The Intrepid Report Issue #37
By: Julien Breteau
Tags: Newsletter, Technology, News, Blockchain, Bitcoin

Here’s what’s in store for you this week: there seems to be no end to news of ICOs violating securities laws, more blockchain and cryptocurrency companies are starting to work with governments, including major exchanges like Coinbase, we’ve got insights on the importance of Bitcoin not being money, as well as thoughts from the Blockchain Review on the 5 major problems with bitcoin and blockchain today, and much more. Check it out below.

Key news highlights. What’s going on in the world of Blockchain?

Regulator Orders Cease And Desist To Crypto Firm LevelNet

The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation has issued this order to the California company over alleged violations of the state’s securities laws. An investigation determined that the company, which is currently conducting an ICO, had been violating the state’s laws by “deceptively advertising unfounded and unrealistic investment returns and failing to properly register the investment.” This shut down comes at a time of increased regulatory scrutiny of cryptocurrencies and ICOs in North America in what is known as Operation Cryptosweep.

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Cryptocurrency Companies Realize They Can’t Fight the Government Forever

Despite some initial reluctance, crypto-companies are slowly starting to show more interest in working with governments. Two of the largest cryptocurrency businesses in the US, Coinbase and Circle, recently announced plans to launch licensed cryptocurrency securities trading. The US authorities have also been softening their stance towards cryptocurrency related businesses. Read on to find more about the plans of major exchanges and regulatory changes in other jurisdictions.

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Blockchain’s Once-Feared 51% Attack Is Now Becoming Regular

At least five cryptocurrencies have recently been hit with an attack that used to be more theoretical than actual, all in the last month. In each case, attackers have been able to amass enough computing power to compromise these smaller networks, rearrange their transactions and abscond with millions of dollars in an effort that’s perhaps the crypto equivalent of a bank heist. Here’s a look inside the attacks and the preventive measures you can take to protect yourself from becoming a victim.

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How Bitcoin and Crypto Went from Wall Street to the High Streets of SEA

Cryptocurrencies are no longer the sole domain of hedge fund managers and high-stakes traders — in Southeast Asia they are being used to solve the financial problems of working men and women. Countries like Philippines, Cambodia, and Myanmar are quickly adopting the use of digital currencies to increase transparency and reduce costs of transactions. While some see cryptocurrencies as inherently risky, sentiments on the ground are remain positive.

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The latest insights, thoughts, and analysis from the Intrepid Team

The 5 Major Problems with Bitcoin and Blockchain Technology Today

You’ve heard the blockchain hype, listened to the predictions and read the articles. But what are the current problems with Bitcoin and other blockchains? Here are 5 of the major ones.

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Articles, white papers, ebooks, and more

The Importance of Bitcoin Not Being Money

For years, many in the Bitcoin industry have eagerly defined and advocated “Bitcoin as money” to a skeptical world. The mistake, was that in the industry’s excitement over an early, popular use of one facet of the technology, it has allowed that specific facet to become its defining property, the expression of which was repeated and highlighted to all who would listen. This was understandable, but premature. Here’s a deep dive into why.

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Consensus Mechanisms Explained: PoW vs. PoS

Behind many cryptoassets, there is a consensus mechanism. The purpose of a consensus mechanism is to verify that information being added to the ledger is valid i.e. the network is in consensus. The most popular blockchain consensus mechanisms are the Proof of Work (PoW) and Proof of Stake (PoS) systems. Here are the major differences between the two mechanisms and how they change the cost and energy of mining, security, and decentralization.

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Should Your Organization Choose a Public or Private Blockchain?

Organizations selecting a distributed ledger (private blockchain) will be weighing issues of speed, cost and security. Public blockchains, which are far more common, allow for anyone to participate and are more transparent, which is truer to the original intent of blockchain. But private blockchains, which require an invitation or permission to join, have generated a growing following among certain types of organisations. Read on to find out why.

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Updates on what we’re up to and our upcoming events

Blockchain 3.0 Demystified

From questions like why we built Metabase, how it’s different from Ethereum and other “blockchain 3.0” platforms, and how developers can monetize their code. Each question is answered by our co-founder, Collin Thompson, in less than 5 sentences. Here’s everything you need to know about Metabase, without reading the white paper.

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The Metabase Crypto-Economic Policy

Public blockchains and cryptocurrencies are unique advancements that irreversibly bind technology and economy and have paved the way for a technology governed economic policy. In the Metabase white paper, we articulated the challenges arising from the dual purposes of a currency and introduced a crypto-economic policy to support protocol level scalability and address the negative crypto-economic aspects due to high adoption. In this deep dive, we detail out the solution and reference it to its inspiration — real world economies.

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A Comprehensive Metabase Video Review

This review video on the Metabase ICO addresses common questions that contributors have about infrastructure projects that seek to address the scalability trilemma. “Can Metabase make an impact with its innovative scaling solution, virtual machine smart contracts and governance system? Or will it be swamped in this increasingly saturated space by other projects with more hype?” Find out more in this comprehensive video review.

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Get the latest crypto news daily. Join the Intrepid Report Telegram channel to get breaking crypto news & intelligence.

Want to learn more about blockchain? Check out our new micro-site How Does the Blockchain Work, a clear and non-technical guide on how blockchain, Bitcoin, and Ethereum works, and more. Check it out.

Interested in learning from leading entrepreneurs in the blockchain world? Check out our Founders in Focus interview series on YouTube. A show where we uncover the personal stories and journeys of founders and innovators from the crypto sphere.

Julien Breteau is Head of Content Marketing at Intrepid Ventures, a blockchain venture studio. He’s focused on championing Intrepid’s mission, delivering thought-provoking, high-quality content, and engaging with Intrepid’s growing communities around the world.