A Millennial-focused MoneyShow University event was held on August 24, 2016 as part of the MoneyShow San Francisco conference. Students and young professionals had the opportunity to interact with seasoned experts, successful entrepreneurs and investment-industry icons from around the United States.
Located in the heart of San Francisco, the day was filled with an array of topics including bitcoin, drones and the Internet of Things to name a few.
Bitcoin Magazine reached out to producer of the MoneyShow University and a Millennial himself, Jordan Berger, who said that bitcoin is well suited to Millennials who tend to have a distrust to government.
“Bitcoin is a private currency that is not backed by any government, central bank or organization which makes it appealing to most. Also, low transactions costs make doing business with bitcoins more affordable, convenient and secure, three factors that young people highly value.”
Berger added that he believes that bitcoin will be attractive to the younger generation who seem to understand technology better than any previous generation.
“They are always looking for the next big thing and have shown support for initiatives that make an impact in their lives in a meaningful way,” he said. “With adoption of bitcoin globally, young people can travel the world, without having to convert their currency, [as] bitcoin has no borders.”
He added that the younger generation are the future and without them, digital currency does not have a chance at mass adoption.
One of the discussions that took place at the MoneyShow University was “Bitcoin Is Global: A Discussion with Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss,” which explored the global market opportunities in digital asset trading and management, the importance of working constructively with regulators and the future of digital assets as a next-generation investment vehicle.
In October 2015, the Winklevoss brothers launched their Gemini Trust Company as a fully licensed, regulated digital asset exchange in New York City. In May 2016, the company became the first-ever licensed bitcoin and ether exchange and in June of this year, Gemini’s operations grew to include Canada, with plans to expand into Europe, East Asia and elsewhere.
Speaking to Bitcoin Magazine, panel discussion presenter and Bitcoin reporter for Forbes, Laura Shin, said that it was very early to make predictions regarding the future of digital assets as a next-generation investment vehicle. Looking at the changes and activities over the last two years, however, there are more professional traders and institutional investors with things likely to grow, she added.
“On the horizon we have a number of different investment products or services that make it easier for them to trade products. At some point, in the next few years, there is probably going to be a bitcoin ETF and there will be price indexes coming out that will make it easier to create other products based on bitcoin. Based on these things that are in the works that haven’t yet launched and also from the trends we are already seeing, it looks like this is going to grow.”
Shin also cautioned that a lot can change. She mentioned setbacks such as bitcoin exchange hacks and The DAO fiasco, stating that it is probably going to be a bumpy road but that the general trend is toward more availability and activity.
The next MoneyShow University events will take place in Toronto on September 16, 2016 and in Orlando on February 10, 2017.
Note: While Laura Shin is a contributing reporter at Forbes, the opinions expressed are her own.