from electricity producers to the consumers. The new decentralized matchmaking platform is expected to streamline operations and lower operational costs of the companies involved and the related high transfer fees. It also helps in eliminating energy waste, and cutting the energy bills, the company said. Read more...
Tutorial: Crypto Lexicon - SHILL
Often one comes across the term "SHILL" in crypto forums. To SHILL a coin or SHILLING means to promote it by providing misinformation with the hope of boosting the price. Usually this is done by someone who holds the coin and wants its price to appreciate. Read more...
Current Prices
As of 7.44 am ET on Friday, Bitcoin was up 3.84 percent at $8,510 and Ethereum was higher by 10.13 percent at $588.52 on Coinbase.
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Forex News
December 19, 2025 15:10 ET U.S. inflation data and interest rate decisions by major central banks were the highlights of this busy week for economics news flow. Employment data and survey results on the housing markets also gained attention in the U.S. In Europe, the European Central Bank and Bank of England announced their policy decisions and macroeconomic projections.