Image Of The Week, 6-10 Of August: CNBC, TNYT, Forbes And Others

We're presenting "the image of the week". Bitnewstoday.com chose the most important news about the digital economy and virtual currencies. Only the most valuable stories from only the trusted sources. Each and every event from this list will change the world of the digital economy either way. The most important stories of this week in the most indicative quotes below!

The World Bank has mandated Commonwealth Bank of Australia to arrange the world's first blockchain bond.The Kangaroo bond, referring to foreign bonds issued in Australia in the local currency, has been named bond-i, an acronym standing for Blockchain Offered New Debt Instrument

According to the institution, the bond will be the first in the world to be created, allocated, transferred and managed with blockchain technology

2. EXTRA BILLION (Bloomberg)

While a significant portion of the new investment will be dedicated to shifting platforms to the cloud, EY will also be building new technology, while supporting areas including its tax and financial crime businesses, including cryptoassets.

3. FORGET BITCOIN! (Daily News and Analysis)

India is likely to get its own cryptocurrency soon

This comes as a good piece of news for the followers of virtual currencies (VCs). The government is in favour of a native or indigenous virtual currency, and to fulfil that purpose, it is trying to learn the technologies being employed in these currencies.

Sources close to the development informed that the government is working on the technology related to virtual currencies and is looking forward to developing a native or indigenous virtual currency within the country. At present, the government is working on the technology and utility associated with it. In fact, it is trying to find a way to use the technology in a positive way.

It should be mentioned that cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and others have been virtually banned in India, and the authorities do not want to encourage people to invest in them at all.

3. AFRICAN CRYPTO (News.Bitcoin)

Ecobank Report Finds Significant Presence of Crypto in 36 African Countries

A report published by the pan-African bank, Ecobank Transnational Inc., has found that despite cryptocurrencies exerting a notable presence in each of the 36 African countries in which the company operates, only South Africa and Swaziland have adopted a “generally favorable and permissive [regulatory] stance” pertaining to cryptocurrencies.

Ecobank’s report finds that “As in many other parts of the world, African governments and central banks are mostly adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach when it comes to regulating cryptocurrencies.”

4. A BUG (MASHABLE)

"Suppose that I privately disclosed the bug using my name — only for someone else to find it independently and exploit it anonymously the next day," he wrote. "...billions of dollars could have been lost as a result of this exploit. People have been killed for much less. So not only was anonymity important, I considered it a necessity for my safety."

5. NEW WORLD OF VC (Reuters)

Japanese asset managers see new era in venture capital investing

The hugely successful IPO by online marketplace Mercari in June was a bonanza for its shareholders – and may transform lukewarm attitudes among mainstream asset managers about investing in startups, according to major Japanese institutional investors and industry officials.

“Venture capital used to be the ‘ugly duckling’ of private equity in Japan. Now we are seeing way more interest from institutional investors,” said James Riney, head of startup accelerator 500 Startups Japan. “Thanks to Mercari for making a big splash noticeable on a global scale.”

6. NEW OPPORTUNITIES (Forbes)

Blockchain is about to Transform Healthcare in the USA

In recent months, there has been a flurry of excitement about the role that blockchain technology might play in the long-term transformation of the U.S. healthcare.

John Hamaka is an Editor-in-Chief of the new academic journal “Blockchain in Healthcare Today” and he told us about three opportunities how we can use this technology:

1. Medical Records. When a medical record is generated and signed, it can be written to the blockchain, which will provide absolute proof and confidence that a medical record cannot be changed. The integrity of the medical record is ensured.

2. Consent management. In the current healthcare environment, where every state has different privacy and consent regulations, blockchain could be used to record patient’s consent for purposes of data sharing.   Any party seeking to exchange medical data about a patient could check the blockchain for permission to do so.

3. Micropayments. The idea that patients might be also rewarded is gaining traction. If a patient follows a care plan, keeps his appointments and stays healthy, there might be rewards offered through the blockchain. Similarly, patients might be rewarded for contributing their data to clinical trials and clinical research using the same approach.

7. IT’S GOING TO BE FINE (CNBC)

Wall Street angst is essentially overrated

Jeffrey Mills (vice-president of PNC) referred to this year's uptick in volatility — sparked by concerns over factors such as rising interest rates, a narrowing yield curve and the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and major trading partners

"The China thing is going to be with us for a while," said Mills, referring to a new round of tariffs both countries slapped on each other last week. "You do have to pay attention to the fact that trade fears will stay with us. So expectations have to be muted to a degree."

Yet, Mills expects the S&P 500 Index will see a positive year.

8. GOLDEN GATES (The New York Times)

The fund is among a cluster of similar ventures that invest in the cryptocurrency space, backed by wealthy individuals and financial firms, that have emerged over the past year. Such firms have partially replaced the retail investor base, which drove bitcoin's skyrocket rise in 2017.

9.  POWER OF THE WIND (Business Insider)

Soluna told the Moroccan government it expected to complete the site in five years at a cost of 1.4-2.5 billion dollars. It would invest 100 million dollars in an initial phase, from which it hopes to generate 36 megawatts.