While the big banks are usually very skeptical of bitcoin in public, below the radar they could all already be making plans to gain a foothold for themselves in the ecosystem. The latest example is Barclays that is reportedly asking clients about a possible move into the crypto trading space. Also Read: Coinbase Acquires Earn.com for an Estimated $100 Million Testing the Waters British banking giant Barclays (LSE: BARC) is supposedly considering launching a cryptocurrency trading desk. The bank is trying to figure out if there is enough demand from its clients including hedge funds, big investors and the like for it to enter this new line of business. This would make Barclays the first major bank in London to offer such a service. Although the bank says it still has no specific plans to launch a cryptocurrency trading desk, sources have revealed it has conducted a preliminary assessment of demand and feasibility. “We constantly monitor developments in the digital currency sp...
The Distributed Markets conference took place in Chicago on April 23, 2018, and featured an array of blockchain and financial experts working to shed light on opportunities and changes happening in the cryptocurrency space. Among the main goals of the conference was to educate attendees on how they could integrate blockchain technology into their businesses, thereby increasing cost-effectiveness and overall efficiency. A Blockchain Academy workshop and a hackathon were also available to give developers and entrepreneurs a chance to study blockchain macro cases and showcase their skills. In a panel moderated by Joseph Bradley, entitled “Crypto Regulation: Striking a Balance Between Compliance and Growth,” speakers Colleen Sullivan of CMT Digital; Illinois state regulator Sean T. O’Kelly; Haimera Workie, senior director of FINRA’s Office of Emerging Regulatory Issues; and Tennessee blockchain lawyer J. Gray Sasser of Frost Brown Todd addressed the topic of regulation. Perhaps the b...