The Future of Money

SCAN TO REGISTER:

FORUM AUSSENPOLITIK FORUM DE POLITIQUE ÉTRANGÈRE FORUM DI POLITICA ESTERA IN COLLABORATION WITH

THE FUTURE OF MONEY CELEBRATING ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY, FORAUS PRESENTS:

AN INTERACTIVE PODIUM DISCUSSION - COME AND CHALLENGE THE EXPERTS!

CRYPTOCURRENCIES: ASSAULT ON STATE SOVEREIGNTY OR VITAL INNOVATION DRIVER FOR SWITZERLAND? OCTOBER 22, 2019 | 6.30 PM UNIVERSITY OF ST.GALLEN AUDIMAX (ROOM 09-010) This event will be held in English.

AN INTERACTIVE PODIUM DISCUSSION - COME AND CHALLENGE THE EXPERTS! About: The traditional monetary system is challenged on many fronts. Ultra-low or even negative interest rates have become the new normal, undermine the stability of the economic system and national states’ control over the monetary system. At the same time, the challenge to traditional statesponsored fiat money posed by cryptocurrencies such as Libra, based in Geneva, or Ethereum, based in Zug, has received fierce criticism from central banks, politicians and governmental institutions alike. Especially in the United States concerns are being raised that cryptocurrencies pose a threat to the national security as it undermines the financial monopoly of the state and allows states such as North Korea or Venezuela to generate illicit income and to circumvent international financial oversight and regulations. Switzerland has been at the forefront of these developments as an innovative platform and international hub for digital currencies. Potential rewards from its pioneering role in this emerging economy and their risk both for the reputation of Switzerland and the international political order require thoughtful balance and an answer to the question: Do cryptocurrencies represent the bright, prosperous future of money and vital innovation driver for the Swiss financial center or an assault on state sovereignty and a threat to the international political system?

Our speakers: Demelza Hays Ph.D. Candidate and Cross-Faculty Lecturer on Bitcoin and Blockchain Technology at University of Liechtenstein. She is the editor of the Crypto Research Report published by Incrementum AG, and a fund manager of a regulated Alternative Investment Fund that invests in cryptocurrencies at Incrementum AG. Her current research topic is the role of cryptocurrency in asset management. She was awarded the titles «Forbes 30 under 30 DACH» in 2018 and «Forbes 30 under 30 Europe» in 2019.

Prof. Dr. Urs Birchler Professor Emeritus of Banking at University of Zurich and President of The European Economic Money and Finance Forum (SUERF). He spent most of his career at the Swiss National Bank (financial stability). For several years he represented SNB at the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. He co-authored «Information Economics» (2007) and his research interests cover banking, bank regulation, and information economics. He recently published an article titled «Der Geburtsfehler des Kryptogeldes» in Schweizer Monat.

Pascal Hügli Journalist and Moderator at Financial Media since 2017. With a BA degree from University of Zurich on Political Economy and Philosophy, he has written various articles on Bitcoin such as «Bitcoin ist die Lösung, nicht das Problem» as a direct rebuttal of Urs Birchler's article. Recently, Pascal Hügli has published a book titled: «Ignorieren auf eigene Gefahr – die neue dezentrale Welt von Bitcoin und Blockchain» (2019).

About Foraus: The Think Tank foraus (Swiss Forum on Foreign Policy) generates independent, high quality recommendations for Swiss foreign policy decision makers and the public, thereby bridging the gap between academia and politics. st.gallen@foraus.ch | www.foraus.ch | FB: @forausSt.Gallen

FORUM AUSSENPOLITIK FORUM DE POLITIQUE ÉTRANGÈRE FORUM DI POLITICA ESTERA