Privacy on Ethereum is now possible through Aztec, a project using zero knowledge cryptography derived from Zcash to hide amounts for private tokens. The Aztec privacy network has officially launched on the Ethereum blockchain on Feb. 1. Using Zcash-based technology, it introduces confidential tokens where all amounts are cryptographically hidden. The network is currently in…
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Bitcoin’s Taproot proposal is believed to vastly improve privacy, but its author revealed that it is not a silver bullet and it does not hide CoinJoin transactions. The activation of Bitcoin’s (BTC) Taproot upgrade is moving forward as official Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIP) were submitted for review on Jan. 24. Even though Taproot is often…
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Ex-Cambridge Analytica executive Brittany Kaiser discusses issues of global data protection crisis in an interview with Cointelegraph. Blockchain technology is an important tool in addressing the data protection crisis, Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Brittany Kaiser believes. Kaiser, a former business development director at controversial British data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica, has discussed global data privacy issues…
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Total darknet market sales in crypto hit a new high in 2019, for the first time surpassing $600 million, according to a new study by Chainalysis. The volume of cryptocurrency flows coming on darknet markets have doubled for the first time in four years, a new study says. In part of its 2020 Crypto Crime…
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For over a decade of its existence, Bitcoin has changed dramatically, but its essential features and characteristics are what make it the number one cryptocurrency. An overview of the most important changes and improvements. Over the last 10 years, the Bitcoin ecosystem has attracted developers to dedicate thousands of hours to improve and revamp most…
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Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of cloud-based messenger Telegram, says that Apple’s cloud service iCloud is “now officially a surveillance tool.” Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of major encrypted messenger Telegram, argues that Apple’s cloud service iCloud is “now officially a surveillance tool.” Citing a Jan. 21 Reuters report, Durov claimed that applications like WhatsApp…
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As the FCA looks to shake things up under their new AML regime, how will the U.K. and the global cryptocurrency industry react? The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is now the United Kingdom’s sole Anti-Money Laundering (AML) authority for the crypto business. After a decade of compliance under a laissez-faire approach to AML legislation, U.K.-based…
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Tron is set to introduce privacy technology based on zero knowledge proofs to its smart contracts, using copied Zcash code for the trusted setup. Tron (TRX) is set to feature zero knowledge-based privacy through the work of the TRONZ team. A trusted setup ceremony is set to be conducted soon, which Tron claims in a…
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Zcash released a Software Development Kit for both Android and iOS, which allows developers to easily build mobile wallets supporting shielded transactions. The for-profit developer behind Zcash (ZEC), Electric Coin Co. (ECC), has released on Jan. 15 a set of resources to facilitate the implementation of shielded transactions on mobile. This builds on early tests…
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The year 2019 was rich with major privacy developments, but 2020 may rock regulatory landscape even more. Data privacy has long been seen as one of the major non-monetary usages of blockchain technology. Many governments and corporations are already running recordkeeping systems based on distributed ledgers to securely store internal data. Tech enthusiasts believe that…
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