Blockchangers Blog

Weekly Wrap Up #10

Quote of the week:

“We can envision a future in which your crypto address becomes as important as your mailing address.” – Cuy Sheffield, head of cryptocurrency at Visa

International Mass Adoption: PayPal is rolling out crypto services in the United Kingdom, offering users the opportunity and ability to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. United Kingdom users will be able to buy, hold, and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash. This is PayPal’s first international expansion on its cryptocurrency platform.

Sources:

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/paypal-to-roll-out-crypto-trading-platform-in-the-u-k-11629733338

https://www.barrons.com/articles/paypal-uk-crypto-services-bitcoin-prices-51629742128?siteid=yhoof2

https://finance.yahoo.com/m/c3d5b4d4-a666-375f-bb86-ae6af6cadd6f/paypal-is-rolling-out-crypto.html

NFT Mass Adoption Continues: Visa entered the NFT world for the first time with its CryptoPunk purchase for approximately $150,000. Cuy Sheffield, Visa’s head of cryptocurrency, said in a blog post that “the decision to enter the NFT sector was to learn more about the growing market for the company and its clients.”

Source: https://www.coindesk.com/visa-buys-cryptopunk-for-close-to-150k

Major Bank, Wells Fargo, Getting Skin in the Game: This summer, JPMorgan Chase partnered with NYDIG to create a new Bitcoin fund. This past week, Wells Fargo filed for its Bitcoin fund. Through its partnership with NYDIG and FS Investments, Wells Fargo is offering its high net worth clients exposure to cryptocurrency through its pooled investment fund. Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/wells-fargo-files-for-bitcoin-fund

International Regulation Featuring Iran: Iran stated that it will lift its Bitcoin mining ban in September, and let miners resume their operations. In May 2021, Iran’s government banned Bitcoin and crypto mining operations in an effort to conserve energy during the hot summer months. In the past, Bitcoin miners have been blamed for blackouts and power shortages in Iran.

Source: https://cryptowatchdaily.com/blog/2021/08/23/iran-to-lift-ban-on-bitcoin-mining-next-month-reports/

Bitcoin Update: On August 22, 2021, Bitcoin hit its highest price since February 16. Bitcoin’s price traded at over $50,000. Since this past weekend, Bitcoin’s price has dipped; as of August 25, Bitcoin is down 4% to $46,000.

Sources:

https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2021/08/26/market-wrap-crypto-pullback-deepens-expect-higher-volatility/

https://time.com/nextadvisor/investing/cryptocurrency/bitcoin-price-increases/

And, that’s a wrap!

Jordana Cohen,

Associate

Alpha Sigma Capital

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Daniel Siciliano

F. Daniel Siciliano is an Independent Director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and Chair of the American Immigration Council. He is the former faculty director of the Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University and former Professor of the Practice and Associate Dean at Stanford Law School. His work has included expert testimony in front of both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives and for 2009, 2010, and 2011, alongside leading academics and business leaders such as Ben Bernanke, Paul Krugman, and Carl Icahn, Professor Siciliano was named to the “Directorship 100” – a list of the most influential people in corporate governance.

Siciliano was also co-founder, CEO and ultimately Executive Chairman of LawLogix Group, Inc. – a global software technology company named 9 consecutive times to the Inc. 500/5000, several times ranked as one of the Top 100 fastest-growing private software companies in the US and named to the US Hispanic Business 500 (largest) and Hispanic Business 100 (fastest growing) lists for 2010 and 2011. In 2012 he sold a majority stake of the company to PNC Riverarch Capital, continued as Executive Chairman, and led the sale of the company to Hyland Software/Thoma Bravo in 2015.

Siciliano is a co-founder and board member of the Silicon Valley Directors’ Exchange (SVDX), Chairman of the national non-partisan American Immigration Council, past-President of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council #1057, and an active member of the Latino Corporate Directors’ Association.


Siciliano’s related areas of expertise include executive compensation, corporate compliance, the legal and social impact of autonomous (AI/robotic) systems, and corporate technology strategy and security. He has served as a governance consultant and trainer to the Board of Directors of dozens of Fortune 1000 companies (including Google, Microsoft, Fedex, Disney, Entergy and Applied Materials), is an angel investor and consultant to several firms and companies in Silicon Valley, Hong Kong, India, and Latin America, and currently serves as an independent director on the board of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco. He lives in Los Altos, California.