Article here on 'bad conduct' in a widely used cryptocurrency market could have an impact on fiat. Ignore the title, it's worth a read. DNotes holistic approach will help alleviate some of the problems mentioned in this article, without any entity requiring 'power' or 'control'. It won't be easy, it will take dedication and perseverance.
Research: Federal Reserve Needs Power Over BitcoinThe Federal Reserve and European Central Bank should be given a mandate to monitor threats bitcoin and digital currency systems pose to the broader financial system, a new report from a Suffolk University researcher argues.
Entitled "$=€=Bitcoin?", the report speculates as to the potential dangers that the more widespread use of bitcoin as a digital money with no government backing, analyzing how circumstances arise where this threatens national and international economies.
The paper follows a February 2014 statement from Federal Reserve chairwoman Janet Yellen, who said that the US central bank does not have the authority to regulate digital currencies. Further, the European Central Bank published a report last year that, while largely dismissive the technology, indicated the bank is monitoring developments.
More broadly, the report argues that the mandate is necessary given that the general population is not aware of central bank boundaries, meaning the central bank could "bear responsibility" for a systemic crash should it affect either or both markets.
The report reads:
"Even if the central bank had no mandate to regulate virtual currencies, a failure of a widely-used virtual currency could imperil confidence in the central bank, which could adversely affect its ability to govern the more traditional money supply and payment systems."
The author argues that the decentralized nature of bitcoin suggests government action will be necessary should any "bad conduct" materialize in the market.
"The result is likely to be an increased need for ex-post intervention, and it would be preferable if the intervention plan were well thought-out, rather than a messy, ad hoc plan developed in the heat of a crisis," it continues.
Overall, the author makes the plea for action to be taken to address how governments should respond in times of digital currency crises before they become more widely used as a store of value and payment method.
Elsewhere, the full paper explores the definitions of money, while providing detailed overviews of the history of bitcoin, the US dollar and euro, as well as the variations in responsibilities between entities such as the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank.
Source:
http://www.coindesk.com/research-federal-reserve-needs-power-over-bitcoin/