THE BUTTONWOOD BLOCKCHAIN ECOSYSTEM OPPORTUNITY In 1792, the new world enabled 24 forward thinkers to come together in an immutable and transparent agreement. While the vision and transparency became blurred over time because of growth and the inevitable personality infusion, the intent behind the Button Agreement remains solid despite the idea being corrupted. Today the new world of the Blockchain offers an opportunity to reset, to recreate what was lost over time, and at the same time be more inclusive. The opportunity is based upon the same fundamental truth from the 1792 Buttonwood Agreement that the Human Identity is behind all global commerce. The Human Identity, powered by the Blockchain, will become the Trusted Agent in an Untrusted World. INTRODUCTION Following the American Revolution and the problems arising from the ill-fated Articles of Confederation, the newly established government of the United States under the adopted Constitution organized the Bank of the United States (BUS) on December 12, 1791. Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, pushed hard for the Bank to handle the tremendous debt incurred during the Revolution and create a standard currency. Before this time, each state had its own Bank and printed/minted its coin. Problems arose between states when interstate commerce commenced as each state believed its currency was more valuable. As a result of the newly created Bank, the nation assumed the debts of the state banks relative to the Revolution. Hedging on the Bank's success, speculators purchased loans from local banks and borrowed money based on the future value of securities purchased during and immediately following the Revolution. The trades they made during this time would be considered today as commodities trading. In the late 1700s, the available stock was limited to insurance companies, the Bank of New York, the First Bank of the United States, and "Hamilton Bonds" that Alexander Hamilton had decided to issue to deal with America's Revolutionary War debt. (The system was considered risky and criticized for making the wealthy wealthier.). It also resulted in a duel between Hamilton and Aaron Burr... Unfortunately, when the Bank plateaued growth, the speculators defaulted, unable to pay for the loans or the securities they had purchased. It seemed to foreign investors and US brokers that the US financial system was untrustworthy. Hamilton faced the impending recession and Bank of the US failure with liberal loans to local banks, reinforcing the US currency. In New York City, where auctioneers would sell securities to the highest bidder (thus creating a false valuation when speculators were involved), twenty-four (24) of the most prominent brokers met at the Corre's Hotel in March 1792. They discussed how to standardize the sale of securities and create trust in the sale and the Broker. Doing so would end the auctioneers and stabilize the Exchange of securities and the Bank of the United States currency. On May 17, 1792, the Brokers formalized and signed the basis of the modern-day stock market, the Buttonwood Agreement. THE BUTTONWOOD AGREEMENT We the Subscribers, Brokers for the Purchase and Sale of Public Stock, do hereby solemnly promise and pledge ourselves to each other, that we will not buy or sell from this day for any person whatsoever any kind of Public Stock at a less rate than one quarter percent Commission on the Specie value and that we will give preference to each other in our Negotiations. In Testimony whereof, we have set our hands this 17th day of May at New York, 1792. The Buttonwood Agreement of May 17, 1792, established the basis of the modern New York Stock Exchange. The Brokers wrote this agreement and signed it to create trust in the system thru: 1) Brokers would only deal with each other, eliminating auctioneers and speculators, and 2) Commissions would be standardized at .25% of specie value. In establishing a standardized closed, members-only financial exchange Trading Desk, the marketplace in the United States.