San Francisco–based startup Origin (https://www.originprotocol.com/) is creating a set of protocols that allow developers and businesses to build decentralized marketplaces on the blockchain, with a focus on the sharing economy.
The Origin Protocol is a set of open-source blockchain protocols for buyers and sellers of services like car-sharing or home-sharing to transact on a decentralized, open web platform.The protocol’s applications will store transactional data such as pricing and availability directly on the blockchain.Leveraging the Ethereum blockchain and the Interplanetary File System (IPFS), the Origin platform will create and book services and goods in a decentralized way, without traditional intermediaries.Recently, Origin launched its functional, completely decentralized prototype Origin Protocol Demo DApp, live on the Ethereum test network. It also announced that several companies have committed to developing further applications on the Origin platform.“Our vision for Origin is to create protocols that allow marketplaces to be governed by a set of rules instead of corporate rulers. We want to eliminate the rent-seeking middlemen, maximize personal liberty, reduce censorship and redistribute value to the early participants in the network,” Origin co-founder Josh Fraser said in conversation with Bitcoin Magazine. “Partners are building on Origin because they realize they can get to market sooner and we can share network effects by working together.”Tackling the Problems of the Centralized MarketplaceUber and Airbnb, the hugely popular marketplaces for ride-sharing and home-sharing, are usually considered the leading players in the emerging “sharing economy.” Another buzz phrase, “people as a service,” describes the business models of these two companies, both of which attracted funding that values them in the tens of billions of dollars.Consumers perceive that Uber and Airbnb are faster, cheaper and better alternatives to traditional services like taxis and hotels, delivered via sophisticated yet easy to use apps. But, while the consumer has the impression that they are buying services directly from individual providers in decentralized, P2P networks, Uber and Airbnb are centralized systems where transactions between individual consumers and providers are routed through infrastructure, hubs and software that belong to the companies that own the platform.Centralization makes Uber and Airbnb vulnerable to regulatory actions, and there is the possibility that both services could be shut down by the government at any time. In the meantime, besides taking a fee, the platform owners are in complete control of the networks and the individual providers and are often accused of predatory behavior.“Look at Uber and Airbnb as examples,” said Fraser. “Both companies have been banned or heavily regulated in cities all around the world. Likewise, those companies have a history of banning certain individuals for life from ever using their marketplaces.”Uber and Airbnb (the Services) without Uber and Airbnb (the Companies)According to data provided by Origin, Uber, Airbnb and other centralized sharing marketplaces are expected to earn $40 billion in platform fees annually by 2022, and the sharing economy as a whole is expected to top $335 billion by 2025. Some centralized sharing services charge upwards of 30 percent fees for hosting transactions. Origin wants to cut out these middlemen with new standards based on blockchain technology. The Origin platform “enables people to freely transact on the blockchain in decentralized marketplaces without rent-seeking middlemen,” says Coleman Maher. who recently joined Origin as its first business development hire. “We aim to eliminate excessive transaction fees, reduce censorship and redistribute value back to the community.”“We imagine a broad collection of vertical use cases (e.g short-term vacation rentals, freelance software engineering, tutoring for hire) that are built on top of
The Origin Protocol is a set of open-source blockchain protocols for buyers and sellers of services like car-sharing or home-sharing to transact on a decentralized, open web platform.The protocol’s applications will store transactional data such as pricing and availability directly on the blockchain.Leveraging the Ethereum blockchain and the Interplanetary File System (IPFS), the Origin platform will create and book services and goods in a decentralized way, without traditional intermediaries.Recently, Origin launched its functional, completely decentralized prototype Origin Protocol Demo DApp, live on the Ethereum test network. It also announced that several companies have committed to developing further applications on the Origin platform.“Our vision for Origin is to create protocols that allow marketplaces to be governed by a set of rules instead of corporate rulers. We want to eliminate the rent-seeking middlemen, maximize personal liberty, reduce censorship and redistribute value to the early participants in the network,” Origin co-founder Josh Fraser said in conversation with Bitcoin Magazine. “Partners are building on Origin because they realize they can get to market sooner and we can share network effects by working together.”Tackling the Problems of the Centralized MarketplaceUber and Airbnb, the hugely popular marketplaces for ride-sharing and home-sharing, are usually considered the leading players in the emerging “sharing economy.” Another buzz phrase, “people as a service,” describes the business models of these two companies, both of which attracted funding that values them in the tens of billions of dollars.Consumers perceive that Uber and Airbnb are faster, cheaper and better alternatives to traditional services like taxis and hotels, delivered via sophisticated yet easy to use apps. But, while the consumer has the impression that they are buying services directly from individual providers in decentralized, P2P networks, Uber and Airbnb are centralized systems where transactions between individual consumers and providers are routed through infrastructure, hubs and software that belong to the companies that own the platform.Centralization makes Uber and Airbnb vulnerable to regulatory actions, and there is the possibility that both services could be shut down by the government at any time. In the meantime, besides taking a fee, the platform owners are in complete control of the networks and the individual providers and are often accused of predatory behavior.“Look at Uber and Airbnb as examples,” said Fraser. “Both companies have been banned or heavily regulated in cities all around the world. Likewise, those companies have a history of banning certain individuals for life from ever using their marketplaces.”Uber and Airbnb (the Services) without Uber and Airbnb (the Companies)According to data provided by Origin, Uber, Airbnb and other centralized sharing marketplaces are expected to earn $40 billion in platform fees annually by 2022, and the sharing economy as a whole is expected to top $335 billion by 2025. Some centralized sharing services charge upwards of 30 percent fees for hosting transactions. Origin wants to cut out these middlemen with new standards based on blockchain technology. The Origin platform “enables people to freely transact on the blockchain in decentralized marketplaces without rent-seeking middlemen,” says Coleman Maher. who recently joined Origin as its first business development hire. “We aim to eliminate excessive transaction fees, reduce censorship and redistribute value back to the community.”“We imagine a broad collection of vertical use cases (e.g short-term vacation rentals, freelance software engineering, tutoring for hire) that are built on top of
Origin standards and shared data,” reads the Origin product brief. Origin applications will be able to share users, creating a “shared network effect” that could benefit all application providers, as well as the consumers.Bee Token, SnagRide, JOLYY, Acquaint, Aworker, BlockFood, Edgecoin and ODEM have committed to building on the Origin platform. More partners will be announced in the coming months.The first two projects are in Airbnb and Uber territory. The Bee Token team, a group of former employees from Google, Facebook, Uber and Civic, is building a middleman-free, peer-to-peer network of hosts and guests on the decentralized web, with the stated goal of “reinventing the home sharing economy.” SnagRide is a ride-sharing application for mid– to long-distance rides, which leverages artificial intelligence and blockchain-powered smart contract technologies to smartly manage drivers and passengers willing to travel together between cities and share the cost of the trip.The Origin ecosystem will offer incentives based on the Origin token, an ERC20 utility token on the Ethereum blockchain, described in the Origin white paper. The Origin token, to be distributed later in 2018, is the currency used for transactions on the Origin platform. However, the Origin team plans to implement on-the-fly conversions of fiat currencies and Ethereum to the Origin token in future releases.This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine (https://bitcoinmagazine.com/).
TSMC Expects 'Strong' Crypto Mining Demand to Continue
https://www.coindesk.com/tsmc-expects-strong-crypto-mining-demand-to-continue/
Cryptocurrency mining demand provided a boost to TSMC's fourth-quarter revenue, according to new statements from the foundry giant.
https://www.coindesk.com/tsmc-expects-strong-crypto-mining-demand-to-continue/
Cryptocurrency mining demand provided a boost to TSMC's fourth-quarter revenue, according to new statements from the foundry giant.
Ledger-to-Ledger? Hardware Wallet Integrates with Decentralized Exchange
https://www.coindesk.com/ledger-to-ledger-hardware-wallet-integrates-with-decentralized-exchange/
Decentralized exchange Radar Relay has partnered with Ledger to allow for hardware wallet-to-wallet direct transfers.
https://www.coindesk.com/ledger-to-ledger-hardware-wallet-integrates-with-decentralized-exchange/
Decentralized exchange Radar Relay has partnered with Ledger to allow for hardware wallet-to-wallet direct transfers.
ESMA Seeks Public Input on Cryptocurrency Derivatives Policy
https://www.coindesk.com/esma-calls-for-public-input-on-crypto-based-derivatives-contracts/
The European Securities and Markets Authority released a public call for input on cryptocurrency-based contracts-for-differences.
https://www.coindesk.com/esma-calls-for-public-input-on-crypto-based-derivatives-contracts/
The European Securities and Markets Authority released a public call for input on cryptocurrency-based contracts-for-differences.
NYSE Parent Company Launches Cryptocurrency Data Feed
https://www.coindesk.com/nyse-parent-company-launches-crypto-trading-data-stream-for-exchanges/
Intercontinental Exchange announced today that it was partnering with Blockstream to launch a cryptocurrency price data feed.
https://www.coindesk.com/nyse-parent-company-launches-crypto-trading-data-stream-for-exchanges/
Intercontinental Exchange announced today that it was partnering with Blockstream to launch a cryptocurrency price data feed.
Virginia Beach Government Backs Bitcoin Mine With $500K Grant
https://www.coindesk.com/virginia-beach-government-backs-bitcoin-mine-with-500k-grant/
The U.S. city of Virginia Beach has granted $500,000 to help establish a new bitcoin mine in the area.
https://www.coindesk.com/virginia-beach-government-backs-bitcoin-mine-with-500k-grant/
The U.S. city of Virginia Beach has granted $500,000 to help establish a new bitcoin mine in the area.
Bitcoin Devs Release Long-Awaited Schnorr Paper for Scalability Gains
https://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-devs-release-long-awaited-schnorr-paper-for-scalability-gains/
Bitcoin devs have released the first paper on the Schnorr multi-signature protocols, which, if implemented, would reduce bitcoin block sizes.
https://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-devs-release-long-awaited-schnorr-paper-for-scalability-gains/
Bitcoin devs have released the first paper on the Schnorr multi-signature protocols, which, if implemented, would reduce bitcoin block sizes.
Where'd You Get That Token? 7 Platforms Managing ICOs
https://www.coindesk.com/whered-get-token-7-platforms-managing-icos/
A handful of platforms have launched to support token issuers with their sales. Which one an issuer uses may say something about the token itself.
https://www.coindesk.com/whered-get-token-7-platforms-managing-icos/
A handful of platforms have launched to support token issuers with their sales. Which one an issuer uses may say something about the token itself.
The ECB Wants to Hear Your Cryptocurrency Questions
https://www.coindesk.com/ecb-wants-hear-cryptocurrency-questions/
The European Central Bank is soliciting questions for president Mario Draghi, specifying that cryptocurrency-related questions should be a topic.
https://www.coindesk.com/ecb-wants-hear-cryptocurrency-questions/
The European Central Bank is soliciting questions for president Mario Draghi, specifying that cryptocurrency-related questions should be a topic.
Why São Paulo Wants to Pay for Infrastructure with Cryptocurrency
https://www.coindesk.com/sao-paulo-wants-pay-infrastructure-cryptocurrency/
The Brazilian state wants to pay for feasibility studies with a token designed for the construction industry. Can such a coin achieve network effect?
https://www.coindesk.com/sao-paulo-wants-pay-infrastructure-cryptocurrency/
The Brazilian state wants to pay for feasibility studies with a token designed for the construction industry. Can such a coin achieve network effect?
SEC Outlines Reasons for Reluctance to List Cryptocurrency ETFs
https://www.coindesk.com/sec-outlines-reasons-for-reluctance-to-list-cryptocurrency-etfs/
An SEC letter states there are "significant investor protection issues" to be examined before opening up crypto-ETFs to retail investors.
https://www.coindesk.com/sec-outlines-reasons-for-reluctance-to-list-cryptocurrency-etfs/
An SEC letter states there are "significant investor protection issues" to be examined before opening up crypto-ETFs to retail investors.
Global Securities Watchdog Warns Investors on ICO Risks
https://www.coindesk.com/global-securities-watchdog-warns-investors-on-ico-risks/
An organization of global securities regulators has issued a notice alerting investors to the perceived risks associated with initial coin offerings.
https://www.coindesk.com/global-securities-watchdog-warns-investors-on-ico-risks/
An organization of global securities regulators has issued a notice alerting investors to the perceived risks associated with initial coin offerings.
Stuck at $12K: Bitcoin Price Needs Quick Progress to Avert Further Losses
https://www.coindesk.com/stuck-at-12k-bitcoin-price-needs-quick-progress-to-avert-further-losses/
With its recovery stalled, bitcoin needs a quick break above $12,500 or the tide may turn in favor of the bears.
https://www.coindesk.com/stuck-at-12k-bitcoin-price-needs-quick-progress-to-avert-further-losses/
With its recovery stalled, bitcoin needs a quick break above $12,500 or the tide may turn in favor of the bears.
2018's Challenge: Promote Responsible Blockchain Innovation
https://www.coindesk.com/2018s-challenge-promote-responsible-blockchain-innovation/
The chief innovation officer at the U.S. regulator for national banks details the agency's efforts to support fintech while still mitigating risk.
https://www.coindesk.com/2018s-challenge-promote-responsible-blockchain-innovation/
The chief innovation officer at the U.S. regulator for national banks details the agency's efforts to support fintech while still mitigating risk.
Massachusetts Sues ICO Organizer for Alleged Securities Violations
https://www.coindesk.com/massachusetts-sues-ico-operator-for-alleged-securities-violations/
Massachusetts' securities enforcement office is suing a resident and his company for selling unregistered securities in a token sale.
https://www.coindesk.com/massachusetts-sues-ico-operator-for-alleged-securities-violations/
Massachusetts' securities enforcement office is suing a resident and his company for selling unregistered securities in a token sale.
PBoC Reportedly Orders Payment Services to Stop Serving Crypto Traders
https://www.coindesk.com/pboc-reportedly-orders-payment-services-to-stop-serving-crypto-traders/
The PBoC's Beijing division has reportedly issued a document requiring payment services to stop facilitating crypto trading activities.
https://www.coindesk.com/pboc-reportedly-orders-payment-services-to-stop-serving-crypto-traders/
The PBoC's Beijing division has reportedly issued a document requiring payment services to stop facilitating crypto trading activities.
CFTC Files Suits Against Crypto Investment Schemes for Alleged Fraud
https://www.coindesk.com/cftc-files-suits-against-crypto-investment-schemes-for-alleged-fraud/
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission brought two lawsuits against allegedly fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes yesterday.
https://www.coindesk.com/cftc-files-suits-against-crypto-investment-schemes-for-alleged-fraud/
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission brought two lawsuits against allegedly fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes yesterday.
Cornell IC3 Researchers Propose Solution to Bitcoin’s Multisig “Paralysis” Problem
https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/cornell-ic3-researchers-propose-solution-bitcoins-multisig-paralysis-problem/
https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/cornell-ic3-researchers-propose-solution-bitcoins-multisig-paralysis-problem/
Owning cryptocurrency comes with its own set of challenges. One of the biggest of those challenges is managing the private keys that enable you to spend funds. Lose your private keys, and your money is gone.
In a business environment, a common way to manage funds owned by multiple people is via what’s called a multisignature (multisig) address, a type of smart contract requiring two or more parties to sign off on a transaction to move the funds. This can be problematic, however. Let’s say you have a three-of-three multisig that requires you and two business partners to sign off on a transaction. If one person dies, disappears or becomes incapacitated, those assets become frozen — a risk some might feel uncomfortable with when dealing with tens of thousands of dollars or more. One way to ameliorate that risk might be to opt for a two-of-three multisig, where only two instead of all three individuals need to sign off on a transaction. But that’s not a complete solution either. Two players could conspire against the other one and run off with the money. What now? If your funds are on the Ethereum blockchain, you could write a smart contract that would allow you to free the funds if one person in your trio disappeared. However, Bitcoin with its limited scripting language makes things more difficult. “This seems like an unsolvable problem if you think about the traditional tools,” said Ari Juels, a professor at Cornell Tech and co-director of the Cornell Initiative for Cryptocurrencies and Contracts (IC3). Paralysis ProofsIn a paper titled “Paralysis Proofs: How to Prevent Your Bitcoin from Vanishing,” researchers Fan Zhang, Phil Daian, Iddo Bentov and Ari Juels from the IC3 outline how to deal with what happens when a party is unable, or unwilling, to sign off on a multisig transaction in Bitcoin. The solution involves a combination of blockchain technology and trusted hardware — Intel SGX, in this case. Trusted hardware allows you to run code inside a protected enclave. Even a computer’s own operating system is unable to access data inside an enclave, so if your computer were to be hacked, the code in the enclave would remain secure.IC3’s solution proposes replacing a trusted third party, such as a lawyer or a bank, who would put money in an escrow, with a trusted hardware solution that retains control of a master key to the funds. If one of the three people in the contract dies, the other two initiate a “paralysis proof.” That proof is based on a challenge sent to the missing third person. If the missing person responds to the challenge, the money stays put. If the missing person does not respond, the trusted hardware releases the funds to the remaining two players. Trusted hardware is only part of the solution, however. If the third person were to try and respond to the challenge request with an indication she is still alive, conceivably, the other players could intercept that message. To ensure that does not happen, the second half of IC3’s solution involves sending the message via the blockchain, which provides a tamper-proof and censorship-resistant medium. “By combining these two [methods], we can achieve the exact properties we’re after,” Juels explained to Bitcoin Magazine. “We can enable trusted hardware to determine whether or not somebody is alive, and there is no way to prevent a relevant message from getting transmitted if it is coming through the blockchain.” How It WorksPut simply, this is how to achieve a paralysis proof as outlined by the IC3 researchers:Two players suspect a third is dead, so they post a challenge on the blockchain. The challenge consists of a tiny “dust” UTXO that the third person must spend within a certain period of time, say 24 hours, to prove she is alive.The two players also get a “seize” transaction they may post to the blockchain later to collect the funds, if the third person does not respond to the challenge.If the third person sends back a response by spending the UTXO,
In a business environment, a common way to manage funds owned by multiple people is via what’s called a multisignature (multisig) address, a type of smart contract requiring two or more parties to sign off on a transaction to move the funds. This can be problematic, however. Let’s say you have a three-of-three multisig that requires you and two business partners to sign off on a transaction. If one person dies, disappears or becomes incapacitated, those assets become frozen — a risk some might feel uncomfortable with when dealing with tens of thousands of dollars or more. One way to ameliorate that risk might be to opt for a two-of-three multisig, where only two instead of all three individuals need to sign off on a transaction. But that’s not a complete solution either. Two players could conspire against the other one and run off with the money. What now? If your funds are on the Ethereum blockchain, you could write a smart contract that would allow you to free the funds if one person in your trio disappeared. However, Bitcoin with its limited scripting language makes things more difficult. “This seems like an unsolvable problem if you think about the traditional tools,” said Ari Juels, a professor at Cornell Tech and co-director of the Cornell Initiative for Cryptocurrencies and Contracts (IC3). Paralysis ProofsIn a paper titled “Paralysis Proofs: How to Prevent Your Bitcoin from Vanishing,” researchers Fan Zhang, Phil Daian, Iddo Bentov and Ari Juels from the IC3 outline how to deal with what happens when a party is unable, or unwilling, to sign off on a multisig transaction in Bitcoin. The solution involves a combination of blockchain technology and trusted hardware — Intel SGX, in this case. Trusted hardware allows you to run code inside a protected enclave. Even a computer’s own operating system is unable to access data inside an enclave, so if your computer were to be hacked, the code in the enclave would remain secure.IC3’s solution proposes replacing a trusted third party, such as a lawyer or a bank, who would put money in an escrow, with a trusted hardware solution that retains control of a master key to the funds. If one of the three people in the contract dies, the other two initiate a “paralysis proof.” That proof is based on a challenge sent to the missing third person. If the missing person responds to the challenge, the money stays put. If the missing person does not respond, the trusted hardware releases the funds to the remaining two players. Trusted hardware is only part of the solution, however. If the third person were to try and respond to the challenge request with an indication she is still alive, conceivably, the other players could intercept that message. To ensure that does not happen, the second half of IC3’s solution involves sending the message via the blockchain, which provides a tamper-proof and censorship-resistant medium. “By combining these two [methods], we can achieve the exact properties we’re after,” Juels explained to Bitcoin Magazine. “We can enable trusted hardware to determine whether or not somebody is alive, and there is no way to prevent a relevant message from getting transmitted if it is coming through the blockchain.” How It WorksPut simply, this is how to achieve a paralysis proof as outlined by the IC3 researchers:Two players suspect a third is dead, so they post a challenge on the blockchain. The challenge consists of a tiny “dust” UTXO that the third person must spend within a certain period of time, say 24 hours, to prove she is alive.The two players also get a “seize” transaction they may post to the blockchain later to collect the funds, if the third person does not respond to the challenge.If the third person sends back a response by spending the UTXO,