Overstock buys a 25% stake into PRO Securities, the New York Stock Exchange launches a BTC pricing index, MasterCard deploys new P2P money transfer service in the U.S., NY Bitcoin Group teams up with BitPay for Bitcoin Pizza Day, and more top stories for May 20.
NYSE Launches Bitcoin Index NYXBT
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) launched a bitcoin pricing index on Tuesday, marking the first exchange-calculated index for the digital currency, with a real-time price tied to the Coinbase exchange, reported Mashable.
Tom Farley, president at the NYSE, told the media outlet:
"We are now going to use our name, reputation and global index provider stature to provide bitcoin values that the rest of the market can look to."
Earlier this year, the NYSE joined other institutional investors, including USAA Bank, and VC firm Lightspeed Venture Partners, to contribute to Coinbase's Series C round of funding amounting to US$75 million.
Overstock Invests in 'Alternative Trading' Company PRO Securities
Overstock has purchased a 25% stake in PRO Securities, an alternative trading system regulated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, reported Wired.
The news follows Overstock's prospectus filing earlier this month suggesting that the American e-commerce giant is looking to issue a digital security through an alternative trading system.
The media outlet writes:
"Considering that PRO Securities is registered with the SEC and plugged into the National Market System—the network of exchanges and other organizations that oversee equity trading in the US—the news indicates Overstock is wholly prepared to offer a digital security should it receive SEC approval."
MasterCard Launches Global Money Transfer Service
MasterCard has deployed a new product called MasterCard Send, a peer-to-peer payment service that allows anyone with an U.S. debit card account, not just a MasterCard one, to send and receive money domestically and internationally within 30 minutes, the firm announced in a release.
Ed McLaughlin, chief emerging payments officer at MasterCard, said:
"We have enabled a breakthrough solution that takes the pain out of the system, provides faster clearing of payments, and delivers a better user experience for senders and receivers alike. MasterCard Send is addressing a real need that exists in today’s digital world to enable consumers, businesses, governments and more to have a safe, simple and secure way to transfer and receive funds quickly."
The Europas Announces Nominees for 'Best Crypto Currency Startup' Category
The Europas, an annual event intended to reward the best technology startups in Europe, has announced the list of nominees in the category "Best Crypto Currency Startup."
This year, the nominations in the said category go to Bitfury, BitPay, Blockchain.info, KnCMiner, and Safello.
Italian Utility Company Embraces Bitcoin
NordOvest, a Turin-based gas and electricity supplier, has announced a new partnership with local Bitcoin startup Tinkl.it. The collaboration will allow clients of NordOvest to pay their bills using bitcoins, and will make the company the second utility firm in the European Union to accept the digital currency as a payment method.
Catia Rossi, managing director at NordOvest Energie SRL, said:
"Being the first utility company in Italy and the second in Europe to offer this feature to our customers is a great source of pride for us. It strengthens our will to work and invest on future and on technological innovation."
NY Bitcoin Group Teams up with BitPay for Bitcoin Pizza Day
The NY Bitcoin Group has announced a new partnership with Atlanta-based bitcoin payment processor BitPay to allow anyone around the world to donate to the children at The Bernard & Millie Duker Children's Hospital on Bitcoin Pizza Day.
In a release, Julia Patterson, communications manager at BitPay, said:
"While bitcoin may originally have been used to buy pizza, it's now being used to help in Nepal's disaster relief and to fight childhood illnesses. We are grateful for the opportunity to enable so many wonderful charities to accept bitcoin donations for their admirable work. At this point, bitcoin is much more than a nerd's currency; it's changed thousands of lives for the better and is set to change many more in the future."
To purchase pizza for the kids of The Bernard & Millie Duker Children's Hospital at Albany Medical Center, follow this link.
German Production Company Releases Teaser for Bitcoin Fiction Movie
German film production company Bitfilm, has released a teaser for a Bitcoin-inspired fiction movie called Satoshi's Last Will, and has launched a funding campaign to raise US$2 million to complete the movie.
Announced at the Bitcoin Conference Prague, the movie is led by BitFilm CEO, writer and producer Aaron Koenig.
Koenig explained:
"We will create a world as we believe it could look like if Bitcoin and blockchain technology takes hold. Sort of a world as Murray Rothbard would imagine it. For instance, our main character doesn't work for the police, or for the state, but she works for a private law enforcement company. And in order to understand the story, you need to understand the concept of multisig, while Satoshi's will is not a piece of paper, but — of course — a blockchain entry."
Coinstructors Announces Online Conference 'Blockchain Solution for Greece'
Coinstructors, a London-based digital currency consultancy firm, has announced an online conference called "Blockchain Solution for Greece," available globally on May 20, at www.drachmae.money/.
Companies will have the opportunity to present "their piece of the workable solution over the blockchain for Greece," according to the event description.
USAA Creates Bitcoin Research Group
USAA, a Texas-based financial institution serving members of the military, has formed a research team to study the use of blockchain technology for its operations, reported Reuters.
Alex Marquez, managing director of corporate development at USAA, told the media outlet:
"We have serious interest in the blockchain and we think the technology would have an impact on the organization. The fact that we have such a large group of people working on this shows how serious we are about the potential of this technology."