Global Blockchain aims to demystify the blockchain sector for investors

The explosion of interest in cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, has expanded to include the blockchain technologies that undergird those currencies. Blockchain can enable trustless transactions and record-keeping, having limitless applications in business, government, and everyday life.

Turning the interest in blockchain into a community of active investors has, however, been a challenge due to the complexity of the topic. Investors see the growth of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and want to get in on the action somehow, but are unsure of how to go about it.

Creating a simplified, turnkey vehicle for those looking to invest in blockchain technologies was the guiding rationale behind the creation of Global Blockchain Technologies Corp. (CSE: BLOC). The company is a blockchain technology incubator that provides a publicly-traded way to invest in this complex, high-growth, and rapidly evolving sector.

Simplifying Blockchain Investing

Global Blockchain addresses the “intimidation factor” that is felt head-on by investors who are new to blockchain. Led by a group of professionals who have been involved in the industry since its inception, the company has a mission and objective of demystifying the technology for the average investor.

Shidan Gouran, President and COO of Global Blockchain elaborates, “When you invest in us, you’re investing in a company run by people who have been in blockchain from the beginning. Our team understands the space, and they are investing in innovative projects in areas that are attractive for long-term growth.”

A Blockchain Incubator

Global Blockchain has parlayed the collective experience of its management team to build a unique incubator of businesses that leverage the blockchain’s abilities to create value.

Initially, the company was looking to offer investors a portfolio-style approach to cryptocurrency coin and token holdings. However, that focus has since shifted to the incubator model, in which the company will invest in business ventures that use the blockchain in innovative ways. Gouran explains, “Right now, we have a project in the gaming space, one in the trade finance space, and one in the peer-to-peer storage space. These projects all have their own cryptocurrencies, but they primarily distinguish themselves by using the blockchain’s next-generation capabilities.”

A specific example of something the company is incubating is Global Blockchain’s recently announced project, the Laser network. Based on a fork of Ethereum, Laser is being developed as a clearinghouse for inter-cryptocurrency transactions, as well as a solution to enable near-instant and anonymous transactions.

Gouran notes, “We believe individual blockchains will continue to be created around specific sets of services and tasks, and that there will continue to be many different blockchains and cryptocurrencies. By building Laser, we are enabling these individual blockchains to coexist and grow together.”

As cryptocurrencies and blockchains evolve to address specific markets, Global Blockchain believes that individual market segments will gravitate towards their own cryptocurrencies and blockchains. In that environment, a product like Laser that can serve as somewhat of a currency exchange mechanism has the potential to catalyze sector growth. Gouran continued, “Our goal is to establish Laser as the SWIFT of blockchains.”

Building Businesses

An additional example of the incubator model in action is the company’s recent decision to spin out its cryptocurrency mining business into a standalone entity.

The spinout company is called Global Blockchain Mining Corp., and it has 6,666 Antminer S9 Bitcoin miners, as well as access to a combined 175 MW of power capacity across four mining facilities. Cryptocurrency mining is power-intensive, which causes it to generate high levels of heat output. With two facilities located in Montana and one located in Manitoba, the cool climate of these locales will naturally dissipate the heat generated; thereby reducing energy consumption, resulting in lower operational costs and limited environmental impact.

Gouran said of the spinout, “Global Blockchain Mining is the largest cryptocurrency mining company by capacity. Since Global Blockchain Technologies is a business incubator, it would confuse people if our mining business had stayed within GBT. Whenever one of our incubator companies is able to stand on its own two feet, we will strongly consider making that a spinout as well.” The company plans to follow that model as it starts up other businesses in its incubation model.

That model is creating a basket of blockchain assets that investors can buy into via an investment in Global Blockchain. The company is unique in the blockchain space in that it gives investors a simple, intuitive way to bet on the future of blockchain via the capital markets without requiring investors to have advanced knowledge about blockchain. In doing so, it is rapidly positioning itself as a key player in the sector, and a pioneer of layperson-friendly blockchain investing.