Blockchain Australia Appoints Former BlackRock Director as New CEO
- Blockchain Australia has been pushing for the adoption of blockchain technology by industry and governments across Australia.
- According to Adam Poulton, Chairman of the company’s Board, Mercurio will help the firm leap into the next phase of business development.
- The Aussie government is researching opportunities in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry through the Digital Cooperative Research Program (DFCRC).
Blockchain Australia has announced that it appointed Laura Mercurio as the next CEO effective Monday 12th, September 2022. Mercurio succeeds Steve Vallas who led Blockchain Australia for two successful years. Notably, Mercurio brings a rich background from the investment sector having worked with BlackRock, Merrill Lynch, and Deutsche Bank in the past.
Speaking on the matter, Mercurio said:
“I am extremely excited to be taking on the role of CEO of Blockchain Australia, to be the leading voice in this maturing industry, and to drive innovation and change for Australian businesses in the blockchain space.”
The Australian market is booming with blockchain adoption and also the cryptocurrency market. Thereby making Mercurio’s appointment as the new CEO of Blockchain Australia a strategic move.
According to Adam Poulton, Chairman of the company’s Board, Mercurio will help the firm leap into the next phase of business development.
“Laura brings a unique passion, energy, and enthusiasm for the role and all things Blockchain, and the Board looks forward to working with Laura in the coming years,” Poulton noted.
Blockchain Australia and the Blockchain Adoption in the Region
Blockchain Australia has been pushing for the adoption of blockchain technology by industry and governments across Australia. Furthermore, the company believes blockchain technology is a means to drive innovation in service delivery across all sectors of the economy.
The Australian blockchain industry has seen major developments in the past few years, with government bodies aligning with the new world order. Moreover, other countries around the world are reshaping their policies to welcome blockchain-oriented investors.
Notably, the Aussie government is researching opportunities in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry through the Digital Cooperative Research Program (DFCRC). According to the country’s Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services Stephen Jones, the DFCRC program will run for a decade, relying on sponsorship from 25 partners.
According to Jones, the country needs to get the cryptocurrency regulations aspect right to enable safe developments in the innovative industry.
The country is also exploring ways to launch its CBDC. Moreover, other countries are also moving in the same direction, and Australia does not want to be left out of the opportunity. Reportedly, the Australian central bank governor Philip Lowe entered into a collaboration with the DFCRC to explore use cases for a central bank digital currency (CBDC).
As a way to show commitment toward cryptocurrency regulations in Australia, the country’s police (AFP) recently launched a unit focused on crypto assets. Furthermore, there has been a sharp uptick in crypto scams in the country in recent years.
According to the AFP, it attained its $600 million in seized crypto assets from scams two years before the set data. Notably, the Aussie police had targeted to seize $600 million in crypto scam proceeds between 2020 and 2024. However, it only took two years to achieve it, thereby showing the rising rate of crypto scams in Australia.
Rebecca is a Senior Staff Writer at BitcoinWisdom, working hard to bring you the latest breaking news in the cryptocurrency market. In the words of Elon Musk “Buy stock in several companies that make products & services that *you* believe in. Only sell if you think their products & services are trending worse. Don’t panic when the market does. This will serve you well in the long-term.”
