On the second day of the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC) Blockchain Central Davos 2022, Cointelegraph Editor-in-Chief Kristina Lucrezia Cornèr moderated a panel discussion focused on the current direction of the financial sector.
Panelists included Soramitsu co-founder and CEO Makoto Takemiya; the Treasury executive of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, Johannes Duong; and the director of operations (COO) of the Foundation for the Development of the Stars, Jason Chlipala.
The panel touched on various topics such as educating the general population about blockchain, how blockchain companies are breaking stereotypes at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2022, and current market issues around blockchains. central bank digital currencies (CBDC) and stablecoins.
The common perception of the WEF is that it is a gathering of industry bigwigs and “financial elites”. However, this year’s WEF has been more exciting as the “barbarians” burst in. According to Takemiya, blockchain companies have broken the stereotype. He explained it this way:
“The stereotype of the WEF is the entrenched financial elite looking to preserve their wealth. That may or may not be true. Blockchain companies are the barbarians at the gates of the World Economic Forum.”
Aside from having a say in one of the largest gatherings in the financial industry, the panel also discussed the community’s efforts in educating the masses on cryptocurrencies and blockchain. Duong weighed in on the matter.
According to Duong, there are many educational concerns in Austria. However, there are also efforts by universities to teach about blockchain and cryptocurrencies.. He said that “we have universities that teach courses on blockchain assets and they are trying to look at it from a neutral position.”
Among the topics discussed, current market issues such as CBDCs and stablecoins have also come to light. Chlipala compared the launch of Libra, later renamed Diem, and its impact on the conversation around CBDCs to the current state of Terra and how it will affect discussions around stablecoins.. He said that:
“This could be the impetus to start to really get some regulatory clarity and some commercial clarity. I think that leads to confidence.”
Meanwhile, in an interview with Cointelegraph, Sheila Warren, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation shared that despite the negativity surrounding the market, she remains optimistic and believes in the future of blockchain and cryptocurrencies.
Similarly, the senior vice president (SVP) of Ripple, Brooks Entwistle, also encouraged people to focus on building despite what appears to be a crypto winter. The Ripple executive said that this has happened before and is likely to happen again.
Clarification: The information and/or opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views or editorial line of Cointelegraph. The information set forth herein should not be taken as financial advice or investment recommendation. All investment and commercial movement involve risks and it is the responsibility of each person to do their due research before making an investment decision.
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