“Ethical Markets has focused since our founding in 2004 on the need to illuminate the role of money in all societies and how it became a dominant factor in Western societies , driving out the informal, mutual aid, volunteering, caring and sharing traditionally the foundation of human relationships and cultural norms. This money focus created all the macroeconomic statistics, such as GDP, inflation and prices drove valuation, including in stock markets and obscured the values and goals in public budgeting.

Our Transforming Finance Statement, in 2010 has now been signed by almost one hundred financial professionals and we invite further signatories! In its money is recognized as a useful tool, but much too narrow to be a yardstick of all these broader values and the true wealth in our societies and ecosystems. Money and all currencies are social protocols, physical or virtual units of human trust, based on electronic platforms with network effects, and their prices fluctuate to the extent that their users use and trust them.”

This presentation at the WAAS conference on the Future of Money is an elaboration of the changing role of money and today’s many cryptocurrencies. Hazel Henderson, Editor, Ethical Markets Media Certified B. Corporation. (www.ethicalmarkets.com)