Congratulations to the inaugural CoinDesk 50.This new list features the most important, innovative and viable projects in the crypto and blockchain industry.In just 11 years, cryptocurrency and its underlying technology has made serious in-roads, promising to reinvent how the world transacts, how the internet will function and how to more equitably distribute resources.CoinDesk has been covering this varied space for seven intense years.Today, we’re honored to present the first 10 protocols, companies and projects we believe have or will have the greatest impact, not only on the industry, but the world at large.This includes billion-dollar corporations like Binance and Coinbase, but also aspirational projects like Cosmos.
We will be releasing the full CoinDesk 50 leading up to, and during, Consensus:Distributed, our free virtual event that starts May 11.(See how we made the choices .)
Your Guide to Consensus: Distributed
Speaking of Consensus, Blockchain Bites will be your guide as the crypto industry’s largest and most ambitious conference goes distributed.For the five days of Consensus: Distributed, your trusted source of daily crypto updates will double its output.Beginning May 11, Blockchain Bites: Consensus Edition will hit your inbox by 7:30 a.m.
ET and then reappear at 5.30 p.m.ET, providing an agenda settings schedule as well as recap of the daily happenings.
Every morning edition will feature a special guest appearance from CoinDesk journalists, who will highlight the panels they’re excited about and reflect on what they’ve learned so far.With 300 speakers, 10,000+ attendees and content streaming 24/7, there will be a lot to talk about.
Related: First Mover: Search Interest in Bitcoin’s Halving Reaches Fever Pitch as Price Hits $10K
For starters, there will be a keynote address by influential economist Carlota Perez , performances from Akon, Haley Smalls, and Skip Marley as well as interactive workshops where you can get your hands on some cryptocurrency.You can also take a walk through Decentraland and tune into CoinDesk TV , a round-the-clock live programming event streaming on CoinDesk.com, YouTube and Twitter from Monday, May 11, at 8:30 a.m.ET to Tuesday, May 12, at 9 a.m.
ET.
We hope to see you online, happy, healthy and ready to get engaged at Consensus: Distributed .Register here.
Now to the news: Voting Pilot
Democrats in the Ohio House of Representatives have proposed launching a blockchain voting pilot for overseas military voters registered in the state.The bill was introduced Tuesday as part of the Democrats’ elections law overhaul.If passed, it would see military members transmit their ballots to election officials via “encrypted blockchain technology” that “protects the security and integrity of the process and protects the voter’s privacy.” The receiving board of elections would then print out that ballot “for counting purposes.”
HSBC to Libra
The Libra Association has named HSBC Chief Legal Officer Stuart Levey as its first chief executive.Joining late this summer, Levey will oversee the association’s efforts to “combine technology innovation with a robust compliance and regulatory framework.” He has been at HSBC since 2012.
Related: The Changemaker: Glen Weyl Puts His Radical Ideas Into Action
Cash App: Revenues and Profits
Cash App saw first quarter revenues from bitcoin of $306 million, a quarterly high for the firm, surpassing all other revenue streams.Profits on its Bitcoin business, however, are minimal at $7 million in Q1, and $8 million through the whole of 2019.
Enter New York
Eris Clearing, the clearing and settlement arm of ErisX, has been awarded a Virtual Currency License from New York’s Department of Financial Services.
Colloquially known as a “BitLicense,” having received one, the company is licensed to operate in the state.
Enter Europe
TokenSoft is bringing its security token issuance platform to Europe through a Switzerland-based counterpart, TokenSoft International AG.The regulated STO platform announced Wednesday that it struck a licensing deal with its eponymous European partner, who now has exclusive continental distribution rights for TokenSoft’s tokenization software..
