Chicago Bitcoin Center: Chicago's Bitcoin Incubator
Bitcoin is growing. Adoption rates are rising in every major city and Bitcoin business keeps popping up in those cities. Cryptocurrency and financial tech are capitalizing globally. This precedence is taking place in the city of Chicago at a vast rate. Chicago is home to 4,300 financial trading businesses and generates close to one-quarter of the world’s derivatives trading volume. On July 11, Chicago’s Bitcoin Center added a bitcoin-focused incubator launched at 1871.
Also read: Ben Lawsky’s Revolving Door
“The viability of digital currency is increasing.” ~ Howard Tullman, CEO of 1871
Established in January, The Bitcoin Center will engage with startups that are in tune with blockchain technology, “which provides a secure and trusted network for transmitting and transferring bitcoin and other forms of value,” founder and CEO Matthew Roszak said. The newly formed incubator has backing by many leaders of the financial tech ecosystem.
Companies backing the center include Roszak’s own Chicago-based business, Tally Capital, as well ass DRW Trading, Chicago Ventures, and the Washington-based Chamber of Digital Commerce. Roszak’s Tally Capital is a firm dedicated to blockchain, and Bitcoin investments. With the massive growth of $904 million in financial tech growth, Chicago’s sights are set on the digital currency. The center’s site reads:
“Anyone who is interested in the future of Bitcoin, Digital Currencies, and Blockchain Technology is encouraged to attend – New Users and Professionals are all welcome!”
“When you have the biggest banks in the world starting to acknowledge that this is a viable currency and everybody has to be involved in it, we think it’s going to have implications for our companies”
