The value of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, just like any other kind of money, comes fundamentally from what you can do with it. As a follow up to What Backs Bitcoin, I want to dig into that value. The idea, which comes from Austrian economist Carl Menger, is that just as a shovel’s value comes from its ability to dig, a currency’s value comes from its ability to help you do two things: transactions and savings. Think...
Read More »Saudi Billionaires Scramble To Move Cash Offshore, Escape Asset Freeze
Over the weekend, Saudi King Salman shocked the world by abruptly announcing the arrests of 11 senior princes and some 38 ministers, including Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, the world’s sixty-first richest man and the largest shareholder in Citi, News Corp. and Twitter. The purge was orchestrated by a new “supreme committee” to investigate public corruption created by King Salman but under the control of Crown Prince...
Read More »Frontrunning: November 15
GOP Seeks to Derail Moore, Salvage Senate Seat (WSJ) Army takes control in Zimbabwe (Reuters) Senate Tax Plan Guts Obamacare, Sunsets Many Middle-Class Cuts (BBG) Senate Republicans tie tax plan to repeal of key Obamacare mandate (Reuters) Trump’s Campaign Foreign Policy Team Under Mueller’s Microscope (BBG) Ryan Says Future Congresses Will Preserve Tax Bill’s Temporary Measures (BBG) Shareholders take aim at Murdochs with Fox voting rights push (Reuters) AT&T Engages Its Washington...
Read More »Saudi Billionaires Scramble To Move Cash Offshore, Escape Asset Freeze
Over the weekend, Saudi King Salman shocked the world by abruptly announcing the arrests of 11 senior princes and some 38 ministers, including Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, the world’s sixty-first richest man and the largest shareholder in Citi, News Corp. and Twitter. The purge was orchestrated by a new “supreme committee” to investigate public corruption created by King Salman but under the control of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who chairs the committee and is widely...
Read More »Governments Adopt the Blockchain, To Improve Efficiency and Build Trust
The Economist reports about government initiatives aimed at using blockchain technology in the public sector. Possible uses include land registries, identity-management systems, health-care records, or elections. Proponents expect the technology to improve efficiency and transparency and foster trust. Adoption requires significant investments. According to a survey “nine in ten government organisations say they plan to invest in blockchain technology to help manage financial transactions,...
Read More »John Kerry: “You cannot put the globalization genie back in the bottle”
At the 19th Credit Suisse Salon in Dubai on May 09, 2017, former US Secretary John Kerry sat down in conversation with Sir John Major, former UK Prime Minister, on Living in times of uncertainty: the path ahead for the Middle East. They covered a wide range of topics: climate change, the Iran deal, Syria, the root causes for the surge in public...
Read More »Digital Gold – For Now Caveat Emptor
Digital Gold On The Blockchain – For Now Caveat Emptor – Bitcoin surpasses gold price – a psychological and arbitrary headline – Royal Mint blockchain gold asks you to trust in the UK government – Royal Canadian Mint and GoldMoney blockchain product asks you to trust in government and the technology, servers, websites etc of the providers – Invest in a gold mine using cryptocurrency – but wait until 2022 for your gold...
Read More »Digital Gold – For Now Caveat Emptor
Digital Gold On The Blockchain - For Now Caveat Emptor - Bitcoin surpasses gold price - a psychological and arbitrary headline - Royal Mint blockchain gold asks you to trust in the UK government - Royal Canadian Mint and GoldMoney blockchain product asks you to trust in government and the technology, servers, websites etc of the providers - Invest in a gold mine using cryptocurrency - but wait until 2022 for your gold and trust the miners that it is there - Blockchain and gold will...
Read More »Dollar, Futures Slump; Gold Spikes Over $1,200 After Trump Disappoints Markets
Risk assets declined across the globe, with European, Asian shares and S&P 500 futures all falling, while the dollar slumped against most currencies after a news conference by President-elect Donald Trump disappointed investors with limited details of his economic-stimulus plans, and the Trumpflation/reflation trade was said to be unwinding. "The risk was always that a president like Trump would end up upsetting that consensus (of faster U.S. growth, stronger dollar) view by introducing...
Read More »Gold Market Charts – A Month in Review
BullionStar has recently started a new series of posts highlighting charts relating to some of the most important gold markets, gold exchanges and gold trends around the world. The posts include charts of the Chinese Gold Market, the flow of gold from West to East via the London and Swiss gold markets, and the holdings of gold-backed Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). This is the second post in the series. Please see...
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