Miami unveils its own digital coin

On June 2, 2021, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez tweeted that “MiamiCoin” would be the first “CityCoin” ever to be launched, representing Miami’s very own cryptocurrency. Quick ahead about two months later and the anticipation surrounding the discharge of MiamiCoin has been on the rise. 

Initially, it could seem as if the Magic Metropolis’s digital forex will operate similar to different cryptocurrencies that may be purchased, bought and traded to revenue each traders and the town of Miami. But, “MiamiCoin” is kind of distinctive from different digital currencies.

A developer platform for cities

Patrick Stanley, founder and CEO of CityCoins — the mission behind MiamiCoin — informed Cointelegraph that MiamiCoin (MIA) can really be thought of as a developer platform for cities. “MiamiCoin, being the first-ever CityCoin, is solely programmable. Due to this fact, purposes can simply be constructed on high of it,” stated Stanley.

Particularly talking, CityCoins is a mission constructed on Stacks, which is an open-source community of decentralized purposes (DApps) and sensible contracts constructed adjoining to the Bitcoin blockchain. Because of this MiamiCoin, which was formally activated on August 3, might be thought of as a DApp powered by the Stacks community — a wise contract platform constructed on the Bitcoin community. As such, Stanley defined that MiamiCoin can’t be pre-mined or purchased for the time being:

“The neighborhood launched MiamiCoin, so everybody has to mine $MIA pretty and equally. This represents open membership mining, which is similar idea as when Satoshi launched Bitcoin. Mining formally started on August 4.”

Concerning the tokenomics behind MiamiCoin, Stanley talked about that through the first two weeks of mining MIA, the bottom forex getting used to mine CityCoin — which is Stacks’ STX token — will go immediately right into a reserved pockets claimed by the town of Miami. After two weeks, 30% of all these funds will stay within the reserved pockets, whereas 70% might be allotted to the miners.

Stanley additional shared that as a result of CityCoins is powered by Stacks, customers will be capable to swap between MIA and Bitcoin (BTC) when performing a Bitcoin transaction. “We contemplate Bitcoin as one thing that may energy many different purposes, although it’s at present underutilized,” commented Stanley. To his level, most DApps are at present constructed on Ethereum, which noticed numerous elevated exercise final yr.

“Neighborhood cash” enabled by crypto

An vital level to notice right here is that 30% of the mined MIA might be allotted to the town of Miami. In accordance with an article published by The Miami Herald final month, metropolis officers talked about that MiamiCoin might be used to construct roads, parks and different public infrastructures.

Stanley famous that the town of Miami leveraging MIA for civic engagement is extraordinarily vital, given the neighborhood facet behind CityCoins. In accordance with Stanley, CityCoins are in a small half a coin for geographies, that means those that worth sure areas can present their assist by holding digital currencies created for various cities. Stanley additional remarked that over time, CityCoins will overflow to different communities throughout varied areas.

Whereas futuristic, this idea was a part of the explanation why the cryptocurrency alternate Okcoin pledged to checklist MIA on its platform. Haider Rafique, chief advertising officer at Okcoin, informed Cointelegraph that there have been a couple of traditionally compelling initiatives and groups which have taken a very long time to reach in america. Rafique believes that CityCoins may probably put collectively an ecosystem for various purposes:

“By opening these markets, we carry traders in who should purchase these belongings after which additional discover these ecosystems. For instance, Stacks has varied decentralized finance purposes to work together with. We see CityCoins as having that very same kind of utility.”

Furthermore, Rafique considers MiamiCoin to reveal a brand new manner for folks to leverage cryptocurrency to take part in civic engagement: “CityCoins is not only an incentive for retail traders, but additionally for governing our bodies. Cryptocurrency shouldn’t simply be about hypothesis, but additionally about real-world utilization.” Rafique added that MIA will change into tradable on Okcoin afterward, as soon as liquidity is created from mining.

Will the idea be broadly adopted?

Though it’s notable that Miami is the primary metropolis to launch a CityCoins token, issues round adoption and laws stay. Tim Shields, a accomplice at Kelley Kronenberg’s Fort Lauderdale regulation workplace, informed Cointelegraph that he doesn’t suppose MiamiCoin will end in widespread adoption: “The technological scheme of how MiamiCoin works is pretty advanced and it’ll transcend the scope of most individuals who already maintain cryptocurrency.”

Whereas this can be, Shields does consider that MIA will assist additional develop Miami’s rising tech ecosystem. In accordance with Shields, MiamiCoin is one more effort that highlights Miami’s openness and pleasant stance towards cryptocurrency. Shields additional remarked that Mayor Suarez has clearly been engaged on his purpose of creating Miami the Bitcoin capital of the world, and if nothing else, MiamiCoin reveals {that a} metropolis mayor can entice innovation within the blockchain area.

Associated: Miami stakes the claim to become the world’s Bitcoin and crypto capital

Concerning laws, Shields defined that it will probably be difficult, noting that he’s undecided how the town of Miami will maintain MIA. “This can be held as property after which transformed to money,” he remarked.

Ben Bartlett, Berkeley Metropolis Council member and crypto lawyer, informed Cointelegraph that the dangers with MiamiCoin look like in assessing liquidity for the tokens. Bartlett additionally talked about friction when leveraging MiamiCoin: “Unusual folks don’t have the bandwidth to cope with the complexities of wallets and seeing out the fitting alternate. There could also be some regulatory points that should be fastidiously thought of.”

Bartlett defined that is particularly the case in gentle of latest proposals laid out by the brand new digital asset infrastructure invoice that goals to expand the definition of brokers to incorporate miners and different linchpins of the crypto ecosystem.

Issues apart, Bartlett stays hopeful that the town of Miami can resolve these points by adopting an agile method, guaranteeing common participation whereas avoiding regulatory pitfalls. “I’m very excited and grateful for the mayor of Miami’s daring management. MiamiCoin represents the following degree of governance and shared prosperity,” stated Bartlett.