Got some bitcoin? An internal dispute over the digital currency could soon mean financial losses, whipsawing prices and delays in processing payments. <\/p>\n
It's also possible that nothing much changes. It all depends on whether the people who maintain bitcoin can agree by July 31 to implement a major software upgrade one designed to improve capacity on the increasingly clogged network. <\/p>\n
Not everyone is on board. In particular, some bitcoin \"miners,\" who are rewarded for verifying transactions, aren't supporting the changes. Any split between miners and others who use bitcoin, including a number of startups and a few big companies, could cause a panic in the $39 billion bitcoin marketplace. <\/p>\n
So far, bitcoin's value in U.S. dollars has soared amid the uncertainty. It's currently at about $2,300, more than triple what it was a year ago. But bitcoin is notoriously volatile; because the price spiked so rapidly, it also fell quickly, and bitcoin has lost about a quarter of its value since its peak in June at above $3,000. <\/p>\n
Here's a look at the current dispute. <\/p>\n
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Read more:<\/p>\n
Dispute could mean financial panic in bitcoin - CNBC<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Got some bitcoin? An internal dispute over the digital currency could soon mean financial losses, whipsawing prices and delays in processing payments. Continue reading