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
Pudgy Penguins is building a multi-vertical consumer IP platform — combining phygital products, games, NFTs and PENGU to monetize culture at scale.
What to know:
Pudgy Penguins is emerging as one of the strongest NFT-native brands of this cycle, shifting from speculative “digital luxury goods” into a multi-vertical consumer IP platform. Its strategy is to acquire users through mainstream channels first; toys, retail partnerships and viral media, then onboard them into Web3 through games, NFTs and the PENGU token.
The ecosystem now spans phygital products (> $13M retail sales and >1M units sold), games and experiences (Pudgy Party surpassed 500k downloads in two weeks), and a widely distributed token (airdropped to 6M+ wallets). While the market is currently pricing Pudgy at a premium relative to traditional IP peers, sustained success depends on execution across retail expansion, gaming adoption and deeper token utility.
More For You
BNB rises 2.5%, nears $900 mark as prediction market growth signals utility expansion
A new physically backed BNB exchange-traded product launched on Nasdaq Stockholm, adding to existing investment options.
What to know:
- BNB token climbed 2.5% to $89e, approaching the $900 resistance level, with increased trading volume suggesting fresh buying interest.
- A new physically backed BNB exchange-traded product launched on Nasdaq Stockholm, adding to existing investment options like Grayscale's pending ETF filing.
- BNB Chain saw significant growth in prediction markets, with platforms like Opinion Labs logging over $700 million in 7-day trading volume and cumulative trading volumes crossing $20 billion.
Top Stories
