<billions> Is FB the USA's response to China's Digital Silk Road

[Sam de Silva]

WeChat is China’s answer to the human-machine interface - it’s a platform through which transactions and communications can happen. And it’s fully surveilled.

For some time, FB’s been figuring out how to make its assets dominate every sphere of our lives. Whatsapp has been owned by FB for awhile - but it doesn’t feel like FB and has been adopted by millions of people around the world for instant communications - many attracted by its point to point encryption. Now, its time for FB to push Whatsapp beyond a simple messaging/comms tool. 

Facebook forms Swiss fintech firm with payments focus <https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-switzerland-payments/facebook-forms-swiss-fintech-firm-with-payments-focus-idUSKCN1SN1ZT> - May 18, 2019 - Reuters

Facebook has set up fintech in Switzerland — and it's the latest indication of its ambition to use cryptos <https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-libra-networks-fintech-company-switzerland-2019-5/?r=AU&IR=T> - May 21, 2019 - Business Insider

Open Letter by US Senate to MZ re: FB’s crypto project <https://www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/5.9.19%20Facebook%20Letter.pdf> - May 9, 2019


More background: 

Facebook, Twitter and Telegram: A New Crypto Paradigm or a Glorified Voucher Program? <https://cointelegraph.com/news/facebook-twitter-and-telegram-a-new-crypto-paradigm-or-a-glorified-voucher-program> - Apr 12, 2019

Instagram adds in-app checkout as part of its big push into shopping <https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/19/18271840/instagram-checkout-shopping-facebook-business> - Mar 19, 2019

WhatsApp to launch cryptocurrency targeting NRIs sending money home <https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/whatsapp-cryptocurrency-launch-remittance-facebook-digital-coin/story/324291.html> - March 5, 2019

It’ll be great to hear more analysis on the digital crpyto/marketplace cold wars … 

Best, Sam.




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