Posted by AGORACOM
at 10:13 AM on Friday, July 19th, 2019
AMK – TSX:V
Eric Sprott places 3$ Million with Tudor
Sprott now owns 12.6% on a non-diluted basis, an increase from 7%
AMK holds 20% carried interest at Treaty Creek
2018 drilling ended in 563M of 0.97g/t AU
2019 drilling has begun at Goldstorm
Cardston, Alberta–(Newsfile Corp. – July 19, 2019) – American Creek Resources Ltd. (TSXV: AMK) (OTC Pink: ACKRF) (“American Creek”) is pleased to report that Canadian billionaire Eric Sprott has invested an additional $3,000,000 in JV partner Tudor Gold for the ongoing Treaty Creek drill program currently underway on the Treaty Creek property located in the Golden Triangle of Northwestern British Columbia.
Drilling is continuing on the gold enriched Goldstorm Zone which is on-trend with Seabridges’ Iron Cap Zone located five kilometers to the southwest. Drilling is designed to define a deposit with the potential of being open pit mined. For more details watch the Tudor Gold video here
Darren
Blaney, CEO of American Creek stated: “This further significant
investment by Mr. Sprott is a very solid endorsement of not only our
partner, the Tudor Gold team, but more specifically of the potential of
the flagship Treaty Creek project. Our 20% fully carried interest in the
project is looking better and better.”
About American Creek
American
Creek is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company with a strong
portfolio of gold and silver properties in British Columbia. Three of
those properties are located in the prolific “Golden Triangle”; the
Treaty Creek and Electrum joint venture projects with Tudor Gold/Walter
Storm as well as the 100% owned past producing Dunwell Mine.
The
Corporation also holds the Gold Hill, Austruck-Bonanza, Ample Goldmax,
Silver Side, and Glitter King properties located in other prospective
areas of the province.
For further information please contact Kelvin Burton at: Phone: 403 752-4040 or Email: [email protected]. Information relating to the Corporation is available on its website at www.americancreek.com
Posted by AGORACOM
at 9:52 AM on Thursday, July 18th, 2019
SPONSOR: Labrador Gold – Two successful gold explorers lead the way in the Labrador gold rush targeting the under-explored gold potential of the province. Exploration has already outlined district scale gold on two projects, including over a 40km strike length of the Florence Lake greenstone belt, one of two greenstone belts covered by the Hopedale Project.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:39 AM on Thursday, July 18th, 2019
Announced that it signed its first hemp agreement for the supply of full spectrum products to support Spyder’s debut of a hemp infused product line to be sold across the U.S. under its SPDR(R) brand
Spyder is expanding its chain of hemp-infused medical and lifestyle product shops with their new brand
Initial launch will feature four distinct hemp-derived products; Balms at 125mg and 500mg strength, tinctures at 300mg, 500mg and 1,000mg strength, soft gel capsules at 15mg strength and a pet line starting with tinctures at 300 mg strength
Vaughan, Ontario–(July 18, 2019) – Spyder Cannabis Inc. (TSXV: SPDR) (“Spyder“), an established cannabis and vape retail operator intending to become one of North America’s leading hemp-infused medical and lifestyle company, today announced that it signed its first hemp agreement for the supply of full spectrum products to support Spyder’s debut of a hemp infused product line to be sold across the U.S. under its SPDR(R) brand.
Spyder is expanding its chain of hemp-infused medical and lifestyle product shops with their new brand called SPDR (R). These boutique shops will stock Spyder’s SPDR (R) branded hemp infused products developed for an aging, health and wellness demographic. Spyder will offer a wide array of hemp-infused product offerings including; muscle balm, face oil, body lotion and bath salts, as well as hemp-infused tinctures, capsules and sprays. In addition, hemp is a natural source of CBD, the non-intoxicating component of cannabis that can be used for health and wellness purposes in jurisdictions where legally permitted.
The hemp industry is booming and has the potential to become a $22
billion business by 2022, according to cannabis-focused research firm
Brightfield Group. “Spyder plans on executing an aggressive expansion
plan to create a significant retail brand in the U.S. hemp market,”
stated Daniel Pelchovitz, CEO and President of Spyder. “We are very
pleased to partner with this producer which will provide the product
formulation and packaging to help create a premium product line for
consumers across the U.S.”
The initial launch will feature four distinct hemp-derived products;
Balms at 125mg and 500mg strength, tinctures at 300mg, 500mg and 1,000mg
strength, soft gel capsules at 15mg strength and a pet line starting
with tinctures at 300 mg strength.
About Spyder Cannabis
Founded in 2014 Spyder is an established chain of three high-end vape
stores, and two cannabis accessory stores, in Ontario, with locations
in Woodbridge, Scarborough, Burlington, Pickering and Niagara Falls. The
Spyder brand is defined by its high-quality proprietary line of
e-juice, liquids and exclusive retail deals, dispensed in uniquely
designed stores creating the optimal customer experience. Spyder is
building off this leading retail, distribution and branding eCig and
vapes company and is pursuing expansion into the legal cannabis and hemp
derived market. Spyder has developed a scalable retail model with plans
to create a significant footprint with targeted and disciplined retail
distribution strategy focusing on Canadian retail and U.S. boutique
retail and kiosks in high traffic peripheral areas.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
For more information, please contact:
Spyder Cannabis Inc. Dan Pelchovitz President & Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (905) 265-8273 Email: [email protected]
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider
(as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange)
accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This news release includes statements containing certain
“forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable
securities laws (“forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking
statements are frequently characterized by words such as “plan”,
“continue”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”,
“estimate”, “may”, “will”, “potential”, “proposed” and other similar
words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will”
occur..
These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used
in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the
forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking
statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the
date the statements are made. Any number of risks and uncertainties and
other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ
materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 4:42 PM on Tuesday, July 16th, 2019
HPQ Silicon (HPQ:TSXV) has thrown down the gauntlet with respect to traditional, mega producers of silicon metal with the following recent press release:
“HPQ PUREVAP™ Commercial Plant Costing Indicates Significant Capex Savings Versus Conventional Plants Producing Silicon Metal” In the actual press release itself, HPQ went even further with the following bold statement:
“With the Gen3 phase start just around the corner, we are getting closer to the time when market participants will have no choice but to take notice that we are the only viable low Capex and Opex alternative to producing Silicon Metal.â€
If that wasn’t enough, HPQ Silicon made direct reference to the two newest silicon metal plants to demonstrate massive capital cost and operating cost advantages. Specifically:
PCC BakkiSilicon hf ($300 Million Plant)
Mississippi Silicon ($220 Million Plant)Â
The gravity of these bold statements is even greater when you consider that HPQ’s world renown partners include Apollon Solar and PyroGenesis Canada, the latter of whom provided the data that led to the press release. Â
When you take a break from the summer heat, grab yourself a cold beverage and watch this interview with CEO, Bernard Tourillon. You just may thank yourself by the time winter arrives!
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:07 AM on Monday, July 15th, 2019
During a press conference held earlier today at the Lalit hotel in Delhi India, the company and National Skills Development Corporation (“NSDCâ€) officially launched their partnership to support skilling India.
Through this partnership, NSDC and betterU will provide the opportunity for Indian youth to gain global access to all the learning they need
OTTAWA, July 15, 2019 — betterU Education Corp. (TSX VENTURE: BTRU, Frankfurt: 5OG) (the “Companyâ€) is pleased to announce, during a press conference held earlier today at the Lalit hotel in Delhi India, the company and National Skills Development Corporation (“NSDCâ€) officially launched their partnership to support skilling India. betterU, a global education-to-employment platform, based out of Ottawa, Canada has set out to transform the overall skill development ecosystem across emerging markets like India. Through this partnership, NSDC and betterU will provide the opportunity for Indian youth to gain global access to all the learning they need. The Company’s business model was designed to continually add global content and methods of delivery to support all types of learning for graduates, seasoned employees, and corporates amongst others.
During the media conference, betterU also announced the launch of
their Mobile App and Upskill Engine that will put the world’s education
in the hands of anyone across India and help support efforts for
individualized learning.
This collaboration is in line with the Government’s vision to upskill
the youth of India. This goes hand in hand with India’s plan to
transform the complete Indian educational system and focus on bridging
the skills gap, which was announced at the Union Budget, 2019 by the
Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Commenting on the
association, Dr. Manish Kumar, MD & CEO of NSDC
said, “NSDC is focused on solutions that add value to high-quality
skills development and vocational training across India. We believe our
partnership with betterU could significantly contribute towards our
common objectives of skill development. We look forward to working
closely with betterU in the coming months for the betterment of our
Indian youth.â€
betterU in partnership with NSDC will also work to integrate and
collaborate with other NSDC solutions, technologies and partners to
build and provide a more comprehensive system. Additionally, this
partnership will help drive more collaborations across the industry
sectors and betterU’s ecosystem. Brad Loiselle, President and CEO, betterU
explained, “We believe that education is the foundation for personal
growth, which then increases the success of the household and ultimately
the economy as a whole. There are still many obstacles to overcome and
with so many industries, each requiring various skills, betterU has
developed a solution that sources what is required. The overall
challenge is that most educators are focused on a specific type of
learner, type of content, type of target audience. Millions of variables
cannot be supported by individual educators. betterU’s goal is to
provide education support for everyone.â€
With the objective to connect quality online education from leading
global educators to the mass population of India, betterU focuses on
developing an ecosystem that bridges the gap between education and jobs
by providing the tools necessary to prepare prospective Indian learners
for the jobs they want. betterU’s leadership has been travelling the
world, speaking at conferences, and working to bring together global
educators onto one platform, which is required to support mass education
and skilling.
“For equalized education for all, we require one education platform
where we can work collectively to support not only individual learners
but the entire Indian youth system. We believe that betterU, with the
right partners, can drive growth across all industries. This partnership
with NSDC will help us achieve positive results for the masses and
bridge the skills gap,†Loiselle added.
About National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)
NSDC is one of its kind public-private-partnership with an objective
to facilitate skill training in partnership with private training
providers. To date, NSDC has approved 400+ training providers and 38
Sector Skill Councils, with a geographical spread of 7,000+ training
centres in 600+ districts across the country. NSDC has trained more than
1.4 crore people across sectors.
About betterU
betterU, a global education to employment platform, aims to provide
access to quality education from around the world to foster growth and
opportunity to those who want to better their lives. The company plans
to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job industry and
enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing an
integrated education to employment ecosystem. betterU’s offerings can be
categorized into several broad functions: to complement school programs
with flexible preschool, KG-12 programs preparing children for next
stage of education, to provide access to global and localized
educational programs from leading educators, to foster an exceptional
educational environment by providing befitting skills that lead to a
better career, to bridge the gap between one’s existing education and
prospective job requirement by training them and lastly, to connect the
end user to various job opportunities. betterU today has partnered with
over 75 global educators, representing access to over 53,000 programs.
It is developing technology and ongoing more partners required to
support the growing education needs of the world.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, betterU Education Corp. Brad Loiselle, CEO
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 3:29 PM on Thursday, July 11th, 2019
The Lomiko Metals (LMR:TSXV; LMRMF:OTCQB) flagship, high-grade graphite project (La Loutre) was already looking pretty impressive before its most recent press release, with the following attributes”
Indicated + inferred resource of 10 M Tonnes of 6% Cg at the Graphene-Battery Zone.
120 km from Montreal
53 km from the only operating graphite mine in North America (5.2M Tonnes of 7.42% Cg)
Located in the mining + green friendly Province Of Quebec
Despite this, CEO Paul Gill wanted more tonnage and higher grade to really position La Loutre as a serious supply source for the multiple battery factors set for completion throughout North America in the next couple of years. Well, it looks like he may very well have got it. On July 9, Lomiko announced results from the remaining 16 holes (of 21) from the 2019 program and the headline says it all: “Multiple 100m + Intercepts and Multiple 10% + Cg Zones At La Loutre. Next Steps: 43-101 Resource and Pre-Economic Assessment”.
The headline and next steps speak for themselves but we sat down with Paul Gill to discuss next steps even further. Specifically, positioning and timing of the Company to become a serious supplier of high-grade graphite to the North American batter market. The conversation was a great one and well worth watching, so grab a cold beverage, cool off from the hot summer heat and watch what Paul has to say.
On
May 25 2019, Quebec Premier François Legault said he has looked into
the future and it is electric. Specifically, he wants the province to
cut its oil consumption by 40% by 2030 and be replaced entirely by clean
electricity.
If you didn’t know any better, you would think that CEO, Paul Gill, wrote the speech given by Quebec Premier in which he stated “If we help our neighbours, we help the planet. It’s a win-win for Quebec and for the planet. Let’s become the green battery of North America.†Hey, for all we know, Paul Gill IS the Quebec Premier …. because the speech put Lomiko’s high-grade graphite project (La Loutre), located just 117 km’s North of Montreal, in the direct path of a very green future.
La Loutre has an indicated resource of 18.4 M Tonnes of 3.19% .. and that is just from one zone. That number is expected to rise after the Company releases the remaining 15 holes of a 20 hole drill program which has already seen great success in the first 5 holes. Gill has always stated that his high-grade graphite will be ideal for electric vehicle batteries and wants to be in a position to supply some or all of the several giga factories being built in North America. That was already a great plan, until the Quebec Premier stated: “Any new trains, tramways and buses financed by the Quebec government will have to be electric by 2030 and, for the most part, built in Quebec”
After more than 10 years of preparing for the electric future and developing La Loutre, it appears the electric future is coming directly to Lomiko.
Watch this interview to see exactly what Paul Gill has to say … and then continue your due diligence here.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:00 PM on Thursday, July 11th, 2019
Over the last 10 weeks, BetterU (BTRU:TSXV) has issued a string of news releases regarding clients, partnerships, financing and personnel that strongly indicate the Company’s online education marketplace in India is on the cusp of hitting its commercialization stage. July 15, 2019 may very well turn out to be the day BTRU hit the start gun, with a massive national ad campaign set to launch along with their partner NSDC (“National Skills Development Corporation”).
NSDC is a public/private partnership under the government of India whose mandate is the creation of skills development and vocational training. With upwards of 150 million people across 38 industries requiring skill training, the task is a daunting one for NSDC who now believes “a formal partnership would enable the advancement of our collective efforts towards skilling India” (Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC).
Is this just another partnership? The size of the July 15 launch says otherwise, with $600,000 being allocated to print, radio and digital throughout India. Moreover, BTRU will be launching its App to coincide with the launch, which will allow Indian citizens to assess their skills sets and needs, then select the right courses to learn the skills necessary to fill jobs throughout India.Â
Watch BTRU CEO, Brad Loiselle, talk more about this ground breaking partnership, the technology behind it and what it could mean for BTRU. George
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:40 AM on Thursday, July 11th, 2019
Received a purchase order for specialty metal powder from a government entity and that it had shipped the first batch,
Successfully completed this special order and has, as a result, received full payment from the Client.
MONTREAL, July 11, 2019 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V: PYR) (OTCQB: PYRNF) (FRA: 8PY), a high-tech company, (the “Company”, the “Corporation†or “PyroGenesis”) that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch products, announced in Press Releases dated December 17th, 2018, and March 5th, 2019, that (i) the Company had received a purchase order for specialty metal powder from a government entity (the “Clientâ€), and (ii) that it had shipped the first batch, the Company is now pleased to announce that it has successfully completed this special order and has, as a result, received full payment from the Client. The name, origin, and type of powder are not permitted to be disclosed.
As previously announced, under this Contract, PyroGenesis was to
produce specialty reactive metal powder using its NexGen™ plasma
atomization system. The Client intends to use this powder for
confidential purposes. The powder was delivered, in its entirety, over a
period of two (2) months and the quality exceeded expectations.
Follow-on orders are expected.
“The completion of this Contract represents a significant milestone
for PyroGenesis Additive. This is the first powder produced using
PyroGenesis Additive’s new plasma atomization process at a production
rate unheard of for plasma atomized powders,†said Mr. Massimo Dattilo,
VP PyroGenesis Additive. “Although not titanium, the material had
similar properties to titanium, including being reactive. Being able to
produce this specialty reactive metal powder in such a short period of
time underscores the versatility of our new plasma atomization process
in producing best-in-class powders. This order for unique material
illustrates how PyroGenesis is a leading go-to Company for innovative 3D
printing material projects.â€
About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.
PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a high-tech company, is the world leader in
the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced
plasma processes and products. We provide engineering and manufacturing
expertise, cutting-edge contract research, as well as turnkey process
equipment packages to the defense, metallurgical, mining, advanced
materials (including 3D printing), oil & gas, and environmental
industries. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and
technicians working out of our Montreal office and our 3,800 m2
manufacturing facility, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage
by remaining at the forefront of technology development and
commercialization. Our core competencies allow PyroGenesis to lead the
way in providing innovative plasma torches, plasma waste processes,
high-temperature metallurgical processes, and engineering services to
the global marketplace. Our operations are ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D
certified, and have been ISO certified since 1997. PyroGenesis is a
publicly-traded Canadian Corporation on the TSX Venture Exchange (Ticker
Symbol: PYR) and on the OTCQB Marketplace. For more information, please
visit www.pyrogenesis.com
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements,
including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”,
“plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”,
“expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which
constitute “forward- looking information” within the meaning of
applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the
Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a
number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited
to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the
market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the
capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research
and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new
product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory
approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the
Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in
the Corporation’s ongoing filings with the securities regulatory
authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com, or at www.otcmarkets.com.
Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update
or revise any forward- looking statements either as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by
applicable securities laws.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, its Regulation Services Provider
(as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange)
nor the OTCQB accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of
this press release.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:27 PM on Wednesday, July 10th, 2019
Preparing to mobilize to the Bonnie Claire project and initiate the 2019 exploration plan
Five drill holes averaging 90 meters (300 feet) depth will be drilled in the southern portion of the project area in an area of anomalous surface lithium values and interpreted faults
Vancouver, British Columbia–(July 10, 2019) – Iconic Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: ICM) (OTC Pink: BVTEF) (FSE: YQGB) (“Company” or “Iconic”)Â is pleased to announce that it is preparing to mobilize to the Bonnie Claire project and initiate the 2019 exploration plan (“Exploration Plan”).
Five drill holes averaging 90 meters (300 feet) depth will be drilled
in the southern portion of the project area in an area of anomalous
surface lithium values and interpreted faults. Down-hole sediment
samples will be collected continuously in 6 meter (20 feet) intervals
and sent to a geochem lab for analysis.
In Addition to the commencement of the Exploration Plan, the Company
would like to announce that it has received the draft report titled: “Bonnie Claire Metallurgical Evaluation and Process Development”,
by St. Georges Eco Mining (‘SX”), who collaborated with an independent
lab, SGS Lakefield Laboratories (“SGS”) where an elemental analysis and
crystalline analysis of Bonnie Claire’s material were performed.
Iconic’s technical team is reviewing the report in conjunction with
independent verification in accordance with 43-101 compliant standards.
The Bonnie Claire Lithium Property Characteristics:
The Property is located within Sarcobatus Valley that is
approximately 30 km (19 miles) long and 20 km (12 miles) wide.
Quartz-rich volcanic tuffs, that contain anomalous amounts of lithium,
occur within and adjacent to the valley. Geochemical analysis of the
local salt flats has yielded lithium values up to 340 ppm. The gravity
low within the valley is 20 km (12 miles) long, and the current
estimates of depth to basement rocks range from 600 to 1,200 meters
(2,000 to 4,000 feet). Four drill holes have identified an open ended,
43-101 compliant resource of 28.58 billion kilograms of lithium
carbonate equivalent. The drilling that defined the current resource
only covered an area of 3.0 km2 (1.2mi2), while previously run MT
geophysics show a potentially mineralized area of 27.3 km2 (10.5mi2).
Drilling to date has shown strong correlation between the MT results and
the lithium mineralization. The thickness of the lithium mineralization
is unknown, but drilling indicates it is greater than 600 meters (2,000
feet). The current claim block covers an area of 57.5 km2 (22.2mi2).
Further drilling has been permitted and metallurgy to determine the most
efficient recovery method is currently in progress.
Richard Kern, Certified Professional Geologist (#11494) and CEO of
Iconic is the Qualified Person who has prepared and reviewed this press
release in accordance with NI 43-101 reporting standards.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Richard Kern, President and CEO Contact: Keturah Nathe, VP Corporate Development (604) 336-8614
For further information on ICM, please visit our website at iconicmineralsltd.com. The Company’s public documents may be accessed at www.sedar.com
Forward Statement: This news release includes
certain forward-looking statements or information. All statements other
than statements of historical fact included in this release are
forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties.
There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be
accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially
from those anticipated in such statements. Iconic expressly disclaims
any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise except as otherwise required by applicable securities
legislation.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:07 AM on Monday, July 8th, 2019
SPONSOR: ThreeD Capital Inc. (IDK:CSE) Led by
legendary financier, Sheldon Inwentash, ThreeD is a Canadian-based
venture capital firm that only invests in best of breed small-cap
companies which are both defensible and mass scalable. More than just
lip service, Inwentash has financed many of Canada’s biggest small-cap
exits. Click Here For More Information.
New ECB Boss is “Extremely†Pro-Crypto; What Could This Mean for Bitcoin?
Christine Lagarde, who is replacing Mario Draghi as the next head of the ECB on November 1st of this year, has long shown interest in Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, and has even advocated for state-backed digital currencies that could increase the efficiency of those state’s economies.
Investors and proponents of Bitcoin and the aggregated crypto markets
have long believed that the ultimate pinnacle of adoption would be
found when governments and central banks began growing friendly towards
the nascent technologies.
Now, the nominee who is replacing the outgoing European Central Bank
(ECB) head is pro-crypto herself and has shown tremendous interest in
how the nascent tech can help shape the future’s global economy.
ECB Boss is Pro-Crypto, Will This Help Spark Adoption?
Christine Lagarde, who is replacing Mario Draghi as the next head of
the ECB on November 1st of this year, has long shown interest in Bitcoin
and cryptocurrencies, and has even advocated for state-backed digital
currencies that could increase the efficiency of those state’s
economies.
This past April, Lagarde spoke to CNBC and bullishly noted that crypto and blockchain is currently “shaking the system.â€
“I think the role of the disruptors and anything that is using
distributed ledger technology, whether you call it crypto, assets,
currencies, or whatever … that is clearly shaking the system,†she
noted, tempering this sentiment by adding that “We don’t want to shake
the system so much that we would lose the stability that is needed.â€
Although there is no way to deny that Bitcoin and crypto
are shaking up the current system – or at the very least have the
potential to do so – many critics will write off their utility, so
Lagarde’s openness to the technology is a powerful endorsement.
Will Lagarde Embrace Bitcoin, Or Focus on More Centralized Options?
Although the incoming ECB boss is certainly more open to crypto than
previous ones, it is important to note that her interest seems to be
more in centralized crypto options than in decentralized ones, like
Bitcoin.
Mati Greenspan, the senior market analyst at eToro, explained in an
email that her interest currently seems to be in JPM Coin and XRP.
“Not bitcoin, of course, but she has advocated already for
state-backed cryptocurrencies as well as settlement tokens like XRP and
JPM coin. In this video, we can see her taking notes while listening to Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse,†Greenspan explained.
Furthermore, Greenspan also explained that crypto certainly won’t be
her main focus as the head of the ECB, as her biggest challenge will be
to “bring unity and prosperity to the various EU States and QE will
probably take precedence over the digital landscape.â€
Regardless of whether or not crypto, Bitcoin, or blockchain are one
of her main focuses, her interest and openness to the technology is
certainly positive for the industry as a whole and may help incubate further adoption.
