Known as "the father of the digital economy", Don Tapscott, the global Thinkers 50 list released in November 2017, became the world's second-ranked thinker for his long-term research on technology influence.
Known as "the father of the digital economy", Don Tapscott, the global Thinkers 50 list released in November 2017, became the world's second-ranked thinker for his long-term research on technology influence. Alex Tapscott, son of Don Tapscott, an investment banker, an authoritative spokesperson for the digital economy, is also a well-known blockchain investor. Joined Don in a super best-selling book, Blockchain Revolution.
The World Cup is in full swing, and the fans have contributed to the team's rankings, but there is a race that is equally exciting and exciting – reshaping the Internet era.
The blockchain is the most destructive technology since the birth of the World Wide Web. By creating an unchangeable decentralized ledger, we can handle valuable things without the need for an intermediary, thus creating the second era of the Internet.
But in order to gain a foothold, it must address a series of special, cumbersome big problems: scalability, interoperability, user interface, energy consumption, and more. The first teams to overcome these obstacles will not only gain the name and benefit, they will win control of the new digital economy.
In the latest version of the Blockchain Revolution released this month, we analyzed how a city or region can play a leading role in this competition, as Silicon Valley did in the first era of the Internet. This article ranks ten cities based on their willingness to change the economy and lead the technological revolution.
The selected regions are not only a tax haven for cryptographic riches, they must also be a hotbed of network innovation for blockchain; there are clear rules for the use of cryptocurrencies and ICOs; banks and existing financial services are involved; corporate and private risks Financing; favourable immigration policies; strong higher education; sound energy and Internet infrastructure; and human rights and the rule of law.
The selection threshold is not low. In order to board the blockchain podium, the competition of each "team" is also very intense.
- Shanghai
The large scale of the Chinese market is largely conducive to blockchain innovation. Despite China's ban on ICO, the closure of cryptocurrency exchanges, and lack of regulatory transparency and supervision, China is still dominated by the encryption world through major initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative.
Governments and companies in Shanghai have begun to use blockchains and invested billions of dollars in research and development funds. New members of the startup community include Energo Labs, Genaro, VeChain, Viewfin and ZerOne.IO. In China, even minor adjustments in regulation will make two or three other first-tier cities among the top ten.
9, Tokyo
Japan’s status as a major innovator will not change in the near future. However, the strict regulatory measures of the Japanese government have imposed restrictions on the development of the industry. If regulators loosen control (like issuing licenses to several cryptocurrency exchanges), blockchain innovation may boost Japan's struggling economy.
Most large Japanese companies have a long history of more than a hundred years. During the Internet boom, a number of technology companies such as Alibaba and Tencent emerged in China, but few large digital groups came out in Japan.
But the blockchain opened another window for Japan. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched the “Tokyo Blockchain Commercial Summer Camp” accelerator project to attract foreign start-ups to the city. But in order to advance to the next round, Japan will have to lower the threshold of its restrictive immigration system and introduce more related companies.
8, London
Entrepreneurial activities in the UK account for 16.7% of the world, second only to the United States. As an international business and banking center, as well as the hometown of pioneers such as Blockchain.com, London has become a fertile ground for financial technology, and the regulatory sandbox also serves blockchain startups in this area. Identity management, one of the key applications of the blockchain, has become a priority for the UK government as the UK government is trying to combat the country's high identity theft rate.
The downside is that Brexit will have a profound impact on the existing talent community, and the smart leaders of the European continent will seek to profit from this chaos.
- Seoul
The Korean public’s enthusiasm for the blockchain has allowed Seoul to appear on the list. The demand for cryptocurrencies caused the bitcoin price gap to be called the “Kimchi premium”, and the Seoul Mayor also announced plans to create cryptocurrencies.
As a hub for encryption innovation, Seoul is working with Samsung to develop a blockchain solution for providing public services. Companies like ICON in corporate blockchain networks and Zikto in healthcare are taking the lead and clearing up some of the higher barriers to the wider use of blockchain. Although in South Korea, the prohibition of ICO and cryptographic regulation has hindered the pace of rapid innovation, it reveals the South Korean government's more cautious signs of this industry.
6, Beijing
Chinese leaders have recently praised the blockchain's devastating potential 10 times that of the Internet, and the Chinese government seems to see the blockchain as a huge opportunity to improve infrastructure, reduce tax fraud and manage the national identity system.
Even so, the opportunity for blockchain to bring transparency to China's important grey market is clear. E-Commerce giant JD.com is pushing the supply chain to be transparent. It is launching an accelerator for AI and blockchain startups such as Bluzelle, Canya and Republic Protocol; Wanda Group has also joined Hyperledger as its first in China. A major member.
5, Toronto - Waterloo Corridor
Due to the talent pool and the startup ecosystem, Toronto is attracting worldwide attention. This corridor has the best immigration system and highest higher education success rate in the list of cities, as well as an amazing network of technology accelerators and incubators such as the MaRS, OneEleven and Ryerson University's DMZ. Leading startups like Aion, Decentral, Paycase, Polymath and Shyft were born in Toronto.
The Canadian government supports innovation, but to a large extent it sees it as a means of transforming from a purely resource-based economy. Government funds are more used for AI and quantum computing than for distributed ledger platforms where AI and IoT can operate. With some adjustments to the regulatory environment and more support, Toronto can increase its rankings.
4, Zug / Zurich
The US regulations on private bank accounts have caused the Swiss financial industry to dry up in a few years. In the blockchain sector, Swiss bankers and government officials have found a cure for the country's financial anemia, creating the world's most open and supportive blockchain and encryption regulatory environment.
Zug's “Encryption Valley” has become a hotbed of ecosystem innovation. It is a member of the Ethereum development team and home to start-ups such as Bitcoin Suisse, Shapeshift and Tezos. Encrypted Valley now hosts Europe's largest blockchain conference and many Encryption industry conference.
Recently, Swiss financial market regulators have taken some drastic measures against token sales. However, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance have established a task force to strengthen their position as a global leader in blockchain technology.
3, Silicon Valley
For many people in the cryptocurrency world, one of the more exciting prospects of blockchain technology is that it can shake Silicon Valley’s technological hegemony. In particular, blockchain poses a threat to digital enterprise groups that collect and monetize personal data for free.
However, the huge talent pool, private capital network and booming entrepreneurial culture have enabled Silicon Valley to stand out in the second Internet era.
The region is home to blockchain industry giants such as Ripple, Coinbase and the Hyperledger Foundation. However, Silicon Valley's iron fist control of the technology industry may be relaxing. We will see!
2, Singapore
Russians and Canadians scrambled to claim that V was theirs, but he chose Singapore. This country is a global model of forward-looking policy and a new leader in entrepreneurship and innovation. The Singapore government managed clever management of cryptocurrencies and established a blockchain research network within its universities.
Its Monetary Authority worked with the R3 consortium to test interbank payments on the blockchain platform. Singapore's entry into the Asian market and the region's rapidly growing middle class have largely compensated for its relatively small population shortage, and we expect the blockchain ecosystem of Singapore's urban nation to continue to grow.
1, New York
Considering that the first blockchain is a P2P cash system, New York has no shortage of leadership in blockchain innovation and enterprise adoption. Wall Street may be pessimistic about cryptocurrencies, but many large banks are investing heavily. Facts have proved that the efficiency of global payments is very attractive.
Big Apple is also home to some of the leading innovation companies in the blockchain field, including Blockstack, Gemini from Winklevosses, and ConsenSys and L03 in the distributed grid. uPort is developing self-ownership identity (one of the most important applications of the blockchain), which is owned by individuals and not by digital groups or social media companies. The city is transforming media, advertising and creative industries through blockchain technology.
In such a new and fast-growing industry, we can safely say that the list will be different in a year or even a month.
The next World Cup will be held in 2022. Let's see what happens again.