All posts by lena

06 Sep 2017

ICO, Banking, Energy, Healthcare, Retail and E-Gov as the Blockchain Trendiest Areas to be Discussed at Blockchain Conference Abu Dhabi

The Blockchain industry has been developing more rapidly than the boldest forecasts predicted. Having become an integral part of the financial and banking spheres, it has already occupying its niche in medicine, insurance, document circulation, energy, retail and other economy spheres. Today, the Blockchain is blooming. However, it is worth knowing what we may expect from the technology in the next 6-9 months.

On December 7, 2017, Abu Dhabi will host for the second time the main Blockchain conference of the MENA region – Blockchain Conference Abu Dhabi (BConference), which will bring together representatives of the Blockchain industry from around the world to talk about their successful experience of using the technology in the most relevant areas for the region.

The key topics of the BConference Abu Dhabi 2017 include:

  1. The most innovative technology of our time: Up-to-date information on the crypto-currencies and Blockchain

The crypto-currency market capitalization has approached the $ 143 trillion mark in 2017. Governments, investors and business are actively developing plans on using the Blockchain to enter the list of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. For example, in October 2016, the authorities of the largest city in the UAE, Dubai, announced the launch of a Blockchain strategy to become the first city operating on the Blockchain technology by 2020.

One of the BConference panel will be devoted to the preliminary issues on the crypto-currency and Blockchain market review, the possibilities of their use within the country and beyond its borders, the analysis of successfully implemented cases. In addition, the participants will get acquainted with the projections and prospects for the Blockchain development in the Middle East Region.

  1. Financial sector: How may the Blockchain improve the financial international payments and banking transactions at all levels?

Researchers from the British HR agency Robert Half Financial Services have found that 52% of the world’s financial services companies plan to implement the Blockchain as it facilitates transactions, increases their speed and reduces the costs for the parties. According to the study of the TABB group, the Blockchain will enter the daily life of all financial companies by 2026.

  1. Logistics: Control over the goods import and export around the globe

The world commerce volume, excluding oil, in the emirate of Dubai in the first 2 quarters of 2017 has amounted to approximately $ 259 billion, which makes it a major trade hub connecting the markets of Asia, Africa and Europe. The Blockchain or the distributed ledger technology will reduce the amount of customs documentation accompanying all movements of goods and will allow their suppliers and recipients to track all processes and the compliance with the terms and conditions of supply contracts in real time. The authorities of the emirate together with IBM and a number of other companies are already working on the creation of such Blockchain platform.

  1. Energy: Reducing costs in the energy market

The Blockchain has already been successfully used to exchange surplus solar energy in the US and Australia, where full-fledged virtual exchanges have been created for this purpose. In the experts’ opinion, a decentralized approach in the energy market will make it possible to significantly reduce costs not only by eliminating intermediaries in the energy market but also by using local energy exchange as needed. It is most likely that the Blockchain will become a means of updating and improving existing centralized energy systems as well as create a mixed distributed system where both large power plants and micro networks will participate.

  1. Healthcare: Modernization of healthcare systems

The decentralized data transmission system has already been actively used for the purpose of technological modernization of the healthcare system. The study of the Blockchain technology potential is carried out in terms of its use in the diverse medical administration starting from the basic client data commit process and ending with the monitor of the development and treatment of the patients’ diseases.

  1. Investment raising: ICO boom

The initial coin offering (ICO) is challenging some other ways of the fund raising. In 2017, the start-ups have already raised 10 times more funds through the ICO than in 2016. According to a research firm in the crypto-currency field Smith & Crown, in 2017, the Blockchain start-ups have raised over $ 1 billion through ICO. The unconventional method of investment generation is almost as efficient as the usual IPO.

The Conference may be of interest to representatives of the banking and financial sectors, managers and owners of companies in the field of money transfers and exchange operations, energy companies, save-energy companies, retailers, Blockchain start-ups as well as representatives of public authorities at all levels.

To participate in the Blockchain Conference Abu Dhabi, please register on https://bconference.org/.

For partnership and cooperation, please contact us by +442 03 239 96 70 or [email protected].

21 Aug 2017

The Emirates will Recognize Crypto Currencies as a Legal Payment Method, won’t they?

Japan has become the first in the world to recognize officially crypto currencies at the legislative level. In April this year, the government adopted a law on virtual currencies awarding bitcoins and other crypto-currencies the status of a payment method. In the days and weeks that followed, the major national industries have introduced Bitcoin as a payment method. Increasingly, at the time of the conference, over 300,000 stores in Japan will accept bitcoin payments adding billions to the national economy.

As a result, other governments have taken similar steps in this direction. Estonia, South Korea, Russia, Denmark and Canada are looking into ways of encouraging the adoption of Bitcoin on national and international levels.

Today, we also observe interest in crypto currencies in the Arab world. Being a source of emerging talents and companies, the UAE and the Middle East are sizing up an opportunity to adopt Bitcoin and Blockchain technologies. This opportunity lies not only in directly benefiting from increasing the size of the national economy but also in becoming a global leader in the industry with Blockchain and cryptocurrency friendly models and frameworks.

For the second year in a row, the crypto currencies as a legal payment method around the globe is among key talking points at the Blockchain Conference Abu Dhabi. In 2017, Jörg von Minckwitz will speak at the conference discussing Japan’s adoption of Bitcoin and telling why the next country to do so will grow its economy. He will speak about the benefits reaped from such a move, and explain how the booming and disruptive crypto currency market can work with traditional banking for the benefit of governments and companies.

Jörg von Minckwitz is the CEO and co-founder of Bitwala – Europe’s leading crypto to local currency transfer service. Jörg’s role is to envision the new possibilities that Blockchain technology offers and to utilize it by developing new services for the financial sector. Jörg has over 6 years of experience in Blockchain and Cryptocurrency sectors. Prior to Bitwala, he founded Europe’s first Crypto Consulting, Crypto Incubator and first Crypto E-commerce shop. His work has been recognized and awarded with prizes by, among others, ICT Spring, Pioneers Festival and The German Innovation Prize. Previously, he spoke at Money 20/20, Paris Fintech Forum and Distribute Blockchain Conference.

Jörg von Minckwitz will appear at the Blockchain Conference in Abu Dhabi on December 7, 2017. To register for the conference, please visit bconference.org.

+442 03 239 96 70, [email protected]

04 Jul 2017

Registration for Blockchain Conference Abu Dhabi 2017 is opened!

We have some great news for Blockchain enthusiasts from around the world! Registration for the major Fintech event of the MENA region has been already opened. The Blockchain Conference will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 7, 2017. For two consecutive years now, we have been bringing together industry leaders from around the world in order you to be the first to learn how the world will change thanks to Blockchain in the very near future.

We are going to cover the most relevant Blockchain topics aimed at expanding dialogues between governments, international corporations, innovative companies, investors and breakthrough start-ups.

Topics to be discussed at the conference

– New world economy to be created by Blockchain

– Technology changing the financial system: payments, international transfers

– Smart contracts

– Private and public Blockchain

– Blockchain identification

– ICO and Tokenization

– Use of Blockchain in medicine, food industry, logistics, etc.

– Blockchain for Solar

– Forecasts and development prospects for Middle East Region

The mission of BConference Abu Dhabi is to bring together Blockchain experts from across the world at one time in one place to search for and develop Blockchain solutions that will continue to change the world! At BConference Abu Dhabi, you will certainly find your new customers, partners, developers and investors.

We will announce the program of the conference and its speakers in the nearest time.

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on our news and events>>>

Find out more about BConferenceAbuDhabi 2016>>>

To register for Blockchain Conference Abu Dhabi, please visit bconference.org

+442 03 239 96 70, [email protected]

15 Jun 2017

Blockchain Conference Astana 2017 Results

Blockchain Conference Astana, the most anticipated blockchain event of Kazakhstan, took place on June 14, 2017. The Conference was attended by participants from across Kazakhstan. Over 250 experts showed an increased interest in the blockchain technology capabilities for Kazakhstan. The BConference featured speeches by 22 speakers from Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Russia, Belgium, Great Britain and Switzerland.

The Conference was opened by the Chairman of the Board of the Astana International Financial Center Nurlan Kusainov. During the welcoming speech, he outlined the priority areas for the modernization of the Kazakhstan economy laying special emphasis on the blockchain technology.

The Founder of Kuna Bitcoin Agency & Co-founder of Bitcoin Foundation Ukraine Mikhail Chobanyan opened the first section of the Conference. He revealed the features and prospects of the bitcoin cryptocurrency as well as key aspects of the blockchain technology. The Head of the Innovation Activity Department at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (Russia) & CEO at Cyber.Fund Marina Gurieva continued the Conference with an in-depth presentation on trends and prospects for the blockchain economy development in the public and private sectors. Marina’s presentation on the unique features of blockchain for the public sector was followed by a speech of the Lawyer, Founder & Managing Partner of the law society Juscutum Artem Afian. Reports on the blockchain for the public sector gave place to a report on the regulation of cryptocurrencies and ways of using blockchain technologies in the world and CIS countries, which was delivered by the Director of Legal Services Group for Deloitte CIS technology projects Artyom Tolkachev. The first section was completed by the Prime Source Director & Co-founder Eugene Scherbinin, who spoke about the features of the technology application in the financial sector.

The second section started after a short break. It was opened by the eGaas Founder & CEO Oleg Strelenko with a presentation on the blockchain solutions for e-gov. The Technology & Integration Consulting Head at CISA Deloitte Ukraine Sergei Bondarenko pursued a subject presenting DocSensus, a registry of corporate documentation based on the blockchain technology. The Senior Consultant of the management consulting department at KPMG Kazakhstan Zarina Kuzhmaganbetova spoke about the practical application of the blockchain technology in the notary. The CEX.IO Leading Developer Oleg Kudrenko continued the Conference with a presentation on “Smart Contracts: The Beginning of the End of Corruption”. At the end of the second section, the Waves CEO & Founder Alexander Ivanov spoke about the advantages and differences between IPO and ICO.

The discussion panel became a concluding chord of the second section. It involved Nurlan Kussainov, Marina Gurieva, Alexander Ivanov and Artem Afyan. The main questions from the audience were devoted to the legal regulation of cryptocurrencies in the territory of Kazakhstan, ICO and attraction of investments, as well as acceptance of payments in crypto-currencies by legal entities in Kazakhstan.

After the lunchtime, the Hotmine.io BDM Aleksandr Momot continued the Conference with a presentation on the mining features. The Chief Technical Evangelist & Leading Blockchain Strategist at Microsoft Konstantin Goldstein and the IT Architect & Technical Manager at IBM Kazakhstan Mikhail Korotko shared business solutions based on the blockchain technology of their own development. The Sofitto CEO Aleksandr Vasilchenko and the Otkritie Bank SPM Sergey Lukashk told about the blockchain-based solutions for fintech. Alexander delved into the topic of uniting the blockchain technology with traditional banking card products; and Sergei presented the experience of Russian banks in designing and creating KYC profiles for the blockchain. The BlockEx CEO Adam Leonard spoke about the usage of blockchain technology to build the transparent and accessible capital markets. The Conference ended with a presentation on the blockchain case studies. The FoodBlockchain.XYZ Director General Angel Versetti presented a solution designed for food industry; the toomuch.energy CEO Luc Graré showed developments in the field of energy.

The Conference organizer AroundB thanks all participants and partners for their interest in the blockchain topic and high-quality discussions. The scale of the Conference shows a real interest in and a huge potential of Kazakhstan for the implementation of its own blockchain solutions. We are confident that everyone will know about actual Kazakhstan projects based on the blockchain technology in the near future.

We also express thanks to our sponsors Prime Sourse, Waves and Cryptoviser, demo area participants and official Conference partners, MOST business incubator, Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan and the Community of Kazakhstan IT Managers for having supported us.

Let’s Blockchain this world together!

The photo report is available here >>

To view presentations, please follow the link >>

16 May 2017

Blockchain Conference Astana to Discuss How Blockchain May Change Food Industry

On June 14, 2017, a global-scale blockchain summit Blockchain Conference Astana in Kazakhstan will feature over 20 speakers delivering practical solutions to the issue of blockchain technology use in e-Gov, FinTech, energy sector, food industry and other spheres.

The CEO of a Swiss company FoodBlockchain.XYZ Angel Versetti will share a blockchain solution for the food industry. He will devote his speech to the influence of smart contracts and distributed databases on the food supply system, provision of new levels of food quality and safety, and development of new levels of transparency for end users.

Angel Vercetti is a CEO of FoodBlockchain.XYZ, the world’s first blockchain solution based on Ethereum for the global food industry. Previously, he worked in various departments of the United Nations Organization (the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)), as well as World Resources Forum, Bloomberg, and was on probation at Google. He also manages a television media project at Dukascopy Bank and often participates in conferences and meetings of the highest level (Vatican, Davos, UNESCO, etc.).

BConference Astana creates the largest platform for discussing the role of blockchain in the Kazakhstan’s economy modernization. Proceeding from this mission, the conference organizers make the event program to be as useful as possible for the state bodies, banking & financial sector as well as energy and food industries.

Participation in the conference is open to everyone interested. To attend the conference, please register on the site.

In order to keep abreast of all the news of BConference Astana, please sign up for our newsletters and stay tuned on the website bconference.kz.