Blockchain
2020-2021 Budgets: Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Calls upon Governments to Go Further for Business Growth
Supporting competitiveness within the business world is one of the best ways to increase wealth. For this reason, in connection with the tabling of the next budget, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton is continuing to submit measures that it deems relevant to the Ministers of Finance of Quebec and Canada.
Emilio B. Imbriglio, the firm’s President and CEO, said: “We have been advising key decision makers in Quebec and Canada for more than 70 years. With over 2,800 professionals in more than 100 offices, our unique perspective from both an industry and regional standpoint allows us to understand the realities of businesses, determine their needs and provide expert advice to meet their expectations. We know them well and we know that a fair, sustainable, incentive-based tax system that is better suited to their reality is necessary, as are measures to motivate entrepreneurial succession, further encourage innovation and digital transformation, and maintain the workforce.”
Here are a few of our recommendations:
1. A fair, sustainable, incentive-based tax system suited to today’s situation
Among others, on the tax front, the firm is reiterating the importance for:
- Governments to abolish corporate income tax on the first $500,000 of an SME’s taxable income, provided that the savings be invested in productivity, employment and innovation in a manner that avoids any possible abuse.
- Governments to announce their intention to reflect upon and revise family taxation and, more broadly, for the federal government, in collaboration with the provinces, to establish a review process for the tax system, that would be led by independent experts and would lead to a major taxation overhaul for the country;
- Governments to reduce the Canadian business payroll tax;
- The federal government to undertake to amend the Income Tax Act to make business transfers to a family member and also for all businesses equitable, regardless of their size and industry and for the Quebec government to undertake to reduce or even remove the restrictions that apply to shareholders when transferring a business to a family member.
2. Entrepreneurial succession
In terms of entrepreneurial succession, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton is suggesting that, for example:
- Governments set up a fund to support businesses so that they can call upon professionals to help them implement a formal and complete succession plan;
- The federal government allow RRSPs to be used for funding entrepreneurs’ certified succession plans and for business investments;
- The Quebec government implement various measures to promote the listing of Quebec companies on the stock exchange specifically by introducing a new simplified share savings type of plan for public SMEs and encouraging tax-advantaged funds to support them.
3. Innovation
It is proposed, for innovation and the 4.0 transformation, that:
- Governments create an innovation tax credit to help SMEs increase their technology investments and continue to grow;
- The Quebec government establish a program to support employee training for Quebec companies that are undergoing a digital transformation process; adapt vocational training programs to prepare the workers of tomorrow for a digitally transformed economy; and centralize the management of programs supporting the digital transformation of Quebec companies within a single department or Crown corporation;
- Governments recognize, in the upcoming budget, blockchain technology and distributed registries as a strategic and undeniable economic issue.
4. Labour and immigration
The following measures are suggested in this respect, among others:
- That governments make certain adjustments to address labour shortages by exempting from tax overtime for students and workers over the age of 65, as well as in certain industries;
- That the Quebec Government streamline the administrative aspect by simplifying the conditions and procedures faced by SMEs in recruiting labour through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program;
- That the Quebec Government ensure that the July 1, 2020 deadline for announcing the new Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) be respected and that it be implemented no later than the end of 2020. The reform of the QIIP must make it possible to protect jobs in Québec’s financial sector and free up significant amounts of money to support Quebec’s strategic economic guidelines (productivity, innovation, labour shortages, business acquisitions, etc.);
- That the federal government make adjustments to speed up processes in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) to allow newcomers (high and low wage earners) to work for Canadian businesses and to respond to the urgent needs of Canadian businesses within approximately three months rather than six to ten months; and
- That the federal government consider reintroducing an innovative business immigration program providing for a more focussed use of funds than the previous program.
SOURCE Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton
Blockchain
Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – April 25, 2025 | BitNile, Dutch Blockchain Week, Citigroup, Philippine Blockchain Week, D.O.G.E Foundation
Blockchain’s metamorphosis from niche ledger technology to the backbone of Web3 has never been more evident. Today, we cover five stories that illustrate the evolving ecosystem: a gaming platform issuing its own token on Solana; Europe’s marquee Web3 summit; a major bank forecasting a “ChatGPT moment” for blockchain; a Southeast Asian conference aimed at busting crypto myths; and a foundation rebuilding blockchain from the ground up to solve scalability. Each development—whether product launch, industry gathering, macro forecast, educational initiative, or infrastructure innovation—offers a window into the trends shaping decentralized finance, NFTs, DeFi, and beyond.
1. BitNile.com to Launch Nile Coin on Solana
News Summary
Hyperscale Data’s subsidiary BitNile.com will introduce the Nile Coin on Solana starting May 1, 2025. The U.S.–based social gaming site chose Solana for its high throughput and low fees, aiming to enhance in-game economies, reward engagement, and deliver seamless micro-transactions. Details on tokenomics and governance are forthcoming, but management touts Nile Coin as a cornerstone of future gaming experiences.
Source: CoinTrus
Analysis & Commentary
Launching a proprietary token underscores two converging trends: the gamification of finance and finance-ification of gaming. By minting Nile Coin, BitNile.com taps into DeFi mechanics—staking, liquidity pools, NFT rewards—while leveraging Solana’s scalability. Strategically, BitNile.com positions itself for partnerships with NFT marketplaces and DeFi protocols, potentially opening secondary markets for in-game assets and generating new revenue streams beyond ad sales or subscription fees.
2. Dutch Blockchain Week 2025 Gears Up in Amsterdam
News Summary
From May 19–25, Amsterdam will host the sixth annual Dutch Blockchain Week, culminating in the two-day summit (May 21–22) at De Meervaart. Tier 1 exchanges (Bitvavo, Kraken, Coinbase), Web3 pioneers (WOW.ai, Blockrise), regulators (European Commission, De Nederlandsche Bank), and industry partners (Mastercard, Deloitte) will convene. Side events range from AI-powered hackathons tackling compliance to padel networking meetups—underscoring the event’s blend of technology, policy, and community.
Source: Dutch Blockchain Week
Analysis & Commentary
Dutch Blockchain Week typifies the maturation of blockchain conferences into multidisciplinary forums. Beyond token talk and yield farming, panels on regulation, institutional adoption, and security reflect Web3’s integration into mainstream finance. Anticipate announcements on CBDC pilots, DeFi compliance frameworks, and cross-chain interoperability projects that may emerge from the Block & Order Hackathon.
3. Citigroup Predicts Blockchain’s “ChatGPT Moment”
News Summary
In an April 23 report, Citigroup analysts argue that 2025 could be blockchain’s “ChatGPT moment,” driven by regulatory clarity around stablecoins and integration with traditional financial systems. They forecast stablecoin market capitalization ballooning to $1.6 trillion (base case) or as much as $3.7 trillion (bull case) by 2030—anchored by dollar-denominated issuers and collateralized with U.S. Treasuries. Regulatory frameworks like the GENIUS Act could catalyze adoption among banks and fintechs.
Source: Cointelegraph
Analysis & Commentary
Drawing parallels to generative AI’s explosive growth, Citigroup envisions a tipping point where blockchain moves from experimental to essential infrastructure. Successful integration will hinge on robust compliance tools, auditability, and clear governance models. Enterprise blockchain vendors should prepare for surging demand in tokenized payments, on-chain settlements, and embedded DeFi rails within legacy systems.
4. Philippine Blockchain Week 2025 Debunks Crypto Myths
News Summary
Scheduled for June 10–11 at SMX Convention Center Manila, Philippine Blockchain Week (PBW) 2025 will tackle misinformation and spotlight real-world use cases. Highlights include “Crypto, Unpacked” sessions demystifying the technology; “Smart Regulation” panels uniting policymakers and innovators; and “Blockchain for Impact” showcases on remittances, disaster relief, and digital identity. Founding President Donald Lim emphasizes government support and public–private collaboration to spur inclusive growth.
Source: UseTheBitcoin
Analysis & Commentary
PBW exemplifies how emerging markets leverage education to accelerate Web3 adoption responsibly. By engaging regulators early, PBW can shape balanced frameworks that encourage innovation while protecting consumers—an instructive model for markets wrestling with both hype and skepticism.
5. D.O.G.E Foundation Launches New Blockchain, Opens Seed Round
News Summary
The D.O.G.E Foundation announced a ground-up blockchain rebuild designed to solve the scalability and reliability challenges plaguing existing networks. This modular architecture separates validation from execution to enable parallel transaction processing—targeting real-time gaming, DeFi under high load, and AI-driven applications. A seed funding round is now open to investors who share the vision of a performant, decentralized infrastructure.
Source: D.O.G.E Altcoin GlobeNewswire
Analysis & Commentary
As layer-1 congestion and high gas fees persist, new entrants must justify a “why now” with clear architectural advantages. If the D.O.G.E blockchain delivers real-world throughput and maintains decentralization, it could spur a renaissance of high-performance DeFi protocols and NFT platforms hungry for cost-effective base layers.
Conclusion & Key Takeaways
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Tokenization of Entertainment: BitNile’s Nile Coin on Solana highlights blockchain’s expansion into gaming economies and NFT reward systems.
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Convergence of Tech, Policy & Community: Dutch Blockchain Week showcases Web3’s evolution into an ecosystem engaging regulators, enterprises, and developers under one roof.
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Mainstream Inflection Point: Citigroup’s “ChatGPT moment” thesis suggests blockchain is poised for exponential adoption given regulatory support.
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Education as Catalyst: Philippine Blockchain Week’s myth-busting curriculum underscores the importance of public–private dialogue in emerging markets.
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Infrastructure Innovation: The D.O.G.E Foundation’s modular, high-throughput chain exemplifies the next wave of layer-1 networks addressing real-time, real-world use cases.
Today’s stories convey that blockchain’s next chapter will be written through strategic token launches, global convenings, regulatory clarity, educational outreach, and radical infrastructure redesign. By tracking these threads, industry participants can anticipate opportunities in DeFi, NFTs, Web3 games, and enterprise integration. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Blocks & Headlines, where we’ll continue to decode the innovations shaping decentralized finance.
The post Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – April 25, 2025 | BitNile, Dutch Blockchain Week, Citigroup, Philippine Blockchain Week, D.O.G.E Foundation appeared first on News, Events, Advertising Options.
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