Opinion


Policy

How to Stop the Next Quadriga: Make Exchanges Prove Their Reserves

Exchanges sometimes treat depositors' assets like fractional reserves, with disastrous results. Time for regular audits, writes Nic Carter.

Gerald Cotten, difunto CEO de QuadrigaCX, alrededor de 2015.

Markets

Bitcoin, Uncertainty and the Ultimate Narrative

Noelle Acheson looks at how the market turmoil could spill over into politics and what that could mean for bitcoin.

bitcoin price chart coindesk 2 march 2020 2

Finance

Why Enterprise Blockchains Fail: No Economic Incentives

In developing blockchain projects, companies often lack an understanding of the economics of networks, and the path to creating long-term monetization.

Image via Shutterstock

Policy

The States Can't Blockchain

If states want to promote the use of blockchain tech, they need advisors with solid technical understanding of what they're trying to legislate.

The Connecticut State Capitol, in Hartford

Tech

The DeFi 'Flash Loan' Attack That Changed Everything

Flash loan attacks are here to stay and are likely to get more serious. DeFi needs to adapt, says a leading crypto VC.

Supermassive Black Hole, By ESA/Hubble

Finance

Cut the Consensus: You Can't Run a Business Like a Blockchain

What works for the technical realm of blockchains does not automatically translate to the running of businesses or social organizations.

William Mougayar

Finance

Software Ate the World, Here's How It Eats Finance

Real disruption in financial services means creating new plumbing for transactions, not nicer apps on top of existing rails, says CoinDesk columnist Lex Sokolin.

Lex Sokolin, global fintech co-head at ConsenSys

Policy

Securities Law Helped Build Modern Capitalism. Crypto Should Embrace It

Crypto should work within the existing regulatory structure around securities, rather than reinvent a whole new system.

Dutch East Indiaman ships, Wenceslas Hollar Digital Collection

Finance

Lightning Solves Bitcoin's Speed Problem, but Watch Out for Fraudsters

Lightning-based fiat-bitcoin systems could popularize crypto payments, as long as fraud and bitcoin's non-reversibility don't get in the way.

Zap founder Jack Mallers speaks at the 2019 Lightning Conference in Berlin. (Will Foxley/CoinDesk archives)

Policy

Crypto Exchanges Need Common Messaging to Comply With Travel Rule

From ATMs to cargo containers, standards make global commerce work. The same goes for crypto, which needs standards to comply with anti-money laundering rules.

Leah Callon-Butler