The record-setting price of bitcoin this week, driven by the launch of the first U.S. bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) – the most successful ETF launch in history – may support one of the year's other major FinTech stories: the rise of NFTs. The bitcoin EFT makes it possible for investors to buy exposure to the future price of bitcoin without purchasing either the futures … [Read more...] about NFTs (Part 1): How Misuse of a Technical Term Obscures an Economic and Legal Function
innovation
Stablecoin: A Faster Future?
Could stablecoin be an idea whose time has arrived? The industry remains niche in terms of overall value, but as more competitors test the ground to enter the field - including large central banks in some countries like Sweden - the conversation has rapidly developed into what could be suggested to be an inevitability. Stablecoins - in this case, cryptocurrency tied directly … [Read more...] about Stablecoin: A Faster Future?
The Convergence of CeFi and DeFi: The Banks’ Big Opportunity
The following is a guest post from Richard Gendal Brown, Chief Technology Officer at R3, an enterprise blockchain firm. In keeping with our focus on the adoption of digital assets by mainstream regulated markets, Brown argues: "While the utopian ideal of full decentralisation is unrealistic for financial markets, integration with and adoption of the good parts can be utilised, … [Read more...] about The Convergence of CeFi and DeFi: The Banks’ Big Opportunity
Institutional DeFi 101
During a week that featured a dramatic battle over crypto taxation in the U.S. Senate, a major recovery in the price of bitcoin and ether, and the most bizarre crypto hack and recovery ever, the steady interest in decentralized finance by institutional investors continued. The evidence: a steady stream of comprehensive DeFi research for institutional investors. The … [Read more...] about Institutional DeFi 101
In FinTech We Trust
As the digital revolution becomes more and more ubiquitous, the question of what’s going to make FinTechs stand out from the pack becomes increasingly more pressing. The answer, that said, is as old as business – reputation and trust are the drivers that will make or break any financial company no matter how cutting-edge their technology products. How best to build that … [Read more...] about In FinTech We Trust
FinTech Innovation: It’s About People
FinTech innovation has driven a revolution in financial services that has, over the past year, truly come to the foreground as digital banking increasingly becomes the trusted norm for many customers. From groundbreaking new services in mobile payments, digital currencies, blockchain, peer-to-peer lending, and much,, innovation has long been an important focal point in the … [Read more...] about FinTech Innovation: It’s About People