As reported earlier today, market leading Bitcoin wallet firm Coinbase introduced full integration of cryptocurrency Ether to their users. Ether is the "fuel" or mineable built-in currency of Ethereum, a sophisticated decentralized apps and payments network that some are already describing as a possible Bitcoin successor or complement.
I posted a screenshot to Twitter of Coinbase's buy page, which is now "bi-metallic" so to speak in that it offers the "gold" and "silver" of crypto land: Bitcoin and Ether. I also used the tweet as an opportunity to congratulate Ether's creators, Vitalik Buterin and Taylor Gerring.
Congrats @VitalikButerin @TaylorGerring
Still hard to believe how fast it's moving along. pic.twitter.com/WY8sp7gFB6
— D.G. Seaman (@d_seaman) July 22, 2016
Not long after I posted that, Mr. Gerring tweeted back "It's been a thrilling week!"
We can imagine! The price of Ether rallied broadly today, with the currency's USD-denominated price up about 1.5% over the last 24 hours, bringing Ethereum's total market cap to US $1.04 billion. The currency celebrates its one year operational anniversary in nine days. Cryptocurrency market leader Bitcoin has a total market cap of US $10.51 billion and launched in early 2009, after a pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto released the project as open source software with an accompanying whitepaper explaining the concept.
On a personal note... It has been such a pleasure to have the opportunity to interview both of Ethereum's founders on my YouTube channel, back when both - and their invention - were far less well known. Humble, brilliant, and accessible, both men represent the very best of what the blockchain revolution can offer society in the years ahead.
New to Bitcoin or Ether? In this short video, we guide you through buying your first bitcoin or ether at Coinbase, and then choosing a long term storage solution or "wallet" for your freshly bought cryptographic rarity. Watch now:
Full disclosure: Not financial advice, provided for educational purposes only. Not intended as a recommendation to buy or sell any cryptocurrency or asset. At time of publication, I do hold some bitcoins and ethers in my long term portfolio.