Last year's Consensus blockchain conference took place just four months after the virtual currency hit almost $20,000, spawning a legion of bitcoin millionaires who rode in swanky luxury cars and partied in over-the-top soirees. The shift is partly a reflection of bitcoin's dramatic price swings, as well as a sign of the evolution of blockchain technology into more real-life, less trendy applications. Speakers included representatives of Pfizer and AstraZeneca, who discussed blockchain applications in pharmaceutical research, and Microsoft, which is marketing a blockchain-based "decentralized identity" to secure personal data. - Mysterious bitcoin rally -The recent rally in bitcoin -- doubling to $8,000 from $4,000 in late March -- failed to push conference attendance to the 2018 count of 8,000. At this point, finance is the most seasoned when it comes to understanding cryptocurrencies and using blockchain, she said.

Source: Bangkok Post May 18, 2019 03:47 UTC