Arising from the need and urgency to address those global challenges affecting us all, the last several years have seen the emergence of a new technology – blockchain – released in the aftermath of the economic crisis of 2008. As a direct peer-to-peer transaction system, this distributed ledger technology, is designed for decentralization, democratization and transparency. It is already transforming supply chain, legal services, government operations, insurance business, healthcare systems and so much more. Accompanying blockchain are cryptocurrencies – programmable currency and digital assets with, hopefully, social incentives. This technology can make realization of the SDGs possible and accelerated as well as position each of us as generators of wealth and value to be fully realized. This year, in particular, is seeing the broad unleashing of the blockchain technologies. We cannot afford to miss the opportunity to shape the course of global developments that the adoption of the new technologies brings. They were meant for positive social change and what is urgently needed is ethical leadership at their formative stage. We will explore the question of the social impact of the blockchain technologies and ways in which we can enhance the representation of the broadest-based stakeholders for the technology highly dependent on the broadest possible adoption and participation. We will begin by asking essential questions: What constitutes wealth, wisdom and wellbeing? Who creates wealth and how is it shared? What are the new ways and means of expressing economy in terms of new values? Who are the new social architects, transmitter and integrators to navigate this change? How will we participate in the greater economy of life now?
