Taro Aso, Japan’s Finance Minister, recently stated that Blockchain
Blockchain
Blockchain comprises a digital network of blocks with a comprehensive ledger of transactions made in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or other altcoins.One of the signature features of blockchain is that it is maintained across more than one computer. The ledger can be public or private (permissioned.) In this sense, blockchain is immune to the manipulation of data making it not only open but verifiable. Because a blockchain is stored across a network of computers, it is very difficult to tamper with. The Evolution of BlockchainBlockchain was originally invented by an individual or group of people under the name of Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008. The purpose of blockchain was originally to serve as the public transaction ledger of Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency.In particular, bundles of transaction data, called “blocks”, are added to the ledger in a chronological fashion, forming a “chain.” These blocks include things like date, time, dollar amount, and (in some cases) the public addresses of the sender and the receiver.The computers responsible for upholding a blockchain network are called “nodes.” These nodes carry out the duties necessary to confirm the transactions and add them to the ledger. In exchange for their work, the nodes receive rewards in the form of crypto tokens.By storing data via a peer-to-peer network (P2P), blockchain controls for a wide range of risks that are traditionally inherent with data being held centrally.Of note, P2P blockchain networks lack centralized points of vulnerability. Consequently, hackers cannot exploit these networks via normalized means nor does the network possess a central failure point.In order to hack or alter a blockchain’s ledger, more than half of the nodes must be compromised. Looking ahead, blockchain technology is an area of extensive research across multiple industries, including financial services and payments, among others.
Blockchain comprises a digital network of blocks with a comprehensive ledger of transactions made in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or other altcoins.One of the signature features of blockchain is that it is maintained across more than one computer. The ledger can be public or private (permissioned.) In this sense, blockchain is immune to the manipulation of data making it not only open but verifiable. Because a blockchain is stored across a network of computers, it is very difficult to tamper with. The Evolution of BlockchainBlockchain was originally invented by an individual or group of people under the name of Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008. The purpose of blockchain was originally to serve as the public transaction ledger of Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency.In particular, bundles of transaction data, called “blocks”, are added to the ledger in a chronological fashion, forming a “chain.” These blocks include things like date, time, dollar amount, and (in some cases) the public addresses of the sender and the receiver.The computers responsible for upholding a blockchain network are called “nodes.” These nodes carry out the duties necessary to confirm the transactions and add them to the ledger. In exchange for their work, the nodes receive rewards in the form of crypto tokens.By storing data via a peer-to-peer network (P2P), blockchain controls for a wide range of risks that are traditionally inherent with data being held centrally.Of note, P2P blockchain networks lack centralized points of vulnerability. Consequently, hackers cannot exploit these networks via normalized means nor does the network possess a central failure point.In order to hack or alter a blockchain’s ledger, more than half of the nodes must be compromised. Looking ahead, blockchain technology is an area of extensive research across multiple industries, including financial services and payments, among others.
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The comment came on August 24th during the opening remarks of the Blockchain Global Governance Conference in Tokyo, which is also known as the FIN/SUM Blockchain & Business conference.
"In the battle against widespread infectious diseases, blockchain provides one solution for contact trading,” he said.
Taro Aso, Japan’s Finance Minister.
Aso also commented that therefore, friction between the Japanese government and the country’s blockchain community must be addressed so that effective collaboration will be possible.
“Some of the blockchain communities may still be hostile to regulators because of the belief they may hinder innovation due to a lack of understanding of the technology,” Aso explained. “What we need is to work together and collaborate to consider the best use of the technology under the best governance.”
Blockchain Could Play a Valuable Role in the Fight Against COVID-19 Aso’s comments come at a moment when COVID-19 is surging in some parts of the world and subsiding in others. According to data aggregated by Wikipedia, there are roughly 23.3 million Coronavirus
Coronavirus
The outbreak of Covid-19 or Coronavirus in early 2020 has since redefined the financial services industry. Brokers have been forced to quickly adapt to several changes, both positive and negative.This includes the FX industry, which saw surges in volumes across the retail and institutional space in Q1 2020. This trend can be explained by an outflow of volatility, coupled with countries taking major moves to stabilize their respective economies.In conjunction with uncertainty caused by the virus, most countries also resorted to lockdowns in a bid to stifle the virus’ spread. At the time of writing, nobody knows whether this tactic will succeed in controlling Covid-19, though its early impact on financial markets is being felt already.Equity markets across most exchanges effectively crumbled by nearly a third in early 2020, with the worst being seen in March 2020. Stock markets have since rebounded, though only with the help of broad-based stimulus programs. Nowhere was this more prevalent than in the United States, with the Federal Reserve resorting to measures not used since the Great Financial Crisis. This included trillions in bond-buying purchases in a bid to stabilize the economy.The outbreak of Covid-19 also saw the collapse of the global oil market, which saw futures briefly enter into negative territory. Highly reduced demand out of China and most economies, as well as a price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia have exacerbated this trend.Effects of Covid-19 on BrokersIn the retail space, forex brokers have experienced an early surge in trading volumes in 2020. This can be explained by a large uptick in potential clients, ironically due to stay at home orders and quarantining.It remains to be seen whether this trend will hold longer term as middle-aged potential investors return to work in 2020. In terms of other operations, brokers have had to rethink traditional call centers and other mechanisms for reaching clients due to the disruption of the virus.A push for online call centers and other such support is likely to overtake other methods of dealing with clients with a vaccine as of yet not available. Longer-term, a looming recession can also potentially impact brokers with the pool of investors once again possibly shrinking. As the situation of Covid-19 is unprecedented, brokers have joined other entities in a wait-and-see mode.
The outbreak of Covid-19 or Coronavirus in early 2020 has since redefined the financial services industry. Brokers have been forced to quickly adapt to several changes, both positive and negative.This includes the FX industry, which saw surges in volumes across the retail and institutional space in Q1 2020. This trend can be explained by an outflow of volatility, coupled with countries taking major moves to stabilize their respective economies.In conjunction with uncertainty caused by the virus, most countries also resorted to lockdowns in a bid to stifle the virus’ spread. At the time of writing, nobody knows whether this tactic will succeed in controlling Covid-19, though its early impact on financial markets is being felt already.Equity markets across most exchanges effectively crumbled by nearly a third in early 2020, with the worst being seen in March 2020. Stock markets have since rebounded, though only with the help of broad-based stimulus programs. Nowhere was this more prevalent than in the United States, with the Federal Reserve resorting to measures not used since the Great Financial Crisis. This included trillions in bond-buying purchases in a bid to stabilize the economy.The outbreak of Covid-19 also saw the collapse of the global oil market, which saw futures briefly enter into negative territory. Highly reduced demand out of China and most economies, as well as a price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia have exacerbated this trend.Effects of Covid-19 on BrokersIn the retail space, forex brokers have experienced an early surge in trading volumes in 2020. This can be explained by a large uptick in potential clients, ironically due to stay at home orders and quarantining.It remains to be seen whether this trend will hold longer term as middle-aged potential investors return to work in 2020. In terms of other operations, brokers have had to rethink traditional call centers and other mechanisms for reaching clients due to the disruption of the virus.A push for online call centers and other such support is likely to overtake other methods of dealing with clients with a vaccine as of yet not available. Longer-term, a looming recession can also potentially impact brokers with the pool of investors once again possibly shrinking. As the situation of Covid-19 is unprecedented, brokers have joined other entities in a wait-and-see mode.
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Therefore, the need for a practical, blockchain-based solution for contact tracing could be considered as urgent. However, even if a solution was developed, it is unclear how, when, or if the solution could be implemented.
Still, Aso is not the only one who has suggested that a blockchain-based contact tracing solution could be beneficial in the fight against coronavirus. In May, the CEO of SBI Holdings commented that blockchain could be used for supply chain tracing of essential materials, including masks and other medical supplies.
Other COVID-related use cases for blockchain technology have also been identified by various individuals in and out of the blockchain sphere. For example, blockchain platforms can be used to make fundraising more transparent ; they can also be used to distribute relief funds.
Taro Aso, Japan’s Finance Minister, recently stated that Blockchain
Blockchain
Blockchain comprises a digital network of blocks with a comprehensive ledger of transactions made in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or other altcoins.One of the signature features of blockchain is that it is maintained across more than one computer. The ledger can be public or private (permissioned.) In this sense, blockchain is immune to the manipulation of data making it not only open but verifiable. Because a blockchain is stored across a network of computers, it is very difficult to tamper with. The Evolution of BlockchainBlockchain was originally invented by an individual or group of people under the name of Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008. The purpose of blockchain was originally to serve as the public transaction ledger of Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency.In particular, bundles of transaction data, called “blocks”, are added to the ledger in a chronological fashion, forming a “chain.” These blocks include things like date, time, dollar amount, and (in some cases) the public addresses of the sender and the receiver.The computers responsible for upholding a blockchain network are called “nodes.” These nodes carry out the duties necessary to confirm the transactions and add them to the ledger. In exchange for their work, the nodes receive rewards in the form of crypto tokens.By storing data via a peer-to-peer network (P2P), blockchain controls for a wide range of risks that are traditionally inherent with data being held centrally.Of note, P2P blockchain networks lack centralized points of vulnerability. Consequently, hackers cannot exploit these networks via normalized means nor does the network possess a central failure point.In order to hack or alter a blockchain’s ledger, more than half of the nodes must be compromised. Looking ahead, blockchain technology is an area of extensive research across multiple industries, including financial services and payments, among others.
Blockchain comprises a digital network of blocks with a comprehensive ledger of transactions made in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or other altcoins.One of the signature features of blockchain is that it is maintained across more than one computer. The ledger can be public or private (permissioned.) In this sense, blockchain is immune to the manipulation of data making it not only open but verifiable. Because a blockchain is stored across a network of computers, it is very difficult to tamper with. The Evolution of BlockchainBlockchain was originally invented by an individual or group of people under the name of Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008. The purpose of blockchain was originally to serve as the public transaction ledger of Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency.In particular, bundles of transaction data, called “blocks”, are added to the ledger in a chronological fashion, forming a “chain.” These blocks include things like date, time, dollar amount, and (in some cases) the public addresses of the sender and the receiver.The computers responsible for upholding a blockchain network are called “nodes.” These nodes carry out the duties necessary to confirm the transactions and add them to the ledger. In exchange for their work, the nodes receive rewards in the form of crypto tokens.By storing data via a peer-to-peer network (P2P), blockchain controls for a wide range of risks that are traditionally inherent with data being held centrally.Of note, P2P blockchain networks lack centralized points of vulnerability. Consequently, hackers cannot exploit these networks via normalized means nor does the network possess a central failure point.In order to hack or alter a blockchain’s ledger, more than half of the nodes must be compromised. Looking ahead, blockchain technology is an area of extensive research across multiple industries, including financial services and payments, among others.
Read this Term
The comment came on August 24th during the opening remarks of the Blockchain Global Governance Conference in Tokyo, which is also known as the FIN/SUM Blockchain & Business conference.
"In the battle against widespread infectious diseases, blockchain provides one solution for contact trading,” he said.
Taro Aso, Japan’s Finance Minister.
Aso also commented that therefore, friction between the Japanese government and the country’s blockchain community must be addressed so that effective collaboration will be possible.
“Some of the blockchain communities may still be hostile to regulators because of the belief they may hinder innovation due to a lack of understanding of the technology,” Aso explained. “What we need is to work together and collaborate to consider the best use of the technology under the best governance.”
Blockchain Could Play a Valuable Role in the Fight Against COVID-19 Aso’s comments come at a moment when COVID-19 is surging in some parts of the world and subsiding in others. According to data aggregated by Wikipedia, there are roughly 23.3 million Coronavirus
Coronavirus
The outbreak of Covid-19 or Coronavirus in early 2020 has since redefined the financial services industry. Brokers have been forced to quickly adapt to several changes, both positive and negative.This includes the FX industry, which saw surges in volumes across the retail and institutional space in Q1 2020. This trend can be explained by an outflow of volatility, coupled with countries taking major moves to stabilize their respective economies.In conjunction with uncertainty caused by the virus, most countries also resorted to lockdowns in a bid to stifle the virus’ spread. At the time of writing, nobody knows whether this tactic will succeed in controlling Covid-19, though its early impact on financial markets is being felt already.Equity markets across most exchanges effectively crumbled by nearly a third in early 2020, with the worst being seen in March 2020. Stock markets have since rebounded, though only with the help of broad-based stimulus programs. Nowhere was this more prevalent than in the United States, with the Federal Reserve resorting to measures not used since the Great Financial Crisis. This included trillions in bond-buying purchases in a bid to stabilize the economy.The outbreak of Covid-19 also saw the collapse of the global oil market, which saw futures briefly enter into negative territory. Highly reduced demand out of China and most economies, as well as a price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia have exacerbated this trend.Effects of Covid-19 on BrokersIn the retail space, forex brokers have experienced an early surge in trading volumes in 2020. This can be explained by a large uptick in potential clients, ironically due to stay at home orders and quarantining.It remains to be seen whether this trend will hold longer term as middle-aged potential investors return to work in 2020. In terms of other operations, brokers have had to rethink traditional call centers and other mechanisms for reaching clients due to the disruption of the virus.A push for online call centers and other such support is likely to overtake other methods of dealing with clients with a vaccine as of yet not available. Longer-term, a looming recession can also potentially impact brokers with the pool of investors once again possibly shrinking. As the situation of Covid-19 is unprecedented, brokers have joined other entities in a wait-and-see mode.
The outbreak of Covid-19 or Coronavirus in early 2020 has since redefined the financial services industry. Brokers have been forced to quickly adapt to several changes, both positive and negative.This includes the FX industry, which saw surges in volumes across the retail and institutional space in Q1 2020. This trend can be explained by an outflow of volatility, coupled with countries taking major moves to stabilize their respective economies.In conjunction with uncertainty caused by the virus, most countries also resorted to lockdowns in a bid to stifle the virus’ spread. At the time of writing, nobody knows whether this tactic will succeed in controlling Covid-19, though its early impact on financial markets is being felt already.Equity markets across most exchanges effectively crumbled by nearly a third in early 2020, with the worst being seen in March 2020. Stock markets have since rebounded, though only with the help of broad-based stimulus programs. Nowhere was this more prevalent than in the United States, with the Federal Reserve resorting to measures not used since the Great Financial Crisis. This included trillions in bond-buying purchases in a bid to stabilize the economy.The outbreak of Covid-19 also saw the collapse of the global oil market, which saw futures briefly enter into negative territory. Highly reduced demand out of China and most economies, as well as a price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia have exacerbated this trend.Effects of Covid-19 on BrokersIn the retail space, forex brokers have experienced an early surge in trading volumes in 2020. This can be explained by a large uptick in potential clients, ironically due to stay at home orders and quarantining.It remains to be seen whether this trend will hold longer term as middle-aged potential investors return to work in 2020. In terms of other operations, brokers have had to rethink traditional call centers and other mechanisms for reaching clients due to the disruption of the virus.A push for online call centers and other such support is likely to overtake other methods of dealing with clients with a vaccine as of yet not available. Longer-term, a looming recession can also potentially impact brokers with the pool of investors once again possibly shrinking. As the situation of Covid-19 is unprecedented, brokers have joined other entities in a wait-and-see mode.
Read this Term
Therefore, the need for a practical, blockchain-based solution for contact tracing could be considered as urgent. However, even if a solution was developed, it is unclear how, when, or if the solution could be implemented.
Still, Aso is not the only one who has suggested that a blockchain-based contact tracing solution could be beneficial in the fight against coronavirus. In May, the CEO of SBI Holdings commented that blockchain could be used for supply chain tracing of essential materials, including masks and other medical supplies.
Other COVID-related use cases for blockchain technology have also been identified by various individuals in and out of the blockchain sphere. For example, blockchain platforms can be used to make fundraising more transparent ; they can also be used to distribute relief funds.
