According to Support research, the most popular crypto currencies of 2018 are Ripple’s XRP, Dash and BAT.
Amount of funds invested in these assets increased considerably from January, 2018 to January, 2019. The crypto community representatives are mostly interested in Dash crypto currency.
This crypto currency is mostly popular in Venezuela. Crypto currency trading volume hits the records against the background of economical and political crisis which the country experiences now.
Trading volume of all the currencies increased in 2018, but Dash and BAT increased by 281% and 183% during the year. Dash is followed by XRP, Ethereum and Bitcoin.
The level of interest to XRP token started growing rapidly in 2018 after the launch of several promising products developed by Ripple company specialists. The launch of xRapid payment system used by many American and Asian banks is worth noting. Additionally, numerous mentions of crypto currency attractiveness in the media outlets makes it even more attractive.
News resources constantly report new agreements between Ripple and companies willing to use the products in its financial operations.
The Support analyst says that Dash positions itself as a digital currency which might be used for immediate payment methods on the Internet or in the store. The crypto currency has a safe blockchain platform with an open source code and thousands of users all over the world hold it.

Ethereum rate is growing rapidly.
According to СoinМarketСap, the total crypto currency market capitalization is $125,3 billion.
Bitcoin rate increased by 2,38% over 24 hours to $3,726. At the moment, its capitalization is $65.3 billion.
The second crypto currency – ethereum – grows in price recently. Its rate is $136,7, 10,61% more than 24 hours ago. Ethereum capitalization is $14.3 billion.
Ripple increased by 2,47% over 24 hours and its rate is $0,308 while its capitalization is $12,7 billion.
Litecoin increased by 1,34% over the last 24 hours and its rate is $44,26. The fourth crypto currency’s capitalization is $2,67 billion.
EOS increased by 3,18% over 24 hours and at the moment it is $2.91. EOS capitalization is $2,63 billion.

On April, 11th, Shift Payments shuts down debit card service which allowed the clients to spend crypto currencies stored on the accounts of its partner – crypto currency exchange Coinbase, reports The Block.
The company claimed that it hoped to launch the program again and issue new cards for users in the future.
The shut down reasons are not revealed.
Shift Card service was launched by Coinbase in 2015 after coming to agreement with Shift Payments company. The card was released by Metropolitan Commercial Bank and could be used in Visa and Mastercard networks.
In the beginning of the previous year, many crypto currency card suppliers had problems because of changes in relationship of Visa and WaveCrest company.

On Monday, February, 18th, 2019, Bitcoin rate can’t exceed $3600.
The total crypto currency market capitalization increased to $121,397 billion. Bitcoin capitalization is $63,655 billion.
On Sunday, February, 17th, BTC/USD rate was at the level of $3597. Bitcoin rate increased by $10 in comparison with the previous day.
Bitcoin remained at the level of $3600 for a week, it can’t go up. Crypto pessimists are sure that the crypto currency will drop in the future.
The crypto currency market stands still. The bear trend still persists, even the good news doesn’t revive the market. Ripple is planning to enter the gaming industry in the near future. CBOE filled in an application for Bitcoin ETF again.

Investment amount and conditions are not revealed.
Japanese corporation Recruit Co. specialized in human resources announced financing the team of beam crypto currency developers via RSP Blockchain Tech Fund, created in November, last year.
Recruit explains that Beam token provides a blockchain designed for prevention of transaction data distribution among 3rd parties and protects user transaction data.
Ttrcoin reports that the company also notes that the company is also wary of possible overuse of crypto currencies opportunities. The company is promising to support both technical and legal development of this space.

Streamr developers presented Monoplasma scaling technology which can improve altcoin network operation. ETH price increased to $144.
Average Ethereum rate exceeded $144 for the first time since January, 10th. The crypto currency has increased by 14,6% over the last 24 hours. The token rate started growing when Streamr blockchain platform developers presented scaling solution Monoplasma.
According to the project creators, dApps developers aimed at distribution of dividends, airdrops and staking an use a new technology. The startup’s head sent artificial tokens to 200 000 Ethereum addresses to present a new technology. The team explains that one can get the money, but can’t send it back.
Monoplasma payment channels are protected from double spend attack. Next week, on February, 27th, Ethereum network will be hardforked. Earlier, Vitalik Buterin announced that revealed vulnerability was not serious, so the hardfork wouldn’t be postponed. Ethereum rate has increased by 38% over the last 12 days.

Canadian company Blockchain Foundry and crypto currency startup LODE announced joint development of a tokenized monetary system based by silver. The project’s goal is to recover circulation of silver as an universal payment method and to diversify precious metal trading.
The developers use Syscoin as a basic protocol. According to LODE, the system will have two tokens: AGX Coin and LODE. AGX Coin — is an asset backed by 1g of silver (1:1). AGX is designed for payment making and transfers, it is possible to exchange it to hold, silver and investment products. LODE token is tokenized share in the crypto currency system, it proves that the owner has to get bonus tokens depending on total AGX market capitalization.
Blockchain Foundry joined the project for 6 months. The company’s specialists will provide technological support and help to develop the system and some solutions. Deal is done for 250 million Canadian dollars ($189 million).
The main strategist of Blockchain Foundry Marc Nicholson says that this cooperation will be profitable for both parties.
Probably, LODE project will set a trend for stablecoins backed by precious metals. An Iranian national crypto currency backed by gold has allegedly been presented at an event in Iran.

Blockchain project called Veriblock whose protocols use Bitcoin network to ensure security for other crypto currencies has generated more than 30% in Bitcoin network. More than quarter of transactions in BTC network are generated in Veriblock system, the community participants criticize the project for such usage of blockchain.
Veriblock network uses the system called Proof-of-proof (PoP) basing on BTC chain security. In fact, Veriblock is eager to ensure security of alternative blockchains, uploading theimage of altcoin registry to BTC chain. Veriblock uses OP return and other methods to built data on blockchain state into ?SP blockchain transaction?. Last month, BTC developer and Casa Chief Technology Officer Jameson Lopp noted that Veriblock dominated in terms of BTC-based OP return transactions.
According to statistics published this week, sometimes, Veriblock generates 30-45% of all the transactions. The project is still running the test mode and drew attention of crypto currency enthusiasts recently. Some BTC community members say that the project is “waste” and said that Veriblock litters the network.
Veriblock site reports that this system will open an opportunity of early reveal of attacks on blockchain and protection from 51% attacks. Veriblock is managed by Maxwell Sanchez and CEO Justin Fisher, it is also supported by Bitcoin developer Jeff Garzik who acts as technical advisor.
It was reported last month that transaction number in Bitcoin network increased by more than 50% over 6 months and ordinary considerable share was not generated by regular users. At the same time, 20% of daily transaction number was generate by VeriBlock project, and, according to the latest data, its share keeps growing.
Veriblock activities can’t be called spam attack on Bitcoin blockchain yet, but the community should be careful about such projects because their activities may lead to commission growth.

The most popular crypto currency in the world – Bitcoin – increased in price. In the morning on February, 19th, Bitcoin rate remains about $4000, according to Coinmarketcap.com portal.
Thus, Bitcoin increased by 5,22% over 24 hours and is traded at the level of $3926.
The other cryptocurrencies are in the green.
Ethereum rate increased by 6,87% and now it is at the level of $146.
XRP increased by 4,78% and is traded at the level of $0,32.
EOS is ranked fourth now, increasing by 22,48%. The token costs $3,59.
Litecoin increased by 6,93%. The token is traded at the level of $47.
Crypto currency market capitalization is $132 billion at the moment. Bitcoin’s share in the market is 51.9%.

Tim Draper, a billionaire, says that money stored in banks risk to get depreciated.
Venture investor claims that bitcoin is the safest currency at the moment and advices everyone to invest in innovations until it is too late.
Jamie Dimon, the head of JPMorgan Chase who used to criticize Bitcoin and call it “a scam” suddenly announced launch of bank’s own crypto currency prototype.
A new token called JPM Coin will be tested by clients of a major corporate payment business.
This news caused puzzlement: Dimon used to stand against a new technology and took every opportunity to criticize Bitcoin and blockchain technology.
However, it turned out to be great news for other experts, especially for a billionaire and BTC enthusiast Tim Draper who invested in millions in this crypto currency in due time.
Giving an interview to FOX Business, Draper said that few tokens were good, but, however, all of them were useful for Bitcoin, supported it and stir up investors’ interest.
Regardless to the fact that Bitcoin rate did not respond to JP Morgan last week, it increased more than 5% over the last 24 hours.
To recap, Tim Draper is a famous venture investor who made quite an accurate forecast regarding investing in major companies like Skype, Hotmail and Tesla in due time, and he has already invested millions of dollars because he believes that blcockhain technology will become a core element of a new “virtual world”.
In May, last year, he claimed that it would be the largest historical change in the global world.
Regardless to rapid Bitcoin rate drop from record high level of $20 000 in December, 2017 to $3800 at the moment, the expert is sure that Bitcoin will reach 250 000$ by 2020.
Draper also clarified that the community’s attention will make the coin grow: people will finally understand that they need a decentralized and safe currency.

On February, 19th, 2019 Bitcoin surged and exceeded $3600, altcoins follow the main crypto currency.
The total market crypto currency increased by $11 billion over 24 hours to the level of $132,856 billion. Bitcoin capitalization is at the level of $68.999 billion, it increased by $5 billion in 24 hours.
On Monday, February, 18th, BTC/USD rate was at the level of $3894. Bitcoin rate increased by $300 in comparison with yesterday.
Bitcoin started growing rapidly on Monday, increasing by 2.3% and exceeding $3800. Bitcoin rate stood still at the level of $3600 for a week before that.
The rates of TOP-10 cryptocurrencies are growing, following the main crypto currency. Bitcoin Cahs increased by 4.85%, to $130.24, Ripple rate increased by 2.28% to $0.311. Ethereum increased by 3.56% to $139 over 24 hours, Bitcoin Gold increased by 12.15% in price and one coin costs $12.
As it was reported earlier, the crypto expert and the founder of Morgan Creek Digital Assets company Anthony Pompliano claimed that Bitcoin was a sleeping giant who could wake up anytime and surpass the world transaction leaders. Pompliano who has always been crypto currency enthusiast highlighted advantages of development of bitcoin as a payment method.
According to the results of a research firm Diar, Bitcoin miners earned $5.8 billion in 2018. In comparison with the leading traditional companies, Bitcoin network is always in the middle of the list by income, regardless to the fact that the technology is still developing.
According to Pompliano, everyone considers Bitcoin at the moment mostly as a digital currency, but they pay few attention to the network dedicated for settlements. Although BTC blockchain network becomes one of unique events in the history of finances.

Bitmain company announced development of a new, more effective ship for ASIC for crypto currency mining with PoW SHA256 algorithm.
Chinese producer claims that a new integral micro scheme BM1397 which will consume 28,6% less energy in comparison with the previous option. Due to architecture change and chip optimization 30 Th/s. Energy consumption reduction will allow to increase profitability of mining of BTC, BCH and other coins based on SHA256.
Bitmain also reported that BM1397 would become the base for the next generation of ASICs: Antminer S17 and Antminer T17. New models will be released later this year.
Just several months ago, the producer presented Antminer S15 and T15, but they did not have the demand it they were expected to have because of the market drop. This lead to considerable losses of Bitmain, according to some estimations, the company lost $50 million. Worsening of financial performance led to stuffing cut, shut down of research departments and usage of other methods of anti-crisis management. That’s why the company is focused on creation of more effective devices that would be able to stabilize company operation.
Last year, the producer also presented equipment for Ethereum mining, but it will become useless after February, 27th.

Bangkok Post journalists reported on February, 18th that the victims of crypto scammers filed a lawsuit against the alleged criminal.
The Details
According to the report, 30 persons filed a lawsuit claiming that they were deceived with the help of an alleged investment scam called ?CryptoMining.Farm?. This allegedly led to loss of 42 million baht ($1.34 million). It is reported that local government suspected that 140 persons fell victims to the scam.
CryptoMining.Farm, a company the offices of which are registered in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, allegedly promised the investors that they would earn 70% annually in addition to an opportunity to withdraw funds anytime without any conditions. Bitcoin mining contracts offered by the company varied from 3 months.

Venture investor is sure that only criminals will use fiat in 5 years and Bitcoin will be accepted as payment method all over the world.
People will use crypto currency actively in five years, it will replace traditional money. Giving an interview to Fox Business Tim Draper told about market’s prospects. He also claimed that only the criminals would use fiat.
According to the entrepreneurs, money stored in bank is more endangered than the funds invested in Bitcoin. Draper compared crypto currency to dollar exchange with gold to seashells exchange and added that blockchain was the future.
Earlier, venture investor forecasted Bitcoin price growth to $250K by 2022.

Mining giant Bitmain provided an updated report on financial performance for The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (HKEx), which still considers company’s application for holding IPO. According to the report, Bitmain lost $500 million last year in Q3.
According to the company’s data, it earned $500 million during the first three quarters of 2018. However, earlier, Bitmain representatives claimed that the company earned $1 billion during the first 6 months. It means that the crypto market drop led to losses of $500 million.
It is also worth noting that Bitmain earned $2.8 billion during the first 6 months in 2018, company’s income for 9 months was $3 billion. It means that the mining giant earned just $20 million in Q3.
However, the losses aren’t surprising. Earlier, Bitmain fired a considerable number of employees and shut the department in Amsterdam down. In the beginning of this year, hasrate of two mining pools – BTC.com and Antpool, controlled by Bitmain, dropped reaching the level of mid-2017.
It is also known that amount of crypto currencies stored in Bitmain wallets decreased from $800 million (as of June, 30th, 2018) to less than $700 million in the end of Q3. The company’s wallets contain Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin and Dash.