In the past couple of years, it has been noticed that Berlin has grown into one of the leading hubs for all things cryptocurrency and blockchain. And thanks to the recent enthusiasm seen for digital currencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Berliners seem to maintain this trend.
The German city has been on the radar of cryptocurrency enthusiasts for quite long, dating nearly 5 years ago in 2013, when a report published by the Guardian showed the budding enthusiasm in the southern Berlin district of Kreuzberg, where citizens were happily making Bitcoin transactions in local shops that accepted the cryptocurrency.
Notably, back then, several crypto experts predicted how the district’s critical yet rebellious mindset perfectly complements with an alternative system like virtual currencies.
The seeds were sown back then and as of today, Berlin has gone on to be known as a leader across Europe as well as Globally in the cryptocurrency and blockchain sector.
Also given the recent Brexit matter, has helped Berlin grow into a crypto hub even further as several start-up ventures have announced plans of moving to the German capital, and in addition to that various entrepreneurs, developers, and people closely following the cutting-edge technology have given vibrancy to local crypto meetups.
During the first month of 2018, Fabian Vogelsteller, a lead developer of Ethereum, gave his views regarding the topic, saying:
“Berlin is the crypto capital of Europe if not the world.”
Even Jazmine Zhang a member of LongHash Germany, a blockchain accelerator, gave his views on how the diverse range of talent entering into Berlin has engendered a “very open ecosystem” during many cryptocurrency and blockchain meetups.
According to Zhang, since individuals coming for the meetups share a mutual excitement for the cutting-edge technology, they are really eager to, “work together and partner with each other.”
Notably, the rising popularity and notoriety of Berlin across the cryptocurrency and blockchain space have also proved to be a boon for most of the entities associated with the city.
Currently, The Berlin-based EOS operating system has a market capitalization of over $4.9 billion dollars.
IOTA, responsible for building an IoT transnational settlement that has a market capitalization of $1.3 billion is also based out of Berlin.
Back in March, DW. Co-founder Dominik Schiener stated that he was successful in making connections with a number of diversified companies that have worked on IOTA’s development from Berlin.
Additionally, Schiener had also said that IOTA has been working on opening up multiple offices worldwide, in a bid to change the perception that IOTA is a German cryptocurrency.
Reportedly, many leading companies have shown a willingness to collaborate with government authorities after seeing the growth of the industry inside of Berlin and all over Germany.
As per reports, recently, a blockchain trade association known as Bundesblog has agreed to collaborate with government officials inside the European country for carrying out promotions of the technology.
In recent time, two famous Berlin artists, Paul Seidler and Paul Kolling have gone on to demonstrate work related to a project that envisages a “self-governing, self-owning forest on the blockchain.”
Momentarily, it can be said that the ambitions are simple an artistic idea, with the end vision of creating a forest that can sell trees autonomously and gradually become a self-owned economic unit.