European Parliament to hold crash course on blockchain and cryptocurrencies

Next week, the European Parliament will host a four-day session in an effort to educate MEPs about decentralized ledgers and virtual currencies.

The European Parliament’s non-business conference next week aims to educate MEPs about the rapidly expanding and publicised financial technology. The conference and exhibition will have a particular focus on blockchain and cryptocurrencies.

According to Finextra, the conference will see representatives from many organizations and industries, such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Bank for International Settlements, the United Nations and Europol.

The exhibition will also invite industry experts and employees from established companies to startups, and representatives from central banks will also participate. Next week's conference will include multiple participants participating in speeches and roundtable discussions.

Representatives from Blockchain.info, a popular online bitcoin wallet provider, will also be participating in the conference.

Syed Kamal, MEP and host of the event, said:

“I am delighted to be hosting an exhibition on blockchain and virtual currencies at the European Parliament. International legislators are now also looking at this sector and how to protect consumers while encouraging innovation.”