POWERED BY
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OCT 2019 I ISSUE 2
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C OV E R
Hon Silvio Schembri
Andy Cheung
THE BEATING HEART OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION
OKEX’S HEAD OF OPERATIONS
4 Dr Abdalla Kablan
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DELTA SUMMIT PROMISES TO BE MASSIVE
Tech.mt
MALTA LEADING THROUGH INNOVATION
DELTA SUMMIT ’S OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
Your digitalized operations
Our cutting-edge and future-ready connectivity Visit: vodafone.com.mt/business
CO NTENTS
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COV E R
Hon Silvio Schembri
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Read his opening address on page 6
WELCOME
MESSAGE FROM DR ABDALLA KABLAN Executive Chairman
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AG E N D A
MALTA TECH WEEK AGENDA In collaboration with DELTA Summit’s official partner OKEx, we’re featuring a packed week full of tech events.
CREDITS E D I TO R
Anthony P. Bernard anthony@moneymag.me DESIGN
21 24 50 64
BE. DESIGN
HIGHLIGHTS
PRINTING
PANEL HIGHLIGHTS
Print It
From AI to eSports, a sneak peak of the summit’s panel highlights.
DELTAMAG is published by Be Communications Ltd for the DELTA Summit 2019.
PROFILES
SPEAKER PROFILES
THE DESIGN & CREATIVITY EDITION OUT NOW
Meet the speakers of this year’s DELTA Summit.
E X H I B I TO R S
SUMMIT EXHIBITORS Check out this years extensive list of 100+ exhibiting partners participating in the summit.
Grab your free copy from selected stands at the DELTA Summit 2019
INSIGHT
SUPPLY CHAIN Dayna Clarke shares 5 top Blockchain trends to watch.
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INSIGHT
IS MALTA STILL THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK? Dayna Clarke delves into the fact that the Isle of Man has followed suit in terms of promoting Blockchain and Malta.
No 81, Howard Street, Sliema, Malta SLM 1754 Tel: (+356) 2134 2155 / 2131 4719 Email: hello@moneymag.me
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@moneymag.me INSIGHT
VIRTUAL REAL ESTATE Dayna Clarke delves into Bitcoin Real Estate and whether Blockchain can possibly revolutionise the property industry.
@moneymag
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massive PROMISES TO B E
Malta is leading the charge in Blockchain and DLT technology and is positioning itself as a global hub for digital innovation. DELTA Summit 2019 is Malta’s official platform which will showcase Malta’s pioneering initiatives in the disruptive technology sector as well as the country’s advances in embracing new and disruptive technology. The second edition of DELTA Summit promises the biggest names in tech, business and Blockchain. What we created last year was a national movement towards Blockchain and the innovative new technology that is shaping society. While Blockchain is part of this, it is not alone in the way it is redefining every aspect of our dayto-day lives. We have been working to make the event the gold standard by which all other global tech events are judged. The very first DELTA Summit in 2018 attracted more than 4,000 visitors who were in awe of the vast range of exhibitors and more than 180 speakers from across the Blockchain and wider tech sphere. In 2019, DELTA Summit organisers are aiming to surpass 8,000 attendees, and are focusing on
bringing the most forward-looking entrepreneurs, policy makers, investors, service providers and thought leaders to the summit. Machine learning, the connected environment we live in, virtual reality, virtual financial assets and everything in between, are all having a positive impact on society, from individuals, to businesses and countries. DELTA Summit 2019 will give each of these a platform to reach a global audience. What we showed last year is that when you combine a favourable regulatory environment with visionary thinking that celebrates innovation, you can build a movement that has the potential to change the world. The Government of Malta is building something special here and we want DELTA Summit to be the crown jewel of international tech events.
Dr Abdalla Kablan Executive Chairman
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO MAKE THE EVENT THE GOLD STANDARD BY WHICH ALL OTHER GLOBAL TECH EVENTS ARE JUDGED
WELCO ME
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The beating heart of
technological innovation As the saying goes, a lot can happen in a year. The first edition of DELTA Summit put Malta at the epicentre of the DLT sphere, it showcased and delivered Malta’s strong message; that of embracing new technology. Since then we have never looked back. This tiny island in the Mediterranean has made great strides and achieved historic milestones in the technological sector despite its diminutive size and seemingly dearth of resources. Soon after putting into effect the DLT laws, which have forever changed the emerging technologies landscape, we set our sights on Artificial Intelligence, another exciting facet of this fast-paced revolution. As precursors of this global shift, we have launched the Malta.AI Taskforce which has been tasked to formulate a viable strategy, putting Malta among the top 10 nations in the world which have a strategy for this sector. Among other innovations, this edition of the DELTA Summit will also explore the AI theme with several exhibited AI projects, as well as fostering dialogue focusing on this exciting aspect of our digital future. Nevertheless, this brave new world requires that we move beyond. For the first time in our history through the launch of a National Space Strategy, we are looking at the commercialisation aspect of space. We have set up The Space Malta Taskforce, whose work will complement Malta’s overall goal of pursuing smart
specialisation in its economy, attract space commercialisation and create a competitive legal regime favourable to the development, exploitation and innovation initiatives to Malta. To keep pace with this rapidlyevolving landscape and in line with our commitment as a government to adopt and adapt to a digital future, we have also formulated a holistic strategy for Esports and Video Gaming; Malta’s Vision for Video Games Development and Esports will ultimately pave the way for the establishing of a strong infrastructure which will serve as the foundation for the ultimate Mediterranean and European central hub for the sector. Since the launch of this strategy, a lot of work has been done to propel this industry’s ecosystem further. Playcon - Malta’s first Games Development and Esports Expo, to be launched as part of Malta DELTA Summit Tech Week, is a clear case in point. Serving as an ideal platform in our effort to reach out to the public, Playcon will not only showcase games and esports but it will also include educational-related initiatives aimed to inform and educate school children, youths and adults about these new emergent industries and the exciting opportunities they hold. During the past year, we have strived to continue building on what we have achieved so far and with our finger firmly on the pulse of this growing
sector, we will continue to explore all the necessary avenues for it to thrive and flourish, including our continuous commitment to enhance the digital skills of our workforce, through specific educational initiatives while creating new opportunities and careers. It is our unfailing commitment to recognise and address the need of strengthening our resources, implement the necessary legal reforms, and create a robust digital infrastructure which has placed Malta as the ultimate jurisdiction in this fastpaced scenario. The DELTA Summit will once again serve as a point of departure in initiating discussions on visionary ideas, in meeting operators and investors, the regulators who are the pillars of the emergent technologies, as well as offering a unique opportunity to experience Malta’s complete, vibrant ecosystem, all under one roof. Therefore, I welcome you to Malta to experience our journey which we are proud to share with you through this summit, and which I am sure, will serve well all those participants who intend to be part of this bright and innovative technological evolution.
Hon Silvio Schembri
Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation at the Office of the Prime Minister.
Energy Efficiency. Reinvented. Can we lower energy consumption without changing our habits? This is our mission, this is EFFORCE. Steve Wozniak Apple Co-Founder EFFORCE CO-Founder
The first blockchain-based energy-saving platform.
efforce.io
FACTS
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is planning to be
BIGGER & BETTER! FACTS ABOUT D E LTA S U M M I T 2 0 1 9
100+
EXHIBITING C O M PA N I E S
10000+ D E L E G AT E S
500+
PA R T I C I PAT I N G C O M PA N I E S
300+
I N T E R N AT I O N A L JOURNALISTS
200+
I N T E R N AT I O N A L SPEAKERS
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FLOOR MAP COFFEE STATIONS S2 S7 S11 S14 S16 S20 S24 SS
THUNDER STAGE
S2
S4
S S 29 30 S 31
SU 5
SU9
S 32
SU 6
i
SU33
SU11
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U1
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S S 33 34 S 35
SU12
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SU21
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SU24
SU 18
S13
S14
S 38
SU37
SU38
S S 39 40
SU39
SU40
SU 25
SU 26
SA
H4
U14
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ENTRANCE
SC
H1
U9
U10
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H3
MG1
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PYRAMID STAGE
H7 SU 7
SU 8
S43
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CHILL LOUNGE
FOYER
i S19
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U19
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VIP LOUNGE
SS
VIP LOUNGE
AUDIENCE
MEETING ROOMS
ZEST / ESPORTS SUMMIT
GO VENTURES ZINK DIGITAL SECURA LTD GREENFLY AI CELUNA ZALIJ
U20
REST ROOMS
PRISM STAGE
STANDS
SU 19
MG2
RIKTIG VESTIS.AI BEENTOUCH LTD TARSOS
CRYPTIC LEGENDS LTD HOLOROAD MALTA LTD BRAINTRIP LTD SIWEGO SRL
E-SKILLS TRUSTMEUP INVESTMENT EVOLUTION EXCHANGE COMMERCIO.NETWORK
H1 MITA H2 MDIA H3 TECH MT H4 CRYPTO.COM H5 MFSA H6 BINANCE H7 VODAFONE U1 MULTIBUY U2 IFA U3 KPMG U4 FLETA U9 - 12 OKEX
E
INFORMATION POINTS S33 S47
FOOD COURT
ES2 ES1
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MEDIA BOOTHS
ES8
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AUDIENCE ES11
ES13
ES14 ES 15
ES12
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ES17 ES 18
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ES20 ES21
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PLAYCON @ DELTA ES23
EXHIBITION STAGE
ES24
SPEAKER AREA
REST ROOMS
U14, 16 GLOBAL CAPITAL U17 DEVERE U18 ABE U19 DEVERE U20 STASIS SU5 - 6 NISSAN SU7 BCA SU8 EFFORCE SU9 MULTIBUY SU11 MULTIBUY SU12 LEARNING MACHINE SU13 - 16 MINISTRY OF TOURISM SU17 LEXNODE
ES1 INVENT 3D ES2 INTERCOMP ES3 GAME BREAKER ES4 MALTA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION ES5 QLASH ES6 VISIONARY IRON TEAM ES7 WORLD PRO RACING ES8 ESL VILLAGE ES9 HUDSON GAMING LOUNGE
ES19 GMR ENTERTAINMENT ES11 EDEN ESPORTS ES20 MTV BREAKS x BLAST ES12 PEPSI x BEAT SABER EXPERIENCE ES21 YOU RUN ES13 FLYING SQUIRREL ES22 NINTENDO GAMERS ES14 PRINGLES x FULL BODY VR EXP. ES23 GAMING MALTA ES15 EVERSIO ES24 EDUCATION AREA ES16 4A GAMES ES17 EUROPEAN ESPORTS GAMING ES18 COMPETITIVE ESPORTS GAMING ES10 ST. MARTINS INSTITUTE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
S26 - 27 GRANT THORNTON SU39 CALEDO SU18 CSA S28 CHAINALYSIS SU40 ERREMME SU19 - 20 GANADO S29 - 32 UNIVERSITY OF MALTA MG1 MGA SU25 CHANGE NOW S34 MALTA STOCK EXCHANGE MG2 SAMSUNG IOT SU26 ELLIPTIC S35 KNOWMENOW S4 MALTA ENTERPRISE SU27 BITBAY S36 GUARDA S8 CYCLEBIT SU28 FINANCE MALTA S37 ZAMPA DEBATTISTA S9 CRAFT COIN SU29 MBR S38 WYZER S12 ACQUIRING.COM SU30, 32 SIGMA S39 MBR S13 AGRI BANK SU31 KALANX S40 WYZER S18 CHILIZ SU33 WEC S41 - 44 GO S19 GROWTH GURUS SU35 WH PARTNERS S45 CORELEDGER S22 BIKI PTE LTD / CHAIN UP LTD SU36 CHETCUTI CAUCHI S23 INCREDIBLE WEB SU37 MCAST SU38 NEO SU21 - 24 MINISTRY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES, DIGITAL ECONOMY AND INNOVATION
S46 ZBX S48 MCA S49 FRANK SALT S50 BIBOX365 S51 CONSENZ.US S52 DF ADVOCATES SA NEXTHASH SC BMIT
AI • BLOCKCHAIN • IOT • GAMEDEV • ESPORTS
HOME OF GAMING EXCELLENCE GamingMalta is an independent non-profit foundation set up by the Government of Malta and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). Tasked with the remit of promoting Malta as a center of excellence in the digital and remote gaming sector globally, it is also responsible for liaising with the local relevant authorities to improve Malta’s attractiveness as a jurisdiction and enhance the ecosystem surrounding the gaming industry.
• Video Gaming • Esports • iGaming GamingMalta Foundation Building SCM 02-03, Level 3, SmartCity, Ricasoli SCM1001, Malta T +356 2546 9000 E info@gamingmalta.org
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The first ever Malta Tech Week DELTA Summit has collaborated with OKEx to organise a whole week packed with exciting events. From the 30th of September to the 4th of October we have taken over Malta and used it as our playground. Every event taking place is a unique opportunity to meet and share ideas with likeminded people who love tech just as much as we do! The week is packed with stimulating tech discussions, hackathon, thought leadership, and networking opportunities, the Malta Tech Week will bring together
visionary minds in frontier tech industries, such as Blockchain, AI, and IoT, from all the world to the Blockchain Island. These events are for you if you would like to experience the revolutionary development of Blockchain and other stateof-the-art technologies in one place, along with hundreds of industry leaders, tech experts, innovators and investors, including the OKEx team.
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AGENDA In collaboration with our official partner OKEx, this year we are organising a week of tech events for you.
30. SEPT Networking event* [20:00] 01. OCT Business Breakfast* [08:30] OKEx Tech Hackathon [12:30] SE Drinks* [18:00] 02. OCT Pre-registration drinks [18:30] 03. OCT Gala Dinner and Awards* [19:30] Lovin DELTA Night Summit [20:00] 04. OCT Closing Party [18:30] 05. OCT Playcon [09:30] 06. OCT Playcon [09:30] * Strictly by invite only Times are subject to change, kindly check DELTA Summit website to confirm them.
AI
BLOCKCHAIN
IOT
GAMEDEV
ESPORTS
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ZEST it up ZEST is a conference and networking event focused on digital disruption, innovation, emerging tech and technology business. At ZEST, you can expect inspiring keynotes, fiery debates and engaging discussions featuring international experts and Malta’s very own tech heroes. ZEST 2019 is being organised by Tech.mt as part of the DELTA Summit 2019.
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What is Playcon? Playcon is Malta’s first Game Development and eSports Expo, showcasing all the best the industry stakeholders have to offer, all under one roof. Making it possible to discuss and engage the future of video games and eSports. Since the video game industry has become larger than the film and music industry combined, Malta’s goal is clear, to become a central hub in Europe and the Mediterranean for video game
development and eSports. Playcon will provide a unique opportunity for both game enthusiasts and newcomers to experience this exciting chapter in video gaming, which will bring new opportunities for the economy, for young people as well as contribute to the development of the local community. Playcon Expo is part of the DELTA Summit 2019.
PLAYCON IS MALTA’S FIRST GAME DEVELOPMENT AND eSPORTS EXPO
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Thunder Stage This year, following the theme of being BIGGER & BETTER, DELTA Summit has expanded its horizons to include several new stages, one of them being Thunder stage. The idea around this stage is for companies to blow you away with their exciting new products and services. This stage is for those curious minds that want to know what’s new to the industry and what the companies have to offer. Some exciting launches are happening on this stage so prepare yourselves for the shock of a lifetime.
Pyramid Stage Big things have small beginnings. All well-known companies have once started as an idea and had to be built from the ground up. Those same companies became what they are today with the help of people who nurtured and believed in them. Individuals such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs had to share their ideas for them to grow, and so we’ve partnered up with GO to do just that.
We have created a stage dedicated to start-ups who want to present and allow their ideas to develop. This stage is perfect for those who love to learn about the upcoming companies that are going to infiltrate the tech sphere on the island. You never know if there is a future unicorn hiding on stage. It’s time to grow with GO.
HI GHLI GHTS
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Panel highlights
/ Artificial Intelligence
/ GamDev & eSports (Playcon)
MALTA’S NATIONAL AI STRATEGY PILLARS Thursday 3rd October | 10.45 -11.10 Panel: Jackie Mallia, Angelo Dalli, Emmanuel Darmanin, Prof Alexei Dingli Moderator: Wayne Grixti
THE ESPORTS – THE NEW PHENOMENON Friday 4th October | 10.30-10.55 Panel: Mark O’Sullivan, Ivan Filletti, Paul Chaloner, Jaap Visser, Kersten Chircop
SHOULD WE PLUG A HEART INTO AI AND ARTIFICIAL WISDOM? Friday 4th October | 10.30-10.55 Panel: Ludovic Bodin, Larry Sangar, Daniel Grech, Dr Gege Gatt Moderator: Angelo Dalli
GAMES IN DIGITAL EDUCATION Friday 4th October | 14.10-14.40 Panel: Keith Abela, Asi Burak, Hamish Macleod, Georgios N. Yannakakis, Dr Christos Gatzidis, Stephen Bezzina, Charles Theuma
/ Blockchain
/ Internet of Things (IoT)
BLOCKCHAIN ISLAND! EMBRACING BLOCKCHAIN RELEVANT USE CASES Thursday 3rd October | 12.00 –12.25 Panel: Kenneth Brincat, Ekapak Nirapathpongporn, Natalie Smolenski Moderator: Josh O’Cock
INTERNET OF THINGS AND AUTOMATION Thursday 3rd October | 16.15 –16.35 Speakers: Geoffrey Farrugia, Malcolm Briffa, Tanya Sammut Bonnici
USING BLOCKCHAIN PURELY AS A GOOD FORCE TO BETTER HUMANITY Friday 4th October | 17.05-12.20 Panel: Dr Josianne Cutajar, Jacopo Visetti, Shakil Muhammad, Jill Ni, Brad Kayton Moderator: Youree Lee
IOT IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY AND BEYOND Friday 4th October | 12.10-12.30 Panel: MEP Miriam Dalli, Geoffrey Farrugia Moderator: Antoine Sciberras
For the full agenda visit www.delta-summit.com/agenda and www.playcon.mt/summit (GamDev & eSports Summit)
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REGUL ATO RS
The Regulators MFSA HYPER 5 The Malta Financial Services Authority is the single regulator of financial services in Malta. The MFSA regulates banking, financial institutions, payment institutions, insurance companies and insurance intermediaries, investment
services companies and collective investment schemes, securities markets, recognised investment exchanges, trust management companies, company services providers and pension schemes
MDIA HYPER 2 MDIA is the primary authority responsible for supporting all governmental policies that promote Malta as the centre for excellence for technological innovation, while setting and enforcing standards that ensure compliance with international
obligations. The Authority seeks to protect and support all users and also encourages all types of innovations, by allowing for maximum flexibility when it comes to the certification of Innovative Technology Arrangements.
MITA HYPER 1 The Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) is the central driver of Government’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) policy, programmes and initiatives in Malta. MITA’s role is to deliver and implement the assigned programmes as set out in the Digital Malta National ICT Strategy 2014 - 2020, and as directed by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation
from time to time. MITA manages the implementation of IT programmes in Government to enhance public service delivery and provides the infrastructure needed to execute ICT services to Government. MITA is also responsible to propagate further use of ICT in society and economy and to promote and deliver programmes to enhance ICT education and the use of ICT as a learning tool.
MALTA GAMING AUTHORITY MG1 The Malta Gaming Authority was established in 2001 to regulate the various sectors of the gaming industry that fall under the MGA’s authority, by ensuring fairness transparency to players using gaming services, preventing crime,
corruption and money laundering and to protect minor and vulnerable players. The MGA was one of the first regulators to offer legislation that regulates the activity of online gambling companies and create a secure atmosphere for players.
MCA STANDARD 48 The Malta Communications Authority was established on the 1st January 2001 and is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of the various electronic communications sectors, which include
fixed and mobile telephony, Internet and TV distribution services. Furthermore, the Authority regulates two other sectors which are the postal services, as well as the eCommerce sector
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Speaker Profiles DELTA is bringing together a peerless group of thinkers, entrepreneurs and makers for the second annual summit.
Hon Joseph Muscat
Hon Silvio Schembri Parliamentary Secretary
Dr Abdalla Kablan
Prime Minister of Malta
Dr Joseph Muscat took office as Prime Minister of Malta on 11 March 2013. He was born in Pietà on 22 January 1974. He graduated with Honours from the University of Malta in Public Policy and later as Master of European Studies. In 2007, he attained a Doctorate of Philosophy in Management Research from the University of Bristol (UK). He was elected member to the National Executive of the Labour Party at the age of 21 and later nominated as education secretary of the Party. He successfully contested the first European Parliamentary elections in Malta in 2004. In 2006, he was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Person of the Year and in 2008 was elected as the Leader of the Labour Party.
Hon Silvio Schembri is an elected Maltese politician and academic currently serving as a Junior Minister for Financial Services, Digital Economy & Innovation within the Maltese Government. Hon Mr Schembri was born in Luqa, the second child among four siblings. His father John Schembri has occupied the office of Mayor of Luqa since 2001. Silvio is an experienced lecturer in Economics with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. He is skilled in political communications, negotiations, sustainable development, political science, and analytical skills. He has a Master of Arts and a Bachelor’s Degree of Honours focused on Economics from the University of Malta.
Dr Kablan specialises in the use of AI and machine learning in the design of complex financial systems and has founded a number of start-ups specialising in deep learning, professional match making, and Fintech. Dr Kablan is also a lecturer at the University of Malta where he teaches and researches topics related to computational intelligence, financial engineering, and financial data science. During his PhD studies he researched the cryptographic block algorithms behind bitcoin and is a renowned expert in the field of distributed ledgers. Furthermore, Dr Kablan advises governments on matters related to strategic development and utilisation of technology, Fintech, and DLT technologies.
Entrepreneur & Fintech expert
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Alexandre Dreyfus CEO, Chilliz
Alex is a serial web entrepreneur with more than 22 years of experience in the digital space, building and developing tech businesses. In the late 1990s, he pioneered Webcity, the web-based interactive tourism guide, before completing a buyout with retail giant Carrefour, and later merging with a competitor service and selling to Yelp. After co-founding Winamax (the largest French online poker room) and Chilipoker in 2006, the underpinning technology platform was sold
to Bally Technologies (now Scientific Games). In 2013, he acquired the Global Poker Index (live Poker’s leading ranking authority) as well as The Hendon Mob (the largest live poker database in the world). To boost Blockchain innovation in Malta, Dreyfus has also established the Chiliz Blockchain Campus – an accelerator and industry hub connecting some of the industry’s largest stakeholders across Asia and Europe, together with other emerging Blockchain entrepreneurs.
Alexei Dingli
Professor, University of Malta Alexiei is a professor of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the Department of AI within the University of Malta. He has been conducting research and working in the field of AI for the past two decades. His work was rated World Class by international experts and won various prizes including; the Semantic Web Challenge, the first prize by the European Space Agency, the e-Excellence Gold Seal
award, the First Prize in the Malta Innovation Awards, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) award for Creativity and the first prize of the Energy Globe award by the UN, amongst others. He also assists various local and international organisations during their transformation towards becoming AI companies.
Anamaria Magri Pantea
Founder & managing consultant, Ascend Consulting Anamaria has over 18 years of experience in innovation management, entrepreneurship and business development initiatives, projects structuring and funding sourcing, their management, monitoring or evaluation, in both private and public, as well as Public-PrivatePartnerships contexts. She also has extensive expertise in EU affairs, EU and public funding and financing. Anamaria has been working with the European Commission as staff member of the European Institute of Innovation
and Technology, as Malta National Contact Point and Management Committee representative for the EU’s Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme for SMEs (including the ICT Policy Support Programme), as well as an independent evaluator and reviewer on several EU and national funding programmes across Europe. By profession, Anamaria is an economist with specialisation in finance and an MBA alumni of the Edinburgh Business School.
Andre Xuereb
Associate professor, University of Malta André is physicist from Malta. He read for an undergraduate degree in mathematics and physics at the University of Malta, a PhD in theoretical physics at the University of Southampton in the UK, and a master degree in entrepreneurship at the University of Malta. He is associate professor of atomic and quantum physics at the University of Malta, is Science Policy Officer of the
Malta Chamber of Scientists, represents Malta on several European research networks, and was recently elected as the first Maltese member of the Global Young Academy. André has an active career in science, having established and leading the quantum research group at the University of Malta, and co-owns an educational software start-up.
Andy Cheung
Head of operations, Okex Andy is an entrepreneur par excellence. The former CEO of Groupon forayed into many sectors throughout his career including P&L management, sales & marketing, operations and people management with astounding success. His leadership, e-commerce insights and marketing expertise has strengthened the culture of innovation and infused immutable quality in business operations. Andy currently oversees the entire
operations, marketing and public relations of OKEx. During his highly successful career, he had served as the CEO and a variety of important roles in Groupon Hong Kong, iClick Interactive and Alibaba. He has numerous awards to his credit, including CRM director of the year, bestowed on him for his outstanding achievements in business.
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Angeliki Dedopoulou
Digital solutions expert / EU Parliament Angeliki is an expert for digital solutions in public administrations at Everis, an NTT Data company. Her focus is to analyse the uptake of new solutions and techniques for the digital labour market. She is an
international speaker and adviser to the European Commission for Digital Labour Market initiatives.
Angelo Dalli
Entrepreneur, investor, tech expert / 111 Holdings As Umnai’s chief executive officer, Angelo is responsible for leading the company’s commercial, product and technology strategy. Umnai was founded as an innovative AI focused solutions provider that is creating new ground-breaking AI technology that can explain and optimize itself and its decisions while helping to assist people rather than replacing them, with an emphasis on achieving a positive social impact. Angelo has published over 23 scientific publications in Europe and the US and
has over twenty years of experience in various executive positions in technology, entertainment and Fintech companies. Angelo has also represented Malta in various international events and one of his first international achievements was to win a bronze medal at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) in 1995. As a serial entrepreneur, Angelo was involved in four IPOs and invested in more than 40 successful companies.
Anthony David Gatt
Manager / Malta Enterprise Anthony is a manager at the Investment Promotion Department within Malta Enterprise, Malta’s economic development corporation. His career has included journalistic positions with Maltese private media companies. Anthony has also served as Policy Advisor to Maltese MEP Dr. Miriam Dalli and as head of communications to former Maltese Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Louis Grech. He later joined international
economic intelligence company, Country Profiler Limited, where he served as deputy editor before joining Malta Enterprise. At Malta Enterprise, Anthony has been tasked with attracting and supporting incoming FDI and startups in the Aviation and Digital Economy sectors including the Digital games and DLT streams.
Carm Cachia
Chief administrator / eSkills Malta Foundation Carm is an information technology professional with a pioneering career reflecting his systems and management qualifications coupled with sound and successful leadership in major projects of national interest. During his career, he has encompassed most of the areas in digital sphere including software engineering, infrastructure, design, information security, project management and executive leadership. As a professional he is in favour of a structured and formal approach while at the same time introducing modern
methods and concepts. Carm is a qualified chartered IT professional and a fellow member of the BCS. He has been instrumental in setting up local branches for various IT institutes and in introducing a good number of internationally recognised industry certifications to Malta. He is a council member at the University of Malta and board member of various University Institutes, including the latest Centre for Distributed Ledger Technologies. He is Chairman of the BCS Malta Section.
Dr Céline Moille
Partner / Yellow Law Firm Lawyer and partner at the international law firm Yellaw (www.yellaw.com), as well as Ph.D in private international law, Céline is today at the head of her firm’s Fintech/ Blockchain department and also at the head of the Legal Team of Bitlaw (http://www.bitlaw.io). For many years, Céline has also been a lecturer at the University of Lyon. Convinced that LegalTech is the best way to
bring legal support to corporations, Céline was one of the founding members of DodoBank (www.dodobank.fr) in 2017. Céline is well known for her knowledge of legal issues relating to Blockchain. She regularly participates in national and international conferences as a speaker, as well as contributing to the field of Blockchain studies through publications and collaborations.
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ChangPeng Zhao
Founder & CEO / Binance ChangPeng is a 41-year old Chinese/Canadian coder who spent his youth flipping burgers before studying at McGill University Montreal. In 2005 he moved to Shanghai to start Fusion Systems. It was there that he learnt about bitcoin before joining Blockchain.info as a team member. Then when the ICO boom started he decided to
launch Binance and raised $15 million in the first round of funding. Since then Binance has become the most popular exchange in the world with 38% of users based in the US and its second largest market being Japan. In 2018, ChangPeng announced his intentions to relocate the headquarters of Binance to Malta.
Chris Kaye
Co-founder / Sherpa Chris has spent most of his career advising insurers, most recently as a Partner and Managing Director for The Boston Consulting Group. As head of BCG’s Insurance Practice for Asia, he grew the business to $50 million in revenues, and supported the launch of numerous
innovative digital insurance businesses. Chris became increasingly frustrated by his clients’ failure to move into the 21st century, and so decided to put his money where his mouth was and launch Sherpa - with the ambition to reinvent insurance from the ground up.
Christina Scicluna
Advocate / Ganado Advocates Christina is an advocate within Ganado Advocates’ Corporate and Fintech teams. She advises a variety of multinational clients on international corporate structures, including the setting up of Maltese entities and redomiciliation of entities, M&A transactions and
assisting clients on corporate governance matters. Christina has also been involved in the Fintech industry since 2017 and advises several clients on legal matters relating to Blockchain, virtual financial assets and distributed ledger technology projects.
Dr Christopher Agius
Director, CS Fintech Services & CSA Group / CSA Group Chris leads the Legal and Fintech Department at CSA Group. He is currently sitting on the Board of Directors of CS Fintech Services Limited, which is one of few entities registered with the local regulator to provide VFA Agent services. His main area of expertise includes general commercial and corporate law, financial services, as well as anti-money laundering and funding of terrorism legislation. Chris has been monitoring all the regulatory
developments affecting this sector locally from day one, making him familiar with all the legal challenges that clients face when to seeking to establish a presence in Malta. This is not to say that Chris has also been keeping abreast of regulatory developments taking place in other countries, to ensuring advising in the best interests of the client at all times.
Dr Christopher P. Buttigieg Director / MFSA
Christopher is the director of the Securities and Markets Supervision Unit of the Malta Financial Services Authority, the Unit being responsible for work in the field of policy, regulation and supervision of securities and markets and is composed of 30 officials. He joined the Authority in 2000 as a manager in the Investment Services Unit and has gained professional experience in different
areas of financial regulation and supervision, and the investigation and enforcement of market misconduct and malpractice. Christopher was responsible for implementing various pieces of EU legislation in the field of securities and markets and has led various regulatory and supervisory teams within the Authority.
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Dana Farrugia CEO / Tech.mt
Dana is the CEO of Tech.mt, a foundation established in partnership between the Government of Malta and The Malta Chamber of Commerce to promote the National strategy for Technology & Innovation. She is engaged in ensuring sector growth for technology and innovation, primarily focusing on AI, Blockchain, IOT, cloud services, data analytics, software development, robotics, cyber security and research on innovative solutions. Dana Farrugia has worked in the telecoms industry for fourteen
years, mainly shaping the mobile, fixed, internet, TV, fiber and IP networks in Malta. She has also worked at the Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small Businesses for six years where she has developed an in-depth understanding of the needs of different local industries and gained a sound exposure on the potential of various international markets. Dana is also a Director at Malta Enterprise and at the Malta Start-up Foundation.
Daniel Grech CEO / Wyzer
Daniel is a seasoned academic and professional specialising in Artificial Intelligence and Fintech. He holds a degree in Computer Science from the University of Malta and a Master of Science in Statistics from the University of Sheffield. He has been active in the start-up scene both locally and internationally for over
five years having held a number of different technical and non-technical roles across various sectors. He is very passionate about disruptive start-ups, all forms of automation and decentralised technologies and has recently taken a keen interest in the regulation of crypto-related projects in Malta.
Daniel Lenikus
Co-founder & CEO / BlockExpo GmbH Daniel is co-founder and CEO of BlockExpo GmbH. He believes in the power and change that comes with emerging technologies. Understanding their impact is a fundamental necessity for humanity. To support this
process, he and his team organise large Blockchain conferences and weekly tech meet-ups in Vienna, Austria. He also has a background in finance and e-sports and is currently exploring the world of tokenisation.
Dave Pulis CEO / ZBX
Dave is the CEO of ZBX and hails from a traditional financial background with over 18 years’ experience. He has acted as an execution trader for various prop funds and engineered multiple institutional brokerage setups including colocation infrastructures and trade latency
reduction. He lectured creativity at the University of Malta with a focus on Economics and Public Policy. Dave’s first Crypto event was in May 2013 in San Jose, California promoting a Crypto fund for investors that achieved 10,000% return on investment.
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David Carlisle
Head of community / Elliptic David is the head of community at Elliptic, a provider of cryptocurrency forensics and compliance solutions, where he leads engagement with regulators and other external stakeholders. David has over a decade of experience in AML/CTF compliance and regulatory matters, and previously worked at the US Department
of the Treasury’s Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. He is an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a UK think tank, where he has authored reports on terrorist and criminal use of cryptocurrencies, and appropriate policy responses.
Dele Atanda
Head of risk and compliance / MetaMe Inc Dele is a serial entrepreneur and acclaimed digital visionary. He is CEO of metaMe, the world’s first SelfSovereign AI and Universal Smart Data Marketplace, and founder of The Internet. Foundation, an NGO dedicated to advancing the ethical use of data in commerce while establishing digital rights as an extension of human rights. Atanda is a celebrated innovator having led digital innovations for FTSE10 and Fortune 100 companies that
have become the gold standard for digital engagement within their sectors. Prior to metaMe, he led IBM’s Automotive, Aerospace and Defense sector as Chief Digital Innovation Officer. He is an avid advocate of the potential of decentralized technologies to advance humanity while positively and dramatically transforming society.
Dimitris Litsikakis
Global head of Fintech / deVere Group Dimitris holds a BSc in Information Technology from Piraeus University and a MSc in Project Management from Lancaster University. He worked at IBM UK as a Project Manager delivering large scale IT projects. He then joined Edenred Greece as Digital Transformation Manager where he led the entire digitalisation of the company’s solution offering, issuing hundreds of thousands of prepaid cards to beneficiaries. In 2018 he was appointed Country Manager Greece, Cyprus & Malta
for Revolut the fastest growing Fintech in Europe with a $1.7B valuation, delivering 400% client growth. He’s now spearheading the digital transformation of deVere Group, a financial consultancy with global presence, delivering cutting edge Fintech solutions. Since 2014, he also acts as Athens Chapter Director for Start-up Grind, the largest independent start-up community, actively educating, inspiring, and connecting entrepreneurs.
Dr Dominic Cortis
Academic / University of Malta Dominic is a lecturer in Actuarial Science and Insurance Risk at the University of Malta, a Non-Executive Director of One Insurance Limited, and a consultant actuarial specialist for KPMG in Malta. He has published academic
articles on the use of insurance technology, recently coauthoring a chapter on InsurTech in Disrupting Finance: Fintech and Strategy in the 21st Century.
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Douglas Salt
Director / Frank Salt Douglas holds a B.Sc. in Business and Computing from the University of Malta and has been working with the Group for the past 26 years. He speaks Maltese, English, Italian and French, and has a vast level of experience in all aspects of the real estate market, both residential and commercial. He has represented the company in numerous overseas seminars and exhibitions mostly in the UK, but also in Dubai, Hong Kong, Holland, Italy, Sweden and for the last fifteen years he has handled
the marketing to the South African market. He also manages Berkley Investments Ltd, the group’s investment company through which Douglas has developed a few successful residential and commercial real estate projects. He also initiated the company’s new Let’s Go Environmental campaign and is spearheading an ambitious charitable project to cover the roof of the Inspire foundation building in Marsascala with Solar Panels.
Erhan Korhaliler
Founder & CEO / EAK Digital EAK Digital is a leading tech PR agency that works with clients to help them achieve mass media coverage, brand recognition and visibility driven growth. Erhan was recently the main stage Host/MC at the Austria Blockchain Summit and is a regular Host/MC/Moderator at major
Blockchain conferences. Erhan is also the presenter of EAK TV, interviewing Blockchain’s thought leaders, including exclusives with Changpeng Zhao of Binance, Charles Hoskinson of IOHK and Johnson Zhao of NEO.
Felix Herrmann
Co-founder / Salamantex Felix is the youngest co-founder and community manager at Salamantex. He entered the realm of Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies during his economic studies and together with his co-founders started the project not long after realising the potentially disruptive impacts on both the economy and society. Salamantex
has therefore set itself the task of enabling the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies by creating both required software and hardware infrastructure allowing business to accept cryptocurrencies as a means of payment without being exposed to the risks emerging from technological complexity and volatility.
Gege Gatt CEO / EBO
Gege is a digital entrepreneur, an IT-Law specialist and an experienced director serving on several company boards. He is the co-founder and CEO of London-based company EBO.AI, an Artificial Intelligence platform which is disrupting the customer engagement industry through data. His work has been covered by Forbes, the Telegraph, the FT and others. He’s a director at ICON: a software development company serving markets in central and northern Europe. He is the vice president of
the Malta IT Law Association which promotes awareness of IT law issues including privacy and cybersecurity. Gege is the chairman of Beacon Media Group which is a multi-platform media service including online and offline cannels. Gege is a lecturer and specialist examiner at the University of Malta. He is a regular contributor to IT publications and academic papers, and a frequent speaker at business and technology conferences.
Geoffery Farrugia Director / Hands On
Geoffrey is the founder and CEO of HandsOn Systems. He is an IT and Physics graduate with over 15 years of experience in IoT, with a special focus on vehicle telematics and RFID technology. Apart from years of experience in developing technological solutions, Geoffrey brings a lot of creative power and innovative
ideas and skills to the company. His vision is to create advanced and sustainable telecommunication systems that offer true and immediate benefits to the end customer. HandsOn is today one of the leading global telematics solution provider offering its products and services to various countries around the world.
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Dr Ian Gauci
Managing partner / GTG Advocates, Caledo Group Ian is the managing partner at GTG Advocates, Afilexion Alliance and Caledo Group. He is engaged primarily in technology law, Fintech, Regtech, electronic communications, information society, data protection and gaming/gambling, while also focusing on consumer law, competition law, broadcasting law, cyber law, e-commerce, m-commerce, e-health, e-payment, information technology, unfair commercial practices and misleading advertising. He has assisted the Maltese
Government amongst others on issues dealing with E-Trust certification, the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) on its E-commerce strategy as well as the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). He was one of the strategic advisors appointed by Government on the National Blockchain Strategy Taskforce. Ian is an advisor to the Malta Digital Innovation Authority as well as the Malta Financial Services Authority. He is also a co-founder and Secretary of the Malta Blockchain Association.
Irina Litchfield
Founder & CEO / BlockchainCubed Irina is the founder and CEO at BlockchainCubed, boutique consulting firm. She is an advisor at Space Fund, ProChain Capital and founding advisor at ABE, global securities exchange. An entrepreneur at heart, she founded her first company in her early 20’s, in the gaming industry. Early to the Blockchain space, she also co-founded a high-frequency bitcoin exchange in
2013 and later helped build an online bank. Passionate about innovation, community leadership and bettering, Irina often speaks as a subject matter expert. She is a columnist at CoinRivet and contributor at BloxLive TV. You can reach her https://www.linkedin.com/in/irinalitchfield-b50352131/
James McDowall
Head of strategy / Sentinel & Polybird Exchange James is a pioneer in Blockchain and works as a strategic advisor and consultant to several organisations in the industry. He is currently working on applying Blockchain technology to several real-world industries including international commodity trade and trade finance (Comdex), cyber security (Sentinel) and Blockchain for
enterprise (Corpchain). James is currently focussed on the Cosmos / Tendermint ecosystem which offers profound interoperability and scalability solutions and will bring forth the next generation of Blockchain technology.
James Song
Head of marketing strategy / FLETA In 2018, James joined FLETA as the head of marketing strategy. Technical innovations and its vision are what brought him to FLETA. James has contributed in various ways to expand FLETA’s global business since then. James organized many conferences for FLETA such as
Malta Summit 2018 and Beyond Blocks Bangkok and gave a speech at Start Hack 2019. James focuses on implementing global marketing strategy and expanding FLETA’s ecosystem globally.
Jason Lau
Chief information security officer / Crypto.com Jason is currently the chief information security officer at Crypto.com and a multiple award winning cybersecurity professional, including “HK Cybersecurity Professional Award”, “Financial Technologist of the Year (Data Privacy)”, and a global Top 20 influencer in the cybersecurity and data privacy space. Jason was previously a regional Cybersecurity Advisor at Microsoft and has over 18 years in consulting experience for
Fortune 500 companies. Jason is also currently the regional leader and co-chairman of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), an adjunct professor (Cybersecurity and Data Privacy) at Hong Kong Baptist University, Honorary Speaker at the University of Malta, and sits on various industry and government Think Tanks.
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Jaunita Brockdorff Partner / KPMG
With over 15 years of experience in providing international tax advice to multinationals, Juanita is the KPMG partner leading a cross-functional team of experts hailing from Advisory, Tax, Audit and KPMG Software,
bringing their specialist knowledge to service in a seamless manner Emerging Technology clients. Juanita regularly provides feedback on proposed legislation, including on DLT, Blockchain and AI.
JD Salbego
CEO / Legion Ventures JD is a recognized global advisor, Blockchain and digital securities executive, influencer, international speaker, and published author with deep expertise in Blockchain, STOs/ICOs, Asia and cross-border capital markets, global expansion, & digital asset funds. He is a frequent expert speaker at conferences worldwide like World Economic Forum, BlockShow, DELTA Summit, alongside industry leaders Tim Draper, Brock Pierce, Roger Ver,
Don Tapscott Chang “CZ” Pengzhao, Miko Matsumura, Kristalina Georgieva, Charles Hoskinson, and senior leadership/CEOs of digital securities leaders SharesPost, Securitize, Templum and TZero. He currently serves as CEO of the Blockchain and STO advisory firm Legion Ventures. In addition to his experience, J.D. has studied digital business strategy and innovation under renowned Columbia Business School professor David Rogers.
Jean Michel Azzopardi
Founder & CEO / Kralanx Cyber Security Jean-Michel has worked with IBM, SAP and Acunetix and has negotiated cyber security deals with companies and governments across Asia including Apple, Huawei and some of the largest fortune companies around the world.
Having been involved in several start-ups, he prides himself in striking a balance between corporate standards and SME efficiency.
Dr Johannes Schweifer
Co-founder & CEO / Coreledger Johannes holds a Master’s degree in Chemistry and a PhD in Distributed Computing and Quantum Chemistry from the University of Vienna. He is a passionate problem solver and a builder. Johannes is known as serial Blockchain entrepreneur, having co-founded
Bitcoin Suisse AG in 2013, BlockLogix GmbH in 2016 and CoreLedger AG in 2017. He is actively using Blockchain technology to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges and showcasing the true value of Blockchain with practical applications.
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Jonathan Galea
Managing director / Blockchain Advisory Limited Jonathan has been heavily involved in Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies since 2013, and his expertise consists of legal advice on regulatory matters related to Blockchain technologies and cryptocurrencies in general as well as technical advice on Blockchain and platforms built on top of them thanks to his certification in C programming. He is the author of one of the world’s
first legal theses on the subject, titled “The Effect of Bitcoin in Money Laundering Law”, completed in May 2015. Jonathan has participated as a keynote speaker in over twenty-five prominent Blockchain conferences across Europe and the U.S., and is regarded as a thoughtleader in the sector.
Joseph F. Borg
Partner / WH Partners Joseph is an advocate and Partner at WH Partners, heading the Blockchain Advisory and the Gaming and Gambling Advisory sections of the firm. He also practices in the areas of Esports, Corporate, IT, Telecoms and Intellectual Property Law. He also lectures Gaming Law at the University of Malta. Joseph is a co-founder
and currently the vice president of Bitmalta, which is a non-profit organisation with a mission to promoting and stimulating discussion about Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies in Malta. Before joining WH Partners he occupied the post of chief regulatory officer of the Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Malta.
Joseph Portelli
Chairman / Malta Stock Exchange Joseph has over 33 years’ experience employed in various capacities within the financial industry in the US and Malta. He has vast experience as a portfolio manager, currency and commodity trader and has been employed with Bank of America, Nomura Securities, Goldman
Sachs, Millburn Ridgefield, Global Capital, and Liongate Capital Management. He was also chief investment officer and managing director of FMG Funds, an emerging markets specialist. He is currently chairman of the Malta Stock Exchange and Malta Stock Exchange Institute.
Josh O’cock
Founder & CEO / Growth Gurus Josh has worked in social media and digital marketing since its inception and has developed an inspiring approach to digital marketing through consulting, managing and executing these digital strategies with a wide and truly international range of clients. His passion for marketing and his long-standing experience in the field inspired him to open Growth Gurus, an awardwinning digital marketing agency based in Malta. In just
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three years, Josh has spearheaded the agency to national acclaim, picking up numerous awards in recognition of the exceptional work him and his team have done for their impressive list of clients. Josh has channelled his energy into the new and emerging Blockchain markets, focusing on delivering marketing solutions to the Blockchain and Corporate Services industries in the “Blockchain Island” of Malta.
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Dr Joshua Ellul
Chairman of MDIA , director of Centre for DLTs, UOM / Malta Digital Innovation Authority / University of Malta Joshua was appointed as the first Chairman of the Malta Digital Innovation Authority. He is also the Director of the Centre for Distributed Ledger Technologies at the University of Malta, which has launched a unique multidisciplinary taught Masters in Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies. His experience and roles with the
Authority and University gives him a broad perspective of issues pertaining to the emerging technology landscape in Malta. Dr Ellul’s research interests include Blockchain, DLTs, Smart Contracts and Virtual Machines and their integration with the Internet of Things.
Dr Justin Litchfield
Chief technology officer / ProChain Justin is a passionate entrepreneur with exceptional engineering skills. A PhD graduate of Stanford University, Justin has invested the past five years building products at the intersection of Fintech, Blockchain, and the media while simultaneously geeking out about technology, health, and the pushing the limits of human performance.
Currently, he is the CTO at ProChain Capital, where he is helping fund products and build best practices around token generation events to ensure that the capital raised today by Blockchain and dApp start-ups builds the best tomorrow possible.
Kenneth Brincat COO / MBR
Kenneth is the chief operations officer at the Malta Business Registry. In his role Kenneth is responsible to oversee the Agency’s ongoing operations and procedures. Kenneth maintains control of diverse business operations, so he delivers his functions as an experienced and efficient leader. Kenneth practices excellent people skills, business acumen and exemplary work ethics. As an
HR specialist, he focuses on maintaining an employeeoriented, high performance culture which emphasises quality, productivity, and goal attainment including the ongoing training and development of the Agency’s employees. Kenneth holds a Master of Science degree in Human Resources and Training from the University of Leicester.
Kevin Monserrat
Founder & CEO / PK2M / Consilience Ventures Kevin is the founder and CEO of PK2M and co-founder of Consilience Ventures. Formerly head of investor and European ecosystem development at Microsoft Scale Up, Kevin has worked closely with Business Angels, VCs, PEs, FOs and reviewed over 1000 companies from the world’s leading business and engineering schools, accelerator programmes and investment firms. He has created and maintained the Microsoft for Start-up and Ventures network since 2015 and his network today
invests more than £1bn per year globally. Educated in France and Australia, Kevin holds a Master’s degree in Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship from INSEEC. His passion for entrepreneurship has made him an Entrepreneurship Expert at the prestigious Saïd Business School, speak at conferences, appear as judge at numerous global start-up competitions, and mentor new start-ups at LBS and LSE.
Dr Kokila Alagh
Managing partner / KARM Kokila is the founder of KARM Legal Consultants and has 15 years of experience as a Corporate/Commercial and technology lawyer in UAE. One of the very few ardent technology lawyers in the region to have an in-depth knowledge of the synergies of technology, law and policy. Kokila has worked with major corporations, government and semi-government bodies, high net worth individuals
and start-ups over the years. In addition to this, Kokila’s Master of Laws, in Digital Economy from the Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, certification in Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme from Oxford University and a Fintech Programme from Harvard Business School has helped her develop an expertise in the area of newer technologies.
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Konstantin Gladych CEO / Atomic Wallet
PhD in data science with 5 years’ solid experience in Blockchain and cryptocurrencies, 10 years in IT. Konstantin is well-known as the co-founder and CEO of Changelly.com, biggest cryptocurrency instant
exchange with over 2 million active customers monthly and $0.5bln in monthly turnover. Konstantin’s interests are decentralisation, custody-free solutions and p2p exchangers.
Kris Marszalek CEO / Crypto.com
Co-founder and CEO of Monaco. Kris leads the long-term strategy and development of the Monaco Visa Card and Wallet App platform. Monaco is building the first global
Blockchain financial institution and consumer brand delivering on the vision of Cryptocurrency in Every Wallet.
Kumar Gaurav
Founder & CEO / Cashaa Kumar is an Indian serial entrepreneur who was awarded an extraordinary status (O1) by the United States government for excelling his work on Blockchain technology. With his vision, Auxesis Group and Cashaa, are both ranked amongst the top 100 most influential Blockchain companies across the globe. Kumar is a popular international speaker who has grown his own
suffix of technology and was invited by IIT, IIM, ISB, YPO, TieCON, Money2020, TechCrunch, the European Parliament and many forums across the globe. He stood up against mega minds of so-called triggering currencies and stacking strategies and was nominated among the World’s Top 50 Innovators from the Industries of the future market and tech era in the UK.
Dr Larry Sanger
Co-founder & CIO / Wikipedia / Everipedia Larry is one of the co-founders of the world renowned online encyclopaedia Wikipedia and is one of the most forward looking Internet Project Developers of the decade. Nowadays, he is the CIO of venture backed start-up Everipedia attempting to disrupt the market of online encyclopaedias through Blockchain including the
company he had originally founded. Everipedia is the next generation encyclopaedia rebuilt for the modern age. With over six million articles and counting, it’s already the world’s largest English encyclopaedia by content. Everipedia is free from ads and free to use for everyone under creative commons.
Laurent Dedenis
Co-founder & CEO / Chainstack Laurent is the CEO and co-founder of Chainstack. He has more than 20 years of global experience managing teams and technology companies such as Microsoft Dynamics and Acumatica, both at start-up and growth stages in the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific. He was until recently the Chief Growth Officer of Acronis, a large B2B data protection software company. Laurent has marketed Blockchain based solutions since 2016. Laurent believes
that simplifying Blockchain adoption is key to unblocking its true potential for enterprises. Laurent holds a Ph.D. in International Business Administration from the International University of America in San Francisco and a Master’s Degree in Economics and Management from the University of Paris XI, France. He currently resides in Singapore, where Chainstack is based.
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Maegan Crawford
Managing partner / Spacefund Meagan is a NewSpace industry pioneer with a focus on the business of space. A strong believer in the power of free enterprise as the driving force that will lift humanity permanently off-world. She is managing partner of SpaceFund, a venture capital firm investing in space start-ups, a co-founder of Brand Delta-V, the NewSpace marketing company, and a co-founder of Eden Grow
Systems, a farming 2.0 technology company. In 2009, Meagan began running the NewSpace Business Plan Competition, a program focused on educating both entrepreneurs and investors, and catalysing deal flow. She holds an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship from Rice University.
Maria Carola
CMO / Guarda Wallet Maria is the chief marketing officer of Guarda – the leader in providing custody-free, multifunctional crypto storage solutions for a wide range of coins and tokens. Prior to her work in the Blockchain industry, Maria was involved in a variety of projects as a journalist, writer and language
interpreter. After joining Guarda as a full-time copywriter in mid-2018, she quickly found her passion for marketing and, of course, the crypto space. Currently, Maria is one of the youngest, most outspoken team members of Guarda Wallet.
Maria Marenco
President / Government Blockchain Association - Sweden Maria is a Blockchain strategist, Healthcare Informatics expert and Mental Health professional. With her multidisciplinary and international background, Maria brings extensive experience and knowledge having worked with a global not-for-profit Health IT organisation in the capacity of an in-house SME on Blockchain and AI technologies, and respective Public Affairs and Communications. Maria has spent most of
her professional career in the broad overlapping fields of health and informatics. She is inspired by a holistic vision of human wellbeing, that encompasses physical and mental health. Maria launched her own company – MentFort Ltd. In addition to her entrepreneurial background, Maria is involved in The Swedish Blockchain Association, as a vertical lead for the eHealth and Health sector and the Sweden and Nordic Chapter Lead for the Government Blockchain Association.
Marjan Delatinne
Global head of banking / Ripple Marjan is an entrepreneurial business developer who enjoys establishing effective strategies and directing major initiatives from conceptual to implementation. With more than two decades of experience in various commercial positions (mainly big, complex and new product commercialisation), Marjan has gained valuable insights into the financial industry and the market infrastructures globally. Since joining Ripple in 2017, she
has been responsible for the definition and execution of the go to market strategy and sales of Ripple product and services. Previously, Marjan worked for SWIFT and was responsible for the commercialisation of large scale projects both in securities and payments, namely Target 2 Securities and resiliency solutions for national central banks. In addition to English, she is fluent in French and Scandinavian languages.
#ThinkingAhead Your Advisors on Blockchain, AI & Digital Innovation Regulation in Malta More information at www.whinnovation.eu
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Mark Curmi
Director / KPMG Mark is a director in the firm responsible for the Banking, Financial Institutions and VFA advisory services arm of the Malta practice. He holds a Bachelors’ degree in Banking, with Honours in Management from the University of Malta, and has more than twelve years of local and international banking experience. Mark joined KPMG in 2014, to drive the Banking Service offering across Audit, Tax and Advisory within the firm. His role
within the firm is also one of an industry specialist, which has seen him at the forefront of some major engagements, including advice with disposals and acquisitions of Banks and Financial Institutions, licencing of new Credit and Financial Institutions, ongoing regulatory advice and assistance, and, assignments related to the emerging fields of financial technology and Virtual Financial Assets.
Mark Hipperson
Founder & CEO / Esqimo Mark has co-founded a UK retail bank and two financial technology businesses. He acts as an advisor to investment and private equity firms and is a regular Fintech commentator and speaker. Mark is the founder and CEO of Esqimo, building the world’s first, truly integrated ‘crypto bank’. Previously, he co-founded Starling Bank where he was responsible for helping
to secure the UK banking licence with regulators and obtaining the initial $70m funding the Bank achieved in December 2015. He was also responsible for the design, build, implementation and support of the Bank’s IT services platform, apps and infrastructure. He started his career at Barclays where he was deputy CTO and Head of Technology for the Barclays Group.
Matthew Scerri
Senior manager / KPMG Matthew joined KPMG in 2014 to develop bespoke software for KPMG in Malta having already successfully delivered several projects in both the local and international markets. He now forms part of the KPMG Software team where he leads several clients facing projects across the whole software development lifecycle together with his team of software engineers. Throughout his career he was involved in engagements across various
industries including the Automotive, Fintech, Gaming, and Telco industries. He is involved in a number of communities within the tech space where he regularly contributes material, and is regarded as being the goto person within KPMG when seeking advice around the technical aspects and implications of DLTs, AI and technology in general.
Matthew Zampa
Co-founder / Zampa Debattista Matthew is a certified public accountant specialised in indirect taxation. Before founding Zampa Debattista, Matthew worked with a medium sized firm for just over two years and with Deloitte for five and a half years. He is also a part-time lecturer with the Malta Institute of Taxation. Matthew is the first Maltese to successfully complete the Expert in EU VAT degree. This coveted
degree is administered and awarded by the VAT Forum, an international partnership of indirect tax specialists, founded in 1999. Matthew forms part of Malta Institute of Accountants tax committee and is a member of the indirect taxation committee of the Malta Institute of Taxation.
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Melanie Mohr
CEO / WOM Protocol / womprotocol.io Melanie is a Berlin-based entrepreneur with 20 years’ experience in media, marketing and mobile tech. In 2016 she founded YEAY - the leading community for Generation Z to share honest recommendation videos with one another about the lifestyle products they love. In 2018
she became the founder and CEO of the WOM Protocol, the Blockchain project helping brands tap into peer-topeer recommendations and digital publishers monetize their platforms in a user-friendly way through word-ofmouth content.
Dr Miriam Dalli
MEP, Vice president of the S&D Group / European Parliament Miriam is the only MEP in the Politico 28 Class of 2019. She has been identified as a “doer” and an “eco-warrior” thanks to her work on the legislation setting new CO2 emission standards for cars and vans. She was identified as one of the most influential MEPs in the European Parliament for the mandate 2014-2019 by Politico and
Votewatch. During this term, she served as Coordinator in the ENVI Committee for the Socialists and Democrats. Described as a “master for building progressive alliances” , the Maltese MEP returned to Parliament with one of the highest votes ever registered in the Maltese Islands.
Natalie Smolenski
Senior vice president / Learning Machine Natalie is an anthropologist who leads business development for Learning Machine, a Blockchain technology firm. As an author and public speaker, she focuses on the intersections of identity, technology, and government. By bringing a scientific
perspective to distributed digital technologies and social transformation, she helps audiences from all backgrounds understand how individuals connect to form communities and build the infrastructures of the future.
Nicholas Merten Founder / Data Dash
Nicholas is the founder of DataDash, the largest cryptocurrency YouTube channel with over 315,000 subscribers. Being an international speaker, thoughtleader, and crypto analyst in the space, he’s utilised his over seven years of experience in traditional markets to understand the potential of cryptocurrencies. As a sceptic
of modern finance, he’s not only built an impressive set of knowledge on global markets, but he’s also currently leading a self-funded effort, known as Project Genesis, which aims to fix many of the key issues of the financial world and bring cryptocurrencies into the mainstream.
Nigel Green
Founder & CEO / deVere Group Establishing the firm in 2002, Nigel is the founder and the driver of deVere. His insightful perception of the contemporary world was the key element that led him to create a niche for people who lived an international lifestyle, by creating a firm with a world-wide approach to conducting business. With over 50 offices around
the world, the deVere Group has a substantial global presence which is accessible to its international clientele. Despite the grandeur of the firm, the deVere operates on one cohesive note, as Nigel is very much active in every aspect of the business, instilling his vision onto employees.
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Nikhil Patil CEO / GO
Nikhil is the CEO of GO plc, a professional with over 15 years of experience in strategy, operations, mergers and acquisitions across telecoms companies like GO, Cablenet, BMIT and Interoute. Nikhil previously served as non-executive director of GO, working closely with the Company’s senior management to define and implement its strategy. He spearheaded several strategic acquisitions, helping GO to diversify its business both in Malta and Cyprus. Nikhil was responsible for the creation
of Malta Properties Company p.l.c., today one of the largest publicly listed real estate companies in Malta, where he served as CEO until 2018. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Mumbai, India, a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from IMD, Switzerland. Nikhil is a Charter Financial Analyst (CFA).
Nikolay Shkilev
Founder & CEO / Private Business Club Nikolay is the founder and CEO of Private Business Club. Rated top 3 in People of Blockchain, he has over the past 20 years, owned various businesses, ranging from FMCG,
medicine and logistics to IT technologies. In parallel, he worked as a mentor and advisor to tens of projects worldwide.
Paolo Catalfamo
Founder & chairman / Global Capital Paolo is founder and chairman of the financial group Investar, based in Malta, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the US, and adjunct professor at the Villanova School of Business in Philadelphia. He serves as Chairman of Global Capital plc, a financial conglomerate listed on the Malta Stock Exchange. He is also chairman of Global Capital Life Insurance ltd, chairman of Global Capital Health
Insurance ltd and chairman of Global Capital Financial Management ltd, all regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority. He’s a Board Member of Centtrip Ltd, a London based Fintech company regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority. He’s also the founder and chairman of Palladium plc, a Blockchain financial services company.
Pauline Shangett CCO / Change Now
Having come from seven years’ worth of experience in music-related marketing and promotion and a degree in experimental linguistics, Pauline has joined the crypto space in the beginning of 2018. She is very excited about
the Blockchain industry and Fintech and utilises her previous experience to make ChangeNOW the most successful crypto business on the block.
Pawel Sobkow
CEO / Pinewood Holdings Limited / BitBay Paweł is a strategist and financial director, who for 20 years has been associated with the capital market. CEO of Pinewood Holdings, BitBay operator. He sat in the authorities of Ruch SA, Bakalland SA, ZM Henryk Kania, Hawe SA, Inovo Venture Fund. He created strategies for
building the value of enterprises, he was responsible for acquisitions, investments and controlling. He is a doctor of economic sciences at SGH, he completed MBA studies at the Maastricht School of Management.
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Peter Jan Grech
Founder & CEO / BRND WGN Peter is the founder and CEO of BRND WGN, a brand consultancy that supports business leaders drive change across organisations and markets. Peter believes that the key to unlocking business potential lies in blending
creativity and strategic insight with client expertise. Peter is a challenge junkie at a corporate, charity and endurance sports level ideally merging the three in one, whenever possible.
Petri Basson
Senior manager / KPMG Petri is an experienced professional with a background in finance and IT. After obtaining his Chartered accountant qualification he saw the destructive possibility of technology and obtained 6 certificates in IT as well as his Certified Information System Auditor qualification. He has a wide range of experience in financial as well as
IT audit ranging from security to SOC type compliance audits. In the past 2 years, he has helped to develop the KPMG Cayman digital asset audit methodology as well as several tools to complete these audits. He also heads up the Blockchain Association of the Cayman Islands.
Dr Priscilla Mifsud Parker
Senior partner / Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates Priscilla is a private client lawyer heading the Corporate, Trusts and Fintech as well as the Families and Wealth practice within the firm. Through her extensive knowledge in the field of corporate, trusts and immigration law, she can provide advice on wealth structuring and wealth preservation strategies for UHNWI. She is also well-versed with the process of setting up
corporate structures for individuals and successful families, providing the optimal structure suitable for businesses to protect high-value assets and reorganise complex structures. Having participated in various fora for Malta’s Fintech Legislative Framework, Dr Mifsud Parker is also able to advise clients wishing to venture into the Fintech Industry.
Prof Soulla Louca
Professor, director / University of Nicosia Soulla has been nominated by LATTICE 80 in partnership with Miss Kaya as one of the top 100 women in Fintech for 2019. In 2014, she was one of the first academics to get involved in Blockchain technologies when she assumed the responsibility of the Blockchain Initiative at the University of Nicosia. The Blockchain Initiative (renamed later to Institute For the Future) has designed and developed the first MSc worldwide in Digital Currency
Digital Credentials. Blockchain Secured. A complete system for any industry to issue high-stakes digital credentials in a blockchain-secured format, verifiable anywhere. learningmachine.com
and the technology for publishing academic certificates on the Blockchain (http://block.co/). She has been active in organizing tech events including the Decentralized series (www.decentralized.com) as well as research. She is a professor in the newly founded Department of Digital Innovation as well as a director at the Institute For the Future at the University of Nicosia.
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Reuben Buttigieg
Managing director / Erremme Business Advisors Reuben is the managing director of Erremme Business Advisors Limited which amongst others is a VFA Agent licensed by the Malta Financial Services Authority. He is a 25-year experienced accountant and management consultant, was engaged in various international projects particularly in Italy, the UK, the UAE and Malta. Reuben has been the pioneer in the discussions on Islamic Finance in Malta and in the Mediterranean. Reuben
firmly believes that Blockchain and Islamic Finance have certain common principles that can lead to Islamic Finance taking a major lead in the Finance world given that it will become even more accessible. One of the main specialisations of Reuben is mergers and acquisitions. Reuben is also president of the Malta Institute of Management which is a 55-year-old Institute.
Rick Tumlinson
Founding partner / Spacefund Rick has been called one of the world’s top space “visionaries” and is credited with helping create the commercial space industry, often referred to as NewSpace. He is a founding partner of SpaceFund, a new type of investment firm at the intersection of digital financial technologies and space development. A leading writer, speaker and Congressional witness, he led the commercial takeover of the Russian Mir space station,
signed the first space tourist, co-founded the Space Frontier Foundation, and was a founding board member of the X-Prize. Rick also founded Deep Space Industries – an asteroid mining company. Because of his world changing work, in 2015 he won the World Technology Award. Currently, his non-profit organisation, New Worlds Institute, is developing the people and technology to settle the frontier.
Shakil Muhammad
Chairman / RNS Solutions Shakil is a Blockchain researcher and founder of RNS Solutions. He attended Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) for his MS and PhD. He has over 12 years of experience in Software Security with prominent positions as Dy. Director (Cyber Incident Response Team). He is a software architect
and developer of over 40 projects including public and private Blockchain, exchanges, wallets, Dapps, and infrastructure. He is an IEEE auditor, published 04 research papers in journals and conferences, and has 08 cybersecurity certifications and is currently working on interoperable Blockchain.
Shaun Grech
Co-founder & director / Incredible Web With over 10 years of technical and entrepreneurial experience under his belt, Shaun has been involved in several start-ups specialising in pathfinding algorithms, professional match-making, sentiment analysis, and data mining. In 2011 he co-founded Incredible Web, a leading Maltese Web and Mobile consultancy agency who has been involved in shaping up the software design
foundations of numerous companies in several industries across the globe. Shaun’s passion revolves around software architectures, data mining and decentralised technologies. He has been asked to consult on several projects and has held talks on various related subjects particularly in the field of secure, distributed, resilient architectures.
P R I V AT E W E A LT H | F U N D S & A S S E T M A N A G E M E N T | I N S U R A N C E & R E I N S U R A N C E F I N A N C I A L I N S T I T U T I O N S | C A P I TA L M A R K E T S | F I N T E C H & B L O C K C H A I N
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Sonia Hernandez CEO / Vodafone
Sonia joined Vodafone in 2012 as the head of supply chain radio access at the Vodafone Procurement Company (VPC) in Luxembourg. In 2015 she was promoted to Group supply chain commercial and services director and was responsible for the expenditure across all operating companies, in the areas of Marketing, Customer Care, Human Resources, Business Services and Real Estate. She also was a member of the Board
of Directors of the VPC. Currently she is a member of the Board of Directors of Vodafone Germany and Kabel Deutschland. Prior to joining Vodafone, she worked for Siemens Mobile Communications and was in charge of global sales account management for international accounts such as Telefonica and Telecom Italia. She speaks five languages fluently and studied Electrical Engineering at the Technical University of Madrid.
Stephen McCarthy CEO / MDIA
Stephen was appointed as the first CEO of the Malta Digital Innovation Authority in June 2018. Stephen has been entrusted with steering Malta’s vision for fostering innovation and raising levels of assurance and confidence in emerging technology. A graduate in Accountancy, he has worked in multiple key industries in Malta including the iGaming sector. Serving as CEO of the Housing
Authority he understands the importance of regulatory and oversight functions of public authorities. This vast experience in both the private and public sector ensures that as MDIA’s CEO, Stephen will strike the right balance between supporting economic growth whilst ensuring robust regulatory standards.
Susan Oh
Co-founder & CEO / Mukr AI Susan is a civic technologist in AI and Blockchain integration towards scalable solutions for social good. She is co-founder and CEO of Muckr.AI, which uses machine learning to measure the trustworthiness of content based on source behaviour. She is a governing member of Blockchain For Impact, a non-profit in partnership with the UN GA, and a member of the
Global Sustainability Network, a Vatican and Church of England joint initiative to end human trafficking. She is the recipient of the Quantum Impact Award #DecadeOfWomen in partnership with the UN GA as one of Top Ten Frontier Women in Digital, and speaks around the world on the role of AI and Blockchain in serving the UN’s sustainable development goals.
Thierry Arys Ruiz
Chairman & CEO / AgAu AG Thierry is the founder of AgAu.io: The Peer-to-Peer, Electronic Money System backed by Ag (Silver) and Au (Gold) in Switzerland. Thierry is an expert in commodity trading and risk management having worked for major
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trading houses and financial institutions such as Trafigura, LUKOIL, Scotia Capital, ICAP and Credit Suisse. Thierry is a Mensa member and a venture-philanthropist.
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Tim Byun
CEO / OKCoin With decades of experience in Risk and Compliance, Tim presently serves as CEO of OKCoin, one of the world’s leading fiat-focused digital asset exchanges with service in 184 countries. Tim served as BitPay’s chief compliance officer for two years and Visa’s AML Officer for five years. Tim started his career as a field bank examiner
at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and then worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco for a total of 16 years. He holds an MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Bachelor’s from the University of Southern California.
Tugce Ergul
Founder & director / Angel Labs Tugce is a co-founder at Angel Labs, the world’s first investor accelerator with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion. Before founding Angel Labs, she worked as a Managing Director at Startup Labs where she managed over 30 successful digital investments. AL operates in 45 countries and exists to supercharge investor communities and empower high-net-worth individuals, family offices and executives worldwide. Tugce started her career as
an investment banker and was working at Young Turk Ventures, a leading Turkish VC fund, before joining Startup Labs. She received her undergraduate degree in Finance from Sorbonne University with honours, and holds a master’s degree in International Management from Bocconi. Tugce’s work has been featured in many publications such as USA Today, Forbes, and The Guardian.
Ulisse Dell’Orto
Global cryptocurrency businesses lead / Chainalysis Ulisse is global cryptocurrency businesses lead at Chainalysis. Chainalysis is the world’s leading compliance and investigation software solution for money laundering prevention. Chainalysis’ goal is to create trust in the Blockchain. We mainly focus on three different types of customers: Law Enforcement and Regulators, Cryptocurrency Businesses and Financial Institutions. Ulisse leads Cryptocurrency businesses globally at
Chainalysis and spends most of his time guiding Top Tier exchanges through AML compliance. He is constantly meeting with regulators all over the world to raise awareness about the AML solutions available to the different stakeholders in the industry. Ulisse previously founded a community named “The Blockchain Bible” aimed at creating a community of Blockchain enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, mentors and investors.
Unenbruren Ulziburen
Chairman / Bit Mon Ex Mongolia Unenburen is a young entrepreneur in the Blockchain Industry, travelling and meeting with international project leaders, to help them broaden their reach. He is the chairman and founder of the Cryptocurrency exchange Bit Mon Ex, an official partner exchange of Bittrex. He also serves as the CEO of three companies that
operate in the fields of international trade, real estate and technology and working as global advisors for 2 South Korean projects. He was named by the Forbes Mongolia on their ’30 Under 30’ list of the most influential changemakers in the country. His goal is to become the leading Blockchain and cryptocurrency service provider.
170+ cryptos supported No limits 2 exchange flows and much, much more! Account-free Worry-free Faster than light.
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Vincenzo Belpiede
Chief business development officer / Domitai.com Vincenzo is an entrepreneur currently focusing on talents and Blockchain. He has been matching talents worldwide to tech companies, mainly in Silicon Valley, with www.stellartalents.com. Vince has been involved from early stages with www.domitai.com, a crypto exchange in Mexico which is increasingly getting adopted by merchants. Vince is also advising various SaaS and
Blockchain start-ups with strong focus on companies that are already making revenue. Vince has worked seven years at Nokia and Microsoft and has lived in nine countries (Finland, Germany, China, Mexico, Serbia, Hungary, Switzerland) including 8 years in California, both San Diego and San Francisco.
Wayne Pisani
Partner / Grant Thornton Wayne is the Grant Thornton partner responsible for the corporate and financial services team in Malta where he deals with a wide range of asset protection and cross-border regulatory and tax planning engagements for clients ranging from private clients, including family offices and high-net-worth individuals, to NASDAQ listed companies in various industry sectors. He conducts an active consulting practice on the legal and tax
implications involved in the structuring of both local and international financial institutions, M&A and project finance transactions. Wayne is the President of the Malta Institute of Financial Services Practitioners and a council member of the Malta Institute of Management. As part of his role he was actively involved in the drafting stage of Malta’s regulatory framework for Distributed Ledger Technologies.
Yagub Rahimov CEO / 7marketz
Yagub is the CEO and co-founder of the 7Marketz Group, leading Blockchain and Fintech media holding. Starting his Fintech career at the age of 16, Yagub has established multiple companies with a special focus on alternative investment channels and machine learning. He is one of the early Bitcoin and Blockchain technology adopters, with his first cryptocurrency purchase in July 2009. Yagub
has been advising a select list of top quality Blockchain start-ups, as well as investing in them. He has a vision that machine learning combined with the Blockchain technology will define the future of the Fintech ecosystem, bringing the much-needed transparency. AI marketing project to launch in 2020.
Dr Youree Lee
CEO / CBO / W-foundation / Achwo Youree is the Co-Founder and CEO at W-Foundation, CBO of Actwo Technologies at Peer, and an Adjunct Professor at Hanyang University School of Business. Recognised as a pioneer in bringing Blockchain to social finance, Youree has led the launch of the Blockchain currency W Green Pay (WGP) for ‘HOOXI’, a global nature conservation campaign organised by W-Foundation and its public and private sector partners including the United Nations,
UNFCCC. Youree has extensive investment and corporate banking experience at Macquarie and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, covering infrastructure and renewable energy project financing and relationship management. She received her Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. in International Business from Ewha Womans University and teaches business, strategy and finance at Ewha Womans University and Hanyang University.
ENSURING TRUST 5 Sep 2017 Launch of the National Blockchain Taskforce
23 April 2018 Enactment of the Acts in Parliament
4 June 2018 MDIA was established, led by CEO Stephen McCarthy
18 June to 10 October 2018 All necessary guidelines were published
1 November 2018 MDIA started accepting applications for ITAs and Systems Auditors. On the same day the AI Taskforce was formed.
21 March 2019 AI Policy published for consultation
3 April 2019 First Systems Auditor approved making MDIA
Looking Ahead
ready and able to start the certification process
With already 4 Systems Auditors approved and more in the pipeline, and the AI strategy set to be published - MDIA is looking forward to start processing its first certifications making Malta an absolute first in the field.
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Meet DELTA Summit 2019 Exhibitors
Top Exhibitor
hyper EXHIBITORS
ULTRA 9 - 12 As a world-leading digital asset exchange, OKEx has been taking steps into the unbeaten paths to bring many people’s imaginations of Blockchain to life. Headquartered in Malta, OKEx has been the world’s largest digital assets marketplace for spot and futures trading in terms of trading volume, serving countries, and user base since its inception. OKEx offers the most complete trading product suite in the market, ranging from spot trading, margin trading, C2C fiat-to-token trading, futures contracts, as well as perpetual swap. www.okex.com
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Binance is a Blockchain ecosystem comprised of several arms to serve the greater mission of Blockchain advancement and the freedom of money. The Binance ecosystem is comprised of Binance Exchange (the leading global cryptocurrency exchange), Binance Labs (venture capital arm and incubator), Binance DEX (decentralized exchange feature developed on top of its native community-driven Blockchain, Binance Chain), Binance Launchpad (token sale platform), Binance Academy (educational portal), Binance Research (market analysis), Binance Charity Foundation (Blockchain-powered donation platform and non-profit for aiding in sustainability) and Trust Wallet (the official multi-coin wallet and dApps browser of Binance). www.binance.com
Crypto.com was founded in 2016 to accelerate the world’s transition to cryptocurrency. Key products include: Crypto.com App, the best place to buy, sell, and pay with crypto; the MCO Visa card, a metal card with no annual fees; and the Crypto.com Chain, which enables users to pay and be paid in any crypto, anywhere, for free. Crypto.com is headquartered in Hong Kong with a 130+ strong team. www.crypto.com
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The Malta Gaming Authority was established in 2001 to regulate the various sectors of the gaming industry that fall under the MGA’s authority, by ensuring fairness transparency to players using gaming services, preventing crime, corruption and money laundering and to protect minor and vulnerable players. The MGA was one of the first regulators to offer legislation that regulates the activity of online gambling companies and create a secure atmosphere for players. www.mga.org.mt
MDIA is the primary authority responsible for supporting all governmental policies that promote Malta as the centre for excellence for technological innovation, while setting and enforcing standards that ensure compliance with international obligations. The Authority seeks to protect and support all users and also encourages all types of innovations, by allowing for maximum flexibility when it comes to the certification of Innovative Technology Arrangements. www.mdia.gov.mt
The Malta Financial Services Authority is the single regulator of financial services in Malta. The MFSA regulates banking, financial institutions, payment institutions, insurance companies and insurance intermediaries, investment services companies and collective investment schemes, securities markets, recognised investment exchanges, trust management companies, company services providers and pension schemes. www.mfsa.mt
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The Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) is the central driver of Government’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) policy, programmes and initiatives in Malta. MITA’s role is to deliver and implement the assigned programmes as set out in the Digital Malta National ICT Strategy 2014 - 2020, and as directed by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation from time to time. MITA manages the implementation of IT programmes in Government to enhance public service delivery and provides the infrastructure needed to execute ICT services to Government. www.mita.gov.mt
Tech.mt is a Foundation set up by the Government of Malta together with the Malta Chamber as a Public Private Partnership to promote Malta as a tech centre for innovative technologies. www.tech.mt
HYPER 7 Vodafone Malta was set up in 1989 and initially traded under the name Telecell Limited. The very first mobile call was made on the Vodafone Malta network in 1990 whilst the first GSM call was made in 1997. In 2017, Vodafone became the first network to introduce superfast 4.5G to the Maltese islands, making it the country’s fastest network. In October 2018, Vodafone Malta introduced NB-IoT to Malta bringing the next generation IoT technology to the local market. www.vodafone.com.mt
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ABE is a licensed securities exchange operating in 33 countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. As a Tier 1 exchange, ABE combines the power of a traditional stock exchange with the worldwide reach of our network of alternative trading systems. This powerful combination allows us to offer both new financial products and traditional securities to the world.
deVere Group is one of the world’s leading independent financial advisory organisations, with more than $10bn under advice from over 80,000 clients in 100 countries. deVere clients enjoy associated benefits such as a comprehensive range of products – many of which are exclusive to their clients, their marketleading technologies and their well-established relationships with the world’s leading financial institutions.
ULTRA 20 / STANDARD 8, 12
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One of the hottest high tech firms right now. Among other investments, Eligma recently received a four-million-euro influx by Bitcoin. com and Pangea Blockchain Fund. It is the global facilitator of seamless and secure crypto payments at local and online stores, making crypto part of daily life and commerce. GoCrypto is the easiest way to accept cryptocurrencies at your local or online store with unmatched low transaction fees.
FLETA is a Blockchain platform that aims to offer infrastructure that can be applied to realworld business models. FLETA has its own core Blockchain technologies like Level Tree Validation, Parallel Sharding, Independent multichain Structure, Block Redesign, and PoF (Proofof-Formulation) which is its own consensus algorithm. With them, it aims to solve problems that existing platforms have such as slow speeds, scalability limitation, and excessive fees and provide a flexible development environment.
GlobalCapital plc is a financial services company based in Malta. Established in 2003, we offer a wide range of insurance products and financial management services through three main subsidiary companies: GlobalCapital Life Insurance Co Ltd, GlobalCapital Financial Management Ltd and GlobalCapital Health Insurance Agency Ltd, the latter being the country representative for leading international healthcare group Bupa.
ULTRA EXHIBITORS
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At IFA Co Ltd, our corporate philosophy is based on making people smile. It is often said that there are different stories and reasons behind each smile and we want to be one of those reasons. With the help of AIre, your life will be more convenient and joyful. That’s the future we would like to create. Our goal is to make the management of personal assets easier and more efficient. Our basic philosophy is to improve people’s life quality in all possible ways: physically, mentally and socially.
KPMG in Malta is a multidisciplinary firm committed to supporting clients in the emerging technology, DLT and AI spaces. It is a recognised systems auditor and one of the leading providers of tax, advisory and audit services, with a dedicated cross-functional team servicing Emerging Tech clients. Our vision is to be the clear choice for our clients, the employer of choice for coveted talent, and maintain the highest levels of trust and good standing in the eyes of our community.
MB8 is a coin developed in partnership between Multibuy and Blockchain Scotland offering include travel, e-commerce (multibuyshop.eu) and cashback shopping. Customers receive improved value and businesses will reach much larger audiences. MB8 is one of the first coins to boast a fully functioning ecosystem at launch with 1 million registered customers and 2,500 businesses partnered, increasing daily, ready to accept MB8 as payment.
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SUPER EXHIBITORS
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Blockchain Advisory is a licensed VFA Agent in Malta, led by a dynamic duo with more than ten years’ worth of collective experience in DLT. Apart from working with major companies in the DLT industry, Blockchain Advisory has also advised the Government of Malta on the DLT Regulatory Framework, and is currently assisting the Government of Serbia on similar matters.
BitBay is one of the top digital currency exchange in the EU, serving over 800 000 users worldwide. The platform operates since 2014, and it lists 36 coins, four fiat currencies and provides over 120 markets. BitBay has a wide range of solutions for investors and business, including: institutional offer, PRO mode, mobile apps, and BitBay Pay.
Caledo houses advocates, academics, technologists, policy and regulatory experts, economists, security and Fintech specialists to provide its clients with an exceptional onestop-shop environment. In a world where developments in technology are constantly pushing the boundaries of laws and society, we believe that an interdisciplinary expertise is the lynchpin for innovation in our industry.
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Chetcuti Cauchi is an international firm, with offices in Malta, Cyprus, London, Zurich and Hong Kong. Through its multidisciplinary approach, it is able to offer numerous services within the fields of Corporate & Tax, Financial Services & Fintech, Yachts & Jets, Residency & Citizenship and Property.
ChangeNOW is an ecosystem of products aimed at people who would like to interact with crypto in an easy, fast, and fun way. It consists of a limitless instant crypto exchange service that doesn’t require accounts, a crypto payment system, a set of nodes for dApp development, and many more.
CS Fintech Services Limited was amongst the first VFA Agents to be registered. It prides itself in providing its clients with a prompt and exceptional service. Over the years, it has assisted numerous key players within the innovative technology sphere seeking to establish a presence in Malta. CS Fintech forms part of the CSA Group, which is one of leading advisory service providers in Malta when it comes to financial services and business consultancy.
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Efforce is an innovative company headquartered in Malta and co-founded by Steve Wozniak, the legendary Apple co-founder. Efforce is a revolutionary Blockchain-based platform aiming at increasing energy efficiency by allowing everyone to participate and benefit from worldwide energy efficiency projects.
Elliptic empowers financial institutions and crypto businesses to confidently manage AML risk and deliver safe and trusted services on the Blockchain. To date, Elliptic has assessed risks for transactions worth several trillion dollars, uncovering activities related to money laundering, terrorist fundraising, fraud and other financial crimes. Elliptic is the global standard of regulatory compliance in cryptocurrency. To learn more, visit www.elliptic.co
Erremme Business Advisors is a firm offering a range of corporate and financial services to both local and international clients. Our extensive experience in business and finance services is key to support you in registering your Initial Coin Offering white papers or in applying for a license as a Virtual Financial Assets Service Provider from the Malta Financial Services Authority. Erremme is the only VFA agent which has Sharia expertise. Our Blockchain strategy service will assist you in identifying opportunities for all your business units.
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FinanceMalta, a non-profit public-private initiative, was set up to promote Malta as an international business and financial centre within, as well as outside, Malta. It brings together and harnesses the resources of the industry and government to ensure Malta maintains a modern and effective legal, regulatory and fiscal framework in which the financial services sector can continue to grow and prosper.
Ganado Advocates is a leading commercial law firm with a focus on the corporate, financial services and maritime sectors, predominantly servicing international clients doing business in or out of Malta. The firm is at the forefront of Fintech and Blockchain developments, regularly assisting clients with Blockchain-based projects and cryptocurrency enquiries.
Learning Machine is the global leader for Blockchain-based digital credentials. The Learning Machine Issuing System allows governments, companies, healthcare providers and educational institutions to issue official digital records at scale, rooted in any Blockchain they choose, that are verifiable anywhere in the world, instantly and for free.
We have partnered with LovinMalta to bring you an exciting evening on the 3rd October in Valletta! The Lovin Delta Night Summit will start off by the Triton Fountain and take you through the streets of Blockchain Island’s capital city. It will be a fantastic opportunity to network with all attendees, while enjoying drinks and beautiful sights. We have organised special discounts at bars and have several surprises planned throughout the evening, so be sure not to miss out on this super event! www.delta-summit.com
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Lexnode is a boutique VFA Agent and Fintech consultant based in Malta. It is a fusion of expertise in Malta’s DLT regulatory framework coupled with extensive knowledge in financial services regulation, ICT and IP law, audit and computer science provided by a team of lawyers, auditors, corporate service providers and computer scientists knowledgeable about the technology which makes it your go to partner and VFA Agent.
The Malta Business Registry (MBR), established under Subsidiary Legislation 497.27, is responsible for the registration of new commercial partnerships, the registration of documents related to commercial partnership, the issuing of certified documentation including certificates of good-standing amongst others, the reservation of company names, the collection of registration and other fees, the publication of notices and the imposition and collection of penalties. The Registry also conducts investigations of companies and the keeping of the company and partnership register.
Established in 2001, the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology is Malta’s leading vocational education and training institution. Six Institutes in Malta and the Gozo Campus, MCAST offers 180 full-time and over 300 parttime vocational courses ranging from certificates to Master’s degrees.
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The Parliamentary Secretariat for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation within the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta was established in the beginning of this legislature. A forward-looking Secretariat which reflects the futuristic mind-set, by anticipating new emerging technologies, which will ultimately affect various sectors. From Blockchain and DLT, the Secretariat turned its attention to Artificial Intelligence, on which a strategy is underway which will put Malta amongst the top 10 nations in the world with a strategy for this sector. Similar plans are afoot for eSports, Video Games Development and Space and beyond.
The Ministry for Tourism strives to further improve Malta’s competitiveness as an international tourism destination of choice by working with all stakeholders to ensure that product, service and value all reach levels which will enable Malta and Gozo to continue improving the seasonal spread of tourism as well as its economic benefits.
Neo is an open-source, community driven initiative that is leveraging upon Blockchain technology’s intrinsic advantages to explore and realise optimised and future-designed solutions for a digital world. Neo has developed an infrastructure with features to optimise stability and performance, including a smart contract system compatible with commonly used programming languages and solutions for transactional finality.
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Nissan Motor Sales Ltd, forming part of the Mizzi Organisation portfolio, has been the official sole distributor of Nissan from the early 1960’s and has also imported some of the first Japanese manufactured vehicles to Malta. Nissan is leading the field with its vision of Intelligent Mobility, pursuing a goal of zero emissions and zero fatalities on the road. Designed to guide Nissan’s product and technology pipeline, this 360-degree approach to the future of mobility will anchor critical company decisions around how cars are powered, how cars are driven, and how cars integrate into society.
WH Partners is a Malta-based leading law firm with expertise in technology, Blockchain, gaming & gambling, M&A, corporate finance and tax. The firm specialises in advising the businesses fuelling the digital economy, including digital financial services and Fintech, software and digital asset creation. WH Partners also advises clients on intellectual property, data protection, capital markets, commercial, fund management and foundations, real estate, employment law and citizenship and visas. Visit www.whpartners.eu.
World Energy Consortium, PLC, a Malta-based EU entity (WEC) with a worldwide focus, is developing a transactive energy platform and settlements protocol for renewables equipment vendors, electricity distribution systems, energy providers, and end-customers including “prosumers”. WEC’s platform is enabled by Blockchain/DLT technologies, Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), cloud computing, and IoT devices.
THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIAT FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES DIGITAL ECONOMY AND INNOVATION OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER
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acquiring.com is the merchant acquiring arm of TRU//ST Payments Group, delivering marketleading merchant account solutions. acquiring. com hold a Principal membership with VISA and MasterCard for all EU and EEA countries. Accepting over 100 different currencies and settling in 14, acquiring.com are experts in turning merchants from local to global.
Atomic is a decentralised non-custodial wallet that supports 300+ cryptocurrency assets. Strong encryption with mnemonic seed and custody-free solution guarantee our users the highest level of security. Atomic Wallet provides instant exchange and “buy crypto with a credit card” feature. Available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and Android.
Bibox, an AI enhanced-encrypted digital asset exchange platform. Our founding team is formed by top tier Chinese block chain giants. The team includes early bitcoin enthusiasts, adopters of block chain, established series entrepreneurs, professional securities traders, Venture Capitalists(VC), high-tech Angel Investors, and the best A.I expert in the industry.
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BiKi.com is a cryptocurrency exchange ranked Top 20 on CoinMarketCap. BiKi.com has more than 150 cryptocurrencies, 220 trading pairs and accumulated 1.5 million registered users, 130,000 daily active users in under a year.
BMIT Technologies was set up more than fifteen years ago to provide data centre services in Malta. Its mission is to provide customers with peace of mind and enable them to focus on their business whilst abstracting the complexity involved in deploying and managing complex IT solutions to support their business. This is achieved through a portfolio which spans across three inter-linked categories of services ensuring an IT architecture and solutions that meet its customers’ business, technical and regulatory requirements.
Centrecom has a 25-year history of service excellence in customer services for the aviation industry (alongside many others) and know how to run customer service centres. Their strengths encompass IT infrastructures, voice technology, call centre operations, back office services and specific aviation industry applications such as reservations, ticketing, refunds, customer support, baggage services, loyalty programmes, crisis management, complaint management, medical coordination and flight disruption management.
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ChainUP is the global leading Blockchain technology solution provider that serves more than 200 exchange and 50 wallet customers worldwide, and covers 50 million users in over 20 countries.
Chainalysis offers cryptocurrency investigation and compliance solutions to global law enforcement agencies, regulators, and businesses as they work together to fight illicit cryptocurrency activity. Backed by Accel, Benchmark, and other leading names in venture capital, Chainalysis builds trust in Blockchains. For more information visit www.chainalysis.com
Chiliz is a digital currency for sports and entertainment platforms. It fuels the world’s first scalable, tokenized voting platform, Socios.com where fans can buy, trade and execute voting rights in their favourite sports teams.
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Consenz.us (2019) is a new-generation Blockchain platform that serves as a basis for industrial-grade technologies and applications. Just like an operating system (e.g. Windows, iOS or Android) Consenz.us allows users and developers to run various applications.Consenz. us was designed by Silur, former contributing developer to some of the top Blockchain platforms like Ethereum, Monero and Zcash.
CoreLedger provides a decentralised, unlimited, and extensible operating system for token economies, designed for all types of assets, commodities, and services. The core product is the Token Economy Operating System (TEOS) where businesses can document, tokenise and trade any goods or services through a ready-touse user-interface or API.
DF Advocates is a Malta-based law firm advising and assisting clients on complex issues spanning various industries comprising Fintech, Regtech, Funds and Investment Services, Banking, Corporate and Commercial Law, Gaming and Betting Law, Litigation and Arbitration, Public Procurement and Privatisation, Real Estate, Maritime, Aviation and Tax.
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Frank Salt Real Estate is Malta’s leading, local independent real estate agency with a network of 22 branches and divisions across the Maltese Islands. Boasting of a reputation for an unparalleled experience for its’ customers and 50 years of experience, it offers the full gamut of property services, covering residential and commercial property sales and letting, property management, home interiors and property investment consultancy.
GO is Malta’s leading communications services company. As the first quad play provider in Malta GO provide mobile, fixed line, internet and TV services to more than 500,000 customers. They also provide unrivalled services to the Maltese business community, including Cloud Services, roaming hub services, data networking solutions, business IP services, and managed services. Through its network of retail outlets across the Maltese Islands, 24/7 customer call centre, a network of authorised dealers, and dedicated B2B support, GO have cemented their position as a provider of world-class communications services.
Grant Thornton Malta was one of the first companies to be registered by the Malta Financial Services Authority to offer the services of a Virtual Financial Assets (VFA) Agent, enabling us to support both VFA issuers in the registration of ICO white papers as well as VFA service providers in their licensing process. We also guide clients through the process of raising funds by employing a team of specialists from different disciplines who have decades of experience accessing finance through various channels.
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Guarda is a company building an entire fund management ecosystem around non-custodial, multi-asset storages for a wide variety of cryptocurrencies. Started in 2017, Guarda is now playing a major role in crypto wallet development. Guarda Wallet team comprises of experts in IT, Fintech, security, marketing, design and UI/UX.
Incredible Web Ltd is a web development and web design company founded in Malta in 2011 and an early adopter of cutting-edge technologies, including progressive web apps, mobile application development, artificial intelligence and distributed ledger technologies or Blockchain. Incredible Web has taken a proactive approach towards adopting and learning the latest standards to create futureproof designs and have developed applications, in-house tools, websites and other software solutions for clients worldwide, ranging from US Senators to local takeaways and multinational corporations.
KnowMeNow is a KYC mobile app which allows user to store their verified identity profiles on their smartphones and reshare it with businesses requesting KYC for access to their services. Our app allows various businesses to perform inexpensive KYC reviews in a fast and compliant manner using unique features of Blockchain technology.
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Malta Enterprise is the national economic development agency responsible for promoting and facilitating international investment in the Maltese Islands by offering investors excellent business opportunities and tailored services. The Malta Enterprise network operates in various countries around the globe, with offices or representation in embassies and consulates in North Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the United States and Australia.
The Malta Stock Exchange, originally known as the Casino della Borsa, is the stock exchange of Malta. Since being set up in 1992, the Exchange has been key to the raising of capital for the private sector through the issue of corporate bonds and equity while virtually all the national debt of Government of Malta has been issued in the form of Malta Government bonds and treasury bills that are listed and traded on the secondary market.
The Malta Communications Authority was established on the 1st January 2001 and is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of the various electronic communications sectors, which include fixed and mobile telephony, Internet and TV distribution services. Furthermore, the Authority regulates two other sectors which are the postal services, as well as the eCommerce sector.
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STASIS is a governance body for EURS, is a euro-pegged stablecoin with a market cap of over €30 million. It’s the only major stablecoin not pegged to the US dollar, and allows people to move money throughout the crypto economy without having to expose themselves to the volatility of most cryptocurrencies.
Lying at the cross-roads of the Mediterranean, University of Malta has been, over its 400-year history, the hub for international academic exchange on the island. UoM is the leading higher education institution in Malta and its structures are in line with the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education area.
Wyzer is a technology company that is focused on the digital transformation of organizations through the use of technology. They are currently in the process of releasing several SaaS products that will help organizations digitalise all interactions with their customers and make use of Blockchain and AI in a seamlessly useful manner. Wyzer’s vision is simple - to eradicate boring work by automating wherever possible. Rumour has it that they will be launching a product at DELTA so stay tuned!
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Zampa Debattista is a boutique accounting and assurance firm, primarily focused on international business. Our main areas of specialisation are Indirect Taxation and Financial Reporting. We also have dedicated teams offering services in connection with Direct Taxation and Assurance. Based on values of integrity and excellence, we aim to provide and retain a high level of customer satisfaction.
ZBX is the only Cryptocurrency and Security Exchange in Europe which offers banking services. The exchange is regulated in the Blockchain Island and offers the highest levels of safety from a regulatory and technical perspective. ZBX is the exchange of choice for traders requiring advanced API connection and institutional grade infrastructure. www.zbx.com
WORLD ENERGY CONSORTIUM, PLC Visit us at Booth SU33 www.worldenergyconsortium.com
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EXECUTI VE AT TENDEES
EXECUTIVE ATTENDEES
ALLEYBE
AlleyBe is a multi-disciplinary professional services platform which assists international clients with Tax, Legal, Accounting and Fintech related services. AlleyBe Fintech Malta Ltd is registered with the MFSA to act as a VFA Agent and has the required expertise to assist promoters of ICOs and VFA service providers in every step of the licensing process and/or with their operations in Malta.
CREAM CRYPTO
Creamcoin is a promotional and marketing project for crypto and non-crypto companies, operating through Cream Line and its products. Cream Line main product is news services CryptoNews, focusing on helping, promoting and marketing crypto start-ups, innovations and entrepreneur’s ideas, to pursue their goals.
DIGITAL BY DANIEL
Digital by Daniel specialise in growing conversion and sales online through inbound and customer centric marketing. With a proven track record of supporting multi-national businesses in marketing and digital business development we bring sustainable results.
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JOBCHAIN
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PSYCHOMETRICS
SIMPLY VC
SOLIDUM CAPITAL
STIS
ZERAFA ADVOCATES
ZERAFA.IO LTD
Jobchain is an ecosystem that enables anybody to hire or be hired anytime, anywhere while earning salary in cryptocurrency. It enables users to find jobs anytime, anywhere. Browse through the available offers and get hired. Filter your results by location, availability, rating or remuneration. Flexible, secure and private.
Specialises in the provision of infrastructure for 3rd generation Blockchain systems, including Cosmos, Chainlink, Polkadot and Elixxir. Our operational expertise is supported by a team of systems and security engineers together with software developers enabling the implementation of the software for running, monitoring and visualising of POS Blockchain.
UNBOUND TECH
Unbound Tech provides companies with the first MPC-based, pure-software, FIPS 140-2 validated solution to protect cryptographic keys by ensuring they never exist in complete form. Our platform gives enterprises new levels of security, control, and flexibility for cryptography applications - including data encryption, code signing, Blockchain, digital identity and IoT security.
KSi Malta is a tax, legal advisory and corporate services firm providing a wide range of services to both local and international clients. KSi Malta is a member of Morison KSi, a global association of leading professional service firms, established to meet cross-border accounting, auditing, tax and business consulting needs of clients. It consists of over 150 member firms, is present in over 80 countries, employs approximately 10,000 staff, and has a turnover of $1 billion.
Solidum Capital is a crypto asset management company which has a team of experienced professionals with an extensive background in private equity, venture capital, and information technology. We firmly believe in the long-term potential of Blockchain technology and the emerging crypto asset class.
At Zerafa Advocates, we have developed a solid foundation based on personal attention, ensuring we are responsive and efficient to our clients and tailoring our services to the needs of each client. Active involvement in providing legal advice to various crypto-related projects, such as ICOs, STOs, DLT exchanges, cryptowallets, and brokers, has armed us with wealth of experience rendering our firm well-equipped for all projects or ideas requiring our input.
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Psychometrics enables companies to make sound, efficient and scientific-based decisions to select and develop the best suited leaders to achieve their organisational business strategy. Define the development needs of the company’s leadership bench. Assess the readiness of their employees to assume greater responsibility and identify the high potentials in the organisation.
STIS Group provides consultancy and advisory services in the critical areas of managing IT systems, Security, Data Protection and Business Operations for our clients. We are based in London and deliver our services globally. We were recently approved as a Systems Auditor for the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA).
Zerafa.io is registered as a VFA Agent by the MFSA and is focused solely on virtual financial assets. We provide a specialised approach combined with a tailor-made and efficient service. With a successful track-record in this industry as well as in the financial and commercial sectors, our clients are guaranteed the best service.
Tech.mt – Malta Leading through Innovation Public-Private Partnership Tech.mt, was established earlier this year by the Government of Malta and the Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise to promote Malta as a tech centre for innovative technologies. With a drive to enhance the potential of the local Tech industry, Tech.mt aims to position Malta as a quality, creative, digital country. Tech.mt’s mission revolves around the fundamental principles of enhancing Malta’s attractiveness for foreign direct investment, as well as facilitating international business development and innovation to the local industry. Assisting companies to innovate and grow internationally lies at the heart of what we do. For those with international ambitions, Tech.mt will be acting as the link to facilitate connections with international organisations. Our team of professionals will ensure superior client relationship management through personalised advisory services and will guide businesses to understand the first steps of internationalisation, whilst recommending the best existing market opportunities and reducing the challenges involved in moving and establishing local contacts. To encourage human resources and encourage growth in the Technology industry, Tech.mt is planning to participate in events to position Malta as an exciting location for tech talent and in turn, attract talent to our shores. Furthermore, Tech.mt will be working collectively with academic institutions to understand how the local STEM and IT curricula can be made more appealing. Tech.mt will also be concentrating on the engagement of the youth community. Youths are a major stakeholder who are constantly using digital technology thus, encouraging youth participation in the transformation of the digital economy is an indisputable niche. Tech.mt is determined to intensify the local Technology industry by organising events on key tech areas. This will provide businesses a great opportunity to network, whilst serving as a window of opportunity to generate new connections. Participating in a Tech.mt event could be the first step towards international business opportunities and collaboration with business clusters. It is our mandate to seek sectional growth and assist the technology ecosystem in establishing itself as a leading contributor to our GDP.
Tech companies and field practitioners may get in touch via: Tech.mt.Contact@Tech.mt https://tech.mt/ @Tech.mtMalta Tech.mt @TechmtMalta tech.mtMalta techmtcontact Techmt Malta
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S U P P LY C H A I N Dayna Clarke shares 5 top Blockchain trends to watch. As we step into the depth of Autumn, now we can finally speculate what else 2019 and the beginning of 2020 have in store for us. The Bitcoin trends that were observed in its early days can enable us to predict what will be coming ahead. However, one thing is sure that the coming year has lots of good news for Bitcoin enthusiasts. The crypto-sphere is indeed booming with the anticipation of DELTA. Such a coming-together is a rare event for a movement that is so globally dispersed. No surprise, the summit will be brimming with product releases, forecasts, competitive analyses, and more than a few bold claims about the state and future of the Blockchain ecosystem. Keep your eyes peeled; here are what we see as the most significant trends in Blockchain right now. 1. Out of the dark and into the light? Infiltration into the mainstream Although Blockchain was infamously associated unanimously with Bitcoin, it has emerged from the initial notoriety related to cryptocurrency. Blockchain has steadily been infiltrating mainstream businesses, such as voting, supply chain management, and shipping among others. Globally, renowned companies like Amazon,
Walmart and IBM have long started to foster Blockchain technology. Shipping Blockchain TradeLens (developed by IBM and Maersk) earlier this year recruited two major marine cargo carriers to the platform. The new additions are Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the second largest after Maersk; and CMA-CGM, the fourth largest in terms of cargo-carrying capacity. MSC and CMA-CGM join other carriers Asia’s Pacific International Lines (PIL), Zim Integrated Shipping Services, and Maersk subsidiary Hamburg Süd, which, when combined, account for nearly half of the world’s ocean container cargo data, IBM stated. In other industries, earlier this year, we saw Russia’s Ministry of Education and Science introduce a Blockchain-enabled platform for tracking diamonds. Indeed, Blockchain has been bringing transparency into the diamond industry - a complex ecosystem where corruption and irresponsible mining appear to be mostly present. There’s no denying adoption of Blockchain is growing daily, and this year seems to be promising for worldwide acceptance of Blockchain into the mainstream. 2019 is welcoming in better research and development of applications into the realm.
2. The incorporation of IoT Blockchain implementation in IoT had already begun, and this year it only accelerated. Blockchain technology is the missing link to settle scalability, privacy, and reliability concerns in the Internet-of-Things. According to Cisco, 50 billion devices are due to arrive online by 2020. With so many connected devices all sending, receiving and processing instructions to turn on, dial down and move up, the sheer volume of data due to land on-stream could come with unprecedented costs. Other factors include how exactly we can track and manage billions of connected devices, storing the metadata that these devices produce, and manage it all reliably and securely. Before mainstream Internet-of-Things consumer adoption can manifest itself, these issues will need to be resolved. Could Blockchain technologies perhaps be the piece de resistance required by the IoT industry? Blockchain technology can be used in tracking billions of connected devices, allow the processing of transactions and coordination between devices, permitting for substantial savings for IoT industry manufacturers. This decentralised approach would eliminate single points of failure, shaping a more robust ecosystem for devices to run on.
3. The sheer rise of employment in the Blockchain sector As with any industry with exponential growth, there comes the work to go with it. As highly competitive technology advances and steps into the mainstream large-scaled initiatives are required. Whether this is data sciences or artificial intelligence, the shift into becoming cost-effective, secure and transparent working mediums is through the collaboration and implementation of Blockchain. Independently it stands to reason Blockchain will be a highly robust technology. As a stand-alone technology, Blockchain too will be a genuinely formidable technology. All these implementations require largescale initiatives to build Blockchain networks and applications. The sheer demand for Blockchain skilled workforce has never been higher. From project management to developers. The career prospects and job opportunities Blockchain is bringing to the table are skyrocketing; there’s no better time to network.
BLOCKCHAIN HAS STEADILY BEEN INFILTRATING MAINSTREAM BUSINESSES, SUCH AS VOTING, SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT, AND SHIPPING AMONG OTHERS
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4. Attracting start-ups and more entrepreneurs are entering the Blockchain zone The vast majority of the Blockchain potential is just becoming widely acknowledged on a global level. More and more start-ups with Blockchainbased solutions are being established. Veteran entrepreneurs too, are entering this crypto world. To fully understand the scenario of patents and critical trends in the Blockchain arena, earlier this year, Hard Fork extracted data from the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO). As per the data, China leads the chart with the highest number of patents originating from its land compared to the United States, despite its hard stance on cryptocurrencies. China has almost 790 patents approvals, followed closely by the United States with 762 patent approvals. Aside from the aforementioned adoptions such as supply chain, and shipping, Blockchain can be found in healthcare domains and even property. Expect to see the rise of Blockchain emerging in for creative applications for entertainment. 5. Enhanced cybersecurity and personal identification At this moment in time, anyone with an online presence is vulnerable for hacking or other cybersecurity risks. Personal information has the potential to be leaked, and unwarranted possession, whereas if we turn to bockchain, Blockchain stores and exchanges data after encryption. This amplified security measure along with the traceability of data, will surely provide a great asset to consumers, especially those with a flourishing online presence. Blockchain allows for tighter standards when using e-commerce platforms, and the buyer can select which data to share with online sites as well as control the visibility of their personal information. When a consumer shops online, although all the consumer data and search history is available for consumption. The buyer can choose which data to share on online shopping sites and control the visibility of their personal data.
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Is Malta still the new kid on the block? Dubbed ‘The Blockchain Island’, Malta has done well in the Blockchain and crypto space. Dayna Clarke delves into the fact that the Isle of Man has followed suit and Malta is no longer the only island making waves.
Some things stand the test of time, such as some of the world’s oldest temples, like the Megalithic Temples built in Malta over 5,000 years ago. These days, however, don’t be fooled into thinking the small island nation is stuck in the past. With a population of just under half a million and for being famous for over 300 days of glorious sunshine a year, Malta has recently become a star on the crypto currency map. Last year Malta made waves globally as the go-to place for Blockchain, even ascertaining itself the golden title, “Blockchain Island”. Having already had a positive experience hosting flocks of online gambling companies, which forms a very significant portion (13%) of Malta’s GDP, the island is now turning its eyes toward the world of crypto in an bid to replicate its prior success. An appealing tax incentive system, government initiatives and clear and feasible crypto regulation are bearing fruitful results: Many large cryptocurrency exchanges, such as OKEx and Binance, have already set up their headquarters locally, but why Malta and what makes it so appealing
and is it still shaking off the stiff competition? The need for regulation Enviably, Malta was the first country in the world with clearly established regulatory frameworks. Malta’s vision is to develop a thriving Blockchain economy by providing regulatory certainty and consumer protection to a market environment that is unregulated in many countries. The ambition is that the sector will account for 10% of GDP by 2027, and still very much ongoing. Malta has drawn the likes of some the world’s top talent in sectors such as iGaming and financial services, which can now be utilised for the growing Blockchain industry. The new framework initially captures DLT platforms and smart contracts, but the government is already working on extending its reach to other types of innovative technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), laying the cornerstones for the next Fintech revolution. Although other jurisdictions, like the Isle of Man, have already passed laws looking
to regulate the cryptocurrency and Blockchain space, no other country went to the extent of Malta on the regulation of the Blockchain industry. Paving the way It’s apparent Malta established its success as the leading Blockchain Island when parliament passed the following bills unanimously.
Blockchain & cryptocurrency Acts The Innovative Technological Arrangement and Services Act, the Malta Digital Innovation Authority Act, and the Virtual Financial Asset Act are three Blockchain and cryptocurrency Acts intricately designed in a way that they would work with each other to create a smooth triad that provides a comprehensive platform which the industry uses to ascertain the integrity of all Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) software solutions and to put together all the necessary safeguards for buyers.
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Unlike many jurisdictions that just approve the whitepapers based on use, case and other tokenomic assumptions, Malta looks beyond technology and the software behind the White Paper and its strong potential for implementation. With the passage of these bills, Malta leads all the countries that are striving to become crypto- currency hubs such as Switzerland (where Zug has already been branded as Crypto- Valley) Hong Kong, Singapore, Estonia, Isle of Man, Lithuania, Bermuda and Liechtenstein. Many feel these countries slip behind because they view the crypto- economy from the old financial paradigms’ perspective. A shift to Argentina? Recently we witnessed the latest crypto exchange make a beeline to Argentina, with the news that Huboi Group will open an over-the-counter service and fiat gateway prior to the end of October. Notably, Argentina has become the fashionable destination for Blockchain operations, however one may argue, inspired by all the least desirable factors. Crisis-hit emerging market nations constantly hit with fiat currency devaluation are increasingly turning cryptocurrencies and bitcoin so it’s easy to comprehend why the industry would blossom there. But economic unrest isn’t the only reason for Blockchain systems to develop in a particular geographical location. Often, several more positive factors can help certain areas become Blockchain go-to destinations.
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What about the Isle of Man? On the opposite side of Europe, one can find the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency located between Ireland and Great Britain. To expand the digital sector in the Isle of Man (IoM), an advisory body for the island nation launched a hub dedicated to the development of the Blockchain technology and the setting up of the Isle of Man Sandbox. The Sandbox has been created for companies providing a collaborative space for the live testing of innovative tech products, services and delivery mechanisms where the risks to ordinary financial consumers and the financial system are strictly contained. The Sandbox is “designed to position the Isle of Man as the premier jurisdiction for Blockchain-based businesses to develop, test and perfect their product before launching on the global market”. The decision was prompted by an advisory committee called the Digital Isle of Man. As indicated in their website, the Digital
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Isle of Man is an executive agency of the Department for Enterprise and acts as a critical decision making and advisory body supporting the government’s ambition for long term economic prosperity for the sector. Through the Blockchain hub, the advisory body aims to support Blockchain businesses through current and future regulatory landscapes as a part of the island’s digital strategy. In the summer of 2018, Malta was dubbed “The Blockchain Island” by many after providing the stable legal framework that allowed crypto firms to operate with a degree of certainty. The Maltese authorities should, of course, be commended for their efforts in welcoming crypto with open arms and, undoubtedly, the local economy has already seen some significant bonuses, not least with regards to a surge in employment opportunities. But we must remember that it’s no longer the only island making waves in the crypto space. The Isle of Man is also rapidly becoming a coveted destination for Blockchain businesses.
The future? The motivation for crypto companies moving to Argentina is clearly the demand for an alternative to fiat which, in itself, emphasises one of the main strengths of Blockchain tech – to supply a decentralised payment method. But nations and territories entirely serious about Blockchain should look to two small islands for inspiration – or risk being left in yesteryear.
“
…WE MUST REMEMBER THAT IT’S NO LONGER THE ONLY ISLAND MAKING WAVES IN THE CRYPTO SPACE. THE ISLE OF MAN IS ALSO RAPIDLY BECOMING A COVETED DESTINATION FOR BLOCKCHAIN BUSINESSES
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VIRTUAL R E AL ESTATE Dayna Clarke delves into Bitcoin Real Estate and whether Blockchain can possibly revolutionise the property industry.
Now in its 19th year, Bitcoin - the world-famous currency created by the anonymous pseudonym ‘Satoshi Nakamoto’ - enables users to make financial transactions free of fees and the interference of banks. You can already use Bitcoin to buy just about everything from take-aways to a spa break, but could Bitcoin pave the way to purchase one of life’s greatest spends, a property? Bitcoin: a market open to all? Designed to be user-friendly, there’s no need to have advanced Fintech knowledge to get a grasp of how Bitcoin works. To get started with using it, you download and install a Bitcoin wallet on your mobile phone/device. You’ll be provided with a unique address akin to an email, which you can use to send or receive money. Bitcoin transactions take place in the Blockchain, a shared public ledger that supports the network. When you send or receive the currency, your Bitcoin wallet keeps a private key in the form of a small, personal, piece of data.
This acts as evidence that you own the wallet. Creating new platforms for real estate markets Inarguably one of the most transparent ways Bitcoin can shake up the property scene is by supplying new platforms for purchases and sales. Through cutting out the middleman of the traditional bank, buyers and vendors could potentially connect in real-time, accelerating the process for transactions immensely. You may have heard of ATLANT, which is just one example of a trading platform which tokenises properties to allow for online asset trading. The land registry authority of Sweden (Lantmäteriet) has been trialling ways to record property transactions using this technology. Lantmäteriet is in the middle of a ground-breaking project looking at how Blockchain’s promise of “digital trust” could be applied to property transactions. The authority partnered
with banks and telecom company Telia to create “smart contracts” on a Blockchain that allow buyers and sellers to use digital signatures to sign off on a property sale. It has been reported that such advances could potentially save over 100 million per year by scrapping the paperwork and streamlining transactions. Combatting fraud You may be wondering without a signed banks letter in hand how Blockchain could be used to provide reliable evidence of proof of funds. However, take a closer look into Bitcoin, and it can be readily acknowledged one of the most significant advantages of the currency is built into the DNA of how Bitcoin operates. Potentially the Blockchain itself could be utilised to prevent fraud through the development of private, fully certifiable digital identification. A digital identification secured by the Blockchain’s digital ledger could potentially be used for deed transfers or mortgage repayments.
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Enabling investment Through enhanced security and the reduction of transaction fees, as well as real estate charges, the Blockchain can support investors into the property sphere. Though, another facet to be considered is the concept of fractional or shared ownership. Traditionally one requires large down payment upfront to secure a property; instead, buyers could buy and sell fractions of their property tokens. It’s with this notion the property market could be bought into line in a similar vein as the stock market. Promoting transparency The nature of Bitcoin’s workings encourages greater transparency in the whole property purchasing process, from beginning to end. With new online platforms, buyers and sellers can store their information securely, and it would be instantly verifiable, which cuts out prolonged discussions with banks and lawyers (and thereby saves money). Individual properties could have their own digital identity, with a documented and verifiable chain of ownership. As the Blockchain is decentralised, this information would be open, accessible and fully transparent. The real deal It must be acknowledged that Blockchain is a technology still in relevant infancy. Some may argue these concepts aforementioned are somewhat ideological, and it may be Blockchain has a long way to go before it becomes a potent real estate market disruptor. However, with encrypted data and a high level of security and rapid advances in technology, it could rapidly ascertain itself as an effective medium, especially for transferring the colossal sums involved with the high-end luxury estate. It is indeed a trend to watch in 2019 and throughout 2020.
THROUGH ENHANCED SECURITY AND THE REDUCTION OF TRANSACTION FEES, AS WELL AS REAL ESTATE CHARGES, THE BLOCKCHAIN CAN SUPPORT INVESTORS INTO THE PROPERTY SPHERE
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LAW & TECH At Caledo, we understand that running a successful disruptive technology business requires diversified expertise. In a world where developments in technology are constantly pushing the boundaries of existing legislation, we believe that these two fields should work hand in hand to create an ecosystem where scientific developments can thrive and technology can prosper. STAND-SU39
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THE HYPE, DOWNTURN AND OUTLOOK OF THE CRYPTO INDUSTRY BY LEONARD BONELLO
After the record high at the end of 2017, the crypto industry has experienced its own winter. As bitcoin’s price collapsed from its lofty peak of $19,783 in December 2017 to a low of $3,122 a year later, as ether retracted 94%, and as countless ERC-20 tokens that were issued in the prior two years plunged to near worthlessness, the crypto community came under a barrage of criticism. Some of it was justified but, at times, the mainstream criticism during the downturn was as extreme as the crypto hype had been during the bubble period. Sadly, headlines around both ICOs and poorly managed cryptocurrency exchanges last year often reinforced this all-too-common misconception of the technology and its advocates as farce. But there was a silver lining to these failures. They encouraged developers to devise solutions to them and, as a result, innovation soared to unprecedented highs as the focus shifted back to protocol developments, new applications, business models and regulatory actions in a setting that allowed the media to focus on the topic at hand without focusing on the ostentatious displays of Lamborghinis. It is within this context that we look forward to the next phase in the evolution of the crypto industry. Leonard Bonello is the Partner heading the Fintech & Blockchain practice at GANADO Advocates.
T. (+356) 2123 5406 | blockchain@ganadoadvocates.com | ganadoadvocates.com
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