As cryptocurrencies gain both ground and notoriety, questions are increasingly asked about the future of money. I confronted this in my 2017 novel Bitcoin Hurricane, imagining a near future where digital and fiat currencies trade side by side in the money markets, and banks still have a role to play in our lives. Austin’s SXSW […]
Is it hype, or is there something in it? The innovation spawned by cryptocurrency and its underlying distributed ledger technology is matched only by the scepticism that surrounds wild claims of future potential, and by the scams which arose in the Wild West of the 2017 bull run and ICO fundraising. The sector is beginning […]
Science fiction, fantasy, computer games, and chess. My children are all over these, playing hard and imagining new worlds. As we start to face adult responsibilities, it’s sometimes hard to hold on to the absolute joy of play, but discussions around the development of artificial intelligence at this year’s South by South West (SXSW) festival […]
This briefing on the history of blockchain and distributed ledger technology was commissioned by Business Expert Press as part of their now discontinued Expert Insights series. You can view and download the full article here: BEP Expert Insight Blockchain Nov 2017 Abstract: Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology, which has its roots in the development […]
There are shivers in Silicon Valley as the data protection winter approaches. Hard on the heels of the implementation of Europe’s General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) in May 2018, the California Consumer Privacy Act 2018 (CCPA) passed through the state legislature in August. The long and difficult labor which preceded the birth of the CCPA […]
Oh, how we have waited in vain to hear those words. Since the heady days of the first real-world bitcoin transaction, the legendary pizza purchase of 2010, we have been poised with our wallets in hand, waiting for coffee purveyors to catch on….. Read the full article on Converge : Making real-world payments with Bitcoin. Coming […]
How will smart contracts streamline business processes? Digital Leaders North East and Invotra attracted a broad range of businesses to their Blockchain event earlier this year. The audience ranged from those who are already actively exploring blockchain solutions in their business to the majority who are still feeling their way on the potential of the […]
In 2017, $5.6 billion was raised for blockchain-based development projects through a new funding mechanism dubbed an ICO or Initial Coin Offering. By comparison, $240 million was raised by the same method in 2016, while it’s estimated $1 billion has already been invested in the first two months of 2018 (close to $6 billion as […]
Smart contracts are the engines of blockchain: the core of the trustless technology that brought us Bitcoin, Cryptokitties, and endless snake-oil ICOs. The quality and the usefulness of a blockchain application stands or falls by the quality of the smart contracts encoded within. How smart are your contracts? Can you be absolutely sure that they […]
Sphere Network was delighted to co-host this cybersecurity event with BCS North East, bringing a group of Masters students together with businesses to examine the challenges and opportunities of the increasingly fraught arena of cybercrime. Source: Meeting the challenges of cybersecurity | Sphere Network | BCS