Zcash’s network hash rate has mysteriously spiked by over 40 percent since Dec. 10th. It is unknown what is causing the spike, but it could indicate a growing ASIC presence on Zcash, or, more likely, that a large mining conglomerate is returning to the fray.

According to information from BitInfoCharts, from Dec. 10th to 18th, Zcash difficulty has jumped from 2.1GH/s to 3 GH/s, a 42 percent increase. Mining difficulty has adjusted accordingly, causing some concern among Equihash miners.


Chart courtesy of BitInfoCharts.com
The event is curious, considering that mining Zcash on the Equihash algorithm is likely one of the least profitable coins to mine, according to comparisons from WhatToMine. Zcash is only 80 percent as profitable as the optimal choice, Horizen (ZEN), as of writing.

It’s unknown what is causing the rapid increase in network hash rate. It could be the proliferation of a more advanced ASIC, or, more likely, an industrial miner returning to Zcash mining.

With Zcash comprising roughly 92 percent of all Equihash mining, a large miner entering any other coin would rapidly increase mining difficulty and result in diminished profits. When mining Zcash however, even a supermassive miner can enter the network without entirely disrupting the difficulty level.

X8 AG, another innovative Swiss-based blockchain technology company has come out with a new generation stable coin called the X8Currency — an Ethereum based stable coin with the following robust features:

The digital token is fully compliant with the laws set forth by the Swiss regulatory regime.
X8X is backed by a basket of eight fiat currencies (US Dollar, Swiss Franc, Euro, Pound Sterling, Japanese Yen, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian Dollar) & reserves of Gold. The basket of fiats & the precious commodity backing creates a factor of price stability & value preservation.
The digital tokens are backed by assets of equal value deposited in bank accounts to match the value which gives credibility to the project. Also the fiat currency backing provides the much needed liquidity.
Risk & Funds management is conducted by proven & tested AI platform called ARM, a hallmark of this project.
Finally as a cherry on top, the project has obtained certification from the Shariyah Review Bureau (SRB) for it being compliant with Islamic finance laws which has opened up the untapped Middle Eastern market for them. The team is already in talks with local exchanges of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Bahrain and also intend to open a regional office in the Middle East.
Switzerland has the distinction of hosting more than 500 Blockchain/Crypto projects mostly around the Crypto valley of Zug. With the comprehensive regulatory environment & a digital-friendly economy, Switzerland has become ground zero for launching & achieving a financial services paradigm shift.
A source: https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/swiss-blockchain-startups-launch-a-crypto-bank-etp-ai-managed-stablecoin-a3acf96d7e8c

Since November 1, Stellar has grown by 18%, now has fallen by 17%, that's okay with this level of volatility. But it is safe to assume that Stellar has a great future.

Bitcoin Cash has reclaimed its position above Litecoin, by market capitalization

LTC enthusiasts have eagerly awaited the coin’s ascension above BCH, going so far as to build a website dedicated to monitoring the event. And, Briefly on Dec. 14th, Litecoin had overtaken its rival Bitcoin Cash as prophesized.

Bitcoin Cash was battered following the BCH Hash Wars, allowing Litecoin to gradually overtake the weary coin. When Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin S.V. split, it had lost much of its value as the community and price were divvied between the two forks.

Recently, however, Bitcoin Cash has seen a resurgence. The cryptocurrency made a 70 percent rebound since Dec. 15th, surging from $82 to $140.

What’s Flappening?

Charlie Lee’s Embodiment as the Chikun
The ‘Flappening’ is a play on words on the previously anticipated “flippening,” where Ethereum would overtake Bitcoin by market capitalization.

Although such an event never happened, Litecoin enthusiasts adopted the terminology by embodying its founder, Charlie Lee, into the term. Lee’s online nickname and persona as the ‘Chikun’ makes the vernacular appropriate.

Hatched Rivals
The rivalry between LTC and BCH is both functional and ideological. Functionally, both cryptos aim to act as a medium of exchange, offering to act as an improvement upon Bitcoin’s role as a “store of value.”

Both coins diverge, however, in their interactions with the Bitcoin community. Litecoin markets itself as a complement to Bitcoin, with some even calling Litecoin the “silver to Bitcoin’s gold.”

In some instances, Litecoin acts as a test network for upgrades before they go live on Bitcoin’s core network, providing as a proving ground for the more conservative Bitcoin protocol. Due to these synergies, both communities tend to interact harmoniously.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin Cash claims that it is the version of ‘Bitcoin’ that anonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto had envisioned

To further that end, Bitcoin Cash has engaged in a marketing campaign leaving some users confused. BCH purchased the bitcoin.com domain name and brought its presence to the r/Bitcoin Reddit community. Many Bitcoin enthusiasts found the activities unsavory.bitcoin.com domain name and brought its presence to the r/Bitcoin Reddit community. Many Bitcoin enthusiasts found the activities unsavory.

Recently, Bitcoin Cash has been able to take full advantage of the market upswing and recover from the recent fork. Now that Bitcoin Cash has comfortably reclaimed its place as number four by market cap—with Litecoin sitting at eighth—time will tell whether Bitcoin Cash remains unflappable.

Banks receive huge sums from the budget in the form of financial support. This is taxpayer money. Bitcoin can deprive banks and governments of such methods of enrichment at the expense of citizens, ensuring full control of the latter over their funds and becoming a protection for people. Bitcoin is still not accepted, because rulers are afraid of losing control over people.