OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

The official swap of Virtacoin (VTA) to Virtacoin Plus (XVP) has started. It is a somewhat complicated process because the blockchain was damaged by the original Virtacoin developer and it is not possible to do a straight forward automated exchange. Here is the procedure to follow:

Create a VTA wallet account at http://vtawallet.virtacoinworld.com.
Send your VTA from your existing wallet (or wallets) to the new virtacoinworld wallet.
A verification will be done by the technical team and when that is completed you will be sent a swap key (Do Not Lose This Key and Do Not Give It to Anyone Else).
You will use the swap key to load the new XVP into a new XVP wallet. The desktop XVP wallet is available to download here: https://ln.sync.com/dl/3510fb6....d0#63ppt584-bewzesc5 (There is also a new XVP online wallet being developed, but we do not have a link for that yet.)
Do not create more than one new account on vtawallet.virtacoinworld. If you do, move all VTA to one account and notify the verification team at xvpswapverify@gmail.com

Here is some additional information:

As of this update the swapping period will expire March 21, 2017.
The swap rate will be 1000 VTA for 1 XVP. (1000 to 1).
There may not be enough pre-mined XVP to cover all of the very large wallets and there will be a maximum limit of 100 million VTA per user. Anything over that will not be exchanged at 1000:1. It is not clear what the rate on the excess will be or how it will be determined.
eu online wallet holders will receive an email regarding the swap and a new XVP virtacoinwallet.eu is being implemented soon.
The reddit forum will also have information, although somewhat disorganized. Questions can also be presented there and hopefully any questions will be answered. https://www.reddit.com/r/VirtaCoinFoundation/

New information, links and resources regarding Virtacoin Plus will be posted on our new website at http://virtacoin-plus.com as it becomes available. There will also be information available on http://www.virtacoinplus.uk. The domain name virtacoinplus.com has been obtained by someone, but at this time we do not have any information on it’s development.

This will be the last bulletin from this program, although you will receive an invitation to register for our newsletter as soon as virtacoin-plus.com is up and running. Thanks for your support of Virtacoin and we look forward to the success of the new, modern Viirtacoin Plus.

# What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is a new currency that was created in 2009 by an unknown person using the alias Satoshi Nakamoto.

#Transactions

Transactions are made with no middle men – meaning, no banks! There are no transaction fees and no need to give your real name.

More merchants are beginning to accept them: You can buy anything you want to buy on any website or shop as long as they accept bitcoin as payment option.

#Why Bitcoins?

Bitcoins can be used to buy merchandise anonymously. In addition, international payments are easy and cheap because bitcoins are not tied to any country or subject to regulation.

Small businesses may like them because there are no credit card fees. Some people just buy bitcoins as an investment, hoping that they’ll go up in value.

#Acquiring Bitcoins

You can Buy on an Exchange Several market places called “bitcoin exchanges” allow people to buy or sell bitcoins using different currencies. Mt. Gox is the largest bitcoin exchange.

#Transfers

People can send bitcoins to each other using mobileapps or their computers. It’s similar to sending cash digitally.

#Owning Bitcoins

Bitcoins are stored in a “digital wallet,” which exists either in the cloud or on a user’s computer. The wallet is a kind of virtual bank account that allows users to send or receive bitcoins, pay for goods or save their money.
Unlike bank accounts, bitcoin are stored in an online wallet or your personal computer.

#Anonymity

Though each bitcoin transaction is recorded in a public log, names of buyers and sellers are never revealed – only their wallet IDs. While that keeps bitcoin users’ transactions private, it also lets them buy or sell anything without easily tracing it back to them. That’s why it has become the currency of choice for people online buying drugs or other illicit activities.

#future in question

No one knows what will become of bitcoin. It is mostly unregulated, but that could change. Governments are concerned about taxation and their lack of control over the currency.