How are virtual currencies, such as those used in online gaming or virtual worlds, influencing the financial landscape compared to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum?
5. **What role do smart contracts play in the cryptocurrency ecosystem, and how are they transforming industries outside of the financial sector, such as supply chain management and healthcare?
4. **How do central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) compare to decentralized cryptocurrencies, and what impact might CBDCs have on the global financial system?
2. **How do blockchain technologies underpin cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, and what are the implications of blockchain on privacy and transparency in financial transactions?
In what ways are governments and regulatory bodies around the world responding to the rise of cryptocurrencies, and what impact could these responses have on the global market?