Denis Lavnievich and Sergei Lavrinenko from Belarus are the dynamic duo behind the Taler cryptocurrency (TLR) which launched in September of last year and which has grown in value by more than 400% since.
In stark contrast to many other countries, Belarus has welcomed cryptocurrencies and all that surrounds this growing market. On December 22nd of last year, the president of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko published his game-changing Decree Number 8, which comes into effect on 1st April.
The decree states that cryptocurrencies are legal, as are ICOs and tokens. It allows for zero commission when converting cryptocurrency into fiat. In fact, there is no income tax or VAT to be applied. Anyone wanting to avail of these new liberal rules has to establish a company in Belarus and employ local people.
In this new environment the Central Bank of Belarus, rather than frowning upon the coin, has cautiously welcomed the development.
The name Taler comes from a medieval Belarus coin, and holds strong emotional resonance for the country.
Sergei Lavrinenko is a software manager with a keen interest in all things cryptocurrency. However, he stresses the Taler is not a commercial project but one aimed at socially re-engineering the technical resources in Belarus.
“My co founder and I wanted to create a blockchain community in Belarus.” he explained at the Blockchain Fashion Week conference in Kiev. “Our project is open to everyone and is not commercial. We wanted a way to upskill our programmers and technical people – but also to engage the entire country. Hence the creation of a Taler coin.”
Lavrinenko stresses that anyone can mine the coin and become part of the project. “We have created a platform of 23 million Taler coins and so far 4 million have been mined. Anyone can mine for the coins and get involved. It takes very little energy and can be done on your laptop. Currently the coin is worth approximately 30 cents, and of course the market will decide the ultimate value.”
Lavrinenko is also engaging graphical engineers to develop an easy to use graphical interface so non-technical people can mine for the coins.
Lavrinenko is involved in creating a company to operate in the High Tech Park, so that programmers, developers, and marketeers can come together to work on blockchain projects and learn more quickly.
“We are also seeking legal and regulatory professionals to join our enterprise. We want to create an ecosystem so that commercial projects can be launched with all the relevant expertise to hand.” he says. “Now that cryptocurrency is legal we can work together.”
There are coins reserved to the founders but these will be used to develop the ecosystem and are not for personal gain.
“Yes, once we have the Taler ecosystem stable with people mining the coins and then using them, I will look at new projects.” says Lavrinenko. “And the new projects will be commercial.”
But Lavrinenko has a caveat: his personal vision is to only get involved in projects which can help people and change the world for the better.
“Blockchain projects have the power to disrupt society in a positive way – why would I not get involved in projects that will improve the world? It is much more exciting to do good and make money at the same time. That is where I am heading.”
Already Lavrinenko is in demand and will be working with Kasbez Bektursunov in Kiev on the newly-launched Fashion Coin project. And there are many more offers waiting for him. Watch this space.
