Who Will Win the Race to Rule Crypto Payments?
For many people, cryptocurrencies remain an abstract idea removed from everyday life. Most people aren’t even aware of the technology. But one application that can push cryptocurrencies into the mainstream is payments. Making it easy and safe for consumers and businesses to pay bills, buy and sell stuff, and deposit and withdraw funds offer significant […]
WATCH: OECD: The Next Big Thing — Major Developments in DLT from Industry & Governments in the Year Ahead
To celebrate the end of 2020, here is a Forkast.News editor favorite from our archives — a story that still rings fresh, true and — in a world now measured in nanoseconds — timeless. What is holding back mainstream adoption? What role do governments need or want to play? The Next Big Thing plenary panel […]
It’s All in the Nuance: French Blockchain Investor Translates Le Maire’s Libra Remarks
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire spoke at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Blockchain Policy Forum on September 12, 2019. He offered a spirited defense of French and European technology policies and spoke frankly about the deep difference in values over the regulation challenging French relations with the U.S. and China. In his […]
What Regulators Think at OECD and Why it Matters; R3’s Regulatory Head Says Adoption Relies on Governments
What are the rules? For most blockchain companies and projects, the complex landscape of regulation and policy creates business risk, which impacts not only innovation but also ultimately, mainstream adoption. But at OECD’s second Global Blockchain Policy Forum, regulators are increasingly becoming aware of the need for concerted efforts at every government and agency levels. […]
Facebook’s Libra Gets a Timely ‘Like’ From Japan
Facebook just did the unthinkable in the Donald Trump era: give America’s Republicans and Democrats something on which to agree. Same with the Group of Seven nations taking a dim view of the social media giant minting its own money. US President Trump declared that Libra, Facebook’s proposed virtual currency, “will have little standing or […]
What’s Next for CZ? Binance CEO on Getting Hacked, Being Compliant, and His Future
Changpeng Zhao, better known as CZ, is one of the most influential figures in cryptocurrency / blockchain circles. From flipping burgers at McDonald’s to getting his computer science degree at McGill University, to now Founder and CEO of Binance; CZ has built one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. In this unreserved 40-minute conversation, CZ […]
Caroline Malcolm, OECD’s Head of Blockchain Policy Center, on International Blockchain Regulation
Key Highlights The regulatory challenge is in how to balance proactively supporting blockchain development while defining the ways in which the regulatory body should protect against downsides Traditional approaches in thinking about regulation from a national level will not be enough; national systems need to work well together and move towards harmonization, even if it’s […]
Can Cryptocurrencies Restore Japan’s Former Economic Glory?
Key Highlights Introducing digital currencies would allow countries like Japan to incentivize economic behavior, such as putting greater spending power in peoples’ hands Japan’s demographics make it an interesting test case: given its shrinking population and risk-averse culture, what is the balance between harnessing innovative technology like blockchain? Japan currently taxes cryptocurrency gains at 55% […]