Crypto-currencies, and the blockchain technology they rely on, are bringing about more farreaching changes in the payments system and the way we view money. Blockchain technology is unique because there is no central agent managing the system, and there is no separation between sending the payment instruction and the final settlement of funds.
It’s a different type of payment system and could bring new opportunities to payments and currency. This period of change can be compared to an earlier time when exploration was fast-paced and the stakes were high—the 1860s, when the gold rush hit New Zealand. During this period, miners came from all over the world to find gold in our valleys and rivers.