Blockchain
Scotland’s Blockchain Economy: A £4 Billion Boost by 2030
In a recently published report titled “Blockchain Industry in Scotland Landscape Overview: Companies, Investors, Influencers and Trends,” Scottish Enterprise unveils an economic forecast indicating that Scotland’s blockchain economy has the potential to contribute £4.48 billion to the country’s GDP by 2030.
The comprehensive report, produced by Deep Knowledge Analytics, provides an overview of Scotland’s entire blockchain industry ecosystem, highlighting the companies, investors, and impact of blockchain technology. Suzanne Sosna, Scottish Enterprise Director of Economic Opportunities, emphasizes the significance of this review, stating, “It unlocks new and scalable innovation opportunities for our digital economy in Scotland.”
While blockchain technology is commonly associated with the financial sector, the report explores its application across various industries, shedding light on lesser-known but equally innovative uses. For instance, blockchain is leveraged in education to enhance the security of qualifications. Scottish Enterprise remains committed to supporting the development of blockchain technology to foster business growth and innovation in Scotland.
Blockchain technology records and distributes digital information across a network of computers, storing it in blocks that are interconnected through cryptography. The report summarizes the benefits, features, and challenges of blockchain technology. It includes regional analysis and showcases case studies demonstrating how blockchain can be applied in industries such as entertainment, education, and energy within Scotland.
Currently, Scotland boasts 60 blockchain-centric companies, 78 investors, 86 industry leaders, and 33 hubs focusing on blockchain technology. Most of these companies are located in Edinburgh. The report identifies economic opportunities across eight sectors: agriculture, manufacturing, health, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), space, energy, finance, and education.
One of the profiled companies is Gigged.AI, based in Glasgow, which leverages artificial intelligence and blockchain technology to provide businesses with secure and transparent records of candidate qualifications, experience, and work history. Supported by Scottish Enterprise, Gigged.AI exemplifies the potential of blockchain-driven innovation.
Regulation and public awareness pose significant challenges to blockchain adoption, particularly since the technology is closely associated with finance. However, the report highlights its applicability to industries such as entertainment and manufacturing, offering solutions for digital rights management and contract facilitation.
Dominic Jennings, Head of Strategic Partnerships for Deep Knowledge Analytics and Deep Knowledge Group, expresses pride in collaborating with Scottish Enterprise to produce this landmark report. He emphasizes that blockchain technology can drive growth across diverse sectors, fostering the development of innovative and secure solutions that have the potential to significantly boost Scotland’s economic growth.
With its forward-thinking approach, Scotland is poised to embrace the future of blockchain technology and its potential for transformative impact across various industries.
Blockchain
Fireblocks buys Australian blockchain start-up BlockFold
Fireblocks, the crypto company backed by Sequoia Capital and Coatue Management, has acquired BlockFold, a Melbourne-based start-up that helps financial institutions build blockchain-based systems.
As per Bloomberg , Fireblocks paid about $US10 million ($15.6 million) for BlockFold. While Fireblocks already works with large financial institutions, including Bank of New York Mellon, BNP Paribas and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, it has predominantly offered them services around custody technology.
New York-based Fireblocks is one of crypto’s most well-funded start-ups, having raised some $US1.2 billion so far. The company, which employs around 650 people in the US and Israel, was valued at $US8 billion in its latest financing round in January 2022.
The deal comes as large Wall Street firms ramp up efforts to issue and trade traditional financial assets like bonds and private-equity investments over blockchain networks, seeking to simplify processes and cut costs.
Founded in 2021, BlockFold specialises in tokenisation and smart-contract development for clients such as large financial institutions. Fireblocks and BlockFold have already worked together on projects including National Australia Bank’s recent cross-border stablecoin transfer.
Blockchain
Brazil Enhances National Identity Card Security with Blockchain Technology
In a significant stride toward modernization, Brazil is rolling out a novel national identity card system, fortified by the integration of a blockchain network. This innovative approach is set to bolster the security of data sharing between the Federal Revenue Service and civil identification authorities.
The cornerstone of this system is the shared registry known as b-Cadastros, designed to underpin the operations of the revenue service. This comprehensive platform facilitates searches, issuance, and modifications of the new ID cards and tax registration numbers. Notably, the platform’s development was orchestrated by Serpro, Brazil’s state-owned IT services corporation.
Serpro’s President, Alexandre Amorim, emphasized the pivotal role of the b-Cadastros blockchain platform in fortifying the National Identity Card project. “The use of the b-Cadastros blockchain platform is a major differentiator for the security and reliability of the National Identity Card project,” he stated.
The National Civil Identity Card (ICN) represents an upgraded iteration of Brazil’s traditional paper-based ID cards, and the nationwide issuance commenced in July 2022. The overarching goal of this project is to centralize the nation’s civil identification system and harness the ICN database to authenticate individuals accessing online public services.
The modern plastic card boasts an innovative feature: it empowers users to generate a single digital version of their identity document. This advancement enhances security, as it allows for validation through a printed QR code. In adopting blockchain technology for the ID cards, the Brazilian government anticipates streamlining processes and curbing fraud and illegal activities. Presently, individuals can request identification cards in all of Brazil’s 27 states, which presents challenges in terms of data integrity and security.
Serpro’s Amorim elaborated on the significance of blockchain technology in safeguarding personal data and thwarting fraudulent activities, thus delivering a more secure digital experience for Brazilian citizens.
The states of Rio de Janeiro, Goiás, and Paraná are set to pioneer the blockchain-based version of the national revenue service’s shared registry for the issuance of the new ID cards this week. The remaining states are poised to follow suit over the next six weeks, marking a significant step forward in enhancing the security and efficiency of Brazil’s identity verification and taxation systems.
Source: Forbes
Blockchain
Horizen’s $ZEN Holders Take the Helm with the DAO Launch
The Horizen community, get ready to embark on a revolutionary journey in governance as the Horizen DAO steps into the spotlight, as per Horizen’s new announcement.
Horizen, a public, open-source blockchain protocol, boasts a thriving ecosystem composed of developers, miners, node operators, and holders of $ZEN tokens across various blockchain networks. The introduction of the Horizen DAO paves the way for increased community involvement in decision-making and offers a platform for your voices to shape the project’s path.
Discovering the Horizen DAO
DAO, which stands for “Decentralized Autonomous Organization,” has emerged as the gold standard for decentralized governance in the blockchain world and beyond, as per Horizen’s new announcement.
Horizen has always been driven by its community, acknowledging the critical role of a strong social layer in upholding integrity throughout the ecosystem, as stated in Horizen’s new announcement. This ethos is guided by principles such as transparency, accountability, security, community engagement, continuous improvement, and social responsibility. Dive deeper into Horizen’s guiding principles on the Horizen governance page.
Stages of Proposals and Voting
The Horizen DAO takes decentralization of decision-making to new heights, encompassing both technical and non-technical aspects, along with other substantial system enhancements, as outlined in Horizen’s new announcement.
Protocol Improvement Proposals (IPs) are a well-established mechanism for selecting and implementing fresh features and fundamental protocol adjustments in numerous blockchain projects, as per Horizen’s new announcement. In Horizen’s case, these IPs are the cornerstone of the Horizen DAO’s community-driven governance. For Horizen’s primary chain and the EON sidechain, we respectively refer to these as ZenIPs and EONIPs, and they are the lifeblood of our governance process.
Ultimately, it’s the $ZEN token holders who wield the power to steer the future of Horizen, shaping the network’s evolution through active participation in the Horizen DAO, as per Horizen’s new announcement. Any holder of $ZEN can cast their vote on proposed improvements, while those with the requisite amount of $ZEN, either held or delegated, can propose changes to the community. To ensure effective community governance, users will also have the option to delegate their voting authority to individuals they trust as capable stewards of Horizen’s core values.
For a comprehensive understanding of the Horizen DAO, including its proposal phases, voting procedures, Constitution, and more, we invite you to explore the Horizen Governance page. Join us on this exciting journey to help mold the future of Horizen – we’re delighted to have you on board, as announced by Horizen.
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