USA
In the United States, primarily application of blockchain has been identified in different sectors such as supply chain, health care records, and identity management.
Meanwhile, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors,
a state regulatory body, has agreed a single set of unified regulations for cryptocurrency firms in 49 states (except Montana). State of New York is the leader state in regulating cryptocurrency exchanges.
a state regulatory body, has agreed a single set of unified regulations for cryptocurrency firms in 49 states (except Montana). State of New York is the leader state in regulating cryptocurrency exchanges.
Estonia
Estonia is one of the pioneer countries to adopt blockchain for public services.
PricewaterHouseCoopers (PwC), mentions Estonia was the first Nation-State in the world to deploy blockchain technology in production systems. The Estonian systems is KSI Blockchain, which also used by NATO. As of now, 99% of public services in Estonia are available to citizens as e-services, whereas its blockchain technology is in use in Estonia’s data registries since 2012 and protects the e-services such as the e-Health Record, e-Banking, e-Business Register etc.
Canada
The Chamber of Digital Commerce Canada and the Blockchain Research Institute released the first-ever Canadian blockchain industry report in 2019 measuring the size, scale and scope of Canada’s blockchain innovation ecosystem as shown in the following diagram.
United Kingdom
Her Majesty’s Government Office for Science in 2016 prepared a policy paper ‘Distributed Ledger Technology: Beyond Blockchain’, which set out how this technology could transform the delivery of public services and boost productivity. Government realized DLT (blockchain) has the potential to deliver significant benefits in financial services,
as well as in a broad range of other sectors.
as well as in a broad range of other sectors.
Australia
The Australian Government in association with the business sectors and academic researchers developed the “national blockchain roadmap”, and identified potential sectors for applying blockchain technologies such as: the agricultural sector with a wine export example; the ‘trusted credentialing’ sector with an education example; and the identity sector with a ‘Know Your Customer’ checks example.
New Zealand
More than three dozen of businesses including universities, banks, and public agencies has developed the “blockchain ecosystem” in order to support and grow the blockchain and crypto community in New Zealand.
Russia
On August 6, 2020, Forbes reported that on July 31 Vladimir Putin signed the new cryptocurrency law which goes into effect in January 2021. The law defines digital currency as “an aggregate of electronic data capable of being accepted as the payment means, not being the monetary unit of the Russian Federation or a foreign state, and as investments” Meanwhile, TASS, Russian News Agency reported that “Russian Supreme Court tests blockchain technology for online vote for first time
Venezuela
Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in September 2020 revealed the country will be using cryptocurrency in both domestic and global trade that the move will “give new strength to the use of petro and other cryptocurrencies, national and global, in domestic and foreign trade…”.
Jeffery Gogo of the Bitcoin news states: “Venezuela’s deepening economic crisis has led to a massive adoption of cryptocurrency, with more than $8 million worth of bitcoin traded peer-to-peer each week, Coindance data shows. The government recently signed a new tax agreement that enabled it to start collecting taxes and fees in the petro.”
Cuba
Cuba introduced a new Bitcoin wallet and payments system called QBita and other cryptocurrencies as a way of accessing financial tools.
China
China has established a Blockchain-Based Service Network (BSN) for blockchain technology that offers a foundational infrastructure for future technological innovation and become a global “cyber superpower”.
North Korea
On September 10, 2020, Patrick Howell O’Neill of the MIT Technology Review, writes that “North Korean hackers stole billions in cryptocurrency and washed the dirty money to make clean.”
Afghanistan
Recently in late 2020, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Health approved the Blockchain startup Fantom to start trialing a blockchain-based smart medicine pilot program to start tracking counterfeiting medicines.
[16] TheGuardian - Blockchain Democracy Decentralisation
