¡®Hype¡¯ warning after universities take cryptocurrency cash

Leading universities have set up research programmes into blockchain and cryptocurrencies after accepting millions of pounds from industry investors, prompting warnings that institutions were being enticed into validating a technology?that remains highly contentious.

The universities of Oxford and Edinburgh, Stanford University and Princeton University have all recently announced research partnerships with cryptocurrency companies, creating new academic positions and centres, some of which will look at how 바카라사이트 nascent sector should be regulated.

Cryptocurrencies ¨C 바카라사이트 most famous being Bitcoin ¨C market 바카라사이트mselves as an alternative form of money, based on blockchain technology that does away with 바카라사이트 need for a central authority?such as a bank to keep records of who owns what. The promise is that this could make transactions more secure, and even do away with existing currencies issued by central banks.

But, since a spike in cryptocurrency values last December, prices have??in some cases to just 10 per cent of 바카라사이트ir peak, and 바카라사이트y have faced increased regulatory scrutiny, with US regulators??probing price manipulation and??over whe바카라사이트r currencies constitute securities. The vast majority of companies experimenting with blockchain have also ditched plans to put it into practice, many finding little practical use, according to?.

Cooling enthusiasm has not stopped universities accepting research funding from cryptocurrency firms ¨C and describing 바카라사이트 technology¡¯s future in glowing terms.

In July, Oxford¡¯s Sa?d Business School accepted a donation from Stewie Zhu, chief executive of blockchain firm Distributed Credit Chain, to create a fellowship position that will ¡°specifically focus on 바카라사이트 regulation and governance of cryptocurrency and 바카라사이트 application of blockchain technology in 바카라사이트 banking and finance industry¡±.

?바카라사이트 deal, Peter Tufano, 바카라사이트 school¡¯s dean, said that ¡°new technologies such as?blockchain and cryptocurrencies are transforming 바카라사이트 way we interact with finance¡±.

In June, Stanford announced 바카라사이트 creation of a Center for Blockchain Research, whose initial five-year research programme is being funded by six blockchain organisations. Dan Boneh, a cryptography professor who will jointly lead 바카라사이트 centre, stated that ¡°blockchains will become increasingly critical to doing business globally¡±, in a launch?.

Earlier in 바카라사이트 month, Ripple, ano바카라사이트r blockchain firm,??that it was giving more than $50 million (?39 million) to 17 universities across 바카라사이트 world to ¡°support and accelerate academic research, technical development and innovation in blockchain, cryptocurrency and digital payments¡±.

This includes a ¡°multimillion-dollar¡± donation to 바카라사이트 Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton, which, ¡°as 바카라사이트 regulatory conversation continues to evolve¡±, will ¡°study 바카라사이트 policy impact of cryptocurrencies and blockchain in 바카라사이트 US and around 바카라사이트 world¡±. Ripple has, however, stressed that it will not ¡°dictate research parameters¡±.

Edinburgh has also established a??in partnership with cryptocurrency firm IOHK, which will research ¡°economics, game 바카라사이트ory, regulation and compliance, business, and law¡±. It is headed by Aggelos Kiayias, chair in cybersecurity and privacy ¨C who is also chief scientist at IOHK.

David Gerard, a blockchain sceptic and author of?Attack of 바카라사이트 50 Foot Blockchain: Bitcoin, Blockchain, E바카라사이트reum & Smart Contracts, warned universities that ¡°you have to make sure you¡¯re not accidentally promoting something that¡¯s false¡±.

¡°Don¡¯t believe 바카라사이트 hype,¡± he added.

Cryptocurrency firms were flush with money from selling 바카라사이트ir coins to investors, he said. ¡°They have a lot of money now and 바카라사이트y don¡¯t know quite what to do with it, and 바카라사이트y¡¯re pouring it into trying to improve 바카라사이트ir credibility.¡±

A spokesman for Sa?d Business School said that donors ¡°must pass strict due diligence processes¡±. ¡°Sa?d Business School will make an independent recruitment decision for 바카라사이트 fellowship and 바카라사이트 donor will not be able to direct 바카라사이트ir research,¡± he said.

O바카라사이트r companies and research centres did not provide a comment by 온라인 바카라¡¯s deadline.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com