Shapeshift Ethereum Splitter Makes Splitting ETH and ETC a Cakewalk

Shapeshift has launched a new tool - Shapeshift Ethereum Splitter to split the two Ethereum based cryptotokens, ETH and ETC!

Shapeshift has launched a new tool – Shapeshift Ethereum Splitter – that helps users split the Ethereum based cryptotokens: ETH and ETC.

The Ethereum blockchain project had split into two following its hard fork last month. With Ethereum (ETH) continuing on a new fork, the original blockchain has continued to operate as Ethereum Classic (ETC). Unexpectedly, Ethereum Classic has now become one of the popular digital currencies. But these two Ethereum versions – ETH and ETC – has led to the problem of ‘Replay Attacks’.

The Need to Split ETH and ETC

Both Ethereum and Ethereum Classic have originated from the same blockchain, which means, they both can carry similar addresses as well. Any Ethereum holding or transactions conducted before the hard fork contains both ETH and ETC tokens. This can potentially give rise to replay attacks where the user may lose ETC or ETH while making a transaction on their respective blockchains. In order to avoid losses, it is advisable to split the existing Ether balance from before the hard fork to ETH and ETC into separate wallets. Once the tokens are split, one can continue using either ETH, ETC or both like any regular cryptocurrency.

There are plenty of resources available on the internet which offers step by step directions to split ether to ETH and ETC. Some people may however find these instructions complicated. This is where the new offering by Shapeshift steps in. The Shapeshifter Ethereum Splitter allows people to split their Ethereum holdings to ETH and ETC in three simple steps.

Using Shapeshift Ethereum Splitter Tool

Shapeshift announced the launch of its Ethereum Splitter recently on its official blog, along with detailed instructions for use.

In order to split the coins, one has to replay the transaction. Before doing it, it is essential to first verify the ETC and ETH balances using Gas Tracker and Ether Scan block-explorers. The Ethereum Splitter tool is available on www.split.shapeshift.io .

Once the ETH and ETC balances are verified, the Shapeshift Ethereum Splitter tool asks the user to enter two valid (preferably fresh) wallet addresses for ETC and ETH. There are many wallets like Jaxx, MyEtherWallet, Etherwall, Mist, EthereumWallet etc. supporting ETH. Whereas, for ETC there are limited options at the moment. One can either choose to use Mist, create an online wallet on MyEtherWallet (it supports both ETC and ETH) or use the wallet provided by exchanges like Poloniex.

Once the wallet addresses are entered into the Shapeshift Ethereum Splitter tool and the process is started (by clicking the “Start” button), a wallet address will be generated. The user will have to send the coins that need to be split to that address. Upon receipt of the transaction, Ethereum Splitter will show a message saying “Your split is now completed” along with transaction verification links to the block-explorers.

Shapeshift Ethereum Splitter Fees

The minimum amount of Ethereum one can split using Shapeshift Ethereum Splitter tool is 0.5 ETH/ETC. The platform charges a fee of 0.25 percent for each split along with the necessary gas to perform the transaction.  Shapeshift states that the process may take up to 5 minutes to be executed.

Once the coins are split into ETH and ETC, care should be taken to not mix them again by sending ETH to an ETC wallet or vice versa. If someone does it by mistake, then they will have to split the tokens again by following the same procedure.

Jaxx Wallet Integrates Shapeshift for In-Wallet Conversion Between Bitcoin, Ether and DAO Tokens

Toronto-based Bitcoin consultancy and software development company Decentral has announced the integration of its Jaxx line of blockchain wallets with digital currency exchange platform ShapeShift.io. 

The integration of ShapeShift with Jaxx wallets will enable users to convert between bitcoin, ether and DAO tokens directly within the Jaxx wallet. It will also support any tokens that Jaxx and ShapeShift integrate in the future.

“Jaxx and ShapeShift together will, without doubt, be the easiest solution for buying ether with bitcoin (and vice versa) ‒ and it’s done right in your Jaxx wallet!” said Anthony Di Iorio, CEO and founder of Jaxx and Decentral.  

According to Erik Voorhees, founder and CEO of ShapeShift, ShapeShift’s API was designed with the purpose of making cross-cryptocurrency conversions easier. 

“We built ShapeShift's API for this very reason — to enable other services in this ecosystem to leverage it for the benefit of their users,” Voorhees said. Converting blockchain assets should be as easy as clicking a button, and Jaxx's integration of ShapeShift demonstrates this principle.”

How It Works 

Explaining how the process works in a blog post, Di Iorio said that to start a conversion users first need to select their Bitcoin wallet and open the “send” tab, select the ShapeShift icon and enter the bitcoin amount they would like to shift, then confirm the transaction. Ether will show up in their Ethereum wallet when the transaction is completed.

The process for buying bitcoin with ether or DAO is the same. Users just need to start with their Ethereum or DAO wallet instead. The Jaxx wallet also displays the current conversion rate and minimum/maximum deposit amounts for the shift.

“This method is far simpler than going to the ShapeShift site, as you don’t need to enter deposit or return addresses. It all gets automatically done in Jaxx using your built-in Bitcoin and Ether wallets,” Di Iorio said. 

Speaking on the partnership with ShapeShift, Di Iorio said that the integration of ShapeShift’s API with the Jaxx wallet will help the company in realizing its vision of becoming the industry’s default blockchain wallet.

“The Jaxx­ ShapeShift integration is one of many partnerships we anticipate with companies around the world,” Di Iorio said. “We believe our single code base and the ability to deploy in minutes across all platforms and devices gives us a huge advantage towards becoming the industry’s default blockchain wallet.”

As of now, inter-operable versions of Jaxx are available on nine major platforms. The company also recently announced a preview of integrating Coinbase’s “Buy Widget” with Jaxx wallet to enable users to buy coins and tokens from the wallet itself. 

ARK Launches ICO via Token Exchange Campaign (TEC) – Building Secure Platform Designed for Mass Adoption

The team behind ARK Crew, responsible for the research and development of unique use cases for Blockchain technology are rolling out the ARK Token Exchange Campaign (TEC) public.

The TEC is slated to begin on Monday, November 7, 2016, and go on until Sunday, December 11, 2016. The details include information about ARC TEC ICO, distribution of ARK tokens, early bonus and bounty programs.

During the 34-day long campaign, the platform will be offering a total of 93,750,000 ARK, which is 75 per cent of the 125 million yet to be generated tokens to the backers. Upon successful distribution, remaining 25 per cent of the ARK tokens will be reserved for the ARK Team (15 per cent), ARK Shield (7 per cent), bounties (2 per cent) and escrow (1 per cent).

The upcoming ARK TEC will accept Bitcoin (BTC), Lisk (LSK), and Altcoins supported by Shapeshift crypto platform in exchange for ARK tokens which will be made available at the launch of ARK Network in early 2017. The ARK Team has unveiled an aggressive bonus structure, especially for Lisk. Lisk users can claim a 120 per cent bonus during the first 24 hours of ARK TEC, with an exchange cap of 22 million LSK. Interested investors can participate in the ARK TEC here.

ARK platform also has a new bounty campaign coinciding with ARK TEC. The bounty campaign features a unique “sweepstakes” system wherein supporters can earn prizes for various promotional activities like tweeting, visiting and interacting on Bitcointalk forum or “Liking” the ARK Facebook page.

ARK is a new cryptocurrency ecosystem focused on consumer adoption through a series of innovative core technology advancements, practical applications for everyday use, and strategic partnerships with industry leaders. By utilizing the ARK SmartBridge, ARK will be able to link together existing Blockchain technologies into the ARK Ecosystem and build a robust platform that will bring a new level of user interaction.

The ARK Crew is a community driven development team of 30+ individuals located in 15 separate countries, dedicated to the success of the ARK Ecosystem and the next generation of integrated cryptocurrency and Blockchain solutions. With diverse backgrounds, including engineering, medicine, education, front-end, and back-end development, the ARK Crew has a robust team of diverse experts unlike any other in the space.

• Learn more about ARK Ecosystem at – http://ark.io/
• Meet the ARK Crew at – https://ark.io/#team
• Access ARK Whitepaper at – https://ark.io/whitepaper
• ARK TEC ICO website – http://tec.ark.io/
• Watch about ARK on YouTube – https://youtu.be/UWCsAFGnv5c
• ARK on Slack – http://arkecosystem.slack.com/

CFD Broker SimpleFX introduces Fee-Free Litecoin Accounts

The libertarian trading platform, renowned for allowing traders to circumvent identity verification protocols, currently offers over 60 currency pairs, as well as prime instruments from precious metals, indices and oil market.

Traders at SimpleFX will now be able to make deposits with Litecoin, the CFD broker confirmed in a recent public announcement.

The libertarian trading platform, renowned for allowing traders to circumvent identity verification protocols, currently offers over 60 currency pairs, as well as prime instruments from precious metals, indices and oil market. SimpleFX’s submission towards partial-to-full anonymity has ensured that it also finds its niche in the decentralised currency markets, especially Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin.

With that said, the decision to include Litecoin-based account and deposit feature doesn’t actually surprise, considering the platform has already been offering LTC trading instruments — LTCUSD, LTCEUR, LTCCNY, and LTCJPY — since day-one. The cryptocurrency, which has the fourth largest market capitalisation at press time, has a dedicated development and trading community behind it. Its longevity in the cryptocurrency sector has ensured that it could — in future — prove profitable thanks to escalating adoption by the mainstream industries.

And SimpleFX sees just that! The company’s representative stated:

“Litecoin has been known as one of the most popular cryptocurrencies on the market. We have decided to introduce Litecoin based trading accounts in order to meet our traders’ expectations. We strongly believe in a great potential  which Litecoin brings about the market.”

Zero-Fee

Just like Bitcoin, Litecoin accounts at SimpleFX can be opened for free. The CFD broker confirmed that the deposits and withdrawals will be commission free; and that no minimum or maximum deposit limit will be imposed. On the top of it, traders will still be able to enjoy flawless liquidity between Litecoin and other assets, including Bitcoin. An excerpt from their statement:

“We have just introduced litecoin accounts that are both free and anonymous! Wondering about the deposits and withdrawals? Yes, they are free as well. And if you want a smooth transfer from your bitcoin account, it’s also commission-free!”

For more information, please visit SimpleFX!

Lisk to Roll Out Block ‘Forging’ Rewards for Delegates by Jan 1st

Blockchain application platform Lisk has announced plans to begin issuing block rewards to its delegates. The team said this development marks the achievement of a “critical milestone,” with rewards set to start flowing before the end of 2016.

Disclaimer: This article is sponsored by Bitcoin PR Buzz.

A New Lisk Milestone

This milestone comes after a period of growth following the project’s successful crowdsale earlier this year, in which the developers raised around 14,000 bitcoins. At press time, those funds are valued at more than $10 million USD.

According to a press release, the ecosystem has grown considerably since the ICO, with developers from several different disciplines showing interest in the blockchain application platform. Now, with the rollout of block rewards, the team feels optimistic about its future.

“We’re excited to share great news with our community,” said Lisk co-founder and CEO Max Kordek, adding that, based on current calculations, he is certain the first monetized block will be forged before the end of 2016.   

Delegate rewards work similarly to bitcoin mining. For each new block forged on the Lisk blockchain, elected delegates receive 5 LSK tokens.

With the transition to monetized blocks drawing near, the Lisk team has shifted its attention to increasing network stability. As part of this effort, developers have implemented version 0.5.0 to the testnet.

As work on this version progresses, the team told press it plans to focus “on increasing block propagation efficiency and reliability by adding a new ‘Broadhash’ implementation.”

Other updates to the ecosystem include a rewritten P2P transport layer for reduced CPU loads, expanded test coverage, stronger schema validations, and implementations aimed at preventing what the team called “multiple edge-case fork occurrences.”

A Look Into 2017

With these updates, in addition to the rollout of delegate rewards, the Lisk team foresees a great deal of progress in the coming year.

“Looking ahead into early 2017,” Kordek said in the press release, “we expect to have made drastic progression on stabilization of the Lisk sidechains and development of the App SDK.”

“We look forward to sharing much more progress with the community in the coming weeks.

Lisk, founded in early 2016, aims to make blockchain application development more accessible to developers from disciplines outside the blockchain ecosystem. Based on JavaScript, the platform claims to provide a familiar building experienced for those not versed in blockchain-specific coding languages, allowing for more diverse ideas sourced from developers in multiple fields.