Regulators, Legislators Join Blockchain Leaders at Bretton Woods Retreat

Regulators, legislators and entrepreneurs will decamp to Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, this week for a gathering aimed at formalizing guiding principles for the blockchain industry.

Organized by consumer advocacy group Consumers’ Research, the event will be held from Sunday, 10th July through Wednesday, 13th July, with the goal for a final white paper to be released at payments industry conference Money2020 in October.

Confirmed attendees include members of government groups including the US Federal Trade Commission; US Department of Commerce; and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, as well as US Representatives Mick Mulvaney and David Schweikert and members of educational groups including Coin Center and MIT Media Lab.

In statements, Consumers’ Research executive director Joe Colangelo spoke broadly of the impact blockchains and distributed ledgers could have across industries, while suggesting regulatory concerns may be holding back the technology’s wider use.

Colangelo said:

“This collaboration will produce a model for bitcoin and blockchain-based companies that also addresses the concerns of regulatory entities.”

The assignment is a shift from last year’s paper, released at The North American Bitcoin Conference, which focused on opportunities and obstacles for the emerging tech.

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