Digitising identity to reduce inequality

Avui dia ja podem accedir a les nostres finances, a les aplicacions o a dades personals sense necessitat d’ensenyar el document d’identitat en paper. A 11Onze analitzem com la digitalització de la identitat pot ajudar a reduir les desigualtats i millorar la qualitat de vida de la ciutadania d’arreu del món.

Un dels avantatges més celebrats de la digitalització és el fet de simplificar tràmits amb l’administració que impliquen una inversió de temps i diners important. Ara, ja podem aconseguir el padró sense haver-nos de desplaçar a l’Ajuntament; podem fer la declaració de la renda, amb assessorament inclòs, sense sortir de casa; o bé obtenir un certificat oficial, tot i viure en un poble, sense necessitat d’anar a la sucursal d’una gran ciutat. Aquest és un nou escenari de gestions en línia que gràcies a la identificació digital ens aporta agilitat i seguretat.

Aquesta utopia que, a poc a poc, esdevé la nostra quotidianitat, pot portar beneficis significatius a escala social, tant per a la ciutadania com per a l’administració, com ara reduir el frau o aconseguir un empoderament econòmic més inclusiu. Tot això, però, només s’aconseguirà si aquesta tecnologia es fa servir correctament.

El primer gran repte, identificar la població

Segons dades del Banc Mundial, de les 7.600 milions de persones que hi ha al món, gairebé 1.000 milions no tenen cap mena d’identificació reconeguda legalment. Els 6.000 milions restants es reparteixen entre aquelles persones que, tot i tenir identificació legal, no disposen de mecanismes per fer-la servir en l’àmbit digital i aquells que viuen en països on la identificació digital ja és una realitat, com és el cas de Catalunya.

A escala global, fer tràmits administratius o tributaris en línia no és tan habitual com a molts de nosaltres ens pot semblar, i això obre un altre debat: si oferir nous canals digitals implica més oportunitats i facilitats per a la ciutadania, la falta d’accés comporta més desigualtats? Tant els canals de comunicació com els processos administratius han adoptat la via digital com a punt de referència, i en tot aquest procés la tecnologia ha deixat enrere totes aquelles persones que prefereixen els canals tradicionals, sigui per desconeixement o per falta de recursos. Una dificultat afegida per accedir a bens i serveis que amplia la desigualtat social i suposa posar en risc el lliure accés als recursos públics.

Beneficis i riscos de la identificació digital es contraposen i, com en tot balanç, l’opció que pesa més és la que pot afavorir a més ciutadania, contribuir a la millora social i servir com a eina d’evolució, no només com a substitut d’antics mètodes. En aquest punt, les entitats i organismes que treballen amb col·lectius en situació de vulnerabilitat estan guanyant protagonisme.

iSocial: innovació tecnològica en l’àmbit social

ONG i entitats socials han fet un pas endavant en la lluita social i han introduït la innovació tecnològica en un sector que fins ara se n’havia mantingut al marge. És el cas de la fundació iSocial, orientada a oferir solucions innovadores per a la lluita social. La fundació ha creat Refugee Aid App, una aplicació pensada per al col·lectiu migrant a Europa que té dificultats en el procés d’acollida.

Gràcies a l’aplicació, anomenada RefAid, es posa en contacte persones que necessiten un suport i entitats que en presten, la majoria de les quals són ONG internacionals. Actualment, ja està disponible a 14 països, entre els quals encara no hi ha l’Estat espanyol. La mateixa empresa també ha tret al mercat Lifespots, una aplicació orientada a escala local, però amb la mateixa finalitat: facilitar els canals d’ajuda comunitària.

Una de les preocupacions per a les persones que han de migrar és la por a ser retornats al país d’origen. En aquest sentit, l’aplicació ofereix la seguretat que aquestes dades només es compartiran entre organitzacions socials i amb la finalitat de garantir l’article 14 de la Declaració Universal dels Drets Humans, que protegeix “el dret a buscar asil i a gaudir d’aquest a qualsevol país”.

La identificació digital s’obre camí

Un altre exemple és Protection People app (PPa), una plataforma també impulsada per iSocial i orientada a identificar digitalment les persones en situació administrativa irregular, que són prop de 1.000 milions arreu del món. Persones migrades, que viuen en situacions d’extrema vulnerabilitat o que han patit desastres naturals o humanitaris poden trobar-se en aquesta situació. Per acompanyar-les, aquesta aplicació els ofereix coordinació amb altres ONG per detectar necessitats i obrir nous camins, gràcies a les dades biomètriques (dactilar, facial i patró de venes del palmell de la mà, que no varien amb els anys) i a l’informe vital que l’acompanya. 

Identificar persones de forma 100% digital ja és una realitat i, en part, és gràcies a aplicacions que aconsegueixen fer, en qüestió d’hores, tràmits que els governs tarden mesos o, fins i tot, anys a completar. La innovació tecnològica en l’àmbit social obre un nou escenari per combatre la desigualtat social i aportar seguretat i facilitats a la ciutadania d’arreu del món.

11Onze s’està convertint en un fenomen com a primera comunitat fintech de Catalunya. Ara, llança la primera versió d’El Canut, la super app d’11Onze, per a Android i Apple. Des d’El Canut es pot obrir el primer compte universal al territori català.

Credit or debit cards are known as “plastic money”. Today, there are more than 2.8 billion of them in circulation in the world. Beyond the environmental impact they cause, in this article we explain how to avoid having your wallet stolen.

We have already told you about the origin of the credit card in La Plaça. Many years have passed since McNamara’s famous idea and the techniques that thieves use to steal money from the card have also evolved. So, if you haven’t switched to virtual cards and still use the so-called “plastic money”, here are four tips to avoid being taken for a ride.

1. You are the one who has to swipe your card through the dataphone. If you buy in a shop, never let the salesperson take the card and you cannot see the dataphone. There are many card copiers that, just by swiping the card, copy all the data. It is therefore important that you are the one who swipes the card over the dataphone. 
2. Make sure that the device does not have any strange wires. If you swipe your card yourself, especially if you are not making a purchase at a trusted merchant, make sure that there is no device, large or small, connected to the dataphone. Nowadays, there are many devices that connect to the dataphone and can also copy data. Therefore, if the device is not wireless, check that only a cable is hanging from it.
3. Do not make purchases using WIFI or public computers. WIFI networks and public computers have made the internet accessible to everyone, but virtual shopping is best done with your personal computer and from your home WIFI. Encourage safe shopping. 
4. Avoid ‘fishing’. Finally, avoid so-called ‘fishing’ whenever possible. Whether by phone call or e-mail, some thieves have specialised in asking for your card details with the excuse that they need them for a service you have contracted. Do not give out any personal or financial information except through the service’s corporate intranet or in the shop itself.

11Onze is becoming a phenomenon as the first Fintech community in Catalonia. Now, it releases the first version of El Canut, the super app of 11Onze, for Android and Apple. El Canut, the first universal account can be opened in Catalan territory.

The resignation of its founder, Changpeng Zhao, after a plea deal with the US Department of Justice on criminal money laundering charges, raises questions about the future of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange platform. We take a chronological look at the key events that have undermined the credibility of the cryptocurrency giant.

Binance is not going through the best of times. The admission of guilt that took place last week as a result of an agreement between Changpeng Zhao, former CEO and founder of the platform, and the US Department of Justice, comes after two years of investigations since the competent authorities determined that the company had not registered as an operator in the country, a requirement to buy and sell cryptocurrencies.

Prosecutors said that between August 2017 and October 2022, Binance and its founder engaged in a “calculated and deliberate effort” to operate in the United States without respecting the relevant regulatory standards. The $50m fine for Zhao and $4.3bn for Binance, agreed with the Department of Justice, culminates a saga of legal battles that have plagued the popular cryptocurrency exchange in recent months.

Allegations of lack of transparency in the use of funds

In February this year, a Reuters investigation revealed that Binance bank records and internal messages showed that the company had secret access to a bank account belonging to its supposedly independent US operator and that, during the first few months of 2021, it transferred more than $400 million from this account to a company managed by Changpeng Zhao.

A few months later, sources consulted by Reuters warned that Binance was not differentiating its funds from its customers’ funds, in breach of the US financial regulatory framework that requires customers’ money to be kept separate. Although Reuters was unable to independently verify the amounts and frequency of the transfers, one of the sources with direct knowledge of the Binance group’s finances said the transactions amounted to billions of dollars and took place almost daily in accounts at Silvergate Bank.

The authorities’ growing concern about Binance’s operations was evident when, also in February, the New York State financial regulator urged Paxos, the issuer of BUSD (one of the most popular stablecoins on the market) managed by Binance, to cut all ties with the platform and to stop issuing the token, after finding out that it could not do so in a “secure” manner.

Lawsuit and asset freeze

On 5 June, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the federal agency tasked with protecting investors and maintaining the integrity of the securities markets, filed a lawsuit against Binance, Changpeng Zhao and several entities within the platform’s corporate conglomerate.

The SEC charged all parties with 13 counts, including crossing customer funds and diverting them to accounts under Zhao’s control. Gary Gensler, chairman of the SEC, said: “Through thirteen charges, we allege that Zhao and Binance entities engaged in an extensive web of deception, conflicts of interest, lack of disclosure, and calculated evasion of the law”.

Although in September the judge in charge of the case denied the SEC’s request to inspect Binance’s systems and the platform’s lawyers recently asked the court to consider ceasing the investigation on the grounds that the regulatory agency has no evidence that assets were misappropriated, the country’s top financial regulator is persisting in its investigation into whether Binance committed fraud.

On 9 June, banks working with Binance cut off their access to the US banking system. The platform’s executives made clear their displeasure with the regulatory authority and that this action significantly complicated Binance’s operations in the United States, “The SEC has taken to using extremely aggressive and intimidating tactics in its pursuit of an ideological campaign against the American digital asset industry. Binance US and our business partners have not been spared in the use of these tactics, which has created challenges for the banks with whom we work”.

Investigations in Europe and Latin America

Binance faced further problems in Europe and Latin America when it was also the target of investigations in the Netherlands, France and Brazil, where the platform had difficulty obtaining an operator’s licence or was accused of operating fraudulently to evade law enforcement.

As a result, Binance decided to leave the Dutch market, citing a lack of licence to operate in the country, while still facing charges in the other two countries. On the other hand, it recently announced that it would sell all its assets, exchange services and trading operations in Russia to CommEx.

A few months later, it was confirmed that FTX (the cryptocurrency platform that went bankrupt after a corruption case) had used client funds to buy Binance’s stake in FTX. Another setback for the disgraced cryptocurrency exchange platform that would serve as a prelude to the events that took place on 21 November.

The future of Binance is uncertain, and thousands of users have already transferred their funds to other exchanges that conform to the European regulatory framework and offer more security. This is the case of Bitvavo, which 11Onze Recommends, an exchange platform that is registered with the Dutch Central Bank, where its depositors have access to the guarantee fund and which uses cold wallets to avoid cybercrime.

The process of transferring funds between the two exchanges is not complicated, you just have to go through a series of simple steps that we explain in this tutorial. If you want to register on the platform, you can do so through the 11Onze Recommends link.

It is clear that online shopping is becoming more and more widespread among all of us. It saves us from having to travel to go shopping and we can do it at any time and moment of the day, whether it is near or on the other side of the world. How safe is it to pay via the Internet?

In general, online payment is very secure. Its security has improved a lot since its use became widespread. The need to offer security to buyers led to a lot of resources being invested to implement improved web security systems, and the result is that nowadays, buying a product over the Internet is as secure as or more secure than buying it in a physical store.

This security also depends, to a great extent, on the caution of the user himself. Some recommendations in this regard may be from having a good antivirus on the computer, to check security protocols and data encryption, or even buy in known or trusted places.

For users less experienced in online shopping there are several payment methods that provide added security, making the risk of buying online virtually zero. The most important thing in online sales is that the buyer can have the guarantee that no one can, as a result of a particular transaction, impersonate his personality in the future by making other purchases in his name and at his expense. There are several ways to pay for online purchases with added security:

• Payments with the PayPal system. PayPal is one of the most popular and secure platforms for making transactions. It is not only useful for making purchases, it can also be used to make money transactions between individuals. This platform acts as an electronic intermediary through the user’s credit or debit card, with the objective of ensuring confidentiality, both for the seller and the buyer, and offering the guarantee that the commercial transaction is carried out satisfactorily. This platform has the advantage that if the customer has any problem or does not receive the purchased item in the proper conditions, a claim can be made, which will initiate an investigation by the Paypal platform, which in most cases will end up giving the buyer the reason and returning the amount of the purchase.
• Cash on delivery payments. This system has been used for a long time in purchases that do not necessarily have to be online, although it is not very widespread in online shopping. It is the only means of payment used in e-commerce that involves the use of cash. By doing so, the only information the buyer has to provide to the seller is his personal data and postal address. It has the disadvantage that the buyer has to be present when the shipment arrives to make the corresponding payment, unless a notification arrives to pick up the item later at a delivery office. This system guarantees delivery of the item at the time of payment. From the seller’s point of view, this means of payment entails a delay in collecting the money for the item sold, and the need for physical collection of the money by the person making the delivery.
• Charges on bank account. Some platforms offer this type of payment, but it is not widely used in online commerce. In this case you buy what you need online and give your bank details, nowadays it is usually the IBAN number, and the seller makes the charge directly to the current account provided. It is usually used for periodic charges or subscriptions.
• Debit or credit cards. Debit or credit cards are the most popular means used in e-commerce. For the buyer it means, in the case of using his debit card, the immediate payment at the moment of making the transaction, or in the case of using his credit card, his deferred payment for the end, or in the surroundings, of the end of the month. For the seller, this means quick payment in exchange for a small commission deducted by the drawer’s bank from the amount to be charged for the sale of the item.
• Pay later. Some Internet platforms, in collaboration with financial institutions, advance the money for the purchase, which will be charged in monthly installments, generally charged to the debit or credit card, during the term chosen. These services act as intermediaries between the seller and the user and therefore no sensitive information is shared with third parties.
• Exclusive accounts linked to debit cards. This option is one of the safest that the buyer can use to protect his bank accounts. The user has to ask his bank for an exclusive account to make online purchases and request a debit card associated with this account. The buyer, every time he wants to purchase a product, will have to transfer the amount to be paid to the online seller, to this exclusive account, and then pay using the card linked to where he wants to make the online purchase. In this way, the user can be sure that, even if his card data is compromised, the bank account to which it is associated does not have a balance to make the corresponding payment.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the super app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

El 17 de desembre de 2021 és la data límit perquè els països de la Unió Europea facin efectiva la Directiva 2019/1937, del 23 d’octubre, aprovada pel Parlament Europeu i el Consell de la UE, sobre denunciants de corrupció o whistleblowers. Expliquem la figura del whistleblower i com ens afecta aquesta nova llei.

Un denunciant, un alertador, una persona que treballa per a un organisme públic o una empresa, i que denuncia públicament alguna irregularitat, generalment d’un govern o d’una corporació, que sigui d’interès públic. Així podríem definir a un whistleblower.

És un concepte que no és nou, però que ha tingut certa notorietat en les dues últimes dècades a causa dels nombrosos casos que han sortit a la llum. Sobretot, gràcies a WikiLeaks, una organització internacional sense ànim de lucre i no censurable, fundada per Julian Assange l’octubre del 2006 a Islàndia, que es dedica a publicar documents secrets de forma anònima, tot protegint les fonts d’informació.

Poden ser temes de corrupció, de vulneració d’alguna llei, de vulneració de drets humans, etc., però en general es tracta de revelacions d’informació o de denúncies que tenen un component ètic. És a dir, el denunciant considera que és un deure personal i una qüestió d’integritat envers la societat donar aquesta informació.

Manning, Snowden, Falciani

Són casos com el de Bradley Manning, ara Chelsea Manning, una exsoldada i analista d’intel·ligència de l’exèrcit dels EUA que va lliurar milers de documents classificats militars i cables diplomàtics exposant moltes de les barbaritats comeses pels EUA a les guerres d’Iraq i l’Afganistan. 

També hi ha el cas d’Edward Snowden, que va donar a conèixer gran part de l’espionatge industrial i a ciutadans, il·legal, tant als Estats Units com a altres països, sobretot a països de la Unió Europea, per part del govern americà. 

Igualment, fora de l’entorn de WikiLeaks, hi ha el famós cas d’Hervé Falciani, conegut com la llista Falciani, on aquest enginyer de sistemes franco-italià va entregar un llistat de més de 130.000 evasors fiscals amb comptes bancaris a Suïssa, mentre treballava a HSBC Private Bank.

Protecció legal

La figura del whistleblower està reconeguda i protegida per la llei en l’àmbit internacional i també a escala nacional per molts països. Almenys en teoria, perquè a la pràctica hem vist que, quan es tracta de certs interessos de governs or de l’establishment, moltes vegades, aquestes proteccions no existeixen o s’ignoren sota el pretext que constitueixen espionatge, traïció o divulgació d’informació que posa en perill altres persones o que van en contra de l’interès nacional. I així és com, sovint, molts acaben a la presó o a l’exili, acusats i condemnats de diversos càrrecs de dubtosa legalitat, però curiosament tots coincideixen a haver exposat corrupció governamental, activitat il·legal de governs o terrorisme d’estat.

Directiva Europea

No obstant això, i en compliment de la Directiva Europea relativa a la protecció de les persones alertadores, Espanya, i la resta de països membres, han d’incorporar per força aquestes noves normes a la seva legislació abans del 17 de desembre d’aquest any.

Després de la consulta pública feta el passat mes de gener, s’han presentat diverses propostes de llei per diferents partits polítics que, tot i tenir marge de maniobra, hauran d’instaurar tota una sèrie de mesures aprovades per Parlament Europeu, encarades a garantir la igualtat de protecció a les persones denunciants, independentment de l’estat membre de la UE a què pertanyin.

11Onze és la fintech comunitària de Catalunya. Obre un compte descarregant la super app El Canut per Android o iOS. Uneix-te a la revolució!

The Digital Identity Regulation recently adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union gives the green light for EU citizens to have a virtual wallet linked to their identity. It will allow official documents to be stored digitally and formalities to be carried out with a high degree of security.

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have reached an agreement on the creation of a Digital Identity Wallet that will be legally valid and operational in any EU country. This electronic identification should make it possible for citizens to carry out transactions in public and private online services in a reliable and secure way that guarantees the protection of their personal data.

These apps will allow citizens to store and manage their identity data and official documents in digital format. Documents such as ID cards, driving licences, electronic signatures or educational certificates will be stored virtually in a mobile application, to be used directly and without the need to share data with third parties.

This would speed up many bureaucratic procedures in our country and when travelling to other EU member states. It would facilitate the process of registering as a resident, opening a bank account, taking out a loan, taking out a mortgage or paying with a digital wallet. It would also provide an alternative to the technological monopoly held by US and Chinese companies, the dominance of which is of concern to the EU and has been one of the triggers behind this initiative.

When will it be available?

By 2024, all EU member states will have to make a digital identity wallet available to all citizens who want it. This will not be an easy task considering that currently, only 14% of major public services in all EU member states allow cross-border authentication with electronic identification.

In this context, EU regulators intend to convene 140 public and private entities from 19 EU states to resolve technical, business and regulatory issues around the provision of a digital identity.

Pilot tests of four large-scale projects across 25 member states were launched on 1 April 2023, with the aim of exploring the practicality of digital identity portfolios in real-life scenarios that reach across different sectors. The aim is for at least 80% of citizens in member states to have access to an interoperable digital identity by 2030.

Data protection and the right to anonymity

The widespread implementation of a new system of digital identification of citizens may raise issues of security and anonymity. Who will have access to our data? What use can be made of this data?

In a joint statement on the new EU regulation on digital identity, scientists and researchers from 39 countries warn that “The current proposal radically expands the ability of governments to monitor both their own citizens and residents across the EU by providing them with the technical means to intercept encrypted web traffic, as well as undermining existing oversight mechanisms that European citizens rely on.

On the other hand, European authorities claim this tool will fully respect the user’s choice of whether to share personal data – independently certified – and that it will offer better protection against misuse, tracking or interception. Adding that “the revised law preserves the current well-established security norms and standards in the industry”.

With privacy as one of the main concerns surrounding the introduction of a digital euro, the adoption of new regulation on the digital identity of the citizenry potentially making it even easier for governments to monitor and mass surveillance of the population, a debate between all parties involved is not only necessary but essential.

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L’automatització, la intel·ligència artificial i la robòtica estan transformant la manera en què vivim i treballem. Aquests avenços tecnològics milloren la productivitat, però també plantegen reptes i preguntes sobre com afectaran els treballadors i a l’economia en general.

L’evolució de la durada de la jornada laboral ha mantingut una tendència decreixent en les últimes quatre dècades. Segons un informe publicat en el Butlletí Econòmic del Banc d’Espanya, la jornada laboral mitjana a l’Estat entre 1987 i 2019, s’ha reduït de 37 a 31,8 hores setmanals.

Aquest estudi analitza el conjunt de canvis estructurals de l’economia que han contribuït a la reducció de la jornada laboral i les perspectives que es mantingui aquesta tendència en un futur. Assenyala l’augment del pes del sector serveis, l’impuls a la parcialitat laboral i el progrés de la tecnologia com a principals factors contribuents al descens de la jornada laboral mitjana.

Els avanços tecnològics en automatització, robòtica i digitalització de la informació i la comunicació, han modificat la naturalesa de moltes tasques laborals i possibilitat una reducció de la càrrega de treball sense disminuir la productivitat. Una reducció de la jornada laboral que facilita la conciliació entre la vida laboral i personal, redueix l’estrès i millora de la salut i el benestar dels treballadors.

Tanmateix, tot i que és cert que la tecnologia comporta beneficis personals i contribueix a augmentar la productivitat i l’eficiència a les empreses, també pot tenir un impacte negatiu en els treballadors en reemplaçar algunes feines amb l’automatització o reduir les hores de treball disponibles.

Invertir en educació i formació

L’informe assenyala que la inversió en capital humà i la innovació són factors clau en la millora de la productivitat. És a dir, les regions que inverteixen en educació i formació tenen una força laboral més preparada per l’adopció de noves tecnologies i per aprofitar les oportunitats d’aquesta revolució ocupacional.

Segons l’estudi de Randstad, ‘Flexibility at work: abrazando el cambio’, a l’Estat espanyol el 52% dels llocs de treball actuals corre el risc d’automatitzar-se, parcialment o totalment, en la pròxima dècada. Així i tot, cal tenir en compte que quan parlem de pèrdua de llocs de treball, són les tasques que requereixen menys competències, i no les professions en si mateixes, les que la tecnologia està automatitzant. 

En un context de crisi econòmica i davant de la incapacitat de moltes empreses per augmentar els salaris significativament, la reducció d’hores de feina, tot mantenint els salaris i la productivitat, pot ser un factor determinant a l’hora de captar talent. En tot cas, el procés d’adaptació per part de la societat a aquesta nova realitat laboral requerirà la col·laboració del teixit empresarial i l’administració pública perquè ningú es quedi enrere.

11Onze és la fintech comunitària de Catalunya. Obre un compte descarregant la super app El Canut per Android o iOS. Uneix-te a la revolució!

The European Central Bank identifies fundamental weaknesses in the way eurozone banks deal with cybersecurity and warns that they are losing millions of euros to cybercrime, outdated management systems and poor quality outsourced technology services.

The banking sector has introduced important technological changes in recent years, especially as a result of the need to update when faced with the paradigm shift in the management of finances that fintechs have spurred. Investment in information technology in banking has been notably higher than in most industries, but this transition towards the digitalisation of finance to improve banking efficiency has not been easy.

Against this backdrop, the European Central Bank (ECB) has surveyed the eurozone banks it supervises and conducted 22 inspections since 2020 to see how prepared they are to deal with cybercrime. The ECB survey paints a worrying picture of the preparedness of the European banking sector, concluding that problems are “more serious and widespread” than anticipated.

As for the non-performance of contracts by outsourced IT services, the survey conducted by the EU institution indicates that this resulted in an additional cost of €148 million for banks in 2022, an increase of 360% over the previous year.

Although the ECB explained that these losses are mainly due to the unavailability or poor quality of outsourced services, they “were concentrated in a few significant institutions and therefore do not indicate a sectoral trend”. It also found that “banks’ outsourcing arrangements often did not sufficiently address IT security requirements”.

Fraudulent transactions in Spanish banks double in number

According to the Bank of Spain’s latest report for 2022, complaints about fraudulent transactions have increased by 109.1%, doubling since the previous year. Specifically, 34,146 complaints were processed by the Bank of Spain’s Entity Conduct Department.

The practice of phishing stands out as one of the main causes (10,361 complaints) behind the increase in these complaints about cards and transfers, motivated by allegedly fraudulent transactions. Remember that phishing consists of creating a web page very similar to one you normally use, to get you to enter and steal your private information.

In addition, it should be borne in mind that in 2022 there were still no requests from customers about the new Code of Good Practices, approved at the end of the year, and which has led to an increase in complaints in 2023. By institutions, CaixaBank, BBVA and Banco Santander received the most complaints, thanks to their larger market share. In any case, in Europe as a whole, the ECB warns that these results “raise serious supervisory concerns that confirm the need to continue on-site inspections together with discussions between banks and supervisors”.

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In the world of Bitcoin, halving is an automated event by which mining rewards are cut in half. During the lead-up and post-halving periods, one can expect a higher level of uncertainty and fluctuations in the price of this cryptocurrency. It is therefore important to know how it works and when the next one will take place.

The halving process is essential to regulate bitcoin production within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Unlike fiat currencies issued by central banks, the issuance of cryptocurrencies is usually done on a regular and scheduled basis as specified by the protocol of each one. Bitcoin limits its money supply to avoid the inflationary nature of traditional currencies and some cryptocurrencies.

In the same way that scarcity favours the appreciation of gold, one of the founding pillars of Bitcoin was to ensure that this digital asset has a limited issuance and that it maintains or increases its value over time, regardless of the temporary fluctuations associated with the intrinsic volatility that characterises cryptocurrencies.

Currently, there are more than 19.5 million bitcoins in circulation, so there are still 1.5 million bitcoins to be mined before reaching the self-imposed issuance limit of 21 million BTC in 2140, after which no new bitcoins can be mined. To avoid reaching this issuance limit too quickly, every 4 years the reward miners get for each block generated is halved, ensuring that the issuance of the last bitcoin lasts until 2140

Bitcoin halving history

The first halving took place on 28 November 2012, when the price of bitcoin was around $12, and only a year later it was trading at $1,000. The second one took place in 2016 and in one year its price rose from $670 to $2,550. 2020 saw the third and, for now, final halving, which was followed by a historic price rise from $8,780 to $69,000 in 2021.

As we can observe, during previous halvings bitcoin experienced triple-digit price rises to new highs in the following 12–18 months, even though, right after these processes, there was a one-off loss of value and, in the last case, it had a noticeable downward trend after reaching an all-time price record.

On the other hand, the pre-halving growth rate went from 531% to 277% and 181% respectively. Still, it should be noted that bitcoin’s first three halvings coincided with a period of global economic and financial boom, which fuelled the demand for cryptocurrencies because there was plenty of money available.

Next halving in May 2024

First, it is important to keep in mind that historical patterns do not guarantee future results and that the cryptocurrency market is highly volatile. The current economic backdrop is very different from that during previous halvings, so it is difficult to predict how bitcoin will perform before and after the next halving.

That said, factors such as inflation and economic uncertainty may influence investors’ decision to allocate funds to bitcoin as a hedge against traditional financial instruments. This increased demand would cause its price to rise, in the same way that physical gold does in times of crisis because it is considered a safe-haven asset for diversifying your investments.

Some financial analysts believe that the price of bitcoin could reach $100,000 by the end of 2024, or even before halving. Geoff Kendrick, head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered, stated “While there continue to be sources of uncertainty, we believe the path to $100,000 is becoming increasingly clear”. These exorbitant valuations, rightly or wrongly, have become a tradition before all halving processes.

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El Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) és un parc tecnològic de referència mundial, una institució acadèmica capdavantera que lidera la recerca global i assenyala el futur de la tecnologia, la ciència i l’enginyeria. Sovint pensem que tota innovació ve de fora, però existeix un MIT català?

La resposta és rotunda: sí que existeix, i el gran pilar que l’estructura és el SciTech DiploHub. Aquesta institució publicoprivada és un centre de diplomàcia de la ciència i la tecnologia, amb seu a Barcelona, que rep el suport de centres de recerca pioners, universitats de reconeixement mundial, entitats que enforteixen el teixit social, startups que construeixen el futur i corporacions públiques que són puntals per al país. La funció del SciTech DiploHub és cabdal per a Catalunya i, precisament per això, gairebé 200 científics i tecnòlegs de primer nivell van signar el manifest fundacional.

Entre els signats, hi ha experts en noves tecnologies com Genís Roca o Josep M. Ganyet, biòlegs com Anna Veiga, Salvador Macip o Oriol Mitjà o caps de parcs tecnològics i científics com Caterina Biscari, Anna Omedes o Esteve Almirall, entre d’altres. Tots ells defensen que ha arribat l’hora de “mobilitzar el capital científic” de Catalunya a favor d’una estratègia global i parlen obertament d’una “nova renaixença urbana” per a Barcelona i la seva àrea metropolitana. 

La Barcelona que vol renéixer

En definitiva, es tracta de posicionar Barcelona com un actor influent en l’escenari global, i representar a l’ecosistema català arreu del món. De fet, gràcies al SciTech DiploHub, Barcelona s’ha incorporat com a membre de ple dret al Consell Internacional de la Ciència (ISC), fet que li permetrà tenir veu i vot a les Nacions Unides de la Ciència. 

A més, aquesta incorporació farà possible que Barcelona participi al Panell Intergovernamental sobre el Canvi Climàtic (IPCC) i a les negociacions sobre el clima de l’ONU, i en el programa Ciència a l’Exili, que dona suport als investigadors que sol·liciten el dret a l’asil o refugi. Així, Barcelona es consolida com un dels principals pols científics del món i del país.

Entre els objectius de la institució també s’hi troben promoure un diàleg “robust i inclusiu” entre la comunitat científica, les startups, els responsables polítics, la diplomàcia, les empreses i la societat civil; i esdevenir un think tank de primer nivell “on el coneixement científic i la innovació es posin al servei de les polítiques”.

Una xarxa de cooperació internacional

Una altra iniciativa del SciTech DiploHub és la xarxa Barcelona Alumni, una xarxa mundial de científics, experts en tecnologia i líders en innovació formats a Barcelona. L’objectiu és identificar, reunir i empoderar la comunitat internacional de professionals educats a l’ecosistema de coneixement de la ciutat i que ara estan  a l’estranger. Aquesta xarxa fomenta la cooperació internacional, mostra els punts forts científics i ajuda a comprendre i interpretar millor els problemes globals clau. 

A finals de desembre del 2020 i en col·laboració amb el Departament de Polítiques Digitals i Administració Pública, es va fer el llançament del capítol d’intel·ligència artificial del Barcelona Alumni. El grup aplega mig centenar de professionals de més de 30 països que treballen en centres de recerca, com el Centre de Tecnologies Quàntiques de Singapur; en universitats de prestigi, com l’Institut Tecnològic de Massachusetts (MIT), la Universitat Harvard o la Universitat Tècnica de Munich (TUM); i en empreses líders en el camp de la intel·ligència artificial, com Google, Apple, IBM, DeepMind, Facebook o Nvidia.

Un país líder en tecnologia

De fet, cal tenir present que a Catalunya, a més, s’hi ubiquen centres de recerca de primer nivell en tecnologia. Possiblement un dels més emblemàtics sigui el Sincrotró Alba, un parc tecnològic de 408 hectàrees, ubicat a Cerdanyola del Vallès, que en realitat és un complex de tres acceleradors: un accelerador de partícules línia, un sincrotró o propulsor d’electrons i un anell d’emmagatzematge.

La radiació obtinguda és útil no només en investigacions en el camp de la física, sinó també en tots els camps de la ciència i la tecnologia en què cal analitzar mostres de petites dimensions, com estructures cristal·lines, nous materials, mostres biològiques de contaminants o restes arqueològiques. També pot tenir aplicacions en el disseny de nous fàrmacs i en imatge i teràpies mèdiques.

Un altre centre emblemàtic de la tecnologia mundial és el supercomputador MareNostrum 4 del Barcelona Supercomputing Center-Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS), el centre líder a l’Estat. El MareNostrum 4 és 12 vegades més potent que l’anterior, el MareNostrum 3, i està destinat tot ell a generar coneixement científic.

La seva arquitectura computacional fa que es consideri el supercompturador “més divers i interessant del món”, i ha costat més de 34 milions d’euros. En concret, el MareNostrum 4 dedica 11,1 Petaflops a la producció científica, és a dir, que pot executar 11.100 bilions d’operacions per segon. Aquest supercomputador és el tercer més ràpid d’Europa i el 13è al món.

No és en va que empreses tecnològiques hagin volgut obrir seus a Barcelona, com Microsoft, que obrirà un hub especialitzat en Intel·ligència Artificial, el primer centre d’investigació de l’empresa a l’Estat espanyol i que començarà amb una plantilla de 30 persones. Ara, gràcies al SciTech DiploHub, aquests centres tecnològics i molts més sumen forces perquè Catalunya esdevingui capdavantera en l’àmbit científic internacional.

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