Blockchain

Brian Behlendorf, leader of the Linux Foundation's effort to establish standards for blockchain, likens the invention of cryptocurrencies to the moon launch and says banks, open-source developers and others are working to make the underlying technology commercially viable.

Canada's payments modernization initiative is using a distributed ledger to expedite processing across a nationwide network, providing scale that could open the technology to wider use elsewhere if successful.

The advent of blockchain technology may prove to be disruptive to traditional credit reporting agencies by decentralizing data aggregation and allowing consumers to take ownership of their data through a personalized wallet they could share with prospective lenders, writes Alexander Koles, CEO, founder and managing director of Evolve Capital Partners.

Beyond the initial coin offerings — a fundraising process, similar to an IPO, in which blockchain companies sell crypto tokens instead of shares — and myriad science projects, is there anything substantive occurring with blockchain?

While some are bullish on strong use cases for the industry, others are still skeptical about when — or even if — CUs will be willing and able to dive into blockchain.

Financial institutions process hundreds of thousands of interbank payments per day on behalf of their clients, which can be revolutionized by blockchain, writes Angel Diaz, vice president of technology and advocacy for IBM Digital Business Group.

This might sound eccentric, but gamers are serious about virtual goods, which is being played out in the billions of dollars that they are spending each year on these items, writes Malcolm CasSelle, president of Worldwide Asset eXchange.

As blockchain becomes increasingly popular, heightened levels of data protection and customer awareness of its use become a reality, writes Abhishek Pitti, CEO of Nucleus Vision.

BM Corp., one of the bluest of U.S. blue-chip companies, is touting blockchain as the supply-management tool of choice for an unusual industry — cannabis.

During his time as Fed governor, chair-designate Jerome Powell has outlined his views on a host of bank regulatory matters, including the need for regulatory relief, the push for housing finance reform, blockchain and much more.

Rule that would have made it easier for banks to be sued is repealed; a survey says the technology isn’t a priority for bank CIOs.

CME Group plans to offer bitcoin futures contracts by yearend, a sign that financial institutions may be getting ready to trade financial products tied to digital currencies.

As more startups turn to initial coin offerings to raise capital, financial institutions will seek reassurance that their blockchain and other fintech partners are aboveboard.

Marco Abele and Oliver Bussmann are launching a blockchain that will let affluent people co-own horses, vineyards, paintings and other high-end items.

Blockchain is a bigger opportunity for business transactions than consumer transactions, according to Mastercard president and CEO Ajay Banga, who is poring over the technology to build use cases for corporate users.

The bank consortium is going directly after the business of its former partner Ripple in the middle of their legal battle over an option for digital currency worth $1 billion.

Mogo Finance Technology Inc. rose most in eight months after saying it added blockchain capabilities to its mobile banking platform.

Calls for less reliance on credit bureaus and Social Security numbers for verification are leading many to envision a future of identity on a distributed ledger.

The alliance aims to simplify application development for distributed applications that can be used by credit unions.

Metronome, the brainchild of Jeff Garzik, may appeal to banks as the world's first "cross-chain" cryptocurrency.