The Federal Reserve flirts with blockchain. Global central bankers learned about blockchain technology at the Federal Reserve's annual meeting last week. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen reportedly called for central banks to study blockchain and noted that the Fed does not have the authority to regulate cryptocurrency. Coverage of the meeting, closed to the media, is classic … [Read more...] about BLOCKCHAIN WATCH 06/12/16
Cryptofinance
BLOCKCHAIN WATCH 06/05/16
Microsoft steps up its blockchain business, as it seeks to build an open blockchain-based identity system with Blockstack and ConsenSys. One of the trends I'm watching accelerates as the term "smart contracts" gets a workover by lawyer and blockchain consultant Josh Stark. And a set of tools "to issue, display, and verify digital credentials using the bitcoin blockchain and the … [Read more...] about BLOCKCHAIN WATCH 06/05/16
BLOCKCHAIN WATCH 05/29/16
There’s been a lot of chatter surrounding the potential blockchain applications, but many banks are still testing. IntelligentHQ outlines the different applications for blockchain in and outside of finance ranging from smart contracts in the legal sector to payments infrastructure. For a breakdown of blockchain companies, visit the Blockchain Angels’ excellent and comprehensive … [Read more...] about BLOCKCHAIN WATCH 05/29/16
BLOCKCHAIN WATCH 05/22/16
"Time to tap the brakes on the blockchain," writes bank payment news service PaymentSource, in its daily email of Wed. May 18. Widespread blockchain adoption will take time, according to an MIT panel. Big banks may be getting excited about blockchain and testing its possibilities but ubiquitous adoption of the technology won’t occur in the near future. “The other piece is that … [Read more...] about BLOCKCHAIN WATCH 05/22/16
THE BLOCKCHAIN WATCH 05/15/16
As funding for blockchain technology continues to grow, blockchain companies have turned their attention to banks as customers for their financial services offerings, ranging from moving cash and securities to lending. Even major financial players like JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs have begun testing the software. The growing interest explains why investment in the sector … [Read more...] about THE BLOCKCHAIN WATCH 05/15/16
THE BLOCKCHAIN WATCH 05/01/16
Your business needs a blockchain czar, William Mougayar writes in a piece for CoinDesk. Blockchain won’t have a chance to truly make impact until it’s recognized by the board room key players. How can we speed up the experimentation of blockchain? Build a blockchain lab for trials, establish internal task forces, and appoint a “blockchain Czar” or corporate figure to rally … [Read more...] about THE BLOCKCHAIN WATCH 05/01/16