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Olaf cites Bitcoin and its current drawbacks to show a potential opportunity for the audit profession: “The number of bitcoins is limited, so it’s hard to create them. In parallel, a transaction takes a lot of time,” Bitcoin uses the blockchain to validate its transactions. Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology and, for a transaction to be validated, it needs to update in all of the ledgers across the network of Bitcoin users.
So where is the opportunity in this?
Well, Olaf explains that there could be another way to arrange blockchains: “Just imagine, if the blockchain was held by a number of companies rather than distributed over PCs that are connected to the internet. Then, someone would have to make sure the companies use the right means that establish mutual trust. Auditors can do this job, making sure that this network of companies works ethically and honestly with the blockchain.”
And are we ready?
Olaf is convinced that such roles will be available for auditors, assuming of course they have developed the right skill sets, through newly-evolved university and post-professional courses:
He sees an issue to overcome for the accountancy and audit profession when it comes to attracting and retaining people with these ‘new’ skills: “Currently our firms are probably not the most attractive to professionals with these skills. Equally, if we as a profession are acquiring these new skills, how will we make sure we retain them.