Month: July 2024

The University of Wyoming (UW) has established the UW Bitcoin Research Institute, marking the first academic institute dedicated to Bitcoin studies. Dr. Bradley Rettler, an Associate Professor of Philosophy and author of Resistance Money: A Philosophical Case for Bitcoin, has been appointed as the inaugural director, Rettler announced on the Genesis Stage at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference in Nashville.

The institute aims to elevate the quality and impact of Bitcoin research by creating faculty positions for Bitcoin research, incentivizing and rewarding good academic research on Bitcoin, encouraging young scholars to pursue Bitcoin research projects, and providing workshops on related papers and books. It will also connect researchers interested in Bitcoin and provide peer-reviewed research for journalists, policymakers, and the public.

The current state of academic Bitcoin research is not of the highest quality, so the institute aims to address these issues by creating and providing more accurate and rigorous academic studies on Bitcoin. The institute will work to ensure that high-quality, evidence-based research is accessible to all.

The University of Wyoming is strategically positioned to lead this initiative due to its interdisciplinary academic collaboration, proximity to renewable energy sources, and supportive legislative and regulatory environment. The institute will also collaborate with various university units, including the philosophy and economics departments, School of Computing, and Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation.

Those interested in supporting this research can donate to the UW Bitcoin Research Institute here. Donations are tax-deductible and all BTC donated will be held, the official page states.

The Bitcoin 2024 conference, the largest Bitcoin event in the world, is taking place this week in Nashville with several big-name speakers, including Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, Cathie Wood, Michael Saylor and more.

The conference already had a successful first general day, during which Bitcoin leaders made major announcements. Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated he will sign an executive order requiring the U.S. to purchase 550 Bitcoin per day until it accumulates a reserve of 4 million BTC if he is elected president.

Today marks the second day of general sessions at the Bitcoin 2024 conference, which will be live-streamed on Bitcoin Magazine. The top Bitcoin leaders will be gathering to speak, with many anticipating major announcements.

Headliner Donald Trump is slated to give remarks alongside Senator Marsha Blackburn and Vivek Ramaswamy, who will discuss “Bitcoin and the Future of American Democracy.” U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna and Wiley Nickel will discuss “A Progressive Vision for Bitcoin.”

Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert will speak on “Building Bitcoin Country,” while Michael Saylor and Bill Miller IV will also discuss Bitcoin.

With its high-profile speakers and attendees, Bitcoin 2024 is poised to be the biggest event yet. The world’s eyes will be on Nashville today, waiting to see what news comes out of the conference with headline speakers like Donald Trump.

Bitcoin 2024’s Industry Day will be live-streamed on Bitcoin Magazine YouTube and X today, starting at 9:00 AM EST.

PARIS & NASHVILLE, Tennessee | Ledger, the world leader in Digital Asset security for consumers and enterprises, today launched for sale Ledger Flex, its second new product launch in 2024. Released during Ledger’s tenth anniversary, Ledger Flex and the previously released Ledger Stax mark the inception of a new generation of Ledger hardware, featuring secure E Ink® touchscreen displays powered by Ledger’s Secure OS. Ledger Flex is available to purchase today on Ledger.com and through our retail partners around the world for $249, shipping immediately.

Ledger Flex marks the new standard for Ledger devices, featuring NFC and a secure E Ink® touchscreen, at an attractive price point. Ledger Flex is an homage to the iconic black and steel motif featured on Ledger devices for a decade, a reminder of Ledger’s heritage of uncompromising security. Its high-resolution, 2.8” display provides clarity when signing transactions or approving logins. E Ink® offers unmatched energy efficiency, so the battery can last for weeks or even months on one charge.

“After a decade of setting the standard for security and self-custody in crypto and digital assets, I’m proud to say we’re raising the bar again,” says Pascal Gauthier, Chairman & CEO of Ledger. “By launching both Ledger Flex and Ledger Stax this year, we’re redefining the experience of self-custody. Ledger devices already secure more than 20% of the world’s digital assets, and our new secure touchscreen category will make self-custody more accessible than ever before for more consumers and enterprises.”

Secure signing devices are key to a future where Proof of You becomes essential — as more of our value becomes digitized, society will need trusted methods to prove identity. The rapid advancement of AI pushes provenance to the forefront of technology’s biggest challenges, and trusting what you see becomes increasingly difficult. Ledger devices are the only products in the world with secure touchscreens, making them essential for protecting both your digital value and your identity. Ledger devices bring security to your inherently insecure devices.

After a decade of building uncompromising secure devices and a robust open-source developer ecosystem, Ledger is ready to secure a world that’s embracing AI. Where AI creates abundance, the blockchain is a natural partner by creating scarcity and authenticity. Ledger secures the blockchain, and will build applications to serve the need for Proof of You.

This begins with a new app for Ledger Stax and Ledger Flex: Ledger Security Key, providing Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) and Passkey capabilities. Passkeys provide a secure and convenient alternative to traditional passwords, and can eliminate phishing from your security risk factors. With Ledger Security Key, you can use your Ledger wallet to login without having to pull up your password or use a less secure 2FA such as a browser extension or SMS. This feature is built on the open FIDO 2 specification, ensuring decentralized access across platforms, and is already compatible with Google, Amazon, Binance, Coinbase, and much more. Simply tap your Ledger Flex or Ledger Stax to your phone to login to supported services, or connect via USB to your laptop or PC.

“Without a secure screen, you are not secure. Period. The easy-to-use secure touchscreens of Ledger Stax and Ledger Flex are the only truly secure touchscreens in the world, battle tested by the Donjon and third parties,” says Ian Rogers, Chief Experience Officer at Ledger. “With growing digital ownership and AI fakes, digital asset security, proof-of-humanity, and proof-of identity is more crucial than ever. Ledger Stax and Ledger Flex are the secure touchscreens to go with the insecure touchscreen in your pocket.”

Ledger Flex is partnered by Ledger Live, the leading omni-chain companion app, which enables users to connect seamlessly with their Ledger device. Ledger Live is the most secure way to buy, sell, swap and earn yield on your crypto, integrated with global providers such as Moonpay, Coinbase, PayPal, and Lido. To date, Ledger supports over 10,000 coins & tokens on more than 70 blockchains in Ledger Live, and approximately 200 dApps have been integrated into the Ledger ecosystem. Developers who want to build on the Ledger ecosystem can check out our updated Developer Portal here.

Embracing a future built on digital value requires secure recovery options, ensuring your digital value or identity is never lost. In 2023 Ledger launched Ledger Recover, provided by Coincover, a service that enables users to encrypt, shard, and backup their secret recovery phrase, which supports Ledger Flex from launch, in addition to the already available Ledger Stax. With Ledger Recover you never have to worry about recovering access to your wallet, even if your physical Secret Recovery Phrase backup is lost or destroyed. With Ledger Live, ™Ledger Security Key, and Ledger Recover, the entire digital ownership experience is present and possible only on the Ledger ecosystem.

Ledger Flex is available today on Ledger.com and in Best Buy all across the US for $249. A special Ledger Flex BTC Edition is also available. Accessories to protect your Ledger Stax and Ledger Flex are shipping now.

With the introduction of Ledger Flex, there is now a Ledger device available at a price point for everyone:

LEDGER NANO S PLUS™: Ledger’s uncompromising security for your Bitcoin and crypto, available for just $79.
LEDGER NANO X™: More connectivity, featuring Bluetooth for on the go transactions at $149.
LEDGER FLEX™: Ledger’s next-generation touch interface and form factor at $249.
LEDGER STAX™: Premium next-gen design featuring the world’s first curved E Ink® display, with Qi charging and stacking magnets. Designed by Tony Fadell. Secured by Ledger, at $399, with a magnet shell in every box.

LEDGER FLEX SPECS:
Dimensions: 78.40 mm × 56.50 mm × 7.70 mm
Security: Ledger EAL 6+ certified secure element (ST33K1M5)
Screen type: E Ink® (up to 16 grays), customizable always-on lock screen, capacitive touch
Screen resolution: 2.8”, 600 x 480 pixels
Weight: 57.5g
Connectivity: USB C, Bluetooth® 5.2, NFC

ABOUT LEDGER

Founded in Paris in 2014, LEDGER is a global platform for digital assets and Web3. Ledger is already the world leader in Critical Digital Asset security and utility. With more than 6M devices sold to consumers in 200 countries and 10+ languages, 100+ financial institutions and brands as customers, 20% of the world’s crypto assets are secured, plus services supporting trading, buying, spending, earning, and NFTs. LEDGER’s products include: Ledger Stax, Nano S Plus, Nano X hardware wallets, LEDGER Live companion app, and Ledger Enterprise. With its ease of use, LEDGER allows a user to begin investing in digital assets and ultimately, achieve financial freedom in a safe and stress-free environment.

LEDGER™, LEDGER LIVE™, LEDGER RECOVER™, LEDGER STAX™, LEDGER FLEX™ and LEDGER FREE FROM COMPROMISE™ are trademarks owned by Ledger SAS

Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Ledger is under license.

E Ink® is a registered trademark of E Ink Corporation.

Casa, a leading provider of Bitcoin self-custody services, has announced an integration with YubiKeys, enabling users to secure their Bitcoin vaults with Yubikeys. 

YubiKeys are small physical devices that provide multi-factor authentication and securely store sensitive data like passwords and keys. By integrating support for YubiKeys, Casa members can now use the devices as one of the keys in their multi-signature Bitcoin vaults.

When setting up a YubiKey with Casa, users generate a Bitcoin seed phrase locally on their computer. This seed is then stored on the YubiKey itself, protected by a passkey. 

The integration uses passkey cryptography to ensure the seed phrase never leaves the YubiKey and can only be accessed when authenticating through Casa’s service.

Casa emphasises this provides superior security over traditional wallet recovery seeds, which can be vulnerable to phishing and theft if written down or stored digitally. With a YubiKey, the seed is cryptographically bound to Casa’s domain, preventing phishing attacks.

By integrating with YubiKeys, Casa provides its members with more flexibility in securing their Bitcoin. YubiKeys offer convenience through their compact size and easy tap-to-use authentication. The company plans to open-source the core integration code in the future.

The launch demonstrates growing development in Bitcoin self-custody approaches as demand grows from both retail and institutional users to make self-custody more secure, better, and easier. 

“I am not a fan of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, which are not money, and whose value is highly volatile and based on thin air. Unregulated cryptoassets can facilitate unlawful behaviour, including drug trade and other illegal activity.”

Thankfully, the official position of the Republican Party has changed dramatically since President Donald J Trump condemned the emerging crypto industry in those uncompromising terms back in 2019.

Earlier this month, the Republican National Committee adopted an ambitious platform to promote innovation in the US’ digital assets industry and protect the rights of bitcoin holders.

For one, the official platform pledges that the Republicans will “defend the right to mine bitcoin.” This represents a much-needed departure from the policies of the incumbent administration.

In February this year, the US Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) issued an “emergency” survey to bitcoin mining companies, demanding highly sensitive information such as the specifications of the machines being used, the specific locations of their mining operations, and contractual information relating to their commercial energy partners. The EIA not only demanded all of this information but pledged to publish even the most commercially sensitive bits of it.

This initiative represented an unprecedented intrusion into the activities of Bitcoin miners and a massive assault on the crypto industry. It prompted organizations such as the Texas Blockchain Council to launch legal proceedings to try and protect the rights of the crypto industry against federal outreach. The Republicans’ pledge to “defend the right to mine bitcoin” is therefore very welcome.

There are other encouraging pledges that the Republicans have made. The GOP has said they will “ensure every American has the right to self-custody their digital assets and transact free from government surveillance and control.”

They have also come out strongly against the idea of a CBDC. “Republicans will end Democrats’ unlawful and un-American crypto crackdown and oppose the creation of a Central Bank Digital Currency,” the party has said.

Of course, all of this is highly encouraging for digital asset industry advocates. But it still begs the question. What caused President Trump to change his mind and start embracing the massive potential of digital assets and decentralized finance? How has this pro-digital asset agenda vaulted into the limelight of Presidential politics?

If there is one man who has contributed more than anybody else to changing Republicans’ mind on crypto, it is Vivek Ramaswamy. The former Republican presidential candidate and entrepreneur is clearly having increasing amounts of influence on the GOP inner circle. At the Republican Convention this month, Donald Trump Jr joked that he would like Ramaswamy to be his running mate in 2036. Indeed, ever since his presidential bid last year, it is clear that he has been one of the leading voices at the upper echelons of the Republicans guiding the party in a more pro-crypto direction.

Ramaswamy made waves in GOP circles when, at the North American Blockchain Summit in Texas last year, he released a detailed and comprehensive plan for the US crypto space.

What did he pledge to do? Perhaps the most eye-catching measure was his promise to fire most of the employees at the bloated Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and order the rest to stop trying to bully the crypto industry. Importantly, Ramaswamy defines many cryptocurrencies like bitcoin as commodities that are therefore not under the jurisdiction of the SEC.

“I think it’s nothing short of embarrassing that Gary Gensler, the current leader of the SEC, in front of Congress could not even say whether Ethereum counted as a regulated security or not,” Ramaswamy said during one of the Republican debates last year. “This is just another example of the administrative state gone too far.”

Ramaswamy has been a vocal advocate for innovation in the crypto space and the use of decentralized digital currencies as a tool for financial freedom. He has argued that the right to code should be a right protected by the First Amendment, protecting developers from the overreaches of federal agencies.

He has also said that consumers should have a right to possess self-hosted digital wallets beyond the grasp of the government. This has now been explicitly adopted by the Republicans for their 2024 election campaign, showing the practical influence Ramaswamy is having on Republican policy.

It is not just Ramaswamy who has been positively influencing Republican policy. Back in May last year, Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, brought into force a law banning any potential CBDC being used in the state. The regulation “prohibits the use of a federally adopted CBDC by excluding it from the definition of money within Florida’s Uniform Commercial Code.”

Efforts like this have been essential in making the Republican leadership aware of the dangers associated with CBDCs and prompting them to pledge action.

But arguably the most important impactful of Ramaswamy’s crypto activism is to persuade the broader Republican Party that supporting crypto innovation is in line with their political philosophy and natural instincts.

He has powerfully argued that the current federal assault on the crypto industry is “an embodiment of our national decline” in the way it represents an attack on innovation and entrepreneurship, two values the Republicans have always claimed to hold dear.

Ramaswamy has similarly noted that Bitcoin mining is “a frontier in American innovation” in the same tradition as American heroes such as Thomas Jefferson – who Ramaswamy thinks “would have been a Bitcoin miner.” This rhetoric seems to have worked in convincing President Trump and Republican leaders that they should indeed be the pro-bitcoin party.

Another key emerging figure in the Republican party who is of a similar mind on digital assets as Vivek is Trump’s recent VP pick, J.D. Vance. Senator Vance is vocal about his support for bitcoin and digital assets and has a background in tech venture capital. He is young and he understands the importance of courting younger votes.

So, what will “four more years” of President Trump mean for the US digital asset industry?

Let’s end as we started, with another quote from the President – one that shows, thanks to the efforts of Vivek Ramaswamy, Senator Vance and others, just how much the Republican stance on crypto has changed over the last few years.

“I will end Joe Biden’s war on crypto. We will ensure that the future of crypto and the future of Bitcoin will be made in America.”

This is a guest post by Mark Shut and Lee Bratcher. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.

The Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville continues today with a packed schedule of high-profile keynotes and discussions on the future of Bitcoin.

Following yesterday’s industry-focused sessions, the main two-day Bitcoin 2024 conference kicks off this morning. Speakers slated for today include Michael Saylor, Cathie Wood, Edward Snowden, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and more Bitcoin luminaries.

The conference opened with remarks from Tennessee’s Commissioner Stuart McWhorter. MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor will deliver a keynote speech on Bitcoin and MicroStrategy.

ARK Invest’s Cathie Wood will speak on macroeconomic trends and Bitcoin’s role. U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis and Tim Scott will discuss Bitcoin’s growing prominence in American politics.

Other notable sessions include Edward Snowden and U.S. Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy. 

With over 35,000 attendees, Bitcoin 2024 is poised to be the largest Bitcoin conference ever. The event underscores Bitcoin’s evolution from an obscure digital asset to an integral part of the global financial system.

The speaker lineup attracts financial, political, and cultural leaders. Their presentations will explore Bitcoin’s potential to transform money, business, technology, and society. They will be followed by some huge announcements. 

Bitcoin 2024’s Industry Day will be live-streamed on Bitcoin Magazine YouTube and X today, starting at 9:00 AM EST.