A surge in funding is not only creating more unicorns—it’s reshaping which technologies define the next wave of global innovation.

AI Leads a Record-Breaking Year

Venture capital is on track for a record year in 2026, with artificial intelligence startups already attracting over $220 billion in funding globally by March—nearly matching the total raised across all sectors in 2025.

According to new analysis from BestBrokers, this surge is rapidly transforming the unicorn landscape. So far this year, 47 startups have crossed the $1 billion valuation threshold, officially joining the unicorn club.

AI companies account for the largest share of these new entrants, representing roughly a quarter of all new unicorns—by far the dominant sector.

A New Unicorn Landscape

The data highlights how concentrated this growth has become.

Breakdown of new unicorns by sector:

• AI — 25.5% (12 companies)

• HealthTech — 12.8% (6 companies)

• Cloud & Infrastructure — 8.5% (4 companies)

• Semiconductors — 6.4% (3 companies)

• Cybersecurity — 6.4% (3 companies)

• SpaceTech — 6.4% (3 companies)

• Cryptocurrency — 6.4% (3 companies)

• Other sectors — 27.7% (13 companies)

This distribution shows that while AI dominates, there is also strong investor appetite for the infrastructure and adjacent technologies required to support it.

AI leads the share of new unicorns formed in 2026, followed by HealthTech and Cloud Infrastructure

The Most Valuable New Entrants

Among the newly minted unicorns, AI companies are not just the most numerous—they are also the most valuable.

Leading the group is California-based humans&, which reached a valuation of $4.5 billion, backed by major investors including NVIDIA, GV, Emerson Collective, and SV Angel.

Other standout companies include:

• Ricursive Intelligence (AI) — $4.0B

• Rain (Crypto & Blockchain) — $1.9B

• Bedrock Robotics (Robotics) — $1.8B

• Roark Aerospace (DefenseTech) — $1.8B

• Pomelo Care (HealthTech) — $1.7B

This reinforces a broader trend: AI is commanding both volume and valuation leadership.

AI startups dominate the top valuations among new unicorn companies in 2026

The Geography of Innovation

The geographic concentration of unicorn creation is equally striking.

• United States — 36 companies

• China — 3 companies

• United Kingdom — 2 companies

• Others — spread across Bahrain, Israel, Sweden, Australia, Belgium, and Singapore

The dominance of the U.S. reflects its continued strength in venture capital, AI research, and startup ecosystems.

Building the AI Economy

One of the most important insights from the data is that investment is not limited to AI applications alone.

As BestBrokers analyst Alan Goldberg notes:

“The current boom is as much about building the foundations of the AI economy as it is about the models themselves.”

This is reflected in strong funding for:

• Cloud infrastructure

• Semiconductors

• Cybersecurity

• Robotics

Together, these sectors form the backbone of scalable AI systems.

What This Means for the Market

The 2026 unicorn wave suggests a structural shift in how capital is being deployed.

Key takeaways:

• AI is now the primary driver of new unicorn creation

• Investors are backing full-stack ecosystems, not just applications

• Infrastructure is emerging as a parallel investment priority

• Geographic concentration remains high, particularly in the U.S.

This indicates that the current cycle is not just hype—it is a coordinated build-out of long-term technological capacity.

Conclusion

The latest unicorn data paints a clear picture: AI is not just leading the market—it is redefining it.

With record levels of funding and a growing ecosystem of supporting technologies, the next generation of billion-dollar companies is being built around AI at every layer.

The question now is not whether AI will dominate the next wave of innovation—but how broadly that dominance will extend across industries.

The post Tracking New Unicorn Growth appeared first on Tech Trends.

A smartwatch becomes a payment terminal, signaling a shift toward frictionless, card-free commerce powered by open banking.

Turning Wearables Into Payment Terminals

In a move that pushes the boundaries of both fintech and wearable technology, Huawei has partnered with Luxembourg-based fintech Yowpay to launch what is being described as the world’s first Open Banking smartwatch POS application.

The solution enables a Huawei smartwatch to function as a fully operational point-of-sale (POS) terminal—no additional hardware required.

By leveraging SEPA instant payments and account-to-account (A2A) infrastructure, merchants can now accept payments directly from their wrist. Instead of relying on card networks or physical terminals, the system generates a dynamic QR code on the watch face, which customers scan using their smartphones.

How the Technology Works

Huawei smartwatch displaying a dynamic QR code for SEPA-based payments via Yowpay

At the core of the solution is Yowpay’s orchestration layer, which connects merchants directly to bank-based payment rails.

Here’s how a typical transaction works:

• The merchant opens the Yowpay app on a Huawei smartwatch

• A dynamic QR code is generated on the watch face

• The customer scans the code using their smartphone

• Payment is initiated via SEPA instant transfer

• Funds are received in real time into the merchant’s account

This approach removes intermediaries, bypassing traditional card schemes and their associated fees.

For small businesses, freelancers, and mobile vendors, this could represent a significant shift in both cost structure and operational flexibility.

Why This Matters for Merchants

The implications extend beyond novelty. This is a clear signal of where payments infrastructure is heading.

Key advantages include:

• Lower transaction costs
  By bypassing card networks, merchants avoid interchange and processing fees

• True mobility
  No need for card readers, terminals, or smartphones—just a smartwatch

• Instant settlement
  Payments arrive in real time via SEPA instant transfers

• Simplified setup
  Ideal for micro-merchants, freelancers, and on-the-go businesses

• Financial sovereignty
  Direct bank-to-bank transactions reduce dependency on intermediaries

In effect, the smartwatch becomes both a payment acceptance device and a gateway to open banking.

The Rise of QR and A2A Payments

This launch aligns with a broader shift toward QR-based and account-to-account payments globally.

While card payments still dominate in many Western markets, open banking frameworks—particularly in Europe—are accelerating alternatives that prioritize:

• Speed

• Cost efficiency

• Transparency

• Control over payment flows

Yowpay’s platform is designed to optimize payment routing across multiple channels, including QR codes and open banking flows, improving conversion rates while maintaining simplicity.

Where Huawei Fits In

Huawei’s role in this partnership highlights a strategic push to expand the capabilities of its wearable ecosystem beyond health and lifestyle tracking.

By integrating fintech functionality directly into devices like the Huawei Watch GT and Watch Ultimate series, the company is positioning wearables as tools for productivity and commerce—not just personal use.

This also reflects a broader industry trend: the convergence of consumer devices and financial infrastructure.

What Comes Next

While still early, smartwatch-based POS systems could open up entirely new use cases:

• Street vendors and pop-up retailers

• Event-based commerce

• Service professionals operating on-site

• Emerging markets with limited POS infrastructure

The success of this model will depend on adoption, regulatory alignment, and user trust—but the direction is clear.

Payments are becoming more embedded, more immediate, and increasingly invisible.

Conclusion

The Huawei–Yowpay collaboration marks a notable step toward wearable-first commerce.

By combining open banking with everyday devices, it removes friction from transactions and challenges the dominance of traditional payment systems.

If adoption scales, the future of payments may not sit in your pocket—or even your phone—but on your wrist.

The post Using Smartwatch POS Payments appeared first on Tech Trends.

Many businesses have been dragged kicking and screaming into the digital era, with some reluctant to accept that their future was always bound to be dictated by how they adapted to things like online payment systems. However, there are some sectors, such as online gaming, that have stayed ahead of the curve when it comes to adopting new fintech.

The rise of in-game payments

Online stores and websites offering services have always relied on some form of online payment system, yet only recently have new payment structures begun to be rolled out by savvy games and fintech developers alike.

A prime example of this is the online Battle Royale sensation Fortnite, which, despite being a free-to-play game both on mobile and PC/console, has found a way to integrate in-game purchases, with players spending big bucks on fancy avatars and skins for their weapons. Such purchases are also known as microtransactions.

Alongside this clever microtransactions business model, Epic Games also offers players a VIP pass of sorts, called BattlePass. This is a monthly subscription that keeps the game running at optimal levels for those who purchase it. There is even an in-game currency called V-bucks, batches of which can be bought in bulk, thus giving a discount to players who use them in the game.

Epic has raked in vast profits from these innovative approaches. So much so, in fact, that they are now doing battle with Apple and Google, as the app store giants vie for a bigger piece of the microtransaction pie. They are also looking to take Apple to court over their monopoly of the App Store, a real-life Battle Royale that should prove interesting to watch over the coming months.

Online casinos and Fintech

One online business that has long been well ahead of the curve when it comes to collaborating with Fintech firms is the online casino industry, with the sector’s competitors vying to provide their customers with fast and stress-free payment options which can be made at the drop of a hat. Players want to be able to keep their slot reels spinning or their blackjack hands flopping without having to constantly worry about whether their funds will be available.

This has meant that the top providers of online casino games work with multiple e-wallets and payment providers, ranging from established names such as PayPal, all the way through to new kids on the block such as Neosurf or MuchBetter, which enable players to easily fund their accounts and keep that hot streak going.

Cryptocurrencies: the new Fintech frontier

While regular currencies are traded and manipulated as they have been for many years, and gaming companies even develop their own in-game currencies, there is widespread agreement that crypto is where the future lies.

Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, are decentralized digital currencies that use blockchain technology to essentially try and democratize the world of finance. Although the strength of their security protocols may not always be quite what they claim them to be, more and more people are now trading cryptocurrencies as well as using them to purchase goods and services.

Many gaming platforms and developers are already making contingencies so that they can harness this new type of currency, a move that will no doubt pay dividends down the line.

The post Online Gaming Innovating With Fintech appeared first on Tech Trends.

From mundane activities, such as paying bills online, to the more avant-garde ones, like developing blockchain-based cryptocurrencies, the idea of Fintech encompasses all processes that make handling our finances easier by using digital technologies and algorithms.

77% of fintech firms are expected to adopt blockchain by 2020
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It all started back in 1918 when the US Federal Reserve Banks introduced the Fedwire Funds Service, the first electronic fund transfer system, which relied on now-archaic technologies such as the telegraph and Morse code. Then came the creation of the first Diners Club credit card in 1950, by Frank McNamara, and the launch of the first ATM, by Barclays London branch, in 1967.

The most crucial stepping stone in the Fintech Revolution, however, was the advent of the Internet. It quickly led to a myriad of revolutionary inventions, such as online bank accounts and mobile payments. It also sparked the inception of the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, in 2009, which led to 2017’s worldwide Cryptomania, during which Coinbase—an online cryptocurrency exchange—exceeded $1.5 billion in value.

We should witness an introduction of advanced authentication methods, such as iris and fingerprint scanners, which will replace the unreliable and cumbersome passwords
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Today, most experts understand that financial institutions will have to invest in Fintech to avoid becoming obsolete. The consumer banking sector is leading the way when it comes to being the most disrupted industry, at 72%. However, some predictions indicate that in the next 3–5 years 84% of insurance corporations will begin to cooperate with Fintech companies, making them the champion of this digital innovation.

Today, around 46% of large fintech companies are powered by AI
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Some of the most significant disruptions originated with the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain technology, cloud storage, and crowdfunding. Today, around 46% of large Fintech companies are powered by AI. Nevertheless, estimates show that, in addition to its use in the back-end processes, AI will also take part in customer interactions, driving 95% of all communication with users by 2025. There are already very powerful robots capable of chatting with humans, such as Sofia. It’s estimated that their capacities for human interaction will increase, while their prices will decrease, prompting companies to switch to automated clerks to lower costs and improve customer satisfaction.

It’s possible that voice recognition technology will allow you to order things and pay bills just by saying a few words, while micro-embedded wearables will enable you to shop without ever using a cash register
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Using blockchain technology is another way for big banks to cut costs. It’s projected that by deploying the technology, $12.3 billion can be saved each year, reducing the infrastructure by 30%. Ripple, a cryptocurrency designed specifically to be compatible with the existing financial structure, is leading the way by operating with 15 out of 50 global banks, including UBS, Bank of China, and Santander. Given the benefits the technology brings, it comes as no surprise that 77% of fintech firms are expected to adopt blockchain by 2020.

Ripple, a cryptocurrency designed specifically to be compatible with the existing financial structure, is leading the way by operating with 15 out of 50 global banks
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The outlook of the Fintech industry seems very exciting, and one area where we can expect improvement is security. We should witness an introduction of advanced authentication methods, such as iris and fingerprint scanners, which will replace the unreliable and cumbersome passwords.

However, the major improvements lie in making financial services more user friendly and less resource hungry, while at the same time tailoring them to the individual. As Joy Schoffler, the Executive Chair of FinTech Professionals, says: “At the core of everything is simplification and personalization.” It’s possible that voice recognition technology will allow you to order things and pay bills just by saying a few words, while micro-embedded wearables will enable you to shop without ever using a cash register.

Whatever the future brings, one thing is certain: the more you know, the better equipped you’ll be to ride the wave of disruption and stay oahead of the curve in the digital age.

This handy infographic from carsurance.net charts the growth of Fintech from the first wire transfer to blockchain technology & beyond
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Tech Trends offers a broad range of Digital Consultancy services to guide companies, individuals and brands in effectively leveraging existing and emerging technologies in their business strategy.

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Infographic: Growth of Fintech appeared first on Tech Trends.

Technology gives everyone the opportunity to trade cryptocurrency online.

When it comes to technology, it can often feel that by the time we hear about something, it’s already too late to get ourselves involved. Indeed, sometimes this can be true. Those who invested early in Bitcoin are now seeing huge payouts, sometimes 1000x what they invested. Whereas to get involved now wouldn’t be nearly as lucrative. But there are some trends in tech that are open at any time for anyone to get involved with. One of these is trading online. While the currencies you may trade and the companies’ stocks may have been around forever, each day is a new day in trading and could be the day that you make a name for yourself as a trader. But how can you be a good trader online at this stage?

Those who invested early in Bitcoin are now seeing huge payouts, sometimes 1000x what they invested. Whereas to get involved now wouldn’t be nearly as lucrative
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Do Your Research

Due diligence is the key to being a good trader. Spending hours poring over trading forecasts and past trading information could help you see patterns and anticipate what comes next. Even when the market throws you a curveball, it’s still better to be prepared to deal with it than to trade blindly. Researching the current climate of economics is also important. You don’t need to know the intricacies of every country’s currency, but you do need to be able to back up decisions you make in your trades. There is no such thing as having too much information when it comes to making trades or investments in general.

When the market throws you a curveball, it's better to be prepared to deal with it than to trade blindly
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Find a Platform

There are plenty of websites for those who are less familiar with trading and want to be guided more at the start. These kinds of platforms allow you to buy stocks and to view trading information, which is critical for embarking on any trade. While the future may be uncertain, we can definitely learn from the past, especially when it comes to seasonal trends in forex and stocks. Using a platform isn’t just for those who are beginning their trading journey as the services they offer are also suitable for more seasoned traders.

While the future may be uncertain, we can definitely learn from the past, especially when it comes to seasonal trends in forex and stocks
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Take a Chance

One of the best lessons you can learn when you begin trading is that sometimes you just have to take a chance. While research is good, focusing too much on what it tells you could lead to paralysis by analysis. The act of trading sometimes comes down to taking risks and hoping they pay off. While it’s important to have a plan in place to see how expensive your risks can be, most great traders will tell you that you can often learn better from mistakes or failures than through success. Indeed, trading is all about making decisions on information, but in the microsecond that the trade is made, the information could be out of date or incorrect. Sometimes just taking the risk and hoping it pays off is the best strategy.

While research is good, focusing too much on what it tells you could lead to paralysis by analysis
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It’s definitely not too late to get into the trend of trading and by doing your research, using the right platform, and being able to take risks, you’ll soon know whether you are cut out for the lifestyle that comes with being a trader.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Is It Too Late to Get Into Trading? appeared first on Tech Trends.

It has been a hectic year on the emerging crypto markets! This infographic looks back on the roller coaster ride

With any tech, any industry, and any product – there are fluctuations. Whether they’re positive or negative, every market has them. And of course, this can be said for the world of crypto in 2018. It’s been an eventful year in the crypto space. From dramatic price changes, forks and shifting market trends. In 2018, cryptocurrency markets continued to show growth in regions across the globe, showcasing the world’s desire to exercise more control over their finances.

With any tech, any industry, and any product - there are fluctuations. Whether they’re positive or negative, every market has them. And of course, this can be said for the world of crypto in 2018
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Since before the boom of December 2017, the crypto industry broke into the watchful, and sometimes cynical eye of the public. There’s been speculation, regulation changes, social media monitoring, and more in 2018. Here is a summary of some of the biggest crypto landmarks of the past 12 months by Magdalena Gołębiewska, Country Manager at Luno

There’s been Cryptocurrency speculation, regulation changes, social media monitoring, and more in 2018
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The first three months of 2018 are summarized below followed by the infographic for the whole year.

January 2018

The bull market of the holiday season came screaming to a halt as we entered 2018 Bitcoin lost 40% of its value over January.
This decline was due in part to new regulations in South Korea, as well as Facebook announcing they were starting to ban the advertising of cryptocurrencies and crypto exchanges.

February 2018

By February, nearly half of 2017’s ICOs failed to attract funding. Fortune reported that 142 ICOs failed before reaching their target, while another 276 failed after their fundraising ended. While some of these were actual token sales to raise money for would-be start-ups, a good number of these ICOs turned out to be scams, with the founders disappearing with the money raised. It’s always important to make sure you thoroughly research a company, its employees, and founders before deciding to buy their tokens.

March 2018

March brought with it better news for the cryptosphere. The G20’s Financial Stability Board comprising of 68 institutions such as banks and ministries of finance, who then prepare suggestions for global financial systems, stated they don’t believe crypto-assets pose a threat to global markets. The FSB Chairman, Mark Carney, wrote a letter to the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, in which he expresses his concerns about the possible issues that will arise for consumers and investor protection. He noted, however, that the underlying cryptographic and blockchain technology has the potential to improve the inclusiveness of the financial system and the economy. The board delivered varying results for the world of crypto, but overall the sentiment was positive.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post The 2018 Crypto Rollercoaster appeared first on Tech Trends.

A look back at some of the most exciting moments & innovations Tech Trends covered in 2018!

Cryptocurrency

Crypto is crashing – or so the experts say –  but it is not going away, so Tech Trends was excited to welcome on board our very own FinTech wizard Richard Andrews who kicked off his soon to be regular series last month.

Is Cryptocurrency on the verge of going mainstream?

Image by MichaelWuensch from Pixabay

During the bull run of 2017/18, coins could pump 50% on little more than a tweet of a conference announcement or a trivial code release. The principles of decentralisation and innovation were king and governments, financial services and regulation of any kind the public enemy of this bright new decentralised future. But after the parabolic rise of 2017 and the sharp sell-off of 2018 investor sentiment has reversed dramatically in the hope that these same institutions can restore their fortunes.

Hopes of greater institutional participation hinge on the Bitcoin ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) allowing institutional investors to participate in the market without the risks of holding Bitcoin directly
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Hopes of greater institutional participation have largely hinged on the prospect of a Bitcoin ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) which would allow private and institutional investors to participate in the market without the risks of holding Bitcoin directly. A good comparison is the well-established GLD ETF that provides exposure to gold without holding it under the mattress. However, this approach has so far proved disappointing due to rejections and delays by the US Securities and Exchange Committee (SEC). Read his full article here.

Mixed Reality

HoloLens subscription service spurring immersive tech adoption

Since the HoloLens was first released almost three years ago, Microsoft has steadily been building partnerships and demonstrating an array of industry use cases across manufacturing, engineering, healthcare, education and many others.

Rather than place users in a fully computer-generated world, as virtual reality does, HoloLens allows them to put 3D digital models in the room alongside them. As the Windows-10-based product does not have wires or external cameras or require a phone or PC connection, users can walk around the objects they create and interact with them using gestures, gaze and voice. This tends to make it well suited for onsite industrial applications.

While many large companies have adopted mixed reality and HoloLens applications, the $3,000 price tag of the device has been perceived as a barrier for adoption among smaller players
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Yet while many large companies have adopted mixed reality and enthusiastically evangelized about the efficiency gains that they achieved with HoloLens applications, the $3,000 price tag of the device has been perceived as a barrier for adoption among smaller players, who understandably aren’t sure that the ROI would be justified in onboarding the technology at this relatively early stage. Read the full article here.

Health Tech

Epilepsy consortium believes technology could save the NHS £250 million a year

Today, up to one in 100 people in the UK are believed to suffer from epilepsy, leading to three per cent of all Accident and Emergency visits and a total of 1.3 million days in hospital a year. It’s a challenging condition to manage, particularly as existing medication only works for up to 70 per cent of sufferers. Of those who do not respond to medication, most are not suitable for invasive surgery, leaving many to continue to experience unpredictable and potentially life-threatening seizures. New research by Public Health England (PHE) has found a 70% rise in the number of deaths of epilepsy patients between 2001 and 2014. PHE said there was a need to improve the clinical management of patients and make improvements to their wider health by tackling smoking, alcohol intake and poor diet.

The programme provides patients with wearable technology that records vital health data to help clinicians build a tailored record of a patient’s condition and seizure patterns
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This is what myCareCentric Epilepsy consortium – funded by Innovate UK and comprised of Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Kent, System C & Graphnet Care Alliance and Shearwater Systems – is hoping to do by equipping people with the ability to self-manage their condition. Running on Microsoft’s cloud platform Azure, the programme provides patients with wearable technology that records vital health data to help clinicians build a tailored record of a patient’s condition and seizure patterns. It has the potential to learn to classify seizures; to alert clinicians and carers in real-time so they can consult patients remotely, and provide essential lifestyle recommendations and drug prescriptions. Read the full article here.

A Tragic Loss to Science

Stephen Hawking taught us about about life, the universe, and everything

I once met Professor Stephen Hawking as he was coming out of the elevator at the John Lewis store in Cambridge (UK – The original one), where we both lived at the time. And although I’ll admit this might be far from the most interesting Stephen Hawking story out there, it’s still one of my favourites. Being in his presence was an incredible feeling. I felt ridiculously honoured to have bumped into him in this ordinary shop.

Now, after his death, I feel much the same way about having had the honour of sharing the same time-space with him. In an age of fake news, President Trump and imminent Brexit, he was our steadfast voice of reason. Right to the end, he advocated for the things he felt passionate about, such as defending the National Health Service against the likes of Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt who – with a level of misguided arrogance I can’t begin to comprehend – actually chose to argue with him (with entirely predictable results).

In an age of fake news, President Trump and imminent Brexit, Professor Stephen Hawking was our steadfast voice of reason
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And all this he achieved with wit, wisdom, and a wicked sense of humour, which endeared him to millions around the world. When combined with the inspiring way in which he defied an illness that should have killed him and transcended the disability which left him only able to move a few muscles on his face, he is indeed a formidably inspirational figure. Read the full article here.

Virtual Reality

PokerStars brings online poker to a truly immersive social VR experience

Tech Extremes

Ninja tech skills can come in handy even onboard an Antarctic research ship

A research trip around the Antarctic gave a Software Engineer Carles Pina i Estany a new perspective on how the very product he helped build was being used by scientists. Aboard a research vessel thousands of miles from shore and the nearest reliable Internet connection, these modern explorers routinely relied on Mendeley to do their work, even in subzero temperatures.

A research trip around the Antarctic gave a Software Engineer Carles Pina i Estany a new perspective on how the very product he helped build was being used by scientists
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The opportunity to take part in this unique expedition came when Carles’ partner, Jen Thomas, was invited to become Data Manager on a research trip led by the newly created Swiss Polar Institute, which has a mission to connect researchers active in polar or extreme environments, promotes public awareness of these environments, and facilitates access to research facilities in those extreme environments. As they were short of an IT person and Carles was already on a sabbatical from his work at Elsevier – during which he had already planned to travel around the world – he seized the opportunity to fulfil a longstanding ambition to take part in a polar expedition. Read the full article here.

Ted Talks with Zebra

Accessible design in the age of Industry 4.0

Earlier this month Tech Trends attended our first TEDSalon in New York! Presented by Zebra Technologies and TED the session theme was ‘The Next Wave’ and focused on the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is bringing a tsunami of change that will dramatically affect how we interact with and adapt to technology. The ways we choose to ride this wave will determine the shape of our future. Will we use this as an opportunity to solve our most pressing issues, or allow it to become a calamity that divides us? Hosted by TED’s Bryn Freedman, five speakers and one performer explored the tools and expertise we’ll harness to build the future

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is bringing a tsunami of change that will dramatically affect how we interact with and adapt to technology
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The evening included fascinating presentations from experts on the woeful state of America’s election systems and how technology can help, and how we need to change the way we learn if AI is part of the process. Zebra’s own design technologist James Morley-Smith took inspiration from how his disabled son Fintan learned piano starting with the black keys (the opposite of the traditional method) to guide his designs. In his work at Zebra, Morley-Smith designs for employees who are often in noisy, poorly lit industrial settings and clad in bulky protective gear. By following the black-keys tactic, he’s factoring in users’ limitations from the get-go, much like the idea of accessible product design championed by Microsoft at this year’s Build Conference. Read the full article here.

Sex Tech

Porn legend Ron Jeremy sees VR as the future of the adult industry 

Every 5 minutes, Pornhub transmits more data than the entire contents of the New York Public library’s 50 million books. Pornhub’s yearly review of trends reveals that in 2017 a total of 3,732 Petabytes of porn data was streamed, which makes for 7,101 GB per minutes and 118 GB per second.

In 2017 a total of 3,732 Petabytes of porn data was streamed, which makes for 7,101 GB per minutes and 118 GB per second
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And a man who significantly contributed to those gigantic volumes of traffic is Ron Jeremy, an AVN Hall of Famer with over 2,000 films under his belt. Jeremy is the Guinness Book of Records holder for Most Appearances in Adult Films and a big believer in VR Porn. So much so that he’s now put his money where his mouth is and launched RonJeremyVR, a premium service hosting VR films directed by the big man himself.

Every 5 minutes, Pornhub transmits more data than the entire contents of the New York Public library’s 50 million books
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So where are we in this new age of online VR thrills? According to the Pornhub Year in Review 2017 report:

“Virtual Reality Porn continues to gain in popularity, moving up 14 spots on the list from 2016. Cheerleaders came back with a bang, moving up 366 slots and into our top 20 searches of the year. VR devices were a popular holiday gift, and it seems that porn was one of the first things people wanted to try out with their new headsets. After the New Year, average daily views remained much higher than the pre-Christmas levels at around half a million per day.”

With the demand for streaming porn continuing to grow, this data suggests that Ron is indeed on to a real winner
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With the demand for streaming porn continuing to grow, this data suggests that Ron is indeed on to a real winner.  Read the full chat with Ron here.

Internet of Things

IoT and the connected home have yet to fulfil their promise

IFA this year was much like previous years, hundreds of companies screaming from the rooftops about minimally iterative products. A few more pixels, a bit bigger screen, a bit faster processor and everything a bit thinner, oh and crap Robots. I love tech and love my gadgets and can geek out with the best of them but I attended IFA this time looking for more meaningful innovation than a bit better camera on an $800 smartphone. I am happy to report that I found it, but not where you might expect.

A decade ago the invention of the smartphone changed our lives but truly new products like this are few and far between, so every year companies try to reinvent what we already have through minor upgrades and tweaks. We are stuck in a loop where the market is slowly evolving but no real innovation is going on, and the largest companies in the world are all guilty of this lack of effort to progress, so we must start looking off the beaten track for those that are truly working to innovate.

The largest companies in the world are all guilty of this lack of effort to progress so we must start looking off the beaten track for innovation
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Thought sustainably producing high-quality, smart and connected home products @Beko can democratise technology
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IoT and the connected home has been much discussed and I have seen some interesting concepts and even a few eyebrow-raising products but it is not yet in our homes, changing the way we live, and judging from the hundreds of pathetic, unimaginative and almost useless ‘innovative IoT products’ on display at IFA 2018, it’s not going to happen any time soon. But Turkish behemoth Beko, makers of reasonably priced kitchen appliances, held a press conference to announce their technology strategy and issued a white paper on the future of technology in the home and impressed me with their assessment of how new, innovative technologies in our kitchens can improve our lives and can do it affordably and in the not-too-distant future. Read the full article here.

Well, it’s been a very exciting year for technology, and we’re off to play with our gadgets, but be sure to check back with us right after Christmas as we boldly go where no one has gone before in 2019…

Merry Christmas from TECH TRENDS!

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post A Year in Tech: 2018 Recap appeared first on Tech Trends.

By Brian Thomas at Enlightened Digital

When doing research into blockchain, it’s easy to get confused with so much “tech speak” out there. When someone refers to blockchain – what specifically do they mean? Essentially, A blockchain is a series of digital records or transactions, collected together in a “block”. These blocks are used to define portions of a ledger. The ledger is distributed among others on the network, who use it as a trusted authority in which records are validated. Each block in the ledger is linked to the next block, creating a “chain” It’s a way for those in a blockchain environment to ensure the validity of the transactions that are taking place within that system.

Acornis President John Zanni believes blockchain technology will be transformative in the IT sector in the coming years, similar to what the Internet did for the world back in the 90s and early 2000s. “We started a few years ago working with the Ethereum blockchain to see how to better protect data. Today, part of our storage and backup software lets users notarize any digital data and put that fingerprint on the blockchain to ensure it can’t be tampered with.”

They key here is that they are decentralized systems that are coordinated by an underlying blockchain-based “crypto” asset (i.e. the cryptocurrency) The currency itself acts as the incentive mechanism to ensure that everyone in the network works towards the network’s success.

The first person to successfully validate a clock is rewarded with a specified amount of cryptocurrency. Of course, when we use the word “person” here we are referring to an individual or group who are running algorithms to validate these digital transactions. Because there is a potential financial incentive for validating blocks there is constant competition to do it fast and get it right.

When someone refers to blockchain, what specifically do they mean?
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Another way to define it is as a decentralized, distributed ledger used to record transactions across multiple computers, it can also be seen as a distributed database that maintains a growing list (also known as a chain) of data transaction records.

If we want to see the impact this new kind of system can have on other networks security systems, we need to take a look at the two main types of data breaches:

Data Theft

One of the largest dangers individuals face from hackers is data theft. But, why would anyone want your data? It can be incredibly lucrative to steal personal information from people. If we think about what it takes to open a bank account or credit card the answer becomes quite clear. With a name, address and social security number, anyone can open a credit card in your name, gain access to online accounts including bank accounts. They can siphon off funds or inflate your credit by immediately making purchases online with new or existing accounts.

The most common form of data tampering is to gain access to individuals' accounts and change the passwords, locking the target out
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Honestly, blockchain can’t prevent the “theft” of any data. This is simply due to the fact that it’s not designed to do so. The very nature of blockchains are as public data. No data would be stored on a blockchain that isn’t public already, so you can’t technically steal something no one was trying to hide. Where blockchain really shines in with Data Tampering.

Data Tampering is when a hacker changes existing data to their advantage
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Data Tampering

Data Tampering is when a hacker purposely changes existing data to their advantage or changes another individual’s data without that person’s knowledge. Even if it’s done by accident, the act would still be considered data tampering.

The most common form of this is to gain access to other individuals accounts and change the passwords, locking the target out of their own accounts while the hacker does whatever they want with them. Hackers could erase negative information about themselves from public records or even plant negative information on another individual.

Essentially, A blockchain is a series of digital records or transactions, collected together in blocks which are used to define portions of a ledger
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Blockchain eliminates this threat because we must consider the fact that every participant of this decentralized system has a copy of the list of transactions. This means that no “official” copy exists. The distributed nature of the chain prevents tampering and revisions, as every action on the blockchain is fully transparent. In turn, data that is stored on a blockchain can easily remain authentic, since the security of every transaction is recorded.

We can use blockchain technology to compute what’s called a cryptographic hash, or “fingerprint,” that is unique for each data file it stores. This hash is an algorithm that produces the same output when given the exact same input file, making it useful for verifying the file’s authenticity. Any change in the input file, however slight, results in a dramatically different fingerprint. This flags the input as in-authentic when compared to the “original”

When applying blockchain technology for protecting against data tampering in the real world, common use cases could involve protecting transaction logs, proving the existence of legal documents and even confirming creative works originated on a certain date.

We can use blockchain technology to compute what’s called a cryptographic hash, or fingerprint
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For example, a use case might involve a musician who is skeptical about publishing music on the Internet due to plagiarism and other security concerns. Using blockchain technology, however, allows the artist to create a backup that contains pieces of digital music or other materials that can be copyrighted.

Once the backup is complete, a certificate with cryptographic evidence is issued to help copyright claim, in case of infringement. The record of the original music pieces and their creation dates are recorded in the blockchain, allowing for confirmation that a piece of music existed at a certain time in the past and was authored by that artist.

Blockchain security in practice is incredibly complicated. The algorithms involved are beyond the capabilities of even the most tech-savvy. However, hopefully this article helps to show how Blockchain technology will re-shape how we think about Data Security on a conceptual level.

Blockchain security in practice is incredibly complicated. The algorithms involved are beyond the capabilities of even the most tech savvy
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The post Expert View: Crypto’s Impact on Data Security appeared first on Tech Trends.

The UK Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES) showed distinct trends in growth for specific sectors in London and in the UK as a whole.

FinTech looks set to keep growing in the coming months, driving the city’s economy forward
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The infographic below by Instant Offices illustrates some of these key areas of growh. Some of the key findings from their research include:

• The number of employees in the UK increased by 1.8%, from 29.5 million to 30.0 million between 2015 and 2016
• The biggest increases in employees were concentrated in London (up 2%) and the East of England (up 3.2%) during the same period
• The largest increase in employees was in the professional, scientific and technical industry, up 4.7%.
• Accommodation and food services also experienced growth of 4.7%.
• Employees in the professional, scientific and technical industry accounted for 21% of the UK’s total increase in employees.
• Employee numbers dropped in the following sectors: retail (by 2.2%), agriculture, forestry and fishing (1.4%), education (0.4%), property (0.6%) and public administration (0.2%).

Digital technology continues to grow and thrive, with £28 billion invested in the sector since 2011
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Where are London’s Top Sectors Based?

According to the Greater London Authority, London’s biggest sectors are concentrated as follows:

Inner London: Employment in London’s three key industries is largely concentrated in the inner London sub-region. Inner London also has a large entertainment and hospitality industry, employing people in accommodation, food, arts, entertainment, and retail services.

Outer London: Employment in the outer London sub-region is typically more concentrated in sectors that serve the local population. These include healthcare, education, business administration, and retail services.

In some parts of the city’s outer reaches, the most prominent sectors are more industrial, in areas such as transport and storage, wholesale, manufacturing and utilities. In outer west London in particular, there is a high concentration of jobs in the transport and storage sector around Heathrow airport.

The Creative Industries are driving economic growth across the UK
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Top London Sectors to Watch    

There are a few sectors that are expected to see especially rapid growth in 2018 and beyond. These include:

Tech: Digital technology continues to grow and thrive, with £28 billion invested in the sector since 2011. In fact, the digital economy is growing faster than the UK economy as a whole, as reported by Tech Nation.

FinTech: The financial technology sector in the UK and London had a record year for investment in 2017, with more than $1 billion in investments with over 90% of which were made in London-based firms. FinTech looks set to keep growing in the coming months, driving the city’s economy forward.

Design and creative industries: Research from Nesta and the Creative Industries Council recently revealed that creative industries are driving economic growth across the UK. Local economies have grown their employment rates in creative industries by an average of 11%, growing at twice the rate of other sectors.

The financial technology sector in the UK and London had a record year for investment in 2017
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Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Infographic: London Fastest Growing Sectors appeared first on Tech Trends.

Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies are here to stay, but we’re yet to develop the systems we need to make them work on a global scale.

Blockchain technology will have a world-changing impact, in the same way the Internet did thirty years ago
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Cryptocurrencies have caused a bit of a stir recently but are rapidly recovering from the well-publicised slump early this year. Despite scepticism and some pointed criticisms from central banks and traditional investors, cryptos are attracting serious interest from global financial institutions.

Cryptos are set to continue to be a major disrupting force in the global financial system
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Cryptos are set to continue to be a major disrupting force in the global financial system, so Tech Trends met up with Francisco Portillejo Hoyos for an insider perspective on what to expect next. Hoyos is the CEO of Cryptalgo, a Swiss algotrading and crypto brokerage company, and he helps us make sense of the confusing cryptocurrency landscape and what will be filling our wallets, digital or otherwise, in the future.

While the dollar value of Bitcoin and other coins have depreciated from the January peak, prices have basically returned to their end of 2017 levels. Governments and Regulators are still learning how to best protect investors’ interests and introduce the right trading tools that will breed confidence among traders. Many believe that the leading financial jurisdictions, including the US, UK, South Korea, Japan, and China, will introduce regulatory schemes and frameworks that will remove the uncertainty and will fuel the crypto markets’ growth. He explained.

CEO of Cryptalgo – Francisco Portillejo Hoyos

Elysium Technology Group and Cryptalgo promises a solution to the problems of a fractured crypto market
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A major announcement of a new partnership between leading US innovators in foreign exchange and futures trading solutions, Elysium Technology Group and Cryptalgo promises a solution to the problems of a fractured crypto market and offers a one-stop shop and safe, easy access point into this emerging new world of finance.

Cryptalgo provides financial institutions with a swift entry into cryptocurrencies without the need to invest capital in developing their own secure and efficient platforms. From real-time quotes and aggregated liquidity, to best trade execution and global arbitrage algotrading, we are introducing a best in class, highly secure global cryptocurrency trading platform. All built to the exacting requirements and standards of financial institutions.

The combination of this ecosystem and a regulated environment will turn cryptocurrencies into a mainstream and fast-growing asset class
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Chairman of Elysium Technology Group, Andrew Siciliano also believes now is the time to begin offering crypto investment solutions to their established client base;

“New trading platforms like this promote confidence in these disruptive new markets, he says. “Cryptalgo has the knowhow, experience, and execution platform complementing the Elysium offering. The partnership will deliver a comprehensive, high-end cryptocurrency trading solution for our clients.”

We are witnessing significant investments made by very credible funds and companies into blockchain and crypto companies
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“The combination of this ecosystem and a regulated environment will turn cryptocurrencies into a mainstream and fast-growing asset class,” added Hoyos. “We are witnessing significant investments made by very credible funds and companies into blockchain and crypto companies, and we’re delighted that Elysium, the market leader in FX post-trading platforms, has chosen to partner with Cryptalgo as it looks to extend its offering into cryptocurrency trading.”

Tech Trends predicts we will start seeing more of a trickle-down effect where cryptocurrencies become a more viable option for ordinary people. OK, anyone can technically already buy cryptos such as Bitcoin and Ethereum and spend them at thousands of outlets on the web and even some physical stores, but I don’t think it is rude to say that, right now, only super-geeks and tech enthusiasts have really bought into the system properly. That’s changing fast though, and soon you too might be filling up the tank on Ethereum and grocery shopping with Bitcoin!

Current estimations predict that the value of the entire cryptocurrency market will reach $1 trillion in 2018
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Image by MichaelWuensch from Pixabay

Current estimations predict that the value of the entire cryptocurrency market will reach $1 trillion in 2018, with crypto the fastest growing asset class to date. However, it is a still a bit Wild West out there as Hoyos explained;

Despite the crypto ecosystem evolving at a rapid pace, it is still in its infancy. This nascent market has deep inefficiencies. The market participants are spread across the globe, fragmented, disconnected and lack standardization. If one or more coins emerge both as a reliable store of value (immune to hacking) and an efficient means of exchange (capable of handling very large transaction volumes in a very short time), then the banking sector as we know it will be fundamentally transformed.

In response to that problem, Cryptalgo has developed the ‘Galaxy’, a highly secure global backbone that interconnects with multiple exchanges. It’s an institutional-grade global infrastructure that interconnects with crypto exchanges via a network of global servers that are placed in proximity to the exchanges around the world.

Andrew expanded; Moneymaking opportunities come and go very quickly. We believe this will be the same in cryptocurrency trading. Institutions need trading solutions that they are familiar with; that feature “Best prices” and “Best Execution”. This cannot be achieved without speedy access to the entire global crypto market. Institutions not only need to get the best pricing on very large orders, but they also need methods for preventing market shifts when placing such orders. This means they cannot rely on a quote from a single crypto exchange or an execution of a trade transaction. They require strong compliance standards, stringent cyber-security measures and other high-end tools – all of which Cryptalgo is developing.

Institutions not only need to get the best pricing on very large orders, but methods for preventing market shifts when placing such orders
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Should you consider cryptocurrency as an investment vehicle?

Although there is no certainty about their future prices, cryptocurrencies are a new type of asset. The question is whether you should consider it for inclusion in your investment portfolio.

There are many reasons why Bitcoin may be a good investment. One of them is its deflationary model. Take the US dollar as an example; Its supply increases more and more every year. And although the same might be true of Bitcoin at the moment, there will be less of the cryptocurrency mined every 4 years, and its supply is actually finite – meaning that after all the Bitcoins are mined, the supply will remain fixed forever after.

There are many potential disadvantages to investing in cryptocurrency, the most important one being its volatility. Therefore, if you're looking to dip your toes in, make sure to start small.
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Stabilising and expanding the high-end of the crypto trading should hopefully provide increased stability for the currencies and global markets, nurturing and growing their potential while making them more secure for those using them day-to-day. Hoyos sees huge potential in decentralised crypto and a future where national currencies might disappear altogether.

It is possible that in twenty years’ time, bank accounts will have disappeared because we will be able to store our money in private wallets on the blockchain. Blockchain technology will have a world-changing impact, in the same way the Internet did thirty years ago. We believe that cryptocurrencies will be fully regulated and mainstream. They will be offered by all the financial institutions using their institutional-grade trading and investment tools, featuring tens of thousands of coins and with an aggregated market cap of trillions of dollars.

It is possible that in twenty years’ time, bank accounts will have disappeared because we will be able to store our money in private wallets on the blockchain
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Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post A Crypto Future appeared first on Tech Trends.