Skip to main content

CARTES examines the pros and cons of Bitcoin

Money is changing. Despite some widely-publicised recent problems, the Bitcoin system is now worth around €7 billion ($8.9 billion) and other ‘crypto-currencies’ such as Ripple are gaining momentum. The success of these pioneers shows that customers are increasingly ready to consider payment systems that are different from traditional dollars, euros and yen.
November 3, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Money is changing. Despite some widely-publicised recent problems, the Bitcoin system is now worth around €7 billion ($8.9 billion) and other ‘crypto-currencies’ such as Ripple are gaining momentum.

The success of these pioneers shows that customers are increasingly ready to consider payment systems that are different from traditional dollars, euros and yen. But how mature are these new systems? Are they near the point at which ordinary consumers, not just those interested in technology, will start to use them? Will governments allow them to become parallel currencies? What are the dangers of criminals using them to hide their financial transactions? The importance of crypto-currencies is discussed in several presentations throughout today. A panel discussion, ‘The future of Bitcoin’, will consider whether governments may step in to regulate the Bitcoin universe. If they do so, will that remove the anonymous nature of transactions? Chaired by Windsor Holden, research director at Juniper Research, the session will include Eric Larcheveque, CEO of La Maison du Bitcoin and Pierre Noizat, COO and co-founder of Paymium. Sessions throughout the day will look at the benefits of Bitcoin and other crypto- currencies. In one of the most intriguing of these, Richard Perry, vice-president sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa for Biocatch, will tell the audience ‘How to become a successful Bitcoin thief’. Speakers will also consider ‘The future of cash’ and ‘The new generation of digital wallets’. Traditional methods of payment will not disappear quickly, however. And industry experts will also give advice on how legacy service providers can benefit from the new payment methods by completing and integrating services for merchants and buyers using the new systems.

‘Wallets, Bitcoins, new means of payments’,
9:30 - 17:00 Room 2

Related Content

  • Study shows Irish speed cameras provide five-fold benefit
    April 30, 2015
    Ireland’s mobile speed cameras have been shown to save lives and money but face a legal challenge. David Crawford reports. In 2011 the Republic of Ireland introduced mobile safety cameras on dangerous roads which have, according to the country’s first cost-benefit analysis of the technology, saved an average of 23 lives a year.
  • Savings accrue from on-line from truck screening
    October 18, 2013
    An online truck pre-clearance system is allowing enforcement to be better targeted towards offending vehicles. Utah is the latest US State department of transportation (DOT) to deploy HELP (Heavy Vehicle Electronic License Plate) Inc’s new 360SmartView electronic truck screening and sorting system at vehicle inspection sites to speed up compliance checks. The initial locations will be at Perry on Interstate 15 (I-15), which were the first sites in the state to implement HELP’s PrePass transponder-based v
  • Road user charging - replacing the gas tax with a mileage based fee
    January 19, 2012
    Oregon Department of Transportation's James Whitty discusses his state's progress with VMT fee-based charging. Back in 2001, the state of Oregon stole a lead on the rest of the US when it decided to address the need to do something about the gas tax and its decreasing ability to fund highway construction and upkeep. Recognising that a dwindling pot of money could only shrink further as vehicles became more fuelefficient, Oregon's Legislative Assembly passed laws which led to the setting up, by the state's g
  • USDOT 2014 ITS World Congress update
    August 28, 2014
    The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) is offering ITS World Congress attendees a chance to experience the future of transportation – connected vehicles. USDOT's presence at the event includes a central booth featuring driving simulations of connected vehicle applications, the premiere of a new animation video illustrating the benefits of connected vehicle technology and take-home materials for more information. Together with its research partners, USDOT is also offering two demonstrations of wirel