WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE IMPACT OF
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BASE YOUR
We are not only an exchange but strive
THIS CRYPTO REVOLUTION TO BE?
OPERATIONS IN MALTA? WHAT MAKES
to be the biggest and most successful
MALTA SPECIAL?
global bank without being a bank.
potential to disrupt the current ways
EB: I have lived and worked in Malta for
YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE
individuals and corporations pay for
six years. I appreciate the talent pool
IT SECTOR FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS,
products and services by providing a
available - with the right competences, the
MOST OF THE TIME WITH BANKING
much more efficient and secure way
entrepreneurial spirit, and a government
CLIENTS. DOES THIS EXPERIENCE
of moving money. Some even draw
that is “open for business”. Having
HELP YOU IN GLOBIANCE?
parallels with the impact that the ‘.com’
worked with the regulators here, I am also
revolution has had on society.
very confident that the regulations will
EB: This FinTech revolution has the
We have already seen how ICOs and other crowd-funding initiatives have created a new way of financing business ideas outside of the traditional Venture Capital and Private Equity model. This brings new investors into the equation,
the right compromise between rigor and enforcement, and a light bureaucratic touch. Malta is the Blockchain Island: a thriving hub where everything related to “crypto” is happening.
for Citibank in Frankfurt for over 8 years and from the HQ of our IT Company in Malta we provided IT support for the IKANO bank group for 7 European Countries. We did everything from the call centre to infrastructure and major incident management. So we
and takes them much closer to the
LOOKING AT THE CRYPTO LANDSCAPE,
already have experience for most of the
entrepreneurs and their business ideas.
MANY STARTUPS ARE TRYING TO
elements we need for an exchange and
CREATE SOLUTIONS FOR SIMILAR USE
the connected services.
As is usual in any industry, the incumbents will try to resist the change, and we expect this to cause some friction and adoption delays.
CASES. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE TO GLOBIANCE AND WHY DO YOU BELIEVE IN YOUR MODEL?
Ultimately, a combination of lower costs
OLR: First of all we believe in
and decentralisation of these systems
cooperation and do not want to reinvent
will make them emerge as successful
the wheel. The exchange software that
alternatives to the current, stale
we are using has been developed by a
financial industry.
software company based in Germany
WHAT ARE THE KEY BENEFITS OF THE GLOBIANCE SOLUTION?
42
provide the necessary framework with
OLR: Yes, definitely. I lead a shift team
and we also have strong partners for our KYC, payment, and banking services.
YOU ARE CO-FOUNDER OF THE EUROPEAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR DLT AND CRYPTOCURRENCIES – WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN THAT? OLR: Apart from the associations we are representing, we saw the need for a chamber of commerce focused on the crypto industry and its specific needs. My role as a Chairman is promoting DLT, cryptocurrencies, and Malta as
EB: Globiance has a great Management
The exchange will be live end of 2018.
the most important European Country
Team with a proven history of execution
Additionally we will start with a payment
for ICOs and crypto companies. I visit
excellence and the right mix of
solution based on our exchange which will
events around the globe to tell the
experience in the relevant sectors.
allow our clients to accept payments while
world about the successful ecosystem
On the product side, Globiance is
drastically reducing fraud and chargeback
we have built up here in Malta, and
developing an integrated solution
risks. Thanks to our CEO, Enrico
the great support that the industry
with the latest technology available by
Bradamante, who was Managing Director
receives from the government. We hope
leveraging both internal resources and
of NETENT for the last five years, we could
to build up a strong member base and
key partners. On the marketing side,
design a solution that is tailor-made for
represent their interest Europe-wide
Globiance will be leveraging the user
the gaming industry, providing payments
and globally. The initiative receives
acquisition and retention techniques
and KYC at the same time. We will round
interest worldwide and we plan to
that have been fine-tuned over the
up the product portfolio by offering IBAN
expand our partnerships and connect
years in the iGaming industry.
accounts and digital wallets.
with chambers in other continents.
| Blockchain Island
Issue 1