“Comedy equals tragedy plus blockchain”

Mark Twain misquote.

Following on from Digital Paladin’s earlier Reality Bytes! post on crypto, it’s important to differentiate between frequent crypto-currency heists and the failure of get rich quick schemes (including the recent collapse of FTX) and the underlying potential of blockchain technology. The Freakonomics Radio podcast channel has a recent three part series – Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 – on blockchain, crypto-currencies and NFTs which provides a fairly balanced view. Guy Kawasaki also has a more in depth podcast interview with Antionette Schoar, one of the more dispassionate contributors: titled “An Unconflicted Analysis of Crypto, Blockchain and NFTs“. Examples of future blockchain technology applications include improving supply chain management and central bank digital currencies such as the eAUD pilot. Recent press coverage provides mixed views on the future of crypto-currencies and the recent announcement by the ASX that they are shelving their blockchain based clearing and settlement system project and writing off their $250 million investment, suggests that blockchain technology is still in an evolutionary stage.