Why Russia’s CSD Believes Blockchain is a ‘Blue Ocean’ Opportunity
Thus far, 2016 has seen no shortage of financial incumbents touting blockchain, but perhaps the most surprising has been the warm embrace the tech has received from central securities depositories (CSDs), the entities that serve as intermediaries for securities transactions. Given the role of these businesses as often the sole arbiters of national and international markets, there has long been speculation they might be among the businesses threatened by distributed ledgers, or blockchain-enabled database environments in which the entities that are today served by CSDs are able to transact....
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The Linux Foundation-run Hyperledger Project will see a new member join the ranks, in Russia’s largest bank (by assets) Sberbank. The Hyperledger Project will now include Russian bank Sberbank among its roster of members and participants, revealed a report by regional industry publication Bankir.Ru. Sberbank first deputy chairman Lev Khasis and Hyperledger CEO Brian Behlendorf signed an agreement that sees the Russian bank’s inclusion, during the ongoing annual banking and financial conference, Sibos. In statements (roughly translated), Khasis stated: Joining the project generates new....
Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin recently spoke on the possibilities of applying his decentralized smart contracts platform in Russia, the proposed cryptocurrency ban in the country, and talked with representatives from the country’s central bank at a fintech event held in Russia’s “Silicon Valley.” Ethereum Fuels Russian Interest. The event was held on....