In this edition of New and Noteworthy, we are highlighting the predictive power of economics, regulatory action around Bitcoin, and the intersection of privacy, technology and “mobile for development” programs.
- Last week, the U.S. marked the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. While much has been made in terms of civil rights progress, a new survey from Pew Research shows the widening gaps between blacks and whites in terms of financial and economic well-being.
- Alex Rosenberg and Tyler Curtain wax philosophic in this New York Times opinion piece on the predictive power of economics and what that means for the next Federal Reserve Chairman.
- In much of the developing world, the adage of keeping money under the mattress is quite literal – often cash is kept in safe boxes or other hiding spots in the home. A new IMTFI blog post addresses why the poor continue to keep money at home even if bank accounts are accessible.
- A recent report from the New America Foundation discusses principles of privacy and security in a time when mobile technology is gaining immense popularity in international development projects.
- Forbes reports that in the wake of a recent ruling by a federal judge declaring Bitcoin as real currency, the New York State Department of Financial Services subpoenaed 22 digital-currency companies and investors asking for information regarding a host of topics including money laundering controls and consumer protection practices.
- The future of banking may look like “a cross between an Apple Store, a Starbucks and a W Hotel lobby,” according to this article on the expansion of Umpqua Bank’s “bank-as-community” retail model.
