On Nov. 10, representatives of IBM, Microsoft, QIWI and Sberbank will gather in Moscow to discuss challenges related to the digitizing of the FinTech sector and its transition to Blockchain.

Representatives of IT, financial system and entrepreneurship will learn more about operational Blockchain projects in Russia and abroad.

There are many reasons to attend the annual Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Russia in 2016, including cases of implementing public and private Blockchains in banking, logistics, real estate and media, as well as issues connected with cryptocurrency regulation.

Authorities go easy on Bitcoin

Bitcoin and Blockchain have yet to be legally defined in 2016 - corresponding draft was not reviewed by the State Duma, and has yet to be revised by the Ministry of Finance - but authorities claim that there are no plans to introduce criminal responsibility for Bitcoin transactions. Meanwhile, a parliamentary working group has been created, with the purpose of developing the concept of national cryptocurrency.

The Head of Interdepartmental Group, Elina Sidorenko, says:

“Our task is to legalize digital currency.”

As a speaker she will discuss the different approaches to defining cryptocurrency and the possible scenario for Russian legislation in this sphere.

Meanwhile, there are no existing obstacles that may hinder Blockchain-based developments. Over the next few years Sberbank will launch a Blockchain-based platform for trade financing, thereby automating the inner workflow and arranging remote customer service. Managing Director for Technology Innovation Center, Ekaterina Frolovicheva will elaborate on what innovations are awaiting Sberbank in the near future.

Developers galore

Blockchain projects are developed in financial, logistics and media sectors as part of private initiatives. Developers of social platform The Voice, Valery Litvin and Dmitry Starodubcev, will talk about the advantages of a Blockchain-based network, where content authors receive micropayments from users as remuneration.

Reports from representatives of Microsoft, QIWI and IBM will be dedicated to the study of Blockchain technologies in financial and IT corporations. Russian Realia’s in this sphere will be highlighted by the Head of FinTech & Blockchain Development Center at Skolkovo, Pavel Novikov and the Director of Innovations Office of the NRU HSE, Marina Guryeva.

Organizers, event company Smile-Expo, say that there will be a demo zone functioning alongside the conference. Developers of software and hardware will present products for the B2B sector, as well as for miners and cryptocurrency users.

The conference will take place on Nov. 10, in Digital October (Moscow, 6 Bersenevskaya promenade, bldg. 3).

Detailed information and registration are available on the website of Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Russia.