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This week we are travelling around the world of finance and technology. Starting with a new bitcoin initiative from India, new blockchain regulations from Switzerland and London is being touted as the leader in the FinTech industry, swiftly followed by Singapore and New York. So buckle up and let’s begin! Indian bitcoin exchange launches new mobile wallet app. The release of Unocoin comes 2 months after the company raised $1.5 million from investors and according to the owners reflects India’s love for mobile devices. The app allows iOS and Android users to buy and sell bitcoin directly. Read more here.   New report finds London is leading the FinTech sector. A report from Deloitte and All Street Research, analysed 21 of the major FinTech companies across the world and found that 5 of these have a leading Index Performance score of 25, indicating that they are more conducive to FinTech developments. At the top spot was London, followed by Singapore, New York, Silicon Valley and Hong Kong respectively. Read more here.   Swiss government relaxes regulations for FinTech companies. The Swiss Federal Council has recommended a three-pronged strategy, which they hope will support FinTech start-ups. Finance Minister, Ueli Maurer said, “We assume that with the steps we have prepared and the commitment we have to the overall financial services industry we can provide a solution that puts us among the top [countries] in the world that regulate this.” Read more here.   (Sources: Coin Desk, Crypto Coin News, Blockchain Age)

Today we are showcasing why you should want to work for Gem - a company that builds blockchain operating systems with projects in healthcare, supply chain management, and insurance. Fancy working with a vibrant, enthusiastic and tech-obsessed bunch? Then look no further!   Location Based in beautiful Los Angeles, California , the Gem office is modern with an open floor plan just one block from the Venice Beach boardwalk. The area is famous for body builders (Hello Arnold Schwarzenegger) and street performers, just think of the people-watching potential come lunchtime!     Office Life Collaboration is a huge part of Gem’s culture , so you'll find every conference room has wall-to-wall whiteboard paint. Every Wednesday they have an All Hands-style meeting called “Gem Sesh” where the entire team gets to enjoy company sponsored lunches and discuss the latest and greatest technologies . Past topics have included; comparisons of various consensus algorithms in the blockchain space, messaging pipelines in enterprise architecture and security issues with smart contracts. Having an informed team keeps everyone at the top of their game and Gem knows this. To keep everyone in the loop they created a slack channel called "Read This" which allows employees to post and discuss major news in the blockchain industry .      Nice Extras This year Gem flew the entire team to Nashville for Distributed:Health, the first blockchain healthcare conference . ( Watch their video here .) People who enjoy a spot of light-hearted competition will love taking part in Gem's socials. As big fans of classic parlor games, the team love to play "Guess the Celebrity", Giant Jenga, Family Feud, cornhole, and pool - sore losers need not apply! Games aside, every other month they host an Ethereum meetup at the Gem HQ and invite top people from the community to speak, network and learn more about their industry. Perhaps one of the coolest perks - for a Gemologist's one year anniversary they get a personalized bobble head that lives in the office. Who doesn't want their own personalised bobble head?! Click here for all of Gem's vacancies   Want more? Follow @GemHQ on Twitter and you can find us @BlockchainTribe   (Images supplied by Gatecoin and Adobe) Click here for all of Gatecoin's vacancies   Want more? Follow  @Gatecoin on Twitter and you can find us @BlockchainTribe   (Images supplied by Gatecoin and Adobe) - See more at: https://blocktribe.com/blog/11/why-you-should-want-to-work-for-gatecoin-blocktribe/#sthash.bgqfvioW.dpuf

Following on from our blog post ‘ What Does a Great Blockchain Developer Look Like? ’, this week we will cover how to hire a good blockchain developer. Here are our tips for the interview process, what to look for in their CV and how to advertise your blockchain role effectively. Don’t scare people with your job spec It can be tempting to use your job spec to filter out candidates. You will often see ‘only apply if you have X’ – which is fine to an extent but if your advert is repeating this phrase over and over again you might want to reconsider. Make it exciting and appealing so that when the rock star reads it, they will send across their CV. Remember, you can always filter through the applicants later on!   Challenges and Complexities Speaking of the job spec, great developers love challenges, complexity and visibility - make sure you jobs spec discusses the impact that they can make on your business and how visible their achievements could be.   Core Product Once you are at the reviewing resumes/CVs stage, consider how critical their project is to the business? Is it the main project or an enhancement? If they’ve been put in charge of the core product then they will be the best developer. Basically, the rule is the more complex and visible the project, the better the developer.   Why should someone want to work for you? It’s not always something that interviewers consider, but it’s important to think about what makes your company desirable. To paraphrase author Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , "begin with the end in mind". What does this mean? Well ask yourself why would a great developer want to work for you? Why would a great developer want to work on your product? Once you’ve identified the answers you will be better placed to find these qualities in a prospective employee.   Watch out for unexplained short job roles or long career gaps This isn’t blockchain developer specific but worth noting all the same: be wary of developers with unexplained short job roles and/or long gaps between work.  It's not to say that no one with a fractured resume/CV is any good, but usually great developers don’t struggle to find work. These are the people that work with companies for a long time (because they are invaluable) and they usually get re-hired by the same people repeatedly.   Want more? Follow us on Twitter @BlockchainTribe

Happy Monday! It’s time to kick start your week with all things blockchain-related, so grab your coffee and get ready for some serious tech knowledge. Today we’ve got Walmart using blockchain to avoid rotten purchases, a blockchain competition sponsored by US Department of Health, 9 blockchain firms accepted into to the UK Financial Conduct Agency sandbox scheme and increased scrutiny for US voting system. Let’s get started: Walmart trials using blockchain to remove unsafe foods from shelves. The supermarket giant has begun using the blockchain’s distributed ledger to identify the sources of hazardous foodstuff making it far quicker to pull a dodgy item from the shelves. The info will detail everything from the supplier to the courier, making it easy for the brand to clamp down on bad business. Read more here.   US Department of Health sponsored a blockchain research contest. The federal agency sponsored the so-called ‘Blockchain Challenge’ received over 70 white papers from industry and academics, with topics included; maintaining the security of patient’s medical records and giving patient’s better control over their records. Read more here.   Nine blockchain tech companies accepted into UK Financial Conduct Authority scheme. As part of the sandbox program, which was launched in May earlier this year, the FCA has given the go-ahead to 24 applications made by 9 companies. This will allow the firms to test out new innovative ideas minus all the regulatory consequences that would usually ensue. Read more here.   New York-based tech firm wants to increase scrutiny for US voting system. Following a controversial presidential election, Blockchain Technologies Corp. aims to use ‘tamper-resistant’ blockchain technology on any elections. The smart tech would report any suspicious behaviour or any hacking threats. Read more here.   (Sources: Engadget, Blockchain Finance, Coin Telegraph, All Coin News) Want more? Follow us on Twitter @BlockchainTribe  

Blockchain development is currently being explored by organisations across the globe, from 100-year-old banks to fledgling start-ups . Knowing how to identify the best person for the role can be tricky, so we have outlined some factors that can help sort the mediocre from the absolutely incredible.   Reputation First and foremost, great developers have great reputations.  If you meet a potential superstar developer, be sure to speak to some of his former employers to make sure that they agree. You should also browse through their portfolio of previous work and investigate any that are similar in scope to your project.   Up-to-date industry knowledge They will know the relevant industry systems, protocols and underlying technologies. And any blockchain developer worth their salt will know the basic languages, tools and software development methods that are widely used in the industry.    Active member of the blockchain community Hire developers who are part of the rapidly growing blockchain community. They will be the ones going to conferences, meet ups and presentations to learn, and teach.  The industry is hugely collaborative at the moment and a great developer will be someone who benefits from and contributes to the wider community.   An excellent multitasker Blockchain (and other distributed ledger technologies) adds a layer of complexity to development and one of the biggest challenge is to think in a way that is conducive to creating systems and platforms that multiple parties access and rely on.  Development has rarely been done like this before and a great developer will need the mental capacity to solve technical and business problems simultaneously.   Internal software or commercial product? If you're developing a commercial product it pays to hire senior blockchain developers who are used to delivering viable products to customers. Other developers who work on internal systems can be great, but sometimes they aren't used to the user experience and quality of finish requirements needed in a commercial development.     Want more? Follow us on Twitter @BlockchainTribe

Welcome to the start of a brand new week! Today we recap the most exciting news that happened over the weekend so you can get start your Monday on the best note possible. Today’s topics include a report from Deutsche Bank which says blockchain will be mainstream in six years, a Singaporean bank uses blockchain for inter-bank transfers for the first time, FinTech start-up company Nimbrix announces the launch of an asset management platform with Microsoft and KMPG and reports that Ukraine will be the next country to go cashless. Blockchain will be mainstream within six years. In a survey of 200 financial market players, Deutsche Bank and FT Remark, three quarters believe blockchain technology will be widely used within 3-6 years. While an enormous 87% of participants thought that distributed Leger Technology will completely change the settle model for securities. David Rhydderch, Head of Alternative Fund Services at DB said: "The entire back end would become a far more efficient, far less costly, more accurate and less risk-prone function.” Read more here.   Singaporean bank becomes the first to use blockchain to make inter-bank fund transfers. OCBC Bank claims it is the first bank is Southeast Asia to make local and cross-border inter-bank fund transfers using blockchain technology. This comes following their successful pilot transaction between the bank and its subsidiaries, OCBC Malaysia and Bank of Singapore. There are hopes that this will pave the way for other financial products and applications. Read more here.   FinTech start-up partners with Microsoft and KPMG to launch blockchain asset management. Nimbrix, a London-based start-up, has announced that it is developing a platform for the asset management industry in co-operation with Microsoft and KPMG. It will aim to drastically reduce costs by allowing instant trades between counterparties. Nimbrix CEO, Simon Bullers has called it a “revolutionary approach to software for the financial services sector”. Read more here.   Is Ukraine the next to launch digital currency? The eastern European country looks set to be the next cashless country, according to the National Bank of Ukraine. A report from the NBU said, “Like other world central [NBU] is considering an opportunity of introducing a digital form of national currency using blockchain technologies.” Read more here.   (Sources: Straits Times, Fin Extra, Coin Telegraph, The Bitcoin News) Want more? Follow us on Twitter @BlockchainTribe

This week marks the start of a new weekly feature on blocktribe, where we will be showcasing just how amazing our job posters are. For our inaugural post, we are kicking things off with Gatecoin - a regulated online trading platform for cryptocurrency and blockchain assets. So without further ado, here is why you should want to work for Gatecoin…                                                Location Gatecoin is located in the heart of Hong Kong, Asia's bustling, cosmopolitan and commercial hub .  When you’re not at your desk, you will be able to explore the diverse and dynamic Asia Pacific region during your free time. You will also have the chance to work remotely 10% of the time so that you can extend your travels in other parts of Asia.   Office Life You will be exposed to the latest developments in the blockchain industry and have the chance to learn about new technologies through regular training sessions conducted by their in-house experts . Depending on the role you may also have the opportunity to travel for work for conferences, competitions, and high-level meetings.  You will also have the opportunity to engage with corporate partners , including major financial and technology institutions such as Standard Chartered and Microsoft to design leading blockchain applications.  Spend up to 10% of your time at the office creating or contributing to your own open-source blockchain projects .      Nice Extras Gatecoin is proud to promote a collaborative, creative and friendly working culture . They are strong believers in work-life balance and respect time dedicated to family, partners and friends.  As a team, they often eat lunch together and try to arrange an after work social activity once every two weeks and during summer they organize team junk boat trips and other outdoor excursions.  They often socialize with other FinTech start-ups and members of the blockchain ecosystem in Asia as well as encouraging you to attend and participate in blockchain related meetups and events so you can build your personal network.    Click here for all of Gatecoin's vacancies   Want more? Follow  @Gatecoin on Twitter and you can find us @BlockchainTribe   (Images supplied by Gatecoin and Adobe)

After a weekend of fireworks and bonfires (if you aren’t from the UK it was Guy Fawkes Night was on the 5 th ) it is time to get back into it with our weekend round up! Today we have a free blockchain social event in London, Chinese regulation cause bitcoin freefall, an advertising game-changer and a breakthrough Thai bank.   -          Attend the free Blockchain: Money social in Shoreditch, London tonight. Here at blocktribe, we are very proud to announce that we are co-sponsoring the Coinscrum Blockchain: Money social tonight, Monday 7 th November. Kicking off at 6pm, this free event allows like-minded blockchain enthusiasts to chat over a pint. RSVP here .   -          Bitcoin prices falls 8% as Chinese government plan cap. The value of Bitcoin has been fluctuating a lot in recent weeks. However, a decision by the Chinese government to introduce policies that would restrict domestic Bitcoin exchanges from moving the cryptocurrency to platforms outside the natation and imposing quotas. Read more here .   -          Blockchain will change the way we advertise online. Blockchain start up Mass Network wants to revolutionise the way people can advertise on the web. According to COO Alexey Oshchepkov, their product will improve audience targeting while still protecting the users privacy. Read more here .   -          Thai Bank is exploring blockchain to economise. Kasikornbank, as known as Kbank, has teamed up with IBM to “save costs and speed up transactions”. It will be the first bank in Thailand to use blockchain technology and according to Somkid Jiranuntarat, the bank’s vice-chairman, the group are already in talks with other Thai banks to share the tech. Read more here .   (Sources: Coin Telegraph, Banking Tech, Crypto Coin News)   Want more? Follow us on Twitter @BlockchainTribe

As I spoke about in our previous blog post , people who want to work in the blockchain sector would be wise to think seriously about taking a course that specialises in the tools and languages that are most prevalent in the community. Having something like this in your back pocket can set you apart from the rest of the pack and it will equip you with the skills you need to work in this ever evolving field. The below list covers all skills levels, so there is something for everyone. Now without further ado let's begin... 1. B9lab Skill Level: Intermediate What? A 9-week course that teaches software engineers the basics of blockchain technology as well as languages and tools required to build decentralised applications on the Ethereum platform. They estimate that it takes between 4-6 hours per week. Where? Online course How much? €995 Requirements: Basic object-oriented programming experience. Basic understanding of JavaScript, HTML and CSS.   2. Microexpert Skill Level: Beginner What? A one day workshop that covers what blockchain is and how it works. Topics include an explanation of how transactions work, current applications (Bitcoin, Ripple, Ethereum) and an exploration of regulatory issues. Where? London How much? £495 Requirements: It is not necessary to have any technical or previous knowledge of the Blockchain or Bitcoin.   3. Blockchain Training – Discovering Blockchain / Developing Blockchain Skill Level: Beginner / Intermediate What? Taught by Stephan, the former CCO for Ethereum, this one-day course covers blockchains, their history, inner workings, use cases and current limitations. They also offer another course which focuses on the developer aspects. Here you will learn how to design, write, test and deploy a live decentralised application. Where? London How much? £699 / £799 Requirements: Both courses are intended for an audience new to blockchain, but for the Developer course they recommend participants have an existing skillset in writing code in a high level language such as C++, Java or Javascript.   4.  The Institute for Financial Markets Skill Level: Beginner What? A one-day program for anyone interested in learning about digital currency and/or contemplating its role in the derivatives market. Topics include; how Bitcoin got started, advantages to digital currencies, explore how derivatives are used and the future of virtual currencies. Where? Available in London, New York, Chicago and Washington DC How much? Prices start at $625 Requirements: Basic understanding of digital currency and the derivatives market.   5.  Blockchain University Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate What? They aren't running any courses at the moment, but in the past they have offered an 8-week course and an accelerated one week intensive course recently. Both provided an overview and in-depth exploration of the emerging field of distributed digital assets using blockchain distributed ledger technologies. They also regularly hold hackathons and blockchain social events. Where? California How much? No prices available at the moment Requirements: Suitable for developers, manager and entrepreneurs.   Please note: Although every care has been taken to research these companies, we urge you to do your own enquiries before investing money in any company.   Want more? Follow us on Twitter @BlockchainTribe

Happy Halloween! After a weekend of trick or treating, it’s time to swap poltergeists for proof of concepts and vampire bats for bitcoin. If you're still in a candy coma, don’t worry – let us fill you in with what happened in the world of blockchain over the weekend. Is blockchain the modern equivalent of the postal service? Wells Fargo and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia have begun sending actual packages using blockchain. What goods were used in this momentous maiden voyage? Well, it was 88 bales of cotton. Not necessarily what you would expect, but the shipment from Texas to Qingdao, China, valued at $35,000 was priceless in terms of its value to the global financial community. Read more here.   Blockchain could prevent voter fraud. With the upcoming US presidential election on our doorsteps, the poll paranoia has begun. However, those worried about fraudulent ballot papers might want to investigate the benefits of blockchain. Its ability to prevent double spending of digital currencies could also be applied to multiple votes. Read more here.   European banks risk falling behind America when it comes to blockchain. Speaking of the US, the land of the free is strides ahead when it comes to FinTech compared to its European counterparts, according to Reuters. US financial institutions have moved quickly, while Europe has struggled with the cost-cutting measures since the 2008 crisis. Read more here.   South Korea invests $2 billion for digital currency. The East Asian nation will provide 3 trillion won ($2.65 billion) in support of its FinTech sector over the course of the next three years. Speaking at the 12 th FinTech Center Demo day, the chairman of the Financial Services Commission, Yim Jong-yong said, “The government will push for the systematization of digital currency on a full scale in tandem with a global trend in the U.S., Japan and other countries.” Read more here.   (Sources: Crypto Coin News, Venture Beat, Coin Telegraph)   Want more? Follow us on Twitter @BlockchainTribe