News Releases

Ric Edelman Forms Council on Blockchain and Crypto
Group is focused on educating advisors about emerging asset class; partners with Barron's to stage all-day event at Top Indie Summit

FAIRFAX, Va., Feb. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ric Edelman, one of the nation's most prominent financial advisors, has created The Advisor Blockchain and Cryptoasset Council, to advance the RIA community's awareness, knowledge and understanding of blockchain and cryptoassets.

"Our goal is to help financial advisors give their clients advice about these disruptive technologies," Edelman said. "Through ABCC, financial advisors can learn about blockchain and cryptoassets, and be introduced to innovators that offer products and services in this field that are of value to RIAs and their clients."

Concerned that financial advisors lack understanding about blockchain technology and cryptoassets, Edelman hosted a meeting in June 2018, attended by Paul Pagnato of Pagnato Karp, Ray Sclafani of ClientWise, Alex Potts, CEO of Loring Ward, and Jamie McIntyre of Rewire Capital. Their encouragement led Edelman to create ABCC, and the group has already provided major presentations at Schwab's IMPACT, TD Ameritrade's LINC, Inside ETFs, and others.

ABCC is now partnering with Barron's to stage a 1½-day pre-event on March 19-20 at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, in conjunction with the Barron's Top Independent Advisor Summit. Edelman was named three times by Barron's as the nation's #1 Independent Financial Advisor.

The Barron's pre-event's Premiere Sponsor is Kingdom Trust. Additional sponsors include Bitwise Investments, Blockforce Capital, Fidelity Investments, Orion Advisor Services, Pantera Capital, State Street Global Advisors and Van Eck.

The Agenda for the Barron's pre-event includes these sessions:

  • Exploration of the Blockchain/Crypto Infrastructure
  • Is Blockchain/Crypto a Game-Changing Revolution, or a Bunch of Tulip Bulbs?
  • How to Buy & Store Crypto: Trading and Wallets
  • Opportunities in Blockchain/Crypto Investment Funds
  • Portfolio Tracking for Crypto
  • What the Regulators Are Saying
  • Bitcoin ETF: Prospects and Implications for Advisors and Investors
  • Is Crypto an Alternative Asset Class?
  • RIAs Reveal How They are Investing in Crypto

Scheduled attendees for the Barron's pre-event, including speakers, include:

Dan Morehead       

CEO & Co-CIO, Pantera Capital

Matt Hougan         

Global Head of Research, Bitwise

Gabor Gurbacs 

Director, Digital Assets Strategy, Van Eck

Jonathan Melton 

Director/Institutions, Xapo

Kyle Samani 

Co-founder / Managing Partner, Multicoin

Eric Clarke                 

CEO, Orion Advisor Services

Marty Bicknell       

CEO and President, Mariner Wealth Advisors

Ray Sclafani               

CEO & Founder, ClientWise LLC

Bonnie Sewell              

Founder, American Capital Planning

Donald Friedman         

Founder & CEO, JV Events Group

Bill Healy 

President, Pantera Capital

Bill Deuchler   

Managing Director, Morgan Creek Digital Assets

Patrick Larsen 

CEO & Co-founder, Zen Ledger

Matt Shapiro 

Principal, Multicoin Capital Management

Paul Pagnato 

Founder & CEO, Pagnato Karp

Ryan Alfred     

Managing Partner, Distributed Global

Patrick Schramm 

ETF Specialist, Van Eck

Ian Sheridan  

Principal & Co-founder, Vestigo Ventures

Katrina Scott  

Chief Investment Officer, Mariner Wealth Advisors

Craig Burel                   

Partner, Reciprocal Ventures

Bryan Tseng                 

Fidelity Investments

Nate Rand                     

Managing Director, SSGA

Matthew LeMerle         

Managing Partner, Keiretsu Capital

Karl Muth                    

CEO, frst  

Mike Alfred                  

Co-founder & CEO, Digital Assets Data

Robin Verderosa          

VP Product Marketing, Bitgo

Markiesha Ollison         

Coindesk

Doug Schwenk              

Chairman, Digital Asset Research

Paul Walton                  

Sr Research Analyst, FTSE Russell

Glenn Barber                

Chief Institutional Officer, Invest Voyager

Kristen Mirabella      

Business Development, Gemini

To register for the pre-event, go to www.advisorbcc.com.

ABOUT BLOCKCHAIN AND CRYPTOASSETS

Blockchain technology replaces the traditional "trust economy" with a new "authentication economy." It eliminates the need for middlemen, and allows financial transactions of all sorts to be conducted more quickly, more safely, less expensively and with greater transparency than traditional methods of commerce allow. Data placed on the blockchain are visible virtually instantly, and cannot be deleted, copied, altered or hidden.

Cryptoassets are vehicles used to conduct transactions on the blockchain, and include cryptocurrencies, utility and platform tokens, and tokenized securities.

Thanks to blockchain and cryptoassets, virtually every type of transaction can be accommodated – from brokerage transactions to concert tickets to marriage certificates – with massive improvements for buyer and seller, albeit at the expense of the broker or middleman.

ABOUT RIC EDELMAN

Ric Edelman was named the nation's #1 Independent Financial Advisor three times by Barron's.  He's been named one of the most influential people in the financial services field by Investment News Investment Advisor, RIABiz and Wealth Management. Ric is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of 10 books on personal finance and his weekly national radio show has been on the air for 28 years. He also produces specials for Public Television and an award-winning 16-page monthly newsletter.

Contact: Liz Dougherty 
Phone: (703) 991-1695 
Email: info@advisorbcc.com

SOURCE Advisor Blockchain and Cryptoasset Council