BlockShow, a major international blockchain event powered by Cointelegraph, announced the new conference BlockShow Americas 2018, which will be held in Las Vegas August 20-21, 2018. The event comes on the heels of the successful BlockShow Europe 2018 in Germany in May 2018. According to the BlockShow team, the upcoming conference will be focused on the crucial questions that affect the blockchain community — governmental initiatives, insights from central banks, and the evolution of law and regulations. BlockShow Americas will be held at the premises of the Venetian and the Palazzo, the famous hotels of Las Vegas, which recreate the …

China will lead an international research group on the standardization of the Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain technology, local news outlet Science and Technology Daily reports July 18. The joint technical committee of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) have adopted the proposal for the creation of this international research group after a month of a discussion by committee members. Science and Technology Daily, the official newspaper of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, writes that the creation of this group means China has won “discourse power” in technology integration: “It …

The Litecoin (LTC) Foundation has acquired a 9.9 percent stake in Germany’s WEG Bank AG. The deal is a result of a new strategic partnership with crypto-fiat payments firm TokenPay. The news comes from an official announcement published by TokenPay Tuesday, July 10. TokenPay has now transacted its 9.9 percent equity share of the bank to the Litecoin Foundation in exchange for an agreement that will see the Foundation providing its blockchain, marketing and logistics expertise to the benefit of TokenPay’s cryptocurrency and business operations. Specifically, the deal will see the Foundation offering its “high-level” blockchain mechanization capabilities to assist …

The German Federal Ministry of Finance considers the concept of a central bank-issued digital currency (CBDC) to be too risky to implement, Cointelegraph auf Deutsch reported July 5. The finance ministry expressed its position in response to an inquiry by Green Party MP Gerhard Schick published business newspaper Handelsblatt Wednesday, July 4. "So far there are no convincing reasons for issuing digital central bank money for a wide range of users in Germany and the Eurozone," Handelsblatt quoted the Ministry as saying. The potential benefits of a central bank-issued digital currency –– including high-speed bank transfers –– could also be …

A report from the Financial Stability Committee (AFS) of the German Bundestag has found that cryptocurrencies do not pose a threat to the country’s financial stability, Cointelegraph auf Deutsch reports June 27. The study notes high volatility in crypto markets and states that "they lack general acceptance and transaction costs are often relatively high": "As the sector is still small and banks, insurers, and funds are barely involved, the stability implications of crypto-tokens have been limited so far, despite high price volatility and sharply increased market capitalization". According to the report, cryptocurrencies are primarily speculative objects. The committee defines them …

Crypto and blockchain companies from the European Economic Area (EEA) can now conduct business through the fully licensed German solarisBank, Cointelegraph auf Deutsch reports Thursday, June 28. With its ‘Blockchain Factory,’ solarisBank offers its customers a so-called ‘blockchain company account’, which can only be opened in fiat currencies. These accounts are intended for the banking needs of blockchain companies, which are still not met by most German banks, according to Cointelegraph auf Deutsch. In addition, with the ‘automated trust account’, the banking platform provides a service to facilitate the purchase and sale of fiat currencies by global cryptocurrency exchanges. Philipp …

Have you ever heard about smart cities where traffic, public services and document circulation are fully automated? The smart city concept integrates big data and the internet of things (IoT) to optimize the efficiency of urban processes and services and connect to residents. One example of this innovation could be light sensors that save electricity and road surveillance costs. The basis for how automated systems and infrastructure sensors will coordinate their activities and communicate with each other is currently being tested in Dubai, some cities in China and the US. The future is now McKinsey analysts predict that by 2020 …

Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum will not be accepted as a payment method in Germany in by 2020, according to a survey by the Center for European Economic Research (ZEW), Cointelegraph auf Deutsch reported June 14. As part of ZEW’s monthly financial market report, the research institute polled up to 300 experts from banks, insurance companies, and finance departments of selected large companies. ZEW polled experts on their assessment of whether cryptocurrencies would soon be adopted for everyday payment purposes. Respondents were skeptical about “the likelihood of being able to pay for a to-go cup of coffee” with crypto …

Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize transaction banking according to a study by major global management consultancy firm Bain & Company, Cointelegraph auf Deutsch reports today, June 14. According to Bain, “transaction banking revenues tend to be less volatile than other types of banking revenues, and bankers can cross-sell products, which is critical for client loyalty.” Bain concludes in its study that this particular area of banking will change substantially in the future through the use of Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT), like blockchain: “Using this technology, execution, clearing and settlement could occur simultaneously, minimizing liquidity and credit risks. Custody …

Felix Hufeld, President of the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority in Germany (BaFin), said the primary role of his regulatory authority is not individual investor protection, but the preservation of overall financial stability, Cointelegraph auf Deutsch reported today, June 12. While the role of BaFin is to protect consumers and maintain general financial market stability, Hufeld stated that it can only address systemic risks, and cannot protect every investor from “his fate.” Hufeld explained: "That's why we warned ICOs last November, pointing out the high price volatility of crypto-tokens. We will not be able to protect every single investor from his …

Representatives of the German Federal Government have stated that cryptocurrencies do not pose a threat to financial stability, Cointelegraph auf Deutsch reports today, June 12. Nevertheless, the government sees the need for regulatory measures to control digital currencies. According to the Federal Government, volume of crypto asset transactions is too low compared to the size of the global financial system to pose a serious threat to the current financial system. However, the German government considers it appropriate to closely monitor developments in this area at the G20 level. According to the Federal Government, this assessment is shared within fellow G20 …

German insurance group Allianz and Deutsche Bank have partnered with Berlin-based car exchange Auto1 to offer auto financing using blockchain technology, Cointelegraph auf Deutsch reported today, June 7. The three partners have created a new company called “Auto1 Fintech” of which they together own more than 50 percent. The new venture will offer insurance products and loan refinancing for car dealerships that buy Auto1’s vehicles, said co-CEO Hakan Koc In an interview with Bloomberg. Auto1, which is backed by SoftBank Group Corp., is an online exchange for used cars that buys them from individuals and then resells them to dealerships. …