Blockchain Conferences: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver

Newsletter sponsored by:

FOUNDER’S MESSAGE: Three big initiatives!

Paris Blockchain Week. Immigrants Lead Canadian Blockchain. Community Contributor Program. Let’s showcase Canada!

IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER: The year of the halving is already living up to expectations with some January volatility and major milestones for the industry as a whole.

• Crypto Freeze Thawed: Canada's asset block on truckers' donations unconstitutional.

• Consumer trends: Crypto whales accumulate billions in Bitcoin.

• We asked: Why does Canada need its own blockchain media?

• Big question: How does the traditional finance sector view its collaboration with the rapidly evolving crypto industry?

BIG IN CANADA: Blocked assets

• Canada’s Use of Law Freezing Protestors’ Crypto Donations was Unconstitutional - Judge
  
  A federal judge said there was no national emergency justifying the invocation of the emergency law, which gave the government the power to freeze assets.
  
  In a January 23 decision, Justice Richard Mosley concluded “There was no national emergency justifying the invocation of the Emergencies Act and the decision to do so was therefore unreasonable.
  
  In February 2022, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government used the law for the first time to freeze funds, including cryptocurrencies, donated to truckers protesting COVID-19 restrictions, which the court found was unconstitutional.
  
  Cryptocurrency played a significant role in funding the 2022 trucker protests, with protesters estimated to have received millions of dollars, but the exact total raised remains unclear due to the challenge of tracking decentralized assets.

TECH GIANTS: Do you own over 1000 BTC?

• Crypto Whales Accumulate $3 Billion in Bitcoin in January, Data Shows

  
  According to data from onchain analytics firm IntoTheBlock, the amount of Bitcoin held in whale wallets has increased by approximately 76,000 BTC, bringing total holdings of these whales to nearly 7.8 million BTC.
  
  Definition of “whales includes any entity, individual or fund holding over 1,000 BTC, which also encompasses ETFs.

TECH GIANTS: Google speaks

• New Google crypto policy to allow ‘cryptocurrency coin trust’ ads

  
  Google first banned crypto ads back in 2018, before opening to wallets and exchange providers in 2021.
  
  Google is expected to update its crypto advertising policy on Monday, January 29th, with observers speculating it could rope in Bitcoin exchange-traded funds.
  
  The policy revision will allow for crypto ads, specifically products dubbed cryptocurrency coin trusts, that let investors trade shares in trusts holding large pools of crypto.
  
  Speculation is that Bitcoin ETFs would be included in the revision.

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT: NETCOINS

How does Netcoins plan to balance innovative features and strict compliance in shaping the future of crypto exchanges?

In our recent interview, President of Netcoins, Fraser Matthews, discusses the company's expansion plans in North America, emphasizing a compliance-first approach in navigating the complex legal and regulatory landscape.

Netcoins reported a significant increase in trading volume, indicating a resurgence in the crypto industry, and highlighted the importance of transparency and strong compliance for future crypto exchanges.

TODAY’S BIG QUESTION: How does the traditional finance sector view its collaboration with the rapidly evolving crypto industry, especially in the context of open banking and real-time payments in Canada?

• Blockchain enthusiast and Vice President, Product Management , Cyber & Intelligence Solutions at Mastercard, Amreen Sodhi, discusses the potential of blockchain technology to revolutionize payments in Canada, especially in areas like real-time payments and open banking, where Canada is lagging behind.

WE ASKED

We asked Executive Director of the Canadian Blockchain Consortium (CBC), Koleya Karringten, why Canada needs its own blockchain media:

CONFERENCES IN CANADA: 2024

Toronto:

Real World Crypto Symposium: March 25-27
Blockchain Futurist Conference: August 13-14
ETHToronto: August 13-14

Montreal: 

The Canadian Bitcoin Conference: May 16-18

Vancouver:

5th International Conference on Big Data and Blockchain: February 24-25

OPPORTUNITIES IN BLOCKCHAIN FOR GRADUATES

Don't miss our insightful chat with Muraly Srinarayanathas of 369 Global, exploring blockchain's growing impact across Canadian sectors.

Muraly emphasized the vital intersection of cybersecurity and blockchain, particularly in high-security fields like healthcare and finance, and advocated for expanding blockchain beyond just cryptocurrency to unlock job opportunities and market potential in Canada.

On a related note, the Future of Blockchain in Canada International forecasts of global blockchain market size vary widely, from USD $57.6 billion by 2025, to over $176 billion in business value by the same year.

The conversation also touched on the rapid growth of blockchain employment and optimistic global market forecasts suggesting a bright future for blockchain in Canada.