Lightning Network’s Infrastructural Build Out | Block by Block: Crypto Lending | Core Ethereum devs push Constantinople upgrade out 6 weeks; ProgPoW decision put on hold
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From #reckless to Wumbology: Lightning Network’s Infrastructural Build Out
A former Kraken exec is hoping to transform the carbon credit market with blockchain
“Budgeting is a new thing in this market. It is hard to grow a strong business in a bull market because you aren’t forced to make tough decisions. Tough decisions lead to better allocations.” — Ari Paul, CIO Blocktower Capital
The Big Block
Lightning Network’s infrastructural build-out was one of the most anticipated developments of the second half of 2018. Significant progress in both R&D and implementation has increased hype and anticipation for what is setting up to be a year of major improvements to the network.
The Lightning Network’s goal is simple: provide a way for users to easily facilitate off-chain payments as fast and reliably as possible while keeping the design accessible to the average user. Expecting users to run full nodes as a prerequisite or attempting to have them manage channel liquidity manually is infeasible.
As such, the primary focus of Lightning development in 2019 is centered around four areas: (1) improving security guarantees in the system (2) maximizing liquidity at all steps of the process (from ease of funding to liquidity provisioning within channels) (3) improving privacy and (4) simplifying UX as much as possible.
This is not a gentle introduction to the Lightning Network. Aaron van Wirdum’s excellent four part series on how the Lightning Network works is an excellent resource for those looking for an introduction. This article is aimed at informing users who are familiar with the basic mechanics of the network about what’s in the development pipeline.
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Around The Block
Block by Block: Crypto Lending
Block by Block is a series where we dive into different industries and examine the entry-points for decentralization. This issue is an introduction to crypto-secured credit markets, exploring: market/product segmentation, lender and borrower opportunities, competition across both custodial and decentralized lending protocols, and more. — More
A former Kraken exec is hoping to transform the carbon credit market with blockchain
“The blockchain could radically transform this market.” William Evans, who recently left cryptocurrency exchange Kraken to lead fintech startup Veridium Labs, isn’t talking about the bond market, the FX market, or even the stock market. He’s talking about the market for carbon credits, a financial product his firm wants to bring to the next level. — More
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