CIOs are charged with sorting the innovation wheat from the chaff -- and with so many systems and services to consider, some tech chiefs feel cryptocurrencies are unlikely to be a key element of their digital transformation strategies any time soon.
Take the example of one IT leader who I spoke with recently: "We're pushing the boundaries in other areas, such as artificial intelligence, but Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are not on our radar at the moment."
While the use of some emerging technologies -- such as using the cloud to help people collaborate or using big data to run analytics -- can often be related to a clear business case, the most obvious use of cryptocurrencies -- paying for goods and services -- still isn't as widespread as many observers might have anticipated when Bitcoin launched in 2009.
Estimates suggest about 15,000 businesses worldwide accept Bitcoin, with around 2,300 of those businesses operating in the US. Those figures sound impressive, but it's also worth bearing in mind that many blue-chip firms still don't accept cryptocurrencies as payment.
For every Microsoft, which allows users to pay for services using Bitcoin, and leisure, travel and food companies -- such as Starbucks, Pavilion Hotels & Resorts, and airBaltic -- that are pushing cryptocurrency trials in a range of areas, there's a host of big-name brands that are proving slower to take the plunge.
Continue reading: https://www.zdnet.com/article/why-should-we-care-about-cryptocurrency-the-business-case-for-investigating-further/
Take the example of one IT leader who I spoke with recently: "We're pushing the boundaries in other areas, such as artificial intelligence, but Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are not on our radar at the moment."
While the use of some emerging technologies -- such as using the cloud to help people collaborate or using big data to run analytics -- can often be related to a clear business case, the most obvious use of cryptocurrencies -- paying for goods and services -- still isn't as widespread as many observers might have anticipated when Bitcoin launched in 2009.
Estimates suggest about 15,000 businesses worldwide accept Bitcoin, with around 2,300 of those businesses operating in the US. Those figures sound impressive, but it's also worth bearing in mind that many blue-chip firms still don't accept cryptocurrencies as payment.
For every Microsoft, which allows users to pay for services using Bitcoin, and leisure, travel and food companies -- such as Starbucks, Pavilion Hotels & Resorts, and airBaltic -- that are pushing cryptocurrency trials in a range of areas, there's a host of big-name brands that are proving slower to take the plunge.
Continue reading: https://www.zdnet.com/article/why-should-we-care-about-cryptocurrency-the-business-case-for-investigating-further/
