Share this article
Consensus 2017 Recap: Panels Cast Wide Net for Blockchain Discussions
A look back at some of the fascinating and diverse panels that took place at Consensus 2017 this week.
By Stan Higgins
Updated Sep 11, 2021, 1:23 p.m. Published May 28, 2017, 10:00 a.m.
Make us preferred on Google
CoinDesk’s Consensus 2017 blockchain conference was alive with activity last week, so don’t feel bad if you missed some of the talks and presentations that took place.
In addition to our main stage sessions, Consensus 2017 featured a range of panels that honed in on all the opportunities and challenges in the space today. The Consensus 2017 panel circuit included discussions on everything from healthcare to trade finance, Hyperledger to the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance, and blockchain tokens to ICOs.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
Didn’t catch a panel you were hoping to see? Read on for a roundup of CoinDesk’s on-the-ground coverage from the three-day event.
Consensus 2017: People and Machine Problems – Solved on the Blockchain?
According to one panel, what the blockchain space really needs is honesty.
As a number of startups, enterprises, governments and regulators explore and weigh the technology, sharing data about successes – and the failures – is an imperative, argued Rose Chan, founder of the World Bank’s blockchain working group.
"We need more data, we need more pilots and more trials. It is better for the entire ecosystem to be honest about what is not working," said Chan.
Mike Pisa, policy fellow at Center for Global Development – a US think tank focused on international development – echoed that point.
"This is a nascent field, and the startups in the space are tight-lipped about failures," he said.
Consensus 2017: Global Insurers Debate the Future of Prediction Markets
Mainstream insurers tapping blockchain-powered prediction markets? A far-fetched idea perhaps, but one that caught wind in a discussion at Consensus.
Jags Rao, blockchain workstream lead at global reinsurer Swiss Re, highlighted the concept as one that’s on the firm's long-term radar.
"It's not in the next couple of years horizon, but it's important to be prepared because that’s where we as an insurance company can contribute knowledge that can help make that work."
Subhajit Mandal, MetLife's director of fintech innovation, wasn’t so sure the idea could be applied to insurance markets, however.
"When it comes to personal health, that data will not be available."
Consensus 2017: Blockchain and Healthcare's People Problem
A number of startups and healthcare companies are now planning to integrate blockchain tech to improve their systems.
But, as discussed on stage at Consensus, the very people the healthcare industry serves could complicate efforts to give them more control over their personal data.
"Consumers don't really know the power of owning their own information,” said Debbie Bucci, one of the leading figures in the US Department of Health and Human Service blockchain initiatives.
Disclosure: CoinDesk is a subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which has an ownership stake in BitPay and BitPesa
Images via CoinDesk
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Gold tops $5,000 as bitcoin stalls near $87,000 in widening macro-crypto split: Asia Morning Briefing
Bitcoin’s onchain data points to supply overhang and weak participation, while gold’s breakout is priced by markets as a durable macro regime shift.
What to know:
- Gold’s surge above $5,000 an ounce is increasingly seen as a durable regime shift, with investors treating the metal as a persistent hedge against geopolitical risk, central bank demand and a weaker dollar.
- Bitcoin is stuck near $87,000 in a low-conviction market, as on-chain data show older holders selling into rallies, newer buyers absorbing losses and a heavy supply overhang capping moves toward $100,000.
- Derivatives and prediction markets point to continued consolidation in bitcoin and sustained strength in gold, with thin futures volumes, subdued leverage and weak demand for higher-beta crypto assets like ether reinforcing the cautious tone.
Top Stories
