Osborne announces plans to explore the future of Bitcoin August 6, 2014 George Osborne has announced plans to explore how cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin can play a role in the UK financial system. The chancellor has commissioned the Treasury to produce a report on digital currencies, examining their potential benefits and risks, which is set to be published in the Autumn. Osborne said he aims to make the UK [...]
Bitcoin market is the “wild west”, says US regulator August 14, 2014 A US government agency has warned consumers that they may be stepping into the "Wild West" when entering the cryptocurrency market. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a report this week saying cryptocurrencies have potential benefits, but the public needed to be wary when entering the world of digital currencies. The agency highlighted the principle [...]
Why Bitcoin won’t be the money of the future – but cryptocurrencies might be August 18, 2014 PROPONENTS of Bitcoin like to suggest that it will be the money of the future. Critics point to its price volatility, evidence of a Bitcoin bubble and other problems. With the price of Bitcoin having just fallen below $500 for the first time since May, both sides make valid points. Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, a [...]
Finovate Europe: Global FinTech stars meet up at London’s Old Billingsgate February 10, 2015 London played host to a financial technology (FinTech) showcase yesterday as over 70 startups from around the world met at Old Billingsgate market for a showcase of their latest wares. Each presenting company at Finovate Europe was given seven minutes on stage to wow an audience of over 1,000 executives, venture capitalists, journalists, analysts, and [...]
As the chancellor embraces Bitcoin, could it soon be integral to commerce in the UK? August 6, 2014 Charlotte Bowyer, digital policy researcher at the Adam Smith Institute, says Yes. Given the right conditions, digital currencies could revolutionise payments processing and become an integral part of UK commerce. Paying online with Bitcoin could become a serious alternative to using Visa or PayPal – if they don’t adopt the technology themselves. The low fees [...]
Richard Branson has spoken: Apple Pay is the future, Bitcoin regulation is a good thing and Sidecar is the startup app to watch September 25, 2014 City A.M. chatted with Richard Branson about his views on startups, why affordable space travel is imminent and what drove his decision to invest in a drone business. What’s the most exciting startup at the moment? I’m lucky in that I meet exciting startups virtually everyday. One that’s especially grabbed my attention lately [...]
Silk Road website creator Ross Ulbricht aka Dread Pirate Roberts found guilty February 4, 2015 The man accused of creating the website Silk Road could face a life sentence after being found guilty on all charges. Ross Ulbricht was convicted by a federal jury in Manhattan on seven charges, including drug trafficking, money laundering offences and computer hacking, after three hours of deliberation. The 30-year-old was accused of being Dread Pirate [...]
Following the Kids Company fiasco, what does alternative finance such as peer-to-peer and crowdfunding offer charities? August 20, 2015 What's the connection between charities and alternative finance? Currently, the answer is not a lot – charities are often big, well-oiled machines, and peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding platforms are still very new. But do the latter offer the former something? The ongoing Kids Company fiasco has put the charity model under scrutiny. And the [...]
Apple welcomes back Bitcoin wallet Blockchain to App Store July 29, 2014 Apple's App Store has welcomed back Bitcoin wallet Blockchain following its removal in February. Already available on Android devices, Blockchain launched its new iOS wallet yesterday, which has been “completely rewritten from the ground up with an emphasis on security and usability,” the company said in a press release. Before Apple's unexplained removal of all [...]
Razor sharp: Will King talks moving on from King of Shaves, politics, a plan for Tesco and why we need Tinder for voting May 4, 2015 I came, I saw, I shaved, I died’ isn’t how I want to be remembered,” quips Will King. In 1993, he founded King of Shaves, the popular men’s toiletries brand. In frustration over the poor quality of his own products, he turned to his then-girlfriend’s bath oil for a smoother finish. The resulting businesses, including [...]