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Blockchain Insider Podcast by 11:FS

English, Finance, 1 season, 223 episodes, 19 hours, 54 minutes
About
Blockchain Insider, hosted by Simon Taylor, is a dedicated podcast specialising in Bitcoin, blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT). Your home for cryptocurrency news! Simon and guests break down the week's news with expertise and enthusiasm for the blockchain and digital currency sector. Blockchain Insider is the best way to stay current in Bitcoin and Blockchain topics. Since the price of Bitcoin has rocketed, and Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin have become household names, Blockchain Insider has charted their rise in a way that's accessible to new listeners. Whether you're a cryptocurrency expert or you've been avidly following its rise from afar and need to know more - this is the podcast for you!
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203. Insights: Our crypto predictions for 2024

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Catherine Gu are back this week for a special episode of Blockchain Insider, kicking off the new year by talking about what 2024 might hold for us in the crypto, blockchain and web3 space. A lot happened in 2023 - can we expect the same, or even more, from 2024? Mauricio and Catherine reflect on 2023 and speculate on 2024 joined by a fantastic guest: Balaji Srinivasan, entrepreneur and investor. Join us while we talk through last year's predictions to see what came true, and what we think will happen with regulation, adoption, payments, infrastructure and the impact of AI - and so much more! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Balaji Srinivasan.
1/3/20241 hour, 7 minutes, 4 seconds
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Bonus: How to become a digital creator

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Catherine Gu bring you this very special bonus episode looking at how blockchains can enable digital artists to have a global reach and bring art and artists together at a global scale. They are joined by two participants in Visa’s Creator Program. They have both chosen to use blockchain technology as the means to share their art with the world. Crypto and NFTs allow artists to build communities all over the world, since they are borderless. As part of this conversation we want to understand why artists are turning to NFTs and some of the underlying benefits behind it, the future of payments in this space and what is still to come in the digital creative space. Our fantastic guests are: Gus Sarkodee, Visa Creator Program participant & photographer Violeta Valcheva, Visa Creator Program participant & multimedia artist To find out more about Visa' Creator Program, visit https://usa.visa.com/global/creator-hub.html and visa.com/creator. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Gus Sarkodee and Violeta Valcheva.
12/20/202342 minutes, 4 seconds
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202. Insights: Tokenised deposits, stablecoins and when best to use them

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Catherine Gu are back this week, talking about tokenized deposits — We’re taking a closer look at what they are, how they intersect with CBDCs, and how bankers are thinking about using these assets. In general, tokenized deposits have been viewed as an alternative to stablecoins or CBDCs, though payments made with tokenized deposits can be a little more complex. We also take a look at the future of these different assets and the implications they have for banks, the blockchain industry, and the end customers. To do this, we are joined by a fantastic guest: Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Haseeb Qureshi.
12/13/202345 minutes, 21 seconds
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201. Insights: How to manage your identity on web3 and blockchain

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Catherine Gu are back this week, talking about identity on the blockchain We’ll dive into what identity on blockchain means, how it works, learn about on-chain KYC, important use-cases, and its potential impact on AML checks and safeguarding users against financial crime; as well as the future of identity on the blockchain and how it is giving rise to a whole new generation of applications that redefine how we present ourselves on the internet. To do this, we are joined by some amazing guests: Alex Pruden, CEO of Aleo Heather Dahl, CEO of Indicio and Hyperledger Foundation Governing Board Member_ This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Alex Pruden and Heather Dahl.
11/29/202341 minutes, 17 seconds
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200. Insights: The future of bitcoin

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Catherine Gu are back this week, talking about the future of bitcoin. We’ll dive into what people in the space are building and ultimately, how do we create more utility around BTC, arguably the most important asset in crypto. Bitcoin is one of the most important and secure blockchains and assets, but the challenge with transacting BTC has always been its scalability, high cost and slow speed when transacting. Lightning Network is a layer-2 built on top of Bitcoin that enables users to send BTC quickly and cheaply by moving transactions off of the main blockchain. We'll discuss some exciting news surrounding Lightning Network and the main use cases we’ve seen, many of which are efforts to bring BTC to the mainstream as an asset you can transact with. To do this, we are joined by some amazing guests: Jasper De Maere, Head of Research at Outlier Ventures Sveinn Valfells, co-founder and CEO of Monerium This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Jasper De Maere and Sveinn Valfells.
11/15/202347 minutes, 26 seconds
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199. Insights: Real world assets on-chain: changing the future of ownership

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Catherine Gu are back this week, talking about real world assets. On today's episode they dive into real world assets, or RWAs for short. They explain what they are, discuss some of the use cases of tokenized RWA we’re seeing today, the pros and cons of bringing RWA on-chain, and where this emerging market is headed. To discuss all of this and more they were joined by some amazing guests: Vanessa Grellet, Aglae Ventures Justin Schmidt, President and COO at Ondo This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto. If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Justin Schmidt and Vanessa Grellet.
11/1/202344 minutes, 49 seconds
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198. Insights: How to fix UX in crypto

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and brand new co-host Catherine Gu are here this week, talking all things crypto UX. Since crypto is still very much in the growth and build stage, a lot of time, effort, and money is spent on technical research, cryptography, software engineering, and getting the structural parts figured out. But going forward, user experience will need to be prioritized and researched in order for it to be more accessible and usable to encourage mass adoption of blockchain and crypto. What are the pain points? What are the challenges and what can be made better for thenext generation of crypto users? To discuss all of this and more they were joined by some amazing guests: Maika Isogawa, Founder and CEO at Webacy Riyaz Faizullabhoy, Co-founder of Bastion Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto. If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Maika Isogawa and Riyaz Faizullabhoy.
10/18/202342 minutes, 42 seconds
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197. Insights: Are US regulation bills changing the future of crypto?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week, this time talking all things crypto regulation and the positive movement there has been to get some momentum behind some regulation bills. July was a big month where multiple standalone crypto bills have been advanced to the House of Representatives. This is huge for the future legitimacy of crypto. Cuy, Mauricio and their guests look at some of the progress made in crypto regulation and recently proposed bills and what the potential impact of these regulations could be: could they change the future of crypto? We get into that and much more! We are also joined by some amazing guests: Tomicah Tilleman, Chief Policy Officer Haun Ventures! Catherine Gu, Head of CBDC & Protocols, Visa Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto. If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Catherine Gu.
10/4/202349 minutes, 39 seconds
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196. Insights: Visa's USDC settlement launch and what are the real world use cases for CBDCs?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week, this time talking all things USDC settlement, CBDCs and the difference between CBDCs and stablecoins. Following our discussion around the development of stablecoin in our last episode, we thought it would be fitting to dive deeper into another type of digital currency that is closely related to fiat, CBDC, or Central Bank Digital Currency. Banks are looking to CBDCs as a form of currency that expedites transactions and increases the security of payments between banks, institutions, and individuals and we look at the biggest news stories and developments around the world for CBDCs. Not only that but Visa has some news of its own: Just last week, Visa expanded its use of US Dollar Coin (USDC) for digital currency settlement, adding pilot programs globally with WorldPay, Nuvei, and Xapo, modernising large value, cross-border payments, for end-to-end digital currency settlement over blockchain. We get into that and much more! We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Dante Disparte, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Global Policy at Circle * Mina Khattak, Senior Director of Crypto, at Worldpay * Catherine Gu, Head of CBDC & Protocols, Visa Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto. If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Catherine Gu, Dante A. Disparte , and Mina Khattak.
9/20/202347 minutes, 12 seconds
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195. Insights: The current state of stablecoins

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week, this time talking all things stablecoins. In this show - we’re taking a look at the latest stablecoin launches and look at what this means for the industry more broadly when big name players like PayPal start getting involved. With their increasing popularity, can stablecoins become a core financial infrastructure in our world today? To discuss all of this and more, we are also joined by an amazing guest: Zach Abrams, Co-founder, Bridge Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto. (https://usa.visa.com/solutions/crypto.html) If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet or follow the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Naveen Jain and Zach Abrams.
9/6/202345 minutes, 1 second
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194. Insights: What is the impact of AI on social media and web3?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this weekfor more Insights into AI. This week we’re taking a look in the direction of web3 and web2 social media. What happens when most of our feeds and timelines are AI generated? Can audiences tell, and if not, should they be able to? What risks does this pose? And what does this mean for authenticity? To discuss all of this and more, we are also joined by some amazing guests: Zachary Edwards, Content Lead & Community Manager at Subsocial Naveen Jain, Co-Founder of Tari Labs Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto. (https://usa.visa.com/solutions/crypto.html) If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet or follow the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Naveen Jain and Zachary Edwards.
8/23/202350 minutes, 17 seconds
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193. Insights: Checking in on our 2023 predictions

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for more Insights! In this show, we wanted to revisit one of our favourite episodes - Predictions 2023. As we have just passed the halfway mark of this year, we wanted to take a peek at some of the things we predicted would happen this year, and see - what did we predict correctly? What did we get completely wrong? What still has potential to materialise in the next few months leading up to 2024? Join us for the recap! Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider
8/9/202349 minutes, 1 second
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192. Insights: A new world of functionality - a Smart Tokens case study

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for more Insights - this time on the vast world of Smart Tokens! According to CoinMarketGap’s definition, ‘Smart tokens are simply regular tokens that not only transmit value they contain but also all the information needed to execute a transaction simultaneously’. While that’s accurate, we feel like they are so much more - and that’s why we want to take a deep dive into this topic with some incredible guests. Join us while we take a look at what exactly smart tokens are, how they came along, how they work, and what they mean for web3! We are also joined by some amazing guests: Cam Thompson, Web3 reporter, Coindesk Mathew Sweezey, Advisor and Investor, former Co-Founder at Salesforce web3 Studio Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Cam Thompson and Mathew Sweezey.
7/26/202344 minutes, 23 seconds
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191. Insights: Rewind: How do you know it's web3?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to explore one of the key conceptual primitives - ownership. To give you a better glimpse of ownership in web3 means, we are opening up the archives and we’re bringing you a fantastic show from July 2022. So what really is web3 ownership? How is this different from web2 ownership and What technologies enable this shift in gravity? Join us while we discuss some real world financial use cases, and what we might expect of the future. We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Chris Maddern, Co-Founder & CEO, Floor NFTs * Shailee Adinolfi, Head of Business Development and Partnerships, XMTP Labs Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. Panelists featured on the show do not imply product endorsement or affiliation with Visa. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Chris Maddern and Shailee Adinolfi.
7/12/202350 minutes, 25 seconds
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190. Insights: AI and chatbots are shaking up the crypto space

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for more Insights. We have started diving deeper into the topic of AI lately, and there’s SO much to explore, as it continues to make more and more headlines. So for today’s insights, we want to take a look at something that feels inevitable - AI chatbots in the crypto space. We are also joined by an amazing guest: David Morris, Chief Insights Columnist, Coindesk Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: David Morris.
6/28/202335 minutes, 30 seconds
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189. Insights: Why crypto in Argentina is "unstoppable"

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for another deep dive. In this weeks' episode - bienvenidos a la Argentina! Join us while we explore how the past couple of years have shaped this country’s crypto sector, what exciting new projects and initiatives are coming out of Argentina, the challenges they face, and as always- what we hope to see in the near future! We are also joined by some amazing guests: Eduardo Novillo Astrada, CEO & Co-Founder, Agrotoken Marcelo Cavazzoli, Founder & CEO, Lemon Cash Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Eduardo Novillo Astrada and Marcelo Cavazzoli.
6/14/202342 minutes, 23 seconds
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188. News: Worldcoin, Airstack, and Crypto.com's chatbot – how AI and Blockchain are colliding

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: Airstack raises over $7M for AI-backed Web3 developer platform Crypto.com launches ChatGPT-based AI user assistant Amy OpenAI’s Sam Altman nears $100mn funding for Worldcoin crypto project We are also joined by some amazing guests: Angie Malltezi, Chief Strategy Officer, Shipyard Software Danny Nelson, Managing editor for Data & Tokens, Coindesk Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Angie Malltezi and Danny Nelson.
5/31/202339 minutes, 56 seconds
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187. Insights: Data must flow in the era of AI - a Dune case study

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for another deep dive. A few months back, we did our first ever case study with WalletConnect, that you guys seemed to love! We want to take a moment to thank you for your support on that show, and also give back to you guys in the best way we know how! So, in today’s episode, we’re going to be looking at another fascinating case study. On March 27, Dune published a blogpost to announce the launch of their first LLM feature, and announced a full suite of LLM features and integrations to come. They introduced some exciting new features, and, according to the blogpost: “The power of GPT4 will provide you with a detailed explanation of the query, helping to improve your knowledge and speed up your journey to data mastery”. Now - whether you like it or not, AI has seemingly been everywhere lately. 2023 is definitely the year of the AI boom, led by OpenAI’s very own ChatGPT - so this headline instantly caught our attention. Innovation in this sector is not slowing down - only ramping up, and it’s slowly but surely starting to mesh with the crypto space. Today, we’re going to be taking a look at the history of Dune, their new LLM roadmap, how ChatGPT plays into all of this, and what the future holds for AI in crypto - and, we have a fantastic guest who will explore all of this with us: Mats Olsen, Co-founder & CTO at Dune Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Mats Olsen.
5/17/202345 minutes, 41 seconds
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186. News: The future of stablecoins, Ethereum’s Shanghai upgrade, and the first comprehensive crypto law

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: US Congress to introduce new draft bill for stablecoins Ethereum’s Shanghai Upgrade Is Complete, Starting New Era of Staking Withdrawals EU Parliament Approves Crypto Licensing, Funds Transfer Rules We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Rhian Lewis, Developer, Author and Cryptocurrency Consultant * Robert Mullins, Token Design Associate at Outlier Ventures * Lindsey Argalas, COO at Taxbit Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Lindsey Argalas, Rhian Lewis, and Robert Mullins.
5/3/202350 minutes, 47 seconds
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185. Insights: How Nigeria's crypto scene is thriving despite Central Bank crackdown

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for another deep dive. In this weeks' episode - we're going to Nigeria! Join us while we explore how the past couple of years have shaped this country’s crypto sector, what exciting new projects and initiatives are coming out of the country, the challenges players face, and as always- what we hope to see in the near future! We are also joined by some amazing guests: Buchi Okoro, CEO and Co-Founder of Quidax Maya Caddle, Chief of Staff at Nestcoin This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Buchi Okoro and Maya Caddle.
4/19/202345 minutes, 54 seconds
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184. News: First zkEVM live on Ethereum, the USDC depegging, and Coinbase’s SEC Wells Notice

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: First zkEVM goes live on Ethereum 1:54 A recap on USDC/SVB 12:46 Coinbase’s SEC Wells Notice 25:26 Amazon NFTs Will Be Tied to Real-world Assets, Token Possible 36:35 We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Janay Eyo, Director of Financial Policy, Chamber of Progress * Filippo Chisari, Web3 Strategic Advisor and Chief Commercial Officer In Residence for Techstars Web3 Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Filippo Chisari and Janay Eyo.
4/12/202344 minutes, 17 seconds
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Bonus: Rock band Avenged Sevenfold announce trialing NFT-gated pre-sales, and the Ticketmaster fiasco

In today's bonus show, our expert hosts, Mauricio Magaldi - Global Strategy Director for Crypto, Kate Moody - Global Strategy Director for Customer Experience, and David Barton-Grimley - Global Strategy Director for Embedded Financial Services, sit down to take a look at everything that went down with Ticketmaster in the past few months. We wanted to share this really exciting conversation with our Blockchain Insider listeners, especially after last week's big Ticketmaster news: “Ticketmaster trialling NFT-gated pre-sales for Avenged Sevenfold tour”. Our amazing panel discuss what happened, and explore some of the issues at play - such as bots, inclusivity and queue system issues. And it wouldn’t be a true 11FS discussion if we don’t take a look at potential solutions and learnings, which of course - included blockchain! If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: David Barton-Grimley and Kate Moody.
4/5/202333 minutes, 19 seconds
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183. Insights: What is the current state of crypto, and what is fostering adoption?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for another deep dive. In today’s Insights episode, we aim to answer the following question: "What is the current state of crypto, and what is fostering adoption?" In the past two years, we have covered an immense range of topics and new stories, ranging from all things DAOs, NFTs, web3 advancements and all the exciting news about them, all the way down to regulation, stablecoins and pretty much anything you can think of. We now want to start drilling a little bit deeper into specific regions, and their own innovations and developments in the crypto sector. However, before we can do that - we need to zoom out once more, and lay some foundations. So in today’s show, we’re taking a look at the global state of crypto to explore how the past couple of years have shaped this sector into what it is today, what developments are currently fostering adoption, and as always - what we hope to see in the near future! We're also joined by some fantastic guests: * Jess Houlgrave, Crypto GTM & Strategy at Checkout.com * James Smith, Founder and Board Director, Elliptic Chapters: * Part 1 - Laying down foundations - 2:50 * Part 2 - Fostering adoption - 13:54 * Part 3 - The future - 31:51 Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: James Smith and Jess Houlgrave.
3/22/202347 minutes, 57 seconds
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Bonus: Why should governments embrace new payment technologies?

In today's bonus show, our expert hosts, David M. Brear and Mauricio Magaldi, are joined by some great guests to ask: "Why should governments embrace new payment technologies?” This week's guests include: Mauricio Magaldi, Global Strategy Director of Crypto, 11:FS Chris Holmes, Baron Holmes of Richmond Janay Eyo, Director of Financial Policy, Chamber of Progress Innovation can often move a lot faster than the bureaucracy - and sometimes that’s a good thing when it comes to risk and regulation. But with payments technology growing, evolving, and offering solutions to some of the world’s big problems - is it time for governments globally to catch up? Our amazing panel discuss how governments and payments technology work together, the potential solutions from blockchain, and how the future of payments will shape the future of our biggest economies. If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Chris Holmes, David M. Brear , and Janay Eyo.
3/17/202344 minutes, 46 seconds
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182. News: SEC crypto blitz, Coinbase launches L2 "Base" and Spotify is dipping its toes in NFTs

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: SEC lawsuit against Paxos over BUSD baffles crypto community 2:20 Coinbase launches L2 "Base" 16:56 Spotify is testing token-enabled music playlists 31:25 Crypto investment firm with links to parliamentary groups appears to have vanished 41:33 Reddit has given away over a million super bowl NFTs on Polygon 42:59 Deutsche Bank completes asset management test with memento blockchain, putting Domani's DEXTF tokens into focus 43:58 We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Sigal Mandelker, from Ribbit Capital * Juan David Mendieta, Chief Strategy Officer & Co-founder of Keyrock Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Juan David Mendieta and Sigal Mandelker.
3/8/202352 minutes, 2 seconds
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181. Insights: Bringing web2.5 to the masses - a WalletConnect case study

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for another deep dive. In today’s Insights episode, we’re doing something a bit different than usual. This is your official welcome to Blockchain Insider’s first case study! Whether or not you’ve been a regular listener, you probably know just how big the potential of web3 is- but how do we get there? To fully understand that, we need to understand where we currently are, and how we got here. That’s where web2.5 comes in. Web2.5 is the transition step between its more famous siblings - web2 and web3. So, the question we want to ask today is, why is web2.5 so important? There are a handful of companies playing pivotal roles in web2.5 and we’re lucky to be joined by one of those key players today: Will White, COO at WalletConnect Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Will White.
2/22/202349 minutes, 53 seconds
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180. News: Bitzlato fiasco, NAB Stablecoin, and Genesis bites the dust

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: Europol reports $19.5M in crypto seized in enforcement action against Bitzlato 1:55 NAB creates a stablecoin in boost for digital economy 14:26 Crypto lender Genesis files for bankruptcy 27:01 Euro Stablecoin EURR Issuance Ceased 38:11 Unstoppable Domains and Ready Player Me Team Up to Create Interoperable Metaverse Identities 39:51 German regulator warns of new banking and crypto malware ‘Godfather’ 40:50 We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Kevin de Patoul, CEO & Co-founder of Keyrock * Zoe Wei, Head of Developer Relations at BNB Chain Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Kevin de Patoul and Zoe Wei.
2/8/202348 minutes, 43 seconds
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179. Insights: What could social media look like in web3?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for another deep dive. In today’s Insights episode, we will be focusing on a very exciting topic. Social media has been, and continues to be, a key component of web2 and of many people’s lives. It is a primary way of connecting, communicating and working for a lot of people. Now, with web3 becoming more and more prominent, how will social media transform and adapt into this new environment? Today, we want to explore the differences between web2 and web3 social media, and really try to understand the changes they bring and what we can expect from the future. We are also joined by some amazing guests: Marieke Flament, CEO at NEAR Foundation Naveen Jain, Co-Founder at Tari Labs & Yat This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world's leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibilities, and Visa’s helping everyone take part. Consumers now can enjoy the freedom and flexibility of using their Visa crypto-linked cards for everyday purchases at millions of Visa-accepting merchant locations around the world. Join us in this new money movement; learn more visa.com/crypto (visa.com/crypto). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Marieke Flament and Naveen Jain.
1/25/202344 minutes, 9 seconds
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178. Insights: Our 2023 crypto predictions

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for a special episode of Blockchain Insider. In this Insights episode, we want to kick off the new year by talking about what 2023 might hold for us in the crypto space. A lot happened in 2022 - can we expect the same, or even more, from 2023? Join us while we talk through last year's predictions to see what came true, and what we think will happen with regulations, growth of fintechs into crypto, NFTs and so much more. Will this be a pivotal year for crypto? Let’s speculate! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider
1/11/202354 minutes, 11 seconds
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177. Insights: What does AML and regulation look like in web3?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for another deep dive. In this Insights episode, we will be focusing on AML and how regulation can be a solution. We explore how the industry is preventing money laundering and illicit financing, looking at recent developments and what we hope the future can bring in this sector. Join us while we unpack what AML is in traditional finance, and how it differs from AML in crypto, blockchains and digital assets, what's working and what's not, and of course - what we hope to see in the near future. We are also joined by some amazing guests: Ari Redbord, Head of Legal and Government Affairs at TRM Labs Jessica Cath, Head of Financial Crime Project Delivery, Fintrail This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Ari Redbord and Jessica Cath.
12/21/202248 minutes, 55 seconds
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176. News: Uniswap overtakes Coinbase as second-largest ETH exchange after FTX fall

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: Everything you need to know about the FTX Crash, and Uniswap Overtakes Coinbase as Second-Largest Exchange Trading Ethereum 3:12 Telegram to launch a cryptocurrency exchange and non-custodial wallet 17:22 JP Morgan, DBS, SBI Digital Asset complete DeFi tokenization trials on public blockchain while New York Fed and leading banks start regulated liability network pilot 33:50 Nike Launches .Swoosh Web3 Platform, With Polygon NFTs Due in 2023 43:22 Market Maker Keyrock Raises $72M Amid FTX Contagion 44:29 Ledger Rolls Out ‘Crypto Life’ Debit Card Across UK and Europe 46:13 We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Dalip Tyagi, SVP and Head, Developer Relations at Polygon Technology * Edward Woodford, CEO at Zerohash Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Dalip Tyagi and Edward Woodford.
12/7/202253 minutes, 36 seconds
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175. Insights: Getting to the bottom of Decentralised Exchanges

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for another deep dive - where we are going to be taking a look at the world of Decentralised Exchanges, aka DEXs. In this show, we wanted to start at the very beginning and explore what DEXs are, how they compare to their centralised counterpart, the user benefits of using a DEX, the differences in business model between DEX and CEX, and the potential downsides too. With the market is going through its Eron/Lehman/Bear Stearns moment, we also couldn't help but take a look at what the future will hold for DEXs, and what kind of progress we're hoping to see with DEXs over the next 2-3 years. We are also joined by some amazing guests: Ludmila Lopes, Independent web3 researcher at Bankless Brasil DAO Karel Kubat, CTO at Composable Finance This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Karel Kubat and Ludmila Lopes.
11/23/202242 minutes, 2 seconds
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174. News: Is Reddit part of the key to making crypto mainstream?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: UK Minister Proposes Measures to Regulate Crypto Ads, Ban Unauthorised Providers 1:52 Reddit Now Has More NFT Wallets Than the OpenSea Marketplace 11:33 Blockchain.com Visa Card, Powered by Marqeta, Debuts with 50,000 Sign-Ups at Launch 24:27 Crypto Exchange FTX Is Working on Creating a Stablecoin: Report 34:43 Ramp closes $70m Series B fundraise led by Mubadala Capital and Korelya Capital 35:45 We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Hanan Nor, Program Manager at Outlier Ventures * Selin Suntay, CEO & Co-Founder at Polarys Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Hanan Nor and Selin Suntay.
11/9/202243 minutes, 31 seconds
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173. Insights: Engaging with DAOs

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for another deep dive - taking a deeper look at DAOs! It’s been almost a year since we published Insights episode 146 - Deconstructing DAOs. But, the world of DAOs is ever-evolving, and we thought that it’s about time we revisit the topic to see what progress they have made - and now shift the focus to consumers in that context. How do consumers go about learning more about the space? What challenges do they face? How are they addressed? And of course, what can they expect from the future? We are also joined by some amazing guests: Conor Svensson, Founder and CEO of Web3 Labs Cokie Hasiotis, Founder, Twali This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Cokie Hasiotis and Conor Svensson.
10/26/202246 minutes, 22 seconds
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172. News: What will the White House ‘Comprehensive Framework’ change?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: White House Releases ‘Comprehensive Framework’ for Crypto Regulation and Development 2:03 Korean Crypto Bank Inks Deal to Offer Ethereum Staking to Investors 16:09 Starbucks Taps Polygon for Its 'Starbucks® Odyssey' Web3 Experience 28:20 Lugano stakes claim to become cryptocurrency capital of Europe 38:27 South Korea issues arrest warrant for Terra founder Do Kwon 39:08 NFT creator Doodles raises $54M in funding at $704M valuation 40:54 We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Amanda Cassatt, Co-founder & CEO of Serotonin * Dante A. Disparte - Chief Strategy Officer, Head of Global Policy at Circle The Tweet of the Week comes from Anna Irrera, @annairrera (https://twitter.com/annairrera/status/1576899958548344832). Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Amanda Cassatt and Dante A. Disparte .
10/12/202244 minutes, 51 seconds
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171. Insights: Understanding the world of developers

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for another deep dive - it's time to get familiar with developers! Devs are often shrouded in mystery - despite being a core part of this space. So what we want to do today is fully immerse ourselves in their world. Join us while we dive into what devs actually do, how to break into this industry, how important dev communities are and what challenges they might face, as well as what we hope to see from the future! We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Anthony Day, Founder of Blockchain Won't Save the World Podcast * Limaris Torres, Senior Security Advisor at Halborn This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Anthony Day and Limaris Torres.
9/28/202248 minutes, 53 seconds
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Bonus: Blockchain Rio - Blockchain for good

gm. Mauricio Magaldi hosted a live onstage panel as part of Blockchain Rio, on our very own Blockchain Insider stage! Join us while we explore what blockchain for good really means, if blockchain actually has the power to change certain imbalances, what sectors could benefit most from the use of blockchain and crypto, and of course - what to expect from the future! This week's guests include: Marilia Silveira, Co-founder FEAT THE FUTURE, partner and CMO PHONOGRAM.ME, Founder ELEVANTE cofounder MIMA EXCHANGE, board member TIPA André Salem, Founder and Ceo - BLOCKFORCE If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: André Salem and Marilia Silveira.
9/21/202234 minutes, 31 seconds
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170. News: Ripio launch prepaid crypto card and Netflix enters Decentraland

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: Latin American Crypto Firm Ripio Launches Prepaid Crypto Card in Brazil - 1:30 Steven Bartlett’s web3 creator platform Thirdweb raises £20m - 13:20 Netflix enters Decentraland metaverse promoted by Ryan Gosling - 23:00 Star-studded digital avatar startup Genies launches NFT fashion marketplace - 30:10 We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Megan Knab, Co-Founder and CEO of Franklin * Joao Reginatto, VP of Product at Circle The Tweet of the Week comes from Liz Truss, @trussliz (https://twitter.com/trussliz/status/958253646986272769?t=B553R1p1uqPQ2SGC4gmZPw&s=31). Just a quick reminder - nothing we share here is legal, tax or financial advice. Views or opinions expressed by the panel are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the entities they are representing. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Joao Reginatto and Megan Knab.
9/14/202241 minutes, 45 seconds
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Bonus: Blockchain Rio - State of Blockchain In LatAm

gm. Mauricio Magaldi hosted a live onstage panel as part of Blockchain Rio, on our very own Blockchain Insider stage! Join us while we explore what the current state of blockchain in Latam is like, the regulatory progress and how people's perceptions and opinions of crypto might be changing, and of course - what to expect from the future! This week's guests include: Carlos Rischioto, Principal Client Engineering Manager - Latin America at IBM Gladstone Arantes Jr., DSc, Blockchain Specialist - BNDES Sebastian Raul Wain, Co-founder and CEO at COINFABRIK and NEKTRA If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Carlos Rischioto, Gladstone Arantes Jr., and Sebastian Raul Wain.
9/7/202238 minutes, 5 seconds
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169. Insights: How can web3 change the film industry?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week for another deep dive, this time into all things film and web3. We have already covered design and music as NFTs and how they change in this space, but what about perhaps the most popular and consumed form of art? How will film change in the world of web3, and has it already started? The film industry and the Hollywood machine has been known as ‘a rich man’s playground’ - with power dynamics showing Hollywood often favours the rich, and more often that not - men. Will web3 be able to bring on a new era of inclusivity, diversity, and equitable compensation for filmmakers? We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Hrish Lotlikar, Co-Founder & CEO at SuperWorld * Alveena Khalid, Director of Growth - Blockchain Marketing at Film.io * Camilla Russo, Founder at The Defiant This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Alveena Khalid, Camila Russo, and Hrish Lotlikar.
8/31/202240 minutes, 6 seconds
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168. News: Solana and Nomad are hacked, while US senators push for tax-free crypto transactions

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: Hackers drain £5m from 8,000 wallets linked to Solana crypto network and Nomad crypto bridge loses $200 million in ‘chaotic’ hack - 1:25 US Senators push bill to make small crypto transactions tax-free - 13:20 Revolut partners with Polkadot and launches “Learn to Earn” feature - 25:05 Sales from the crypto: Muse NFT album to become first new chart-eligible format in seven years - 36:01 Dubai crown prince to lead new committee on metaverse, digital economy - 45:50 Brazil's Nubank amasses 1 million crypto customers in less than a month - 47:00 We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Paulina Jóśków, Head of Partnerships at Ramp * Emily Nicolle, Crypto Blogger at Bloomberg News The Tweet of the Week comes from Tiffany&Co, @TiffanyAndCo (https://twitter.com/TiffanyAndCo/status/1553742328652877827?t=6FPOqj21-2OAKAAF_upbhA&s=19). This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Emily Nicolle and Paulina Jóśków.
8/17/202252 minutes, 57 seconds
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167. Insights: Is crypto an effective replacement for remittances?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi is back this week for another deep dive, this time into remittances. Remittances — the act of individuals sending money to support their families and communities back home — make up a significant component of GDP for many countries. How can crypto help? Join us while we take a look at the current state of crypto and remittances, the current pain points of remittances, and how crypto might chance remittances over the next 5 years! All this, and much much more. We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Chike Ukaegbu, Head of Crypto Strategy - Emerging Markets at Visa * Santiago Alvarado, Senior Vice President of Product at Bitso * Rhian Lewis, author of The Cryptocurrency Revolution This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Chike Ukaegbu, Rhian Lewis, and Santiago Alvarado.
8/3/202245 minutes, 51 seconds
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Bonus. Jamie Bartlett is still after the Missing Cryptoqueen

gm. Mauricio Magaldi is back this week with a bonus episode to talk about a story that's been grasping everyone's attention. You may remember the OneCoin frenzy from its peak in 2015-2016, or its highly publicised fall in 2017 when its creator, Dr Ruja Ignotava, disappeared without a trace and millions, if not billions, of dollars. Regulators issued warnings, police departments around the world got involved, victims of the scam came out to share their stories, and the so-called ‘Cryptoqueen’ is still nowhere to be found. Fast forward to right now, Ignatova is now on the FBI’s top 10 most wanted list, and developments in her case have been rolling in. Today, we are bringing you a very special interview with the person behind the incredible 2019 BBC podcast series, ‘The Missing Cryptoqueen’, which investigated the disappearance of Ignatova, and to chat about his new book: Jamie Bartlett. If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Jamie Bartlett .
7/27/202240 minutes, 1 second
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166. News: UK Treasury looking at stablecoin regulation - what's to come?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: UK Treasury to Introduce Stablecoin Regulation Within Weeks - 1:40 MakerDAO Members Vote On $100M DAI Vault for Bank - 14:21 Missing Cryptoqueen: FBI adds Ruja Ignatova to top ten most wanted - 27:10 Solana Labs Is Building a Web3 Mobile Phone - 34:22 NFT startups hire full-time ‘vibe managers’ to lift the mood amid crypto collapse - 42:22 We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Melissa Stringer, CPO at Orbital * Maya Aloy, Account Manager & Head of LatAm at Republic Crypto The Tweet of the Week comes from Felicity Hannah, @FelicityHannah (https://twitter.com/FelicityHannah/status/1542806377315401729). This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Maya Aloy and Melissa Stringer.
7/20/202253 minutes, 10 seconds
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165: Insights: How do you know it's web3?

gm. Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to explore one of the key conceptual primitives - ownership. So what really is web3 ownership? How is this different from web2 ownership and What technologies enable this shift in gravity? Join us while we discuss some real world financial use cases, and what we might expect of the future. We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Chris Maddern, Co-Founder & CEO, Floor NFTs * Shailee Adinolfi, Director of Business Development, ConsenSys This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Chris Maddern and Shailee Adinolfi.
7/6/202248 minutes, 48 seconds
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164. News: Crypto regulation gets real and Jay-Z launches a Bitcoin academy

gm. Mauricio Magaldi is back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: Key US senators introduce crypto bill outlining sweeping plan for future rules - 1:50 The crypto community says the UK's FCA is finally starting to listen - 13:10 Scorsese producer Niels Juul's KinoDAO is using NFTs to fund indie films - 30:00 Jay-Z and Jack Dorsey launch 'Bitcoin Academy' at rapper's childhood home in Brooklyn - 39:30 PayPal adds new crypto services including transfers to other wallets - 47:30 We are also joined by some amazing guests: Gwera Kiwana, Product Manager, 11:FS Luca Prosperi, Lending Oversight at MakerDAO The Tweet of the Week comes from Bitfly, @etherchain_org (https://twitter.com/etherchain_org/status/1534568254508875778). This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Gwera Kiwana and Luca Prosperi.
6/22/202254 minutes, 9 seconds
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163. Insights: Getting familiar with real world use cases

gm. Simon Taylor, Mauricio Magaldi and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about all things real life use cases. Blockchain applications go far beyond cryptocurrency and bitcoin. With its ability to create more transparency and fairness while also saving businesses time and money, the technology is impacting a variety of sectors in ways that range from how contracts are enforced to making government work more efficiently. So, we want to take a proper look at some of the cases, and look at what could be the future! This show also happens to be Simon's last show in the hosting seat, as he passes the baton over to Mauricio. We want to thank all of our amazing guests that have joined us over the past few years, and of course, our wonderful listeners - whether you tune in regularly, or just from time to time, thank you - each and everyone of you. We're excited to see what the future holds! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider
6/8/202247 minutes, 13 seconds
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Bonus. Diving deeper into Terra

gm. Our expert hosts Mauricio Magaldi and Simon Taylor are back for this special bonus episode of Blockchain Insider where they lay out all the details of the recent Terra/LUNA drama. Our hosts lay out all the story so far, break down the linked nature of Terra and LUNA, and look at what this means for the industry going forward! If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider
6/1/202233 minutes, 45 seconds
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162. News: Terra terror as ex-Meta crypto chief launches Bitcoin payments start-up

gm. Cuy Sheffield is joined by Mauricio Magaldi while Simon is currently travelling, and we are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: Terra terror: Luna nosedives under $2, and algo Stablecoin TerraUSD loses 98% of its value 2:05 Ex-Meta crypto chief launches Bitcoin payments start-up while Meta’s Instagram partners with Polygon in NFT push 24:53 A number of headlines about crypto regulation have popped up recently: With the UK targeting major crackdown on Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, while regulation everywhere is being pushed more than ever 40:10 French Open enters the metaverse with Roland-Garros virtual-seat NFTs 48:46 EU Commission favours ban on large-scale Stablecoins, document shows 50:10 We are also joined by some amazing guests: Jacquelyn Melinek, Senior Crypto Reporter at TechCrunch Zak Lambert, Product Manager at Plaid The Tweet of the Week comes from @cobie (https://twitter.com/cobie/status/1524357789899845632?t=4qZOF07EmNxjxrLbhwkn_w&s=19). This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Jacquelyn Melinek and Zak Lambert.
5/25/202253 minutes, 38 seconds
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Bonus. How web3 is shaping the future of finance - report deep dive

gm. Today, we're bringing you a bonus episode! Our expert host, Gwera Kiwana, is joined by Mauricio Magaldi, Global Strategy Director for Crypto at 11:FS, to talk about something exciting we’ve been cooking up here at 11:FS. Our latest report - How web3 is shaping the future of finance - is out now! There’s so much hype floating around about web3, but also so much opportunity. So we decided to do an explainer that unpacks what web3 actually means, how it’ll impact financial services, the risks, as well as the opportunities. Time to take a deep dive. All this and much much more on today's bonus episode! If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Gwera Kiwana and Mauricio Magaldi.
5/18/202225 minutes, 2 seconds
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161. Insights: Scaling blockchains and Layer 2 - a deep dive

gm. Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to take another deep dive, this time into all things scaling and layer 2, including: Why do we want decentralisation and how is it achieved in traditional PoW blockchains? What solutions have been proposed and implemented for the scalability problem? And what are the main trade-offs at play? All of this, and much much more. We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Mauricio Magaldi, Global Strategy Director, Crypto at 11:FS * Yessin Schiegg, CFO at NEAR Foundation This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Mauricio Magaldi and Yessin Schiegg.
5/11/202240 minutes, 44 seconds
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Bonus: If the President orders a CBDC, then who can stop it?

gm. Simon Taylor hosted a live onstage panel as part of Empire Startups New York FinTech Week! Originally recorded for Fintech Insider podcast, the conversation was so good we just had to share it here too. Earlier this year, we saw an executive order signed on the desk of the White House calling for research and development on a US CBDC. What was once a theoretical possibility has now been directly decreed by the President himself. So, today we’re talking about how this executive order will fit into the history books, what we know about CBDCs currently, what the challenges are still to overcome and what the future may hold. This week's guests include: Cuy Sheffield, Head of Crypto, Visa Carmelle Cadet, Founder & CEO, EMTECH Jennifer Lassiter, Executive Director, The Digital Dollar Project If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Carmelle Cadet, Cuy Sheffield , and Jennifer Lassiter.
5/5/202238 minutes, 49 seconds
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160. News: Big week for stablecoins - Terra’s UST flips BUSD and Circle's new raise

gm. Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: European crypto industry steps up efforts to influence EU policy Terra’s UST flips BUSD to become third-largest stablecoin Circle Announces $400M Funding Round Bitcoin may soon be accepted by McDonald’s, Walmart via Lightning Network, Mallers says Meta plans ‘Zuck bucks’ virtual coins for Facebook and Instagram users Nike and Rtfkt take on digital fashion with first “Cryptokick” sneaker Coinbase launches social NFT marketplace in limited beta We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Adi Ben-Ari, Founder and CEO at Applied Blockchain * Cokie Hasiotis, Founder of Twali The Tweet of the Week comes from @masonnystrom (https://twitter.com/masonnystrom/status/1514683363008950282?t=bqKoA2aB5W_JdhJHPDmY7A&s=19), about Web3 infrastructure protocols generating substantial protocol revenue in Q1'22. This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Adi Ben-Ari and Cokie Hasiotis.
4/27/202246 minutes, 53 seconds
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159. Insights: Clearing the air on crypto regulation

gm. Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to take a deep dive into the world of crypto regulations. In this Insights show, we take a look at the current state of crypto regulations and its challenges, the differences in various parts of the world, the opportunities, and of course, the future. We are also joined by some amazing guests: Chris Brummer, Professor and Faculty Director, Institute of International Economic Law Patrick South, Head of Sales at TRM Labs This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Chris Brummer and Patrick South.
4/13/202243 minutes, 36 seconds
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158. News: Optimism and FTX are thriving, and Biden's executive order is promising

gm. Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: Paradigm and a16z back Ethereum scaling startup Optimism at $1.65bn valuation 3:03 FTX announces expansion into Europe, FTX Ventures invests $100m in money app Dave and Naomi Osaka becomes latest FTX 'ambassador' 15:35 The cryptocurrency community is celebrating Biden’s executive order, while Europe rejects proposal limiting PoW cryptos but sets draft rules for sustainability 30:30 Crypto start-up founded by ex-Meta employees raises $200m 46:10 We are also joined by some amazing guests: * Richard Brown, CTO at R3 * Brett Harrison, US President at FTX * Emily Nicolle, Crypto Blogger at Bloomberg News The Tweet of the Week comes from @BitcoinMagazine (https://twitter.com/BitcoinMagazine/status/1504533149811978243) about Airbnb looking into crypto payments! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Brett Harrison, Emily Nicolle, and Richard Brown.
3/30/202251 minutes, 48 seconds
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157. Insights: NFTs and music - where two worlds collide

gm. Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to take another deep dive into the world of NFTs. We wanted to take a look at the intersection between NFTs and culture. This is such a wide topic with so many incredible artists, collaborations and forms of art - so for this episode, we want to shine a light on music. We explore how NFTs play a part in what music is and how we experience and share it, as well as how they compare to the traditional music model most of us know and dislike. We are also joined by some amazing guests: Daouda Leonard, Founder and CEO of CreateSafe Summer Watson, CEO, Heir & President, Vol. 1 Xcelencia, musician This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Daouda Leonard, Summer Watson, and Xcelencia.
3/16/202246 minutes, 51 seconds
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156. News: Will NYSE become *the* marketplace for NFTs?

gm. Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in the world of crypto, including: NYSE wants to be the marketplace for NFTs Multis wants to build the financial backbone of crypto-native organizations Solana integrates Web3Auth to lower DApp barrier to entry Democratic DAO suffers coup, new leader steals everything $1.7m in NFTs stolen in apparent phishing attack on OpenSea users Colorado to accept crypto for state taxes Pro athletes among group trying to raise $4bn in cryptocurrency to buy Denver Broncos We are also joined by some amazing guests: Rhian Lewis, author of The Cryptocurrency Revolution Mauricio Magaldi, Global Leader of Crypto,11:FS Thibaut Sahaghian, CEO, Multis The Tweet of the Week comes from @pridesai about Meta-mates! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Mauricio Magaldi, Rhian Lewis, and Thibaut Sahaghian.
3/2/202255 minutes, 15 seconds
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155. Insights: What's the latest with CBDCs?

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to take a deep dive into Central Bank Digital Currencies, known as CBDCs. We have looked at them, as well as stablecoins, in a previous podcast, but as we have stated before - this space moves at the speed of sound. We want to revisit our conversation, and take a look at how they have evolved since we’ve last spoken about them. Simon and Cuy are joined by fantastic guests who are experts in the ever-evolving crypto space: * George Selgin, Director Emeritus, Centre for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at Cato Institute * John Lester, Cypherpunk Capitalist and VP of Operations at Oneiro This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider
2/16/202244 minutes, 41 seconds
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154. News: Meta is late to the NFT party as OpenSea faces competition

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain and Crypto. Tune in now to find out more about: Facebook and Instagram are reportedly exploring plans to make, showcase, and sell NFTs, while Twitter debuted their new hexagonal NFT avatars One Day After Launch, OpenSea Competitor LooksRare Sells Over $100M in NFTs Big month for play-to-earn in the global south - big wins for Nestcoin, Carry1st, and YGG’s India subDAO Web3 ‘Proof of attendance’ startup raises $10M to mint shared memories as NFTs China’s Digital Yuan Captures $8.3B in Payments Over 6 Months And much more! Simon and Cuy are joined by some fantastic guests: Cristiano Teixeira, Founder of Sandclock Elizabeth Teixeira, COO at Sandclock Chris Maddern, Co-Founder of Button The Tweet of the Week comes from Serena Williams, @serenawilliams (https://twitter.com/TrustlessState/status/1458610798192852992). Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Chris Maddern, Cristiano Teixeira, and Elizabeth Teixeira.
2/2/202246 minutes, 7 seconds
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153. Insights: Fintechs and crypto - the opportunity to use a new set of rails

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back to discuss and unpack all things Fintechs and Crypto. In this Insights show, we want to take a deep dive into what their relationship has been like over the past few years. A couple of episodes ago, we visited the relationship between big banks and crypto - with incumbents dismissing Bitcoin and Co. at the very start. Now, at the beginning of 2022, not only are large banks offering crypto custody and leading in investments in crypto in 2021, but fintechs aren't too far behind either. But what has changed, and what is their role in the crypto space, and vice versa? Join us while we try to unpack and ask all the right questions to get to the bottom of this! Simon and Cuy are joined by fantastic guests who are experts in the ever-evolving crypto space: Trevor Marshall, CTO at Current Michael Shaulov, CEO at Fireblocks This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Michael Shaulov and Trevor Marshall.
1/19/202253 minutes, 19 seconds
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152. Insights: Making predictions for 2022

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back to discuss all things 2022 predictions! 2021 has been a wild year for crypto, so expectations are high for 2022. Simon and Cuy unpack all of their thoughts about what the new year will bring, and even debate some of your very own predictions. Will crypto crash in 2022? Will regulators kill the momentum in crypto this year? What wil happen to NFTs? All of this and much much more on today' episode! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider
1/5/202254 minutes, 23 seconds
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151. News: MetaMask and MoonPay looking set to become household names

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain and Crypto. Tune in now to find out more about: MetaMask surpasses 21 Million MAUs as ConsenSys raises $200 million to make Web3 universally easy to use, access, and build on Crypto payments service MoonPay raises $555 million from Coatue and Tiger Jack Dorsey’s Square is now Block Bank of England chief expresses concern over El Salvador’s Bitcoin experiment Iconic Los Angeles Venue STAPLES Center gets a new name NFT or non-fungible token is Collins Dictionary’s word of the year And much more! Simon and Cuy are joined by some fantastic guests: Curtis Ting, Managing Director EMEA, Kraken Amber Baldet, Co-Founder and CEO of Clovyr Haseeb Awan, Founder and CEO of Efani, and Co-founder of Bitaccess The Tweet of the Week comes from John Hillis, @JohnathanHillis (https://twitter.com/JonathanHillis/status/1464352598929014789?s=20). Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Amber Baldet, Curtis Ting, and Haseeb Awan.
12/15/202150 minutes, 30 seconds
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150. Insights: Large banks and crypto - going from a threat, to an opportunity

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back to discuss and unpack all things Large Banks and Crypto. In this Insights show, we want to take a deep dive into the turbulent relationship between the both. With incumbents dismissing Bitcoin and Co. at the start, things are now looking very different - large banks are offering crypto custody and leading in investments in crypto in 2021. So how is the space looking? How has it changed to get to where we are now? What does the future relationship look like? Let's dive in! Simon and Cuy are joined by fantastic guests who are experts in the ever-evolving crypto space: Emily Nicolle, Fintech Correspondent at Financial News Edward Woodford, Co-Founder and CEO at Zero Hash This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Edward Woodford, Emily Nicolle, and Emily Nicolle.
12/1/202149 minutes, 53 seconds
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149. News: Crypto is accelerating its growth

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain and Crypto. Tune in now to find out more about: $9.5 billion spent using Chinese central bank's digital currency 1:55 Chipper Cash gets $2B valuation with $150M extension round led by FTX 15:05 Goldman Sachs Taps Digital Asset to Build Open Platform for Tokenized Assets 24:10 A DAO is trying to buy a rare print of the US Constitution 34:25 EA says NFTs are part of the future of games industry 41:13 And much more! Simon and Cuy are joined by a fantastic guest: Charles Cascarilla, CEO and Co-Founder of Paxos The Tweet of the Week comes from David Hoffman, @TrustlessState (https://twitter.com/TrustlessState/status/1458610798192852992). Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Charles Cascarilla.
11/17/202146 minutes, 16 seconds
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148. Insights: Understanding the Metaverse and Play to Earn

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back to discuss and unpack all things Play To Earn. In this Insights show, we want to take a deep dive into the metaverse, and all things Play To Earn. Even if you’re not into the crypto world, I can guarantee you have started seeing and hearing about the metaverse and Axie Infinity lately - and for good reasons. Play To Earn is revolutionising gaming and crypto, all in one go. But what is it, how does it work, why have we been hearing so much about it lately? Is this just a fad? Is it too good to be true? Could this be the future of gaming? Let’s dive in! Simon and Cuy are joined by fantastic guests who are experts in the ever-evolving crypto space: Cathy Hackl, Godmother of the Metaverse Bryce Johnson, Co-Founder at LootSquadGG This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Bryce Johnson and Cathy Hackl.
11/3/202147 minutes, 30 seconds
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147. News: Every company is a crypto company

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain and Crypto. Tune in now to find out more about: Visa develops interoperability concept for central bank digital currency payments 1:48 Almost 1.1M people have already signed up for Coinbase NFT waitlist, and NFT sales surge to $10.7 billion in Q3 as crypto asset frenzy hits new highs 12:40 Bitcoin—not gold—is the new inflation hedge, says JPMorgan 25:30 DeFi platform mistakenly sends $89 million, CEO begs its return 38:20 And much more! Simon and Cuy are joined by some fantastic guests: Kinjal Shah, Senior Associate at Blockchain Capital LLC David Hoffman, Co-owner at Bankless Lex Sokolin, Head Economist, Decentralized Protocols at ConsenSys The Tweet of the Week comes from Ryan Watkins, @RyanWatkins_ (https://twitter.com/RyanWatkins_/status/1444050982946672647?s=19). Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: David Hoffman, Kinjal Shah, and Lex Sokolin.
10/20/202154 minutes, 44 seconds
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146. Insights: Deconstructing DAO

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back to discuss all things DAO. In this Insights episode, Simon and Cuy want to explore the world of DAOs. After its resurgence in 2020, DAOs is grabbing headlines left, right, and centre. What are the differences between DAO and more traditional forms of financial services such as traditional banks? What about community based decision making that goes into DAO? But most importantly - what is it, and why should we be paying attention? How does it work? Is this just a novelty, or is there something lasting here? Let’s dive in! Simon and Cuy are joined by fantastic guests who are experts in the ever-evolving crypto space: Jess Sloss, Instigator at Seed Club - Social Token Incubator Kyla Scanlon, creator and investor This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Jess Sloss and Kyla Scanlon.
10/6/202149 minutes, 14 seconds
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145. News: Flipping the script on NFTs

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain and Crypto. Tune in now to find out more about: The Loot project flips the script on NFTs 1:26 El Salvador endures bumpy first week with bitcoin as legal tender 11:16 SEC wants to regulate Coinbase’s crypto yield product, and is also investigating decentralized crypto exchange developer Uniswap Labs 22:20 Big week for FTX: An NFT marketplace with cross-chain trading between Ethereum and Solana, an ambassador/equity deal with NBA star Steph Curry, and cast Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen in their first ads 31:52 British Post Office ID App to sell Bitcoin vouchers next week 43:40 Standard Chartered is more bullish on ether than bitcoin — with a $35,000 price prediction 44:41 And much more! Simon and Cuy are joined by some fantastic guests: * Gwera Kiwana, Senior Ops Analyst at 11:FS * Ryan Todd, Research Lead of Digital Assets at Fintech Collective The Tweet of the Week comes from Jeremy Allaire, @jerallaire (https://twitter.com/jerallaire/status/1436350647536848896?s=12). Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Gwera Kiwana and Ryan Todd.
9/22/202149 minutes, 6 seconds
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144. Insights: NFTs defined

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back to discuss all things NFTs. In this Insights episode, Simon and Cuy aim to break NFTs down: what are they, how do they work, what can you do with them, what are the practical applications of NFTs, and what does the evolution of the space look like? What is the story so far, how are they stored, and how can they move beyond what might be described as a “gimmick” and into something more impactful? Simon and Cuy are joined by fantastic guests who are experts in the ever-evolving NFT space: * Ameer Carter - NFT Artist * Maria Shen - Partner at Electric Capital This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Ameer Carter.
9/8/202155 minutes, 53 seconds
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143. News: Why Visa bought a CryptoPunk

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain and Crypto, kicking off with a big announcement from Visa that we dive into and ask Cuy all the burning questions. Tune in now to find out more about: Visa NFT White Paper and CryptoPunk Announcement 2:05 NFT Trading Surges 8X as Penguins, Apes Drive New Boom 6:16 SuperRare Drops RARE Token to Decentralize NFT Marketplace 6:36 Free Clipart of a Cartoon Rock Is Selling for $300,000 as NFTs 6:42 Cryptocurrency heist hacker returns $260m in funds 15:52 The ECB starts work on creating a digital version of the euro 26:30 Messi's welcome package at PSG includes cryptocurrency fan tokens 35:12 And much more! Simon and Cuy are joined by some fantastic guests: * Ryan Selkis, Founder and CEO of Messari * Rhian Lewis, author of The Cryptocurrency Revolution. The Tweet of the Week comes from Julien Bouteloup - @bneiluj, view here (https://twitter.com/bneiluj/status/1425056506697949218). Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Rhian Lewis and Ryan Selkis.
8/25/202149 minutes, 36 seconds
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142. Insights: DeFi, defined.

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back to discuss all things decentralized finance. In this insights episode, Simon and Cuy aim to break DeFi down: what is it, how does it work, what can you do with decentralised finance, how is it having a real world impact and how much more could be done with it? What is the story so far, how does Defi reward its investors differently to banks, and what does the future hold? Simon and Cuy are joined by some fantastic guests who are experts in the ever evolving DeFi space: * Gwera Kiwana, Ops Analyst, 11:FS * Robert Leshner, CEO of Compound Finance This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Gwera Kiwana and Robert Leshner.
8/11/202144 minutes, 5 seconds
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141. News: Is USDC now rivalling Tether?

Simon Taylor and Cuy Sheffield are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: FTX Crypto Exchange Valued at $18B in $900M Funding Round 2:12 Visa Crypto Cards Have Racked Up $1B in Spending in 2021 10:10 USDC Stablecoin Backer Circle to Go Public in $4.5B SPAC Deal 15:20 Square is making a hardware wallet for Bitcoin 23:44 How Axie Infinity Creates Work in the Metaverse 31:50 Simon and Cuy are joined by some fantastic guests: * Camila Russo, Founder of The Defiant * Sina Nader, COO FTX US The Tweet of the Week comes from @RyanWatkins_ : “In Q2 2021 Ethereum settled $2.5 trillion in transactions. This represents +65% QoQ and +1,490% YoY, and puts Ethereum on pace to settle $8 trillion in 2021.” Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Camila Russo and Sina Nader.
7/28/202143 minutes, 37 seconds
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140. Insights: Stablecoins and CBDCs explained

Simon Taylor is back with a new co-host, Cuy Sheffield, Head of Crypto at Visa, to discuss all things stablecoins. In this insight episode, Simon and Cuy aim to start at the very beginning, and dive deeper down the stablecoins rabbit hole. What are the problems with existing payments systems? What are the similarities and differences between stablecoins and CBDCs? How do they work against fiat? How can they maintain stability? Listen now to find out all of this, and much much more. Simon and Cuy are joined by some fantastic guests who are experts in the evolving stablecoins space: * Mike Dudas, VP of Ventures, Paxos * Joao Reginatto, VP of Product at Circle This episode is sponsored by Visa. This episode is brought to you by Visa, one of the world’s leaders in digital payments. Crypto has opened up a new world of possibility. And Visa is helping everyone take part. Visa enables commerce across their network and crypto networks through solutions like Fintech Fast Track, a quick and easy way for crypto innovators to issue payment credentials. Join us in this new money movement. Learn more at visa.com/crypto (https://partner.visa.com/homepage.html?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_content=sponsored-podcast_english_60min0sec&utm_campaign=us_fintech_q3-fy21-11fs-fintechinsider&utm_creative=awareness_11fs-fintech-insider). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Joao Reginatto and Mike Dudas.
7/14/202146 minutes, 52 seconds
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Insights: Why does crypto matter? (First published on Fintech Insider)

Our expert host, Simon Taylor, is joined by a great panel of guests to talk about all things crypto. In the first part of the show, we want to take a look at just how far we’ve come. How far the crypto space has come in the last year - not just in terms of bitcoin surges but also the real steps forward in terms of adoption by big organisations, regulators and even central banks to start taking this crypto phenomenon seriously. Why is it booming so much now? Does crypto matter more now than it ever has before? And last but not least, is crypto mainstream, and why should we care about it? This week's expert guests include: Shivani Siroya, CEO and founder of Tala Diogo Monica, CEO of Anchorage Cuy Sheffield, Head of Crypto, Visa If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Cuy Sheffield , Diogo Mónica, and Shivani Siroya.
7/2/202146 minutes, 11 seconds
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139. Interviews: Yuval Rooz, CEO of Digital Asset & a special announcement from Simon Taylor

In a special episode of Blockchain Insider, Simon Taylor is in conversation with Yuval Rooz, CEO of fintech company Digital Asset. Yuval became CEO of the fintech company in 2019 and since then has shifted focus to smart contracts and DAML. We kick off the episode with the reasons for this change, the importance of distributed ledger and power of DAML. Moving onto the bigger picture issues in blockchain, Yuval and Simon also discuss the importance of interoperability as governments move towards central bank digital currencies and the opportunities for DLT applications beyond fintech and financial services in a post-coronavirus world. But first, we hear a special announcement from host Simon Taylor about the current COVID-19 pandemic and the future of the podcast. Small business financial services are only 1% finished. Our latest research examines the Jobs to be Done and cultural insights on what US business owners need, and the digital services that will help them meet their goals. Download the research for free by heading to bit.ly/digitalsmb (https://bit.ly/digitalsmb). If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Yuval Rooz.
5/14/202035 minutes, 7 seconds
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138. Bitcoin halvening approaches as China and Libra battle for supremacy

Simon Taylor is back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and crypto. Of course, he is not alone, and in this episode, Simon is joined in the studio by: Garrick Hileman - Head of Research at Blockchain.com Isabelle Corbett - Head of Government Relations at R3 Max Kantelia - Co-founder of Zilliqa This week is all about CBDCs and stablecoins. First up, Libra is back in the headlines and making waves in the stablecoin world as it tries to win regulatory approval. Meanwhile, China is taking its digital yuan up a level. Not only has the central bank confirmed mobile app trials, but big brands are also getting in on the action with Starbucks, McDonald's and a host of other big firms testing the CBDC. A lot can happen in a few weeks, and in this episode, we continue to dig into the latest blockchain and crypto news including: Facebook scales back Libra as it tries to win regulatory approval (03:30) China Launches National Blockchain Network (08:55) China Central Bank Confirms Digital Yuan Mobile App Trials (09:39) Starbucks, McDonald’s Among 19 Firms to Test China’s Digital Yuan (14:09) Central Banks Recommended to Ban Stablecoins (19:16) Andreessen Horowitz is reportedly raising as much as $450M for new crypto fund (27:05) Options Market Signals Doubt Bitcoin Price Will Rise After Halving (36:20) The Tweet of the Week comes from @DTAPCAP about bitcoin trades in Lebanon. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! The COVID-19 pandemic has created an immediate financial and operational crisis, permanently reshaping the financial services industry. This change must be swift and unavoidable - check out our research report to find out more: Info.11fs.com/covid19 (https://info.11fs.com/covid19) If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Garrick Hileman, Isabelle Corbett, and Max Kantelia .
4/30/202048 minutes, 30 seconds
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137. Can central banks kill crypto?

Simon Taylor is back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and crypto. Of course, he is not alone, and in this episode, Simon is joined remotely by Blockchain Insider returners: Lex Sokolin - Fintech Co-head at ConsenSys Olivia Vinden - Head of Fintech and Innovation UK at Alpha FMC It's a big week for cryptocurrencies as Bitcoin Cash sees it's first halving, resulting in each new transaction block being reduced from 12.5 BCH to 6.25 BCH. On the other side of the crypto spectrum, Ether is on a high with prices rising by 20% ahead of their upgrade. Whilst France experiments with a digital Euro, we also get into a discussion about how CBDCs might be moving us further away from the goals of cryptocurrencies. A lot can happen in a few weeks, and in this episode, we continue to dig into the latest blockchain and crypto news including: Programmable fintech payments startup Sila raises $7.7M seed to wipe out ACH (01:55) Bitcoin Cash just went through its first halving (08:23) Ether Rises to 28-Day High Amid Positive Sentiment for Coming ‘Eth 2.0’ Upgrade (14:33) France's central bank begins experimenting with digital euro (23:01) Paxful launches peer-to-peer trading between gold and Bitcoin (35:22) The Tweet of the Week comes from @Melt_Dem about the future of CBDCs. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! Love fintech? Then sign up for our newsletter, Fintech in Five. A snack-sized selection of the week's biggest stories, longer reads, soundbites and more. Just visit this link to sign up! 11fs.com/newsletter If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Lex Sokolin and Olivia Vinden.
4/16/202043 minutes, 32 seconds
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136. Central bank digital currencies in the age of coronavirus

Simon Taylor is back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and crypto. Of course, he is not alone, and in this episode, Simon is joined in the studio by: Richard Crook - Director at Lab 577 Dave Hudson - Chief Engineering Officer at R3 This week we kick things off with a discussion about central bank digital currencies. As coronavirus continues to spread across the globe we're beginning to see shifts in attitudes towards CBDCs. In the US, before Donald Trump signed into law the largest economic stimulus package in US history, there were murmurs of a digital dollar just before it was dropped from the bill. Meanwhile, in China, efforts to create a national digital currency have just gone up a notch as they complete development of the basic functions of a CBDC. A lot can happen in a few weeks, and in this episode, we continue to dig into the latest blockchain and crypto news including: House stimulus bills adopt then promptly drop 'digital dollar' (02:18) Turning A Crisis Into An Opportunity, China Gets One Step Closer to CBDC (07:43) Shift in payments habits because of coronavirus fears could bolster central bank digital currencies says BIS (11:30) Square says bitcoin 'engagement' on its Cash App has grown in recent weeks amid market volatility (17:05) HSBC Puts $10B of Private Placements on R3’s Corda Blockchain (27:44) CFTC announces finalized guidance on the 'actual delivery' of digital assets (36:04) The Tweet of the Week comes from @antony_btc about "magical money" (41:49). Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! Love fintech? Then sign up for our newsletter, Fintech in Five. A snack-sized selection of the week's biggest stories, longer reads, soundbites and more. Just visit this link to sign up! 11fs.com/newsletter If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Dave Hudson and Richard Crook.
4/9/202046 minutes
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Technical difficulties - we'll be back next week!

We've had some technical difficulties with remote recording and unfortunately, that means no new episode this week. Fear not, as we're back next week and the week after with more of the latest and greatest in blockchain, crypto and DLT news. Whilst you're here, why not check out some of the other shows in the 11:FS podcast family? We've got Fintech Insider, Insurtech Insider, which recently had a blockchain special, and the brand new Fintech Marketing Podcast. Check them out by clicking the links below. Fintech Insider - https://link.chtbl.com/fintechinsider Insurtech Insider - https://link.chtbl.com/insurtech Fintech Marketing Podcast - https://link.chtbl.com/fintech-marketing-podcast Love fintech? Then sign up for our newsletter, Fintech in Five. A snack-sized selection of the week's biggest stories, longer reads, soundbites and more. Just visit this link to sign up! 11fs.com/newsletter If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider
4/2/202040 seconds
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135. Crypto vs cash as a safe haven as markets react to coronavirus

Simon Taylor is back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and crypto. Of course, he is not alone, and in this episode, Simon is joined remotely by Blockchain Insider returners: Vinay Gupta - Founder and CEO of Mattereum Obi Nwosu - CEO of Coinfloor This week we kick things off with a discussion about cash, crypto and coronavirus. In the past few weeks, COVID-19 has taken its toll on markets worldwide, and in today's episode, we talk about how cash has become the new safe haven as the value of crypto and gold continues to tank. While many cryptocurrency advocates have long likened bitcoin to gold as the ultimate financial safe haven, in these challenging times the markets are saying otherwise. A lot can happen in a few weeks, and in this episode, we continue to dig into the latest blockchain and crypto news including: Cash Is the New Safe Haven as Crypto, Gold Continue to Tank (01:44) Bank of England releases white paper on central bank digital currencies (12:01) DeFi Leader MakerDAO weighs emergency shutdown following ETH price drop (25:59) ING invests in enterprise blockchain securities lending platform HQLAX (39:12) The Tweet of the Week comes from @MalcMili13 about crypto merch and celebrity endorsements (42:32). Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! Love fintech? Then sign up for our newsletter, Fintech in Five. A snack-sized selection of the week's biggest stories, longer reads, soundbites and more. Just visit this link to sign up! 11fs.com/newsletter If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Obi Nwosu and Vinay Gupta.
3/19/202047 minutes, 41 seconds
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134. Shopify joins Libra and the first US crypto bank announced

Simon Taylor is back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and crypto. Of course, he is not alone, and in this episode, Simon is joined in the studio by Matthew Pollard, founder of Archax and Helen Disney, founder and CEO of Unblocked. This week we kick things off with a discussion about Caitlin Long's future bank called Avanti. The former Wall Street executive helped pioneer Wyoming's progressive blockchain laws and is now taking advantage of them to build what many are calling the first regulated crypto-native bank in the US. Next up, we talk about Shopify joining the Libra Association, the potential for bringing commerce opportunities to developing nations and the possible regulatory implications of this move. A lot can happen in a few weeks, and in this episode, we continue to dig into the latest blockchain and crypto news including: Blockchain Pioneer to Build First Crypto-Native bank in the US (02:52) Shopify joins Facebook’s cryptocurrency Libra Association (11:18) Sweden starts testing world's first central bank digital currency (19:07) Bank of England official says it is 'crucial' for central banks to consider digital currencies (23:40) G-20 Urges Countries to Adopt Tough FATF Rules on Cryptocurrencies (33:20) Blockchain-based ID system for credit union members made commercially available (40:00) The Tweet of the Week comes from @mdudas about M&As and the fintech bubble. (48:28) Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! Love fintech? Then sign up for our newsletter, Fintech in Five. A snack-sized selection of the week's biggest stories, longer reads, soundbites and more. Just visit this link to sign up! 11fs.com/newsletter If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Helen Disney and Matthew Pollard.
3/5/202052 minutes, 52 seconds
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133. The great bZx DeFi exploit

Simon Taylor is in the hosting seat this week to talk all things blockchain, Bitcoin and crypto. Of course, he is not alone, and in this episode, Simon is joined by: Ed Cooper - Head of Crypto at Revolut Michael Coletta - Head of Blockchain & Emerging Tech Innovation and Strategy at the London Stock Exchange Group Rhian Lewis - Founder of London Women in Bitcoin Aman Kohli - Chief Technology Officer at DXC This week we kicked things off with a discussion about flash loans, bZx and the future of decentralized finance. Following two exploitations and almost a million dollars in ETH lost, we go into why this happened, how it transpired and what this means for the development of DeFi. A lot can happen in a few weeks and in this episode, we continue to dig into the latest blockchain and crypto news including: DeFi lending protocol bZx exploited and ‘a portion of ETH lost’ (02:16) JPMorgan in talks to merge blockchain unit Quorum with startup ConsenSys (11:55) Lightning Labs raises $10M series A to be the ‘Visa’ of Bitcoin (20:51) ICE snaps up loyalty program provider Bridge2 to boost Bakkt’s consumer play (28:33) Bitcoin price soars as Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell confirms crypto’s threat to U.S. dollar (32:02) The Tweet of the Week comes from Nathaniel Whittemore (@nlw) about crypto M&As. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (41:05) Love fintech? Then sign up for our newsletter, Fintech in Five. A snack-sized selection of the week's biggest stories, longer reads, soundbites and more. Just visit this link to sign up! 11fs.com/newsletter If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Aman Kohli, Ed Cooper, Michael Coletta, and Rhian Lewis.
2/20/202044 minutes, 54 seconds
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132. Central bank digital currencies are so hot right now

Simon Taylor is back this week to talk all things blockchain, Bitcoin and crypto. This week, with a special focus on central bank digital currencies, Simon was joined in the studio by Eric Van der Kleij, CEO of Frontier Network and Andrew Smith, CTO at RTGS. This week we kicked things off with a lively discussion about central bank digital currencies and the future of monetary policy if they go ahead. Should central banks issue digital currencies? China has already set the wheels in motion with the proposal of its digital yuan and it looks like other countries want to follow suit with their own. A lot can happen in a few weeks and in this episode, we continue to dig into the latest blockchain and crypto news including: Central banks are pursuing 'extensive work' on digital currencies, BIS researchers say (02:05) Bank of England to assess the potential for digital central bank currencies Japan’s central bank ‘must be prepared’ to issue digital currency, says deputy governor The National Banks of Cambodia to launch a digital payments network this quarter When will we see the digital dollar? ‘Crypto Dad’ says soon Hyperledger Fabric, the open-source distributed ledger, reaches release 2.0 (30:16) 3 more execs leave Swiss stock exchange’s $100M blockchain project (35:46) Ripple CEO hints at IPO says more crypto firms will go public in 2020 (31:38) The Tweet of the Week comes from @EricGraca about Bitpanda and Brexit. (49:32) Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! Love fintech? Then sign up for our newsletter, Fintech in Five. A snack-sized selection of the week's biggest stories, longer reads, soundbites and more. Just visit this link to sign up! 11fs.com/newsletter If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Andrew Smith and Eric Van der Kleij.
2/6/202051 minutes, 8 seconds
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131. The digital dollar

Simon Taylor is back this week to talk all things blockchain, Bitcoin and crypto. This week he was joined in the studio by Paolo Ardoino, CTO at Bitfinex and Abbas Ali, Head of Digital Identity at R3. Together the trio discusses the latest and greatest news in the world of blockchain including: Former CFTC officials ramp up push for digital dollar with Accenture partnership (02:10) Currency ‘cold war’ takes center stage at pre-Davos crypto confab (10:00) NBA's Spencer Dinwiddie set to roll out tokenized investment platform (18:50) Gemini launches captive insurance company and custody insurance solution with leading brokers Aon and Marsh (22:18) Fidelity is hiring bitcoin mining engineer to scale its operations (29:39) Crypto asset manager Grayscale posts its best year with over $600m in investments (34:20) The Tweet of the Week comes from @twobitidiot about the surprising Bitwise financial advisors survey results. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (39:09) Love fintech? Then sign up for our newsletter, Fintech in Five. A snack-sized selection of the week's biggest stories, longer reads, soundbites and more. Just visit this link to sign up! 11fs.com/newsletter If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Abbas Ali and Paolo Ardoino .
1/23/202043 minutes, 15 seconds
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130. Crypto M&A & Telegram's Terrible 2020

Simon Taylor is in the hosting seat once again and is joined this week by a returning guest. Joining Simon to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto is Oliver Von Landsberg-Sadie, CEO at BCB. Together the pair discuss: How Facebook’s vision for Libra turned into a nightmare (01:43) Binance CEO says some ‘major’ strategic acquisitions are in the works for 2020 (10:04) Venezuela to use petro cryptocurrency for oil sales (16:39) IBM and Fair Trade initiative demo blockchain-based coffee tracking app (23:50) North America saw the most crypto and blockchain investment in 2019 (27:34) Secretary-General Says United Nations Must Embrace Blockchain (31:17) The Tweet of the Week comes from @SpencerNoon about Telegram's decision to not integrate TON natively in the messenger app. (36:28) Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! Love fintech? Then sign up for our newsletter, Fintech in Five. A snack-sized selection of the week's biggest stories, longer reads, soundbites and more. Just visit this link to sign up! 11fs.com/newsletter If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Oliver von Landsberg-Sadie.
1/9/202038 minutes, 46 seconds
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129. Top 10 Blockchain and Crypto Predictions

In this Blockchain Insider predictions show Simon Taylor is joined by Mike Dudas, CEO and founder of The Block. To kick things off, the pair take a look back at last year's predictions. Some worked out great...and others not so much. (01:20) After the recap, Simon and Mike launch into their predictions for 2020 including: continued Bitcoin dominance, digital currencies turn to digital cash and more crypto mergers & acquisitions. From stablecoin stumbles to Chinese crypto chaos, there's a lot that could happen in the next year of blockchain. (10:13) All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider! Love fintech? Then sign up for our newsletter, Fintech in Five. A snack-sized selection of the week's biggest stories, longer reads, soundbites and more. Just visit this link to sign up! 11fs.com/newsletter If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Mike Dudas.
1/2/202050 minutes, 51 seconds
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128: Has crypto grown up?

In this episode, we’re going to give you some exclusive content that we’ve selfishly kept all to ourselves. From this year's Money20/20 we’ve got an awesome panel on the state of crypto and whether or not it has grown up (00:54). As legal and regulatory frameworks develop, we hear about how the industry is instilling transparency, integrity, and accountability to demonstrate that crypto is growing up and evolving into a sustainable asset class. The panel was hosted by: Sandra Ro - CEO of Global Blockchain Business Council And she was joined on stage by: Michel Rauchs - Cryptocurrency & Blockchain Lead at the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance Asaf Meir - CEO at Solidus Labs Max Boonen - CEO at B2C2 If that wasn’t enough, we also talked to Asaf (31:01) and Max (40:49) about their respective companies and what they’re doing in the industry. Love fintech? Then sign up for our newsletter, Fintech in Five. A snack-sized selection of the week's biggest stories, longer reads, soundbites and more. Just visit this link to sign up! 11fs.com/newsletter If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Asaf Meir, Max Boonen, Michel Rauchs, and Sandra Ro.
12/26/201953 minutes, 50 seconds
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127. Vampire crypto squids

Simon Taylor is on hosting duties again this week and is joined by returning guest Matthew Pollard, founder of Archax, to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: The European Central Bank hopes to get "ahead of the curve" on stablecoins (02:14) Swiss Government Skeptical on Central Bank Digital Currency (10:37) Fidelity Digital Assets intends to support Ethereum in 2020 (14:00) Cryptocurrency is most useful for breaking laws and social constructs (19:17) SEC Charges Founder, Digital-Asset Issuer With Fraudulent ICO (24:23) 3 men are charged in US$722M cryptocurrency fraud (27:33) Chainalysis to provide Bitfinex with privacy safe tools to combat crime (29:58) The Tweet of the Week comes from friend of the podcast @JamieJBartlett about his very own 2020 fintech predictions. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! Love fintech? Then sign up for our newsletter, Fintech in Five. A snack-sized selection of the week's biggest stories, longer reads, soundbites and more. Just visit this link to sign up! 11fs.com/newsletter If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Matthew Pollard.
12/19/201940 minutes, 7 seconds
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126. Are banks banking on crypto in 2020?

Simon Taylor is back in the hosting seat again and this week he's joined by returning guest Aman Kohli, CTO of Banking & Capital Markets UKI at DXC. Together they talk about the latest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: Brave Passes 10 Million Monthly Active Users and Sees 19% Growth since 1.0 Launch (02:15) SEC Reveals Telegram’s Communications With Investors, Seeks to Question Advisor (09:45) With parliament approval, German banks to sell and custody crypto in 2020 (13:01) China begins Phase 2 of digital yuan roll-out (18:42) Commerzbank, Credit Suisse and UBS execute first live transactions on the Deutsche Börse-HQLAx securities lending platform (25:28) Huobi joins China telecom and finance giants to form state-backed blockchain alliance (34:16) The Tweet of the Week comes from Twitter CEO @Jack about his upcoming move to Africa. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (37:13) Check out our brand new documentary 11:YEARS - the Rise of UK Fintech now. Head over to 11years.film to watch for free, and share using #11YEARS. If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Aman Kohli.
12/12/201945 minutes, 10 seconds
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125. Jamie Bartlett: Still searching for the Missing Cryptoqueen

Simon Taylor is back this week and is joined by Jamie Bartlett, the author of The Dark Net, People vs Tech, and Radicals Chasing Utopia, and now the host of the hottest new podcast in the crypto community: The Missing Cryptoqueen. The series, based upon OneCoin’s founding CEO Dr Ruja Ignatova, has had the community at their edge of their seats. Following the hugely successful series’ suspenseful finale, Simon Taylor sat down with Jamie to explore the genesis of the podcast, how the blockchain boom fuelled the rise of Ponzi schemes, and much more! Check out our brand new documentary 11:YEARS - the Rise of UK Fintech now. Head over to 11years.film to watch for free, and share using #11YEARS. If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Jamie Bartlett .
12/5/201956 minutes, 37 seconds
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124. Venture Bingo & Cryptomaximalists

Simon Taylor is hosting again and this week he's joined by returning guest Lex Sokolin, Global Fintech Co-Head at Consensys. Together they talk about the latest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: JPMorgan to finance a ledger-based inventory system to remove information asymmetry in the automobile industry (01:44) UK confirms legal status of cryptoassets and smart contracts (11:22) 25,000 Blockchain firms in China tried to issue own cryptos (17:26) Fidelity eyes new client opportunities and an expansion of its crypto trading platform (28:53) The Tweet of the Week comes from @NLW about the volatility of Bitcoin. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (34:46) Check out our brand new documentary 11:YEARS - the Rise of UK Fintech now. Head over to 11years.film to watch for free, and share using #11YEARS. If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Lex Sokolin.
11/28/201937 minutes, 1 second
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123. Bitcoin or britcoin?

Simon Taylor is back in the hosting seat to talk about the latest developments in blockchain, Bitcoin and crypto. Of course, he is not alone! This week Simon is joined by returning guest Aman Kohli, CTO Banking & Cap Markets UKI at DXC. The stories covered this week are: Andreessen Horowitz leads $25M funding round for crypto lending startup (02:22) Why the UK should launch its own cryptocurrency (09:57) Brave browser hits 1.0 with crypto-coin rewards for your fave websites (26:19) Swiss stock exchange SIX lists first income-generating crypto product, tied to tezos token (32:16) The Tweet of the Week comes from @Mayazi about dissident tech and the VC market segment. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (39:00) Check out our brand new documentary 11:YEARS - the Rise of UK Fintech now. Head over to 11years.film to watch for free, and share using #11YEARS. If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Aman Kohli.
11/21/201942 minutes, 31 seconds
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122. ETH 2.0, Bitcoin the asset & blockchain for banking

Simon Taylor is back in London this week with some amazing returning guests: Richard Crook - Director of Lab577 Vinay Gupta - CEO of Mattereum Together they talk about the latest in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto news including: Ethereum's Istanbul hard fork release date is confirmed by core developer (01:46) Bakkt's monthly bitcoin futures hit all-time-high of $15M (08:09) The UN accuses North Korea of laundering money through a blockchain firm (15:48) FBI Director says crypto is a ‘significant issue’ for law enforcement (22:00) Ray Dalio writes about the financial system and why he thinks it's broken (34:16) The Tweet of the Week comes from @PeterMcCormack about his honest opinions on DAI! Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (44:56) Check out our brand new documentary 11:YEARS - the Rise of UK Fintech now. Head over to 11years.film to watch for free, and share using #11YEARS. If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Richard Crook and Vinay Gupta.
11/14/201947 minutes, 33 seconds
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121. Central banks have fomo

Simon Taylor is back this week and still coming to you from New York! Of course he is not alone but joined by some fantastic guests: Sandra Ro - CEO Global Blockchain Business Council Emin Gün Sirer - CEO, AVA Labs Together they talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: China Announces New Regulatory Authority to Certify Digital Payments, Blockchain Products Binance to Open Beijing Office Amid China’s Renewed Blockchain Push Harbor receives transfer agent license from SEC to help security token issuers pay out dividends Association of over 200 German private banks calls for digital euro FATF Releases Guidance on Global Digital IDs as Use Cases Grow Lone Bitcoin Whale Likely Fueled 2017 Price Surge, Study Says The Tweet of the Week comes from @thecryptodog about how Xi Jinping pumped bitcoin! Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! Check out our brand new documentary 11:YEARS - the Rise of UK Fintech now. Head over to 11years.film to watch for free, and share using #11YEARS. If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Emin Gün Sirer and Sandra Ro.
11/7/201946 minutes, 33 seconds
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120. China takes a swing at libra

Simon Taylor and Will White are coming to you from New York this week, and of course they is not alone but joined by some amazing guests: Amber Baldet, Co-founder at Clovyr (pronounced Clover) Mike Dudas, CEO and co-founder at The Block Together they talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: Zuckerberg: Facebook would leave Libra if US regulators don't approve the project (01:35) Twitter’s Jack Dorsey says Hell No to joining Libra (16:20) CCIEE Vice Chairman Says PBOC Will Be First to Roll Out Digital Currency (25:41) Bitcoin Jumps 12% as China’s Xi Embraces Blockchain, Boosting Crypto Sentiment (30:51) Visa-backed crypto custodian Anchorage launches governance voting platform for Maker holders; support for more coins coming (37:06) The Tweet of the Week comes from @ColeGotTweets about the staggering volumes of blockchain related searches on wechat. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! Check out our brand new documentary 11:YEARS - the Rise of UK Fintech now. Head over to 11years.film to watch for free, and share using #11YEARS. If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Amber Baldet, Mike Dudas, and Will White.
10/30/201953 minutes, 51 seconds
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119. Has Bitcoin failed? Is Libra losing?

Simon Taylor is away this week, but Pet Berisha hosts this episode in his place! Of course he is not alone, but joined by some fantastic guests: Aman Kohli, CTO Banking & Cap Markets @ DXC Oliver von Landsberg-Sadie, CEO BCB Group Together they talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: Facebook Open to Currency-Pegged Stablecoin for Libra Project (02:56) A Republican senator just gave Libra its first voice of support in Congress after its rocky start with regulators and partners (12:31) Bitcoin Has Failed But Global Stablecoins a Threat, Say BIS & G7 (15:43) Circle to Spin out Poloniex Less than 2 Years After $400m Takeover (21:27) Samsung SDS Partners With Tech Mahindra for a New DLT Product (27:57) The Tweet of the Week comes from @patio11 about . Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (34:58) We also bring you a very special panel discussion straight from Corda Con, where Simon Taylor and Colin G Platt caught up with Todd McDonald form R3! (38:26) Check out our brand new documentary 11:YEARS - the Rise of UK Fintech now. Head over to 11years.film to watch for free, and share using #11YEARS. If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Aman Kohli and Oliver von Landsberg-Sadie.
10/24/20191 hour, 4 minutes, 7 seconds
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118. Libra has to exist!

Simon Taylor back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto, and of course he is not alone but joined by some awesome guests: David Nicol - Head of Digital Assets R3 Isabel Woodford - Fintech Journalist @ Sifted Together they cover the following stories: Payments giants abandon Facebook’s Libra Cryptocurrency (01:24) David Marcus on Twitter (04:12) New Libra Fork Will Create Permissionless Stablecoin Free of Corporate control (08:46) SEC Halts Alleged $1.7bn Unregistered Digital Token Offering (12:44) SEC not convinced a ‘real’ Bitcoin Market exists, denies Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (19:38) CFTC Chairman Confirms Ethereum is a Commodity (24:13) Tether, Bitfinex Sued for creating the “Largest Bubble in History” (28:52) The Tweet of the Week comes from @lopp about the state of today's IRS guidance! Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (35:07) Check out our brand new documentary 11:YEARS - the Rise of UK Fintech now. Head over to 11years.film to watch for free, and share using #11YEARS. If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: David Nicol and Isabel Woodford.
10/17/201938 minutes, 57 seconds
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117. Blocking Libra left and right

Simon Taylor is back in the hosting seat this week and he is joined by Catherine Rutter from R3 to talk about the latest and greatest news in Blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: Coinbase, Kraken and others develop a system to rate cryptocurrencies on likelihood they are securities (02:22) Blockchain in banking: An inside look at Four Banks’ early blockchain successes & failures (06:17) US House Committee Pressuring Zuckerberg to Testify on Libra (12:51) US Lawmakers Ask FED to Consider Developing ‘National Digital Currency (21:04) German finance minister Olaf Scholz wants to introduce digital euro (23:20) The Tweet of the Week comes from @StephendPalley about the EOS settlement! Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (28:18) We also bring you an amazing interview with Jason Kelley, General Manager,Blockchain services @ IBM! (29:33) Check out our brand new documentary 11:YEARS - the Rise of UK Fintech now. Head over to 11years.film to watch for free, and share using #11YEARS. If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Catherine Rutter.
10/10/201946 minutes, 7 seconds
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116. Blockchain as an excuse

Simon Taylor is back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: Block.one agrees to pay $24M penalty for unregistered EOS ICO (01:32) Swiss Stock Exchange SIX lines up buyers for its Initial Digital Offering (12:05) Fidelity Digital Assets to Provide Custody for Bitcoin Derivatives Yield Fund (20:53) SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce says digital assets could one day be ‘the money of the internet’ (27:16) Barclays, Overstock lead $8m funding for identity startup Evernym (32:10) LedgerX cries foul; CFTC says there’s no favoritism (35:52) The Tweet of the Week comes from @davidmarcus about well... libra! Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (37:44) We also bring you an amazing interview with Matthew Pollard, Founder and CFO at Archax! (41:33) Check out our brand new documentary 11:YEARS - the Rise of UK Fintech now. Head over to 11years.film to watch for free, and share using #11YEARS. If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Richard Cohen.
10/3/201956 minutes, 24 seconds
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115. Bakkt to reality

Simon Taylor is joined by some awesome guests, coming to you straight from Sibos in London! Our brilliant panel of guests include: Todd McDonald, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of R3 Lex Sokolin, Global Fintech Lead @ Consensys Thomas Zeeb, Head Securities & Exchanges @ SIX Group A Together they talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, bitcoin and crypto including: Bakkt Exchange’s Bitcoin Futures See Slow Start on First Day of Trading (01:26) No Chinese yuan in basket underpinning Facebook's Libra (11:59) Swiss Stock Exchange SIX Launches Digital Asset Prototype (25:35) Wells Fargo’s Stablecoin ‘Faster, Cheaper’ Than SWIFT (37:08) The Tweet of the Week comes from @squarecrypto about the bitcoin dream team! Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (44:03) If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Lex Sokolin, Thomas Zeeb, and Todd McDonald.
9/26/201949 minutes, 25 seconds
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114. Why do regulators hate libra?

Simon Taylor is back in the hosting seat this to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto. As always, he is not alone but joined by returning friend of the show Noelle Acheson, Director of Research @ Coindesk! Together they cover the following stories: France and Germany agree to Block Facebook’s Libra (01:36) Facebook’s Crypto Launching in H2 2020, Says Libra Association Chief (09:21) Deutche Bank Joins JPMorgan’s Crypto Payments Network (11:41) Wells Fargo to Pilot Dollar-Linked Stablecoin for Internal Settlement (13:39) Vitalik Buterin speaks out on privacy, DeFi and Ethereum 2.0 (18:39) Harbor Tokenizes Real Estate Funds Worth $100 Million on Ethereum (27:56) What Bitcoin’s Valuation Says About its Volatility (34:41) The Tweet of the Week comes from @JohnWhelan about a $20 million bond on the Ethereum mainnet! Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (41:33) If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Noelle Acheson.
9/19/201947 minutes, 53 seconds
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113. What is the value in bitcoin?

Simon Taylor is back in the hot seat this week and is joined by Tim Swanson to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: Venture Capital Stalwart Fights US Crypto Crackdown (01:27) BAKKT prepares to launch Bitcoin future (06:10) Maximalists can’t meme (09:43) Digital currency can help meet new financial challenges (14:02) What to expect from Binance US (17:37) In other Binance related news, they’ve also launched a dollar-backed Stablecoin (19:18) Netki Retools Digital ID Service for FATF’s New Crypto ‘Travel Rule’ (22:44) The Tweet of the Week comes from @Whale_Alert about bitcoins being transferred from unknown wallet to... unknown wallet! Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (28:20) We also bring you an amazing interview with Ouriel Ohayon, CEO at Zengo! (30:01) If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Ouriel Ohayon and Tim Swanson.
9/12/201941 minutes, 19 seconds
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112. Decentralised point of trust

Producer Pet, 11:FS Senior consultant Will White and DXC's Aman Kholi are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: Telegram Pushes Ahead With Plans for ‘Gram’ Cryptocurrency Alan Howard-backed firm plots $1bn crypto venture Should Crypto Stay Decentralized or Are CBDCs Better? A Crypto Firm Hopes to Get a Banking License From Singapore Portugal’s tax authority says crypto trading and payments are tax-free The Tweet of the Week comes from @StephendPalley, about some faketoshi drama! Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Aman Kohli, Petrit Berisha, and Will White.
9/5/201939 minutes, 7 seconds
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111. Crypto banks

Sara Feenan is in the hosting seat this week as Simon Taylor is getting married! Congratulations Simon! Of course, she is not alone but joined by returning guest David Nicol, digital asset lead at R3! Together they are here to talk about the latest and greatest news in Blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: Carney Urges Libra-Like Reserve Currency to End Dollar Dominance (01:19) Ethereum Poised to Be First Public Blockchain in Hyperledger Consortium (08:18) In first, Swiss regulator issues banking license to two blockchain firms (14:13) Binance Launches Crypto Lending With Up to 15% Annual Interest (18:48) The Tweet of the Week comes from @ricburton about who is and who is not making money from crypto! Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (24:38) We also bring you an amazing interview with Dan Selman, CTO at Clause! (27:16) If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: David Nicol.
8/29/201945 minutes, 55 seconds
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110. Crypto doesn't sit still

Simon Taylor is back this week, and he is joined by returning guest Isabel Woodford, reporter at The Block, to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, bitcoin and crypto. Our stories include: Bakkt confirms September launch date after getting green light from regulators (01:01) Coinbase Custody receiving $200-400M per week in new crypto deposits from institutions (05:45) Barclays ends partnership with cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase: sources (07:37) CoinTelegraph: Santander Denies Reports of Blocking Coinbase Deposits in the UK (13:01) E-commerce giant Rakuten publicly launches crypto exchange; currently supports BTC, ETH and BCH (15:15) Crypto Exchange Binance Announces New Stablecoin Initiative (18:39) SEC consent order in ICO case suggests that non-existent SAFT tokens might actually be securities (22:37) New York Supreme Court Denies Bitfinex’s Lack-of-Jurisdiction Claim (28:01) The Tweet of the Week comes from @CSUwildcat about his very honest opinions on blockchains. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (31:51) We also bring you an amazing interview from when producer Petrit spoke to Ivan Gowan, CEO of Currency.com! (36:04) If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Isabel Woodford.
8/22/201958 minutes, 31 seconds
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109. Not crypto, but cryptography

On today's episode, Simon Taylor is joined by Anthoney Macey, Head of Emerging Tech at Barclays to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and Crypto including: Allianz's payment token is in ‘advanced stages’ (0:47) Kakao go Cuckoo for Crypto (7:46) China’s Digital Currency (12:06) Mastercard make more blockchain moves (20:05) Lawsuit claims XRP is an unregistered security (24:07) We hear from Samantha Emery, FCA Innovate's Interim Head of Department (26:29) The Tweet of the Week comes from Todd McDonald (@Mcdtv) about how Daimler and Commerzbank are piloting digital cash for machine payments. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Anthony Macey.
8/15/201939 minutes, 2 seconds
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108. Who's Been Using Bitcoin?

On today's episode, Simon Taylor is joined by some great guests to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, Bitcoin and crypto. Today's guests include: Teana Baker-Taylor, Executive Director & Board Member at Global Digital Finance Claudio Bellei, Data Scientist at Elliptic We cover the following stories from the blockchain and crypto space: 98% of Bitcoin is Used for Legal Things (1:41) Crypto Catches Mastercard’s Eye (26:00) The Largest Crypto Transfer Ever? (32:25) A $120m ‘Digital IPO’ (39:17) The Tweet of the Week comes from Ryan Selkis (@TwoBitidiot) about Bitcoin rising as global currency wars ramp up a gear. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guests: Claudio Bellei and Teana Baker-Taylor.
8/8/201948 minutes, 44 seconds
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107. Libra causing a regulatory Ripple

Simon and Colin are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, including: Could China Rival Facebook’s Libra? (0:58) The IRS are Coming for your Crypto (7:43) Ripple’s Open Letter to Congress (11:25) Russian Bitcoin Thief Sued (24:40) The Tweet of the Week comes from @DanielQue about the vulnerabilities of decentralised finance. Why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! (29:20) We also bring you an amazing interview with Michel Rauchs, Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Lead at the Cambridge Centre of Alternative Finance! (35:36) If you enjoyed the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show at: www.twitter.com/bchaininsider Special Guest: Michel Rauchs.
8/1/201947 minutes, 8 seconds
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106. Libra: The downfall of western civilisation?

Simon and Colin are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain! First up, Simon and Colin discuss David Marcus' Senate plea. Colin explains why his 3 biggest takeaways from Marcus' plea were: surprisingly a lot of people in government do not like Facebook, Libra seems to be at a really early stage, and that Libra setting up in Geneva is potentially a fatal mistake. (1:45) Next, the pair talk about the DAWG (Digital Asset Working Group) report. They describe how it's really interesting to have a bunch of people who really understand the market look at tokens and say that there's a revenue opportunity, if banks can overcome regulatory uncertainty and find ways to comply. (24:24) Other stories include: * SWIFT sees success with global instant cross-border payments with Singapore’s FAST (31:15) * It’s official: Indian Government Wants to Ban Bitcoin (36:56) * CFTC Probing Crypto Exchange BitMEX Over Client Trades (38:50) We also have a great Tweet of the Week from Mr @sytaylor himself explaining why rather than hating Libra, people should be more exited about it! (43:26) All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse.
7/25/201953 minutes, 45 seconds
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105. Donald Trump hates Libra......and Bitcoin

Simon and Colin are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain! First up, the pair take a look at an article about a draft discussion bill titled "Keep Big Tech Out of Finance Act" which aims to stop tech colossuses from becoming financial institutions. They point out that this bill is a long way from becoming a reality and explain how this bill is seemingly targeted towards Facebook's Libra. (00:55) Next up, Simon and Colin break down an article about Mark Carney's statement that Libra is not "learning on the job" stuff, but must be rock solid from the get go, or it simply won't start. Carney also says that Libra pose a wide range of risks, which Simon explains could be due, in part, to optimistic tech developers not worrying about the many important things that could go wrong, as much as central bankers do. (08:05) Other stories include: * Fidelity, Deloitte, Amazon support new blockchain accelerator (19:52) * Binance burns $24 million worth of BNB tokens allocated to team (24:43) Our Tweet of the Week comes from @realDonaldTrump about his hatred of Bitcoin and Libra! (30:45) We also have another brilliant interview for you, this week from Dora Matheidesz, Senior Innovation Manager for blockchain at HSBC (35:00) All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guest: Dora Matheidesz.
7/18/201947 minutes, 25 seconds
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104. Banks, Tezos & Tokens

Simon and Colin are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, including: Brazilian bank, Tezos and $1 Billion, IBM tries to make paper the past, and Swiss STO's! First up, the pair look at how the Swiss central bank was asked to issue stock exchange digital currency. This is so that the cryptocurrency could be used to settle payments on the Swiss Stock exchange's new digital securities trading platform. The two discuss whether this is really a stable coin or just tokenised central bank money, whether it's a more long term play or more focused on PR, and loads more! (1:07) Next up, Simon and Colin talk about the Banco BTG Pactual SA, Latin America’s biggest standalone investment bank, which has teamed up with Dubai asset manager Dalma Capital to sell more than $1 billion worth of so-called security tokens. BTG Partner Andre Portilho explained that capital markets still have infrastructure that was designed for an analog, local world. He then went on to say it's their responsibility to understand and lead the implementation of new technologies which could change the market. (7:19) Other stories include: * Banks, IBM and Scentre Group join forces to overhaul bank guarantees (16:46) * Digital currency operators must comply with rules: Bank of Japan's Amamiya (22:09) We also have a great Tweet of the Week from @Zhusu about Singapore tax authority's proposal to exempt all use of cryptocurrency (as a medium of exchange) from goods and services tax! (27:17) We also have another brilliant interview for you, this week from Matthew Pollard, Founder of Archax! (29:32) All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guest: Matthew Pollard.
7/11/201943 minutes, 36 seconds
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103. Tethery’licious Bitcoin

Simon and Colin are back this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, including: Libra fallout continues, Polkadot and tethery’licious volume! First up, we take a look at how central banks plan to create digital currencies, and it recieves backing! Augustin Castens, The GM of the Bank of International Settlements, has said that Global central banks may have to issue their own digital currencies sooner than expected! When asked about Libra, Castens said “The issue is how will the currency be used? Will there to be a discovery of information or data that can be used in credit provision and how will data privacy be protected?". A couple of months ago, the conversation was more around how you don't need central bank digital currencies, has libra changed the tone of the conversation? (01:13) Next we talk about the 5 Reasons why Facebook’s new cryptocurrency ‘Libra’ is bad news for Africa! The reasons stated are as following: - Libra Coin is Digital Colonization by Proxy - Libra Coin Is a Threat to African Central Bank and Monetary Policy - Libracoin is Threat to African Sovereignty and the African People - Africa Will Give Up Control Over It’s Digital Economy to Libra coin and Facebook - Big Brother Africa Colin argues that one big caveat in this article is that Africa is not one big country, and a lot of statements in this article are rather generalising. Simon argues that this article is written looking through a very dystopian lens. Could Libra be considered dystopian? (08:44) Other stories include: * UK crypto scene set for boost as London firm poised for FCA approval (14:11) * Globacap Launches FCA-Regulated Digital Security Offering Platform (18:07) * Ethereum Co-Founder’s Polkadot Closes Token Sale, Claims $1.2 Billion Valuation (23:33) * Wha-Tether could be going on with the bitcoin price? (30:27) We also have another brilliant interview for you, this week from Brian Behlendorf, Executive Director of the Hyperledger Project! We also have a great Tweet of the Week from @APompliano, about all the exciting things that's happened in crypto this week. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guest: Brian Behlendorf.
7/4/20191 hour, 9 minutes, 14 seconds
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102. Libra: The banks are sh***ing themselves

Colin and Simon are back this week with some brilliant stories for you! First up, we take a look at libra, libra and even more libra! We discussed it last week, but it really is all crypto twitter is talking about at the moment! Simon and Colin take a look at some of the responses to the announcement, and they start with the Congress wish for Facebook to stop the coin until the Congress can fully understand it! Colin argues that it is massively positive that people are watching and taking notes and that we now have the congress reacting! The only problem is that, according to Colin, it can take years until the Congress fully understands what libra actually is... (01.26) Next, we talk about what libra means for the world of crypto! Investors put record levels of money into bitcoin futures at regulated exchanges in the United States and Britain last month. Colin argues that bitcoin seems to do better than the other cryptocurrencies at the moment, so maybe that is a sign that if there is an institutional activity going on, is it happening more so in bitcoin than elsewhere? (25:52) We wrap up this episode by talking about all the all the enterprise announcements! (31:43) This week, the tweet of the week is somewhat different as we bring you a website of the week instead! (43:24) All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse.
6/27/201946 minutes, 28 seconds
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101. Libra: Facebook's world domination

In today's episode, Simon and Sarah are joined by a host of brilliant guests and friends of the show, to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, which this week largely involves Facebook! Today's guests include: Teana Baker-Taylor, GDF Executive director Anthony Macey, Director of Emerging Technology at Barclays First up we take a look at Facebook's big news! So, has Facebook just started the next generation payment network? Libra is a "low volatility" cryptocurrency and Facebook said they are mainly working on addressing two problems: banking the unbanked and transferring money globally. So, what does this mean for the cryptocurrency ecosystem? Is this going to propel virtual assets into the mainstream? (01:02) Next up, we talk about how Block.One launching a social media platform! The platform is called Voice, and is currently raising $150m to launch. So, social pursues crypto, and now crypto is pursuing social? Is this a trend we will see more of? The panel argues that whilst it is an interesting move into micropayments within a social media platforms, it remains to be seen whether it will be successful or not. (26:19) We also have a great Tweet of the Week from @mdm_z on Facebook’s new initiative name and how it's not working down under... (30:40) Before we leave you, we have another awesome interview, this time from the mainstage at Money20/20 where Simon was joined by Wei Zhou, CFO over at Binance! (31:46) All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Anthony Macey and Teana Baker-Taylor.
6/20/201955 minutes, 2 seconds
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Bonus: Sir Geoffrey Vos, Chancellor of the High Court

In this bonus episode, we bring you an interview with the Chancellor of The High Court, Sir Geoffrey Vos, to hear his views on the current state of English law and blockchain technologies. Is there a substantial legal ground in place to solve disputes arising on a blockchain? Are coders disregarding the need for a strong legal foundation? The Chancellor is currently working with the lawtech delivery panel on a public consultation on the status of crypto assets, distributed ledger technology and smart contracts under the English law. They are currently accepting feedback on the document until the 21st of June. The Chancellor joins us to discuss the current state of the English law around crypto technologies and why there is a need for this consultation. If you want to get involved, click on this link, review the consultation paper and fill out the form before the 21st of June. https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/news/stories/cryptoassets-dlt-and-smart-contracts-ukjt-consultation/ All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guest: Sir Geoffrey Vos.
6/18/201920 minutes, 1 second
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100. Live: Bitcoin - not just for Lamborghinis!

We are turning 100 episodes old! In this live episode, Simon and Colin are joined by a host of brilliant guests to talk about the last 99 episodes and topics including ICOs, STOs, PTKs, Regulation, Bitcoin, Crypto, DLT, Banking, Consortia and much, much more. Our brilliant guests include: Teana Baker-Taylor, Exec Director GDF Peter McCormack, ‘What Bitcoin Did’ Podcast Oliver Harris, Head of Quorum & Crypto-Assets Strategy at J.P. Morgan This live panel discussion is about 3 topics: Bitcoin & Adoption, Crypto, Regulation & Tokens, and DLT & Banking. To start off, Peter tells us how bitcoin can really be used to change peoples lives! He gives the example of how a woman transferred bitcoin from the UK to her father in law in India to pay for his hospital fees. Bitcoin is not only for buying Lamborghinis! Next, the panel talk about Crypto, Regulation & Tokens! Back when this podcast started there were many tokens created out of thin air, according to Simon, but then the regulators came... Now, the language has changed and the panel asks, where are we at now? Last but not least, CLT & Banking. So, is there anything going on in DLT and Banking? Is it dead? Colin argues yes and no. At least there is a lot to talk about in this area! All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Oliver Harris, Peter McCormack, and Teana Baker-Taylor.
6/13/201949 minutes, 11 seconds
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Live from Money20/20: Why tokens might be the future of finance

In today's bonus episode Simon joined by a host of brilliant guests directly from the stage at Money20/20, including: Matthew Pollard, Founder Archax Sandra Ro, CEO, CBBC Lasse Meholm, Head of Blockchain & DLT Strategy, DNB Bank First up the panel discuss Centralised VS Decentralised. Is the word decentralisation scary? Should we use the word distributed instead? Banks are already decentralised, but would it be more efficient to have one bank to rule them all? Can we move to a world where there is a mutable ledger? Or are we just dropping buzzwords at this point? Next, we talk about Utilities VS Securities! So, what is a token? What is the difference between a token and a traditional accounting entry? Can you think of tokens as loyalty points? What about the word security? Also, salt, squirrels and gold dragons, have you got your historical currencies straight? Join us for a quick quiz on what items used to be treated as currency! Finally, our panel talks about the future of programmable money. First of all, what does it mean? Could there be a case of social money granted from the government getting programmed to only be useable in the way the government wants you to use it? Should the government have access to that information? Or, could it mean a more frictionless way for companies to participate in capital formation? All this and so much more on this week's bonus episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Lasse Meholm, Matthew Pollard, and Sandra Ro.
6/6/201935 minutes, 26 seconds
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99. Blockchain for mashed potatoes

Colin and Simon are back this week with some brilliant stories for you! First up, Facebook do a thing, Facebook do a coin! We take a look at Facebook's announcement to launch global coin by 2020. They want to provide a digital currency that offers affordable and secure ways or paying regardless of whether or not the user has a bank account. Simon notes that numerous attempts have been made and with David Marcus' leading this initiative they might be on to something. Also, with global coin, you probably have to have gone through some sort of identity KYC somewhere, so will this make Facebook a popular platform to hack? Next, we talk about EY.com who are planning on helping Blockchain Wine Pte. Ltd build a blockchain platform for wine distributors across Asia and worldwide. Colin... hates it. In his opinion, companies with limited knowledge of the value proposition of blockchain, are selling other companies really bad use case ideas. Colin thinks it is going to be inefficient and clunky and compares it to a French company that tried to sell instant mashed potatoes using the same method. Simon argues that there is only so much fun you can have with your own blockchain... We also have a great Tweet of the Week from @fredwilson, on why the next big tech sector will centre itself in Asia rather than the USA... Before we leave you, we have another awesome interview. We spoke to Diogo Monica, CO-Founder and President at Anchorage! Other stories include: * Hollywood producer raises $100m for media focused Security token * Vitas Vasiliauskas: Central bank digital currencies All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse Special Guest: Diogo Mónica.
5/30/201952 minutes, 33 seconds
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98. Do the crime, do the time

Colin is nowhere to be seen today, but luckily Simon is joined by Blockchain Insider favourite Sarah Feenan! First up, JPMorgan says the bitcoin price has jumped beyond its intrinsic value! JPMorgan seems to previously have treated bitcoin as a commodity and priced it calculating its cost of production. Sarah remarks it is interesting that JPMorgan treated it like a commodity, as there have been attempts to value cryptocurrencies over the years, and treating it as a commodity is not a way known to her. Simon describes bitcoin as gold with a teleporter, it's not always accepted as a form of payment, but it is clearly a valuable object. (02.02) Next up, ABN AMRO eyes launch of blockchain inventory platform and are said to be dropping their bitcoin wallet plan. The new platform is for trade inventory and is called Forcefield. It is designed to provide a real-time view of bitcoin trade inventories. Sarah points out that unfortunately, ABN keeps getting reminded of their bitcoin plan each time they release a new product but that idea was, in fact, dropped years ago! Simon wonders about the product side of this. What is the interface going to look like? Will it solve problems people actually have? (07.10) We also have a great Tweet of the Week from @60 minutes, about how a mans want for pizza cost him hundreds of millions of dollars! Oh dear. For those of you who thought we would make it through this whole episode without Colin Platt, well, we did not! Here is a great interview with Anton Roudakov the Head of Sales at Kaiko! Other stories include: * Beyond KYC: Regulators Set to Adopt Tough New Rules for Crypto Exchanges * Brave Browser to Raise Over $30 Million in Series A Equity Round * Sean Coonce -The Most Expensive Lesson Of My Life: Details of SIM port hack All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse.
5/23/201954 minutes, 32 seconds
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97. Democratization of Bagholding

Simon Taylor is back in the hosting seat and is as always joined by Colin Platt all the way from sunny France! First up, Nordea launches a blockchain-based trading platform for SMEs. The new offering is built on the we.trade platform developed by a group of 12 banks using IBM blockchain technology. Nordea hopes by building an ecosystem for the buyer and seller, the bank will take on a new role of interacting with customers as early as from the order, not just at the time of payment. Colin is largely positive to this, but is a bit more sceptical to how this will fit in with supply systems. However, were it to be successful, could it be a way of enabling trade and create an ecosystem for global trading? (01:19) Next up, NeSEC’s Crypto Czar says exchanges that list IEOs (initial exchange offerings) may face legal risks! A top Securities and Exchange Commission official has said that certain exchanges that facilitate IEO's may be breaking U.S. securities laws. The duo argues that there are a lot of rules put in place for these things, and you can't just do all that fun stuff that is regulated but without any of the regulations. Also, let's remember, the US’s arms go way pass its border, better follow the rules! (04:34). To round up, we've got a great interview with Muneeb Ali - CEO of Blockstack, who tells us all about Blockstack and what the reggae plus offering was all about. (36.37). Other stories include: Microsoft Launches Decentralized Identity Tool on Bitcoin Blockchain Facebook rolls back the ban on cryptocurrency ads as it ramps up its own blockchain efforts A Loan Shark Situation’: MakerDAO Is Leaving Crypto Borrowers With Rising Bills Bitcoin's Bulls Are Revving Up the Lamborghinis We've got a great Tweet of the Week from @paoloardoin on Bitfinex's ability to raise 1b USDt in ten days! All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guest: Muneeb Ali.
5/16/201951 minutes, 22 seconds
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96. Like FUD off a duck's back

Colin and Sara are joined by a host of brilliant guests this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, including: Aman Kohli, CTO of Banking and Cap markets UKI at DXC Technology Isabel Woodford, Reporter at The Block Richard Crook, Director at LAB577 First up, we take a look at Project Libra. Facebook's long-rumored stablecoin will be at the center of a brand new payments network and is in discussions with payment networks Visa and Mastercard. The group discusses whether Facebook could be the Metro Bank or Monzo and asks if there's a strong enough use-case for the coin at all (02:16). Next we talk about SIX’s planned digital exchange going live with a native token and an “initial digital offering” (IDO) service in 2020. By 2021, they expect the SIX Digital Exchange (SDX) to be tokenizing traditional securities such as equities, fixed income and funds, provided the regulatory set-up is in place. Our guests ask if the token was made just because everyone else was doing it (11:30). We also have a great Tweet of the Week from @VladZamfir on calling Ether money. Other stories include: Fidelity Will Offer Cryptocurrency Trading Within a Few Weeks Regulators Ready to Approve Ethereum Futures NY Attorney General’s office alleges “substantial evidence of fraudulent conduct” at Bitfinex and Tether All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Aman Kohli, Isabel Woodford, and Richard Crook.
5/9/20191 hour, 7 minutes, 29 seconds
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95. Curated scavenger hunts

Simon and Colin are here this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain. First up, we take a look at banking culture hindering blockchain adoption. Emmanuel Aidoo, the head of digital market assets at Credit Suisse, has stated - it is banking culture that has so far slowed the adoption of blockchain technology in the financial industry. Colin comments it's a refreshing thing to hear and that banks need to learn how to take small risks. Simon adds that companies moving from what they're known for into innovative technologies can be and has been done successfully before (01:11). Next we talk about how Jaguar Land Rover is planning to allow helpful car drivers to earn cryptocurrency. The car company is testing software that will allow drivers of its cars to earn the IOTA cryptocurrency as a reward for sharing data. The company is developing what it calls “smart wallet” technology to be installed in its automobiles. Simon remarks that it's an interesting concept but it hasn't been tested at scale yet and it makes sense that companies would want to get their hands on that data (13:09). We have a great Tweet of the Week from @elonmusk on Ethereum. Colin sat down with Stephen Palley from the Anderson Kill law firm to talk about BSV (34:00). Other stories include: Nike’s ‘cryptokicks’ trademark application hints at its new blockchain ambitions Bitfinex Covered $850 Million Loss Using Tether Funds, NY Prosecutors Allege After the Bust, Are Bitcoins More Like Tulip Mania or the Internet? All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guest: Stephen Palley.
5/2/20191 hour, 33 seconds
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94. Binance gets Dex’y

Simon and Colin are here (well Simon is, Colin's still in a field) to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain this week. First up, we take a look at Societe Generale issuing the first covered bond as a security token on a public blockchain. Societe Generale SFH, the covered bond vehicle of Societe Generale, issued the first covered bond (EUR 100m) as a security token on a public blockchain. Colin remarks that as far as he can tell it appears to be a live transaction on the public Ethereum blockchain which is a big move. Simon adds that as bond issuances go it's not massive but for blockchain transactions it's really significant (01:08). Next we talk about the London Stock Exchange collaboration on first issue of Blockchain ‘token’ shares. Around £3m worth of shares in technology company 2030 were issued in token form and settled in a test environment on the LSE’s Turquoise equity trading service. Colin comments that he doesn't believe it'll open up a new realm of new issuances of bonds by itself as tokens don't change story from current technology. Simon suggests that momentum is building in the distance (06:25). We also have a great Tweet of the Week from @mayazi on Consensys raising $200M. Other stories include: Binance Launches Decentralized Exchange Ahead of Schedule Skeptic’s Lens: Can Binance Revive DEXs? Coinbase Generated $520m in revenue last year Serena Williams invested in Coinbase All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse.
4/25/201931 minutes, 53 seconds
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93. No such thing as a private blockchain

Simon and Colin are here this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain. First up, we take a look at Blockstack Files With SEC to Raise $50 Million in Reg-A+ Crypto Token Sale. Blockstack, who aim to create the infrastructure for the decentralised internet, has announced it aims to raise $50m in a token sale that would leverage the SEC’s regulation A+ crowdfunding exemption. Colin comments that it's good that the process is being done correctly, it's right that they're doing it correctly and explains what he's learned from his recent conversations with banks (01:30). Next we talk about Coinbase And Visa Are Making Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple's XRP And Litecoin Payments A Reality. Coinbase has teamed up with global payments processor Visa, launching the Coinbase Card which allows users to "spend crypto as effortlessly as the money in their bank." Simon remarks that we've seen this many times before, explains what costs might be baked into the card and adds that it's interesting to see the Visa logo with the card when usually it's Mastercard and Visa tend to do things at considerable scale (13:45). We also have a great Tweet of the Week from @richatmakerdao on MakerDAO's new Stability Fee. Other stories include: ING Bank experimenting with zero-knowledge proofs IMF and World Bank launch a ‘learning coin’ to teach staff about blockchain Japanese Bank Abandons Work With SBI Ripple’s ‘Money Tap’ App All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse.
4/18/201935 minutes, 35 seconds
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92. The richest man in the world

Simon and Colin are joined by a host of brilliant guests this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, including: Teana Baker-Taylor, Executive Director at GDF Todd McDonald, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer R3 Stephane Malrait, MD Global Head of Market Structure & Innovation for Financial Markets at ING Paul Gordon, Founder & Director of Coinscrum First up, we take a look at Big banks backing a new international blockchain alliance. Barclays, BBVA, Deutsche Boerse and Swift are among the financial services sector names to join a new collective promoting the development of a global framework for the development and adoption of DLT. Teana Baker-Taylor comments that Trade Associations have become in-vogue lately around these issues and that it's a good thing as the industry needs the support and for people to put the work in (02:10). Next we talk about Barclays, RBS, R3 cutting property transaction times in blockchain trial. R3-affiliated Instant Property Network (IPN), announced Thursday that the trial used test data to carry out simulated property transactions over a distributed ledger system over a five day period. Todd remarks that this is a real tangible case study that can explain what blockchain can bring to property markets (12:17). We also have a great Tweet of the Week from @VitalikButerin on PTK. Other stories include: CME Group Bitcoin Futures Reported Record Trading Volume on April 4 What you need to know: Understanding the SEC’s New Security Token Framework All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Paul Gordon, Stephane Malrait, Teana Baker-Taylor, and Todd McDonald.
4/11/201954 minutes, 29 seconds
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91. The great wealth transfer

Simon is in Singapore this week but he's not alone. He's joined by Antony Lewis, Director Digital Assets at R3 to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain. First up, we take a look at Google adding hardware security extensions for Firefox and Edge browsers. Antony comments that the technology being used was developed by blockchain companies years ago and Simon adds that we might see an increase in this sort of thing happening across mainstream sectors (1:46). Next we talk about Bithumb being hacked, Antony suggests that it might have been an accident by management and that you can never be sure if these hacks are coming from inside the company, an exit scam or outside hackers (07:52). Antony also explains just what a blockchain firewall is for all of those who've been asking. We have a great Tweet of the Week from @twobitidiot on the great wealth transfer (24:00). That's not all, Colin caught up with Mance Harmon CEO and Co-Founder of Hedera Hashgraph to talk about what they're doing with 39 blue chip companies and blockchain in Texas (25:47). Other stories include: A look inside crypto firm Galaxy Digital, founded by ‘sidelined’ Wall Street legend Mike Novogratz All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Antony Lewis and Mance Harmon.
4/4/201948 minutes, 1 second
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90. The 'real' bitcoin market

Sara is joined by Tim Swanson, Founder and Director of Research at Post Oak Labs, this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain. First up, we take a look at Bitwise ETF filing - The ‘real Bitcoin market. A majority of bitcoin trading volume is artificially created by unregulated exchanges, according to Bitwise Asset Management. The firm attached a report, in a bitcoin-based ETF submission, in which it collected and analyzed Bitcoin trading data, over four days in March, across 81 cryptocurrency exchanges. Tim comments that exchanges located in certain areas have a habit of exaggerating their volume and Sara unpacks some of the deeper issues this raises (01:18). Next we talk about the failed ICO trying to flog itself on eBay. For as little as $60,000, a slice of history could be yours. That's the starting price in an eBay auction for all the documents, all of the branding, all of the strings of 1s and 0s, and all the broken dreams of an initial coin offering (ICO) that never managed to sell a single token. Sarah comments that she has no idea what the company does because it hasn't built anything and Tim adds that they have no capital which is why they're selling on eBay (8:01). Colin may be gone but he's still managed to do an interview with Alex Batlin, Founder and CEO of Trustology for a scoop on an annoucement they just had to share (15:33). We also have a great Tweet of the Week from @antony_btc on Deconomy (25:36). Colin also spoke to Will Martino, CEO and Founder, and Tony Pham, Lead on Marketing at Kadena to talk about blockchain, smart contracts and hitting the reach goals for the industry (26:35). Other stories include: Square Staffing up for new Cryptocurrency Unit, Says Jack Dorsey All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Alex Batlin, Tim Swanson, Tony Pham, and Will Martino.
3/28/201948 minutes
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89. Checkmate

Colin and Simon are here in the studio to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, including: First up, we take a look at Binance Coin. The pair talk about why the cost has gone up so much and Simon comments that this isn't too dissimilar to a company doing a share buy-back to grow the value of the shares and if this makes the coin more like a security (01:26). Next we talk about Citi scrapping its plan for a JPM coin-lke bank-backed crypto having decided that other technologies provide more efficient and effective solutions. It's a topic Colin and Simon have talked about quite a few times before. Colin suggests that JP Morgan's approach has been more considered and analytical with a deeper plan in place than Citi. He adds that being wary and understanding new technologies is important but if you're just looking for a solution then using existing technology makes sense, but too many companies have tried to exist in a halfway house between the two (07:16). We also have a great Tweet of the Week from @CasPiancey on the d(evolution) of Tether Finishing off the show we caught up with Kerry Denerstein, Regulatory Affairs Lead at CLS Group (37:25). Other stories include: CBOE halts Bitcoin futures, considering conceding market to CME ASX - Deloitte - Australian Financial Review All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guest: Kerry Denerstein.
3/21/201955 minutes, 31 seconds
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88. Fire emoji

Colin is joined by a host of brilliant guests this week to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain, including: Michael Coletta, Lead blockchain architect, LSEG Stefan Loesch, Managing Partner at LexByte Noelle Acheson, Editorial Producer at Coindesk Dr. Vic Arulchandran, COO Nivaura Ric Burton, CEO Balance Fair warning - this is a firey episode. First up, we take a look at claims that BitGo may have exaggerated its insurance coverage. One of the underwriters behind BitGo’s $100 million cryptocurrency insurance policy has accused the custodian of exaggerating the scope of its coverage by using “ambiguous language”. Noelle points out that the small print is easy to access and that it's unreasonable to expect marketing documents to have that information clearly laid out and says that calling it misleading is up to interpretation, but probably unfair for an underwriter to say. Brace yourself, the debate gets intense. Seriously. (01:26). Next we talk about the Swiss Stock Exchange SIX's decision to tokenise equity on R3's Corda Blockchain. The goal for SDX is creating a regulated exchange platform for digital assets, starting with stocks and then exploring other tradable instruments. The intense debate continues with questions around why SIX has decided to use Corda, long term versus short term gains and how the new world can fit into the old world (21:25) All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Dr. Vic Arulchandran, Michael Coletta, Noelle Acheson, Richard Burton, and Stefan Loesch.
3/14/201956 minutes, 35 seconds
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Bonus: Omaha blockchain summit

Today we have a very special bonus episode of Blockchain Insider for you, from the Omaha blockchain summit we have a rare chance to get some real leaders in the field all together in the same room to discuss some of the most pressing issues in blockchain and how the industry is reacting to changes. Amber Baldet is joined by a roundtable of some very special blockchain guests including: Sandra Ro, CEO GBBC Steven Becker, President & COO MakerDAO Richard Burton, CEO Balance Ingrid Wadell, Director Disruptive Technologies & Innovation Kyle Tut, Co-Founder BlockEra Our guests talk about partnerships, banks, finance projects, crypto communities and what keeps them up at night. Special Guests: Amber Baldet, Ingrid Wadell, Kyle Tut, Richard Burton, Sandra Ro, and Steven Becker.
3/12/201925 minutes, 52 seconds
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87. Forked off

Simon and Colin are joined by Antony Lewis, Director of Research, Cash & CBDC Strategy at R3. First up, Thailand has now approved a total of 4 cryptocurrencies. But the regulator has made clear that approval doesn't make the coins legal tender. Antony explains that there's a bit more going on here than meets the eye, it means that ICOs can accept the cryptocurrencies for funding (01:20). Next, it turns out that blockchain isn't the only option for APAC bankers. SWIFT is being touted as a great alternative and far superior to blockchain in terms of payments. Antony comments on the confusion around when do you pay and how SWIFT allows for tracking payment like tracking a parcel (07:21). To round out the show we've got a great interview from Colin with Steve Gattuso and Jacob Blish from the Alpine team who are behind the TCR Party project! They talk about (39:35). Other stories include: Facebook and Telegram Are Hoping to Succeed Where Bitcoin Failed London Stock Exchange Leads $20 Million Fundraise for Blockchain Startup Nivaura French President Macron advocates the use of blockchain in European agriculture We've got a great Tweet of the Week from @cburniske on mainstream developer traction. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Antony Lewis, Jacob Blish, and Steve Gattuso.
3/7/201959 minutes, 33 seconds
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86. Too legit to quit

Simon and Colin are in the studio, together again. First up, Brazil's BTG Pactual is the latest bank to embrace crypto assets. Colin explains how the biggest sole investment bank in Brazil have been moving into the crypto-asset market, making them the first in South America to do so. Colin remarks how the real story is that a bank is letting people pay for things with crypto, it's interesting to see how this will work out and the pair dive into the story (01:17). Next, a Yen-pegged Stablecoin is set to be launched in March by Japanese banking giant Mizuho. Simon goes over how the new 'J-coin' sounds like Venmo but with a coin in it and neither of them are sure what makes this a stablecoin. Simon also explains how the coins are being treated as cash, but they're not because the money's coming from bank accounts and why that matters (05:00). Simon also has an interview with Adrien Treccani, CEO of Metaco to talk about crypto and custody (33:08). Other stories include: A European exchange giant is getting ready for crypto futures Coinbase Lists XRP and the price jumps 10% We've got a great Tweet of the Week from @VitalikButerin on sound money and insititutional adoption All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! • We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! • Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. • This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guest: Adrien Treccani.
2/28/201957 minutes, 18 seconds
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85. JP Morgan do a coin

Simon's in the studio joined by 11:FS Head of Delivery Adam Davis and David Nicol, Digital Assets at R3. First up, JPM Coin (01:12). You may have noticed that we're focusing pretty hard on this story but that's because it's huge news for crypto and we wanted to do a bit of a special on it. The panel gets into what makes this coin so special and why it's such a surprise to see JPM go in this direction. Adam shares why he thinks the term cryptocurrency is so loaded and argues that JPM Coin isn't really a coin at all but a token. Simon dives deep into double entry bookkeeping and how it applies. David Nicol explains the role fractional reserve banking plays in how the coin is backed and that it's only a matter of time until the other major banks start doing similar things. We go through the reactions this news caused on the Twittersphere, including comments from Jameson Lopp, Brad Garlinghouse and Maya Zehavi. Moving away from tweets the panel goes back to the news by looking at an analysis of the top 10 narratives for pushing JPMC (32:26). Our experts go through the narratives in a quick-fire round and address the criticisms of JPM Coin, Adam points out that it's addressing a real use case before the group talks about broad and narrow money, clearing banks, balance sheets and digital currency. We've got a great Tweet of the Week from @AriDavidPaul on crypto fiat (government controlled permissioned cryptocurrencies) becoming a battleground. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Adam Davis and David Nicol.
2/21/201948 minutes, 25 seconds
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Bonus: The future of interoperability

Simon and Sara are at the ION Hackathon. The hackathon's all about interoperability and the general interoperability framework. It's not just about Ethereum to Ethereum, which is what Clearmatics is working on, it can be used for other platforms including legacy. Interoperability is a way for systems to talk to each other efficiently across different dematerialised assets. The hackathon has people working on three different platforms, Ethereum, Hyperledger fabric and Corda 2. Simon and Sara dive into what this all means before talking to some very interesting people, including: George Ornbo, CTO of Clearmatics Edward Budd, Co-Founder of Adhara Dr. David Wild, Head of Computer Science at Bedford school Antony Denyer CTO of Web3 Labs Puneetha K, Blockchain Platform Engineer at Web3 Labs Dr. Lee Braine, Investment Bank CTO office at Barclays John Whelan, Head of Digital Investment Banking at Banco Santander Simon talks to George Ornbo about interoperability functioning in a trustless manner, moving from changing value to changing state and now to adapting for Hyperledger. A full DVP workflow was released prior to the hackathon and that's what the teams are working on. Reformed banker Ed Budd giveds some insight on how ION can support Adhara's business and how interoperability means that companies will no longer need to be locked into a particular software vendor. Dr. David Wild and the group from Bedford school who had only started working with Ethereum two days prior to the event talk to Simon about getting students involved with intellectually demanding extracurricular subjects and having them exposed to it early. It's all new to the students so the focus is on identifying what they can take on and solving the problem of data exchange across exam boards. They're using the ION framework to simulate ways people can talk to each other in the same language and in a secure way. Simon sits with Web3 Labs CTO Antony Denyer and Blockchain Platform Engineer at Web3 Labs Puneetha K, to talk about how the Java community is developing and scaling in the Ethereum network. How enterprise grade applications on blockchain are really all about Java and how Web3 Labs has used the hackathon. ION also showed them a faster way of verifying data but application level verification is still vital to verifying data over time. Dr. Lee Braine worked on the ION hackathon for Barclays with Clearmatics to discover what others thought of the protocol and if the appetite was there amongst other companies. Interoperability is one of the most complex topics in the blockchain space and Simon talks to the doctor about all aspects of it and how the hackathon was judged using creativity, innovation and presentation of the solutions. John Whelan shares his experience as a judge for the ION hackathon. He shares that the world's acceptance of many distributed ledgers means that they'll be built on multiple different technologies including Ethereum, Hyperledger fabric, Corda or digital asset. Interoperability is necessary for these ledgers to work together. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Antony Denyer, Dr. David Wild and Bedford School students, Dr. Lee Braine, Ed Budd, George Ornbo, John Whelan, and Puneetha K..
2/19/201943 minutes, 36 seconds
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84. Does anyone need a blockchain?

Simon's in the studio joined by Colin who's finally left his field. But they're not alone. Sara Feenan, Business Development Manager at Clearmatics, Anthony Macey Blockchain/DLT at Barclays and Ville Sointu, Head of Emerging Technologies at Nordea Bank. First up, There Is No Such Thing As 'Dormant Funds' In Banking 02:02 Simon and Colin explain how the money doesn't really exist with an intriguing AirBnB analogy. Anthony Macey explains how nostra vostra accounts work and what they really are, as well as a little tangent from Simon and Colin on the linguistic history of the phrase. Colin dives into the similarities between the strategy suggested and the 2008 financial crisis. And the group as a whole go over why this might not be the treasure trove others are suggesting it may be. There’s no good reason to trust Blockchain technology 11:35 Anthony points out that the movement of trust is more valuable than the article suggests and how blockchain scales up socialised trust and where banks come in to the equation. Simon shares his views on how you could get five or six banks to agree to one thing using blockchain. Anthony thinks there might be a misunderstanding at the heart of the article. Sara points out that while there may be an issue with the code in a particular blockchain the goal isn't to use the same code globally, in an ideal world there'd be multiple implementations of the same blockchain. SEC Commissioner Says Bitcoin ETF Will Be Approved ‘Eventually’ 30:31 Sara explains that the article didn't really suggest that a Bitcoin ETF will actually be approved, bitcoin ETFs have been tried many times before and failed. Market manipulation and the risk to investors remains high and it doesn't seem as though that issue has been solved. Hester Peirce: tokens sold for use in a functioning network are not securities 38:48 Simon likens tokens to postage stamps and how they can shapeshift in value, even though the underlying asset itself can change, its usage and its value can vary depending on who you're talking to and what they plan on using it for. We've got a great Tweet of the Week from @jack on lightning 47:44 Colin explains lightning on the blockchain and how it reinvented netting. Anthony asks if this is why Twitter expanded its character limit. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Anthony Macey and Ville Sointu.
2/14/201952 minutes, 18 seconds
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83. Custody is still everything

Simon's back in the studio, Colin's standing near a field. And they're ready to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain. Crypto Exchange Kraken Raises $100m, Acquires london Futures Firm 02:24 We ask if Kraken are pivoting to a more Coinbase-y model, if there's any significance raising money from OGs rather than VC and revist Colin's comments from last week. Swift links up with R3 for trading on blockchain 07:43 There's a lot of big words and acronyms going on in this story, but Colin's on hand to explain. We also discuss where (if anywhere) the Swift x Corda relationship could go. Prop firms are hard to sell:’ Shares for crypto exchange Circle are being offered at a massive discount 16:45 It's a significant discount at 77% throwing up some real questions about what Circle's long term plans are. Fidelity Says its Crypto Trading & Storage Platform is in Final Testing 22:00 Simon and Colin discuss how exciting this is for the industry and dive a bit deeper into product in crypto after last week's taster. As well as how companies like Fidelity are adapting their customer facing product to get future customers. A crypto exchange can't repay $190 million it owes customers because its CEO died with the only password 31:49 Custody custody custody. It's an absolutely ridiculous state of affairs for the exchange. Simon and Colin go over the dangers of central points of failure and how decentralisation can help alleviate those concerns. Facebook gets involved with blockchain by hiring the team behind Chainspace 35:00 We take a look at what this says for FB’s intentions and whether there's a lack of talent in the industry. We've got a great Tweet of the Week from @mayazi on the agenda of governance votes 40:47 Colin goes into how Maya's commenting on the real need for the blockchain industry to fix monetary issues at a transactional level rather than going straight into an ICO. Only one company's ever tried to do this at a wallet level. Simon questions if someone could ever get this to work at a micropayments level. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse.
2/7/201946 minutes, 45 seconds
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82. Everyone’s Warren Buffet in a Bull Market

Simon's back in the studio joined by a very distant Colin to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain. Chat App Kik Says It Will Fight SEC Over Possible ICO Action 01:36 Galaxy S10 Leak Suggests Built-In Cryptocurrency Wallet 11:46 Short strategy helped Multicoin Capital post solid 2018 results 22:30 Cryptos Would Only Have Value in ‘Dystopian’ Economy: JPMorgan 31:03 Research Firm Messari CEO: Threatening Calls After Critical XRP Report Were Made by ‘Punk Kids’ 40:23 We've got a great Tweet of the Week from @APompliano on Venezula's gold 43:27 That’s not all, our American partner Sam Maule caught up with FNBO’s Director of Product development: Ingrid Wadell 46:14 All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! ​ We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! ​ Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. ​ This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Ingrid Wadell and Sam Maule.
1/31/201959 minutes, 27 seconds
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81. The Best Anti-blockchain Blockchain idea

Simon's back in the studio joined by a very distant Colin to talk about the latest and greatest news in blockchain. Core Ethereum devs push Constantinople upgrade out 6 weeks; ProgPoW decision put on hold 00:52 Sara Feenan explains it all 02:35 Was Bitcoin Really Manipulated 08:55 Beyond the doomsday economics of "proof-of-work" in cryptocurrencies 13:33 ING are working in partnership with R3 18:45 Ford to use Blockchain in pilot to trace cobalt mined in Congo 19:50 Binance targets EU-UK traders with new fiat-to-crypto exchange 23:03 OECD: ICOs Have Financing Benefits But Aren’t a Mainstream Option 25:28 Wyoming Bill Would Clear the Way for Crypto Custody at Banks 29:35 We've got a great Tweet of the Week from BeamPrivacy on Beam's blockchain stopping 33:57 All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse.
1/24/201937 minutes, 28 seconds
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80. The Value of Bitcoin

Colin and Sara are back in the studio joined by guests: Anthony Macey, Blockchain/DLT Lead at Barclays, Teana Baker-Taylor, Board Member at GDF and David Nicol, Digital Assets at R3. First up, Greenspan: XRP Not A Security But Community Still Too Aggressive 01:49 Bitmain to appoint new CEO as co-founders Wu & Zhan step aside 10:12 Federal Reserve Blames Altcoins for Dragging Down the Bitcoin Price 17:36 Institutional investors are just as prone to FOMO as retail, says Circle Trade exec 23:50 MimbleWimble: History, Technology, and the Mining Industry 30:12 Our Tweet of the Week is from Preston Byrne on shilling. 35:55 We also have a great interview with Jeremy Millar. 38:10 All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Anthony Macey, David Nicol, Jeremy Millar, and Teana Baker-Taylor.
1/17/20191 hour, 3 minutes, 45 seconds
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Ep. 79. Regulating Treadmill

Simon's in the studio joined from a field by Colin. First up, Crypto’s 2019 goal: Technology people can use 02:01 (https://bi.11fs.com/82?t=121) 7 legal questions that will define blockchain in 2019 06:57 (https://bi.11fs.com/82?t=417) Japan’s Mizuho Bank To Launch its Own Stablecoin By March, 2019 16:46 (https://bi.11fs.com/82?t=1006) Stablecoin projects are paying rebates to traders, and it caused a big headache for Paxos 20:38 (https://bi.11fs.com/82?t=1238) Crypto exchange Kraken says US subpoenas becoming ‘barrier to entry’ 24:48 (https://bi.11fs.com/82?t=1488) City watchdog targets bitcoin dealing 28:49 (https://bi.11fs.com/82?t=1729) Tesla stock on a blockchain offers hint of where crypto’s headed 30:58 (https://bi.11fs.com/82?t=1858) 0fees: 0x has seen only ~$3K in ZRX tx fees since creation 34:33 (https://bi.11fs.com/82?t=2072) We also have a great Tweet of the Week from Bitfly on the 51% attack on Ethereum Classic. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse.
1/10/201945 minutes, 6 seconds
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Ep. 78. Blockchain and Crypto Predictions 2019

Far from a field, Simon and Colin are in the studio talking about what they think's going to happen around blockchain in 2019. First off, we take a look at some of the predictions from last year. Some worked out great...others not so much. For the predictions our hosts have some interesting theories and touch on quite a few... Before we get started with our predictions, Bitflyer COO Andy Bryant let us know what he thinks 2019 has in store for Crypto. Simon: 1. The crypto part of "crypto" becomes much more important than the asset or currency part 2. DLT makes a comeback 3. Institutions dip a toe in the water as infrastructure build out hardens 4. Regulatory clarity comes at last 5. New projects are born that go on to be household names in the next decade Colin: 1. Numbers go… sideways? 2. Zombie Marmot Apocalypse. 3. Stablecoins, they’re dumb, people will realise that they’re dumb, but not before giving them all their money. 4. Securities tokens. Another market realisation will likely be that issuing a security is more than just filing some papers to issue a security All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guest: Andy Bryant.
1/3/201933 minutes, 58 seconds
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Bonus: Blooper Reel 2018

Happy New Year's Eve to all of our listeners. To give you one last blockchain laugh before the end of the year we've got a quick collection of the stumbles, fumbles and absurdly mispronounced names from all the recordings this year. Lots of mispronounced names, it's Simon after all. This is the stuff that doesn't usually make it in. We hope you have a great celebration tonight and enjoy our blockchain bloopers! Produced by Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse.
12/27/20185 minutes, 3 seconds
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Ep. 77. Custody is Everything

Simon's in the studio with Teana Baker-Taylor of GDF and John Detrixhe, Future of Finance Reporter at Quartz. First up, Mike Novogratz Explains Why He’s Still All-In on Crypto. We look at what’s next for cryptocurrencies, how strategy for Galaxy evolved as crypto imploded and if there's still a sense of inevitability around crypto. This Brazilian Bank Is Using Ethereum to Issue a Stablecoin. State owned, Brazilian national social development bank will launch pilot in Jan 2019. Since the bank has a history of corruption scandals involving misallocated funds and alleged bribes, creators hope public BNDES blockchain data will help bolster trust in state-owned banks. A company trying to solve one of the biggest pain points in cryptocurrency just raised $8 million, and it could help lure big Wall Street funds to the burgeoning industry. Venture firm Two Sigma and blockchain company ConsenSys have invested $8 million into digital-asset-custody provider Trustology. The startup tackles one of the key challenges in cryptocurrencies: safely holding digital assets in a way that protects them from thieves but also allows the rightful owner to get quick and easy access. The funds will be used to develop new products, move into additional asset classes, and expand internationally. Gazprombank Switzerland to Launch Crypto Services Next Year. Gazprombank ahs partnered with fintech startup Avaloq and crypto firm Metaco to offer clients crypto services. The system is meant “for the management of client portfolios across all asset classes, including cryptocurrencies.” Coinbase U.S. Customers Get Instant Paypal Withdrawals. As part of the 12 days of Coinbase program, the popular US based exchange announced the support of instant withdrawals through PayPal for their U.S. customers. Limited PayPal to withdrawals as their partnership does not support the depositing of funds to Coinbase accounts. Ethereum Unique Addresses Break 50 Million, Active Wallet Number Keeps Dropping. On Saturday, the Ethereum network saw a daily increase of 168,506 unique crypto wallets. The highest historical daily growth of unique Ethereum addresses took place on Jan. 4, 2018, with 352,888 new addresses created on the Ethereum network. Razer Wants Gamers to Mine Cryptocurrency for Store Credit. Gaming hardware manufacturer Razer wants gamers to download software that mines cryptocurrency with their idle computers. But users won’t get to keep the digital coins they generate with their machines, and neither will Razer. Why we are forking 0x? Our perspective of what’s most urgent diverged. Being on the front-lines, it is painfully apparent that most DEXs today still are plagued by rudimentary problems such as order collision, front-running, and poor liquidity. We also have a great Tweet of the Week from Stephen Palley on Bitcoin. To finish off the episode we've got an interview from Colin with Antony Lewis, Director of Research at r3 to talk all about his new book ‘The Basics of Bitcoins & Blockchains’. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guests: Antony Lewis, John Detrixhe, and Teana Baker-Taylor.
12/20/20181 hour, 3 minutes, 37 seconds
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Ep. 76. Vitalik Buterin

Simon's in the studio...and Colin's coming to us from a field. In our first interview from our new offices in Devonshire Square we're talking to Vitalik Buterin about blockchain and Ethereum. We dive deep into a wide array of topics, so don't be afraid to rewind when you need to. Our hosts ask the founder of Ethereum some interesting questions on the blockchain as a whole, smart contracts, gatekeeping partcipants and the uses of blockchain outside of financial incentives. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guest: Vitalik Buterin.
12/13/201853 minutes, 41 seconds
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Ep. 75. Breaks the laws of the universe

Simon's in the studio with Anthony Macey at our brand new offices in Devonshire Square. First up, Floyd Mayweather and DJ Khaled pay SEC cryptocurrency penalties. The US financial regulator said the men failed to disclose payments they received to promote certain cryptocurrency investments.The men neither admitted nor denied the claims, but agreed to pay combined penalties totalling more than $750,000. The SEC said Mr Mayweather received $300,000 to promote three separate offerings, including one by Centra Tech. Defrauding Investors of $4 Million. AriseBank CEO Jared Rice, Sr. was arrested by the FBI on Wednesday, charged with duping hundreds of investors out of more than $4 million in a cryptocurrency scheme. Mr. Rice was indicted on three counts of securities fraud and three counts of wire fraud. He allegedly lied to would-be investors. Nasdaq Plans to Pursue Bitcoin Futures Despite Plunging Prices, Sources Say. Nasdaq Inc. is moving ahead with a plan to list Bitcoin futures, betting on sustained interest despite the cryptocurrency’s dramatic plunge over the past year. They have been working to satisfy the concerns of the U.S.’s main swaps regulator, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, before launching the contracts. Behind Coinbase's quiet roll-out of OTC crypto trading this month. Coinbase rolled out an over-the-counter cryptocurrency trading desk earlier this month, but until now has been hesitant to openly discuss its ambitions. Tim Plakas, head OTC trades for Coinbase "We wanted to make sure we had all the boxes checked before we went public. We needed to have some of our trusted institutional clients on board and were in a beta mode to make sure that all the pipes were working." AWS launches a managed blockchain service. It’s a managed blockchain service. It supports Ethereum and Hyperledger Fabric. AWS promises that the service will scale to thousands of applications and will allow users to run millions of transactions (though the company didn’t say with what kind of latency). Messari Opens Disclosure Registry for Crypto Projects. The registry, will share a range of typically non-public information, including token design, supply details, any audits of the technology, official communication channels, treasury management and details of team members. Ryan Selkis commented: “What we’re trying to do is make key information about these various crypto assets available to anyone, whether it’s a retail investor, a regulator, an academic or a mutual fund.” Coinbase Backs Security Token Startup’s $12.7 Million Funding Round. Led by Blockchain Capital, the equity investments were made to help the company bring on “knowledgeable investors” as it prepares for a security token offering. CEO Carlos Domingo explained that the company wants to transition the securities industry, currently estimated at some $7 trillion, to decentralized ledgers as they are more transparent, auditable and can facilitate instantaneous transactions. Harbor Launches its First Securities Offering With Sale of $20 Million USC (Carolina) Dormitory Facility. The total investment opportunity is valued at $20 Million with each token is going for a cool $21,000. A total of 955 shares/tokens will be up for sale. We also have a great Tweet of the Week from Marco Santori on the US Department of the Treasury adding two Bitcoin addresses to it's list of sanctioned parties. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guest: Anthony Macey.
12/6/201837 minutes, 22 seconds
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Ep. 74. Enterprise-grade toddlers

Simon's in the studio with Sara Feenan. First up, Bitfinex Raises Fiat Withdrawal Fee, New Hardware Wallet Announced. The Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange now charges at least $60/€60, or 0.1 percent of the withdrawn amount. Users who want 24-hour money transfers on working days will have to pay a 1 percent fee. Bitmain Faces $5 Million Lawsuit Over Alleged Unauthorized Crypto Mining. On Nov. 19, lead plaintiff Los Angeles County resident Gor Gevorkyan Bitmain, alleging that the firm’s devices use customers’ resources to mine cryptos for its own benefit prior to full setup. The Complaint read: “Bitmain’s ASIC devices are preconfigured to use its customers’ electricity to generate crypto currency for the benefit of Bitmain rather than its customers”. The SEC’s Recent Rulings Are More About Exchanges Than ICOs. Earlier this month, an SEC director revealed that the agency plans to release “plain English” guidance for when a token is and is not a security. Don’t Force Public Blockchains ‘Down Enterprises’ Throats’. Amber Baldet thinks it’s too soon for enterprise to meet open, decentralised blockchains: “We want to build those bridges out to the public networks, but I don’t think you get there by shoving public chains down enterprises’ throats before they are ready”. She believes that a gradual process of bridge-building between public chains and the private kind favored by corporations is needed. Overstock surges 26% after CEO says it will sell retail business by February to focus on crypto. CEO Patrick Byrne plans to sell the retail arm of Overstock by February. Shares of Overstock surged as much as 26 percent Friday but the stock is down 66 percent this year. Ohio ‘Appears’ to Be First US State to Accept Bitcoin for Taxes. The move initially applies only to businesses, with plans to extend the offering to individual taxpayers in future. The payments are reportedly set to be processed via crypto payments service BitPay. SpankChain Has Paid Camgirls $70,000 Worth of Crypto in 6 Months. SpankChain boasted 6,136 active users as of October, and has paid roughly $72,422 in cryptocurrency to 31 webcam models since the site launched in April. Fellow performer Molly Mae Meow, who has been camming for more than six years, said she makes much more money on SpankChain, which only charges performers 5 percent of their earnings compared to the standard 50 percent across the industry. We also have a great Tweet of the Week on Bitcoin regrets. Plus a sneaky, if explicit, contender from Colin G. Platt. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse.
11/29/201833 minutes, 37 seconds
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Ep. 73. The SEC won't let crypto be

Simon's in the studio with Adi Ben Ari, Founder of Applied Blockchain. First up, the SEC settles Securities Registration charges against 2 ICO startups. The SEC’s announcement centred on two firms: CarrierEQ Inc., also known as Airfox, and Paragon Coin Inc., both of which conducted token sales last year. Airfox raised $15 million through its sale, while Paragon raised $12 million. After Friday’s SEC actions, experts say ICO party ‘Is truly over’. U.S. regulator stated that “there is a path to compliance with the federal securities laws” for startups issuing tokens, even if “issuers have conducted an illegal unregistered offering of digital asset securities” already. Firm tied to cryptocurrency entrepreneur faces SEC investigation. Securities regulators are investigating Salt Lending Holdings $50 million cryptocurrency sale. The company, which loans money to people using their cryptocurrency as collateral, received a subpoena from the SEC in February seeking records related to a $50 million digital-token sale it held last year, the people familiar with the matter said. Crypto’s Too Expensive? Binance Sent $600 Million in Bitcoin for Just $7. The transaction in block 550211 was a transfer of just over $1 million. For this transaction, Binance paid just over $8 in fees. Another transaction, $600 million at the time it was sent, made it the largest unspent transaction output existing to date. Shell and BP back blockchain platform to modernise commodities trading. Oil industry giants Shell and BP are among a group of firms planning to launch a blockchain platform to automate post-trade processes in the energy industry by the end of 2018, consortium building the platform is called VAKT Global. Deloitte Blockchain Chief: Bad Crypto Headlines Making Clients ‘Nervous’. "Can we stop talking about my bad brother?” That’s how Linda Pawczuk, leader of Deloitte Consulting’s financial services industry blockchain group, describes the conversations she often has these days with executives and board members of client companies. Kraken credits clients with Bitcoin SV (BSV) and launches BSV Trading. The recent Bitcoin Cash hard fork resulted in two (for now) viable chains: Bitcoin Cash (following the Bitcoin Cash ABC protocol and roadmap published by bitcoincash.org) Bitcoin SV (following the Bitcoin Cash SV protocol and roadmap published by nChain) WARNING: Bitcoin SV does NOT meet Kraken’s usual listing requirements. It should be seen as an extremely high risk investment. There are many red flags that traders should be aware of. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Alex Woodhouse. Special Guest: Adi Ben-Ari.
11/22/201844 minutes, 20 seconds
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Ep. 72. The code you write has consequences

Simon's in the studio with Teana Baker-Taylor from the GDF and Patrick Mang, Innovation Lead for Global Markets at HSBC. First up, China Lifts Bitcoin Ban; Individuals and Businesses Can Now Own Cryptocurrencies Legally. Bitcoin (BTC) is now recognized as a legal asset to be owned, transferred and utilized as a medium of payment for goods and services in China as decreed by the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration after ordering the Bitcoin ban in 2017. Fake News: China Did Not End its Cryptocurrency Ban. Stories claiming that the ban was lifted were based on ‘outdated information that carries no weight’. China are still not a fan of crypto...The country is also going after hotels, office buildings, and shopping malls, as well. None of them can host marketing events involving cryptocurrencies any longer. SEC Charges EtherDelta Founder Over ‘Unregistered Securities Exchange’. The regulator said Thursday that EtherDelta, which acts as a secondary market for trading ERC-20 tokens, had been providing a marketplace for buyers and sellers to trade ethereum tokens that the SEC deemed to be "digital asset securities." It used an order book, an order display website and a smart contract built on ethereum, the agency said. CFTC Fines Bitcoin Trader $1.1 Million for Crypto Fraud. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has jailed a bitcoin trader and fined him over $1 million for running a fraudulent bitcoin and litecoin scheme. Arizona resident Joseph Kim, admitted to defrauding investors of hundreds of thousands of dollars after misappropriating more than $600,000 of his previous employer's funds. Why Centralized Cryptocurrency Exchanges Make Terrible Custodians For Crypto Assets. Centralized exchanges are subject to a tremendous number of problems simply because they contravene one of the cardinal laws of cryptocurrency - the owner of the private key is also the owner of the asset. The biggest exchanges like Binance, OKEx and Huobi take control of user funds and use them for market manipulation. Instead of having the custodian working for the customer, they have their own interests at heart. Custodial exchanges are like the fox guarding the henhouse. A storm is brewing over the largest Bitcoin exchange. BitMEX is based in the Seychelles and doesn’t submit to any regulator. Crypto Token Airdrops Are a Marketing Ploy (and That's OK). Coinbase Offers $5k Egg-Freezing Benefit in Bid to Retain Talent. Silicon Valley cryptocurrency unicorn Coinbase has taken an unusual and expensive step to recruit and retain diverse employees. "With possibilities for egg freezing, IVF [in vitro fertilization], fertility preservation, surrogacy, and more, our fertility benefits can serve a wide range of use cases for our diverse group of employees," Nat McGrath, Coinbase's VP of people, told CoinDesk. We also have a great Tweet of the Week on Bitcoin, PoW, Miners and PoSM. We finish off the show with a great interview with Dash Core Group CEO Ryan Taylor to talk about forks, payment networks and userbases in emerging markets. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Patrick Mang, Ryan Taylor, and Teana Baker-Taylor.
11/15/20181 hour, 7 minutes, 2 seconds
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Ep. 71. Initiative Q who?

Simon and Colin are in the studio with Alex Batlin, Founder and CEO of Trustology. First up, Bitcoin turns 10. Halloween 2008 Bitcoin was born, although it wasn't traded until a couple of years later we take a look at what BTC has given us in the last 10 years, if it's here to stay and what's in store for the future of Bitcoin. Why “the Institutionalization of Cryptocurrency” is a paradox. Jackson Palmer writes that If you stay up-to-date with the cryptocurrency news cycle, a recent trend you may have observed is the widespread excitement at the prospect of large, traditional financial institutions entering the space. We’ve seen a wave of institutional news lately, and many cryptocurrency enthusiasts express blind enthusiasm at the notion of positive price impact associated with this money flowing in. We look at censorship resistance, trustless transactions, verifiable history and what comes next. Initiative Q: an elementary pyramid scheme with grandiose ideas. The Q token is a centralised private currency issued by Initiative Q. It’s presently worthless, and not exchangeable even on Initiative Q’s own servers but they aspire to it being used in their nonexistent future payment network. At that point, they intend it to be freely exchangeable with dollars. Pragmatic decentralization: How IDEX will approach industry regulations. Decentralization exists on a spectrum, and unless your system or application lacks any centralized parts it can be subject to regulation. Aurora is working to create a fully-decentralized financial system, but the path to getting there requires significantly more control and centralization than the end state. In addition to IP blocking, IDEX will be implementing KYC/AML policies in order to comply with sanctions and money laundering laws. How much have ICOs raised in 2018? Depends on who you ask. Lack of rules, transparency leaves issuance amounts murky. More digital tokens are being issued through direct sales. It remains hard to ascertain the amount of funds a issuer claims it’s raised when no one has to submit any regulated filings or even reveal their identities. Bitcoin Cash hard fork set for November 15th. After the decision to implement a 'pre-consensus' protocol in a long scheduled software upgrade to Bitcoin Cash on November the 15th, its community is split and a hard fork that will see the digital currency split into two separate chains should occur on that date. In July, Bitcoin Cash developer Amaury Sechet published a post announcing the decision to include a new software alteration to a planned upgrade. We also have a great Tweet of the Week on statistical dishonesty. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guest: Alex Batlin.
11/8/201843 minutes, 13 seconds
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Ep. 70. Panel featuring Brent McIntosh from US Treasury and an interview with Marco Santori from Blockchain

Live from Money20/20 USA, we start this episode with an in-depth interview with Marco Santori on where the crypto industry is right now. We also have a panel on the relationship between crypto investors and regulators. Regulation is evolving but remains patchy, with uncertainty on issues ranging from exchanges and ICOs to securities laws. As institutional players move into crypto, these issues have taken on a new urgency. Tanaya Macheel from Cheddar, Marco Santori, the "Dean of Blockchain lawyers," and Brent McIntosh, General Counsel at The U.S. Department of the Treasury, provide insight into the future of regulation and how investors should respond to this uncertainty. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Brent McIntosh, Marco Santori, and Tanaya Macheel.
11/1/201855 minutes, 13 seconds
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Ep. 69. Beanie baby traders

Sara is in the studio with Noelle Acheson, Editor at Coindesk, Vinay Gupta, CEO at Mattereum, Teana Baker-Taylor, on the Advisory Board at GDF. First up, Two-thirds fail cryptocurrency agents exam. Under the Virtual Financial Assets (VFA) Act coming into force in November, financial services practitioners looking to act as agents in the field, which includes cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, had to undergo a short training course and sit for an exam, the first of which took place in September. Sources said about 250 lawyers, accountants and auditors sat for the exam, the exam consisted of a series of multiple choice questions to be graded with a negative marking scheme. Australian Securities Watchdog Halts ICO Seeking to Raise $50 Million. An Australian initial coin offering (ICO) project planning to raise as much as US$50 million has announced its token sale has been halted by the country's securities regulator. The project initially gained public attention in August ahead of its public token sale, thanks to an endorsement by well-known cricket player Michael Clarke, who announced his involvement in the project in a tweet at the time. Ticketmaster Buys into Blockchain With Upgraded Acquisition. San-Francisco-based ticketing start-up Upgraded, which converts traditional tickets into secure, interactive digital assets protected by blockchain technology. Protection against fraud. Security Company G4S To Offer Crypto Custody Service. Multinational security services company G4S is stepping into the world of crypto by offering offline storage to protect digital assets from criminals and hackers. G4S said that it has started working with an unnamed cryptocurrency exchange. Goldman Sachs invests in BitGo. Goldman Sachs and an investment firm set up by billionaire Michael Novogratz have invested in BitGo, a startup promising to help institutional investors securely store their cryptocurrency. DTCC Announces Study Results Demonstrating that DLT Can Support Trading Volumes in the US Equity Markets. The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), the premier post-trade market infrastructure for the global financial services industry, today announced the results of a benchmark study which demonstrated for the first time ever that distributed ledger technology (DLT) is capable of supporting average daily trading volumes in the US equity market of more than 100 million trades per day. Cardano (ADA) Co-Founder Charles Hoskinson Dissatisfied with Cardano Foundation Performance. An Open Letter to the Cardano Community from IOHK and Emurgo – Charles Hoskinson [in lead of IOHK] and Ken Kodama [Emurgo] publicly pointed out the lack of performance coming from the third entity that forms the project: Cardano Foundation. We also have a great Tweet of the Week on Bitcoin as a stablecoin. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Noelle Acheson, Teana Baker-Taylor, and Vinay Gupta.
10/25/201845 minutes, 53 seconds
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Ep. 68. Tether the unstable coin plus a fireside chat with Blythe Masters

Simon and Sara are in the studio with Hugh Karp, Founder of Nexus Mutual. First up, Fidelity launches company to facilitate crypto trading. Fidelity has launched a company to facilitate cryptocurrency trading for hedge funds, endowments and family offices. The Boston-based investment giant said it would offer institutional investors access to “enterprise-quality custody and trade execution services” for cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin or ethereum, as a first step towards creating a full platform for the nascent industry. Why crypto traders are so worried about Tether. Blockchain isn't about democracy and decentralisation – it's about greed. A controversial article by Nouriel Roubini. SpankChain loses $40k in hack due to smart contract bug. A cryptocurrency project focused on the adult industry, has suffered a breach that saw almost $40,000 in ethereum (ETH) stolen. The intrusion, which the post said was made possible by a bug in the network's payment channel smart contract, also caused $4,000 in SpankChain's BOOTY token to be frozen. Barclays halts work on cryptocurrency trading project. The investment bank put together a senior team earlier this year to look at how it could incorporate the trading of digital assets into its markets business. The initiative, however, has been put “on ice”. Chris Tyrer, the bank’s former head of energy trading, moved into a full time role leading the so-called ‘digital assets project’ earlier this year but left the bank in September after the decision was taken to shelve the cryptocurrency trading project. Liquid Goes Live: Blockstream's first Bitcoin sidechain has finally arrived. Three years in the making, bitcoin's first sidechain "Liquid" is now live. Liquid is arguably the most advanced implementation of a technology called sidechains that's long been a holy grail for bitcoin coders (though what's being launched today may be a watered-down version of the original "trustless" vision). Liquid will now be used to carry large volumes of transactions at a higher speed for several of bitcoin's largest companies. CFTC Chair Giancarlo says institutional investors will help crypto 'mature'. An influx of institutional investors to the cryptocurrency markets may help the space "mature," U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission chair J. Christopher Giancarlo said last week. We also have a great Tweet of the Week from 'Elon Musk'. Hmm.. Tying up the show, we have a great fireside chat with Blythe Masters from Blockchain Live. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Blythe Masters and Hugh Karp.
10/18/20181 hour, 57 seconds
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Ep. 67. The CEO of Binance is [so] hot right now

Simon's in the studio with Joon Ian Wong, Managing Director for Europe and Asia at Coindesk, Claire Wells, Director of Legal & Business Affairs EMEA at Circle, and Aman Kohli, CTO of Financial Services and Insurance Practice at Microsoft. First up, Circle eyes crypto securities bid with crowdfunding site acquisition. Circle is reportedly moving to acquire SeedInvest, a crowdfunding platform for startups. Their acquisition will – if approved by regulators – open to the door to allowing startups to raise funds by selling digital tokens via its platform. Yale Invests in Crypto Fund That Raised $400 Million. The Ivy League school is getting into the market for cryptocurrencies. $30 billion endowment is headed by David Swensen. Under Swensen’s leadership, Yale has returned 11.8 percent on average for the past 20 years. Ninety-six percent of endowments and foundations responding to a survey by consulting firm NEPC in February said they don’t invest in digital currencies. SEC, CFTC charge bitcoin futures firm 1Broker with securities law violations. The SEC announced in a press release that it filed charges against 1pool Ltd., also known as 1Broker, as well as its CEO Patrick Brunner for selling security-based swaps to U.S. and international investors without following proper "discretionary investment thresholds." Notably, investors could only purchase these swaps with bitcoin, according to the claims. The SEC is further claiming that 1Broker was not registered a "security-based swaps dealer" and "failed to transact its security-based swaps on a registered national exchange." Marco Polo blockchain platform for trade finance released. Marco Polo is an initiative to develop an open account trade finance platform powered by blockchain technology. The platform is built by TradeIX, R3 and a group of banks on the Corda blockchain framework, using TradeIX’s open-source tools to test, pilot and manage open account trade finance transactions. The announcement was made at the CordaCon London event on September 13, where Rob Barnes, co-founder and CEO of TradeIX, gave the audience new insights into the project’s timeline. TD Ameritrade all-in with crypto, invests in exchange. Announced this week a strategic investment in ErisX, the cryptocurrency spot and futures exchange. We also have a Tweet of the Week on Iconomi discontinuing their ICN token. Tying up the show we have a great interview with Adi Ben-Ari, Founder of Applied Blockchain (he was supposed to be on this week but he was sick). All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Adi Ben-Ari, Aman Kohli, Claire Wells, and Joon Ian Wong.
10/11/201856 minutes, 4 seconds
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Ep. 66. Blockchain Live: Interviews (featuring Blockchain.com & Chorum)

Today's episode is a little bit different. Simon and Colin interviewed some great guests at Blockchain Live to get an insight into what's happening in blockchain straight from the experts. We speak to: Garrick Hileman, Head of Research at Blockchain Xen Baynham-Herd, Head of Strategy and Lead Economist at Blockchain Joanna Hubbard, Co-Founder of Electron Rhian Lewis, Founder of London Women in Bitcoin David Williams, CEO at Chorum Richard Crook, CTO at Chorum Ben Wyeth, Senior Innovation Engineer at Chorum Lydia Torne, Senior Associate at Simmons & Simmons All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Michael Bailey Special Guests: Ben Wyeth, David Williams, Garrick Hileman, Joanna Hubbard, Lydia Torne, Rhian Lewis, Richard Crook, and Xen Baynham-Herd.
10/4/20181 hour, 51 seconds
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Ep. 65. Blockchain Live

Simon and Colin are live at the Blockchain Insider stand and sat down with a great guest, Teana Baker-Taylor, CMO at Coinfloor. We also have an exclusive interview with Dan Larimer, CTO of Block.one and Brendan Blumer, CEO of Block.one. First up the panel takes a look at New York AG report faulting crypto exchanges for manipulation risks. The New York Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has released a report on cryptocurrency trading platforms, finding that many are vulnerable to market manipulation and referring several exchanges to another agency for potential violations of state law. NYAG's inquiry was launched in April, seeking voluntary participation from 13 of the world's most notable trading sites, including Coinbase, Kraken, Bitfinex, Bittrex, and Binance, among others. a16z crypto purchases 6% of MKR, backing Stablecoin Vanguard MakerDao. Signaling their support of MakerDAO’s Dai stablecoin, investment fund a16z crypto has purchased 6% of the total MKR token supply for $15 million USD. The purchase gives a16z crypto a stake in the first functional decentralized stablecoin and the only system built with formally verified smart contracts on Ethereum (or any blockchain). From adoption to FOMO: Reasons behind Ripple’s leap. Over the past week, altcoin Ripple’s (XRP) price has gone through the roof. It has seen an unprecedented 140 percent growth over the past seven days. We explore the major reasons why it's grown so fast. How Colin because a crypto quadrillionaire without writing a single line of code. Bitcoin bugs out. CVE-2018-17144, a fix for which was released on September 18th in Bitcoin Core versions 0.16.3 and 0.17.0rc4, includes both a Denial of Service component and a critical inflation vulnerability. In order to encourage rapid upgrades, the decision was made to immediately patch and disclose the less serious Denial of Service vulnerability, concurrently with reaching out to miners, businesses, and other affected systems while delaying publication of the full issue to give times for systems to upgrade. We also have a Tweet of the Week on moggy miners. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha, written by Dhanum Nursigadoo and edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Brendan Blumer, Dan Larimer, and Teana Baker-Taylor.
9/27/201843 minutes, 54 seconds
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Ep. 64. Bitcoin Moons in Argentina

Colin and Sara are in the studio with Noelle Acheson, Editorial Producer at Coindesk and Tim Swanson, Founder and Director of Research at Post Oak Labs. First up, the group takes a look at a U.S. Judge stating that Initial Coin Offerings are covered by securities law. A federal judge has ruled that U.S. securities laws may cover an initial coin offering, handing the government a legal victory in its effort to regulate billions of dollars in cybercurrency offerings much like stocks. The ruling came in a criminal case against a man charged with promoting digital currencies backed by investments in real estate and diamonds that prosecutors said didn’t exist. Finra charges broker with fraud and unlawful distribution of unregistered cryptocurrency securities. FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) filed a complaint against Timothy Tilton Ayre of Agawam, Massachusetts, charging him with securities fraud and the unlawful distribution of an unregistered cryptocurrency security called HempCoin. This case represents FINRA’s first disciplinary action involving cryptocurrencies. SEC Chairman Jay Clayton releases statement regarding SEC staff views. The Commission’s longstanding position is that all staff statements are nonbinding and create no enforceable legal rights or obligations of the Commission or other parties. The $1Billion Tezos Blockchain has officially launched. The Tezos Foundation raised $232 million in July 2017 to build the network and issue a new type of cryptocurrency to its backers in one of the largest-ever initial coin offerings. Several class-action lawsuits have been filed in the United States against the project’s organizers alleging the fundraiser violated federal securities laws and defrauded investors. Binance to start closed beta testing of new crypto-fiat exchange in Singapore. While no further details have been specified, the crypto-fiat Singapore-based exchange will presumably support the local Singapore dollar. Singapore ranked third most favourable country for ICOs in mid-July (in terms of number of top global ICO projects. Bitcoin trading volume has "Skyrocketed" in Argentina due to rising inflation. Alexander Tapscott, Canadian businessman and author, recently pointed out that bitcoin trading volumes are ‘skyrocketing’. It appears that Argentina is heading toward a recession due to mismanaged monetary policies. Argentina is struggling and many of its citizens now appear to have more confidence in cryptocurrencies than in the traditional financial system. Significantly, weekly bitcoin trading volume on peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange, LocalBitcoins, (in Argentina) has increased to nearly $7 million. We also have a Tweet of the Week on ICO skeptics. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Petrit Berisha, written by Dhanum Nursigadoo and edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Noelle Acheson and Tim Swanson.
9/20/201847 minutes, 39 seconds
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Bonus: Interview with Richard Brown and Mike Hearn at CordaCon

This is an extra special bonus episode of Blockchain Insider as in this interview with Richard Brown, CTO of R3, Simon and Colin talk to him about how they first encountered Bitcoin and the start ofthe blockchain phenomenon. They also look at what blockchain, in the Corda sense, brings to the world that was missing before, how open source blockchain holds the potential to change industries across the world and how to represent real world assets on the blockchain. The four also talk about blockchain as the next megatrend, what the future of blockchain could be, why they focused on financial aspects of blockchain and sidechannel attacks. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This bonus episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Petrit Berisha and edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Mike Hearn and Richard Brown.
9/18/201839 minutes, 2 seconds
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Ep. 63. Chickens on the Blockchain

Colin's back in the studio with Simon and they're sat with Ville Sointu, Head of Emerging Technologies at Nordea Bank. First up, the panel takes a look at Coinbase exploring a crypto ETF, and it has sought help from $6 trillion Wall Street giant BlackRock. Coinbase is looking to create an exchange-traded product tied to crypto, as a way to allow retail investors to gain access to the volatile market. The firm in recent weeks has held conversations with members of BlackRock's blockchain working group to tap into the firm's expertise at launching exchange-traded products. SEC suspends exchange-traded Bitcoin and Ether investment vehicles. A highly touted investment instrument that sought to appeal to U.S. public markets investors looking for cryptocurrency exposure has just seen a setback. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued an order seeking to suspend the trading of the Bitcoin Tracker One and Ether Tracker One exchange-traded notes, issued by XBT Provider AB, a Swedish-based subsidiary of the U.K. firm CoinShares Holdings. Crypto exchange ShapeShift to gradually introduce membership program. Cryptocurrency exchange ShapeShift has introduced a new rewards program, which will eventually become a mandatory membership model for the exchange’s users. Erik Voorhees, founder and CEO of ShapeShift, stated that today the exchange released a loyalty program entitled ShapeShift Membership. Ripple Labs reaches an agreement with R3 Consortium in token litigation. Ripple Labs Inc. has announced it has reached a settlement “of all outstanding litigation” between R3 Hold Co LLC, R3 LLC, and XRP II, LLC. The genesis of the legal skirmishes between these two parties goes back to the summer of 2016 when Ripple’s former CEO Chris Larsen made a fateful decision and signed a deal with a bank consortium R3. The agreement included an option enabling R3 consortium to buy up to 5 billion XRP tokens, in part or in whole, at a price of $0.0085 before the end of 2019. Goldman Sachs CFO says bank is working on bitcoin derivative for clients. Goldman Sachs Chief Financial Officer Martin Chavez called a report that the bank was ditching plans to launch a cryptocurrency trading desk "fake news." The Winklevoss twins received approval to launch new regulated crypto coin. Two financial technology companies won New York state approval to issue cryptocurrencies pegged to the U.S. dollar, creating more regulated and transparent competitors to Tether and other so-called stable coins. Gemini Trust Co., the digital-asset exchange founded by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, received approval from the New York Department of Financial Services to launch the Gemini dollar, according to a statement Monday. Major French football club plans to launch its own cryptocurrency. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), a major French Football team in the country's top league, is planning to issue its own cryptocurrency as a way to incentivize participation from its fans around the world. PSG is now eyeing a deadline of spring 2019 to start issuing its proprietary tokens, making it potentially one of the first soccer clubs anywhere to do so. Colin has a great interview with Garrick Hileman, Head of Research at Blockchain. We also have a Tweet of the Week on fiat currency devaluing by 99.5% All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Petrit Berisha and edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Garrick Hileman and Ville Sointu.
9/13/20181 hour, 10 minutes, 2 seconds
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Ep. 62. Religiously HODLing

Sara is with Olivia Vinden, Director at Alpha FMC, Obi Nwosu, CEO and Founder of Coinfloor, and Richard Burton, CEO and founder of Balance Software. First up the panel looks at a16z back blockchain project Dfinity's funding round. Decentralized cloud startup Dfinity just raised $102 million to further its work in developing an "internet computer". Dfinity hopes to launch its world computer, what it refers to as "the cloud 3.0," by creating a scalable network that is more efficient than proof-of-work consensus. Messaging giant LINE is launching its own cryptocurrency. LINE has become one of the first publicly traded companies to have launched a proprietary blockchain mainnet with its own cryptocurrency. LINE aims to gradually issue a total of 1 billion of the network's LINK tokens, of which 800 million will be distributed to public users while the rest will be held as a company reserve. Crypto exchange Huobi acquires public firm for $70 Million. Huobi has become the largest shareholder of a public firm listed in Hong Kong, inching a step closer to a possible back-door listing. Pantronics Holdings, the acquired firm, released a statement on Aug. 29 saying Huobi Group had completed the deal by purchasing about 199 million of its shares. Cboe is telling market makers that it's getting close to launching ether futures- and it could mark a big step in the crypto's evolution, the exchange group behind the first market for bitcoin futures, is telling market makers that it is getting close to launching ether futures. Deutsche Bourse sets up dedicated blockchain and crypto-assets unit. Deutsche Bourse has been actively exploring potential applications of distributed ledgers and implications of crypto-assets, including co-operation with international central securities depositories on the use of distributed ledgers and smart contracts for mobilising scarce collateral, as well as the joint development of a functional prototype for the blockchain. Google now provides a big data view of the ethereum blockchain. Google has added ethereum to its big data analytics platform BigQuery. Coinbase survey shows 18% of US students now own cryptocurrency. According to the survey commissioned by Coinbase, 21 of the top 50 U.S. universities, as ranked by U.S. News and World Report, now offer a class on blockchain technology or cryptocurrency, and at least 11 colleges offer more than one. The listing of several coins will happen in 2019 according to a NASDAQ source. While there have been other headlines connected to global exchanges dipping their toes into the crypto waters via partnerships and futures trading; the NASDAQ may just go all in. We also have a Tweet of the Week on revolutionary HODLers. Rounding off the show we have an interview from Colin with William Mougayar, Managing Partner and CIO at JM3 Capital. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Petrit Berisha and edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Obi Nwosu, Olivia Vinden, Richard Burton, and William Mougayar.
9/6/20181 hour, 7 minutes, 20 seconds
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Ep. 61. FOMO is Not an Investment Strategy

Simon and Sara are with Aman Kohli, CTO of Financial Services and Insurance Practice at Microsoft and Ryan Radloff, CEO at Coinshares. First up the panel looks at What an SEC Bitcoin ETF rejection review really means. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced Thursday that nine bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) disapproval orders are to be stayed until further review. The aftermath of the Bitcoin boom and the hard lessons for cryptocurrency investors and whether crypto is too accessible. IBM-Maersk blockchain platform adds 92 clients as part of global launch. A previously unnamed collaborative effort between the world’s largest shipping company, Maersk, and IBM, has now grown to 92 participants and been dubbed TradeLens. The blockchain platform has been quietly orchestrating global trade with less reliance on middlemen for a year, resulting in 154 million shipping events in ports around the world, and is now growing at a rate of one million per day. Wirex becomes third crypto company to receive FCA e-money licence. Wirex Limited, the popular global crypto/fiat payment platform, has just become the third cryptocurrency-enabled company in the world to be granted a UK FCA emoney license. The FCA’s approach to cryptocurrencies has been relatively cautious, but their progressive stance towards blockchain technologies is encouraging. Singapore presses ahead with blockchain-based Project Ubin. Singapore's central bank is working with the Singapore Exchange and three technology partners - Anquan, Deloitte and Nasdaq - to develop Delivery versus Payment (DvP) capabilities for settlement of tokenised assets across different blockchain platforms. Thailand's Central Bank Is Developing a Digital Currency Based on R3 Tech. The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has announced it expects to complete the first phase of a proof-of-concept trial for a central bank digital currency (CBDC) by March 2019. We also have a Tweet of the Week on how the XRP ledger is inherently decentralised, even more so than bitcoin and ethereum... Rounding off the show we have an interview from Colin with Michael Sonnenshein, Managing Director at Grayscale. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Aman Kohli, Michael Sonnenshein, and Ryan Radloff.
8/30/201857 minutes, 57 seconds
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Ep. 60. DLT is faster than your post trade

Simon and Sara are with Teana Baker-Taylor CMO of Coinfloor, Michele Curtoni, Director of Digital Assets, Blockchain at State Street, and Alex Hern, Technology Reporter at the Guardian to go over the biggest blockchain stories of the week. First up the panel looks at ASX's declaration that a new DLT system could save billions. The Australian Securities Exchange could save as much as $23 billion in its effort to replace its settlement system with a distributed ledger, its CEO announced Thursday. Dominic Stevens, MD and CEO of ASX believes DLT in place of Clearing House Electronic Subregister System (CHESS), would offer greater efficiency transmitting messages and accessing information. California opens up to allowing crypto political donations. The California Fair Political Practices Commission met on Thursday to discuss a number of election issues, including whether candidates for public office can accept cryptocurrencies as campaign donations. There's a blow to Bitcoin as Coinbase CEO makes a stark warning. He has warned that widespread, mass bitcoin adoption for payments is going to be a long time coming, Bitcoin price is down some 70% from its highs at the end of last year and many of newer cryptocurrencies that have been created in the last few years have been all but wiped out. Venezuela just devalued the bolívar by 95% and pegged it to a cryptocurrency. Venezuela has announced another series of desperate measures to try to save its economy from collapse. The government is devaluing the Venezuelan bolívar by 95% and pegging it to the government's oil-linked cryptocurrency. Nividia gives disappointing sales forecast on lower crypto demand. Nvidia Corp.’s nine-month crypto gold rush is over, sales of graphics chips to miners of cryptocurrencies like Ethereum dried up faster than expected. Nvidia said it had expected about $100 million in sales of chips bought by currency miners in the fiscal second quarter. Instead, the total was $18 million in the period, and that revenue is likely to disappear entirely going forward. Lack of Correlation for Bitcoin sees little relief as Markets Sell Off. While cryptocurrencies aren’t correlated with other asset classes, they’re strongly correlated among themselves. Bitcoin has held a correlation of over 0.7 with Bitwise’s 70 Small Cap and 10 Large Cap crypto indexes for most of the year. We also have a Tweet of the Week on how to explain Bitcoin to your grandpa. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Holly Blaxill and Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Alex Hern, Michele Curtoni, Sara Feenan, and Teana Baker-Taylor.
8/23/201853 minutes, 52 seconds
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Ep. 59. Why You Should Still Care About Tokens

Simon is with Anthony Macey, Martin Bartlam, Partner and International Group Head of Finance & Projects and Fintech Global Co-Chair at DLA Piper, Noelle Acheson, CFA and Editorial Producer at Coindesk, and Todd McDonald, Co-Founder and Head of Partnerships at R3, to go over the biggest blockchain stories of the week. First up the panel looks at crypto unicorn, Bitmain considering $18 Billion IPO, one of the world's largest. The cryptocurrency mining company is filing for an initial public offering (IPO) potentially as high as $18 billion this September at a market capitalization of $40 to $50 billion. Then they discuss Facebook's Marcus stepping down from Coinbase board. David Marcus is stepping down from the board of directors at cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, citing his new assignment at Facebook leading the social media giant's blockchain strategy. Barclays denies crypto trading desk plans as staff removes ‘Digital Asset Project’ LinkedIn Info. Barclays told Cointelegraph that they have “no plans for a crypto trading desk.” As of press time, Duval and Tyrer’s LinkedIn profiles still show positions at Barclays working with 'digital assets,' but all information detailing the specifics of the jobs is not listed. Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan invest in Axoni's $32 Million funding round. Enterprise-focused blockchain startup Axoni has completed a $32 million Series B funding round led by Goldman Sachs and Nyca Partners. Also participating in the round were Andreessen Horowitz, Citi, JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, Y Combinator and Digital Currency Group, among others. R3 publishes a new post-quantum signature algorithm tailored to blockchains. Corda team has recently announced a new digital signature scheme that unlike RSA and ECDSA, it will remain secure even against a powerful quantum computer. The panel manage to explain quantum computing. Criminal activity in cryptocurrency has dropped 80% since 2013. An agent of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has noted that Bitcoin’s (BTC) role in crimes has dropped to just 10% of transactions, while transactions themselves have “grown tremendously”. We also have a Tweet of the Week on Ripple. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Anthony Macey, Martin Bartlam, Noelle Acheson, and Todd McDonald.
8/16/20181 hour, 1 minute, 57 seconds
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Ep. 58. Buying Frappuccinos with Bitcoin

Simon and Sarah are with Teana Baker-Taylor, CMO at Coinfloor. We also have a great talk with Jeff Bandman, Principal at Bandman advisors, to take us through the biggest story of the week. First up we hear from Jeff Bandman on the world’s biggest stock exchange operator launching a Bitcoin market. ICE (the owner of NYSE) made the groundbreaking announcement on Friday, revealing that the new platform — Bakkt — has been developed in partnership with a variety of blockbuster names, including Microsoft, Starbucks, and BCG.Bakkt will integrate with the ICE’s U.S. futures market and clearinghouse to list a physically-settled one-day bitcoin futures product, complete with physical warehousing managed in-house by ICE. Next up we go over our Twitter poll results, don't forget to vote this week! Then the trio takes a look at Starbucks clarifying media misrepresentation on its new crypto venture. Starbucks has clarified that it will not be accepting Bitcoin (BTC) or other cryptocurrencies as payment -“customers will not be able to pay for Frappuccinos with bitcoin”. After that we discuss OKEx moving to protect its futures market with an injection of 2500 BTC into the exchange’s insurance fund from its own capital after a forced liquidation on July 31st threatened to destabilize its operations. The futures contract amounted to a staggering $420 million worth of BTC. Next the panel discusses Northern Trust opening doors to cryptocurrency hedge funds as part of pervasive blockchain expansion. In addition to adding a number of new blockchain features for managing its private equity workflow, the company, which has almost $10.7 trillion in assets under custody and administration, has also quietly opened its fund administration services to a select group of hedge funds betting on bitcoin and ethereum. Goldman Sachs Is Considering a Custody Offering for Crypto Funds. A formal offering from an institution like Goldman Sachs would provide a credible backing for crypto funds and could pave the way for more investors to bet on the asset class. Having a custody operation in place could also lead to other ventures, including prime-brokerage services. We also have a Tweet of the Week on Satoshi Nakamoto that you just can't miss. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Jeff Bandman and Teana Baker-Taylor.
8/9/201859 minutes, 32 seconds
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Ep. 57. Assassination Markets & WTF ETFs

Simon's with Noelle Acheson, CFA and Editorial Producer at Coindesk, Vinay Gupta, Founder of Mattereum, and Stephane Malrait, MD Global Head of Market Structure and Innovation for Financial Markets at ING. We kick things off with a potential U.S. Bitcoin ETF launch in 2018, widely anticipated as a catalyst to jolt Bitcoin out of its bear market, an ETF launch for the cryptocurrency in the U.S. this year is unlikely, in Bloomberg’s view. The SEC is increasingly sensitive to public opinion and well-aware of the potential market impact. The SEC may release its decision on the latest proposed Bitcoin ETF from CBOE Global Markets on Aug. 10. Next up the panel looks at IBM, Barclays and Citigroup building a blockchain-based app store. IBM and foreign exchange settlement service CLS are building a network based on blockchain technology for testing new applications. Nine financial institutions, including Barclays and Citigroup, are already signed up to participate. We move on to BBVA's inability to hold cryptocurrency and why it's a problem. In the process of executing what was expected to be the third in a series of blockchain-based corporate loans, the bank had to work around a lack of legal and regulatory clarity over whether it could (or should) hold the cryptocurrency needed to power a transaction on ethereum. However, erring on the side of caution, BBVA chose to abide by European Banking Authority (EBA) recommendations and not use the native token of ethereum, ether. Instead, the bank anchored the loans to an ethereum testnet, a blockchain which simulates the live version, but that doesn't move real value. This week's Tweet of the week comes from Vitalik Buterin criticising the focus on ETFs and pushing for adoption strategies. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets to try and get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Noelle Acheson, Stephane Malrait, and Vinay Gupta.
8/2/201853 minutes, 24 seconds
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Ep. 56. Is Bitcoin back?

Sarah's with Joon Ian Wong Managing Director for Europe and Asia at Coindesk and Aaron Stanley, Strategic Communications Lead at Sweetbridge to talk about the latest news, including: Police Confiscate some Bitcoin, Coinbase gets political, and Return of the Bitcoin We kick things off with Surrey police force obtaining 295 bitcoins last October after arresting a Latvian man, who has since been convicted for money laundering and sentenced to nine years in prison. Police since sold the assets for around $1.5 million - back then, the price of a bitcoin was around $5,000. The sale has been ruled as legitimate and the police force is allowed to keep 18.8% of the proceeds for its operational budget. Then we move on to the bitcoin price has climbing above the $8,000 mark for the first time since mid-May, what's pushing up the price, and what's going on with the rumours of a bitcoin exchange traded fund (ETF). Next up, we take a closer look at MyEtherWallet, the most popular crypto wallet service on the internet. It's getting a mobile app in a bid to increase security for users. MEW Connect, is an iOS app that allows users to access their wallet through MyEtherWallet but without the need to type their private key. Instead it uses a QR code and it's free, with 600,000 visitors per day the beta demand is likely to be high. We continue on with VCTRADE, the world's first bank-backed cryptocurrency now opening to the public. Owned by SBI Holdings, the Japanese bank launched its in-house crypto trading platform last month. Launch comes nearly two years after SBI Holdings first announced it would build the exchange in October 2016. The platform received an operating license from Japan's financial watchdog, the Financial Services Agency, late last year. The service is now fully open for users aged from 20–70 who reside in Japan. Debut was delayed as the firm worked to raise levels of internal security following a massive $533 million hack at the country's Coincheck exchange in January. Then we move on to exciting news from Google. Google announced a partnership with the New York-based startup Digital Asset, which makes tools to build blockchain-based apps. Google wrote in a blog post that its Cloud customers can “now explore ways they might use distributed ledger technology (DLT) frameworks” through early access to Digital Asset software aiming to provide developers with a full stack solution so they can unleash the potential for web-paced innovation in blockchain. Next up, Coinbase has formed a political action committee (PAC) to raise money to spend on US elections. Under American federal law, an organization is classified as a PAC if it collects donations worth more than $1,000 from its members and channels them into campaign funds with the intention of influencing an electoral process. The biggest motive for Coinbase is access to the politicians that have substantial influence over financial regulatory policy. Finally, we discuss BitTorrent Inc. being acquired by TRON Foundation. BitTorrent Inc, the parent company behind the popular file-sharing client uTorrent, has confirmed its acquisition by the TRON Foundation. The TRON foundation has its own cryptocurrency and the idea is apparently to create. We take a look at what this means for blockchain and if crypto may go the way of BitTorrent, exciting technology that's used for a whille before being supplanted. And our Tweet of the week this time comes from @SmartereumTV Colin G. Platt catches up with Marieke Flament, Europe MD and CMO of Circle to talk about the tokenisation of everything. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Petrit Berisha and edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Aaron Stanley, Joon Ian Wong, and Marieke Flament.
7/26/201852 minutes, 15 seconds
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Ep. 55. Unlocking Institutional Capital in Crypto

Sarah and Sara go through a run down of the latest crypto news including: Blackrock explore bitcoin, Block.one close a ‘strategic investment round’, and will there be Major League Baseball Crypto? We kick things off with Blackrock beginning to explore bitcoin. BlackRock has set up a group made up from different parts of the business to investigate cryptocurrencies and their underlying infrastructure to investigate how the $6.3 trillion asset manager can take advantage of the fast-growing cryptocurrency market. Then we move on to Block.one announcing on the 16th of July that Peter Thiel has invested in the company, along with other notable investors, Bitmain, Louis Bacon, and Alan Howard. Block.one has so much money now it’s hard not to wonder what they’re going to do with it. Next up Major League Baseball has announced that it is launching a crypto-based game that runs on the ethereum blockchain later this summer. Fans will be able to purchase avatars from baseball history. Those avatars can then be sold or traded, and users can earn rewards. Is this the tokenisation of trading cards and can Ethereum handle it? We move on to Coinbase getting the green light to list coins deemed securities. Coinbase Inc. said it got the green light from U.S. watchdogs to move forward with a trio of acquisitions that will allow it to become one of the first federally regulated venues for trading digital coins deemed to be securities. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority approved Coinbase’s purchase of Keystone Capital Corp., Venovate Marketplace Inc. and Digital Wealth LLC. And this week’s Tweet of the week is the controversial bit of news from Coinbase that they’re adding a host of new crypto assets to their platform. Simon hosted a panel at the Europa conference discussion institutional firms moving into crypto featuring: Lawrence Lundy Head of Research and Partnership at Outlier Ventures Obi Nwosu, CEO and Co-Founder of Coinfloor Claire Wells, Director of Legal & Business Affairs EMEA at Circle. The panel examines how institutional financing can help put a price limit on crypto and stabilise the space, but how in a crypto-to-crypto space there’s possibly no reason to have institutional money at all, and what’s holding asset managers back from entering the space. They also look at the value of the crypto asset market and how it can be utilised as a use case for blockchain. And how crypto can operate as a means for global financial inclusion. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Petrit Berisha and edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Claire Wells, Lawrence Lundy, and Obi Nwosu.
7/19/201841 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 54. Is Crypto Going Mainstream?

Simon and Sara sit down with Noelle Acheson Coindesk, Editorial Producer and Joon Ian Wong, Coindesk, Managing Director Europe/Asia to discuss the latest blockchain news, including: Todd McDonald had a Corda, The FCA is letting Blockchain play in their sandbox, and Coinbase get their custodial party started. We kick off with Binance eyeing a $1 billlion profit with a few discussions on why Binance is bothering to release this information now. And how with such a fragile market they may not be on top for long, with many younger companies biting at their heels. There's also a few interesting points made on how regulation may interact with crypto exchanges in the near future. We move on to Coinbase targeting insitutitional investors. There are few rumours that institutional investors have long been waiting for a custodial product in crypto that fits their needs, could this be it? We also discuss Vitalik Buterin's provocative comments on centralised exchanges and if these exchanges are even a good idea. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Petrit Berisha and edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Joon Ian Wong and Noelle Acheson.
7/12/201850 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ep. 53. Is Anyone Doing Decentralisation Right?

Sarah and Sara sit down with Maya Kumar, Head of UK & Ireland for Luno to discuss the latest blockchain news, including: EOS & IOTA come under scrutiny, SolarisBank launches Blockchain Factory, and are Facebook going to acquire Coinbase? Simon also has a great interview with Peter Grosskopf, CTO of Solaris Bank to talk through the launch of Blockchain Factory. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Maya Kumar and Peter Grosskopf.
7/5/201846 minutes, 44 seconds
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Ep. 52. Cryptowinter is Coming......or Not?

Sarah sits down with Pete Rizzo, Editor at Coindesk and Anastasia Andrianova, CEO of Akropolis to discuss the latest blockchain news including: Stellar looking to acquire Chain, US Secret Service on Anonymous crypto, and #21e800. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Anastasia Andrianova and Pete Rizzo.
6/28/201850 minutes, 1 second
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Ep. 51. ETH Passes Dowey Test, Ripple isn’t ready and is Bitcoin Un-Tethered?

Simon and Taylor sit down in the WeWork Aldgate offices in London to catch-up and have some very emphatic discussions on the latest blockchain news. Colin also interviews Stephen Palley, Partner at Anderson Kill. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Stephen Palley.
6/21/20181 hour, 2 minutes, 14 seconds
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Ep. 50. Amber Baldet Goes Over Clovyr, EOS Launch Woes, And Ripple Gets Sued Again

Simon sits down with Amber Baldet, CEO and Co-Founder of Clovyr in the 11:FS offices in WeWork Aldgate in London for our landmark 50th episode of Blockchain Insider. We bring you an interview with crypto queen Amber Baldet, Ripple under security scrutiny yet again, and the EOS Mainnet nightmare. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Amber Baldet.
6/14/201857 minutes, 17 seconds
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Ep 49. Live from Money20/20 Europe: Interviews With Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Brad Zastrow from Dash

We kick things off with the Blockchain portion of our live show from the Arena Stage, by talking cargo on a blockchain! Can companies revolutionise their shipping systems by utilising the technology? Find out what the team had to think about the Maersk x IBM pilot! Are we just doing old things using new technology? Next up, Binance announce a $1 billion investment fund! A drop in the ocean for them, but find out what our great panel think about the massive margins Binance work with, and what their future looks like. We then on go to discuss the future of tokenisation, how much money is still being raised by ICO's, regulators and much, much more. That's not all though folks, Brad Garlinghouse joined Simon Taylor to talk all about Ripple, XRP, xRapid, xCurrent, decentralisation and so much more. This interview has already got thousands of hits on YouTube- it's a great interview! But wait, there's more....Simon also talked to Brad Zastrow, Global Head of Business Development of the Dash Core group! We're really spoiling listeners on today's show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Brad Garlinghouse, Brad Zastrow, David M. Brear , Jeff Tijssen, and Sam Maule.
6/7/201831 minutes, 31 seconds
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Ep. 48. Tokenising the World, Bitcoin Price Probe and EOS Security Issues

First up, the US launch a probe into Bitcoin price manipulation (shock). Spoofing and fake buy/sell orders among a flurry of other illegal practices are what the justice department are focusing on. A long time coming some would say... Next up, tokenisation, tokenisation, tokenisation. IHS Markit, the market infrastructure giant, is developing a new blockchain-based system to handle the payments leg of syndicated loan trading – and eventually, a wider range of financial transactions. Is this one of the first steps in tokenising the world? Many argue that custody is what's stopping institutions from fully submerging themselves into the crypto world, and BitGo are trying to build their own digital asset custodian!The startup said Thursday that it was "seeking a charter to build BitGo Trust," a "new, regulated, qualified custodian" that will be built specifically for digital assets. Interesting stuff indeed... Next, the team discuss the link between the blockchain & crypto world and financial inclusivity. How can we help the unbanked bridge the gap between themselves and mainstream the mainstream financial world? Well 5 Philippines’ Banks are going to Pilot Ethereum-based Blockchain for Retail Payments! The team discuss the drawbacks, but also what incredibly positive implications this pilot could have. You may have heard a lot about GDPR recently, and there's been a lot of debate as to how blockchain is 'compliant' to the new set of regulations and our team continue said debate; is it a threat or an incentive? Next up, highly popular crypto EOS may be in trouble....Chinese cyber-security mogul 360 Total Security has identified a series of “epic” security vulnerabilities in the EOS network that has put it's mainnet launch into question. Code for tokens was the next story covered, as the startup behind Zk-Starks Tech Seek Cryptocurrencies as customers. Rather than doing an ICO, the guys behind ZK-Starks are offering up their novel technology to blockchains in return for their native asset. Lastly, we talk about blockchain going 'green'. Lot's has been made of the consumption of energy when it comes to mining, but we take a look at an article that discusses just how blockchain can have a positive impact on the environment! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Teana Baker-Taylor.
5/31/201845 minutes
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Ep. 47. Circle the Bitcoin Unicorn with R3 CTO Richard Brown

Colin G. Platt is back in our offices talking to Pete Townsend, CEO and Founder of Norio Ventures, and Richard Brown, CTO of our Lead Sponsor for Blockchain Insider, R3. The trio discuss Circle's status as a bitcoin unicorn, Consensys collaboration with Amazon, and the SEC's brilliant Howeycoin ICO. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Pete Townsend and Richard Brown.
5/24/201849 minutes, 7 seconds
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Ep. 46. A General Consensus

Sarah Kocianski sits down with Oscar Williams-Grut, Senior Reporter at Business Insider to discuss Amber Baldet's new startup, HSBC make waves with soybeans, and Citizen Reserves fires tokens at the international defence industry. Simon also meets with Pete Rizzo Editor of Coindesk for an interview. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Oscar Williams-Grut and Pete Rizzo.
5/17/201843 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ep. 45. Taylor-Copeland Lawsuits Send Ripples Through XRP’s Security Status

Our hosts take an in-depth look on the most interesting news in blockchain this week. Focusing on: what impact the SEC's decision on Ethereum will have on ICOs, Ripple being sued for security violations, and the likelihood of Fedcoin. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes?
5/10/201833 minutes, 42 seconds
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Ep. 44. Deutsche Wish Your Profit Was Hot Like Binance

Our hosts take an in-depth look on the most interesting news in blockchain this week. Focusing on: 1 in 5 financial institutions considering cryptocurrency trading, Binance making more than Deutsche Bank, Gary Gensler's new focus on blockchain, and UCL doesn't care one IOTA. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. We also introduce to the mic, for the very first time, Petrit Berisha. Our plucky Assistant Producer matches blockchain wits with Simon and Sarah, offering some deep insight into this week's stories. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Petrit Berisha.
5/3/201852 minutes, 20 seconds
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Ep. 43. Sexism in Crypto, Pornhub takes Verge, and Binance Denies the Dollar

Our hosts take an in-depth look on the most interesting news in blockchain this week. Focusing on: Cambridge Analytica's virtual currency plans, Pornhub accepting Verge, Binance denying dollar trading, Coinbase suspending Wikileaks bitcoin account, and why the crypto world needs to ask better questions. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Jo Lang, Noelle Acheson, and Olivia Vinden.
4/26/201839 minutes, 32 seconds
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Ep. 42. Santander Makes Ripples and Charles Hoskinson Shares His Vision of Cardano

Our hosts take an in-depth look on the most interesting news in blockchain this week. Looking at: Santander's new blockchain-based money transfer service with Ripple, Coinbase acquiring Earn.com, R3's Corda expands with SBI subsidiary, Barclays commissions a cryptocurrency trading desk, Malta proposes test to see when ICOs are securities, and Harbor raises $28M to reengineer private securities for blockchains. We also have an interview with Input Output CEO, Charles Hoskinson. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Charles Hoskinson.
4/19/201854 minutes, 40 seconds
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Ep. 41. Twitter Blocks Bitcoin, Monero Splits Opinion & is Ripple a Security

Bitcoin’s twitter account got hacked, causing yet another Internet-wide discussion on the death of free speech. It split the community and Colin clues us in on why both sides of Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash think they’re right. Coinbase launch their early stage venture fund to a great deal of excitement, surprising given all the noise around ICOs. The exchange is planning to invest off its own balance sheet into companies it likes. It’s been a bad week for crypto exchanges with the Japanese regulator suspending two over failing KYC procedures and four high ranking executives have been arrested by South Korean police including CEO of South Korean exchange Coinnest in relation to billions of won embezzled from client accounts into their own. India bans regulated entities from entertaining virtual currencies. The central bank gave a deadline of 3 months to unwind from positions related to cryptocurrencies. Instead the regulator is planning to push blockchain in financial services to improve transparency. R3’s Research Director thinks that Central Bank digital currency could go live this year but warns that central banks will need to diversity their systems. Monero makes movements by splitting into four different crypto currencies and is XRP a security? Colin and Simon unpack the major debates on Ripple. All this and much much more on this week’s episode of Blockchain Insider. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and tell us how much you love the show by leaving a review on iTunes Special Guests: Greg Wolfson, John Collins, and Tim Swanson.
4/12/20181 hour, 10 minutes, 29 seconds
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Ep. 40. Dodgy Words from Binance, Vitalik Buterin Savages Faketoshi and Bluezelle's CEO Pavel Bains

Binance billionaire Changpeng Zhao makes a few very dodgy statements on a potential exchange that Simon and Sara both agree might be more than a little bit biased. Ethereum falters with the influx of ASIC mining rigs in the market. Simon explains the new powerful miner and the pair wonder if the era of Ethereum making money for ordinary people is coming to an end. Vitalik issues a scathing takedown on a man claiming to be Satoshi Nakamoto without any real proof. The SEC delivers a knockout blow to Mayweather endorsed ICO after the founders are charged with fraud and a host of false executives are uncovered. We discuss what thos means for other ICOs and how transparent the SEC is around these takedowns. Bitcoin is still overvalued to the surprised of no-one in a recent study. Although Sara does appreciate the nuances addressed. Further damage to Bitcoin with Reddit refusing to accept the cryptocurrency any longer. Although if no-one’s using it can it really be called a currency? John McAfee makes waves in the crypto space with news that he’s charging over $100K for promotional tweets for ICOs. It’s a funny story that’ll probably make you laugh but it’s noted that what McAfee’s doing affects real people and there a question mark over the legitimacy of these tweets. Amber Baldet leaves JP Morgan in a positive way for both sides. It’s a loss for the investment bank but after establishing their blockchain platform Quorum, Amber is ready to set off on a new venture. Rounding off the show we have an interview with Pavel Bains from Bluezelle And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Pavel Bains.
4/5/201848 minutes, 58 seconds
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Ep. 39. Coinbase Goes ERC-20, Bitcoin’s Lightning Lift Off and Coinfloor’s Obi Nwosu

Kicking off the show, R3’s CEO declares blockchain a once in a lifetime opportunity for financial markets. New opportunities chased by Deutsche Börse and HQLAx, the finance magnates are looking to build a securities lending platform on blockchain. Coinbase opening up its platform? The exchange is finally implementing Ethereum ERC-20 support but no specific assets have been named just yet. Lightning network gets its first lapp! Blockstream’s introduced FileBazaar, its first ever lightning app. What does the new e-commerce tool mean for blockchains future? Intel throws its weight behind blockchain to try and develop a next-gen media rights manager. We discuss how this could work, what mistakes developers have made in the past that they need to avoid and are consumers ready to go back to paying for all their media content? Google’s another blue chip working on blockchain. They’re working to integrate their cloud business and beat out the startups using the hyped tech to operate online in new ways. It might be possible with Google set to offer a distributed digital ledger to differentiate themselves. G20 meeting in Argentina ends with no new cryptocurrency regulation to the surprise of absolutely no-one. We discuss how regulation can be made and where that authority will come from. Polkadot’s looking to shake up the crypto market with a new playbook distributing power directly to token holders. We discuss what this means for crypto and Colin has some thoughts on Gavin Wood’s ties to the Parity hack and how secure this could be. Finally we bring you an interview with CEO and Co-founder of Coinfloor, Obi Nwosu who has some great insights on where blockchain is headed. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Anthony Macey, Obi Nwosu, and Sara Feenan.
3/29/20181 hour, 6 minutes, 35 seconds
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Ep. 38. LIVE: Lightning Strikes Bitcoin and Binance Gets Its DEX on

Kicking things off on a special live episode, has Bitcoin solved its scaling issues? Lightning Network launches, more than doubling transaction speeds! Colin is keen to explain it all. 'Bitcoin investors are clueless' says Visa's CFO. Are cryptocurrencies just the new casino for unaware buyers to double or triple their cash in a low interest environment? But is all the future crypto potential on the enterprise side? Payment rails should be very afraid! If cryptocurrencies can figure out how to scale up then there's no telling what they could do. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney thinks crypto has no risk to financial stability. At less than 1% of the global GDP at its peak and unable to function as a currency, Bitcoin isn't able to take on the financial system. ICOs split opinions on the panel but one thing's for sure, both public and enterprise want a solid infrastructure. Colin has some strong opinions on the future of cryptocurrencies, could they ever compete with banks or do they need to find a way past focusing on transactions? Binance is keen to decentralise, but without a way of stopping scammers can it be used properly. Does decentralisation remove legitimacy for cryptocurrencies or will it make them stronger than ever? We've got a fantastic interview with Preston Byrne, who also managed to snag tweet of the week, on block-chain versions of central-bank cash. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can make it on to the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Jason Bates, Richard Crook, and Sara Feenan.
3/22/20181 hour, 10 minutes, 38 seconds
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Ep. 37. Sandra Ro, Women in Blockchain and Tracking Crypto Crime

First up, Binance are offering a $250,000 bounty for the arrest of hackers that tried to infiltrate the exchange earlier in March! Is Bitcoin as untraceable as we think? The met police claim that Bitcoin is not anonymous and is easy to track! Simon and Colin discuss this one in great depth. Next up, Bitfinex'd, the the pseudonymous blogger and persistent critic of cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex has lawyered up! An interesting saga to keep an eye on.... Following on from International Women's Day it was fitting that CoinDesk, one of the larger crypto publications wrote a great piece on encouraging and acknowledging Women in Crypto! We were super lucky to have Sandra Ro's insights on today's show as well! From Bifinex'd to Utility Token Bill's, Wyoming's state legislature has cleared a bill that would exempt certain types of crypto assets from securities laws. Are crypto-assets creeping toward legitimation? Now the next headline was controversial, but when Simon and Colin dogged deeper- it actually raised some interesting points. From The Verge, the headline read- 'Blockchain' is meaningless.... This wouldn't be a blockchain based show without mentioning the good folks of Ripple! According to Bloomberg Technology they have lost their bid to keep it's cryptocurrency fight in California. The dispute is over a staggering amount of XRP- once worth over $16 Billion, with R3. Another headline grabber, the FT writes that SWIFT claim blockchain not ready for mainstream use! According to them, the tech needs to mature to handle high volume transactions. From mainstream use to miners, Bitcoin miners have taken over a town in Seattle! This one was close to home for CGP (literally) so he gave us a good run down on this story. Staying with mining, Egypt are apparently forcing their citizens to mine cryptocurrency?! Simon and Colin had a lot to say about this questionable and slightly confusing headline! And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can make it on to the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Sandra Ro.
3/15/20181 hour, 43 seconds
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Ep. 36. The Empire Strikes Bitcoin and an Exclusive Interview With Joe Lubin

First up, Coinbase is hit with not one but two class action Lawsuits! They've been accused of insider Bitcoin Cash trading and when you look at it's price chart, it doesn't help their case whatsoever...in brighter news though it plans that Coinbase may be planning to start a Crypto fund as the unicorn eyes further expansion. Sticking with the shady side of the law, TechCrunch founder's Crypto fund, Arrington XRP Capital, was subpoenaed by the SEC....let's see where this one goes! Moving on from busy lawyers to governmental crackdowns, Quebec throws cold water on Bitcoin miners seeking cheap power. A spokesperson said “If you want to come settle here, plug in your servers and do Bitcoin mining, we’re not really interested,” also stating that cheap power wouldn't be available for those not adding value to society. Next up, Bank Of England governor Mark Carney says Crypto exchanges face regulatory clampdown! He said "The time has come to hold the crypto-asset ecosystem to the same standards as the rest of the financial system". Staying in the UK, Shadow Secretary Diane Abbott has called Bitcoin a Ponzi scheme! She was quoted saying "If everyone took their bitcoin money and tried to buy a new car all at once the whole thing would collapse"...... well yes much like many financial markets but hey ho. Moving on, US regional banks begin to cite crypto as a business risk...did somebody say disruption? On to Asia- Bitcoin's Kimchi premium has all but evaporated. During Bitcoin's run up to $20,000, South Korean traders were paying 10%+ premiums due to incredible demand...during the recent market correction that has all but diminished! Finally, Credit Suisse and ING finalised the first live transaction using HQLAX securities lending app on R3's Corda blockchain platform......really interesting stuff! Special Guest: Joe Lubin.
3/8/20181 hour, 4 minutes, 41 seconds
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Ep. 35. Get Bits or Die Tryin' and Ripple Explain XRP

First up, this week's big news that Circle (backed by none other than Goldman-Sachs) have acquired crypto exchange Poloniex. Is this Wallstreet's 'in' to Crypto? Moving on to some regulatory news, NYC lawmakers claim that they are 'open' to revisiting the BitLicense regulation. What kind of impact would a reform have on the market and on blockchain innovation? From Lawmakers to Lawbreakers, Craig Wright, who's infamously claimed to be Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, is being sued for a whopping $10 billion! Next, R3 pilots blockchain trade finance platform with global banks-aiming to develop a "fully interoperable" open-source trade finance network built with their distributed ledger technology (DLT) product Corda. The blockchain space has largely been male dominated in recent years, however the NY times has rightly voiced the opinions of many brilliant female minds in the industry. Their title "Women in Cryptocurrencies Push Back Against ‘Blockchain Bros'" was widely shared, a quote that stuck out to us was “Women always question if they’re qualified-but look at these clowns around us.” ICO's just don't go away and Germany’s financial regulator BaFIN issues a letter titled "Supervisory classification of tokens or cryptocurrencies underlying so-called Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) as financial instruments according to securities supervision laws". So. Many. Words. Next, the Venezuelan president has apparently asked central banks to mine their national cryptocurrency. If you though a country having a petrol backed token was strange enough, just imagine their banks mining it? As always, on stories we didn't have time to cover: Elliott Management, a $34 billion hedge fund, described cryptocurrencies as 'one of the most brilliant scams in history', the Tezos board is reorganized and 50 cent admits in a bankruptcy document that he never actually owned any bitcoin. Right Fifty, whatever you say. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can make it on to the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Frank Müller and Marcus Treacher.
3/1/201856 minutes, 11 seconds
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Ep. 34. Vitalik drops crypto truth bombs, Ellen explains bitcoin and the Brooklyn project

First up on today's show from CNBC, the US government is nowhere near regulating Bitcoin. Rob Joyce emphasised the need to better understand the cryptocurrencies and our team discuss how this has been greeted positively by the trader community especially. Next, Ellen Degeneres compares Bitcoin to a Goat (I know) to her rather large audience. Even though the price hasn't been as exciting for speculators recently, Bitcoin is still mainstream and won't go away! Back to regulation, Switzerland's FINMA has released ICO guidelines and in the US the CFTC Chief has said the states should tread lightly on Crypto exchanges. Keeping with ICO's, Telegram have raised $850 million so far for their billion dollar ICO. The mass frenzy has seen many keep a keen eye on Telegram, some with less positive sentiments. Charles Noyas of Pantera Capital wasn't keen on this massive ICO. He described the project's 132-page technical whitepaper as "essentially a wishlist of things they want to have, and how it will work assuming that their wishlist doesn't crash and burn." Damning to say the least... Vitalik Buterin the father of Ethereum has tweeted a warning to his followers stating that "traditional assets" are a safer place to hold your live savings. He caught quite a lot of hate in the comments, but is this the way more blockchain figureheads should be acting in the crypto space? Bitcoin is mainstream but it's position in asset classes is still not obvious. Divorce lawyers are finding this out the hard way and a UK based firm have claimed that they are dealing with multi-million dollar cases over centring around cryptocurrency assets. Moving on- are Atari about to have their Kodak moment? The game-makers who created Pacman are planning an ICO because..it's 2018? On to Bitcoin mining- with China cracking down, where is the best place to mine Bitcoin? Apparently Venezuela is the cheapest place to mine the cryptocurrency whereas South Korea was found to be the most expensive. Finally, we follow up on dark pools after last week's episode, as a $30 million ICO could pave way for huge crypto traders. As always there's so much news out there and we can't cover it all, so we had some stories we just couldn't squeeze in. These include: Ethereum Dev Yoichi Hirai Steps Away From Role As EIP Editor, Citi Bank and Credit Agricole buy a stake in SETL and R3 are training DLT lawyers. In today's episode we also bring you an interview with Patrick Berarducci and Matt Corva from Consensys about Brooklyn Project. Exciting stuff! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Matt Corva and Patrick Berarducci.
2/22/201854 minutes, 5 seconds
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Ep. 33. Blythe Masters Interview, hacks, non-hacks & Europe's crypto crackdown

Simon and Sara (no Colin this week) tackle the week's news stories Kicking off with the biggest story: France and Germany's crackdown on crypto. France and Germany have put it to the G20 that the time has come to regulate IPOs and bitcoin. In a join statement they say they are aiming to: Build a common understanding on the nature of tokens Monitor the implications on market stability Find better protections for non professional investors Adopt a common approach on anti money laundering Simon and Sara share their views on this one. The second story this week covers JPMorgan Chase's report that, despite Jamie Dimon's infamous comments to the contrary, states that crypto is unlikely to disappear. Our third biggest story is Binance's denial of their hack, despite claims and particularly tweets from John McAfee. This brings the team to discuss the impact of sentimentality and drama on the market's volatility. Even if a hack isn't real, if headlines are written claiming it has been, it still has an impact. Sara and Simon also take on Ledger Nano's vulnerability to cyber attacks; Russians arrested for mining bitcoin, the Winkelvoss' latest bitcoin predictions, Litecoin's release of LitePay, Venezuela's backing of Petro, and bitcoin's popularity on the dark web. Simon also speaks to Blythe Masters, all about Digital Asset Holdings, the differences between assets and currencies and how to get involved in the digital asset market. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Blythe Masters and Sara Feenan.
2/15/20181 hour, 6 minutes, 56 seconds
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Ep. 32. Jameson Lopp, the Market be down but Enterprise is up

In this episode, Simon, Colin and guest Sara Feenan dissect the week's news and we have a fantastic interview from Jameson Lopp! Kicking off with the biggest story of the... year? The market be down: prices have tumbled 50% from all time highs, is this a disaster or must what goes up, always come back down? Lloyds have banned customers buying bitcoin on credit cards. Is this sensible or over-protecting of customers, and also protecting themselves? Colin and Sara say you should never buy crypto on credit card, for the risks involved, never invest your money if you don't have it in the first place - the price falling shows how much people can lose. They also talk regulation as the SEC and the CFTC begin to give testimony, the State of Wyoming tries to ring fence token sales out of securities law, and Canadian regulators approve their first Blockchain ETF. Does the Wired article "The Big ICO Swindle" mean the tech purists have turned their back on ICOs? Colin thinks no one has every done anything meaningful from an ICO, excepting Ethereum. Can you think of any examples? @Bchaininsider if so. GSass is back with a vengeance when it comes to the Puerto Rico "bitcoin bros" in their crypto "utopia', Colin does not hold back his opinions on this one! Additionally, one of Colin's 2018 predictions seems to be coming into fruition as Enterprise blockchain finally seems to be breaking out, and everyone is very enthusiastic about this, are the tools developers have been working on finally coming to the fore? And finally UNICEF asks PC gamers to mine Ethereum and donate to Syrian children - while well meaning, is anyone actually doing this? The team discuss. We also speak to Jameson Lopp, a massive presence in the Bitcoin and Blockchain world, software engineer at BitGo, creator of statoshi.info and founder of bitcoinsig.com. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Jameson Lopp and Sara Feenan.
2/8/20181 hour, 25 minutes, 20 seconds
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Ep. 31. South Korea's ban, Japan's hack, Robinhood and the future of crypto

We begin with big news from South Korea, as they announce that 6 major banks will facilitate data sharing with Cryptocurrency exchanges. Money laundering and tax evasion have been large governmental concerns with regards to crypto and it seems South Korea have taken the first steps to mitigate under the counter activity. Moving on, Japanese Cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck will refund the $400m worth of NEM that was stolen from them by hackers. This isn't the first time we've seen big hacks on Japanese exchanges.....(cough, cough, Mt. Gox). On to something more positive in the crypto-sphere, Robinhood, the app that lets you make zero-fee stock trading is going to allow its users to trade Cryptocurrencies. Robinhood users will be able to trade both Bitcoin and Ethereum with no transaction fees, with more coins on the horizon. Next, a Hong Kong based blockchain investment fund has acquired Bitcoin startup BTCC, who's mining pool accounts for 3.2% of Bitcoin's hashing power.....big news! Sticking with acquisition-BitGo Inc., a closely held crypto-security firm, agree to buy Bitcoin custodian Kingdom Trust as it seeks to attract $20 Billion worth of institutional investors. Telegram has been a hotly discussed topic and Silicon Valley VCs are reportedly lining up to invest in the Russian messaging app. Back to Japan, the BOJ have come out with more regulatory talk stating that it will be incredibly difficult to create cross-border regulatory protocol for Cryptocurrency trading. Now regulation in this space will be important- but how do we protect innovation? The chairmen of the CFTC and SEC, Christopher Giancarlo and Jay Clayton, have co-authored an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal about what their agencies are doing in relation to cryptocurrency and token markets. It seems mostly positive, as both have focussed on the technology- potentially encouraging governments to understand just how big blockchain could be. Now lots of Ripple enthusiasts claim that XRP could become the Bitcoin for banks, but do banks want it? A story coming from Bloomberg claims that banks have absolutely no interest in XRP. Current and former executives at seven global banks—some of whom have partnered with Ripple—say there was scant chance they would ever entrust their corporate clients’ payments to a cryptocurrency. Damning to say the least. We leave you with our Bull masks on, as hedge funds have swung their bitcoin-futures bets to the bullish side for the first time, according to recent figures. What will this mean for crypto markets going forward? As always there are several stories we didn't have time to cover. They include: Prodeum ICO Exits with a Prank-No Real Haul, How blockchain could kill both cable and Netflix, OpenDoor scores $10 million funding and Golden Kitty Awards Winners just missed out on some further discussion. We also bring you two fantastic interviews - Malcolm Lerider from NEO and Adam Ludwin from Chain! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Adam Ludwin and Malcolm Lerider.
2/1/20181 hour, 21 minutes, 42 seconds
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Ep. 30. Bitcoin Falls, Whales Rise and an Interview With bitFlyer CEO

After the market beatdown, Simon and Colin dissect the sustainability of current prices and how much longer regulators will stand idly by whilst pump and dumps continue to happen. Our first story comes from Coindesk, talking about the price action where Bitcoin 'defended' the $11,000 mark. Conversely, the Evening Standard came out with a story claiming investors were swapping their bitcoin for physical gold- are people actually swapping digital gold for it's physical counterpart? Staying with Bitcoin (shock, horror), Forbes claim that criminals are dropping BTC for other cryptocurrencies due to expensive, lengthy transactions. Criminals are apparently preferring more private coins. Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase recorded $1 Billion in revenue! The exchange exploded in 2017, so it's no surprise that it's booked such lofty numbers as the interest in cryptocurrencies continues to grow. Moving on and more from Coindesk, regulators gon' regulate as the SEC outlines reasons for reluctance to list cryptocurrency ETF's. Next, Shell has just made its first investment in blockchain with UK startup Applied Blockchain, and we have the pleasure of bringing you a soundbite from CEO Adi Ben-Ari! He explains what Applied Blockchain do, and how it's easy for Developers/Engineers to 'see through' certain crypto projects. Staying with large companies sticking their hands in the blockchain pie, IBM and Maersk form new blockchain company for international cargo which will automate paperwork for shipping across international borders. And lastly, Swift have signed an agreement with 7CSD's to explore blockchain post trade processes. Although no specific details have been leaked, Swift have claimed that the agreement is more exploratory in its nature. One to watch. We also bring you interviews with bitFlyer's CEO and founder Yuzo Kano and COO Andy Bryant, as the largest Japanese cryptocurrency exchange comes to Europe! Please do make sure to listen to the last 2 minutes for some great Orca/Whale related gags as Simon, Colin and the production team are struck by a giggling disease. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Adi Ben-Ari, Andy Bryant, and Yuzo Kano.
1/25/20181 hour, 3 minutes, 49 seconds
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Ep.29. Kraken on With Crypto After the Market Bloodbath

On today's show, we just had to start with crypto price bloodbath January has brought. Simon and Colin dissect rumours of centralised exchanges being banned in China & South Korea, as winter comes (http://uk.businessinsider.com/bitcoin-ethereum-ripple-cryptocurrency-prices-fall-on-january-16-2018-1) for crypto markets. Next, Mike Novagratz makes a '$400m bet' (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/vWNJsEPpqodBkquKu/michael-novogratz-usd400-million-bet-form-giant-crypto) attempting to form a giant crypto merchant bank. Novagratz (who went big on both Bitcoin & Ethereum early) had plans for a crypto hedge fund which were cancelled in the past, so it remains to be seen what happens with this project. Vitalik Buterin (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/CRoY4Fevje8hj2jxY/ethereum-co-founder-vitalik-buterin-has-left-vc-firm), Ethereum founder, is another blockchain personality in the news today, who left VC firm Fenbushi Capital. Drama is never far from the cryptocurrency ecosystem and Tron (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/ZbXT9tbr32m73J6jz/tron-s-whitepaper-is-copied-plagiarized), a Chinese crypto project has been accused of plagiarism with regards to their whitepaper. Translation issue? Or is there more in this story? ICO's were most certainly hot in 2017 and chat app Telegram (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/JFFhz3n7tYzBCxpzA/telegram-plans-multi-billion-dollar-ico-for-chat) hopes to raise up to $1.2 billion in an ICO. How will ICO's develop in 2018? The explore what could happen with that regard, but it seems initial coin offerings will still be a prevalent in 2018. Kraking on, Kraken (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/FbMDPMNxjun52hy2t/kraken-exchange-is-back-online-after-troublesome-system), the world's 5th largest cryptocurrency exchange is back after a troublesome upgrade. Many speculated that some of the upgrades were un-professional with fears surfacing that some money could be lost. Sticking with exchanges, we discuss Binance (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/p2gGhyvxTKeMxBnd3/binance-the-fastest-profitable-unicorn-in-history)-the fastest growing 'unicorn' in the crypto-currency world which has now surpassed a $1 billion valuation less than 6 months after launching. Truly extraordinary! Last but not least, we bring you interviews with two Ryan's! We were spoilt today as Ryan Shea came on the show to discuss Blockstack, a new internet for decentralized apps. The second Ryan, Ryan Selkis- came on to discuss his interesting blog titled 'I see You XRP' discussing all things Ripple, XRP and what's happening in the markets. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Ryan Selkis and Ryan Shea.
1/18/20181 hour, 4 minutes, 31 seconds
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Ep. 28. Where now for Ripple? & Blockchain gets all Zuck'ed up

We begin this week's news by discussing Mark Zuckerberg's (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/8zymDik7mxwwHNGSa/mark-zuckerberg-s-personal-challenge-is-all-about-fixing) interest in decentralisation, as he made it his 'challenge of the year' to study how it could 'fix' Facebook. Speaking of Zuck, XRP (Ripple's crypto-currency) had an incredible run up peaking at over $3.80, making Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/3CSAMDdjxE2C7pNS8) actually wealthier than Mark Zuckerberg for a short period of time. This massive run saw Ripple monetarily become the second largest crypto asset in terms of market cap, so, as you can imagine Simon and Colin discussed the project (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/uAh53cCneZTFFYKb7/i-see-you-usdxrp) at great length! Regulators are always a hot topic in the crypto sphere and this week was no different as Texas regulators ordered Bitconnect (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/y3Ldjqf98Ms7AeADK/bitconnect-handed-a-cease-and-desist-order-from-texas) to cancel their token sale. We also saw Visa (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/cWWnRNK9yxdxxN3oD/bitcoin-card-providers-cancel-services-with-zero-notice) drop their cryptocurrency backed debit cards due to violation of operating regulations, which had users scrambling. Tying into 'dropping users', Bittrex, Binance and Bitfinex (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/r3dDsxS8z3Yf7mNKT/binance-bitfinex-bittrex-temporarily-say-no-to-new-users) all halted new user sign ups due to incredible demand. Binance in particular claimed that they were seeing over 250,000 new users a day at one point, this enormous volume evidently reflecting the current rush of retail investors into the crypto space. Could these issues give decentralised exchanges an important role to play in 2018? Next, the Bank of England (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/T32RNKpnn7DTDkaH2/bank-of-england-drops-plans-for-its-own-cryptocurrency) drops plans for its own cryptocurrency, fearing instability. Government backed cryptocurrencies stories really started surfacing in 2017, and it seems 2018 is no different. Moving on to some stranger news, we discuss Dentacoin (https://fintechinsidernews.com/posts/7NEs4E74R7muqZZto/dentacoin-dental-crypto-bringing-smiles-to-investors)- a dentistry based cryptocurrency that shot up 900%. Does this reinforce fears that the crypto market is in bubble territory? As always there's an array of topics we didn't have time to discuss including: Qtum - the next big thing?, Bitcoin Miners Shifting Outside China Amid Clampdown and What crypto didn’t give us in 2017. We also bring you an interview with Nordea's Head of Blockchain and DLT, Ville Sointu. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Ville Sointu.
1/11/20181 hour, 3 minutes, 23 seconds
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Ep. 27. XRP's Ripple effect and Blockchain use cases

Welcome to the very first show of 2018! We kick off the year with a bang, including some of the biggest stories from the holiday season, our predictions for 2018 and an interview with Peter Rizzo, Editor at Coindesk. First up on the first show of 2018 we take a look at Blockchain and crypto predictions for the year to come. Why will this be the year that institutional investors really get involved? Will 2018 be the year that web 3.0 takes off? How will ICOs evolve through 2018, and will pump and dump syndicates come under regulatory scrutiny? Check out Simon's 2018 blog right here (https://11fs.com/blog/2018-blockchain-predictions-ready/). Next, it's fast-becoming a weekly feature, it's the cryptocurrency prices piece. On its 9th birthday, we ask how high Bitcoin can really go? Plus, Ether brings in the new year with a record high, and who are the crypto Billionaires getting rich from Ripple's XRP? Is it really true that nobody has come up with a use case for Blockchain in ten years? And is current technology simply the first stage in a wave of change that will take place over the next 10 to 20 years? 10 points to Colin, who, just two days into 2018, has already nailed one of his predictions for the year. So why has the ECB's Yves Mersch called Bitcoin a major threat to financial stability? Next in the news, we discuss how the US has closed a crypto loophole, and whether this will hit the market. What's up with Revolut? Or rather, what's up with Revolut crypto rates? How do they apply and how do they compare to other options? This week we're also very lucky to hear from Pete Rizzo, Editor at Coindesk, a leading industry news source. Pete explains how Coindesk went about curating 2017's Most Influential list and how they aimed to reach a consensus on the most influential players in DLT in 2017. And we didn't have time to talk about: whether Israel's central bank is considering digital currency; Putin's view on a possible CryptoRouble; and Blockchain's impact on the NHS. Check out the links below for all the stories we've discussed today. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com (https://fintechinsidernews.com/). Special Guest: Pete Rizzo.
1/4/201857 minutes, 8 seconds
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Ep. 26. Holiday Interview Special - Tim Swanson, & Somil Goyal: Adjoint

As it's the Christmas break we are not here this week! But instead of the usual news overview we're giving you an interview-only special show, featuring Tim Swanson and Somil Goyal from new smart contracts start up Adjoint. Tim and Colin look back at the last year in blockchain and cryptoassets and give their predictions for 2018. Somil tells Colin all about Adjoint and what their first year in industry has looked like and what their plans for growth are in 2018 and the years to come. Happy holidays and Merry Christmas to all our listeners! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Somil Goyal and Tim Swanson.
12/28/201759 minutes, 12 seconds
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Ep. 25. Keanu Reeves on bitcoin, Vanguard on Blockchain and Cardano

G-Sass is back in France this week but that won't stop him joining Simon for this week's installment of the news show. First up this week, the guys explore the implications of competition in the crypto futures space, as the CME launches its contract to compete with CBOE. Bringing the cryto debate firmly into the mainstream, we discuss the French finance minister's intervention, urging a debate at the G20. Plus, why has Keanu Reeves spoken out over Bitcoin and what does it mean for the future of cryptoassets? Why has Bill Miller's hedge fun put half its money in Bitcoin and what could his strategy be? Plus, has Bitcoin really become the biggest bubble the world has ever seen? The guys also discuss the nature of Bitcoin - is it a commodity? - and is the price totally fictional or is it really related to something? Our very own Pete Townsend, 11:FS Asset Management Lead, joins us this week to break down Vanguard's plan to adopt blockchain technology. We discuss the Gnosis Dutch exchange - do check out the blog post here (https://blog.gnosis.pm/introducing-the-gnosis-dutch-exchange-53bd3d51f9b2) - and finally, Cardano, the "Ethereum of Japan" has jumped into the top six cryptocurrencies by market cap of USD $12bn. So what's all the fuss about and is it really as secure as bitcoin? And we didn't have time to discuss: Loopring's decentralized exchange and open protocol; HODL - why the only good bitcoin advice is four years old; and, once again, CryptoKitties. And to finish up this week, we bring you interviews with Mark Jeffrey from Guardian Circle and Paul Forrest from MBN Solutions. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com (https://fintechinsidernews.com/). Special Guests: Mark Jeffrey and Paul Forrest.
12/21/20171 hour, 3 minutes, 13 seconds
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Ep. 24. CBOE futures, Bitcoin mining energy usage & investing responsibly

G Sass is back in London for a second week in a row to join Simon for this week's recap of the top Blockchain news - and what a week of news it was. Bitcoin futures are now available for trading through CBOE. So what's a future, what's the significance of having a bitcoin future, and what was the impact when these futures launched? Next, why your grandmother should not be buying bitcoin, despite how easily some platforms are making it. The guys discuss the importance of investors' understanding of the market and risk. And if you do want to get up to speed on bitcoin, Colin gives his thoughts on the essential reading, and where to look for more information. Why are we so preoccupied with the energy consumption of bitcoin mining? And how might this impact the debate on energy use and climate change? Let us know why you think we're so attached to the energy narrative around bitcoin @BchainInsider. Digital Asset Holdings has been selected by Australian Stock Exchange, making it the first exchange to commercialise DLT. France will allow blockchain technology for trading unlisted securities (those not on the main exchange). So what will be the impact on startups and the listings market? And, MAMA has launched! That is, the Multichain Asset Management Association, an industry trade body for asset management startups. Plus, news that UBS is to launch a live Ethereum platform with Barclays, Credit Suisse and others. Next up, why has an ICO been halted after the SEC raised concerns over registration? And what does this say about the prospects for ICOs in the USA? And this week we also bring you an interview with Jamie Burke, founder and CEO at Outlier Ventures. Simon and Colin hear about Jamie's experience as an angel investor, the next phase of the web and the importance of decentralisation. They also discuss tokenomics and IOTA - why is it different to other DLTs and what's on their road map? That's it for this week. Don't forget, this episode is sponsored by ZILLA, a new ICO marketplace app. Browse ICOs, upvote or downvote so the good ones rise to the top and, if you like an ICO, participate with one-click! Pre-register for the limited ZILLA beta app at ZLA.io/bi (https://www.zla.io/bi). We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com (https://fintechinsidernews.com/). Special Guest: Jamie Burke.
12/14/20171 hour, 50 seconds
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Ep. 23. Bitcoin goes stratospheric, Ethereum Cryptokitties and R3 CEO interview

Colin has returned to the UK from his Australian adventure to join Simon back at our home in WeWork, Aldgate Tower. Once more, Bitcoin has hit a record high. But could the cryptocurrency's price be losing momentum? Bitcoin exchange Coinbase now has more users than stock brokerage Schwab, so what are the implications for its price? And, following its lawsuit defeat, Coinbase was forced to report some users to the IRS. Plus, as Bitcoin futures trading gets nearer, we ask why the price is still rising and what will contribute to its maturity? Five blockchain predictions for 2018, including non-financial applications, the internet of things and smart contracts. But will governments advance cryptocurrency tax rules? The cryptocurrency flash crash on the Bitfinex exchange caused uproar last week. So what caused it and could it have been avoided? Plus, was it really that bad? And, why did Bitfinex hire a law firm and team up with Tether? So many questions. And - it's finally here...the story of the week. Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. We bring you - CryptoKitties. Sims for Bitcoin. We explore why oh why one special CryptoKittie sold for $117,000. One hundred and seventeen. Thousand. US dollars. But please, don't fork your kitties. And how is "a silly game about cats" accounting for 17% of the Ethereum network? We also consider the more serious implications, including why the ERC721 contracts are going to displace Ethereum ICOs in 2017. This week we are delighted to bring you an interview with R3 CEO David Rutter. Simon and David talk about blockchain's arrival, the joys of gardening leave and R3's journey from start up to leading blockchain firm. They also discuss the development of R3's platform, Corda, and their work with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on Project Ubin. We hear about the significance of anti-trust law, going through Series A fundraising and the advantages of being a network business. Don't forget, this episode is sponsored by ZILLA, a new ICO marketplace app. Browse ICOs, upvote or downvote so the good ones rise to the top and, if you like an ICO, participate with one-click! Pre-register for the limited ZILLA beta app at ZLA.io/bi (https://www.zla.io/bi). We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com (https://fintechinsidernews.com/). Special Guest: David Rutter.
12/7/20171 hour, 11 minutes, 10 seconds
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Ep. 22. Can Bitcoin really hit $100,000?

This week, normal service is resumed as we returned, inexorably, to ANOTHER new Bitcoin high - this time, over $9,000 and, according to many, fast approaching $10,000. So is it just the result of more buyers than sellers in the market, or could there be other reasons? Plus, why maths might mean Bitcoin could reach $100,000 by 2021. Bonds on Ether! Nivaura has issued the UK's first regulated Ether bond. But what will be the impact on CSDs? Following a spate of rogue ICOs, we discuss the possibility that the US Department of Justice (DoJ) will crack down, and more fool the first ICO to fall foul of the DoJ as they might be looking to set an example. Non-financial blockchain applications are coming. But will it succeed in blockchain-based air travel? Several airlines have partnered up to try to use DLT to iron out some of the bumps in air travel with luggage. Plus, how to talk about cryptocurrency at the dinner table, and Ripple did a thing...again. This week we also bring you two special features. Firstly, a roundtable on the ICO space with Ruth Wandhofer, Global Head Regulatory, Market & Innovation Strategy at Citibank; Jeff Bandman, Principal at Bandman Advisors; Lawrence Wintermeyer, Principal at Capstone; and Oliver Oram, founder and CEO at Chainvine. And second, Simon talks to very special guest Commissioner Brian Quintenz from the CFTC about the derivatives markets and the potential impact of distributed ledger technology (DLT). Don't forget, this episode is sponsored by ZILLA, a new ICO marketplace app. Browse ICOs, upvote or downvote so the good ones rise to the top and, if you like an ICO, participate with one-click! Pre-register for the limited ZILLA beta app at ZLA.io/bi (https://www.zla.io/bi). We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com (https://fintechinsidernews.com/). Special Guests: Brian Quintenz, Jeff Bandman, Lawrence Wintermeyer, and Oliver Oram.
11/30/20171 hour, 2 minutes, 19 seconds
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Ep. 21. Bitcoin futures & ConsenSys London launch party

Welcome to an unusual show for us in recent weeks, as a new bitcoin high doesn't feature as our lead story! Getting us off the mark, the guys explore the new Bitcoin futures option from LedgerX priced at $10,000. Why did someone buy it, and could we be buying too? Next up, SegWit2x is back in the news, but having been called off last week, how has it caused some nodes to stumble? And our story of the week - the CME Group has announced that it'll launch Bitcoin futures. So does this represent Wall Street advancing on Bitcoin, or is it bringing crypto ever-closer to the mainstream? Answers on a postcard, please do let us know what you think @colingplatt (https://twitter.com/colingplatt?lang=en) or @sytaylor (https://twitter.com/sytaylor?lang=en).] WTF Colin G Platt? Could your next trip to the cinema feature a blockbuster funded by crypto? If everything goes to plan for one Hollywood producer, then absolutely! So, will Hollywood become the next industry to be disrupted by DLT? And R3 founder and CEO David Rutter has spoken about why 2018 is a key year for him, and what it'll take to make it a success. So what do the guys think? We also bring you a roundtable on the state of blockchain recorded live at the ConsenSys launch part in Shoreditch, London, featuring Alex Batlin and Ed Budd from ConsenSys, Lawrence Lundy from Outlier Ventures, and Charlene Chen from BitPesa. The guys discuss where we are with distributed ledger technology (DLT), the impact it's had on financial services and where it's heading. Simon also caught up with Jeremy Millar about ConsenSys' plans for growth and their move to London. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com (https://fintechinsidernews.com/). Special Guests: Alex Batlin, Charlene Chen, Ed Budd, Jeremy Millar, and Lawrence Lundy.
11/23/201744 minutes, 13 seconds
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Ep. 20. The greatest (bitcoin) story ever told!

The death of SegWit2x - what happened, why and what does it mean for bitcoin? How did $160m Eth get locked up in Parity wallets, and why might a fork be the only way to get it out? One of the greatest comebacks in (DLT) history - how could the former bitcoin king Mt. Gox be back in the money? Plus, a new blockchain-based international payments system from R3 and 22 of the world's biggest banks; Bjork accepting cryptocurrency for new album; a token to cryogenically freeze yourself; and, Grayscale Investments announces the launch of a Zcash investment trust. And we bring you two interviews. First, Simon speaks with Michael Casey, advisor, author, speaker and commentator. Next up, we talk to Daniel Cotti, CFO and Bank Partner Relationship, and David Sutter, Head of Platform Strategy, from TradeIX. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com (https://fintechinsidernews.com/). Special Guests: Daniel Cotti, David Sutter, and Michael Casey.
11/16/20171 hour, 9 minutes, 22 seconds
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Ep. 19. The prequel to the greatest (bitcoin) story ever told

First up this week - and what a week - we can confirm that SegWit2x is not going ahead! For more on this story, tune in to next week's episode. In this episode, we focus on the run up to what was nearly the biggest fork of the year. We return to the continuing astronomical rise in bitcoin - up as high as $7,600? So is it a bubble, and does the market need more infrastructure to entice large institutions? In related news, CME Group - the world's largest exchange - have announced that they're going to introduce bitcoin futures. The guys also discuss what SegWit2x will mean (or would have meant?) for the future of bitcoin. And will Bitcoin miners really consume as much electricity as the annual consumption of Nigeria? Is bitcoin really that power consuming or is it actually changing how we consume power? And we talk to Volodymyr Panchenko, founder and CEO of DMarket.io (https://dmarket.io/), and Alexander Kokhanovskyy, founder and CEO of DreamTeam (https://dreamteam.gg/), about their fascinating applications of DLT to e-sports. Also on this week's show: why Celebrity ICOs might become illegal; Colin wrote a long thing (derivatives clearing on distributed ledgers); the latest of Alex Tapscott and the NextBlock fund; Colin uses the words "willy-nilly" in a sentence; and much, much more. Don't forget, this episode is sponsored by ZILLA, a new ICO marketplace app. Browse ICOs, upvote or downvote so the good ones rise to the top and, if you like an ICO, participate with one-click! Pre-register for the limited ZILLA beta app at ZLA.io/bi (https://www.zla.io/bi). We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com (https://fintechinsidernews.com/). Special Guests: Alexander Kokhanovskyy and Volodymyr Panchenko.
11/9/201757 minutes, 20 seconds
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Ep. 18. Bitcoin soaring, plus ICOs, hipsters and Tezos

First up on today's show, Simon and Colin tackle "tulip mania" and other common misconceptions about crypto assets. Bitcoin has hit yet another all time high - but is the price the key figure or should we be focusing on the growth in use and user numbers instead? We also talk boomer biases - send us your favourites. Next up, Iran has announced it is preparing to adopt Bitcoin for use in the country. Will we see a geopolitical shift, and how might it influence Bitcoin's reputation? Why are startups struggling to get bank accounts in the UK? The FCA Sandbox's Lessons Learned report points out that startups, particularly DLT startups, are often can't secure banking services. So is it time for a more nuanced approach by the big banks? Colin analyses the AMF's approach to ICOs, folowing their announcement of project UNICORN. If you missed it, check out Simon's blog on a best practice framework for token sales (https://11fs.com/blog/open-source-token-best-practice/). And can blockchain revolutionise the coffee supply chain? Colin explains how, with the help of Shoreditch and hipsters. So is this another contrived blockchain application? Or, in an increasingly environmentally-conscious world, where authenticity and provenance are key, is this a real step forward? Breaking - we've unearthed the key to increasing your share price by 400% in one day...add the word Blockchain to your company name! We look at the story of On-Line Blockchain Plc. Also in today's show, Simon talks to Jeff Bandman about testifying to the SEC on Bitcoin and ICOs. And Colin catches up with Stephen Palley on his rather strong thoughts about Tezos. Thanks for listening, we hope you enjoy the show. As ever, don't forget to subscribe, and please do leave us a review on iTunes. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com (https://fintechinsidernews.com/). Special Guests: Jeff Bandman and Stephen Palley.
11/2/20171 hour, 1 minute, 57 seconds
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Ep. 17. Bitcoin price explodes, ICOs implode and CEO of Ripple Interview

First up on this week’s show, Bitcoin keeps marching on, and it seems institutional money is behind its buoyancy. BlackRock, LedgerX, Wall Street - why it’s good news that everyone’s got an opinion on Bitcoin right now. The guys also dissect the Tezos story and ask: is it possible to raise too much money? With speculation that Tezos attracted nearly $300 million under a foundation model in Switzerland, the guys discuss how the situation will unfold. Meanwhile, with news that the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has aligned itself with the SEC in determining that ICOs can be commodities, are we seeing an emerging consensus towards blockchain in the US? Plus, we have a guest appearance from Fintech Insider’s Sam Maule, who caught up with Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, at Swell – Ripple’s payments conference – last week. Also on today’s show – how £11 trillion in derivatives is getting closer to the Blockchain; why Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella challenged Swift to build useful Blockchain applications; R3’s patent application; mining for charity; and much more. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com (https://fintechinsidernews.com/). Special Guest: Brad Garlinghouse.
10/26/201754 minutes, 18 seconds
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Ep. 16. Eth and Bitcoin forks, Bitcoin all-time high and Ripple vs R3

This week Bitcoin has gone the the moon! So what's the story behind its new all time high price? And how might the long courtship between Wall Street and Bitcoin have played a part in the story? The guys take a look at the JP Morgan messaging on Bitcoin, including Jamie Dimon's views. We cover news from both Swell and Sibos, the pseudonymous nature of Bitcoin and how SWIFT intend to respond to the changing payments landscape. PLus, how is IBM using cryptocurrency in cross-border payments? Colin explains why open blockchains might be the canary in the coalmine and, while the People's Bank of China Digital Currency Director calls for a centralised state cryptocurrency, Simon asks whether it's really possible to have a true cryptocurrency that's centralised. Plus, what can all this mean for a possible CryptoRuble? We return to the story of the legal battle between R3 and Ripple to find out who's in the ascendancy, and the guys discuss how Digital Asset Holdings intend to use the $40m series B funding they raised recently. And of course, we also revisit Segwit2x for an update on its progress, and discuss Ethereum's own Byznatium fork. Plus, interviews with Brian Behlendorf, Executive Director of the Hyperledger Project (https://www.hyperledger.org/) within the Linux Foundation, and Paul Worrall, founder of Zonafide (https://www.zonafide.net/). We hope you enjoy the show - don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or read more about the news stories and add your own thoughts at fintechinsidernews.com (https://fintechinsidernews.com/). And if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Brian Behlendorf and Paul Worrall.
10/19/20171 hour, 5 minutes, 21 seconds
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Ep. 15. What the hell is Segwit2x, enterprise Blockchain and more regulators weigh in

This week Simon and Colin crunch through all the week's top news. Why's everyone talking about SegWit2x, when will it happen and what does it mean for the future of bitcoin? Switzerland looks set to remain 'crypto valley' with talk of a code of conduct for ICOs. The guys talk security in bitcoin exchanges and why "those regulators gonna regulate". And with news that HMRC has built a blockchain proof of concept for the UK border, we discuss whether this is an efficiency no-brainer, or the precursor to a dystopian, crypto-enabled future. The database giant Oracle has unveiled its enterprise blockchain platform, but will this solution cannibalise its existing business? We also hear from Scott Nelson at Sweetbridge on expanding the definition of liquidity, and Abasa Phillips from Zilla to tell us about their new platform to invest in ICOs. And finally, wtf - what the Fetchcoin?! Whether its brilliantly conceived satire or a credible venture, you decide - let us know what you think! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com (https://fintechinsidernews.com/). Special Guests: Abasa Phillips and Scott Nelson.
10/12/20171 hour, 5 minutes, 9 seconds
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Ep. 14. Legitimising crypto exchanges & ICOs: South Korea, Australia & DJ Khaled weigh in

In this episode: Simon, Colin and special guest Frank Schuil CEO and co-founder of Safello break down the last week's headlines including: The latest on the traditional finance vs crypto-currencies saga, with Christine Lagarde, the head of the IMF speaking out about Bitcoin, We look at what South Korea, Singapore, Australia & the SEC have to say about ICOs, not to mention DJ Khaled! We also bring you 2 fantastic interviews from Yazan Barghuthi of Jibrel Network, and Jennifer Peve of the DTCC, and we speak to Adam Furgal from r3 about their recent announcements. We hope you're enjoying the show - don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or read more about the news stories and add your own thoughts at fintechinsidernews.com. If you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Adam Furgal, Frank Schuil, Jennifer Peve, and Yazan Barghuthi.
10/5/20171 hour, 7 minutes, 56 seconds
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Ep. 13. Jamie Dimon vs Bitcoin, Ethereum Mixers & Blockchain Live

In this episode: We bring you the second part of our series of Interviews from Blockchain Live, including Sam Chadwick from Thomson Reuters, Gemma Milne, journalist and podcast host of Science: Disrupt; and Kaspar Korjus from the Estonian Republic. Simon and Colin break down the latest news from the last week including: - Jamie Dimon has more to say about Bitcoin, but is he a HODLer? - Study finds that most Ethereum transactions are just trying to hide Ether - Tim Swanson bears witness to all the sins in crypto-land in his latest blog post. We hope you're enjoying the show - don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or read more about the news stories and add your own thoughts at fintechinsidernews.com. If you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Gemma Milne, Kaspar Korjus, and Sam Chadwick.
9/28/201754 minutes, 15 seconds
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Ep 12. Beyond Bitcoin - Blockchain Live and EOS Interview

In this episode: Simon takes us through the week's top stories including BTCC ceasing trading in China; John McAffee's challenge on Jamie Dimon; and Vitalik Buterin's claim we're in an ICO bubble. Also: we ain't saying he a gold digger - but Jamie Foxx promotes a currency exchange ICO. We also have some fantastic interviews recorded at Blockchain Live in London, including Brendan Blumer and Dan Larimer from Block One, all about their EOS platform. Simon also speaks to Eva Kaili, MEP, about her role as Chair of the European Parliament's Science and Technology Options Assessment body (STOA). We will have more insights from Blockchain Live next week! We hope you're enjoying the show - don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or read more about the news stories and add your own thoughts at fintechinsidernews.com. If you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Brendan Blumer, Dan Larimer, and Eva Kaili.
9/21/201734 minutes, 22 seconds
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Ep. 11. Bitcoin is dead. Long live Bitcoin

Simon and Colin take you through the madness that is this week's news including: China bans bitcoin, again! Tax Exemptions for bitcoin exchanges - does taxing them make them more real? As Japan launches major bitcoin mining centre, we ask if Japan is not bitcoin's untold story of the year, and Simon shares his views on JP Morgan chief exec Jamie Dimon stating that bitcoin is all fraud. We also speak to Matt Spoke fro the Aion Network following their latest release. All this and more on this week's show. We hope you're enjoying the show - don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or read more about the news stories and add your own thoughts at fintechinsidernews.com. If you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Matt Spoke.
9/14/201746 minutes, 19 seconds
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Ep. 10. China draws first regulatory blood on ICOs

In this episode: Simon and Colin and special guest, Fintech Insider and 11:FS' Jason Bates, break down the top news stories of the week including: -The PBOC declares ICOs illegal - Crypto markets tumble 20% as a result - Messenger app Kik raises funds to launch an ICO for its own currency, the kin. - And… Paris Hilton launches an ICO They also debate why it is that bitcoin is currently considered a no-go zone by big banks? Then Simon catches up with ICO lawyer and token expert Patrick Murck for his thoughts on token sales, ICOs and the Chinese rulings making headlines this week. And finally - let us know which celebrity you'd trust most if they endorsed an ICO - Tweet us @bchaininsider or drop us a line at podcasts@11fs.com. We hope you're enjoying the show - don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Special Guests: Jason Bates and Patrick Murck.
9/6/20171 hour, 6 minutes, 4 seconds
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Ep. 9. Will regulators kill ICOs and Tokens?

In this episode: Simon, Colin and guests Kadhim Shubber and break down the top news stories of the last week including: - Bitcoin Segwit upgrade goes live - While Ethereum’s upgrade could still be a long wait - More regulators opine on tokens -And Burger King launches its own cryptocurrency We also have some fantastic interviews including: Andrew Chapin of Benja, talking about the BenjaCoin and proactively working with regulators; and Taylor Monahan of MyEtherWallet about the industry trends, and scam prevention. We hope you're enjoying the show - don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Get in touch with us on Twitter @bchaininsider, and we'd also love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes! Special Guests: Andrew Chapin, Kadhim Shubber, and Richard Burton.
8/31/20171 hour, 13 minutes, 41 seconds
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Ep. 8 Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin Bonds and Insurance on Blockchains

In this episode: Simon, Colin and guests Steve Webb and Hadi Kabalan break down the top news stories of the last week including: - Bitcoin Cash hits $1000, then quickly returns to $600! - The first bond on blockchain - IOTA the Internet of Things “Blockchain” announces flash channels And we have some top class interviews including: lawyer Stephen Palley about whether or not ICOs are legal, and what you should bear in mind if you're considering setting one up; then we speak to Blocksure's Ranvir Saggu and Joseph Goulden about their Ethereum-based Insurance project. We hope you're enjoying the show - don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and we'd also love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes! Special Guests: Hadi Kabalan, Stephen Palley, and Steve Webb.
8/24/20171 hour, 7 minutes, 58 seconds
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Ep. 7. Filecoin's record-breaking raise & Tezos launching a VC fund

As Bitcoin makes new highs, surpassing $4000 over the week, we look into the stories behind cryptocurrencies, tokens and DLTs. In this week's show we cover: Filecoin overtakes Tezos for the largest crowdfunding ever, topping $250m in just one hour Not to be outdone, Tezos announces a series of updates including its upcoming $50m VC fund Microsoft goes all in on Ethereum, launching the Coco framework, while Vitalik Buterin and Joseph Poon release details of the Plasma scalability project. Top cryptocurrency exchange, Bitfinex, reduces services for US customers, including for tokens And, Twitter CEO and Square Founder Jack Dorsey calls Bitcoin and Blockchain the ‘next big unlock’ We have an exclusive interview from Jennifer O'Rourke of the Illinois Blockchain Initiative, all about the work that they're doing, and we also hear from Stefano Bernardi on his views on token sales and ICO investment. We hope you're enjoying the show - don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and we'd also love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes! Special Guests: Jennifer O'Rourke, Sara Feenan, and Stefano Bernardi.
8/17/20171 hour, 17 minutes, 2 seconds
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Ep. 6. How to get a job in blockchain & Bitcoin Cash: week one roundup

In this episode: Simon and Colin break down: high profile bankers leaving for cryptocurrency startups, The Chicago Board of Exchange announces that it will launch Bitcoin Futures, and ICO funding tops half a billion dollars in the month of July and 1.6Bn this year. Zeth Couceiro, expert recruiter in the blockchain space, makes his debut on the show giving his top tips on how to get a job in blockchain. They also look back at the first week of Bitcoin Cash since the bitcoin fork and discuss the impact on the price and the network with Chris Burniske. Special Guests: Chris Burniske and Zeth Couceiro.
8/10/201758 minutes, 59 seconds
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Ep. 5. The Bitcoin Fork and Bitcoin Cash

In another packed episode Simon and Colin discuss the latest news in the industry including the arrest of Alexander Vinnik and seizure of Bitcoin exchange BTC-e; Ethereum miners chartering jumbo jets and of course the Bitcoin split - and we have a comment from crypto expert Chris Burniske to get his take on what just happened and what the impact of the split will be. We also have two fantastic interviews, starting with Dr Gideon Greenspan who’s behind Multichain and Coinsciences and Reto Trinkler, CEO of of MelonPort about the Melon Protocol. Enjoy the show! Tell your friends and please do leave us a review on iTunes. Special Guests: Chris Burniske, Gideon Greenspan, and Reto Trinkler.
8/3/20171 hour, 18 seconds
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Ep. 4: The SEC verdict on ICOs, the Parity hack and bitcoin forks!

Colin and Simon are joined by author Chris Burniske for the news. They cover the top stories rocking the blockchain and cryto space right now, kicking off with the Parity hack last week, which has as many twists and turns as a heist movie after $32M Ethereum was stolen, and a whitehat group attempted to hack it back and return the stolen money. Was this ethical? What is the impact of this? Colin, Simon and Chris try to make sense of it all. They also discuss the bitcoin scaling problem, resulting in a hard fork of bitcoin and a divide in viewpoint of the bitcoin community, and finally, the breaking news of the SEC's verdict on DAO ICOs and tokens and get an exclusive interview from Jeff Bandman in reaction to this. We also have an interview with Richard Brown, CTO of R3 all about the work that they do, and specifically about Corda. Guests: Chris Burniske - Author: Cryptoassets: The Innovative Investor's Guide to Bitcoin and Beyond Richard Brown - CTO, R3 Jeff Bandman - Principal, Bandman Advisors and former Founding Director and architect, LabCFTC
7/27/20171 hour, 15 minutes, 50 seconds
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Ep. 3: Bitcoin Signs & is Crypto a New Religion?

This week Simon and guests talk through a guy holding up a “Buy Bitcoin” sign who gets $15,000 donated as a result, the developments in “DLT” and corporate Blockchain, Revolut's integration of bitcoin, and will Mauritius really become "Ether Island", the new go-to place for cryptocurrencies? Later on he chats to Meltem Demoirs from Digital Currency Group about what's hot in blockchain, what is a token, and women in blockhain. Guests: - Ajit Tripathi - Director, Disruptive Technologies, PwC - Jeff Bandman - Principal, Bandman Advisors and former Founding Director and architect, LabCFTC - Paul Gordon - Co-founder, Quantave & Director, Coinscrum - Melten Demirors - Director, Digital Currency Group Like what you heard? Don't forget to subscribe, review us on iTunes or contact us - podcasts@11fs.co.uk Special Guest: Ajit Tripathi.
7/20/20171 hour, 23 minutes, 44 seconds
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Ep. 2: Tokenomics, FOMO and $566M in a month

We talk Governments getting into Blockchain - will regulation be led by China and Singapore?, cryptocurrencies finally being taken seriously by banks, governments and regulating bodies - and then conversely, the fear of missing out now has its own coin! And later in the show we talk to William Mougayar - the author, expert and speaker on all things Tokens and Blockchain! He tells us how he got into blockchain, where he sees the industry going, his view on token sales and the million dollar question: are we in a bubble? Special Guest: William Mougayar.
7/13/201750 minutes, 29 seconds
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Ep. 1: Ongoing Token Madness

In this episode: Today we will talk about the ongoing token madness, the importance of the state of Delaware, followed by some Blockchain news, including the importance of bitcoin in both the sale of marijuana and related and unrelated transaction security. In the second part of the show we have two interviews with some fantastic guests - first up: Arthur and Kathleen Brietman, the founders of Tezos, about one of the most exciting token sales happening. They are followed by Stefan Thomas the CTO of famous start-up Ripple, the global settlement network, who discusses (among other things) the importance of protocols and the rise and investment in interledgers. Like what you heard? Don't forget to subscribe, review us on iTunes or contact us - podcasts@11fs.co.uk Special Guests: Arthur Breitman, Kathleen Breitman, and Stefan Thomas.
7/6/201755 minutes, 9 seconds
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Blockchain Special Part 3: EEA and ZCash

In the third of our three part Blockchain Special, Simon and Colin are joined by some very special guests to discuss EEA, ZCash and the potential similarities between blockchain and the rise of cryptocurrencies and the dot-com bubble in the 90s, and asks the question: “Why should we be paying attention?”. They also debate the anonymity of blockchain and user privacy; and centralisation vs decentralisation in blockchain APIs - do we still need the middle man? In the second half they discuss highly topical news stories such as the EU’s pledge to invest in blockchain research and Theresa May’s proposal for greater internet security and access to public data - is she asking for the impossible? Special Guest: Jack Gavigan.
7/6/20171 hour, 8 minutes, 47 seconds
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Blockchain Special Part 2: Consensus Recap

Part 2 of our Blockchain Special, Simon and Colin with a roster of fascinating guests focus on the recent Consensus conference. We cover what the conference is, who should be attending and where it means to the industry. We give you a crash course on the difference between cryptocurrencies and DLT, what the main impacts ledger technology will have on banks and what is causing the major spikes in crypto currency prices right now. Special Guests: Ajit Tripathi, Ghela Boskovich, and Jeremy Millar.
7/6/201751 minutes, 51 seconds
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Blockchain Special Part 1: Tokens

As crypto currency interest and prices reach an all time high Simon and Colin bring you the first of a three part special on Blockchain. We delve into the hurricane of news that surfaced this week talking all time high prices, Bitcoin's effect on national security and the CFTC's foray into the blockchain. In our second half tokens and ICO's are on the table as we explain what exactly an ICO is, what tokens are, what industries are reacting and why you should be paying attention. Special Guests: Euros Evans and Kadhim Shubber.
7/6/20171 hour, 22 minutes, 6 seconds