1. Bitcoin Startup Acinq Raises $1.7 Million to Double Down on LightningBitcoin Startup Acinq Raises $1.7 Million to Double Down on Lightning
Acinq, one of the leading startups working on the lightning network, a top-level layer aiming to boost the number of transactions bitcoin can support, has closed a $1.7 million funding round led by Serena Capital, with participation from Talend co-founder Bertrand Diard, Sebastien Lucas, Alistair Milne and Snapcar founder Yves Weisselberger. As a result of the funding, Lightning Labs is no longer the only startup solely dedicated to lightning that’s been able to rake in money for its efforts. With the funds, Acinq also plans to hire three to four “highly technical” developers over the coming weeks and months. To do its part in the effort, Acinq plans to take its operations to a larger scale. This means working with other developers on standards for lightning.
2. SBI Ripple Asia’s MoneyTap App Has Launched in Japan
MoneyTap, a consumer-focused blockchain money transfer app built by SBI Holdings and Ripple, has now gone live. A new website for the product has also been launched indicating that the app is able to make bank-to-bank money transfers in “real time” using Ripple’s xCurrent payments product. Available for both iOS and Android devices, the product allows users to send funds to others using just their telephone numbers or a QR code, and utilizes devices biometric log-in features, such as fingerprint scanning, for security. Currently, the service is only able to remit between accounts held at the three participating Japanese banks – SBI Sumishin Net Bank, Suruga Bank and Resona Bank. Payments are being offered at no charge and can be sent in Japanese yen or foreign currencies.
3. Chinese Energy Outfit to Support Spanish 300 MW Crypto Mining Farm
Chinese energy company Risen Energy has partnered with a Spanish cryptocurrency mining farm will to develop capacity of up to 300 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic power. Several months after CryptoSolarTech confirmed it was building two farms near the city of Malaga using energy-efficient technology, Risen will develop and take on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) responsibilities for the projects. In June, CryptoSolarTech released its own token via an ICO to assist in financing its operations, the token raising a reported $68.2 million and last month CryptoSolarTech had raised 60 million euros ($69 million) from its first two months of existence, along with concluding a power supply contract with Barcelona-based Respira Energia. Since the culmination of the ICO, the company’s token has lost the vast majority of its value, making it into the top ten ICO ‘losers’ in research released late September.