Presentation at a side event organized by the World Jurist Association during the 55th Meeting of the United Nation's Commission for Social Development. The overarching goal was finding strategies for the eradication of poverty to achieve sustainable development for all. The slides are self-explanatory and were intended to provide a vision of transformative potential, not an in-depth discussion of challenges and opportunities.

1. Can Bitcoin
Solve Global Poverty?
© 2017 Juan Llanos
United Nations Headquarters, February 10, 2017
@JuanLlanos

2. © 2017 Juan Llanos
Is the United Nations the world’s hospital?

3. Adult population with NO USE OF formal
or semiformal FINANCIAL SERVICES
© 2017 Juan Llanos

4. SCALE
GLOBAL
UNIVERSAL
© 2017 Juan Llanos
“Poverty is the greatest challenge facing the world today”
2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda

5. cryptocurrency (b)
value transfer network (B)
open platform (B)
© 2017 Juan Llanos

6. O P E N / P U B L I C
P R O G R A M M A B L E
D I S T R I B U T E D C O N S E N S U S
N O D O U B L E - S P E N D
T R A N S PA R E N T L E D G E R
REVOLUTIONARY TECHNOLOGY

7. freedom to own
freedom to transfer
freedom to innovate
© 2017 Juan Llanos
PERMISSIONLESS INNOVATION
CORRUPTION- & CENSORSHIP-RESISTANCE

8. © 2017 Juan Llanos

9. the money
opportunity
© 2017 Juan Llanos
PROBLEM
misguided/incompetent/corrupt governments take advantage of fractional-reserve-based monetary system
high/hyper inflation, currency controls, monetary debasement hurt millions
OPPORTUNITY
bitcoin/cryptocurrencies as alternative store of value
preferable even despite volatility

10. © 2017 Juan Llanos
Cutting prices by at least 5
percentage points can save up
to $16 BILLION/YEAR.

11. the remittances
opportunity
© 2017 Juan Llanos
PROBLEM
disadvantaged/emerging economies are highly dependent on family remittances
cost of remittances highest where infrastructure underdeveloped, competition limited and regulation restrictive
OPPORTUNITY
cutting prices by 5% can save senders up to $16 billion/year (World Bank)
bitcoin/cryptocurrencies as cheaper alternative transfer mechanisms
P2P de-monopolizes remittance corridors

12. © 2017 Juan Llanos

13. the global commerce
opportunity
© 2017 Juan Llanos
PROBLEM
disadvantaged/emerging economies are cut off from global (e-)commerce
talented entrepreneurs and merchants blocked from exporting goods and services
OPPORTUNITY
leverage increasing mobile connectivity with the “Internet of Value”
potential explosion in “gig economy” micro-enterprises

14. © 2017 Juan Llanos

15. © 2017 Juan Llanos
HERNANDO DE SOTO SHOWS AN ”ARTISANAL” CHAIN OF TITLE

16. Underground economy
© 2017 Juan Llanos
$10 TRILLION

17. the property rights
opportunity
© 2017 Juan Llanos
PROBLEM
unregistered assets are “dead,” cannot serve as capital
rightful owners of property at mercy of corruption
lack of credibility of right ownership and transfer at a distance (time + space)
OPPORTUNITY
leverage decentralized, tamper-evident, anti-fragile properties of open blockchains

18. self-sovereign identity
© 2017 Juan Llanos

19. the identity
opportunity
© 2017 Juan Llanos
PROBLEM
current systems: invasive, ineffective, exclusionary, non-interoperable, vulnerable
human rights violations; inability to engage in binding contracts; impediment for financial inclusion
OPPORTUNITY
leverage decentralized, tamper-evident, anti-fragile properties of open blockchains
enable self-sovereign identity (user autonomy and control)
meet both civil liberties and law enforcement goals

21. the renewable energy
opportunity
© 2017 Juan Llanos
PROBLEM
oil-based energy expensive, negative environmental impact, unsustainable long-term
oil and gas traded only in USD à impact on local economies
OPPORTUNITY
Communities as consumers + producers of renewable energy (smartgrids)
tokenization + kwh-denominated trading

22. PARADIGMS
challenged
m o n e y
s o v e r e i g n t y
s e c u r i t y
r e g u l a t i o n
p r o p e r t y
i d e n t i t y
l a w
g o v e r n a n c e
© 2017 Juan Llanos

24. © 2017 Juan Llanos
THE ULTIMATE
OPPORTUNITY
PROBLEM
“Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” (Lord Acton)
most humanitarian actions address symptoms, not root causes
power imbalances and asymmetries are at core of inequality
OPPORTUNITY
lower ”our vulnerability to the whims of strangers” (Nick Szabo) via open blockchains
reduce human subjectivity
enhance access, equality and freedom

25. © 2017 Juan Llanos

26. @JuanLlanos
Thank You