Bitcoin plunges on fears South Korea will shut exchanges

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Markets Insider

• Bitcoin has fallen below $14,000 in overnight trading on statement from South Korean government that trading is "overheated."
• The cryptocurrency is down more than 10% on the day.

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Bitcoin plunged below $14,000 after the South Korean government warned it may close some cryptocurrency exchanges amid "irrationally overheated" trading.

Bloomberg News reported that South Korea would require cryptocurrency transactions to name participants and bar banks from offering virtual accounts. The government may also direct law-enforcement officials to close some exchanges.

"Cryptocurrency speculation has been irrationally overheated in Korea," the South Korean government said in a statement reported by Bloomberg. "The government can't leave the abnormal situation of speculation any longer."

Here's the chart as of 11:45 a.m. UK time on Thursday (6:45 a.m. ET), with the cryptocurrency falling more than 10% to touch $13,850:

Markets Insider

South Korea is an important market for cryptocurrency trading. Mati Greenspan, an analyst with the trading platform eToro, said in an email this month: "Recent estimates state that 21% of all global BTC volume are done in Korean Won."

Earlier in December, South Korean officials reportedly barred local finance firms from handling bitcoin futures, one of the hottest new financial products to launch in years.

South Korea has taken a tough stance on digital currencies, banning initial coin offerings earlier this year. ICOs involve startups issuing their own digital currencies to raise funds.

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10 must-have travel tech accessories

• Brandt Ranj, Insider Picks

• Dec. 23, 2017, 10:56 AM
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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

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Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Life is a journey, not a destination." Yeah, well he never had to take a 10-hour flight in coach.

Vacations are fun (hopefully), but getting to the destination and losing out on some of the creature comforts of home is kind of a drag. Then you have to try to keep yourself entertained, hope your bag doesn't get lost, and make sure you don't fry your favorite gadget when traveling overseas.

The accessories on this list will help you out on all those fronts. They'll also help you drown out travel noise, keep your devices nice and charged, and help your phone survive a dunk in the water.

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A high-capacity external battery

Amazon

External battery chargers have become popular, but because they get bigger in size along with how much power they provide, many folks only have a small one. Do yourself a favor and invest in a slightly larger, but way-higher-capacity battery like this one from Anker. It weighs less than a pound, but has the ability to charge an iPhone 6 seven times. There's nothing worse than thinking you have enough power to get you through a trip, but getting stuck with a nasty layover or missed connection. Plus, this one has two USB ports, so you can help out a friend if you're traveling together.

Anker PowerCore 20100 Portable Charger, $41.99, available at Amazon

A power converter

Amazon

Don't fry your electronics when you go overseas. This is coming from a well-seasoned traveler who still managed to slip up last summer. It's a little heavy-duty looking, but if you're going abroad for a significant amount of time, it's well worth investing in a power converter like this one from BESTEK.

In addition to its three outlets, this power converter has 4 USB ports, so you don't have to take up any outlets when you need to charge your phone or tablet. If you're picking one of these up you'll be all set for travel to Europe, the US, UK, or Australia. 

BESTEK International Travel Voltage Converter, $39.99, available at Amazon

A waterproof Bluetooth speaker

JBL

If you're going on a beach vacation, it's a good idea to bring a waterproof Bluetooth speaker along. You can listen to your favorite tunes without worrying about it getting destroyed if a big wave comes or it gets left in the rain. 

Out of all the durable options I've tested, JBL's Flip 4 has survived my most aggressive water test yet: 10 minutes of full submersion. It's also small enough to fit in a carry-on bag in transit, and a beach bag when it's time to hang out by the water.

JBL Flip 4, $79.99, available at Amazon

A streaming stick

Amazon

If a hotel room is going to be your home-away-from-home for a week or two and you want to kick back and watch YouTube videos after a day of seeing the sights, Roku is your friend. Their latest streaming stick got our recommendation recently for good reason. Performance is pretty consistent, and any lag was app dependent, not system wide. Video output is limited to 1080P, but unless you're staying an a very tech-forward hotel, you're probably not going to have a 4K TV in your room. Best of all, the Roku doesn't take up too much space, and can be powered by a TV's USB port.

Roku Streaming Stick (3600R), $39.90, available at Amazon

A selfie stick

Amazon

For better or worse, selfie sticks have become a constant companion for many travelers. I'm recommending this one by Fugetek because people seem to like that it pairs with your phone via Bluetooth. Once paired, you can snap a shot or zoom in or out through the buttons on the stick's base. This model extends out up to 49" and is compatible with both iOS and Android smartphones, GoPros, and digital cameras. Reviewers on Amazon are generally happy with this device's overall design and build quality, although one lamented the fact that it wasn't strong enough to hold their DSLR despite Fugetek's claims.

Fugetek Professional High End Selfie Stick, $17.99, available at Amazon

A battery case

Amazon

If you're traveling and don't feel like carrying around an external battery, it might be a good idea to pick up a battery case for your phone. Like I've said before, nothing is worse when traveling than having your phone die on you.

Anker's slim profile batter case adds an additional 120% of battery life to your iPhone 6, while adding less than a quarter inch of depth. The case is charged by MicroUSB, and charges your phone simultaneously if they're attached. Most reviewers on Amazon praised the case's profile and charging performance. There were a handful whose cases didn't charge properly, but all Anker products carry an 18 month warranty, so swapping it out shouldn't be a hassle.

Anker PowerCore Battery Case for iPhone 7, $33.99, available at Amazon

A waterproof phone case

Amazon

If you're going to be around a lot of pools and beaches on your next trip, it's important to make sure you've got a case on your phone that can stand getting wet. We're going to continue to recommend the Lifeproof Fre as the best waterproof phone case option. It has a small profile and works as advertised: If your phone takes a dunk while in this case, you won't have to run for the rice. If you like the idea of having more waterproof tech, don't worry, we've got you covered.

Lifeproof FRE Waterproof Case for iPhone 6/6s, $42.98, available at Amazon

Lifeproof FRE Series Waterproof Case, $31.40, available at Amazon [iPhone 6/s Plus]

Noise-cancelling headphones

Amazon

Engine noise, children screaming, and chatty row mates are all part of the modern traveling experience. Tuning them out can be the difference between arriving at your destination well rested or very aggravated, which is where noise-cancelling headphones come into play. 

I've tested Sony's H.ear pair before, and it performs well — especially at its current price. The noise cancelling is powerful, and if you listen to music with that setting on, you probably won't hear anything else.

Sony H.ear Bluetooth Headphones, $229.99, available at Amazon

A luggage tracker

Amazon

If you've ever lost a bag while traveling, you know how tedious and nerve-racking it is trying to get it back. Plus there's the thought that it might never be found and your stuff will just end up in a between-airport limbo. Trakdot wants to eliminate that frustration with its palm-sized luggage tracker.

The tracker has a GSM chip inside of it so you can be kept up to date on its newest destination (hopefully you're at the same one.) When its within 30 feet of you, the Trakdot will send your iOS or Android phone an alert. Reviews of the product seem positive, but there's one catch: there's an annual, biannual, or lifetime subscription fee. That makes sense because the GSM chip in the Trakdot is performing the same task as it would in a cell phone, but it's still something to consider.

Trakdot Luggage Tracker, $39.99, available at Amazon

A Kindle

Amazon

If you're an avid reader and traveler, you owe it to yourself to pick up a Kindle. Nothing will ever replace a paperback or hardcover book, but the sheer convenience of being able to carry hundreds of books at a time is undeniable. If you're going to give the Kindle a shot, I recommend going for the Paperwhite. It's a step up from the standard Kindle, but it has a higher-resolution screen that has backlights built in. This makes it easier on your eyes, and eliminates the need to use those all-too-bright overhead lights on the plane.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite E-reader, $99.99, available at Amazon

This article was originally published on 6/9/2016. 

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Business Insider's Insider Picks team. We aim to highlight products and services you might find interesting, and if you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners, including Amazon. Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, is an investor in Business Insider through his personal investment company Bezos Expeditions. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Have something you think we should know about? Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.

Read the original article on Insider Picks. Copyright 2017. Follow Insider Picks on Twitter.

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DON'T MISS: 50 must-have tech accessories under $50

China halts oil product exports to North Korea in November as sanctions bite

• Ryan Woo and Muyu Xu, Reuters

• Dec. 26, 2017, 6:00 AM
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Site of an oil field is seen at sunset in Karamay, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China. Reuters/China Stringer Network

• China exported no oil products to North Korea in November, Chinese customs data showed.
• China has gone above and beyond the sanctions imposed by the United Nations earlier this year.
• Chinese corn exports to North Korea slumped 82% versus a year ago.

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(Reuters) - China exported no oil products to North Korea in November, Chinese customs data showed, apparently going above and beyond sanctions imposed earlier this year by the United Nations in a bid to limit petroleum shipments to the isolated country.

Tension has flared this year over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, pursued in defiance of years of U.N. resolutions. Last week, the U.N. Security Council imposed new caps on trade with North Korea, including limiting oil product shipments to just 500,000 barrels a year.

Beijing also imported no iron ore, coal or lead from North Korea in November, the second full month of the latest trade sanctions imposed by U.N.

China, the main source of North Korea's fuel, did not export any gasoline, jet fuel, diesel or fuel oil to its isolated neighbor last month, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Tuesday.

Beijing's move to turn off the taps completely is rare. In March 2003, China suspended oil supplies to North Korea for three days after Pyongyang fired a missile into waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Chinese exports of corn to North Korean in November also slumped, down 82 percent from a year earlier to 100 tonnes, the lowest since January. Exports of rice plunged 64 percent to 672 tonnes, the lowest since March.

Trade between North Korea and China has slowed through the year, particularly after China banned coal purchases in February. In November, China's trade with North Korea totaled $388 million, one of the lowest monthly volumes this year.

China has renewed its call on all countries to make constructive efforts to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula, urging the use of peaceful means to resolve issues.

But tension flared again after North Korea on Nov. 29 said it had successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile test that put the U.S. mainland within range of its nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile Chinese exports of liquefied petroleum gas to North Korea, often used for cooking, rose 58 percent in November from a year earlier to 99 tonnes. Exports of ethanol, which can be turned into a biofuel, gained 82 percent to 3,428 cubic meters.

(Reporting by Muyu Xu and Ryan Woo; Additional reporting by Meng Meng and Hallie Gu; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)

Get the latest Oil WTI price here.

Israel regulator seeks to ban bitcoin firms from stock exchange

• Reuters

• Dec. 25, 2017, 6:15 AM
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FILE PHOTO: Bitcoin tokens are seen placed on a monitor that displays binary digits in this illustration picture Thomson Reuters

By Steven Scheer

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's markets regulator said on Monday he will propose regulation to ban companies based on bitcoin and other digital currencies from trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE).

Shmuel Hauser, the chairman of the Israel Securities Authority (ISA), told the Calcalist business conference he will bring the proposal to the ISA board next week. If approved, it would be subject to a public hearing and then the TASE bylaws would need to be amended.

"If we have a company that their main business is digital currencies we would not allow it. If already listed, its trading will be suspended," Hauser said, adding the ISA must find the appropriate regulation for such companies.

Bitcoin plunged by 30 percent to below $12,000 on Friday as investors dumped the cryptocurrency after its sharp rise to nearly $20,000. It recouped some losses to trade above $14,000 on the Bitstamp platform, down 9 percent on the day.

"We feel that the prices of bitcoin behave like bubbles and we don't want investors to be subject to that volatility and uncertainty," Hauser said. "There is an importance to signal to the market where things are... Investors should know where we stand."

Earlier this month, Hauser had said bitcoin-based companies would not be included in TASE indexes and that there was a need for a suitable regulatory framework for such instruments given that the global market value of all digital currencies grew in 2017 to $300 billion from $18 billion.

The proposal will likely be the last for Hauser, who will step down next month after 6-1/2 years as ISA chief.

"But once it's on its way it will continue to be pursued," said Hauser, who will be replaced by Anat Guetta.

He said he hopes she will promote easing capital gains taxes and focus on regulatory enforcement.

(Editing by Peter Graff)

More: Reuters