More money lost to scams in “traditional finance” than crypto
One of the most persistent beliefs regarding crypto is the prevalence of fraud. However, fraud is just as, if not more prevalent in the traditional financial markets. Is crypto getting a bad rap?
How stock exchanges are experimenting with blockchain technology
Blockchain has been called the future of financial services infrastructure. While banks were among the first to hop aboard the blockchain bandwagon, stock exchanges have been quick to keep pace. Here’s how some of the most prominent stock exchanges in the world are working to leverage the distributed ledger technology in order to fundamentally overhaul traditional mechanisms.
Ready for take-off: Blockchain adoption in financial services
No technology has captured the public’s imagination over the past couple of years more than blockchain. The technology entered full hype-cycle in but has begun to climb the ‘slope of engagement’ with real progress in 2017. What is the current state of blockchain adoption and what does this promise for the future?
20/20 View of 2020: 10 Trends for the Digital Future
There are two ways to look at the future: The first assumes a linear progression from past achievements and is relevant to forecasting short periods of time, where the future is a derivative of the past. The other method assumes that in the period of a decade, the law of accelerated returns applies exponentially and compounds acceleration assuming a high level of change in the period forecasted.
Irish Funds, Deloitte and State Street launch blockchain project
The Irish Funds Industry Association (Irish Funds) recently announced a new regulatory reporting blockchain project, in collaboration with Deloitte, and industry participants including Northern Trust and State Street.
Big numbers don’t mean big money
Last week we discussed [problems with using really big numbers in cryptocurrencies](news/problems-with-big-numbers-in-crypto-how-bitcoin-dodged-a-bullet/). This week I'd like to talk about misconceptions surrounding cryptocurrencies with big coin supplies, as well as the wider topic of inflation. Both this and the previous article were inspired by the [OneLife Mastermind event](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI6l4N4MQaE), during which the people on stage were gushing about [how many coins their system will have and can mine, ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI6l4N4MQaE&t=11089)"The new blockchain will mine 50'000 coins per minute. [...] I think we are mining about 2'000'000'000 coins now."
Financial institutions investigate Blockchain in leading investment fund country
Scorechain Luxembourg-based bitcoin and blockchain solutions startup that entered the market with the release of the mobile bitcoin wallet, Yallet, last year. The company has since pivoted towards blockchain analytics, raising US$570,000 along the way.
Bill Gross says bitcoin might lead to an alternative to the current financial system
Bill Gross recently shared his thoughts about bitcoin and blockchain. As Portfolio Manager of the Janus Global Unconstrained Bond strategy, Gross is responsible for US$1.54 billion in assets.
The mass adoption of Blockchain technologies is becoming inevitable, says PwC
PricewaterhouseCoppers (PwC) recently recently hosted a discussion for the Asset and Wealth Management (AWM) sector to specifically look at the application and potential of distributed ledger technology on their business. “From our work across the financial services sector, it is clear to us that Blockchain applications have the potential to transform the industry,” said Steve Webb, Partner at PwC & UK lead for Blockchain. “Blockchain is not just hype – there is real interest in this topic.”
SWIFT report examines Bitcoin as a currency
The SWIFT Institute recently announced new research which “assesses whether the global financial community is accepting Bitcoin as a valid currency.” The research is based on a working paper first published in February 2015, “Virtual Currencies: Media of Exchange or Speculative Asset.”
International Corporate Finance
Rapidly-evolving legal landscapes, financing models, technological progress and shifting mindsets are paving the way to a new world of M&A and Private Equity investment.
How will the virtual currency change the economic and financial system
In this paper, we will review the characteristics of the virtual currency, background of development, issues and policy responses, and discuss how the virtual currency affects existing economic and financial systems.
The future of financial infrastructure: An ambitious look at how blockchain can reshape financial services
The World Economic Forum (WEF) published a comprehensive, 130-page report which aims to complement existing distributed ledger technology research by providing a clear view into how financial service functions can be reimagined.
The challenges of mobile financial inclusion
One of the gating factors to financial inclusion is the mobile network itself. It sounds simple to say that all of Africa can have access to mobile money, and they can, but if each telco has different wallet structures, charges and fees, then the ease of usage falls sharply. This is why interoperability is a key factor and Tanzania leads the way in this regard.
How peer-to-peer changes the financial world
Another factor of reimagining finance for the internet age is the very nature of person-to-person connectivity and peer-to-peer networking. These two factors are very different and also different in the nature of how people are connecting. In the developed world, we have the viral connectivity of the smartphone; in the developing world, we have the basic connectivity of the mobile phone. Soon, both will transition into smart and mobile objects from cars and televisions to heating systems and refrigerators. In fact, with Nest and Samsung Home, it’s already pretty much there.
Manulife to explore wealth management blockchain application, partners focus on Ethereum
Manulife Financial is a Canadian-based financial services company, offering a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services. As of 31st December 2015, the company had US$676b in assets under management and administration. More than 16,000 Canadian businesses entrust their employee benefit programs to Manulife’s Group Benefits, while Manulife Private Wealth offers a seamless and integrated approach to wealth management for affluent clients.