Welcome to the August edition of the Cryptie! As summer sizzles on, so does the pace of innovation in the cryptocurrency world. This month, we’re bringing you exciting updates, including a quick recap of the recent Litecoin Summit and Bitcoin Conference in Nashville, along with the latest trends in crypto payments, industry news, and insights from our community. Let’s dive in!
In This Issue:
Industry News
Read news from across the blockchain industry:
- Trump Pledges to Make the US a 'Crypto Capital': At the Bitcoin 2024 conference, Donald Trump promised to fully embrace cryptocurrency and establish a Bitcoin strategic reserve if re-elected (AP News).
- BlackRock's Larry Fink Sees Bitcoin as an International Asset: Larry Fink of BlackRock highlights Bitcoin's potential as a global asset, influencing how people view traditional financial systems (Yahoo Finance).
- Germany Concludes Bitcoin Holdings Sale: Germany has sold off its remaining Bitcoin, marking the end of its cryptocurrency holdings (Yahoo Finance).
- MicroStrategy's Saylor Reveals $1 Billion Personal Bitcoin Holdings: Michael Saylor discloses his personal Bitcoin investment, totaling approximately $1 billion (Bloomberg).
- Spot Ether ETFs Debut: Spot Ether ETFs launched in July, marking a significant milestone for Ethereum and its blockchain ecosystem (CNBC).
- Building a Blockchain: Challenges and Realities: An in-depth look at the complex process and significant challenges involved in building a blockchain (CoinDesk).
- California DMV Adopts Blockchain to Prevent Car Title Fraud: The California DMV partners with Ava Labs to use blockchain technology to combat car title fraud (Quartz).
- Cryptocurrencies Continue Rebound: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies resume their upward trend, with Bitcoin surpassing $59,000 (CNBC).
- Ferrari Expands Cryptocurrency Payment Options: Ferrari announces plans to extend cryptocurrency payment options to customers in Europe (CoinDesk).
- Putin Legalizes Cryptocurrency Mining in Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin signs a law officially legalizing cryptocurrency mining in the country (Bitcoin Magazine).
Litecoin Summit Recap
BitPay was in full force at the 2024 Litecoin Summit in Nashville, where our team connected with some of our biggest supporters in the Litecoin community. Attendees heard from the brightest minds in Litecoin, including our VP of Marketing, Merrick Theobald, who presented impressive BitPay's latest LTC stats and updates. Catch the highlights by watching the video below!
Bitcoin 2024 Conference Recap
BitPay once again had a strong presence at crypto's biggest annual event, the Bitcoin 2024 Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Major guests included Edward Snowden, Michael Saylor, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Donald Trump.
BitPay showcased the latest features of the BitPay Wallet, allowing users to buy, store, swap, send/receive, sell, and spend Bitcoin seamlessly, while engaging with merchants eager to accept crypto payments. The BitPay prize wheel was a hit, offering giveaways like gift cards, custom jerseys, and collectible coins.
→ Catch all of the highlights from BTC 2024
Download The 2024 BitPay Spending Report
Did you know that in Q1 2024, cryptocurrency payments grew 20%? BitPay's latest spending report showcases how payments evolved by industry, coin, chain, region, as well asother interesting spending trends.
→ Download The 2024 BiPay Spending Report 100% Free!
Product Focus: Pay Bills with Crypto
Leave traditional bill payments in the past. Use Bill Pay to pay off practically any bill with 100+ cryptocurrencies, including BTC, LTC, ETH, DOGE, and hundreds more.
- Credit cards
- Student loans
- Mortgages
- Utilities
- Car Payments
→ Get the app or sign up at BitPay.com to get started
Merchant Spotlight: The Farm at Okefenokee
Experience The Farm at Okefenokee, where sustainable living and community thrive together on 705 acres of regenerative farmland. Enjoy a modern, self-sufficient lifestyle with like-minded neighbors and fellow bitcoiners.
- Self-Sufficiency: Produce your own food, water, energy.
- Community: Live with fellow bitcoiners.
- Off-grid Living: Modern amenities included.
- Security: Safe haven from the modern world.
Secure your cabin on The Farm with bitcoin
The Farm partners with BitPay, allowing you to secure your cabin using bitcoin
Questions to Ask Your Payment Processor
Don’t risk partnering with the wrong crypto payments provider. Arm yourself with the right questions to ask when vetting potential partners.
Question #33: How many cryptocurrencies do they support?
Read the overview here or download our expanded guide of questions to help spot a reliable and trustworthy crypto partner.
Gear Up for Back to School with Cryptocurrency-Powered Gift Cards
Whether you're shopping for the latest tech gadgets, stylish clothing, or athletic gear, these gift cards provide the convenience and flexibility you need to get ready for back to school.
Adidas
Ensure your students are ready for the new school year with top-quality athletic wear and gear from Adidas, using convenient crypto gift cards.
Best Buy
Equip your students with the latest tech and school supplies from Best Buy, making back-to-school preparations easy with crypto gift cards.
Gap
Dress your students in stylish and comfortable clothing for the school year with Gap's versatile options, all made simple with crypto gift cards.
Word of the Month: Liquidity Pools
Liquidity pools are a key component of decentralized finance (DeFi), allowing users to pool their assets together to provide liquidity for trading pairs on decentralized exchanges (DEXs). These pools enable automatic and efficient trading without needing traditional market makers, rewarding liquidity providers with fees generated from the trades. By participating in a liquidity pool, users can earn passive income, but they also face risks like impermanent loss, where the value of deposited assets changes compared to holding them outside the pool.
→ Read more about liquidity pools
Travel with Crypto
BitPay Travel is now open to all! In collaboration with Xeni, BitPay Travel allows crypto users to pay for flights, hotels, rental cars, and activities with their cryptocurrency. Book your travel at great prices and pay straight from your cryptocurrency wallet.
Merchant Shoutouts
Check out this month's merchant shoutouts:
- Shop APMEX’s silver and gold popular categories, including pop culture collectibles. Shop now!
- OneGold gives you direct ownership of vaulted gold, silver, and platinum at an ultra-low cost. Start your free account today.
- Buy a domain name with Namecheap today!
- Ready to start accepting crypto with your Shopify business? Get started today with the BitPay app!
- Instantly deploy high-performance cloud servers, cloud GPUs, bare metal, and cloud storage worldwide with Vultr. New users receive $100 to test their platform.
- Use BrandBucket to name your business.
- Shop US stores and have your items reliably shipped back home with Qwintry
