The Present and Future of Cryptocurrency

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Center for Policy Studies
Public Affairs Discussion Group
The Present and Future of Cryptocurrency

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Peter Zimmerman, Ph.D. – Research Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Friday April 22, 2022
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Online Zoom Meeting

Dear Colleagues:

As NPR reported, “Cryptocurrencies made a splash at the Super Bowl.”

“Four ads touting cryptocurrencies aired during the three-and-a-half hour broadcast… The ads ranged from one showing an older Lebron James going back in time to visit his younger self, to one where comedian Larry David misses out on every major innovation throughout history and now, of course, resists crypto too.”

The hype about crypto now includes ads featuring Matt Damon, Steph Curry and Tom Brady (with Giselle Bündchen) among others, amid a mix of worries about the substance, enthusiasm about prospects, and cynicism about whether crypto promotion could be any less reliable than the innovation and speculation that led to the financial meltdown of 2008.

Since the creation of Bitcoin in 2008, cryptocurrencies have steadily grown to become a financial market that is difficult to ignore. To supporters, blockchain technology represents the future of finance. To detractors, it is nothing more than a volatile and environmentally destructive Ponzi scheme. In this talk, Peter Zimmerman will discuss what we have learned about these markets over the past fourteen years, and what the future may hold.

Signing In

The “Friday Lunch” has been convening each Friday that classes are in session during Fall and “Spring” semesters since 1989. Regrettably, after more than three decades meeting in person and eating lunch (or at least coffee and cookies) together, we had to take our gatherings online after the pandemic hit in 2020.

I hope that this, the final meeting of “Spring” 2022 semester, will be the last exclusively online for a while. My wishful plan is to go “dual delivery” when we return on September 2 for the beginning of Fall, 2022 semester. If you do not get the newsletter, you should also be able to get the information each Monday by checking http://fridaylunch.case.edu/. When you register, you will automatically receive from the Zoom system the link to join the meeting. Please note that we will open the meeting at Noon so people aren’t all signing on at once, but the speaker starts at 12:30.

This week’s link for registration is:

https://cwru.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMtc–orT4vHNPrSQRdRCF85laL9I3w_DI1

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Please e-mail padg@case.edu if you have questions about how the Zoom version of the Friday Lunch will work or any other suggestions. Or call at 216 368-2426 and we’ll try to get back to you. We are very pleased to be partnering this semester with the Siegal Lifelong Learning Program to share information about the discussions.

Best wishes for safety and security for you and yours,

Joe White
Luxenberg Family Professor of Public Policy and Director, Center for Policy Studies


About Our Guest

Peter Zimmerman is a research economist in the Research Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. His research interests are in financial market infrastructure and banking. Recently, he has focused on fintech and issues around cryptocurrencies as payments instruments.

Prior to joining the Bank in 2020, Dr. Zimmerman was a senior economist at the Bank of England. He worked on research and policy issues around the Basel 3 banking reforms, payments systems, shadow banking, and macroprudential policy.

Dr. Zimmerman received his Ph.D. in financial economics from Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. He holds a BA in mathematics from the University of Cambridge, and an MSc in economics from Trinity College Dublin.

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