Transit advertising for FinTech solutions has been a Chicago trend for awhile now. German Direct Bank N26 has joined in, making the rounds on Chicago transit to promote its high-speed banking service. The recently-launched Gemini Crypto Exchange is taking the train. … [Read more...] about FinTech Advertising On the Go in Chicago
Cryptofinance
New Bitcoin Offerings and Volatility Reflect Challenges and Promise For Cryptocurrency
The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) launched its physically-settled bitcoin futures trading platform, Bakkt, on September 23. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) has been doing futures trading in bitcoin for even longer -- since 2017 -- and is now making plans to expand that platform by early next year with a bitcoin options contract. It's a market with promise, but one … [Read more...] about New Bitcoin Offerings and Volatility Reflect Challenges and Promise For Cryptocurrency
Facebook’s Libra Cryptocurrency Equation
News of Facebook's Libra cryptocurrency was big enough that the Financial Times gave it special play, concluding that the "B2C fintechs are dead" in an article that examines how deeply "Facebook’s first big foray into the financial world" and new digital currency will affect traditional financial services. "Banks were notably absent from the initial backers," the Financial … [Read more...] about Facebook’s Libra Cryptocurrency Equation
Cryptoasset Investment Viewpoints
Two investment conferences opened in Chicago yesterday: Terrapinn’s Trading Show at Chicago's Navy Pier and Morningstar’s Investment Conference at the McCormick Place convention center. Two sides of the investment business—institutional trading and retail asset management—providing two points of view on the current state of cryptoasset investment. Judging by the exhibitors, … [Read more...] about Cryptoasset Investment Viewpoints
New SEC Framework Charts a Narrow Way Forward for Token Developers
Are Initial Coin offerings (ICOs) legal? It's hard to know, with a number of vague hints - and enforcement actions - suggesting that the SEC largely views the answer to be no. And while the market is still well ahead of formal regulatory policy, some hints have finally been offered in a recently-issued "Framework for 'Investment Contract' Analysis of Digital Assets." What … [Read more...] about New SEC Framework Charts a Narrow Way Forward for Token Developers
A Reality Test for Enterprise Blockchain Technology at Financial Institutions
Following is the text from a talk I gave April 2 at the International Blockchain Congress held in Chicago. When it comes to blockchain projects for enterprise financial institutions, I'm sure I’m not alone in wondering, What's real? To be clear, I am not a naysayer. I understand the business possibilities for blockchain technology well enough to believe that it has … [Read more...] about A Reality Test for Enterprise Blockchain Technology at Financial Institutions