Accenture, CME Group and TMX Group Join Leading Blockchain Trade Association

February 3, 2017 by Chamber

Newsroom

Accenture, CME Group and TMX Group Join Leading Blockchain Trade Association

February 2, 2017 – Washington, D.C. – The Chamber of Digital Commerce, the world’s leading blockchain trade association, is pleased to announce the addition of three new market leading companies to its membership to help educate, promote and accelerate the adoption of blockchain-enabled technologies.

Accenture (NYSE: ACN), CME Group (NASDAQ: CME) and TMX Group (TSE: X) are among an array of new Chamber members that have joined the roster of influential industry participants over the past year. This includes a wide range of small and large participants committed to innovating with or investing in the blockchain ecosystem.

“It’s been inspiring to see the Chamber’s membership grow into such a prestigious global business community,” said Perianne Boring, founder and president of the Chamber of Digital Commerce. “The diverse expertise and market leadership that these new members bring to the table is invaluable, and their support will help drive our policy efforts forward in Washington, D.C. and beyond.”

“The prospects for blockchain use in large-scale enterprise IT systems are becoming more and more vivid,” said David Treat, managing director of Accenture’s financial services industry blockchain practice. “With prototypes heading out of labs and into production within regulated sectors like banking, capital markets, insurance and healthcare, industry-regulators are studying the opportunities and challenges this technology presents to traditional compliance frameworks. Accenture is committed to supporting these efforts by leveraging our expertise across the company – from regulation to innovation – to make blockchain a reality for our clients. The mission of the Chamber of Digital Commerce is well aligned to these goals and we are very pleased to be part of it.”

“As a leading global financial institution, we are pleased to support the Chamber’s work to drive appropriate policy around blockchain technology innovation. We look forward to working with the Chamber and its esteemed members to grow this important area of fintech,” said Rumi Morales, CME Group Executive Director, CME Ventures, and Chamber of Digital Commerce Advisory Board Member.

“We are proud to join the Chamber of Digital Commerce,” said John Lee, Vice-President, Innovation and Enterprise Delivery, TMX Group. “As TMX’s digital strategy takes shape, this is an excellent opportunity to collaborate and partner with the Chamber and its members to position Canada as a global leader in the adoption of blockchain-based technology and other digital assets.”

As blockchain and distributed ledger technologies re-imagine global finance and commerce, strategic engagement with the public policy community has become a key element for continued growth and innovation. On March 15-16, 2017, the Chamber is hosting its annual DC Blockchain Summit in partnership with Georgetown University Center for Financial Markets and Policy, where industry and government leaders from around the world will discuss the future state of this transformative technology.

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About the Chamber of Digital Commerce

The Chamber of Digital Commerce is the world’s leading trade association dedicated to promoting the understanding, acceptance and use of digital assets and blockchain-based technologies. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Chamber is the founder of the Smart Contracts Alliance, the Blockchain Alliance, the Global Blockchain Forum and many other key industry initiatives. For more information, please visit DigitalChamber.org or follow us on Twitter: @ChamberDigital.

Chamber Media Contact:
Erin Tye
Paragon Public Relations
Erin@paragonpr.com
+1.646.558.6226

CME Group Executive Joins Chamber of Digital Commerce Board of Advisors

December 7, 2016 by Chamber

Newsroom

CME Group Executive Joins Chamber of Digital Commerce Board of Advisors

December 7, 2016 – Washington, D.C. – The Chamber of Digital Commerce proudly announces the appointment of Rumi Morales to its distinguished Board of Advisors.

Morales leads CME Ventures, a wholly owned subsidiary of CME Group, the world’s leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace. CME Ventures makes minority stake investments in early stage companies that may impact the financial services industry, including digital asset and distributed ledger technologies.

Before joining CME Group in 2010, Morales led the APAC business of Goldman Sachs’ Global Markets Institute in Hong Kong. She was named to Crain’s Chicago Business 2014 Tech 50, Institutional Investor’s 2015 and 2016 Fintech Finance 35, and Crain’s Chicago Business 2015 40 Under 40 lists.

“Blockchain technology is beginning to transform the way financial markets operate and holds the same potential for risk management,” said Morales. “The Chamber of Digital Commerce is securing the future of this technology by driving appropriate policy, and CME Group is committed to advancing this shared vision and encouraging innovation in fintech.”

“The Chamber made great strides in increasing the public-private dialogue since our inception just 30 months ago, however there is much work to do to promote the advancement of blockchain-based technologies,” said Perianne Boring, Founder & President of the Chamber of Digital Commerce. “Rumi brings a wealth of energy and experience and we are excited to have her on our team.”

“To foster institutional adoption of blockchain-based technologies, established financial leaders like CME Group are critical for the transition from promise to reality,” said Matthew Roszak, Chairman of the Chamber of Digital Commerce. “We are honored to welcome Rumi Morales to our advisory board, as the Chamber will greatly benefit from her leadership and expertise.”

The Chamber represents the world’s leading innovators, operators and investors in the digital asset and blockchain technology ecosystem, including start-ups, sofware companies, global IT consultancies, financial institutions and investment firms. Membership is open to all those committed to supporting and growing this thriving community.

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About the Chamber of Digital Commerce

Chamber Media Contact:
Patrick Sutton
patrick@paragonpr.com
+1.609.489.1781

Chamber of Digital Commerce Releases Smart Contracts White Paper

December 6, 2016 by Chamber

Newsroom

Chamber of Digital Commerce Releases Smart Contracts White Paper

Paper Unveiled Featuring 12 Use Cases at Smart Contracts Symposium in NYC

December 6, 2016 – New York, N.Y. – The Chamber of Digital Commerce published “Smart Contracts: 12 Use Cases for Business & Beyond” at its Smart Contracts Symposium. The inaugural event took place yesterday at the Microsoft Technology Center in Times Square, New York. The white paper was developed by the Smart Contracts Alliance, a working group of the Chamber of Digital Commerce, in collaboration with Deloitte, which is leading blockchain innovation as the world’s largest professional services firm. Smart contracts are a digital, self-executing means of transferring assets or conducting actions based on rules developed utilizing blockchain technology.

In the white paper’s foreword, smart contracts pioneer Nick Szabo who provided the keynote at the Symposium, shared, “blockchain technology appears very much to be the jet fuel necessary for smart contracts to become commonplace in business transactions and beyond. It is a delight to be part of a community committed to fostering the tenants of open source cooperation, privacy and security, education in technology, and working for a common social good.” The white paper presents twelve smart contract use cases across a range of industries and topics, including:

Digital Identity
Records
Securities
Trade Finance
Derivatives
Financial Data Recording
Mortgages
Land Title Recording
Supply Chain
Auto Insurance
Clinical Trials
Cancer Research

The white paper also sets out the legal and regulatory considerations in relation to the implementation of smart contracts.

“Smart contracts will bring clarity, efficiency and predictability to the way we conduct business,” said Jason Brett, Director of Operations at the Chamber of Digital Commerce, at the Smart Contracts Symposium. “On behalf of the Smart Contracts Alliance, I am pleased to present this paper to the business and policy communities, and would like to thank all of our members and contributors for their collaborative and valuable contributions to this white paper.”

The paper is available for download now at www.digitalchamber.org/smartcontracts.html.

Attendees of the Smart Contracts Symposium were the first to receive access to the white paper. The event brought together more than 250 of the world’s leading financial institutions, legal experts and blockchain technologists to discuss the widespread adoption of this new technology.

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About the Chamber of Digital Commerce

Chamber Media Contact:
Erin Tye
Paragon Public Relations
Erin@paragonpr.com
+1.646.558.6226

Chamber of Digital Commerce and Hyperledger Launch Strategic Advocacy and Education Partnership

November 29, 2016 by Chamber

Newsroom

Chamber of Digital Commerce and Hyperledger Launch Strategic Advocacy and Education Partnership

WASHINGTON, D.C. and SAN FRANCISCO, C.A. – November 29, 2016 – The Chamber of Digital Commerce, the world’s largest trade association representing the blockchain industry, and Hyperledger Project, a collaborative cross-industry effort created to advance blockchain technology, today announce a strategic partnership to strengthen industry advocacy and education efforts.

Leveraging the Chamber’s public policy expertise and Hyperledger’s technology expertise, both market leading organizations will further promote the understanding, acceptance and use of digital assets and blockchain-based technologies.

Areas of common interest that the Chamber and Hyperledger will immediately begin focusing on, include public policy efforts, intellectual property issues, and global regulatory and technical interoperability.

“Active engagement and collaboration between government authorities and the open source blockchain technology community is essential to realizing the potential of these new platforms and tools,” said Brian Behlendorf, executive director of the Hyperledger Project. “I am pleased to welcome the Chamber of Digital Commerce to the Hyperledger Project. The policy expertise they bring will be extremely beneficial to our overall goals of driving open blockchain technology efforts forward.”

“A pro-growth perspective towards regulation and industry standards are some of the biggest challenges the open source community faces,” said Perianne Boring, founder and president of the Chamber of Digital Commerce. “We are excited to work with the technical experts and open source community at the Hyperledger Project to further support our efforts on behalf of the blockchain industry.”

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About the Chamber of Digital Commerce
The Chamber of Digital Commerce is the world’s leading trade association dedicated to promoting the understanding, acceptance and use of digital assets and blockchain-based technologies. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Chamber is the founder of the Smart Contracts Alliance, the Blockchain Alliance, the Global Blockchain Forum and many other key industry initiatives. For more information, please visit DigitalChamber.org or follow us on Twitter: @ChamberDigital.

About Hyperledger Project
The Hyperledger project is an open source collaborative effort created to advance cross-industry blockchain technologies. It is a
global collaboration including leaders in finance, banking, Internet of Things, supply chains, manufacturing and Technology. The
Linux Foundation hosts Hyperledger as a Collaborative Project under the foundation. To learn more, visit: www.hyperledger.org

Chamber Media Contact:
Erin Tye
Erin@paragonpr.com
+1.646.558.6226

Hyperledger Media Contact:
Jessica Rampen
Jrampen@linuxfoundation.org
+1.650.787.3548

Smart Contracts Symposium Draws Financial Services and Blockchain Leaders to Inaugural Event

November 28, 2016 by Chamber

Newsroom

Smart Contracts Symposium Draws Financial Services and Blockchain Leaders to Inaugural Event

Exclusive Announcements Planned, Smart Contracts Whitepaper to be Unveiled

NEW YORK, N.Y. – November 28, 2016 – The Smart Contracts Symposium, the industry’s first event fully dedicated to smart contract technologies, is being held on December 5, 2016 at the Microsof Technology Center in Times Square, New York. Presented by the Smart Contracts Alliance, an industry initiative of the Chamber of Digital Commerce to promote the understanding and acceptance of blockchain and smart contract technologies.

The Smart Contracts Symposium will bring together more than 250 of the world’s leading financial institutions, legal experts, blockchain technologists and innovators to explore and discuss the adoption of smart contract technologies; as well as a series of exclusive industry announcements and product launches.

Notably, the Smart Contracts Symposium will feature the exclusive debut of Ivy, Chain’s new language for smart contracts. Chain recently released Chain Core Developer Edition, a free and open-source version of its enterprise blockchain platform. Ivy, a domain-specific language designed to write smart contracts for that platform, will be presented to the public for the first time at the Smart Contracts Symposium.

The Smart Contracts Symposium will also feature an exclusive announcement by Microsoft. Attendees will be the first to learn about a new Microsoft project at the cross section of their enterprise initiatives and technology that aligns with their worldwide humanitarian mission.

“Microsoft is honored to host the world’s first Smart Contracts Symposium. Blockchain and smart contracts will transform the next decade of automation and operational efficiency as much or more than the Internet transformed business operations the prior 20 years,” said Yorke Rhodes, Blockchain & Identity Strategist at Microsoft.

Attendees will also be the first to receive access to the Smart Contracts Alliance’s new whitepaper. The whitepaper will feature use case studies on a range of topics, including accounting, real estate, insurance, trade and finance, healthcare and more – from leading companies and innovators in their respective industries.

“Our members have come together to help shape the way smart contracts are understood, developed and adopted,” said Perianne Boring, founder and president of the Chamber of Digital Commerce. “Attendees will have exclusive access to news and innovations from industry leaders, the opportunity to discuss real world use cases, and network with potential partners and clients.”

The title sponsor of the event is Deloitte, one of the world’s leading professional service firms. Event sponsors also include Bloq, Chain, IBM, Microsoft, Perkins Coie and Symbiont.

Smart contracts pioneer Nick Szabo is keynoting the event, with featured speakers from Smart Contracts Alliance co-chairs Norton Rose Fulbright and Symbiont; as well as Bloq, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Chain, ConsenSys, Deloitte, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, IBM, Microsoft and Perkins Coie.

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About the Chamber of Digital Commerce

Chamber Media Contact:
Erin Tye
Erin@paragonpr.com
+1.646.558.6226

Chamber of Digital Commerce to Host World’s First Smarts Contracts Symposium

October 24, 2016 by Chamber

Newsroom

Chamber of Digital Commerce to Host World’s First Smarts Contracts Symposium

Industry Pioneer Nick Szabo to Keynote Event

October 24, 2016 – Washington, D.C. – The Smart Contracts Alliance, an industry initiative founded by the Chamber of Digital Commerce to promote the real-world application of smart contracts, is hosting the Smart Contracts Symposium, the world’s first event dedicated to smart contracts, on December 5, 2016 in New York.

Nick Szabo, Founder & CEO of Global Financial Access, a renowned cryptographer who coined the term “smart contracts” will be keynoting the event.

“The Chamber of Digital Commerce is spearheading an important initiative to help educate the business and policy community about the unique opportunities and challenges of smart contracts technologies,” said Nick Szabo.

The Chamber expects to host over 250 executives from financial institutions and firms exploring this technology at Microsoft’s Times Square Headquarters.

“Attendees will have unprecedented insight into the past, present and future of smart contracts technology,” said Perianne Boring, Founder & President of the Chamber of Digital Commerce.

Co-Chaired by Mark Smith, CEO of Symbiont, and Sean Murphy, Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, the Smart Contracts Alliance is comprised of thought leaders and innovators from the technology, legal, and financial services industries.

The Smart Contracts Alliance launched in July 2016, and its participants include: Blake, Cassles & Graydon, Bloq, Cognizant, ConsenSys, Deloitte, The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, Monax (formerly Eris Industries), Georgetown University’s Center for Financial Markets and Policy, Gem, IBM, Microsoft, MIT Internet Trust Consortium, Norton Rose Fulbright, Perkins Coie, Pillsbury Law, String Labs, Symbiont, Tether, t0.com and Wipfli.

To attend the event, please visit our page on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/smart-contracts-symposium-tickets-28820373513

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About the Chamber of Digital Commerce

Chamber Media Contact:
Erin Tye
Paragon Public Relations
Erin@paragonpr.com
+1.646.558.6226

DCU Becomes First Credit Union to Join Chamber of Digital Commerce

October 17, 2016 by Chamber

Newsroom

DCU Becomes First Credit Union to Join Chamber of Digital Commerce

Washington, D.C. and Marlborough, Massachusetts (October 17, 2016) — Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) has joined the Chamber of Digital Commerce, the world’s leading trade association representing the blockchain industry.

Its membership reflects DCU’s reputation as an early adopter of technology, which it earned as one of the first credit unions to launch a website in 1995, introduce the ability for members to remotely deposit checks in 2008, and be one of the first financial institutions to implement mobile banking applications in 2010.

“We believe distributed ledger technology has the potential to make a positive impact for credit unions and their members,” said Jim Regan, President and CEO of DCU. “Our membership to the Chamber will help us provide convenient, cost effective banking options.”

With over 500,000 members in all 50 states, DCU is one of the 20 largest credit unions, as measured by asset size, in the U.S., and the largest in New England.

“We’re thrilled to welcome DCU as the first credit union in the Chamber of Digital Commerce,” said Perianne Boring, Founder and President of the Chamber of Digital Commerce. “We’re preparing for a wave of distributed ledger technology uptake among financial institutions worldwide, and we commend DCU taking the first step in realizing the transformative potential of blockchain technology, and the importance of collaboration.”

The Chamber of Digital Commerce represents the world’s leading innovators, operators and investors in the digital asset and blockchain technology ecosystem, including start-ups, software companies, global IT consultancies, financial institutions and investment firms. Membership is open to all those committed to supporting and growing this thriving community.

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About DCU
DCU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative serving over 500,000 members
across all 50 states by offering a full range of financial services to consumers and businesses
including banking, lending, financial wealth management, insurance, and realty products. For
more information, please visit: www.dcu.org, or follow them @DCUcreditunion on Twitter.

Chamber Media Contact:
Erin Tye
Paragon Public Relations
Erin@paragonpr.com
+1.646.558.6226

DCU Media Contact:
John LaHair
Marketing Manager
jlahair@dcu.org
+1508.263.6887

Blockchain Innovation Center Opens in Washington, DC

September 27, 2016 by Chamber

Newsroom

Blockchain Innovation Center Opens in
Washington, DC

Washington, DC – September 27, 2016 — The Chamber of Digital Commerce and technology incubator 1776 have partnered to launch the DC Blockchain Center to serve as Washington, DC’s entrepreneurial resource for technology providers and governments investing and innovating in blockchain-based technologies.

The DC Blockchain Center at 1776 is the first blockchain incubator in Washington, DC. It’s focused on helping regulators and government agencies, including state, federal and international, understand the potential benefits of blockchain technology and public sector use cases, and to provide a forum for the public and private sectors to collaborate.

“We strongly believe that one of the most effective forms of advocacy is for the government to utilize and implement blockchain technology, and to experience the benefits first hand,” says Perianne Boring, Founder and President of the Chamber of Digital Commerce.

The DC Blockchain Center has already received requests from government agencies looking for blockchain technology resources, and anticipates further inquiries around issues like cybersecurity, identity management and asset registry.

“FinTech is a challenging space for governments and their constituents,” said Evan Burnfield, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of 1776. “We’re thrilled to welcome the DC Blockchain Center and its community of innovators to 1776. It’s uniquely positioned to connect the dots for government agencies and drive massive scale success through our connections, resources and mentoring programs.”

This incubator is one of many efforts being undertaken at 1776 to foster innovation around financial technology.

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About 1776
1776 is a public benefit corporation that scouts and funds high-growth startups around the world focused on solving society’s most fundamental challenges in sectors like education, energy, transportation and financial services. Launched by co-CEOs Donna Harris and Evan Burfield and headquartered in Washington, D.C., with additional campuses in Dubai and San Francisco, 1776 serves
hundreds of startups and institutions worldwide through its innovation curriculum, mentorship, investment and programming. It hosts more than 500 international events per year that attract heads of state, Fortune 500 CEOs, influential investors and global press. For more information, please visit www.1776.vc and follow @1776 on Twitter and @1776vc on Instagram.

Chamber Media Contact:
Patrick Sutton
Paragon Public Relations
patrick@paragonpr.co
+1.646.558.6226

Cognizant Joins Chamber of Digital Commerce

September 8, 2016 by Chamber

Newsroom

Cognizant Joins Chamber of Digital Commerce

Global Consulting, Technology and Business Services Leader to Participate in Blockchain Trade Group

Washington, D.C., September 8, 2016 — Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH), a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process services, has joined the Executive Committee of the Chamber of Digital Commerce. The Chamber is the world’s leading trade association representing the blockchain industry and works closely with policymakers, regulators and industry to develop a pro-growth legal environment that fosters innovation, jobs and investment.

Cognizant is engaged in an array of initiatives to test the potential of blockchain; including the creation of accelerators that design, prototype and test solutions for digital asset issuance and transfer, secure document exchange, digital identity, and many others. Earlier this year, Cognizant announced its work with Mizuho Financial Group to develop a blockchain solution for secure record keeping of documents across the Group’s global companies.

“Blockchain technology is poised to change the face of the banking and financial services industry, providing the opportunity to create new digital business models, streamline business processes, and modernize existing IT systems,” said Prasad Chintamaneni, President, Global Industries and Consulting at Cognizant. “Cognizant was one of the early movers in the blockchain space and we continue to significantly invest in our capabilities to develop enterprise-ready solutions to help clients navigate this shift and become digital enterprises. We’re excited to be working with the Chamber of Digital Commerce to further the adoption and progression of blockchain technology and accelerate its implementation across industries.”

“Cognizant is yet another example of an established industry leader realizing the transformative potential of blockchain technology, and the importance of collaboration,” said Perianne Boring, Founder and President of the Chamber. “For blockchain to reach its maximum potential leaders across every industry will need to contribute to the policy efforts to help shape the future of this new and transformative technology.”

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About Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process services, dedicated to helping the world’s leading companies build stronger businesses. Headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey (U.S.), Cognizant combines a passion for client satisfaction, technology innovation, deep industry and business process expertise, and a global, collaborative workforce that embodies the future of work. With over 100 development and delivery centers worldwide and approximately 244,300 employees as of June 30, 2016, Cognizant is a member of the NASDAQ-100, the S&P 500, the Forbes Global 2000, and the Fortune 500 and is ranked among the top performing and fastest growing companies in the world. Visit us online at https://www.cognizant.com or follow us on Twitter: Cognizant.

Chamber Media Contact:
Patrick Sutton
Paragon Public Relations
Patrick@paragonpr.com
+1.646.558.6226

Chamber Submits Industry Comments to European Securities and Markets Authority

September 2, 2016 by Chamber

Newsroom

Chamber Submits Industry Comments to European Securities and Markets Authority

Washington, D.C. September 2, 2016 –The Chamber of Digital Commerce has submitted comments to the European Securities and Markets Authority (“ESMA”), in response to its discussion paper titled “The Distributed Ledger Technology Applied to Securities Markets,” in which it asks market participants various questions regarding distributed ledger technology (“DLT”) in the securities markets.

ESMA is an independent European authority that was established to protect investors and promote stable and orderly financial markets. ESMA is developing EU-wide Technical Standards that will become the framework for any anticipated regulations.

Given the impact regulation applied to DLT in the EU will have on the development of DLT at a global level, the Chamber submitted comprehensive comments to ESMA. Over a dozen Chamber member companies provided input and interviews for the Chamber’s comments, which were prepared with guidance from Kari Larsen, counsel at Reed Smith LLP.

“Blockchain technology has the potential to significantly improve many business processes within the global securities market,” said Perianne Boring, Founder and President of the Chamber of Digital Commerce. “Regulators should not be too quick to act individually to respond with prescriptive legislation that could stifle innovation.”

Instead the Chamber urges ESMA to coordinate efforts with other regulators to understand the new technology, and develop international standards and best practices as the technology matures. With global standards in place, national regulators will have a basis to develop local legislation and legal treatment.

The Chamber also raised industry-wide concerns about the EU’s data privacy regulations. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)’s “right of access” and the “right to be forgotten,” for example, may impact the deployment of permission-less DLT networks. Regulatory flexibility that enables differing methods of compliance will be critical for the uptake of blockchain technology in the EU.

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About the Chamber of Digital Commerce

Chamber Media Contact:
Erin Tye
Paragon Public Relations
Erin@paragonpr.com
+1.646.558.6226