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John Law

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John Law is an 18th century Scottish entrepreneur, financial engineer and gambler. Having reformed the French economy, invented paper currency, state banks, the Mississippi Bubble and other ideas essential to modern economics, he took three hundred years off in a small cottage outside Bude. He has returned to write for CoinDesk on the foibles of digital currency.

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Belgian statue 2013-09-13
Markets
Kraken
The worst swear word, a risky business, and playing by the numbers
Why is Belgium so nonchalant on bitcoin? Is Kraken right to focus on features over compliance? John Law investigates.
Belgian statue 2013-09-13
By John Law
Sep 13, 2013 at 2:37 p.m. UTC
Sep 13, 2013
KrakenBelgiumWeekly ReviewNewsFeatures
Computer security
Markets
Raspberry pi
Bad secrets, why Pi is the answer, and building a regulation-proof exchange
John Law investigates the latest bitcoin vulnerabilities, his inability to play pool, and StrongCoin's solution to exchange regulation.
Computer security
By John Law
Sep 6, 2013 at 4:05 p.m. UTC
Sep 6, 2013
Raspberry PiStrongCoinWeekly ReviewNewsFeatures
Capitol Hill
Markets
Asics
Bitcoin: a hopeful start, a stunning spurt, and what the Romans did
Twerking, increasing mining activity, and the Bitcoin Foundation at Capitol Hill have all got John Law excited this week.
Capitol Hill
By John Law
Aug 30, 2013 at 8:03 a.m. UTC
Aug 30, 2013
ASICsBitcoin FoundationWeekly ReviewNews
osborne-computer
Markets
Butterfly labs
Golden answers to your bitcoin questions
John Law explores Germany's classification of bitcoin and the solution for those tired of answering their friends' bitcoin-related questions.
osborne-computer
By John Law
Aug 23, 2013 at 2:25 p.m. UTC
Aug 23, 2013
Butterfly LabsGermanyBitcoin Information CentreWeekly ReviewFeatures
Surveillance
Markets
Bitmessage
The staring match between The Man and bitcoin: nobody’s blinked yet
John Law delves into Bitcoin secrecy and subpoenas, Bloomberg's bitcoin ticker, and Casascius coin hacking at Defcon.
Surveillance
By John Law
Aug 16, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. UTC
Aug 16, 2013
BitmessageDefconLavabitSilent CircleWeekly ReviewFeatures
beach
Markets
Raspberry pi
The bitcoin guide to what to do, eat, read and think on your holiday
John Law interrupts your summer shenanigans with a 'bitcoin holiday guide'; covering Soylent, Raspberry Pi's and career prospects.
beach
By John Law
Aug 9, 2013 at 1:57 p.m. UTC
Aug 9, 2013
Raspberry PiSoylentWeekly ReviewFeatures
Thai Baht
Markets
Silk road
Bitcoin’s lessons on the bahts and the bees
Headlines this week wanted to show Thailand being idiotic, or that cryptocurrencies were in serious trouble; ideally, both.
Thai Baht
By John Law
Aug 2, 2013 at 3:34 p.m. UTC
Aug 2, 2013
Silk RoadBees BrothersThailandWeekly ReviewNewsFeatures
ramen noodles
Markets
Foodler
Uniting the globe, reigniting old scams, and the power of hungry geeks
An Israeli, an Afghani and an Iranian walk into a bar, and John Law gets hungry for bitcoin-powered noodles.
ramen noodles
By John Law
Jul 26, 2013 at 3:19 p.m. UTC
Jul 26, 2013
FoodlerScamsWeekly ReviewNews
satoshi-dice-sold
Markets
Jeff garzik
Bitcoin buy-outs? Time to place your bets
The house definitely wins in bitcoin's first major acquisition, SatoshiDice, and is art the sophisticated man's bitcoin?
satoshi-dice-sold
By John Law
Jul 19, 2013 at 8:36 a.m. UTC
Jul 19, 2013
Jeff GarzikSatoshiDiceWeekly ReviewNews
Viking
Markets
Hmrc
Taxing, hacking and the one key innovation to ensure BTC victory
Vikings and core bitcoin code nurturing - John Law looks at the week's events in the cryptocurrency world.
Viking
By John Law
Jul 12, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. UTC
Jul 12, 2013
HMRCJeff GarzikWeekly ReviewNews