Is Boris really the emissary that the blockchain needs?

with FTX in ruins, Bitcoin in the suspension and the entire foundation of crypto financing in case of doubt, the blockchain technology was urgently lacking an image. Singapore decided what the distributed Ledger technology needed, the rhetorical skills of the former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson were to polish up her battered image, and here he was in a five-star hotel at a glittering meeting of the blockchain industry.

blockchain in particular and innovation in general, Johnson said, was always frightening. "In this regard, humanity is paranoid since the Titan Prometheus gave us the first flame," he said, mixing classical references and technological details.

Johnson kept the fundamental speech for the International Symposium on Blockchain Advancements in front of about 80 crypto enthusiasts who had defied Singapore tropical thunderstorms to hear his findings. It seemed to be a suitable place for the event in the same week in which Singapore State Fund Temasek was in court because he had pumped $ 275 million into the collapsed crypto exchange FTX after eight months of the Due Diligence had not revealed any major concerns. It is clear that there has never been enough paranoia or fear, an astonished conference participant said after an hour of Johnson's thoughts about Brexit, Australian submarines and his time at Telegraph.

Apart from the free canapés and macarons, the event was difficult to understand as something different as a plea in the blockchain industry. Sometimes every sector has the right to seek support of former leaders who have fallen out of favor, but Johnson's hymns on Singapore Slings and his room in the famous Raffles Hotel, together with his hymn of praise for the potential of blockchain in a half-filled ballroom of men, was not surprisingly unexpectedly.

A delegate who gave his name as Kai and said that he worked at a local crypto depot start-up, was thrilled that someone spoke "so famous". What about Johnson's position on digital currencies and the potential of blockchain? "Oh, I don't know," said Kai with a nervous laugh.

A rare female participant admitted that she was actually a journalist who mainly tried to find out how much Johnson was paid to lead the conference.

Against this background, the former British prime minister assured the “blockchain pioneers” space that they were in the right place and reminded his audience that technology was "morally neutral". He discussed in detail how doctors incorrectly claimed in the early days of the railway that the rattling and shaking of trains would probably cause sexual excitement why the City of London was "the most productive place in the world", and something unclear about nuclear power vacuum cleaners. But it was not obvious how these digressions would strengthen his arguments for blockchain.

he finally returned to technology and cryptocurrencies. He said he "saw some rather shocking headlines about this whole company and we need a way to hold people into account". But as soon as he had addressed the topic of recent events in the cryptosphere, he quickly passed on topics that were close to his heart: Brexit, the Ukraine war and green technology.

Then his final came. "I will argue a strong argument for the United Kingdom as an investment location becomes even more attractive as soon as we have done all these Brexit things." To the blockchain, he added, he could not comment further without further details.

The blockchain enthusiasts seemed not enthusiastic. Someone showed enough interest to take a photo just to be admonished by a man who hurried and hissed that there should be no photos.

The interviewer brave bravely to bring Johnson back to the blockchain. What was his general message for innovators in the industry? "In addition to Singapore, which is a fantastic place for innovations, they come to London. Come to Great Britain.. It is a fantastic country. Incidentally, it rains more in Rome," he replied. "I look forward to watching the progress of the blockchain industry with fascination," he added under amused applause.

mercedes.ruehl@ft.com