In particular, the activities of miners — cryptocurrency users who leverage vast amounts of computing power to record transactions, receiving newly created cryptocurrency units and transaction fees paid by other users in return — are critical to currencies’ stability and smooth function.
GURA: Davidson also fears too much regulation could harm investors and entrepreneurs, but he thinks inaction is also a risk. Davidson says when he goes back to his district in Ohio, his constituents ask him when Congress is going to get around to setting ground rules.

With cryptocurrencies often moving in tandem with Bitcoin, Ethereum was trading up nearly 11% on the last seven days after hitting a new record high of almost $5,000 on Tuesday morning.
During the lag time between the transaction’s initiation and finalization, the units aren’t available for use by either party. Instead, they’re held in a sort of escrow — limbo, for all intents and purposes.