Forbes FinTech50 showcases the 50 most impactful companies in the FinTech industry (for the US) when it comes to innovation and growth, across multiple sectors such as real estate, lending, payments, blockchain, and personal finance.  Half of the list belongs to firms operating out of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Robinhood’s Value Proposition:

Democratize the American financial system (through a commission-free service for transacting stock, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies).

Companies and consumers are still waiting for THE mainstream opening / application for blockchain — and where cryptocurrency and finance have failed,  gaming will succeed in a global breakout of adoption.

Ripple’s Value Proposition: Help financial institutions process customer’s transfers (payments) anywhere in the world reliably, cost-effectively, and instantly.

From online banking to healthcare and social media, personal information is widely available and easily exposed more than ever before.  The trend of  smartphone applications tracking location, financial, and biometric data to make common day-to-day activities easier and convenient, has only intensified the debate on privacy.  With higher risk has come an increasing rate of privacy breaches that have prompted blockchain projects to be developed as a solution to address this issue with security and transparency.

The biggest catalyst for the birth of today’s cryptocurrencies came from a 9-page white paper published by Satoshi Nakamoto, a pseudonym name for an anonymous person or group, in October 2008.

Despite the increasing levels of awareness with this new technology, industry insiders still have difficulty explaining to the general public what blockchain is and what potential it has, making it difficult to build belief for the masses.

Enthusiasts behind bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies firmly believe that today's fiat currency will become a thing of the past.  The principal elements behind the utility of traditional fiat money are somewhat comparable to crypto with even more added benefits that go beyond cash....

With all the hype around cryptocurrency these last 6 months, industry enthusiasts are looking to help educate the general public on what truly is considered crypto and what isn’t.

As we reach mid-2018, blockchain (the technology behind cryptocurrencies like bitcoin) has become even more popular and widely discussed.  For many that have put off learning about the new tech, there’s still time to get hands-on …..

Bitcoin, and the cryptocurrency movement, evolved from the financial crisis of 2008 as an industry solution that could stand alone on its own, without an intermediary or governing authority.  In the last 10 years, the crypto sector has gained popularity and mass appeal from its tremendous growth (especially in 2017).  Despite all the headlines, there is still some mystery as to how cryptocurrency can benefit the global financial system, and what else exists beyond Bitcoin.

When it comes to cryptocurrency, everyone already knows about Bitcoin and some are familiar with Ethereum, but what about Ripple?  As the 3rd largest crypto by market cap, Ripple has risen to fame with its promise of real-time, low cost global transfers - - but, how close is the company and its currency (XRP) to realizing this potential?

As cryptocurrency markets start heating back up, there’s increased debate about how investors should categorize this controversial  value source.  Three regulating agencies in the U.S (SEC, IRS, FinCEN) all disagree - - considering it a security, property, or a currency (respectively).  Is cryptocurrency even a financial asset or something completely on its own?

As 2018 rolls along, blockchain continues to be a huge buzzword full of tremendous future potential.  With all this attention and promise of innovation, why has the technology not gone mainstream already to the masses?  The answer lies in creating a clear understanding for everyone, which can be definitely be catapulted by a gaming app.