What’s Coming Up?
Are cryptocurrencies a climate calamity or a sustainable solution?
Zuckerberg likes the metaverse. But, will metaverse players go along with this centralised vision?
Europe goes for a digital euro while NFT gaming is blooming.
US Stablecoin Regulation Could Lead to Geopolitical Competition
Although cryptocurrencies were created to facilitate an independent financial system far from the hands of the nation-states, recent U.S. regulatory developments could drive stablecoins towards the existing fiat system. This could unleash competition between countries for control over the lifeblood of the crypto industry. These measures might constitute the ‘dollarisation’ of stablecoins, meaning the effective tie-down of these international instruments to U.S. financial oversight.
Sustainability Solution or Climate Calamity?
Cryptocurrencies' carbon footprint is well known by now. On top of that, digital currencies' volatility has also been flagged as a cause for concern. However, the UN believes that blockchain technology could be an excellent tool for those who fight the climate crisis and help bring about a more sustainable global economy.
Zuckerberg’s Vow to Make Facebook a Metaverse Company Roils DeFi Community
DeFi and NFTs are rapidly changing the digital world — into a whole new metaverse, — and Zuckerberg, Facebook's Founder, is well aware of this. He wants Facebook to 'transition from a social media company to a metaverse company' in the years to come. If Facebook enters the market, though, where will that leave the decentralised projects pioneering the metaverse now?
Top Headlines 💥
💳 Mastercard Launches New Start Path Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Program for Startups
🇮🇳 India to use Ethereum blockchain to verify diploma certificates
💰 Afterpay: Jack Dorsey's Square in Australia's biggest buyout
🏧 Bitcoin ATM operator LibertyX is being acquired by Fortune 500 company NCR
🌴 Miami Set to Launch Its Own Cryptocurrency, Reward Users in Bitcoin
🎨 NFT Market Comes Roaring Back as Ethereum Rises
Tweets of the Month 🐦
🗞 European Ecosystem News
European Investment Fund puts $30M in Fabric Ventures
The European Investment Fund made a significant investment into a blockchain and digital assets venture fund — Fabric Ventures. The Luxembourg-based VC closed at $130 million funds, $30 million coming from the European Investment Fund (EIF).
This makes it the first EIF-backed fund mandated to invest in digital assets and blockchain technology.
Eurosystem launches digital euro project
The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) launched the investigation phase for the digital euro project. This phase will last 24 months and aims to address critical issues regarding design and distribution.
The ECB believes that a digital euro must meet the needs of Europeans while helping to prevent illicit activities and avoiding undesirable impacts on financial stability and monetary policy. In any event, a digital euro is not slated to replace cash.
🎧 Gamifying DeFi
Jesse Johnson, Founder and COO of PixelCraft Studios, joined The Metaverse Podcast to discuss how NFTs and DeFi mix, explain AAVE’s open DeFi Protocol, and go through the importance of composability for any NFT project.
🎤 Digging Into El Salvador’s Bitcoin Bill
Adam B. Levine, Andreas M. Antonopoulos, and Stephanie Murphy hold a thoughtful conversation about El Salvador’s bitcoin legislation. They discuss the highs and lows of the bill and potential risks to the country, its citizens, and bitcoin globally.
🎙️ Inflation in 2021
In Bankless, Lyn Alden provides sharp analysis and compelling macro takes while building up a canonical thesis on inflation. The discussion explores three types of inflation, defines the relationships between them, and determines what this means for crypto & society from a global perspective.
📹 NFTs | DeFi Explained
Top Research 📚
The Future of Payments: Programmable Payments in the IoT Sector
This paper analyses the status quo for IoT payments and shows how the industry benefits from innovative payment options, such as a European Central Bank (ECB) digital euro or a trigger solution that connects a DLT to the conventional SEPA system. Moreover, specific use cases regarding goods logistics and asset-as-a-service/pay-per-use are examined.
Taming Wildcat Stablecoins
The newest type of private money is well upon us—in the form of stablecoins like 'Tether' and Facebook's proposed 'Diem'. Based on lessons from history, Yale School of Management and the Federal Reserve System argue that privately produced monies are not an effective medium of exchange because they are not always accepted at par and are subject to runs. This report presents proposals to address the systemic risks of stablecoins, including regulating stablecoin issuers as banks and issuing a central bank digital currency.
Our latest report
With the contributions of 20+ external experts, we analyse blockchain’s potential—from both a theoretical perspective and through existing projects—to help achieve the SDGs. In collaboration with PositiveBlockchain, we look at four sections: Identity, Financial Inclusion, Supply Chain, and Environment & Climate Change.
Join Our Ecosystem and Contribute to Research
dGen is an independent non-profit research institute focusing on how emerging technology can contribute to a decentralised future in Europe. We envision what this might mean for people, society, private entities, and the public sector.
We are always looking for new corporate and start-up partners and contributors from across the globe.
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dGen is a non-profit Think Tank based in Berlin focused on how emerging technologies might contribute to shaping a decentralised future in Europe. Our research reports aim to educate and foster discussion among decision-makers in the ecosystem.
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