LIGHTNING FISTS: Two bitcoin developers faced off in a digital boxing match at the Advancing Bitcoin event in London recently. More than just a video game, “Raiki” from bitcoin startup Zebedee, highlights the power of the lightning network by allowing the audience to influence play with the strength of their wallets. Full story
DIFFICULT TIMES: After posting solid gains in January, a key measure of competition among bitcoin miners, programmatic difficulty, has stagnated in the past two weeks as the coronavirus outbreak disrupts economic activity in China. Full story
CIRCLE SALE: Voyager has acquired the retail-focused Circle Invest app from Circle. Voyager told the app’s users it is in the process of converting accounts to its own platform, promising commission-free trading, on-chain access and lock-up free interest yield. Full story
WEED WATCHING: Vermont regulators will track hemp production on the ethereum mainnet in partnership with cannabis supply chain startup Trace. The five-year deal, announced Monday by Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM), is a production-ready solution for every level of the hemp trade, said the startup. Full story
SLEEPING EASY: The U.K.'s proposed ban on retail trading of crypto derivatives will have a "minimal" impact on eToro’s business, an executive with the large crypto derivatives platform said. Iqbal Gandham, eToro's U.K. managing director, said retail investors prefer to hold crypto assets, not crypto contract-for-difference products. Full story
STRETCHED RALLY? Bitcoin has found acceptance in five figures, but further gains toward the $11,000 mark may remain elusive as the cryptocurrency looks overbought on the three-day chart. A corrective pullback may be seen in the near term if the bulls fail to establish a foothold above resistance near $10,350. Full story
OF MINES AND MEN: In addition to a markets and news roundup, today's Markets Daily podcast features an interview with CoinDesk Senior Markets Reporter Brad Keoun on his in-depth reporting on a feud between childhood friends that may breakup North America's largest bitcoin mine. Listen in
Playing with lightning