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Speech to Blockchain Ireland Week 2021
Good morning everyone.
I am delighted to be speaking to you today, albeit virtually, as part of Blockchain Ireland Week.
First of all, I would like to acknowledge the commitment of Dave Feenan to blockchain; accepting the role as the new Chair of Blockchain Ireland, a challenge that few could have met.
I would also like to acknowledge the tenacity and perseverance of Lory Kehoe, being one of the original founders of Blockchain Ireland, over 5 years ago.
Thank you also Toomas Ilves for sharing your experience in the digitalisation of your country, and your expert understanding of blockchain technology.
But he says the EU’s draft rules have loopholes that could allow criminals to keep using crypto currencies anonymously in different member states to sell drugs, weapons or contraband on the dark web.
“You download the ledger and you can become your own service provider, so to say, so you don’t need a regulated professional entity. And therefore you can also trade in Bitcoin without to anyone lifting your anonymity,” he said.
The draft rules need to be approved by EU governments and MEPs, with talks expected to start in the summer.
Alongside those rules, the European Central Bank is also looking into issuing its own digital cash, which would exist alongside Bitcoin, Diem and other crypto assets to provide a safe and fast way for ordinary people to store or transfer money.
Thanks to US billionaire Elon Musk-led Tesla s €1.5bn punt, the price of Bitcoin has shot up from €25,000 to almost €40,000. What s going on? Has the world lost its mind to an online libertarian pyramid scheme? Or is it starting to accept Bitcoin as a genuine, long-term asset class? And for casual investors, is it too late to jump in? If not, where do you start? How do you protect yourself?
James Nagle runs one of Ireland s main crypto exchanges , where punters can log on to buy or sell Bitcoin and other digital assets using a credit card or bank transfer at a cost of between 2.5pc and 6pc.