An Illinois representative wants the Prairie State to be a leader in blockchain technology. But 23rd district Rep., Michael Zalewski says that the next step is to build a program that proves the technology works. “We need to find something small like a pilot program that touches a small portion of the economy, like real estate transactions,” Zalewski told Cheddar. “If we do that, if we show a little bit of success, I think it’ll really paint the evidence down the line.” Illinois has received blockchain and cryptocurrency fairly well, being home to the CBOE and CME, which trade Bitcoin futures. But not every government branch or financial institution is excited about the technology, given that the SEC has continued to issue warnings about the lack of regulations in digital currencies. Zalewski says, however, that Illinois finds appeal in the technology behind digital coins. “It allows us to hold information in an individualized way,” he said. “We want to make our government more efficient and leaner, and this has the opportunity to do that for us.” For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/will-chicago-become-the-capital-of-crypto).

Share:
More In Politics
Biden Marks LGBTQ+ Pride Month With Celebration on White House South Lawn
 President Joe Biden welcomed hundreds to the White House on Saturday for a delayed Pride Month celebration aimed at showing LGBTQ+ people that his administration has their back at a time when advocates are warning of a spike in discriminatory legislation, particularly aimed at the transgender community, sweeping through statehouses.
Lawmakers Propose Weakening Rule for Airfare Price Transparency
“Any consumer can tell you that online airline bookings are confusing enough," said William McGee, an aviation expert at the American Economic Liberties Project. "The last thing we need is to roll back an existing protection that provides effective transparency.”
Next Week on the Street: Trump in Court, Fed Meeting and More Earnings
Cheddar News checks in to see what to look out for Next Week on the Street as former president Donald Trump makes an appearance in federal court after being indicted. Investors will also keep an eye on the Federal Reserve meeting to see what comes out of that while earnings continue to pour in.
US Vice President Announces More Than $100M to Help Caribbean
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced Thursday that the U.S. is investing more than $100 million in the Caribbean region to crack down on weapons trafficking, help alleviate Haiti’s humanitarian crisis and support climate change initiatives.
Load More