Crypto exchange vows to tackle the industry’s biggest challenge

The crypto industry has come a long way in recent years — and now, digital currencies are easily accessible for most consumers around the world. But one exchange argues that there is a much bigger problem to solve: educating everyday consumers about how these assets can benefit them.

Blocktrade says it plans to exponentially expand its user base in 2021 and is working to create an advanced platform that’s easy to use and functional. Underpinning this strategy is a wealth of educational resources that will help newcomers learn everything they need to know about the markets, key players, and the rules.

Bernhard Blaha, an entrepreneur who previously launched the blockchain-based fantasy gaming platform Herosphere, has joined Blocktrade as CEO — and has ambitious plans to give everyone access to crypto markets in the coming years.

The company says it is shedding light on cryptocurrencies — often regarded as a topic that is difficult for the public to understand because of its technical nature — by producing simple features that are easy to follow, and encouraging its community to pass on their knowledge.

This involves delivering a clear understanding of what different tokens or coins are, what they stand for, and empowering consumers with the skills they need to make fair and sustainable valuations for themselves. From here, this knowledge can be used to make informed decisions, resulting in astute portfolio management.

Blaha told Cointelegraph: “It is a great opportunity for me as CEO of Blocktrade to step on board at a time when we are in the middle of a bull market again. Digital assets will dominate the future of financial services and life in general and I will make sure that Blocktrade is a respected and successful player in the international market.”

A maturing market

Blocktrade, which is about to raise additional funding through a securities offering, says it has now legally completed its move to a new jurisdiction and will resume operations under a new flag in the first quarter of 2021.

The tools used for this offering are seen as a preview for an extensive suite of services that will be made available to others, making Blocktrade a driver for the whole market. “It is important for us to change our perspective and evaluate our understanding of how users want to use exchanges,” Blaha said. 

Blocktrade will meet its users’ wishes by growing a full ecosystem consisting of a variety of services, with the exchange as a central hub. The platform’s priorities include education, bringing a variety of services in one place, and innovating on existing systems.

The exchange’s extensive roadmap for the future comes as the crypto market reaches a new level of maturity, with the likes of Bitcoin attracting newfound demand from institutions. Interest among retail investors has also grown, with digital assets subject to increasing coverage in mainstream media outlets of late.

However, Blocktrade says most people are not participating in financial markets, including in the crypto space, because they lack the necessary knowledge to invest in confidence. The exchange quotes research that shows just 15.2% of adults in Germany currently have exposure to shares or equity funds — a picture that’s replicated internationally.

Blaha says this is a subject that he feels passionately about. In 2018, he co-created the Digital Assets Association of Austria, which aims to support crypto start-ups and provide clear information to the general public and the business community.

‘The power of community’

Blocktrade’s platform is available on the web, as well as through Google Play and Apple’s App Store. On its website, the exchange describes itself as “the go-to asset marketplace for everyone” — and champions the power of community and trust.

With a focus on positioning itself as a digital asset marketplace rather than a pure crypto exchange, Blocktrade's features and frontend will be overhauled and relaunched with a focus on usability in the coming year. Blocktrade will be one of the first digital asset exchanges to integrate its own crowdfunding process for the fundraising of new projects — and to offer security offerings or security token offerings with licensing partners. 

In this way, the entire digitization process of assets, including openings in the secondary market, will be carried out on one platform. With digital assets set to have a more significant role in the global economy in the 2020s, Blocktrade says it is positioning itself as the future of finance.