“When you combine that with AI, we see the potential to build a full-stack life insurance company with the aim to reach over a billion people globally. To start, it makes perfect sense for long-term holders of BTC to invest in life insurance denominated in that asset and to enable a percentage of their BTC holdings to become active.” —Zac Townsend, Co-Founder and CEO
This post was inspired by an invitation we received on Twitter/X a week or so ago. While the tete-a-tete hasn't happened yet, we got curious and researched a bit.
Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency that operates without the need for a central authority or intermediary. It is powered by a network of computers that follow a set of rules and verify transactions using cryptography. Bitcoin has many advantages over traditional fiat currencies, such as lower transaction fees, greater transparency, and resistance to inflation and censorship.
Bitcoin has been increasingly seen by the biggest financial institutions, e.g. BlackRock, Fidelity, etc., as a great store of value. The next phase would likely see the use of bitcoin as a medium of exchange. First for goods, then for other financial products and services. One of those would be life insurance.
Life insurance is a contract between an insurer and a policyholder that pays out a sum of money to the beneficiary upon the death of the insured person. Life insurance can provide financial protection and peace of mind for the policyholder and their family.
However, life insurance also has some drawbacks, such as high premiums, complex terms and conditions, and limited liquidity.
Meanwhile, a company that offers life insurance denominated in Bitcoin, aims to solve these problems by leveraging the value of Bitcoin today and passing it on to the next generation. Meanwhile’s whole life insurance policy has several benefits, such as:
- Locking in the tax basis on your Bitcoin now and planning for your future estate taxes
- Guaranteeing growth, death benefit, and surrender value
- Accessing the liquidity of your policy during your lifetime with low-interest loans and partial withdrawals
- Having a simple and transparent process to set up your policy
The funding of $19M allows Meanwhile to be licensed and regulated as an life insurance company by the Bermuda Monetary Authority, a leading global insurance regulator, as well as hire to its initial team and launch its first product – Bitcoin-denominated whole life insurance.
Meanwhile’s innovative approach to life insurance can inspire insurance cooperatives, which are organizations that provide insurance services to their members based on mutual aid and solidarity. Insurance cooperatives can learn from Meanwhile’s example and adopt some of its features, such as:
- Using Bitcoin as a unit of account or a store of value for their policies
- Offering flexible and customized options for their members based on their needs and preferences
- Providing easy and secure access to their policies through digital platforms and tools
- Educating and engaging their members about the benefits and risks of using bitcoin for insurance
By doing so, insurance cooperatives can enhance their competitiveness, efficiency, and sustainability in the changing financial landscape. They can also create more value for their members and society by promoting financial inclusion, social responsibility, and innovation.
Blessed All Souls Day to the soul or souls of Satoshi Nakamoto, wherever he, she, or they may be!
God bless all cooperators, bitcoiners, rebels and misfits worldwide!