The Californian Stanford University School of Engineering will offer a new course on Bitcoin, Glidera has launched a service that allows wallets to use an API to buy and sell bitcoin directly, and more top stories for August 24.

Stanford University Announces Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Course

The Californian Stanford University School of Engineering will offer a new course on Bitcoin, cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. The course is called “Crypto Currencies: Bitcoin and Friends”, and will run from September to December. Professor of computer science at the university Dan Boneh expects that the technology behind Bitcoin and other crypto's can be an indispensable tool for protecting information.

Glidera Launches Non-Custodial Bitcoin Buying Service for Wallets

Chicago-based digital currency company Glidera has launched the first service that allows wallets to use an API to buy and sell bitcoin directly from their applications. By simply clicking a button, users will be able to buy and sell bitcoin from their wallets, without going through an exchange or third-party provider - if those sites integrate Glidera’s new service.

Glidera CEO David Ripley said:

“Much of our motivation in developing this new service was to further promote a decentralized bitcoin ecosystem – giving users increased control over their bitcoin and more independence from third-party institutions.”

Stripe Integrates Alipay; 500 Million New Potential Customers

Bitcoin friendly fintech startup Stripe has announced its support for Alipay, China’s largest payment processor. This means that Stripe merchants could sell to 500 million new customers, and will automatically detect Chinese buyers and enable them to pay on web and mobile using instant SMS authentication.

Stripe founder Patrick Collison said:

“We’ve been very clear with our signaling, talking about how important it is to us that we can enable buyers and sellers anywhere in the world. We’ve talked about how crazy it is that if you go and launch a site or build a mobile app that you can’t sell frictionlessly to anyone anywhere in the world.”

Stripe Integrates Alipay; 500 Million New Potential Customers

Denver to Hold Crypto Cannabis Conference

Colorado, a US state known for its liberal regulation of cannabis, will host the Crypto Cannabis Conference on October 24-25. According to the organizers, the people involved in the legal cannabis business have a lot of advantages if they use bitcoin. They, therefore, expect the attendance from the best minds in the cannabis industry who will discuss the pros and cons of Bitcoin for the cannabis industry.

E-Coin Founders Talk Bitcoin Debit Cards and 50% Monthly User Growth

Since launching their first Bitcoin debit cards to the public in late January 2015, e-coin has been working to build out its platform and push Bitcoin adoption mainstream. In an effort to offer users a convenient way to spend bitcoin wherever Visa is accepted, the company is looking to strengthen its position as a major player in the cryptocurrency debit card market. Cointelegraph spoke with E-coin founders Pavel Matveev and Dmitry Lazarichev about competition in the bitcoin debit card market, the importance of multi-sig security, and crowd investment with BnkToTheFuture.

David Seaman: Stop Competing and Just Make Everything Interoperable

In an interview, Cointelegraph caught up with independent journalist and podcast host David Seaman. Seaman discussed a wide range of topics, including the Bitcoin block size debate, the BitLicense exodus, altcoins and gaming, and what bitcoin needs to break out of its current price slump.

Seaman:

“When millennials … start accepting Bitcoin as payment for wages and freelance labor, as is already happening in some circles ... that's the day banks are really screwed.”

New York Times Lists Coinbase as 1 in 50 Startups Close to $1 Billion Evaluation

At least 131 start-ups are valued at US$1 billion nowadays. This has become so common that the term “unicorns” is now used to refer to these companies. Coinbase is not quite there yet, but according to the New York Times might be next to reach the “unicorn” level, as it lists the wallet provider and exchange as one of the startups approaching that mark.

About 40% of Coins Added to CoinMarketCap are Now Inactive

Cointelegraph spoke with Gliss from CoinMarketCap about what it takes to be included in everyone’s favorite Cryptocurrency Index, Ethercoin trading and what were the most controversial altcoins to date. According to Gliss, four out of ten coins added to the site have been delisted since, often because they are not traded on exchanges any longer.

Gliss:

“About 40% of the coins ever added to the site are now ‘inactive’ due to failing to meet the basic criteria.”

About 40% of Coins Added to CoinMarketCap are Now Inactive