{"id":49660,"date":"2014-11-03T22:30:04","date_gmt":"2014-11-03T22:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=d3aec3cf5a8ac78100ff9af6dd52c0c1"},"modified":"2014-11-03T22:30:04","modified_gmt":"2014-11-03T22:30:04","slug":"news-story-digital-currencies-5-reasons-were-calling-for-information","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=49660","title":{"rendered":"News story: Digital currencies: 5 reasons we\u2019re calling for information"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"govspeak\">\n<h3 id=\"we-want-to-promote-innovation-and-competition-in-the-banking-sector\">1. We want to promote innovation and competition in the banking sector<\/h3>\n<p>Whether it\u2019s introducing a new way to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/government-acts-to-improve-focus-on-customers-of-financial-services\">pay a cheque<\/a> into the bank, or helping small businesses get the finance that they need to grow, we want to make sure financial and payments technology works better and in the interests of the people that use them on a daily basis.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image embedded\">\n<div class=\"img\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Smart phone taking a picture of a cheque\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/image_data\/file\/32515\/Chequeimaging.jpg\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"new-types-of-digital-currency-are-being-developed-and-digital-currency-businesses-are-setting-up-in-the-uk\">2. New types of digital currency are being developed and digital currency businesses are setting up in the UK<\/h3>\n<p>It is estimated that 20,000 people in the UK currently hold Bitcoins \u2013 and around \u00a360m worth are circulating in the UK economy. But we want to get the facts on why people are using them. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"image embedded\">\n<div class=\"img\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"'Bitcoin accepted here' sign in a window\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/image_data\/file\/32516\/Bitcoinaccepted.jpg\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Image courtesy of <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/belowdesign\/13626601155\">Pierre Sibileau<\/a> on Flickr, used under Creative Comms <\/p>\n<h3 id=\"we-want-wants-to-hear-about-the-benefits-of-digital-currencies-for-the-people-that-use-them-and-the-wider-economy\">3. We want wants to hear about the benefits of digital currencies for the people that use them and the wider economy<\/h3>\n<p>So if you use Bitcoins to pay for a flight \u2013 why is it easier? Or if you\u2019re the airline receiving payments by Bitcoin, how is that helping you? <\/p>\n<p>Digital currencies aren\u2019t the only payment innovation in the UK; contactless credit and debit cards mean you can jump on the bus in London with just a swipe of your card and mobile payment apps like Paym mean you can pay a friend back for dinner with a few taps of your mobile. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"image embedded\">\n<div class=\"img\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Contactless card being used on the tube\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/image_data\/file\/32514\/Contactless.jpg\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"as-well-as-the-benefits-we-also-want-to-hear-about-the-risks-that-might-come-with-using-digital-currencies\">4. As well as the benefits, we also want to hear about the risks that might come with using digital currencies<\/h3>\n<p>For example, how vulnerable are digital currency users in comparison with those who use banks and traditional payment services? <\/p>\n<p>And to what extent are digital currencies being used for illicit or illegal purposes?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image embedded\">\n<div class=\"img\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Padlock wrapped around cables\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/image_data\/file\/32513\/Security.jpg\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Image courtesy of <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/60588258@N00\/3293465641\">CyberHades<\/a> on Flickr, used under Creative Comms <\/p>\n<h3 id=\"we-also-want-to-hear-your-views-on-whether-regulation-of-digital-currencies-is-required\">5. We also want to hear your views on whether regulation of digital currencies is required<\/h3>\n<p>The safety net of a regulator can give firms the assurance they need to start up in the UK and ensure consumers and businesses are protected.<\/p>\n<p>But what kind of regulation would be appropriate? For example, should regulation be aimed at making digital currencies safer for users? Should regulation target illicit or illegal uses of digital currencies? Or would regulation prove overly burdensome for this new and growing industry?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image embedded\">\n<div class=\"img\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Gavel\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/image_data\/file\/32517\/Gavel.jpg\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Image courtesy of <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/60588258@N00\/3293465641\">Brian Turner<\/a> on Flickr, used under Creative Comms <\/p>\n<div class=\"call-to-action\">\n<h3 id=\"want-to-have-your-say\">Want to have your say?<\/h3>\n<p>Visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/consultations\/digital-currencies-call-for-information\">Call for Information<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Or, for more information, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/bitcoin-litecoin-how-could-digital-currencies-revolutionise-the-way-we-pay\">read the news story<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Page image courtesy of <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/105644709@N08\/10305978055\">Antana on Flickr<\/a>, used under Creative Commons.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bitcoin, Litecoin\u2026why we\u2019re calling for information on the benefits and risks of digital currencies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49660"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=49660"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49660\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=49660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=49660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=49660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}