The focus around Circle China is really cross-border payments. If I'm a parent in China and my son is studying at London Business School, I might want to send 500 RMB. I should be able to do that and have my child instantly receive it as pounds sterling, in the same way people do that with instant messages today.

The blockchain is to money what SMTP is to email. It's an open way to move value around. Every existing player in this space - not just Venmo but also Google and Facebook and others - are all closed; they all want to work just within their own walled garden.

Digital currency attempts to disrupt the financial industry, and it's potentially threatening to the existing financial services industry, but it doesn't have to be that way.

Jeremy Allaire Quotes