UK companies are more invested in crypto and blockchain than we realise

UK companies are more invested in crypto and blockchain than we realise

By Benson Toti - min read
Updated 21 March 2023

Well known brands already have blockchain platforms up and running but are keeping it a secret, Crypto Curry Club founder Erica Stanford told Cointext.

The cryptocurrency millionaire had to sign non-disclosure agreements before being led on guided tours through companies’ latest blockchain projects. 

“They’ve already got fully working platforms up and running, making money for them, but they don’t want anyone to know about it”, she said.

“I think in some cases they don’t necessarily want the negative association, and some of them have something so new and so ahead of the curve that they’ve got a huge advantage and maybe they don’t want anyone else copying it.”

The problem with rapid, mainstream adoption lies with a lot of scams that are still being associated with crypto and people basically do not understand the currency, nor the technology that lies beneath it.

The barriers for getting a blockchain platform up and running successfully are huge, it’s complicated and also very expensive.

“If you got to pay seven figures and take huge risks and experiment and don’t really know what you’re ending up with- most companies are not going to do that,” Stanford added.

She imagines that ready-made and customisable solutions will be the future, where companies pay a monthly fee to access blockchain services. 

“The beauty of crypto and blockchain is that it goes beyond borders”

Crypto and blockchain technologies have the power to change the world and Stanford makes a case for refugees who had to leave everything behind:

“There are lots of cases of highly qualified refugees who are experienced, intelligent and want to contribute to society but they can’t because they can’t prove where they came from and what qualifications they have.”

If every bit of experience, degrees and certificates could be captured digitally, without any government being able to tamper with it, outlook for refugees would be considerably brighter. 

Digital rights management in the film and music industry

The blockchain enthusiast is working on a few interesting projects, one that will take her to Cannes this autumn. 

The film and music industry need blockchain technology, Spotify’s 1,6 billion dollar copyright lawsuit in 2017 makes one hell of a case study.

“The film industry really struggles at the moment,” Stanford said.

Digital rights management relies on ‘manual’ labour, whereas with blockchain technology, the artist could be automatically paid every time their song or film would be streamed, no matter how small the amount.

With better transparency and a new level of accountability, the industry could benefit from new investments and better payment flow for all parties involved.

Crypto Curry Club in London

Stanford organises regular meet-ups for anyone in the crypto community who is eager to learn and network, not to sell or pitch.

“I’m constantly intimidated by the people who come and slightly honoured and amazed that they’re attending my events,” she said.

Stanford is actively trying to get more women involved, 25% of attendees are female, which is about four times the amount compared to other networking events in the industry. 

Chairmen of large companies, heads of technology from major consulting firms in the city and people with marketing or media backgrounds are amongst the curry attendees. 

The way forward in the crypto and blockchain space is to educate one another, exchange different viewpoints and learn from each other’s projects.

“I’m learning more than my brain can handle,” Stanford added.

For more information on the Crypto Curry Club in London go to http://www.cryptocurryclub.com or contact [email protected] for more details