Global Blockchain Summit in Shanghai: "Uniting the Networks" of Blockchain Technology

A busy first day of Blockchain Summit, part of International Blockchain Week in Shanghai, was filled with product demonstrations and discussions on security and regulation. Presenters included Joseph Lubin, founder of ConsenSys; Tim Swanson of R3; Feng Xiao, founder of conference sponsor Wangxiang Blockchain Labs; Jeremy Allaire and Sean Neville of Circle; Josh Whelan of Santander and Tyler Smith of BHP Billiton. Here are some of the highlights. Vitalik Buterin Kicks It Off. Welcoming attendees, Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin remarked on the growth in interest in blockchain since his....

You can add R Jesse McWaters, financial innovation lead at the World Economic Forum (WEF), to the growing chorus of industry voices warning that we’ve reached a "peak" when it comes to the hype surrounding blockchain technology. "I’m trepidatious about inflated expectations re: the blockchain," McWaters said in a new interview, the comments coming as he described the ongoing "awakening" he’s seen among major financial institutions in regards to the technology. While even the WEF itself has lauded blockchain as a global....

It’s been referred to as a "revolutionary technology" by IBM, and a "once in a generation opportunity" by PricewaterhouseCoopers. But perhaps the most descriptive title came from The Economist when they dubbed blockchain "the trust machine". It is a breakthrough in computer science that holds the promise of reducing the cost of establishing and maintaining trust for both individuals and organizations. "Blockchain" is a relatively new term that refers to a specific type of computer database. The Oxford English Dictionary defines blockchain as "a....

Once viewed with fear and uncertainty by lawmakers, bitcoin and blockchain technology were heralded as innovations by US Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ) at an industry conference yesterday. The inaugural DC Blockchain Summit, produced by industry trade group the Chamber of Digital Commerce and held in Washington, DC, saw Schweikert and Natalee Binkholder, deputy chief of staff for Congressman Mick Mulvaney (R-SC), speak openly about the technology for the first time. Representative Schweikert, in particular, presented an optimistic vision for blockchain, discussing how the technology....

A new group is focusing on promoting blockchain tech in Shanghai. Calling itself the Shanghai Industrial Development Blockchain Alliance, the group is seeking to turn the city into a regional hub for the technology. According to a press release announcing the organization, members include the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Research Institute, Wanxiang Blockchain Lab and Hyperledger member BitSE. The group's origins date back to earlier this summer when discussions between the Shanghai government and members of the local blockchain sector began. BitSE CEO DJ Qian told CoinDesk:....