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A16Z is re-registering as a financial advisor, renouncing its status as a VC

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81–90 of 360 posts

Re: A16Z is re-registering as a financial advisor, renouncing its status as a VC

#81
post #61
post #3

I'm disheartened by the power wielded by so few in the American King Making Machine called the Silicon Valley.

Why? Isn't that the way everywhere else works? I'm not losing any sleep over it.

It’s a clear feature of the economic system, but to a growing group it’s more of a bug.

Re: A16Z is re-registering as a financial advisor, renouncing its status as a VC

#82
post #69
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unseizable money.

It may not be easily seizable, and with the right security practices it may be nearly impossible to seize directly. But governments could announce certain coins are not spendable and enforce that on companies or people subject to their jurisdiction. Prosecuting anyone who accepted one of those coins with a crime.

Which is why privacy technology is being implemented in blockchains like ZCash, Monero and Ethereum.

Re: A16Z is re-registering as a financial advisor, renouncing its status as a VC

#83
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you provide a single problem where the right solution space is blockchain? Ive thought about this a good amount, and cannot come up with a single use case where current established centralized technology is not a better solution.

I think the centralized solutions are certainly better for the people who have no major issues with the centralized solutions. That’s nearly a tautology, of course. But it’s pretty reasonable to consider there may be many people and use cases that do not work with the centralized solutions, even if those work great for you and for everyone you know.

> consider there may be many people and use cases that do not work with the centralized solutions

The comment you’re replying to is actively soliciting examples of those

Re: A16Z is re-registering as a financial advisor, renouncing its status as a VC

#84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you provide a single problem where the right solution space is blockchain? Ive thought about this a good amount, and cannot come up with a single use case where current established centralized technology is not a better solution.

Transferring money from one country to another. It might seem easy right now, but if Visa or MasterCard ban you or your recipient, or their region, or country then it becomes much harder.

Every instance of international money transfer being more difficult via Visa/MasterCard than Cryptocurrency is by design. When you hear about a government issuing new “sanctions on North Korea”, for example, those sanctions are implemented by making it prohibitively difficult to effect transactions with North Korea.

Re: A16Z is re-registering as a financial advisor, renouncing its status as a VC

#85
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you provide a single problem where the right solution space is blockchain? Ive thought about this a good amount, and cannot come up with a single use case where current established centralized technology is not a better solution.

why not payments...which is what bitcoin was founded to do (though perhaps has moved too much into store of value territory)

Is it price comparible with TransferWise while still offering me the same protections? Payments are a solved problem for the majority of cases

Re: A16Z is re-registering as a financial advisor, renouncing its status as a VC

#86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you provide a single problem where the right solution space is blockchain? Ive thought about this a good amount, and cannot come up with a single use case where current established centralized technology is not a better solution.

Game items like weapons and shields in an RPG game. Imagine if there is a global database of such items and different game developers build different games around it. So you could use your items in different games. What centralized entity would you trust to run and maintain this database? What if this centralied goes bankrupt and shuts down the servers? If you are a small game developer, you are screwed. Even if it's…

As a game designer (on the side) I definitely wouldn't want to give up control of balancing my game to some third party item creator. Items balance is too game specific for this to work unless you're just taking the name and some general type and implementing your own take on it, in which case I don't see much point.

Re: A16Z is re-registering as a financial advisor, renouncing its status as a VC

#87
post #2

A16Z’s unapologetic bet on cryptocurrency and blockchain companies is big for the industry. As crypto heats up again and blockchain 3.0 projects emerge (Cosmos, Polkadot, Ethereum Proof of Stake) VC will help legitimize the industry.

Can you provide a single problem where the right solution space is blockchain? Ive thought about this a good amount, and cannot come up with a single use case where current established centralized technology is not a better solution.

US expat trying to receive money overseas. US banks won't serve you unless you have a US address. Many lie and say it is illegal. The usual work-around is to establish some kind of US address through a relative or friend. Still ends up being costly and slow to do transfers. Some startups have tried to address it but it is still not very good.

Coinbase like to claim they have solved this issue but it is total BS because they won't let you purchase BTC on their platform without a state ID. Useless for an expat who moved overseas long ago.

But if I need to be paid by someone in another country who can buy BTC then that is usually the best solution for me.

It is a small market so not a driver in the crytocurrency space.

Re: A16Z is re-registering as a financial advisor, renouncing its status as a VC

#88
post #57
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

are DC or Wall St different?

Does it matter if they are? The statement stands.

if a thing has generality of a law of physics ... i mean you can't be disheartened by the 3rd Newton law, can you?

Re: A16Z is re-registering as a financial advisor, renouncing its status as a VC

#89
post #57
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

are DC or Wall St different?

Does it matter if they are? The statement stands.

I take it as an offering of deeper perspective, especially to one who is disheartened.

This is not the first, and won't be the last, group of successful people who rise to top-tier power through offering to propel middle-class folks into entry-level upper class power at great risk to society.

Move fast, break things.

Re: A16Z is re-registering as a financial advisor, renouncing its status as a VC

#90
post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you provide a single problem where the right solution space is blockchain? Ive thought about this a good amount, and cannot come up with a single use case where current established centralized technology is not a better solution.

US expat trying to receive money overseas. US banks won't serve you unless you have a US address. Many lie and say it is illegal. The usual work-around is to establish some kind of US address through a relative or friend. Still ends up being costly and slow to do transfers. Some startups have tried to address it but it is still not very good. Coinbase like to claim they have solved this issue but it is total BS becau…

> US expat trying to receive money overseas. US banks won't serve you unless you have a US address.

I admit to knowing almost nothing about the US banking system, but is it really true that one can't make an electronic transfer using an IBAN (International Bank Account Number)?

I live in Austria and just paid a number of invoices, through online banking, to bank account holders in France, Czechia, Slovenia and the UK. All I needed was their IBAN.

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