The rise of a new generation signals a shake-up to our current form of capitalism. Sascha Ragtschaa, CEO and co-founder at Chainium, the firm reinventing the global equity market, argues that by connecting investors directly with businesses on the blockchain, we can restore its lost promise.
Enter the centennials
The arrival of millenials disrupted every industry imaginable, and now the centennials are joining the electorate. This generation has grown up in an era of austerity, and evidence suggests they have become more sober and serious, with a view to changing the world.
As they vote, politicians are rising who reject the economic status quo, who argue that the current regime has been reduced to a small class of ever fatter cats creaming o the top of a system that locks most people out.
Although anti-capitalism in its current form, this generation is by no means anti-money. Young people today simply want to access investment on their own terms. The problem is that the current equity market doesn’t support such ambitions.
A global solution?
Since 1800, we’ve had country-by-country stock exchanges. However today’s businesses, equity market, and even investors are global. We need an update.
Businesses are essential for any economy to grow, but our current financial model can’t sufficiently support either ambitious firms or investors.
Global businesses looking to raise capital are limited to options which are complex, time-consuming, expensive and largely limited to a single country. They’re required to jump through pointless hoops and to pay pointless middlemen.
As for investors, opportunities to buy shares are restricted to public companies on the exchanges – they’re charged high fees and they aren’t able to invest in businesses abroad. This can mean they miss out on the best opportunities or even forgo investing altogether.
Unsurprisingly, centennials want something better. Imagine a quick, easy and free system in which investors and businesses of any size could make deals that suit them, anywhere in the world, without the need for a middleman. It’s perfectly possible.
A New Digital Share Certificate
With a digital share certificate, built on the blockchain, business owners and investors can connect directly to buy and sell equities – without any bureaucracy.
This means that capital can finally be democratised, so people can invest in and grow businesses that build a better world. And without middlemen slowing things down while getting rich on the inefficiencies.
This development is not only imminent but unstoppable. For future generations, it’s the only way to restore their faith in the true promise of capitalism.
