Litecoin Cash is coming, but we don't want it...

The "Litecoin Cash" hard fork is coming Sunday and it has a lot of people confused.  Major media outlets even pointed to this fork as a reason for Litecoin's rally the last couple days - however, that wasn't the case as traders within Litecoin forums virtually all cited LitePay as the reason for raising their investments in the currency.

So, what is Litecoin Cash? Let's take a look.

- It isn't an upgrade.  

The stated goal of the "Litecoin Cash" team is to change the mining algorithm from Scrypt to SHA-256.  Basically, like Bitcoin was. The "Litecoin Cash" team  says transactions will be 90 percent faster than the original Litecoin, however, these numbers are accurate when you have a lot of miners and not a lot of transactions.  Look to Bitcoin's transaction times if you're wondering what happens when SHA-256 mining is put under a heavy transaction load.  Oh, and toss in insanely high energy usage into the list of problems as well.

In an interview with Smartoptions, "Litecoin Cash" developer going by the name "Tanner" stated "Looking through the CoinMarketCap front page, we were really surprised that there were so few choices for SHA256 miners." well... there's a reason for that.

- This has nothing to do with Litecoin.

Charlie Lee, founder of the real Litecoin stated:

"...any fork of Litecoin, calling itself Litecoin something or other, is a scam IMO. Litecoin Cash, Litecoin Plus, Litecoin *... all scams trying to confuse users into thinking they are Litecoin."

The "team" behind Litecoin Cash doesn't deny they're just stealing the name and making a new coin, saying:

"We’re using the Litecoin Cash name simply because it has become customary in recent months for a coin which forks a blockchain to prefix its name with the name of the coin being forked. This practice has become a widely understood convention. We’re not associated or affiliated with Charlie Lee or any of the Litecoin team in any way; we are big fans though."

- Who the hell is this "team" behind it?

Nobody is sure who these guys are. Mysterious photos that reverse image searches can't find, first names only - and even a unicorn as their PR person (which ironically is a pretty bad PR move.)

 Red flags.

- Over supplied, and lack of support.

The supply is 10 times the size of the original LiteCoin - 840 million coins. With no word of exchanges, or wallets planning to support it.

Conclusion - what do you need to do to prepare for the fork? Nothing. Because it doesn't matter.

-------
Author: Adam Lee
Asia News Desk


Symatri’s Kala ITO Releases New Referral Program...

It’s no secret that the cryptocurrency arena has seen a lot of change recently, creating a level of uncertainty among crypto enthusiasts. For Symatri LLC, current crypto trends strengthened their commitment to each person who has or will purchase Kala. To reiterate their dedication, Symatri is excited to add a new referral program to Kala’s ITO.

"Our Kala community is of the utmost importance to us and we want to show our gratitude for supporting us" states Symatri CEO Darren Olayan. “So, when our users started reaching out to us about a referral plan, the Advisory Board quickly made it happen"

The Kala Referral Program begins today and runs through the end of the Kala ITO, March 15, 2018. Everyone who has or will sign up for a Kala ITO account gets a unique referral ID that they can share with others. All purchases made through a referral ID earns the referrer 5% in Kala. Kala users will be able to view their referral commissions as transactions are completed.

Created with the purpose of making cryptocurrency as accessible as possible, Symatri President Reid Tanaka believes their new referral program makes purchasing and using Kala even easier and strengthens Kala’s growing community. “It’s natural for people to share good things with family and friends,” he said.

After the ITO closes, Kala owners will be able to take advantage of the fluctuations in value that is a fundamental characteristic of all cryptocurrencies. The token will integrate within an already existing ecosystem with more than 300,000 members in over 140 countries. Kala will be fungible, transferable, and is expected to trade on exchanges later this year.

With Kala currently priced for only $.02, Mr. Olayan is excited to see Kala’s ITO take off. “Kala really is a cryptocurrency for everyone. It’s easy to understand, simple to earn, and now Kala is easy to share with everyone.”

For more information on Kala, to view the white paper, or to participate in the ITO, visit
https://go.kalatoken.io


-------
Info provided via Press Release.

The manufacturing boom meets blockchain - a look at SyncFab...

I've always found these kind of projects the most interesting - when an existing business in an existing field, discovers blockchain technology and finds ways to improve the way they function by implementing it - because they're ready for blockchain, right now!

That's exactly what SyncFab is - founded in 2013 they're already successful in the manufacturing and supply chain fields.

It could also be perfect timing - the US economy is in the midst of a manufacturing boom that could see it taking the #1 spot back from China within the next couple years.

Having experience in these fields, SyncFab identified some problems they believe blockchain can solve. Medium and small businesses face a number of challenges when comes to getting access to hardware manufacturing companies, which currently  large procurement firms, and middlemen control.

SyncFab's solution is actually pretty simple - which is a huge plus because their goals seem reasonable and attainable.  An online decentralized buyer-to-manufacturer platform.

"We have received overwhelming support from end users and industry professionals regarding our plan to implement digital tokens to incentivise working class manufacturers to adopt our blockchain solutions." says CEO Jeremy Goodwin.

Manufactures join the platform and list what their machines and factories are capable of producing.  The buyer joins the platform and explains their needs.  Then this will send buyers requests directly to manufacturers that match the buyers needs, and secures the agreement with smart contracts on what they're calling the "Smart Manufacturing Blockchain".

They've also worked out some pretty impressive partnerships beyond private interests in their industry, the city of San Francisco and their home city of San Leandro in the Bay Area through the STIR 'Startup in Residence' program.

So where does a token fit into this? Their MFG token will function as a utility, and reward token. Allowing buyers to get quotes, make purchases, and secure transactions - and allowing manufactures to control pricing, eliminate middlemen by connecting directly to buyers, and guarantee their payments via smart contracts. There will also be a rewards program for using the platform.

Their presale is live now, more info at https://blockchain.syncfab.com/

-------
Author: Ross Davis
San Francisco News Desk


Hackers are stealing ICO's e-mail lists, then scamming participants...

Hey everyone - Ross from the Silicon Valley news team of Global Crypto Press here.

I was a guest on the uCrypto Madness podcast, one of things we discussed was the new scam going around ICO's.  You sign up for an ICO's e-mail list - then hackers steal the list and send e-mails pretending to be that ICO.

Check out the video and learn what to watch out for!

-------
Author: Ross Davis
San Francisco News Desk

loading...

Litecoin's huge new payment platform could be just days away from launch!

The project has been in the works for awhile, and is set to launch any day now.

It's called LitePay and the goal is simple: real world use of cryptocurrency as currency - and make it so easy, merchants will feel like giving it a shot.

So, why does this actually have a chance to succeed? Ease of use - for both the buyer and the merchant.

From a merchants perspective - they're currently giving anywhere from 3% to 7% of their transactions to whatever company processes their credit card payments.  With LitePay, that drops to 1%.  Imagine a small business doing $100,000 a year in transactions - if they can get their customers to use LitePay, they'll see an increase of up to $7,000 in profits per year - which is extremely appealing to a small retailer.

Embedding the ability to accept Litecoin as a payment on their websites will be as simple as adding just one more option to their current list of payment options such as credit cards, paypal, etc.

From the buyers point of view - none of the hassle of dealing with wallet addresses and private keys, how about just a card and pin instead?  “Litecoin users will be able to convert Litecoins to dollars and vice versa through their Visa-compatible LitePay cards, which will be usable at all ATMs or businesses that support Visa payments.” Palwasha Saaim, a Research Analyst at Lombardi Financial recently told the Nasdaq stock exchange.

The release date has been a vague 'Feburary 2018' - with the last update being given about a month ago from the LitePay team stating "we are on schedule for Feburary".

*UPDATE* - A release date of Feb 26th has been announced!


-------
Author: Adam Lee
Asia News Desk


Trial Token brings blockchain to the legal system, pre-sale live now...

Matchmaking for plaintiffs and backers - Most cases never make it trial thanks to the high cost of litigation. But what if things were different? What if you had the funds to see your case through? Or, what if you could back a case that you cared about and help someone seek the justice they deserve but cannot afford?

That’s Trial Token. It’s litigation financing that leverages blockchain and Ethereum protocol to
make justice transparent, approachable, and accessible for those who would otherwise lack the
resources.

Civil lawsuits, on average, can produce upwards of $50,000 in legal fees, not to mention the toll
it takes on one’s time away from work and personal expenses, making justice an asset class that
is available only to those who can afford it.

Trial Token, of Trials Funds, is changing all of that;
Their digital, blockchain based platform, inspired by crowdsourcing culture, leverages the idea
of litigation financing, where a third party, unrelated to the lawsuit, provides capital to a
plaintiff involved in litigation.

This, combined with the advanced technology behind it, creates a decentralized, transparent
platform that removes financial barriers and intermediary parties. Just instant access to
funding, which can help cover the high fees litigation, as well as working capital and personal
expenses.

Simultaneously, backers take an active role in helping fund cases they believe in, which can
range from Breach of contracts, Investment suits, to Professional negligence, all while earning a
rate of return.

How it Works
Plaintiffs seeking legal services purchase Trial Tokens (TT) which is based on the ERC-20
standard. From there, they create a comprehensive case on Trial Funds for which backers to
can access and view.

Every case taken in by Trial Token is meticulously vetted and reviewed by a team of expert,
legal advisors. Backers review a plaintiff’s case and select one they wish to support and fund.
Plaintiffs receive the funding for their case and pursue justice, and backers can track the
progress of the case,

Once the case is settled or won, the backer will receive a portion of the settlement.
Based on the Ethereum protocol and conforming to the ERC-20 standards, Trial Tokens will
utilize the smart contract technology to maintain a public ledger that maps Etherum addresses
to Token balances.

Only 1 billion of Trial Tokens will only ever be created with an structured mechanism of
allocation and are intended to be sold during their initial Primary Token Sale at a price of USD
$0.10 per Token Pre-sale conversion.

How to Buy
Trial Token recommends creating an Etherwallet, or use any digital wallet that sees you as the
owner of the private key. To purchase, send to Trial Token’s sale smart contract, where you will
receive your Trial Tokens once the primary sale is complete. You can also purchase your tokens
via credit card or wire transfer — just go to www.trialtoken.io and click on “join the presale”

It Takes a Digital Village
Trial Token is changing the legal system, one case at a time. It’s a token with a purpose, one
that removes the reliance of centralized, Litigation intermediaries, providing inclusivity for
those seeking justice, while connecting and empowering the public to help funds others in their
pursuit of legal action.

Are you ready to help change the legal landscape? Purchase your pre-sale token at www.trialtoken.io

-------
Info provided via Press Release.

Nuclear scientists ARRESTED for trying to mine Bitcoin on government supercomputers...

An entire group of scientists working at a top secret Russian nuclear lab were arrested by security forces - in what they're calling a "plot to mine Bitcoin" using the governments high powered supercomputers. 

"There has been an unsanctioned attempt to use computer facilities for private purposes including so-called mining." says the press office at the Federal Nuclear Centrer.

The alarm bells went off within Russia's cyber security agency when the supercomputers went online.  The computers are never supposed to be connected to the internet, to prevent any possible hacking attempts.

This specific base is so heavily protected, the entire town it's located in, known as 'Sarov' isn't even listed on maps in Russia, and permits are needed to even get within several miles of it.

-------
Author: Ross Davis
San Francisco News Desk


John McAfee flips out on Twitter - feuds with Binance's CEO, and trolls...

It started when Binance went down earlier today.

Binance claimed maintenance - McAfee claimed they had been hacked and he had inside information saying so.

But let's be fair, fearing a hack when an exchange goes down isn't totally unfounded.  What may be uncalled for, is tweeting these fears out to 770,000 followers not knowing if it's true or not.
All the speculation brought on a reply from the Binance CEO himself, CZ:
Which turned into all out war between McAfee and Twitter trolls, that's when he snapped in this epic tweet..
Real address or not? Not sure - but it's been a fun day.

John McAfee is best known for creating the worlds first commercial antivirus software, but left the company he founded in 1994 and has since been involved in mobile apps, alternative medicine, and cryptocurrencies.

-------
Author: Oliver Redding
Seattle News Desk