Insights from Day Two of The London Blockchain Conference

As the inaugural London conference continues into day two, attendees heard from industry experts on Reducing Risk & Improving Trust with Blockchain.

The London Blockchain Conference continued to captivate attendees with, yet another day filled with informative and thought-provoking speakers. The discussions revolved around crucial topics such as regulatory frameworks for Digital Currencies, enabling the growth of blockchain and Blockchain Venture Capital.

The theme for Day 2 was "Reducing Risk & Improving Trust with Blockchain", with the ultimate objective of providing a roadmap for those looking to understand how their respective businesses could benefit from blockchain technology. Attendees were treated to a plethora of expert speakers from around the world who explored various issues impacting the enterprise and consumers, including regulatory frameworks for digital currency in Europe, the intersection of the trust economy and blockchain, leveraging blockchain for business continuity, reduced reputational risk through cybersecurity solutions and much more.

Yves Mersch, Former Executive Board of the European Central Bank & Former Governor of the Central Bank of Luxembourg, provided expert knowledge on regulatory frameworks in the EU and the facilitation of blockchain and digital currency growth. Dr Agata Slater, Blockchain Strategy Consultant at IBM, delved into the trust economy and blockchain. Bryan Daugherty, the Global Public Policy Director at the Bitcoin Association, shed light on blockchain cybersecurity solutions.

Among the other esteemed speakers were Giovanni Franzese, the Global Head of Enterprise Blockchain Execution at Ericsson; Farid Haque, a Blockchain VC from Systema Nova; Justin Pauly, the President of VX Technologies; Angus Brown, the CEO of Minit Money; and Greg Ward, the Chief Development Officer of Smart Ledger.

Day 2 featured several noteworthy moments among which was a panel discussion titled, 'It's time for Regulation to Enable the Growth of Blockchain and Digital Currency'. The panellists included actor and author Ben McKenzie, Yves Mersch and Bryan Daugherty, with Marcin Zarakowski, Executive Committee Member, Bitcoin Association serving as moderator. The discussion delved into topics such as the regulatory frameworks of digital currency, the role governments play and what the digital Euro & digital Pound means to the government, for regulation and blockchain adoption.

Ben McKenzie said, "The classification of Bitcoin as a commodity raises significant concerns, as it creates a gray area that can be exploited for potential fraud. This issue demands immediate attention to prevent its recurrence, which is explored in my book 'Easy Money'. While the solution may be challenging due to engrained political solutions, establishing an oversight body is imperative. We must closely monitor the development of blockchain and eagerly anticipate its future progress. It's important to recognize that blockchain is an underlying technology predating cryptocurrency."

Another panel discussion titled, 'Digital Asset Recovery - Freezing and seizing lost and stolen Digital Assets' included panellists like Dr Agata Slater, Steve Smid, Project Manager, TrueWorld, Justin Pauly and Kirsty Barany-Gibson, Scale Facilitation - Access New York (Program Lead) and moderated by Becky Liggero, Reporter, Producer & Host, CoinGeek. The discussion revolved around topics like establishing two-way trust based on reputation and digital identity to enable Peer2Peer (P2P) transactions and understanding evolving customer expectations and how to leverage your business.

In continuation, another panel discussion titled, 'Digital Asset Recovery - Freezing and seizing lost and stolen Digital Assets', with panellists like Marcin Zarakowski, Roman Bieda, Head of Fraud Investigations at Coinfirm, Daniel Payne, President of Blockade United, Lavinia Osbourne, Founder, Women in Blockchain Talks and Brian Sanya Mondoh, Barrister and Attorney at Law & PhD Researcher, BlockchainLex. The discussion, moderated by Connor Murray, CEO & Co-Founder, of Britevue, centred around aspects such as the pro-regulation and pro-government stance of Bitcoin, the application of the law to Bitcoin and how Bitcoin can support legal enforcement efforts. 

The event also included a Block Dojo showcase session, hosted by Alex Ball, Co-Founder & Programme Director of Block Dojo. The session highlighted the achievements of four companies that have successfully emerged from the Dojo incubator programme within the past 18 months. During this showcase, the founders, namely Charles Symons, CEO & Co-Founder of Buzzmint, Hannah Nicholson, CEO & Founder of MoveGenius, Tim Malik, CEO & Founder of CombatIQ, and Arsim Shillova, CEO & Founder of Libraro, shared their experiences of being part of the incubator and provided insights into their journey beyond the intensive 12-week program.

Dr Craig Wright, Chief Science Officer at nChain delivered another insightful session on the topic, 'Unlocking Privacy and Compliance: Adopting a Time-Managed Redactable Signature System'. He shed light on solving the challenge of balancing transparency and privacy in governments and corporations and how the blockchain infrastructure provides benefits such as immutability, decentralization, and transparency.

Attendees also witnessed an exclusive opportunity to participate in an engaging Ask Me Anything (AMA) session with Dr Wright. This AMA session was a rare occasion to interact directly with one of the foremost experts in the blockchain industry. 

The United Kingdom continues to be a leading force in the world of blockchain, solidifying its position as a top blockchain incubator and company powerhouse. With its vibrant ecosystem, innovative spirit, and supportive regulatory framework, the UK has become a beacon of opportunity for blockchain start-ups and established enterprises alike. Its commitment to fostering innovation, coupled with its robust ecosystem, positions the UK at the forefront of the global blockchain revolution.

If you would like to attend or listen to any of the session this week, please register here using PROMO CODE: LBCMEDIA23.