Charles Brett’s Blockchain Catch-up Week 46 (to w/e 27th November)

This is a Charles Brett’s start-of-the-week Enterprise Times ‘blockchain catch-up’ for Week 46. Necessarily it is idiosyncratic and selective.

It is not intended to be comprehensive but does seek to highlight ‘Quick Takes’ on specific developments as well interesting pieces to read, a listing of some (not all) announcements/press releases and pointers to upcoming events.

Quick Takes – Charles Brett’s Blockchain Catch-up Week 46

How airlines can save millions with blockchain

Chirag Bhardwaj argues “we do not have one industry where blockchain technology has not crawled its way into, but the question remains: is the aviation industry making the most of it? Did you know that blockchain technology in the airline industry is the key element in creating a seamless travel experience?” After examining the advantages of blockchain he applies these to the aviation industry – finding considerable overlap.

Quick Take: This is an interesting thought piece (if a little too enthusiastic), with its emphasis on security (of many forms) and shared resources (enabled by trusted decentralisation). Whether any airlines have the capacity to invest in anything other than immediate survival in 2020/2021 is, however, probably the key question.

Securechain launches Finmail Mailbox: send digital currency by email

Securechain is a Copenhagen-based startup. It has launched Finmail Mailbox which integrates both email and a digital currency payment feature. The effect is to enable users to exploit their mailboxes/email address to send and receive digital currencies – such as Bitcoin and USDT – as well as traditional emails. By using Finmail Mailbox, users without bank accounts can access global payment capabilities. In addition, Finmail Mailbox integrates a remote working environment where global users can work on freelance tasks and receive payment within the same platform.

Quick Take: interesting, except (perhaps) for the cryptocurrency dimension. In effect, Finmail Mailbox provides a payment platform for anyone without a bank account. It enables them to collect payments and store these in a digital wallet. Anyone with a Finmail email address can receive payments quickly and securely regardless of location and time zone. By exploiting email, Securechain is ‘enhancing’ an old technology to offer a new solution.

7 pieces to read – Charles Brett’s Blockchain Catch-up Week 46

Three European blockchain startups and how they are improving food distribution

• Airline body IATA develops mobile apps for COVID-era travel
• Big banks take baby steps toward commercializing blockchain
• Hong Kong exchange plans smart contract solution for Stock Connect problems
• 5 female leaders driving change in the European blockchain ecosystem
• Australian Border Force to work with Singapore on blockchain-based cross-border trade
• Blockchain Labs introduces InfraBlockchain – for governments and enterprises
• The word ‘decentralized’ has lost all meaning — enough is enough.

Selected announcements/press releases – Charles Brett’s Blockchain Catch-up Week 46

• ECB warns the future of money is at stake as Facebook preps January crypto launch (comment)
• VMware Blockchain: an enterprise-grade blockchain platform (announcement)
• China’s national blockchain project adds Polkadot support (announcement/comment)
• AllianceBlock partners with Ocean Protocol to enhance compliance in decentralised capital markets (announcement)
• ICON Blockchain Network launches ICONFi (announcement)
• Huobi opinion: blockchain can empower cross-border trade (press release)
• Economic justice doesn’t need the blockchain, say advisors to ‘The Squad’ (opinion)
• Sygnum: the world’s first bank to offer end-to-end tokenization with the launch of Desygnate solution (press release)
• HUBLOT e-warranty: The digitisation of the warranty card or how each watch becomes its own certificate (press release)
• DeFiner launches ‘Taurus’, a decentralised crypto savings platform offering up to 30% interest (press release)
• Chainalysis raises $100M (at >$1B valuation) to expand its global regulatory platform for the cryptocurrency market (press release).

Selected upcoming events

• Web Summit December 2-4^th (tickets)
• 2020 Respada Digital Asset Summit (10th December 2020 – from 1900-2000 EST / 2400-0100 UTC)
• Virtual International Payments Course: December 2nd, 4th & 8th, 2020 – key principles, concepts, practices and current developments
• Paris Blockchain Week summit launches hybrid event on December 9th & 10th, 2020 (more info here)
• Crypto Finance Conference Returns to St. Moritz in January 2021
• Blockchance Europe 2021 (July 7^th-9^th, 2021).