Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: People, Culture and Tech
Back in February 2018, Forbes Magazine identified 19 of the “Richest in Crypto” based on who had about $1 billion worth in crypto. Galaxy Digital’s Mike Novogratz led the pack along with former child actor Brock Pierce and Coinbase’ then-35 year old CEO Brian Armstrong. But of those 19, only Armstrong appears on Forbes’ much anticipated list of billionaires in 2019.
LAS VEGAS—If 2017 was “the Year of the Utility Token” (I prefer “the Year that Crypto Only Went Up”), and 2018 is “the Year of the Security Token” (I prefer “the Year that Crypto only Goes Down”), what is in store for 2019? A panel of experts tried to answer this question on Thursday at World Cryptocon in Las Vegas during a panel titled The Future of STOs: Regulation, Compliance and Promise. But it may have left more questions than answers. A lively discussion ensued among the panel, moderated by Forbes’ Aaron Stanley, touching on subjects such as the pros and cons of various security registration classifications, comparing U.S. versus offshore offerings,…
The issue of how to classify and regulate cryptocurrency and blockchain technology is one that has stumped decision makers in Washington. This is unsurprising, given that offices in the Department of Defense were still using 8-inch floppy disks as recently as 2016. But while regulators in DC wring their hands over who has jurisdiction and whether certain coins are securities or not, many crypto observers fear that China, able to move with the speed and certainty of a dictatorship, is emerging as the gatekeeper of crypto. And that dominance is finally starting to rouse Beltway regulators who fear surrendering America’s digital future. Though China has a ban on trading digital…
