Blockchain & Money: Session 18: , by M.I.T. Sloan School of Management with Professor Gary Gensler

Session 18:

Overview:

• Session 18: Study Questions:
  • What are the opportunities that the Intercontinental Exchange is trying to tap with its recent announcement of Bakkt? Is it more about payment solutions or exchange trading?
  • What to Microsoft and Starbucks hope to gain for their business models?
  • Who is Jeff Sprecher? Who is Kelly Loeffler? How did these two–once a power plant entrepreneur and equity research analyst–successfully found a leading trading company, take over the New York Stock Exchange and now challenge conventions with bitcoin and blockchain technology

• Session 18: Readings:
  • ‘ICE Announces Bakkt, a Global Platform and Ecosystem for Digital Assets’, ICE.
  • ‘The NYSE’s Owner Wants to Bring Bitcoin to Your 401(k). Are Crypto Credit Cards Next?’, Forbes.
  • ‘Starbucks App Leads Mobile Payment Competitors’, eMarketer.
  • ‘Kelly Loeffler–Medium’, Kelly Loeffler–3 posts
  • Additional Readings as Posted on Canvas

• Session 18: Guest Questions:
  • General:
    • Where are you from minimalist to maximalist for cryptocurrencies and ICOs?
    • For Blockchain Technology to change the financial sector?
    • Other than Bakkt, what are the most interesting Blockchain and Crypto initiatives you see? What do you think of recent Fidelity announcement?
  • Specific on Bakkt:
    • After more than a year of researching crypto opportunities, why did this approach?
    • What is the value proposition for ICE with its recent announcement of Bakkt?
    • Do you see the value creation more about payment solutions or exchange trading?
    • What do Microsoft and Starbucks hope to gain for their business models?
    • What is potential of blockchain technology to change how ICE provides clearing and trading services?