Selling Sunset offers viewers a fantasy land of extreme wealth, showcasing the financial lives of the ultra-rich and the world's most expensive homes. The visually pleasing aesthetics of the show, from luxurious fashion to stunning homes, provide a relaxing and addictive viewing experience for those seeking sensory pleasure.

Why 'Selling Sunset' Is the Most Addictive Real Estate Reality Show

One of New York City’s most prominent real estate law firms is going out of business. Stroock & Stroock & Lavan will be dissolved, according to Bloomberg Law. The law firm’s dissolution, prompted by a staff exodus, was first reported by The American ...

Major real estate law firm going out of business

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) — JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) — First Savings Financial Group Inc. (FSFG) on Tuesday reported a loss of $747,000 in its fiscal fourth quarter. The Jeffersonville, Indiana-based company said it had a loss of 11 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were 41 cents per share.

First Savings Financial: Fiscal Q4 Earnings Snapshot

First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), a premier provider of title, settlement and risk solutions for real estate transactions and the lead

First American Financial Reports Third Quarter 2023 Results

AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICRs) of "a" (Excellent) of First American Title ... economy and a slowdown in the real estate sector. Policies are distributed ...

AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of First American Title Insurance Group Members and First American Financial Corporation

SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), a premier provider of title, settlement and risk solutions for real estate transactions and the leader in the ...

Affordability Sinks to Lowest Point in Over Three Decades, According to First American Real House Price Index

In response, HqO has created a new market category, the Real Estate Experience (REX), putting the customer and their experiences of space at the center of this significant market transformation for the first time. In addition, HqO is continuing to scale ...

HqO Raises Over $50M in Series D Funding to Revolutionize the Real Estate Landscape

The commercial real estate segment is undergoing a booming phase in Tier 2 and 3 cities with brands viewing it as the next hot locale to expand their footprints.” In the first half of 2023 ...

Commercial real estate booms as retail leasing soars high

Licensed since 1995, Artenosi was the first to introduce the concept ... helping others create lasting wealth in the North American real estate market.

Inside The Playbook Of A North American Real Estate Pioneer

First American Financial Corp is a financial service provider offering title insurance, closing and/or escrow services, and related services in connection with residential and commercial real estate transactions.

First American Financial Corp (FAF)

Get the most recent info and news about First American Financial on HackerNoon, where 10k+ technologists publish stories for 4M+ monthly readers.

First American Financial Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides financial services. It operates through Title Insurance and Services, and Specialty Insurance segments. The Title Insurance and Services segment issues title insurance policies on residential and commercial property, as well as offers related products and services. This segment also provides closing and/or escrow services; products, services, and solutions to mitigate risk or otherwise facilitate real estate transactions; and appraisals and other valuation-related products and services, lien release and document custodial services, warehouse lending services, default-related products and services, mortgage subservicing, and related products and services, as well as banking, trust, and wealth management services. In addition, it accommodates tax-deferred exchanges of real estate; and maintains, manages, and provides access to title plant data and records. This segment offers its products through a network of direct operations and agents in 49 states and in the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, and internationally. The Specialty Insurance segment provides property and casualty insurance comprising coverage to residential homeowners and renters for liability losses and typical hazards, such as fire, theft, vandalism, and other types of property damage. It also offers residential service contracts that cover residential systems, such as heating and air conditioning systems, and appliances against failures that occur as the result of normal usage during the coverage period. First American Financial Corporation was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, California.

First American Financial

The finance industry is under attack! Cybercriminals are constantly on the lookout for ways to steal sensitive data, such as credit card numbers and Social Security numbers. No one is safe - banks, credit unions, insurance companies, investment firms, and even brokerage firms are all at risk. But there’s hope! Financial institutions provide valuable services to their customers, including banking, insurance, investment, and brokerage services. These organizations play a crucial role in helping individuals and businesses manage their finances and achieve their financial goals. For financial institutions that handle credit and debit card payments, complying with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is essential. By adhering to these security standards, financial institutions can demonstrate their commitment to protecting cardholder data and enhance their brand reputation. This can lead to increased customer trust and loyalty, which is beneficial for both the institution and its customers. In 2022, the most significant data breach in the financial industry worldwide was detected in the United States at the First American Financial Corporation. The breach exposed a whopping 885 million financial and personal records. And it’s not just the big companies that are vulnerable - SF Fire Credit Union suffered a data breach on August 18, 2022, exposing the sensitive information of some members. So, what can you do to protect your financial information? One of the best things you can do is work with a financial institution that is committed to data security. Look for a company that has been certified by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Together, we can fight back against cybercrime! What Is PCI DSS? In 2004, major credit card companies like Visa, MasterCard, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, and American Express established the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) to safeguard credit card information and protect against data theft and fraud. The PCI DSS is a set of security standards that organizations must follow to process credit card transactions. Any organization that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data must comply with PCI DSS. This includes businesses of all sizes, from small online retailers to large banks. In this blog post, we will take an in-depth look at the role of PCI DSS in finance industries such as Banks, Credit Unions, Insurance Companies, Investment Companies, and Brokerage Firms. The that organizations must meet. These requirements cover a wide range of topics which are included in the given infographic below: PCI DSS has 12 requirements Role of PCI DSS in the Finance Industry: As we’ve seen, PCI DSS is a set of security standards designed to ensure the safety of cardholder data. Now, let’s take a closer look at how PCI DSS positively impacts the finance industry. The finance industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world due to the sensitive nature of the customer data it handles, including credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, and bank account information. There are several reasons why PCI DSS is important for the finance industry. Firstly, it helps to protect customer data from fraud and theft. Secondly, it can help to reduce the risk of a data breach. Thirdly, it can help to protect financial institutions from fines and penalties. By complying with PCI DSS standards, financial institutions can ensure the safety and security of their customers’ data. Now, as we continue below, we’ll explore the importance and essential role of PCI DSS in the finance industry! 1. Reducing the Risk of Data Breaches: By implementing the security controls mandated by PCI DSS, such as firewalls, encryption, and access controls, financial institutions can significantly reduce their risk of experiencing a data breach. Data breaches are a major concern for the finance industry with the average cost of a data breach in the financial sector amounting to $5.72 million according to the IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2021. PCI DSS requirements can help mitigate the risk of data breaches by requiring financial institutions to implement robust security controls. These include firewalls to protect networks from unauthorized access , encryption to scramble data and prevent it from being read by unauthorized individuals , and access controls to restrict access to sensitive data . (Requirement 1) (Requirement 3) (Requirement 7) By implementing these security controls, financial institutions can make it more difficult for criminals to steal customer data. The importance of reducing the risk of data breaches cannot be overstated. According to the Verizon 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report, 96% of breaches in the financial services industry were financially motivated. By complying with PCI DSS requirements, financial institutions can help to reduce the risk of data breaches and protect their customers, their businesses, and their reputations. Learn more about PCI DSS and how it can help your organization reduce the risk of data breaches. 2. Increase in Customer Trust: In the contemporary digital milieu, engendering trust amongst customers is of paramount importance for any business, financial institutions being no exception. When a financial institution garners the trust of its customers, it is more likely to retain its patronage and even receive recommendations from its acquaintances. One avenue for establishing customer trust is adherence to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requirements. These security standards have been formulated to safeguard cardholder data and demonstrate a financial institution’s commitment to protecting customer information. By delineating how customer information is employed to enhance their experience, financial institutions can assuage concerns and foster trust. With 79% of customers harboring concerns regarding how companies utilize their data [Pew Research Center], transparency is crucial. In addition to complying with PCI DSS requirements, there are several other measures financial institutions can implement to increase customer trust. These include: ● Listening to customers ● Providing helpful content and tools ● Being strategic with customer data ●  Prioritizing transparency ●  Being consistent ●  Doubling down on customer service ●  Sharing values The most significant driver of financial trust is the confidence that the institution has in protecting customer data. Offering quality products and services and helping customers meet their financial goals are also important factors. Thus, compliance with PCI DSS requirements and implementing other trust-building measures can aid financial institutions in building customer trust and augmenting their bottom line - a mutually beneficial situation! 3. Reduce the Costs: By precluding data breaches and eschewing regulatory penalties, financial institutions can diminish their costs. The implementation of security measures such as regular vulnerability scans can assist in the prevention of security incidents. (Requirement 11) By adopting proactive measures to prevent data breaches and comply with regulations, financial institutions can preserve funds and safeguard their bottom line. The cost of cyberattacks in the banking industry has attained a staggering $18.3 million annually per company. In addition to the direct financial losses incurred due to cyberattacks, these breaches also undermine user trust. Thus, by instituting robust security measures and complying with regulations, financial institutions can not only reduce their costs but also engender customer trust. 4. Improved Employee Security Awareness: Improving employee security awareness is a must for financial institutions! Employees are often the weakest link in a security chain. They can make mistakes that lead to data breaches, such as clicking on phishing links, opening attachments from unknown senders, or using weak passwords. A study by CybSafe found that only 11% of businesses provided a cybersecurity awareness program to non-cyber employees in 2020. And 20% of organizations faced a security breach as a result of a remote worker. The good news is that PCI DSS requires regular training and awareness programs for employees. This can help improve their understanding of security risks and best practices. Requirement 12.6 By investing in employee security awareness training, financial institutions can reduce their risk of data breaches and other security incidents, ultimately saving money and protecting their bottom line. 5. Enhanced Security Controls: The PCI DSS provides a robust framework for implementing security controls that protect cardholder data. By following these guidelines, financial institutions can significantly reduce the risk of data breaches and safeguard their customers’ sensitive information. For instance, mandates the use of anti-virus software to defend against malware attacks, while Requirement 6 ensures that systems and applications are designed and configured to minimize the risk of unauthorized access or data loss. Requirement 5 By adhering to these and other PCI DSS requirements, financial institutions cannot only protect their customers’ data but also strengthen their business by building trust and confidence. 6. Growth in Brand Reputation: Data security is of paramount importance for financial institutions to engender customer trust. Customers seek to engage in business with companies that they can trust to safeguard their data. The PCI DSS provides a set of security requirements to protect cardholder data and earn customer trust. A robust brand reputation can lead to augmented customer loyalty, attraction of new customers, and improved sales. When customers trust a company, they are more likely to engage in business with them again in the future, recommend them to others, and spend more money with them. Financial institutions that adhere to PCI DSS requirements can enhance their brand reputation and augment their bottom line. Here are some additional tips for enhancing your brand reputation: ● Let customers know what you are doing to protect their data. Be transparent about your data security practices: ● If there is a data breach, take steps to mitigate the damage and communicate with customers about what happened. Respond quickly to security incidents: ● Make sure your employees know how to protect customer data. Invest in security training for employees: ● Work with a security firm that can help you implement and maintain a strong security program. Partner with a reputable security firm: By following these tips, you can enhance your brand reputation and protect your customers’ data. Additionally, we have already discussed the impact of PCI DSS in the banking sector of the finance industry. You can check out our blog post on this topic here: “ ” How does PCI DSS impact banking and banking applications? Consequences for Non-Compliance With PCI DSS in Finance Industry: By complying with PCI DSS, your business can avoid monetary penalties from payment processors or credit card companies. These penalties, called “non-compliance fees,” can range from $5,000 to $100,000 per month. Compliance also helps to prevent legal consequences and expensive lawsuits that may arise from data breaches. ● You can avoid monetary fines from payment processors or credit card companies by complying with the PCI DSS standards. Monetary Penalties: ● You can avoid lawsuits from customers harmed by a data breach by taking steps to prevent data breaches and by responding quickly and effectively to any breaches that do occur. Legal Consequences: ● You can minimize the damage to your reputation and customer loyalty by taking steps to prevent data breaches and by communicating with customers openly and honestly about any breaches that do occur. Damaged Reputation: ● You can minimize the loss of customers by taking steps to protect your customers' data and by communicating with them openly and honestly about any breaches that do occur. Loss of Customers: ● You can avoid forensic audits by taking steps to prevent data breaches and by responding quickly and effectively to any breaches that do occur. Forensic Audits: ● You can avoid payment brand restrictions by taking steps to comply with the PCI DSS standards. Payment brand restrictions: ● You can minimize the damage to your brand reputation by taking steps to protect your customers' data and by communicating with them openly and honestly about any breaches that do occur. Brand reputation: ● You can avoid additional fines by taking steps to comply with the PCI DSS standards from the start. Reactive compliance: This approach can lead to increased customer trust and loyalty, which benefits both the institution and its customers. Instead of facing monetary fines, forensic audits, payment brand restrictions, and damage to their reputation, compliant organizations can reduce their risk of fraud and protect their business. So, let's focus on the positive and work towards a secure and trustworthy financial industry! Conclusion: In conclusion, understanding the role of PCI DSS in the finance industry is crucial for any organization that handles credit and debit card payments. Compliance with these security standards can have numerous benefits, including reducing the risk of data breaches, increasing customer trust, and enhancing brand reputation. At VISTA InfoSec, we specialize in helping businesses achieve and maintain PCI DSS compliance. If you have any further questions or if your organization is not yet PCI DSS compliant, please visit our website for more information or leave a comment with your query.

Understanding the Role of PCI DSS in the Finance Industry

Blockchain — The Radical Metamorphosis Shaping Our Financial Future Blockchain has its critics, but no one can doubt the efficacy and trust factor it can bring to finance in the future. Those that fear it, however, are the ones who will see their revenues fall. The financial service industry is on a knife’s edge, and blockchain technology is there to witness the impending collapse Refurbishment The future is definitely out there, but whatever it is, it’s our own making, our own destiny. To refurbish what we’ve already accomplished, and to go beyond it is going to take a great effort. However, there is one kind of technology that can do all this and more, especially in the financial sector. Surprisingly, though, it isn’t AI nor Robotics. Neither big data nor quantum computers. Not even, thank goodness, social media. It is called the blockchain, and it’s coming for you, it’s coming for all of us. Lenin created the perfect revolution, but not the best. That’s been saved till now. Blockchain, to describe it in simple terms — or as simply as can be expressed without inundating you with technical words and geek-speak — is the underlying technology of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Although often confused with the digital currencies as being the same thing, they are inherently different. Air of Nonchalance Since the first email was sent by , to the genesis of , we have ridden the wave of technology with what some might call an ‘air of nonchalance’. This is no surprise, actually: innovations have come thick and fast, one after the other, in a continuous stream of wondrous techmanity that has even outstripped the magnificent achievements for inventions and human endeavour in 15th and 16th century Italy and the 1800s in Great Britain. Ray Tomlinson in 1971 the Internet in 1989 Ray Tomlinson, Sender of the first email. Source:timesofap.com But that was all before the blockchain arrived, which if it promises to do what the specialists in the field are telling us, will change the financial landscape of the world for all time. Since the advent of the internet, we as individuals and society have been able to disseminate information across borders and over continents at great distances with the click of a mouse. Documents, emails and text messages. The internet can send them all. No big deal, right? Maybe. Yet what the blockchain can offer us is something different, a more secure environment for delivering and transferring information. Lessons Learned Take money, for instance. One of man’s greatest inventions, and something very important to us. Fiat currencies, those controlled by governments and central banks, are at the core of everything we do in regard to trade, exchange and banking services. Bonds, stocks, financial assets, too — are all tied to fiat currencies and business. If something goes wrong with it, and the whole house comes tumbling down, there’s trouble. 2008 saw that happen. When we send a document on the internet, all we are actually doing is sending a copy of it, a facsimile of the original content. It doesn’t really matter how many times we do it because it is only a reproduction. With money, however, this would be a very bad thing to do. This phenomenon, called double-spending by cryptographers, is one of the big problems facing cryptocurrencies and the blockchain ecosystem. When one person transfers money to another, it is of paramount importance that I, as the sender, do not still possess the money after I have transferred it to the recipient. Presently, to complete these types of transfers with fiat currencies, the financial world relies on middlemen or agents, to verify and accomplish this task, which in turn, establishes trust in the financial markets. These intermediaries usually come in the form of banks, governments and other high-level institutions. Up to now, they have generally (with some blips) done a good job. (Boos and sighs go up) The Cure Yet, cracks have appeared in their system, especially in relation to our high-tech, switched-on world, where data is vulnerable to hacking and other odious invasions. Photo by on freestocks.org Unsplash There are countless examples of financial institutions with multi-million-dollar cybersecurity systems suffering ignominious data breaches: Citigroup in 2011 , JP Morgan Chase in 2014 and First American Financial Corporation this year. These are just a few examples of such cases, but as times goes by, and hackers get smarter, things can only get worse. Blockchain. Such companies, sadly to say, are dinosaurs in more ways than one. Take a bank transfer — if you want to transfer money by traditional methods, it can take a few days. Across the globe, say to a poor African state with only a rudimentary banking system, a week or even more, all the while the bank takes a handsome cut in the percentage of the transfer. That’s simply unfair. Blockchain. Ten, fifteen, twenty percent commission, that just isn’t right for doing virtually nothing. And it’s got to change. Blockchain. But there’s more bad news. They steal your information, your data, the personal stuff about you, too — a double whammy! Our privacy, the lives we live, are all being kept under tabs by a 21st century Stasi. Blockchain. Take a moment, if you will, just to think about this: These companies, colossal, magnates of the modern age, have stolen the endowment of the digital age, raped and slaughtered the masses, metaphorically speaking, to gain the upper hand, the power to control us, manipulate us, to mould the world as they see it. There’s wealth creation next to a growing poverty index. Blockchain. Inequality is a fashion statement to be ashamed of. We have Trump and his New York coterie. Putin and his Russian oligarchs. High-ranking Chinese members of the Communist party. Arab oil billionaires. All members of a worldwide conspiracy of Freemasons, a club you and me ain’t in, unfortunately. Now, do you believe me, that things have to change? And they have. We have an internet of information. We have the blockchain. BB AND AB There should be a BC and AD of blockchain, but re-christened BB and AB: and A_fter Blockchain_, because that’s how groundbreaking it is. The world will never be the same after this, and who wants it to be, anyway? Before Blockchain The blockchain is the global ledger, the internet of value, the information system available to every person with a pulse, where every human endeavour — be it creative, pecuniary or free-form — is available peer-to-peer, unshackled by the restraints of governance, third-party exorbitant charges and copyright issues. Storage. Management. Transactions. All sorted. This is the new age, motherfucker. And without the haemorrhoids of intermediaries to contend with. Because now we have a universal value system. Jesus, thank goodness for brains, for foresight. , the person (or persons) who sprung up from the Land of Nowhere in 2008 and saved the future world from travesty with his white paper on a new protocol for digital cash, a cryptocurrency, called Bitcoin, should be awarded a Nobel prize. Satoshi Nakamoto But he won’t be, of course. Because the men upstairs, those cretins in control, won’t let him/her/them/it receive it. We don’t care, though, because Bitcoin lets the masses establish trust and do transactions with financial modalities without the hassle of third-party dopes who are a waste of oxygen. Satoshi’s maneuver, somehow, incited the about-face stance with the financial degradation not seen since the Wall Street Crash of ’87 and 2008’s debacle. The reversal in thought, a shock to the system for many, was a counter to that greed, the compulsion for wealth and ‘show me the money philosophy’ that marinated most of the ethos pre-bitcoin. Don’t get me wrong, Bitcoin is nothing more than a speculative asset, something that goes up and down, at least at the moment. If you like the stock market, or cryptocurrency trading platforms like Coinbase and Binance, then go for it. You may make a shitload of cash, . fiat variety, that is To gain currency status, I don’t know, could take a long time, maybe never. Global Dodge The fiat currency of today, regulated by Trump and all the other sheriffs in the Global Dodge, controls the market of all nation states. And grateful you and me should be for this. But there’s still blockchain. And the blockchain is going to create a society based on trust and common motivation for peer-to-peer transactions without the scams, without the criminality, without all of the bullshit many people face every day through the schemes of banks and other untrustworthy financial establishments, through some clever coding in cryptography. The most powerful sheriff in town. Source: upi.com So, how, you may ask, does the blockchain technology work? Simple. Traditionally, money or any other digital asset has been centralized, but with blockchain, the global ledger, it is spread out, disbursed across all member (called nodes) and utilizing the highest level of cryptography known to man. Once a transaction has been completed, it is sent across the world to all the other nodes, so they all have a copy of the transaction. But there’s more. People called Bitcoin miners, these are big players. Some are individuals, others operating in groups in what are called mining farms, and they have powerful computers to work with. So what do these miners do, and why are they so important for the operation of the blockchain? Every so often, let’s say every few minutes, a block of transactions gets created on the blockchain, which has on it every transaction done within that specified amount of time. This is where the miners earn their supper: immediately, they get to work, competing with each other, trying to crack and then validate the block. Once successful, they are rewarded with Bitcoin or any other altcoin on a specified blockchain. What happens then is a stroke of genius: That block, now validated, is connected to the preceding block, which has been connected to the one before it and so forth. Each of these blocks has a timestamp embedded on it, which secures the block, and all other blocks, from being hacked by double-spending trickery. This works on the premise that to hack the block, the hacker would have to hack all blocks at the same time in that chain across the millions and millions of nodes across the blockchain ecosystem, which are secured by the most advanced encryption devices available. Impossible, or almost that. This is the blockchain. This is what it does. The Guilt For decades the traditional ways of moving fiat currency and doing business have been in the hands of the few, using complicated, outdated methods that have had their day but are still, quite unbelievably, used to the detriment, in most cases, of society. The financial service industry is the guilty party. Just think about it like this: I make a payment by card, say for a flat white at Starbucks. That payment then goes through numerous financial institutions, each of them with their own computer systems, until a few days later the transaction is settled. Whoopee. But it’s not good. The status quo has to change. That’s where blockchain and cryptocurrency come in. With them, the payment and settlement are actually the same, completed instantaneously with no hassle and no extra cost. This revelation has the financial industry quaking in its boots. Cryptocurrencies and the underlying blockchain technology is there to take over its mantle. Now, the thought leaders in the financial industry are worried whether they should fight the coming onslaught or try to accept it as the new modality. The fear is warranted, though, because the blockchain could, for the first time in history, spread the wealth out because at its very essence the technology is fair, transparent, egalitarian, invented by people, just like Satoshi Nakamoto and others, who believe a system that benefits the few, as in the current financial model, is not in humanity’s best interests. Let’s allow it to happen, and fast! <a href="https://medium.com/media/3c851dac986ab6dbb2d1aaa91205a8eb/href">https://medium.com/media/3c851dac986ab6dbb2d1aaa91205a8eb/href</a>

Blockchain — The Radical Metamorphosis Shaping Our Financial Future

Following the collapse of the FTX exchange and other major crypto-oriented firms such as BlockFi and Voyager Digital, crypto companies and users are facing challenging times in accessing banking services. Challenging Times for Crypto Banking The first quarter of 2023 exposed cracks in the global banking sector, resulting in the downfall of three crypto-friendly banks in the US: Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), Signature, and Silvergate Bank. It is worth noting that the is the largest bank failure since the financial crisis of 2008. collapse of SVB While the collapse of these banks cannot be primarily attributed to them offering crypto services, US regulators seem to have taken this as an opportunity for an all-out war against the crypto industry. This includes traditional financial service providers that offer on and off-ramping services to the crypto sector. In particular, US regulators led by the banks of the impending liquidity risks associated with offering banking services to the crypto industry. Federal Reserve recently warned “The events of the past year have been marked by significant volatility and the exposure of vulnerabilities in the crypto-asset sector. These events highlight a number of key risks associated with crypto-assets and crypto-asset sector participants that banking organizations should be aware of.” partly read the joint statement. This stance has caused a change in sentiment, with more banks shying away from crypto. According to an , JP Morgan is currently not onboarding crypto-related businesses, while the Bank of New York Mellon is implementing a "very, very rigid" approach and vetting crypto companies seeking their services on a case-by-case basis. article by Reuters Traditional Banks' Fear of Crypto: Regulation or Competition? While the absence of regulatory frameworks certainly plays a significant role in hindering traditional banks from offering crypto services, it begs the question whether these legacy financial institutions are genuinely cautious or simply fearful of disruption by crypto. Back in 2017, JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon famously dismissed Bitcoin as being worse than the tulip bubble of the 17th century. However, in a surprising turn of events, JP Morgan is now among the banks actively exploring crypto, even on a public blockchain in 2022. executing their first DeFi trade What's even more intriguing is that players in traditional finance are gradually reaching a consensus that blockchain and cryptocurrencies possess the . This disruption is already happening through the disintermediation of vital banking services, including payments, loans, and tokenized securities, among others. potential to disrupt the $7 trillion global banking sector In certain regions, such as Latin America and Africa, where crypto adoption rates are notably high, individuals are progressively forsaking the traditional banking sector in favour of crypto transactions. The latest revealed that over 50% of the top 20 countries in crypto adoption are middle or lower-income economies. crypto adoption report by Chainalysis Moreover, banks are understandably wary of cryptocurrencies due to their limited expertise in evaluating risk-return profiles associated with crypto investments. Additionally, the complexities of maintaining compliance with regulatory authorities while operating in a regulatory gray area that entails significant risks only further compound their concerns. Seeking Alternatives for Crypto Banking Solutions On the brighter side, crypto companies and users have not been completely left out in the cold. There are several alternatives for banking solutions that are emerging as viable options for those currently in search of reliable banking partners. Most notably, changing countries to more crypto-friendly jurisdictions or seeking banking services from more flexible financial service providers, particularly in the Fintech niche. Switching Jurisdictions As you may have already figured out, the US is perhaps not the most crypto-friendly country in terms of operations. Fortunately for the crypto industry, there are several jurisdictions where regulatory frameworks have already been established to oversee crypto activities and the provision of financial services to entities and individuals operating in this ecosystem. Just recently, the European Union approved the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulation, which sets a clearer regulatory framework for the use of cryptocurrencies. But more importantly, this newly adopted regulation the market for crypto banking services in Europe, which already has a significant advantage with over 55 crypto-friendly banks. opens up Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, where a licensing regime for crypto exchanges began in June 2023, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is exerting pressure on major banks such as Standard Chartered and HSBC to extend their banking services to crypto exchanges. reportedly Of course, these two jurisdictions are just a few examples of where crypto companies and users can migrate to. When it comes to regulatory frameworks, there are several other alternatives, including El Salvador, where Bitcoin is legal tender, as well as South Korea and Singapore. Fintech Banks The rise of "challenger" banks in recent years has undoubtedly been a game-changer in modern-day businesses. According to , the asset base of Fintech banks has grown by over 105% within the past decade, while traditional banks witnessed a 75% growth over the same period. statistics by Fortunly But what is particularly noteworthy about this digital-first banking sector is the flexibility it offers. Most jurisdictions have less stringent regulatory requirements for Fintech banks compared to their traditional counterparts. Therefore, this is another option that crypto users are exploring for banking solutions across different parts of the world. One of the Fintechs that has stood out as a banking alternative is , the Irish-American financial services-focused company. They recently launched a fiat-to-crypto on-ramp in December 2022, allowing customers to directly acquire crypto assets without necessarily going through a bank for purchases. Stripe In Europe, the emergence of Neobanks such as is making it easier than ever before for crypto startups to access banking services. This nascent Fintech offers a comprehensive crypto-friendly banking solution coupled with innovative features, including both SEPA and SWIFT transfers, and the ability to handle multiple currencies. Peanuds With alternative banking services being offered by Fintechs, it has become much easier to alleviate the banking pain points currently experienced by both individuals and companies in the crypto industry. The Future of Crypto Banking So, where is the future of crypto banking headed? Will regulators establish the much-needed frameworks, and if they do, will traditional banks embrace crypto? The answers to both questions are still uncertain, but what's clear is that regulators across the world are willing to implement proper oversight frameworks. As for banks extending their services, it will likely depend on the agility and business models of different traditional banks. That said, there is also a possibility that over time, Decentralized Finance (DeFi) will rise to the challenge and provide its much-touted decentralized services on a larger scale. Until that is the case, the best opportunities that companies in the space are left with are banking providers that understand how to structure an offering besides jurisdictional and compliance barriers. Also published here .

Crypto Banking in Europe & Rest of the World Needs to Adapt in the Wake of Change

Exit Liquidity

তারল্য থেকে প্রস্থান করুন

Liquidität verlassen

Liquidez de salida

Liquidité de sortie

तरलता से बाहर निकलें

出口流動性

유동성 종료

Liquidez de saída

Likiditeden Çıkış

Thoát thanh khoản

退出流动性

Bitcoin is trading at record levels since December 2020. Investors around the world are placing stakes on this digital currency to hedge against inflation, as central banks continue issuing fiat currency to help the economy. Today Bitcoin is a truly digital equivalent of gold. But if the gold rates increased by 22% during the last year, the price of Bitcoin increased by 144%! Moreover, on January 8, 2021, the most famous digital cryptocurrency has reached its new all-time-high level of $41,941.56. Large Investors In Bitcoin The world’s leading media are reporting a record investing inflow from huge institutional companies in Bitcoin. Let’s’ take a look at the companies that have already invested in digital gold. Square, Inc. Last year American financial services company founded by Jack Dorsey (CEO of Twitter Inc.) has invested $50,000,000 in Bitcoin. The company‘s investment division emphasized that they consider cryptocurrency as a tool for expanding economic opportunities. “We believe that Bitcoin has the potential to be a more ubiquitous currency in the future. As it grows in adoption, we intend to learn and participate in a disciplined way. For a company that is building products based on a more inclusive future, this investment is a step on that journey.” – Amrita Ahuja, Square’s Chief Financial Officer Nowadays Square, Inc. owns 4,709 BTC, which is the equivalent of over 0.025 percent of Bitcoin’s total circulating supply. SkyBridge Capital This investment company is led by the famous American financier and the former White House director of Communications – Anthony Scaramucci. In January 2021, SkyBridge Capital launched a new Bitcoin fund and revealed that the company has already invested in BTC about  $310,000,000. “We believe Bitcoin is in its early innings as an exciting new asset class. With the institutional quality custody solutions available today, we believe the time is right to allocate capital and provide our clients access to the digital assets space. ” – Anthony Scaramucci Ruffer Investment Company In November 2020, British fund firm Ruffer allocated  2.5% of its assets under management to  Bitcoin. The total investments exceeded $744,000,000. So today Ruffer holds about 45,000 BTC. The company’s said that this investment was primarily a protective move against risks in a fragile monetary system and financial markets. “Negative interest rates, extreme monetary policy, ballooning public debt, dissatisfaction with governments – all provide powerful tailwinds for bitcoin at a time when conventional safe-haven assets, particularly government bonds, are perilously expensive.” MicroStrategy Analytical giant MicroStrategy was one of the first public companies that invested in Bitcoin. At the beginning of August 2020, the company acquired about 21,454 BTC. Later the head of the company, Michael Sailor, said that investing in Bitcoin is part of a new strategy designed to maximize long-term value for the company’s investors. “#Bitcoin is emerging in 2021 as the new, compelling institutional-grade safe-haven asset. Excess cash is a drag on shareholder value in the current monetary environment, so we can expect more firms to adopt Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset.” – Michael Sailor Today MicroStrategy owns 70,784 BTC. Grayscale Investments This investment company is the largest institutional holder of BTC. The firm’s flagship product is the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC), which allows accredited investors to make money on Bitcoin without actually owning it.  In total, Grayscale Investments holds 616,000 BTC which is more than 2% of the Bitcoin total circulation supply. Moreover, the company is also actively investing in other cryptocurrencies like ETH, LTC, Bitcoin Cash, Zcash, and XRP. Should I Invest In Bitcoin? Analytics thinks that in 2021, we may see a longer list of organizations investing in digital assets which will defiantly make a huge impact on the crypto industry. There are some trends that can already be observed like reduced volatility of the crypto market, Bitcoin’s price increase, and mass adoption of cryptocurrencies. Is Bitcoin A Good Investment? What are your thoughts on the institutional investors? Do you agree that they will help crypto to go mainstream? Share your thoughts in the comments below. The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the author. Every investment and trading move involves risk. You should conduct your own research when making a decision. Previously published at https://stealthex.io/blog/2021/01/26/is-bitcoin-a-good-investment/

Investing In Bitcoin: A Fence-Sitter's Guide

Reusable rockets have revolutionized access to space, reducing both the costs of access and the CO2 footprint of launches. Major entrepreneurial developments are to be expected in the coming years, including those from familiar frontrunners SpaceX and Blue Origin as well as new innovations from Virgin Galactic, ISRO, and Arianespace. Understanding the technology, its financial and environmental impacts, and their promising applications for space tourism, power generation, communications, and materials development, all hint at what’s to come. December 2015, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 makes its successful return, the first-ever reusable rocket. Since then, recovering SpaceX rockets has become routine, but this hadn’t been the case during the early decades of spaceflight. All rockets, satellites, and space probes until that day had been single-use items. The only objects that returned to our planet were human-carrying space capsules or sample canisters like Stardust (1999–2006) or Hayabusa (2005–2010), with the exception of the US Space Shuttle (1970s-2011) and the Soviet Union Buran (1980–1988), which had envisioned fully reusable yet too expensive and complex to operate spaceplanes. Since 2012, several companies have been working on projects and prototypes for orbital and suborbital reusable spacecraft. SpaceX began developing what would become the Falcon9 and Falcon Heavy that same year. Blue Origin created the first VTVL rocket, New Shepard, in 2015 and managed to reach space by passing the Kármán line (62 mi) and returning for a propulsive landing. Both companies are working on the next generation of vehicles (Starship and New Glenn, respectively), while Virgin Galactic, ISRO, and Arianespace also have suborbital projects in development. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said that reusable rockets can reduce the cost of access to space by a factor of a hundred. We’re already reaping the benefits of this technology, with satellites ridesharing into orbit cheaper and faster than ever. And still, space flight is at its infancy — and the best is yet to come. Biggest Players SpaceX SpaceX is definitely making (regular) strides in reusable spacecraft. Following their Falcon9 success, the company is now involved in several missions. These include Starlink, a network that will offer high-speed internet access across the globe (completed October 8), and Saocom 1B (completed September 20), the first polar launch ever from the East Coast and the first from Florida in decades. The Falcon 9 reusable two-stage rocket completed 93 launches and 54 landings. The Falcon Heavy, the world’s most powerful rocket by a factor of two, has executed seven landings and four re-flies. With its 64 metric tons capacity, the rocket uses nine nine-engine cores (27 Merlin engines) to produce more than 5 million pounds of thrust. One of SpaceX’s most expected vehicles is, however, the Starship. This spacecraft and super-heavy rocket is a fully reusable transportation system that can carry both cargo and crew to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Blue Origin Blue Origin is the venture of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. The company has developed a suborbital rocket called New Shepard (named after Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American to go to space), designed to take astronauts and research payloads past 62 miles altitude. The journey takes only 11 minutes, and the rocket uses fins, drag breaks, and a BE-3 liquid rocket engine to land. Blue Origin is also working on Blue Glenn (named after astronaut John Glenn), a big reusable launch vehicle capable of carrying people and payloads to Earth orbit and beyond. Its first stage is built for a minimum of 25 missions, making it competitive for a variety of launch markets. The company is also developing Blue Moon, a flexible lander that can deliver astronauts, large rovers, habitats, and ascent stages to the lunar surface in order to enable a sustained human presence on the satellite. The company leads the Human Landing System (HLS) National Team alongside Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Draper. The team has recently completed its first System Requirements Review (SRR) and is ready to move forward working with partners, independent experts, and NASA to return Americans to the Moon. Other Companies Virgin Galactic’s reusable spaceflight system is called SpaceShipTwo. The company is developing a new generation of space vehicles that will focus on private passenger-carrying commercial services. Its operational hub at New Mexico’s Spaceport America is the first purpose-built commercial spaceport and will run a regular schedule of spaceflights for private individuals and researchers. ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organisation, is also working on reusable launch vehicle technology. Their RLV-TD completed its first successful atmospheric test flight in May 2016, and their latest model is to land on the ground in November or December 2020. Somewhat similar to the USA’s space shuttle, the vehicle will be able to put satellites into orbit and return for the next mission. expected The European Arianespace is also planning on making its future rockets more competitive. Their new “acceleration platform” will develop reusable launchers and an engine called Prometheus, which uses oxygen and methane as a propellant. The products of this type of fuel are more environmentally friendly than many other alternatives, making the rocket particularly attractive. The Future of Reusable Rockets As Musk stated, reusable rockets can significantly reduce the cost of launches. The CEO had promised that a Falcon 9 launch would cost just $62 million — and yet Space Force’s two next launches had a price tag of only combined. This is perhaps the main reason why the rocket propulsion market is one with increasing government support and growing investment. Its revenues are projected to surpass by 2027 at an 8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the period 2020 to 2027. $52.7 million $6 million Reusable rockets are, in general, safer, more cost-effective, and allow for quick deployment of much-needed satellite infrastructure. They might accumulate wear, but they don’t get new manufacturing defects between flights. In terms of environmental impact, these spacecraft can produce many different emissions (CO2, water vapor, carbon soot, chlorine, etc.), which generally means a hefty footprint. A lot of conventional rockets are propelled by liquid hydrogen fuel that produces clean water vapor exhaust (Blue Origin plans to use this type of fuel). Although the production of hydrogen itself can cause significant carbon emissions, rocket launches are nonetheless relatively infrequent. However, SpaceX’s Falcon uses kerosene. This could become a problem if launches are as frequent as promised — one every two weeks. There are currently no regulations on rocket emissions as, so far, the most important criteria have been cost and performance. Hopefully, companies will follow the example of ArianeGroup, which is developing a completely carbon-neutral rocket that runs on methane produced from biomass. With the advent of frequent rocket launches by many different companies, we hope reducing costs will mean that we can address the environmental impact. This article was also published here .

Reusable Rockets Are Democratizing Access to Space

Celebrate this Intentional Holiday with Girls that Rule the World! According to the UN, both gender equality and science are stated “vital” for the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The United Nations states the last 15 years our global community has made great efforts to inspire and engage females in science. “Yet, women and girls continue to be excluded from participating fully in science. At present, of researchers worldwide are women.” less than 30 percent Source “According to (2014–2016), only around 30 percent of all female students select STEM-related fields in higher education. Globally, female students’ enrollment is particularly low in ICT (3 percent), natural science, mathematics and statistics (5 percent) and in engineering, manufacturing and construction (8 percent).” UNESCO data Source “Long-standing biases and gender stereotypes are steering girls and women away from science related fields. As in the real world, the world on screen reflects similar biases — the 2015 study by the Geena Davis Institute showed that of the onscreen characters with an identifiable STEM job, only 12 per cent were women.” . Gender Bias Without Borders Source Boys, we Chemistry Chicks found a Solution. Okay, well, despite my cool chem jokes, it was the UN that actually announced this solution. hehe. Alas, it pleased many of the Lovely Ladies in STEM. “ ” Source. In order to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, and further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/70/212 declaring 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Celebrating women and supporting minorities has long been a part of my work, but when The United Nations declared February 11 “ Day”, my “she-nerd” could not be contained. The young girl in me that wanted to be a cool scientist, like my heroes; leap for joy for a day designed to celebrate women of science; past and present. International Day of Women and Girls in Science Enjoy this list of astounding ladies to commemorate Day. International Day of Women and Girls in Science Add your favorite #FemSTEM Leaders in the comments below. Historical Women in STEM is considered to be the founder of scientific computing and the first computer programmer. Her algorithm — which history has come to know as the first one designed for a machine to carry out — was intended to be used for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, which Lovelace would sadly not see built during her lifetime. Lovelace passed away in 1852, but her previously little-known work and “poetical” approach to science has broken through to inspire present-day young women interested in computer programming. . Ada Lovelace Source was a British chemist and crystallographer, best known for her research that was essential to elucidating the structure of DNA. During her lifetime, Franklin was not credited for her key role, but years later she is recognized as providing a pivotal piece of the DNA story. Franklin spent the last five years of her life studying the structure of plant viruses and passed away in 1958. . Rosalind Franklin Source transformed history when she became the first American woman to fly into space on June 18, 1983. After her second shuttle flight, Ride decided to retire from NASA and pursue her passion for education by inspiring young people. As a result, she founded , an organization dedicated to supporting students interested in STEM. Ride passed away in 2012, but her work continues to inspire young women across the country. . Sally Ride Sally Ride Science Source was a marine biologist and environmentalist — whose groundbreaking book, , has been credited as the catalyst for the modern environmental movement. Carson passed away in 1964, but her work has been credited with the legacy of “awakening the concern of Americans for the environment.” . Rachel Carson Silent Spring Source was at the forefront of computer and programming language development from the 1930s through the 1980s. One of the crowning achievements of her 44-year career was the development of computer languages written in English, rather than mathematical notation — most notably, the common business computing language known as COBOL, which is still in use today. Hopper’s legacy is still honored by the annual . . Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference Source was an American chemist at the turn of the 20th century. At a time when few women attended college, Pennington completed her PhD and went on to work as a bacteriological chemist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Shortly after arriving at the USDA, Pennington became chief of the newly established Food Research Laboratory. During her 40-year career at the USDA, Pennington’s pioneering research on sanitary methods of processing, storing, and shipping food led to achievements such as the first standards for milk safety as well as universally accepted standards for the refrigeration of food products. . Mary Engle Pennington Source ‘INDIVIDUALLY WE ARE ONE DROP, TOGETHER, WE ARE AN OCEAN.’ Teams of Women that Changed the World As part of a secret World War Two project, six young women programmed the first all-electronic programmable computer. When the project was eventually introduced to the public in 1946, the women were never introduced or credited for their hard work — both because computer science was not well understood as an emerging field, and because the public’s focus was on the machine itself. has worked hard to preserve and tell the stories of these six women. . The ENIAC Programmers Since then, the ENIAC Programmers Project Source , were a group of women who participated in training to become astronauts for the country’s first human spaceflight program in the early 1960s. FLATs was never an official NASA program, and was unfortunately eventually discontinued, but the commitment and determination of these women to get into space has been credited with paving the way for such astronauts as Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space. . , also sometimes known as the “Members of the First Lady Astronaut Trainees” (FLATs) The Mercury 13 Source . Isolating enriched uranium was one of the most difficult aspects of the Manhattan Project, which produced the first nuclear bombs during World War II. Wartime labor shortages led the Tennessee Eastman Company to recruit young women, who were mostly recent high school graduates, to operate the calutrons that used electromagnetic separation to isolate uranium. Despite being kept in the dark on the specifics of the project, the “Calutron Girls” proved to be highly adept at operating the instruments and optimizing uranium production, achieving better rates for production than the male scientists they worked with. . Calutron Girls Source ‘BE THE KIND OF WOMAN WHO MAKES OTHER WOMEN WANT TO UP THEIR GAME.’ Present Heroes , growing up as a self-described outcast pursued her passion for technology and became a prominent computer scientist. Klawe is now the first female president of Harvey Mudd College and works hard to ignite passion about STEM fields amongst diverse groups. During her tenure at Harvey Mudd College, her work has helped support the Computer Science faculty’s ability to innovate, and has raised the percentage of women majoring in computer science from less than 15 percent to more than 40 percent today. . Maria Klawe Source . She faced many adversities she faced throughout her lifetime — at one point, an advisor told her that women did not belong in chemistry, fortuitously inspiring her to switch her major to biology — but she pursued her passion in spite of opposition. In 1978, Villa-Komaroff made waves with a published paper detailing her most notable discovery — that bacteria could be engineered to produce human insulin. She currently serves as the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) at Cytonome/ST. . is considered to be a trailblazer in the field of molecular biology Lydia Villa-Komaroff Source was an American chemist known for her research on dairy products and food security issues. Holsinger developed a nutritious and shelf-stable whey and soy drink mixture that is distributed internationally by food donation programs as a substitute for milk. She also created a grain blend that can be mixed with water to provide food for victims of famine, drought, and war. Additionally, her work on the lactase enzyme formed the basis for commercial products to make milk digestible by lactose-intolerant people. Through these discoveries, Holsinger’s work has had a major impact on worldwide public health. . Virginia H. Holsinger Source , an African-American space scientist and mathematician, is a leading figure in American space history and has made enormous contributions to America’s aeronautics and space programs by her incorporation of computing tools. She played a huge role in calculating key trajectories in the Space Race — calculating the trajectory for Alan Shepard, the first American in space, as well as for the 1969 Apollo 11 flight to the moon. Johnson is now retired, and continues to encourage students to pursue careers in science and technology fields. . Katherine Johnson Source (1976- present) is a Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University. She is currently the Co-Director of Stanford University’s Human-Centered AI Institute and the Stanford Vision and Learning Lab. She served as the director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab (SAIL) from 2013 to 2018. In 2017, she co-founded AI4ALL, a nonprofit organization working to increase diversity and inclusion in the field of artificial intelligence. Her research expertise includes artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, deep learning, computer vision and cognitive neuroscience. She was the leading scientist and principal investigator of ImageNet. Fei-Fei Li Source ‘SUPPORT OTHER WOMEN. PERIOD.’ Women In Blockchain is the co-founder and CEO of Lightning Labs. Lightning Labs is the company that is building the next generation of decentralized financial infrastructure. Lightning is an open protocol layer that makes blockchains scalable and flexible to support a new wave of financial applications. The lightning network is a Layer 2 scaling solution for Bitcoin which allows users to utilize payment routing and payment channels with low fees and immense speed. Stark has led the Lighting Labs and the development of the lightning network. Stark aims to help Bitcoin reach a point where it will be adopted by the masses for both small and large retail purchases. She is also a fellow researcher at Coin Center, the leading non-profit research and advocacy center, which focuses on public policy issues relating to cryptocurrency and decentralized computing technologies such as Ethereum and Bitcoin. Elizabeth Stark holds a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard. She has taught at Yale and Stanford. Elizabeth Stark is certainly a highly valued contributor to the blockchain space. Elizabeth Stark is a cryptocurrency and blockchain journalist and is also a co-host at ‘The Bad Crypto’ podcast. She is a contributor at Forbes and Huffington Post. She has motivated many women enthusiasts and has worldwide experience in writing about technology. She has graduated from the University of Texas in Austin and holds a degree in B.A. (English, Government). She holds a master’s degree from Tel Aviv University in Security and Diplomacy. She is a blockchain guru and a board advisor for a blockchain-based supply chain management company. She was recently named one among the top five women who are working to change the world of crypto. Rachel Wolfson brings her 22 years of Wall Street knowledge to the blockchain sector. She is the former Chairwoman and President at Symbiont.io. Symbiont is a leader in the smart contracts platform for the financial sector utilizing blockchain technology. On her website, , Caitlin announced she recently left Symbiont to pursue other blockchain ventures. On her website and through her Twitter account she shares her musings on blockchain, Bitcoin, and the future of the industry. Caitlin Long Caitlin-Long.com describes herself as a digital sociologist. She currently works as a Lecturer in the Psychology of Interactive Media at the University of Southern California. Additionally, she is an Advisor at . DNXCommunity is a Digital Nomad platform that is built on the Ethereum blockchain and is designed to provide a decentralized platform for the remote worker community. Dr. Julie Albright has been featured on the Today Show, CNN, and in the Wall Street Journal among other media outlets. She often Tweets and shares content with her nearly 20,000 followers relating to technology, including cryptocurrency, and its effect on human behavior. Dr. Julie Albright DNXCommunity has contributed to the mass adoption of Bitcoin in the United States. She has served as an intern and staff assistant to the United States congressmen. She has graduated in political science from Wheaton College. Till March 2018, she was a member of the Board of Directors at The Bitcoin Foundation. She is now the blockchain business development and marketing consultant at various companies. She is also an advisor at the BitGive Foundation and Coin Congress. Elizabeth McCauley Thankfully, despite odds, women are recently filling books with inspiring, world altering accomplishments. The leaders noted, and many other ladies, have opened the door to opportunities for all of us. Thanks to the amazing women who were teased, overlooked, taken advantage of; and still continue to “shrug it off” and outshine their peers with perseverance, brain and wit. Today and everyday, celebrate women and assist our next generation in the pursuit of seeing more Females in STEM. “ ”, said António Guterres UN Secretary-General. To rise to the challenges of the 21st century, we need to harness our full potential. That requires dismantling gender stereotypes. On this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, let’s pledge to end the gender imbalance in science Remember; this can’t change without your help; “ .”― . Training for and pursuing a career in science can be treacherous for women; many more begin than ultimately complete at every stage. Characterizing this as a pipeline problem, however, leads to a focus on individual women instead of structural conditions Enobong Hannah Branch, Pathways, Potholes, and the Persistence of Women in Science: Reconsidering the Pipeline Source Being an active Woman in STEM/Women in Blockchain I can personally relate to this powerful quote. In efforts to show support to the ladies that have overcome tremendous battles to bring science, technology, engineering and mathematics to you; I hope you each take the time to thank a female that’s been a STEM-inspiration and personally touched your life or work. Hey. Boys. You Paying Attention? That’s right. I’m talking to you, dudes. I have something to tell you. Thank you. Ladies, don’t forget to give a special ” to our STEM Gentlemen. Without the support of wonderful, fearless male leaders that raise women up; we may not be as far as we’ve come. “thank you ‘HER SUCCESS IS NOT YOUR FAILURE.’ Remember; it’s a team effort. ‘ ’ was adopted as a slogan for the 1960–70s feminist movement, after first being used in Meryll Frost’s story ‘Most courageous athlete of 1945’ . Behind every great man there’s a great woman Source Calling all Ladies (and Men!) “ ”. Boldly states the United Nations. . With Sustainable Development Goal 9, part of the Global Goals that world leaders agreed to in 2015 with a deadline of 2030, countries around the world have pledged to “build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.On the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, let’s change this narrative Source The UN, GIVE Nation, Women In Blockchain and others, ask you to join us in celebrating women and girls who are leading innovation and call for actions to remove all barriers holding us back. Join the conversation using; , , , , , #WomenInScience #GIVENation #WomenInSTEM #GirlsWhoCode #WomenInBlockchain #WomenInBlockchainFoundation Tell me what you think. What are YOU doing to bring more women in STEM? What should the community be doing to engage women in STEM? What advice/opinions do you have? How can we mutually benefit one another? I’d love to professionally discuss, collaborate and connect with you all. Welcome feedback, positive and negative; as I’m only here to improve and educate myself/others. Let’s Connect @ LinkedIn @ instagram @ Twitter @ Facebook

Houston, We Have a Problem. There’s Not Enough Women on this Spaceship!

The United States holds tremendous power over the world economy, not least because the USD is the world’s most popular currency, and essentially the global reserve. . The majority of international trade depends on the USD, especially when involving developing economies. Banks and countries all around the world hold USD in their vaults. The USD has allowed the US to be the hegemonic power it is, arguably even playing a larger role than its military or politics Cryptocurrency is in a unique position to challenge that power. Other countries, especially China, are vying for their currency to become the global reserve, but they are held back by international politics. Because of the deadlock, decentralization offers an alternative to circumvent this. The question is how to catapult cryptocurrencies into a position to offer their decentralization to the international monetary system. The first avenue is to displace the USD’s dominance from the bottom up, starting with the economies of developing countries. The world’s financial systems have often shown a conservative streak; they aren’t open to a shakeup of the international monetary system. Therefore, one of the most logical approaches for cryptocurrency to gain dominance is to promote its decentralized nature. In the current economic order, developing nations are dealt a bad hand. This is largely thanks to poor trade deals following decolonization, and the promotion of Western based developmental economics in the second half of the 20th Century. This means many countries in Africa and Asia can not properly enter or aren’t sufficiently adapted to the international market. Cryptocurrency offers a chance to help the countries and people that have been held ransom by the post-colonial economy. Currently, if small countries want to participate in international trade, they have to do business through big banks in USD. This leads to a number of issues: they have to pay huge fees and hold large amounts of foreign currency, and consequently will get burned the worst during financial crises. Tradecoin seeks to alleviate those problems. First, the MIT group wants to create an alliance of small nations, or groups of individual businessmen. This alliance will then adopt Tradecoin; allowing the members to trade with each other without the need for big banks or USD. An MIT group is looking to do just that, by spearheading a new concept called Tradecoin. An MIT group wants to create a cryptocurrency that will ease trade between small actors. This helps ensure the stability of the currency, and encourages small actors to join the alliance. If successful, such an alliance would help significantly diminish the USD’s position as the global reserve. If enough small actors joined together all using a cryptocurrency for their trade, the big players would end up being left out; therefore the alliance members would be free from the deleterious of the international monetary system. Tradecoin would be anchored to the prices of certain assets, such as crops or national bonds. There are other examples of cryptocurrency companies helping small businesses. This helps entrepreneurs trade for materials with people in other areas, thereby again bypassing the big banks. Blockonomics, , is also working in that direction by creating easy to use Bitcoin payment options for ecommerce entrepreneurs. Such companies are helping elevate cryptocurrency to an international standard. If cryptocurrencies are used by the masses, including small nations, their standing in the international system would improve. BitPesa is a cryptocurrency payment company that allows people in Africa to perform business transactions easily across borders. which just announced a new ICO There is another way to displace the USD though, albeit more unlikely, and that’s from the top. Up and coming China has especially been discontent with the idea of the USD as a global currency. There are also a variety of problems with having a national currency as the global reserve. As was evidenced in 2008, any American financial crisis will ripple around the world. Inflation also leads to a decline in value of the USD held by other nations. An IMF independent currency would provide another avenue for cryptocurrency to offer its services as a global reserve. In 2009, China called for a new global currency that would be run by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to combat this. Zhou Xiaochuan, the former head of China’s central bank, made the suggestion to create an independent global reserve. The IMF regulates the world’s currencies, setting guidelines for countries and individuals regarding monetary policy and usage. Currently, cryptocurrencies are not regulated as international currencies. However, the IMF is currently looking into cryptocurrency regulation. The right kind of regulation from the IMF would be beneficial. It would grant international legitimacy to Bitcoin, and would set the stage for cryptocurrencies to become the global standard. Currently the IMF only allows countries to become members of the IMF, which at first glance would mean Bitcoin couldn’t be fully recognized and regulated by the IMF. The IMF could acquire its own supply of Bitcoin by voluntarily buying some from Bitcoin holders. However, Section 3 of the charter would allow Bitcoin to become a quasi-official currency. This recognition and regulation of cryptocurrencies would be an important first step. After legitimization, countries would quickly realize the benefits of cryptocurrencies. Currently, non-US allies don’t trust having to hold vast amounts of the USD. A decentralized cryptocurrency would alleviate those fears; no one country would have control over the currency and could never have control because of the nature of the blockchain. This alone would be a huge selling point, it ensures there can’t be hostile monetary acts by a controller of the global reserve. There wouldn’t be an easy way for a country to create price volatility. This can also be combated by pegging the cryptocurrency to some kind of asset that the IMF could control, just like Tradecoin is striving to do. Already some countries, like Venezuela, are looking into state-backed cryptocurrencies, but are using for nefarious means to try to create more upheaval in the international system, . Cryptocurrency if used as a global reserve, however, has the potential to help the international system. as I outlined in my previous article Christine Legrande, the head of the IMF, seems to like cryptocurrency, but wants to ensure it is regulated. A cryptocurrency as the global reserve would be greatly beneficial for the international community. IMF head, Christine Lagarde, has made favorable comments regarding cryptocurrency, However, she’s also claimed that cryptocurrency has a dark side that must be reigned in. Regulation can be a very good thing, which is an unpopular opinion in the cryptocurrency world, but it must be nurturing. Regulation can’t be focused on stifling cryptocurrency, instead it should work to make cryptocurrency more even more legitimate. If cryptocurrencies are regulated, they would be more likely to accepted by nations for their own usage. If that happened, the possibility that cryptocurrency could be lobbied as a global reserve would grow. especially praising its decentralization. I’ve agreed with her, to an extent, in a previous article. Of course, the idea that cryptocurrency could completely overthrow the USD, oreven become the global reserve, is pretty much a pipe dream today. If it is to happen, it won’t be for many years and will require much change in the conservative financial systems. Yet Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are changing the world, and are becoming more popular everyday. With groups like Tradecoin, Bitpesa, and our Blockonomics, cryptocurrency is coming one step closer to being the world economic influencer it should be.

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL

firstam.com

10K+ employees

Since 1889

COMPANY RANKING

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL

EVERGREEN INDEX #3783

Representing this company? Click here to claim and customize this page!

First American Financial WIKI

Apply to get your Tech Company News Page live on HackerNoon.com today!

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL

firstam.com

10K+ employees

Since 1889

COMPANY RANKING

FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL

EVERGREEN INDEX #3783

RELATED COMPANIESRANK

STORIES ABOUT FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL

Representing this company? Click here to claim and customize this page!

First American Financial WIKI

Apply to get your Tech Company News Page live on HackerNoon.com today!