"Our knowledge can only be finite, while our ignorance must necessarily be infinite." – Karl Popper
**CONSENSUS**
Bill Barhydt, CEO of bitcoin remittance company Abra, will be joining us at Consensus to give an update on plans for its cross-border payments. You'll be there, right?
6 Top Trends From CoinDesk's 2017 State of Blockchain Report
CoinDesk's 2017 State of Blockchain Report, available today, takes a look at recent developments in blockchain implementation as well as in cryptocurrencies.
Among the main takeaways:
Bitcoin's 'real' trading volumes emerged after China's main exchanges implemented trading fees. We calculate the post-adjustment average daily trading volume for 2016 to be $103m, vs an apparent $1.6bn pre-adjustment.
The increased volatility of the bitcoin price in Q4 raised the issue of whether bitcoin could one day provide the basis for a payments system.
Privacy was an increasing concern, with alternative cryptocurrencies zcash and monero attracting investor interest.
Enterprise blockchains from big-name incumbents gained significant ground in 2016, while consortia grew in size as well as number, and expanded into new markets.
See our summary here, or download the full report here.
CoinDesk takes a look at how blockchain technology is affecting a $5tn industry. We talk to the startups and incumbents making this happen, give an overview of the applications and share insights from industry insiders on how distributed ledgers can change a sector that touches almost every aspect of the global economy.
Why the ICO Model's Success Could Be Its Downfall *Opinion*: Our Spotlight Survey report released last week highlighted the growing interest in blockchain tokens or ICOs. Could the success of this new form of financing end up being the proverbial nail in its coffin? Read more.
The Trouble With Fintech (Or Why 'Now' is the Time for DLT) *Opinion*: Software developer and podcast host Chris DeRose argues that although 'DLT' is replacing 'blockchain' as the buzzword of 2017, the sector is still without an attractive business model. Read more.
The World's Largest Shipping Firm Now Tracks Cargo on Blockchain The Danish shipping giant Maersk has completed its first live blockchain trial. The platform, developed with IBM, handled the paperwork for a transatlantic shipment, giving each of the participating parties access to supply chain data. Read more.
Why You Won't See Bitcoin in a Casino Anytime Soon CoinDesk spoke to chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and other industry insiders on why bitcoin is unlikely to make the jump from online gambling to heavily-regulated real-world casinos, in spite of the potentially huge market. Read more.
Long Live Dogecoin: Why Developers Won't Let the Joke Currency Die Is bitcoin's most endearing alternative fading? CoinDesk spoke to Dogecoin founder Jackson Palmer about the lack of development, and to leading Dogecoin developers on why they're not giving up yet. Read more.
A (Short) Guide to Blockchain Consensus Protocols What are the consensus alternatives to proof of work? CoinDesk provides an overview of proof of stake, activity, burn, capacity and elapsed time. Read more.
Roger Ver Bets Against SegWit Bitcoin Upgrade at Anarchapulco At the annual libertarian-leaning bitcoin event held last week in Acapulco, Mexico, a heated panel debate tackled the scaling issue, Bitcoin Unlimited and the likelihood of SegWit implementation. Read more.
Russian Payments Firm Qiwi Launches Blockchain Subsidiary According to local sources, the operation will focus on developing in-house blockchain solutions and also providing external consultation services to clients. Read more.
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