The 3^rd halving of Bitcoin in all of history will occur in 2020. At the time of this writing, Bitcoin sits above $7,500 but under the $8,000 threshold. Likely in 2020, the increased scarcity of Bitcoin will cause the price per coin to inflate. Therefore, it is better to obtain some bitcoin now rather than later.

Bitcoin bulls are prepping for the third halving hoping it will act as a catalyst to drive BTC price higher. Bitcoin has struggled to breach the $8,000 mark all of 2019. However, BTC bulls believe that within a year, the value will increase for this cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin analysts are predicting the halving event to push Bitcoin’s price back to its all-time highs. The best advice they have given is to hoard bitcoin. Bitcoin and cryptocurrency fund manager Brian Kelly said, “We’re not going to sell it. You generally have a rally a year into [a bitcoin halvening], and a year out of it. And so we’re just at the beginning of that stage […] a supply cut is generally bullish.”

Bitcoin halvenings are fixed and occur every 210,000-system confirmed or mined, blocks. Since Bitcoin’s creation in 2009, there have been two halvenings occur. After the first halvening in 2012, the price per Bitcoin reached $1,000, a record-breaking price for the coin at the time.

In 2016, Bitcoin experienced its second halvening where the price per BTC peaked at $19,000 in December of 2017. Crypto watchers are hoping the third event will run-up BTC’s price. Since Bitcoin’s second halving tech companies, financial institutions, and investors have gathered around Bitcoin and are willing to make their services usable for crypto while implementing some decentralized technology to their brands.

Bitcoin started the cryptocurrency movement and is the strongest of all altcoins available. Whenever Bitcoin’s price is affected other altcoins like Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, and Dash move parallel to it.

One billionaire investor, Tim Draper, believes Bitcoin will reach a quarter million per coin by 2022-2023. He’s not alone, several analysts have forecasted positive growth for Bitcoin after the coin experienced a drop to $6,100 and bounced back to $8,000.

Others who have been burned by Bitcoin’s dip are not so sure. A few decided to abandon Bitcoin after the bubble burst completely. The slow fizz around $8,000 doesn’t keep those that lost thousands during the dip happy but the third halvening may.

Is it worth hoarding BTC over or trying to gamble to make some more before a potential BTC price inflation? We’re not sure, while we believe getting a hold of as much BTC while prices fluctuate on the low side is worthwhile, we would instead recommend holding current Bitcoin or earning more through legal bitcoin casinos.

Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is a UK government branch responsible for activities relating to taxes and revenue. On December 19^th, 2018, HMRC released a new policy paper in regard to cryptocurrency transactions, holdings, and taxing of crypto-assets.

Cryptocurrency has long had its regulatory fights with numerous countries around the globe including the U.S.’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and it seems this new HMRC policy will begin to provide strict guidelines for individuals using crypto in the UK to follow.

In the UK, cryptocurrency investors have glided past taxation for years by classifying their Bitcoin transactions, trading, and investments as gambling. However, HMRC’s new policy states these crypto transactions are chargeable assets and subject to capital gains tax.

HMRC’s policy states “In the vast majority of cases, individuals hold crypto-assets as a personal investment, usually for capital appreciation in its value or to make particular purchases. They will be liable to pay capital gains tax when they dispose of their crypto-assets”.

Cryptocurrency investments were once (and agreeably still are) of such a highly speculative nature that the HMRC did not consider them taxable. However, with the Bitcoin price peak in 2017 and cryptos looking like they were headed mainstream, HMRC decided to clarify the issue. Through the issuance of this new policy, HMRC will effectively capture millions in tax revenue.

Despite the soaring price of Bitcoin to nearly $20,000 per coin in 2017, 2018 has seen a harsh decline in Bitcoin’s price per coin. Many have accredited this decline to the Bitcoin Bubble Burst as Bitcoin currently sits under $4,000 per coin. This price volatility has rubbed some investors the wrong way while encouraging regulators to implement strict guidelines regarding cryptos like BTC.

HRMC has also stated that their new policy is not a finished document with a more official policy to be established concerning cryptocurrency held by individuals. Which is confirmed with their statement, “The tax treatment of crypto-assets continues to develop due to the evolving nature of the underlying technology and the areas in which crypto-assets are used. As such, HMRC will look at the facts of each case and apply the relevant tax provisions according to what has actually taken place (rather than by reference to terminology). Our views may evolve further as the sector develops”.

Despite the new taxation policy, the UK has inadvertently recognized cryptocurrency like Bitcoin as a form of legitimate money, or at least a “digital storage of value” through this policy. However, the 4,400-word (and counting) document is not the first European cryptocurrency guideline created, as Switzerland’s FINMA did so nearly a year ago.

Nonetheless, HMRC taxation policy is step one to cleaning up the industry and implementing safe practices for UK crypto users.

The price of bitcoin peaked at $19,783.06 on Dec. 17, 2017, exactly one year ago today.

Since then, bitcoin’s value has been in a near constant trend down, losing roughly 83 percent since that day. Currently, it is sitting at $3,437.45 an increase today of +7.44%.

The speculation of bitcoin futures being tradable on majorU.S. exchanges, military leaders in Zimbabwe overthrowing the government in part because of hyperinflation, the launch of the bitcoin futures on Dec. 11,2017, and the simple “fear of missing out” are the primary reasons for the its price jump from just over $6,000 in early Nov. 2017 to nearly $20,000 a month and a half later.

During this time, billions of dollars were invested into bitcoin and initial coin offerings (ICOs) from other digital currencies with the belief that this was the currency of the future – a digital dollar for the digital age.

But over the course of five days, the price of bitcoin plunged sharply to roughly $14,000 – losing a third of its value in less than a week due to a flurry of bad news and causing the bitcoin bubble to burst.

The initial selloff started when the Securities and ExchangeCommission (SEC) announced it was suspending trades of The Crypto Company, one of the world’s first public crypto asset and blockchain companies, until Jan. 2018 over “concerns regarding the accuracy and adequacy of information” with regards to compensation for promoting the company and possible plans for insider trading.

Coinbase, one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges, would later announce it was also investigating insider trading and suspended bitcoin cash trading temporarily.

Then, news broke regarding Youbit, a Seoul-based cryptocurrency in South Korea, filing for bankruptcy after falling victim to two cyber attacks from hackers over the course of five months – losing a fifth of its client’s holdings.

South Korea and other countries who’ve had crypto assets stolen recently blame North Korea, where research and reports found evidence the country used hackers to target individual users with “supplicated phishing attacks and malware” to steal bitcoins and other digital currencies to fund KimJong Un’s regime.

North Korea has denied having a role in any cyber attack.

Over the next three months, the bitcoin selloff would continue and fell back to the roughly $6,000 per coin price before the boom in early November 2017.

Continued reports of price manipulation at major cryptocurrency exchanges, speculation about potential regulation from the federal government, and the fear over bitcoin’s liquidity being distorted by potential institutional investors are the biggest factors leading to the selloff.

Trends for bitcoin, along with the entire cryptomarket, have continued to downward throughout most of 2018 as more people, who invested early, pulled their money to get a return on investment.

The leading concern by many investors, both in the market currently and from Wall Street, is the lack of growth in bitcoin and cryptocurrency adoption by major online retailers, both in the U.S. and around the world.

The leading U.S. online retailer Amazon, which is expected to have a 50 percent market share of the U.S. e-commerce market by the end of this year, is seen as the biggest threat or greatest hope for bitcoin and the cryptomarket – depending on your view.

While no one knows the exact reason for why Amazon won’t accept bitcoin, but some believe it’s because the volatility in the market, which is much greater than any of the government-issued currencies the online retailer currently accepts, would make it rather difficult to price items or process returns.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has stayed quiet on the matter, and the company has held the position since 2014 of not accepting bitcoin because“we’re not hearing from customers that it’s right for them” and at the time, didn’t see a reason to invest in something so few people used. 

However, that was when bitcoin was much less popular and since become a digital currency used by at least a million people – though that is based purely on expert estimates, since there’s no way to track the actual number of users.

The world’s largest retailer will likely have to decide on bitcoin and cryptocurrencies sooner rather than later. Whether they choose to accept it or potentially create their own digital currency using a blockchain is anyone’s guess at this point.

The clock is ticking for Amazon, because if bitcoin is truly here to stay, if other online competitors in the retail market, like eBay and Walmart, want to grab a sizeable chunk of the e-commerce market, choosing to accept cryptocurrencies before Amazon does good be a huge factor in the future of the e-commerce market going forward.

Currently, bitcoin and digital currencies, in general, are primarily seen as a tool for certain things where remaining anonymous is preferred, like with online gambling, where after purchasing, online Bitcoin casinos and Bitcoin sportsbooks allow users to convert cryptocurrencies back to the currency of their choosing – risking no money on the cryptomarket as a result.

It’s also seen as a longer-term investment by others, bought in the hopes of catching the potential second wave – one that many predict could even be bigger than a year ago – allowing them to cash in, but this “get rich quick” method would likely just trigger another collapse.

There are still many unanswered questions surrounding the relatively new currency.

More-efficient crypto mining techniques that reduce cost, transaction speed (regardless of transaction size), and energy will need to be developed to have the vision of digital currencies fully realized.

Retailers, banks, and governments around the globe have taken noticed and both have begun looking into whether to adopt and implement blockchain technology and begin issuing their own cryptocurrency.

Ultimately, the fate of bitcoin and all cryptocurrencies will fall on those three entities.

As with any currency over the course of human history, for it to be stable and worthy of trust, people need money to be safely secured, backed, and used for the purchase of all or an overwhelmingly number of goods –things that all cryptocurrencies are still trying to figure out.

The bad news is that doesn’t seem to be coming any time soon, at least not within the next five years like many had hoped – maybe even10 years or more by some estimates.

The good news is the Internet isn’t going anywhere anytime soon since it becomes ever-more important in our daily lives, and with 5G and other online advancements coming within the next year or so, the world as we know it is about to change dramatically over the next decade.

For now, at least, most of the world remains on standby, taking a wait and see approach on whether bitcoin and cryptocurrencies will create a new form of trade in our society, be subjected to rules and regulations of the past, or simply be forgotten.

As with all things: Only time will tell. Fortunately, time is on the digital currencies’ side in the digital age.

The only question that remains is: What side will we take?

Bitcoin dropped below $6,000 per coin then $4,000 and on the 24^th, BTC dipped below $3,500; contrary to predictions made mid-2018.

BTC’s continuing fall is not related to any new updates in the market or legislation but the continuation of a sell-off avalanche sparked by a fork in Bitcoin Cash.

Others speculate a major coin holder sold their Bitcoins which triggered automatic computer sell orders which snowballed the price further in devaluation. Another possibility may be due to BTC’s falling hash time and increased regulatory scrutiny.

Some trading analysts suggest the current cryptocurrency market is a bear market while others suggest a slight drop before the annual Christmas-time pickup cryptos have historically shown. Nonetheless, many well-respected traders and market analysts have confidence in Bitcoin’s rise again with the entire crypto market’s crash coming to an end.

To say the least, November’s BTC price drop of 40% is the worst to have occurred to the coin since April 2013. While Bitcoin faces its own mortality, the coin’s drop dragged numerous other unrelated cryptocurrencies with it on its way down.

The Thanksgiving weekend revealed a wider rip in the crypto market, however, this could be due to low trading volumes during the holiday.

Altcoins like Litecoin, Ripple, and Ether experienced significant devaluations at 8.86%, 6.98%, and 7.15% respectively. Despite a slight pick up in the market on Cyber Monday, the Monday following Thanksgiving weekend, altcoins are having a hard time regaining their previous market foothold.

On Monday, November 26^th Bitcoin briefly broke above $4,000 per coin and is steadily attempting to maintain its price hold after dipping slightly below 4k per coin.

However, cryptocurrencies may have a saving grace as a recent announcement by Ohio declares the US state’s desire to utilize Bitcoin for tax payments. This could open more US states to accepting cryptocurrencies in numerous applications.

Nonetheless, the market could recover the week after Thanksgiving given more good news and steadier trading.

Game companies and developers have begun releasing blockchain-based video games and paying players who play the game as a result.

2014 saw the full release of Huntercoin, the first blockchain-based game, which allowed players to earn HUC tokens by competing against other players, which could then be exchanged for Bitcoin.

Since then, many crypto-based video games have cropped up from other niche titles like the 2017 title Cryptokitties to games being developed and are currently offered by online legal sportsbooks and gambling sites.

When it comes to making money strictly off playing mainstream, triple-A video games, these are the most accessible and viable options available to gamers now:

• Playing a game professionally in one of the numerous eSports.
• Broadcasting themselves playing games either live, on Twitch for example, or recording and uploading gameplay via YouTube.
• Writing on video games or eSports as a journalist, reviewer, or content creator.

However, blockchain companies are about to change all of that, and companies like BUFF, which will have its initial coin offering in December 2018, aim to allow gamers to play current online multiplayer games – just as they are doing now in titles like Fortnite – while a players BUFF coins are mined in the background with no dip in game performance.

Perhaps the biggest development of gamers soon getting paid with cryptocurrency came earlier this year when Ubisoft, one of the largest video game companies in the world, announced they had begun exploring blockchain technologies and how to incorporate it into their game lineup – which includes blockbuster game franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and the Tom Clancy series.

In addition to gamers mining cryptocurrency while playing games, making gamers money and strengthening the value of the game company’s blockchain in the process, blockchain technology would allow triple-A developers to expand the gaming experience outside of sole monetization with features such as crypto-secured save states, giving gamers real ownership through the blockchain, and the potential for cross-game exchanges of in-game items. Who wouldn’t like to use the famous gravity gun in the critically acclaimed Half-Life 2 to grab bullets and grenades and throw them back at another player in a CS:GO match?

October 2018 marks the 60th birthday of Tennis for Two and is believed to be the first video game developed purely for entertainment. The game was created in 1958 by Physicist William Higinbotham, who also was apart of the team that built the first nuclear bomb and became one of the leaders in the nonproliferation movement soon after.

The video games market is one of the youngest, thriving industries in the world at less than a half-century old. Game retail only began in the early 1970s, with Atari’s 1972 release of Pong – inspired from Table for Two – becoming the first commercially successful release of a video game.

Today, the global video games market is expected to hit nearly $140 billion by the end of 2018, and there are now over 2.3 billion people actively playing video games, according to a Newzoo report.

To put that in comparison, the global film industry market generated $40.6 billion in revenue for 2017 reported by the Los Angeles Times.

With the market getting bigger every year, it’s only a matter of time before gaming and blockchains become synonymous with each other if the recent digitalization of games is any indicator. In the same Newzoo report: Digital sales account for 91% of the gaming market today.

While making a living wage from solely playing crypto-based video games might still be a way off, saying it’ll never happen would be foolish.

After all, your parents probably told you that you could never make any money off playing video games.

But with the current stream of money flowing into various unique game ideas; the rise of eSports; the new avenues of revenue using blockchains getting the green light in the gaming market each day – it’s safe to say your parents couldn’t have been more wrong.

The Aria Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada will be hosting the first World Crypto Con where exhibitors, companies, and attendees can experience new innovations and ideas revolving around blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. The conference is said to be the first experiential and immersive event delivering more interactivity and engagement than past crypto or blockchain conferences. The World Crypto Conference in part with Decent.bet will host a Blockchain Poker Tournament to combine interactivity and blockchain technology in a tangible manner and display the technology in action in real-time.

The conference has promised the attendance of several leading Poker stars, however, guests have yet to be confirmed. Rumors of Phil “The Poker Brat” Hellmuth, Antonio Esfandiari, and Daniel Negreanu attending have risen due to the players close living proximity to Las Vegas, with the exception of Phil Hellmuth whose attendance is rumored due to his relationship with Decent.bet. Other guest attendees who will be speaking at the event are from the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry such as Charlie Lee, Bobby Lee, and Brock Pierce.

The conference will last the duration of 3 days starting October 31^st and host over 150 exhibitors and 75 speakers. For industry leaders, the World crypto Conference presents an opportunity to transform Las Vegas strip for three days into a global stage for blockchain and cryptocurrency. Therefore, innovators and exhibitors will be putting their best products and services out there for attendees to engage with.

The World Crypto Conference intends to link the gaming world, which is vital to Las Vegas, to the crypto world by showing progressive applications of blockchain and crypto technology in a consumable manner. However, this technology is not making its debut, as numerous bitcoin poker platforms currently exist. Blockchain supported poker utilizes random number generators to shuffle decks and draw cards leading to a fairer game which more and more poker players are beginning to prefer.

Blockchain-based gambling provides security on a decentralized platform which may seem scary to some but not all. In fact, a trend toward decentralized products and services has grown. Blockchain gaming is providing fairness through the requirement of licensed hosts to have their game technology tested for accuracy and true randomness and appealing to more players due to faster payouts and anonymity.

The event is sure to attract high rollers, companies in Las Vegas, and celebrities. Over 5,000 admission tickets were purchased, priced at $899 for general 3-day admission and $2,499 for Ultra VIP admission for 3-days.

Aside from allowing users to pay their bills, purchase homes, invest in markets, and transact through digital global marketplaces without the interference of a centralized government, cryptocurrencies themselves are an investment. This could be a disadvantage in terms of volatility, however, through the mass support of a growing crypto network of users and the understanding of crypto technology by world governments’ can lead to a stronger cryptocurrency value. As a reminder, the value of a nation’s own fiat currency is as volatile due to fluctuations based upon interactions between nations during trading, sanctions, and war.

Currently, Bitcoin is the most popular cryptocurrency in terms of market value; in 2017, the University of Cambridge estimated between 2.9 million and 5.8 million unique active wallets. Due to its popularity, Bitcoin ATMs began populating the globe and now 3,500 Bitcoin ATMs are operational. The very first public Bitcoin ATM opened in 2013 in Vancouver, Canada, the following year the United States installed their own Bitcoin ATM.

Bitcoin ATMs act like a traditional ATM but instead, the ATM machines sell users Bitcoin in exchange for cash. Originally, Bitcoin ATMs only worked this way, however, through recent innovation Bitcoin ATM machines have become bidirectional, meaning they can also buy Bitcoin from users in exchange for cash.

Bitcoin ATMs use to require their owners to own a hot wallet attached to the ATM with the set amount of cryptocurrency available for purchase by the customers, this caused owners to bear heavy upfront costs. Now Bitcoin ATMs can be programmed to connect through the internet to a direct exchange where users can sell and buy Bitcoin and fiat money, as well as, other altcoins like Ethereum (Ether), Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash. This provides more variety for the user and reduces upfront expenses for the ATM retailer.

While the Bitcoin ATM machines are usually made by a variety of manufacturers, all are usable in the same manner. Users from around the world can enjoy the uniform experience of turning cash into cryptocurrency and exchanging crypto for cash instantaneously. Based on reports by ATM owners the machine’s typical clientele are usually young males who do not mind taking risks.

These machines can send the user’s currency of choice directly to their digital wallet, provide a paper receipt as a paper wallet, or generate a public key on the blockchain. These Bitcoin kiosks charge fees ranging from 7-8% per transaction, however, some areas have reported double these fees depending on ATM availability. Overall, Bitcoin ATM transactions take less than 15 seconds to complete and utilize directional steps throughout the process for smooth usage.

Bitcoin ATMs provide internal high-tech security measures such as biometric scanners to verify user’s authenticity and secure wallet access and transactions. Additional scanners are available for QR code scanning. The machines also provide some anonymity by allowing users to hold and transfer Bitcoin without abiding by AML or KYC banking rules.

Bitcoin ATMs are spreading across US cities, particularly in neighborhoods that utilize payday loans and cash advances over corporate banking institutions. This is because Bitcoin ATMs do not require users to have a bank account allowing for a larger segment of customers (poor to lower-income level households and individuals) to be catered to. Bitcoin ATMs are becoming the preferred option over local businesses due to the ATMs convenience and instant service, regardless of fees.

The industry’s average Bitcoin ATM transaction is near $200-300, meaning speculations of individuals moving $7,000-8,000 in coins per transaction are incorrect. However, some users are utilizing Bitcoin ATMs as investment hubs where they play the crypto valuation market with their coins on the machines exchange, certain machines allow direct access to purchasing ICOs. Nonetheless, nearly every user stores, transfers, and in some way invests their crypto on Bitcoin ATM machines.

Aside from these benefits, users across the income bracket prefer cryptocurrency and these decentralized markets because of the lack of middlemen which increase prices through fees and are overtly unnecessary. However, the rising popularity of cryptocurrencies and exchange platforms like Bitcoin ATMs have attracted the attention of malicious individuals. Authorities have recently uncovered an underground marketplace for malware which specifically targets Bitcoin ATMs being sold for $25,000 USD and efforts are being made on a regulatory and developmental level to counter any future issues with similar malware.

DApp games and other blockchain games make up part of the $280 billion dollar blockchain gaming industry. Because of this high market valuation, numerous companies have jumped onboard the blockchain gaming bandwagon and intend to deliver various crypto-adapted projected in the coming years. Some of the most optimistic firms are already working on projects which will combine crypto-rewards, blockchain dependence, and augmented reality (AR).

To entice users, developers are creating games which offer cryptocurrencies rewards. However, blockchain video games come in various forms either they reward users for doing a certain action in the game (winning, etc.), modify the gameplay to be supported using cryptocurrencies (leveling up), or as a superficial in-game currency feature added to the existing game to attract users(in-game purchases). Some available crypto video games are trading games, 2D racer and platform games, strategy games, and 3-way puzzle games which have some form of crypto use.

Experimental, a blockchain technologies company, is hoping to introduce skill-rewarded blockchain-based video games to create a fair gaming ecosystem. In this regard, the game itself will utilize functions of the decentralized platform instead of solely a video game with an added crypto layer. In this sense, blockchain games would allow players to gain cryptocurrency from their time invested on the platform and extend beyond entertainment only purposes.

Experimental has several blockchain-based reward ideas spanning from player-versus-player battle style games which allow the winner to take the loser’s game resources which includes cryptocurrency to the farming of non-crypto game currency in exchange for cryptocurrency later.

Typically, blockchain video game rewards are divided between the player and the game’s developer(s). Meaning little profit from gaming is returned to the user, however, secondary markets for assets such as game currency, gear, and skins allow players to monetize in-game investments for cryptocurrency. Blockchain technology allows for more control over these markets by verifying true asset ownership, allowing assets to exchange between games, and providing public records across blockchains of users and their assets.

Blockchain technology can also be used to securely sell, trade, or gift virtual items between players. The longevity of the blockchain also allows player game data, assets, and currency to be permanently stored. These features assist in explaining the Blockchain Gaming industry’s growth which currently offers games such as Cryptowars, Cryptokitties, Etheroll, Hotpotato, Cryptocuddles, Gods Unchained, Dragon’s Tale, AllMine, HunterCoin, Whimsical War, etc.

The overall success of blockchain games is a testament to the popularity surrounding the idea of using cryptocurrency features and decentralized video games. However, before blockchain video games can be received and adopted by the masses developers would need to create seamless blockchain interfaces and wallets, allow smaller micro-purchases of cryptocurrency, partner with larger game companies to bring favorable titles to use blockchain technology, and resolve scalability issues. Therefore, it may be some time before pure blockchain video games will be released or at least popularized.

Following the Supreme Court decision to repeal the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) in May, Mark Cuban, billionaire investor and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, was quick to invest $25 million into Unikrn, an online eSports betting website who has their own blockchain-based cryptocurrency, UnikoinGold.

Unikrn is venture backed and run by Microsoft Ventures founder Rahul Sood, who operates an online sportsbook in other countries where gambling is legal.

Unikrn held an initial coin offering (ICO) that generated $31 million in October 2017 for UnikoinGold, a blockchain-based cryptocurrency “virtual token” created by Unikrn is used by bettors to wager on eSports games and events.

Those Unikoin Gold virtual tokens can also be exchanged for the more popular cryptocurrencies, such as ethereum and bitcoin, and then in turn can be turned into U.S. dollars.

The repeal of PASPA prompted Cuban, who participated in the Unikrn ICO, to celebrate the bright future of the eSports gambling company.

“Unikrn is going to benefit significantly,” said Cuban in an interview with ESPN. “I don’t think people realize that gambling is legal in 118 countries already.”

With the global eSports gaming total wager amount being projected around $13 billion per year by 2020, Cuban is optimistic about the future of his investment in the eSports gambling startup and hopes each individual state in the United States will take another look at their gambling laws and legalize sports betting following the PASPA decision.

“Unikrn and Unikorn already have a foundation,” said Cuban. “The already have the technology in place. Now it’s just about leveraging up depending on what each individual state decides here in the U.S.”

Cuban also announced on twitter in January of this year that it would be possible to purchase Dallas Maverick basketball tickets with cryptocurrency.

“We will be adding a crypto payment ability,” Cuban said in an interview with CoinDesk. “We will accept BTC, Eth, possibly some other currencies. [That’s] to be determined.”

Cuban in the past has cautioned against investing into cryptocurrency in the past but has since changed his stance, advising to only invest if you can afford to lose your investment and still be okay.

“If you’re a true adventurer and you really want to throw the Hail Mary, you might take 10 percentage [of your savings] and put it in bitcoin or Ethereum,” according to Cuban in an interview with Vanity Fair. “[You’ve] got to pretend you’ve already lost your money. It’s a flyer, but I’d limit it to 10 percent.”

However, this volatility is largely due to the lack of safeguards and enforceable regulations. This issue is possibly one of the main reasons Bitcoin has yet to go mainstream. Some critics refuse to invest in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies because of their belief that cryptocurrency and its accompanying technology are just a fad and coin prices are overly inflated – in other words, a bubble waiting to burst; others a-kin cryptocurrency to the internet during the early 90’s and 2000’s diamond in the rough state. But who is right?

Several businesses have blocked critiques from deterring them and moved forward with attempting to bring cryptocurrency into the light and establish it as an everyday commodity. Many firms are opening regulated exchanges, creating futures contracts, and attempting to list crypto ETFs in order to begin this process. Flooding interest for Bitcoin is usually centered around its blockchain technology and prospective applications.

These applications and projects will have a hard time reaching wide adoption without some regulation to clarify and encourage users to adopt BTC and mine it, trade it, and tax it properly. If regulations were set by significantly influential governments and powers than it is more likely that more countries, investors, and end-users would be onboard.

Considering the current state of adoption for Bitcoin no other cryptocurrency compares in the number of users, developers, and infrastructure support behind BTC. Bitcoin is currently in the works of major improves which would lower fees, improve usage, and create offline payment solutions or add more transactions per block. These improvements are coming the in form of features like Batching, Schnorr Signatures, and Atomic Swap. As these developments mature a potential increase in interest and rise in coin price is expected, as well as, increased awareness and adoption.

To begin this process, two financial service companies have jointly filed to list an ETF linked to Bitcoin to the SEC. This fund would be physically backed and insured in hopes to prevent rejection from the SEC. These companies may be rolling the dice since the SEC recanted crypto linked product applications in January. However, this filing is providing some hope for investors and businesses looking to see BTC ETFs be successfully approved which could open the door for comprehensive regulations over cryptocurrency.

This can better clarify the protocol for BTC mining industries, of which, are beginning to set up close to home. Coinmint confirmed a $700 million project to mining for the coin in Upstate New York. The development is projected to repurpose old abandoned factories, revitalize the industrial area, and bring jobs to locals. New York authorities greenlit the plan in January and the cloud mining service is set to open by the end of 2019.

This industry is heavily influenced by its profitability which is affected by coin price. Currently, BTC’s coin price has fallen from the record highs we saw late 2017 and early 2018 – Coinmint’s project was approved during record highs, nevertheless, if the coin continues to dive downward instead of appreciating mining firms like Coinmint could be forced to dissolve themselves.

However, we believe things are looking up for BTC who’s price is showing bullish signs and tendencies. With this and possible positive government intervention, i.e. regulations, the price of BTC could easily double in value by year’s end. Should situations fair well and in BTC’s favor, a break above $10,000 per coin could be possible. There is, however, a potential for disruption in Bitcoin’s progress.

As more and more interest to BTC grows, the amount of energy consumption used to facilitate Bitcoin growth could lead to government intervention. While BTC is decentralized the coin and its platform run off electricity which can be regulated at will by the government. Negative government intervention could send Bitcoin into its lowest point. We are half-way through 2018, only time will tell what happens next.