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Tokenized health care? How Hedera Hashgraph could improve data transparency in medicine

Public health coins could motivate more people to interact honestly with the health care system during crises like the coronavirus epidemic.

Vitalik Buterin: Ethereum 2.0 promises better privacy, scalability in 2020

Smart-contract platform Ethereum’s new version is set to operate on a Proof of Stake system that may be released in 2020 according to Andrew Keys, co-founder of ConsenSys Capital. Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum explained that Ethereum 2.0 will provide added capacity for users through sharding and scaling, privacy features and more alongside the new Proof of Stake system.

Ep. 1 | Spencer Dinwiddie, SEC on IEOs and Bitwise investor bulletin

Welcome to The Current Forkast series with Forkast.News Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau and Brian Lio, CEO of blockchain research group Smith + Crown. In this episode we talk about: NBA player Spencer Dinwiddie’s token release, SEC’s warning on Initial Exchange Offerings (IEOs), Bitwise investor bulletin

How Hedera Hashgraph’s decentralized tracker could stop censorship in coronavirus reporting

Distributed ledger technology could be used by front-line health care responders dealing with the coronavirus epidemic to submit information in real-time around the world regardless of censorship. HashLog, a dashboard designed to publicly track coronavirus developments via distributed public ledger Hedera Hashgraph, could mitigate political influence involved in spreading information, according to Hedera Hashgraph cofounder and CEO Mance Harmon.

Digital commerce leader ‘gravely concerned’ over U.S. losing edge in tech, global reserves

The Chamber of Digital Commerce is “gravely concerned” about how the U.S. Government is addressing technological challenges and opportunities posed by blockchain according to founder and president Perianne Boring. The U.S. could be ceding technological leadership as well as the dollar’s reserve currency status to other nations including China if it does not revamp policies toward emerging blockchain innovation.

Will China’s digital currency or Facebook’s Libra challenge Ripple’s cross-border money transfers?

As China, Singapore, Canada and other countries develop digital currencies in part to facilitate cross-border transactions, Ripple’s managing director of South Asia and EMEA Navin Gupta said these currencies would primarily only be used domestically.

Tech is making Chinese charities more transparent

The modern convenience of Alibaba enables rapid, on-demand consumerism that’s worth tens of billions of dollars. So what if Alibaba — and its competitors — turned the technological might that it used to develop modern Chinese consumerism over to developing modern Chinese charity?

Q&A with CEOs of Digital Asset & R3: China, US aren’t in tech arms race

After their panel on how blockchain technology is changing the world of finance and enterprise at Hong Kong FinTech Week 2019, Digital Asset cofounder and CEO Yuval Rooz and R3 CEO David Rutter answered follow-up questions.

Data privacy is forever changed. Zero-knowledge proofs are enterprise’s solution | Opinion

Innovations in privacy-enhancing technology can address the challenges confronting enterprises from a regulatory, security and competitive perspective, writes Jonathan Rouach, CEO and cofounder of QEDIT.

After China’s digital currency, Indonesia may blueprint its own in 2020

As China’s digital currency is said to be “progressing smoothly,” Indonesia is also working on releasing their own white paper this year, according to Indonesian Blockchain Association cofounder Pandu Sastrowardoyo.

Can Hong Kong hold as glue between China and West? HK Exchange is key, says CEO

As protests continue to rock Hong Kong and China’s economy slows, concerns are rising about the Special Administrative Region’s future as Asia’s premier financial hub.

Swiss stock exchange SIX wants to democratize digital assets

SIX Digital Exchange’s blockchain-based digital assets platform and distributed central securities depository are designed to democratize investment. The digital exchange platform is a subsidiary of leading Swiss stock exchange SIX.

Cross-border transactions key to connecting a fragmented region | Opinion

Blockchain technology and digital assets have the potential to change the entire finance industry. These blockchain-powered payments networks enable cross-border payments to be hassle-free by having a standard set of technical specifications and standards – reducing confusion and ensuring that all members of the network have access to the same technology, says Ripple’s Navin Gupta.

Inside China’s vision to globalize its currency

The central bank’s digital currency efforts, ironically, would give it more control over the economy.

Inside China’s plans to protect user privacy in its smart cities

Using blockchain and encrypted computing in smart cities can protect user privacy as China builds out a new data infrastructure, says Vincent Wang, chief innovation officer at Wanxiang Group.

‘China’s developers aren’t most creative,’ but there’s power in numbers to excel

China’s enormous market of 1.4 billion people means there is a large pool of human resources that can drive blockchain development and adoption, especially in the wake of endorsement from President Xi Jinping. Blockshine founder and CEO Layla Dong explains how China’s burgeoning market can boost blockchain development.

Facebook’s Libra will push regulators to take a stance, says R3 chief David E. Rutter

And that’s a good thing for legitimizing blockchain and paving the way to tokenize real assets across industries, the enterprise blockchain creator said at Hong Kong FinTech Week 2019.

A.I. has fallen short of its promise. But quantum computing can change how machines ‘think’

Alternative AI founder Eberhard Schoeneburg speaks with Forkast.News at Hong Kong FinTech Week 2019 about how artificial intelligence should adapt to quantum technology.

Will China’s digital currency disrupt remittances? Not so fast, says TransferWise’s CEO

The PBOC’s new token could wipe out the need for remittance services like TransferWise. But if the eurozone is any foreshadowing, uniting several countries with a single currency is a complicated endeavor.

Opinion | Why Technology is Forging China’s Critical Path

Executive Summary It has been 40 years since Deng Xiaoping launched China’s Open Door Policy. By several metrics, China’s economic miracle has been extraordinary, with some 800 million people lifted out of poverty in just a few decades and the country playing a critical role in the global economy. But this growth was neither stable […]

India vs. the people: The battle over cryptocurrency ownership continues

Public support in India is strong for cryptocurrency ownership. But regulators’ blanket ban may lead to a gray market, increasing the chances of fraud.

More traditional investors are eyeing cryptocurrency to diversify their portfolios

Traders use commodity trading adviser funds to reduce risk of custody or money laundering, says Jan Brzezek, founder of Crypto Finance AG.

Giving patients power over data builds trust in health care, says Blockdoc’s Alan Chiu

Using blockchain to handle patients’ data can lay the groundwork for genetic tests, telemedicine and AI.

Binance’s corporate registration in China lapsed in 2018

The crypto exchange has a presence in China, but not an official registration.
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ConsenSys founder Joseph Lubin says Ethereum can be a trust layer for the planet

Ethereum has amassed a nearly unbeatable network effect, but regulatory compliance is still a major hurdle.

A China central bank exec is leading a cryptocurrency course on app De Dao

Mu Changchun, the Deputy Director at the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), launched an online audio course about Libra and digital currency in a popular Chinese education app De Dao on August 4, 2019. It is not the first time Mu talked about Facebook’s cryptocurrency Libra and digital currency. After Facebook announced Libra in June […]

In Conversation with Da Hongfei, Neo: China-Born Digital Asset Protocol

Chinese blockchain companies received a substantial windfall following President Xi Jinping’s bullish support for the development of the technology, and Shanghai-based Neo was one such enterprise. Forkast.News Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau sits down with Da Hongfei, Co-Founder of Neo to find out about the technology and how it will affect various industries in China. Key Highlights […]

Creating a Decentralized Silicon Valley in Switzerland

Switzerland is positioning itself to become a crucial hub for the global blockchain industry as investment group Crypto Valley Venture Capital (CVVC) reports that the top 50 blockchain-related companies in the country are valued over US$40 billion in 2019. CVVC Founder and CEO Mathias Ruch told Forkast.News’ Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau that the country’s regulation and […]

Exclusive Interview with CEO David Gurle: $1B Messaging App Symphony Partners with WeChat

Cloud-based messaging startup Symphony announced a partnership with Internet giant Tencent to integrate their services with WeChat, a massively popular messaging application in China. The California-based startup is aimed to serve professionals in the banking and investment industry, and is positioning itself to be a cheaper means of communication and information sharing than alternatives like […]

Behind the Scenes Conversation with: Ashley Alder, CEO of Securities and Futures Commission

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission has announced that they will issue licensed for digital trading platforms in the city, a move which is sure to shake up financial services in Asia. Forkast.News’ Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau had a brief behind-the-scenes interview with Ashley Alder, CEO of the regulator moments before he made the announcement at […]

Opinion | Crisis in Lebanon Highlights Benefits of Digital Currencies

The imminent economic collapse in Lebanon which the Lebanese Central Bank Governor has warned of may be averted as Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation amid the country’s largest protests in 15 years. These protests were in response to Hariri’s government announcing austerity measures which included a tax on WhatsApp calls. Protesters demanding Hariri’s […]

Forkast.Focus | HKFinTechWeek: Startups Capitalize on Cryptography in Medicine

The increasing use of big data in the medical industry has left some concerned regarding their rights to privacy, though some companies are working on blockchain and cryptography applications to address the issues. California-based startup blockdoc is one such digital health and security company that is using advanced cryptography. Another is Blue Cross (Asia-Pacific) Insurance, […]

WATCH: How Cryptocurrencies are Becoming an Asset Class: Marc P. Bernegger, Crypto Finance

Cryptocurrencies have become a new target for investors shying away from politically volatile alternatives. As an on-going trade war between the United States and China and the U.K.’s exit from the European Union threatens the stability of conventional markets, more and more traditional investment entities have started experimenting with decentralized assets. Forkast.News’ Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau […]

Food suppliers are adopting tech to meet growing demand for food safety

Startups are aiming to apply blockchain technology to help everyday consumers track the meat they buy at supermarkets back to the source.

In Conversation with Vitalik Buterin, Co-Founder of Ethereum: On Eth 2.0, Finance, and China

With Ethereum 2.0’s release just around the corner, co-founder Vitalik Buterin has been busy talking about what to expect from the new system and its use of proof-of-stake validation. Ethereum 2.0 is meant to address a number of issues that the current system has. It is billed as improving scaling, security, and other issues in […]

Forkast.Focus | HKFinTechWeek: Tandem Bank’s Efforts to Improve Banking

The innovation behind Tandem Bank involves using apps to help its users save money. The “neo-bank” provides all types of traditional services including personal banking, savings accounts, and credit cards. However, their use of emerging technology is what sets it apart from conventional banks, and helps attract users. “Last year we hit 500,000 customers when […]

Security Token Offerings — The What and the Why, Vol. 3: How are Security Tokens Created as a Matter of Law?

If I buy a token in an asset-based security token offering, will I own a piece of the property? Am I tokenizing the asset? No. Let’s take real estate as an example. Tokenising the underlying real estate would require tokenization of the Land Registry. This is not what happens. You will most likely own an […]

Opinion | How ForEx Volatility Can Exacerbate The Fallout From Climate Events and Natural Disasters

There are a multitude of factors that influence the value of currencies –- from rising political tensions, wars, major economic policy announcements, civil upheaval, and foreign trade to confidence in government. One consideration which is often overlooked is the potential effect of natural disasters. Floods, tornados, wildfires, earthquakes, and hurricanes not only put a country’s […]

Opinion | Cloud Mining: An Alternative Investment Vehicle for Bitcoin Exposure

As institutional interest in crypto grows, most investors are entering the digital asset space through OTC trading or investing in digital asset index funds. However, many institutional investors are seeking new ways of exposure to this nascent asset class that secure predictable returns without the extra steps and volatility that traditional digital assets investments involve. […]
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Opinion | Why France Doesn’t Innovate and Probably Never Will

On Sept. 13, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire gave a rousing speech about innovation and technology at the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum in Paris.  It was a robust defense of the role of government not only in regulating and taxing technology, but having a strong say in how it is developed. Among the […]

Is the World Ready for a Federated Currency?

Incorruptible. Improved funds flow. Transparency and traceability. These are all promises of blockchain / digital technology to help the modern-day issues of cash-based economies. But should this responsibility be held by companies or governments? David Shrier, author of upcoming book from MIT Press in November 2019, “Trusted Data,” dives into the debate of a digital […]

Ethereum (ETHUSD) Weekly MACD Still Trying to Positively Cross

Ethereum (ETHUSD) slid this past week back below the psychologically key 200 whole figure level, but remains well positioned for a more sustainable bounce as hinted by the bottomish weekly and daily RSI, Stochastics, and MACD.  Nevertheless, before bulls get excited, most will want to first see ETHUSD reclaim the September high.  Any successful break […]

Who Will Win the Race to Rule Crypto Payments?

For many people, cryptocurrencies remain an abstract idea removed from everyday life. Most people aren’t even aware of the technology. But one application that can push cryptocurrencies into the mainstream is payments. Making it easy and safe for consumers and businesses to pay bills, buy and sell stuff, and deposit and withdraw funds offer significant […]

Opinion | The Future of Money Isn’t Libra or Chinacoin, it’s Federated

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney recently called for a global digital currency, expressing a desire to move beyond the US dollar hegemony as the world’s reserve currency, but also avoid having another national currency, such as China’s renminbi (or their newly announced digital currency), replace it. While some might point to private sector initiatives such as Libra […]

Ethereum (ETHUSD) Weekly MACD Trying to Positively Cross

Ethereum (ETHUSD) bounced this past week back above the psychologically key 200 whole figure level.  Bulls are beginning to feel emboldened as seen by the bottomish weekly RSI, Stochastics and MACD, but should watch out for a bit more healthy profit-taking in the next day or so as hinted by the drooping daily equivalents.  Further […]

WATCH: OECD: The Next Big Thing — Major Developments in DLT from Industry & Governments in the Year Ahead

To celebrate the end of 2020, here is a Forkast.News editor favorite from our archives — a story that still rings fresh, true and — in a world now measured in nanoseconds — timeless. What is holding back mainstream adoption? What role do governments need or want to play? The Next Big Thing plenary panel […]

LISTEN: What are the Rules of Insider Trading When it Comes to Crypto?

The world of insider trading as relates to cryptocurrency — what are the rules that govern trading crypto, in the eyes of the SEC, CFTC, and the like? Forkast.News Editor-in-Chief, Angie Lau sits down with attorney and partner, Jason Gottlieb, at NY-based Morrison Cohen law firm to discover the in’s and out’s of trading. Listen […]

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) Testing 2 Month Plus Descending Triangle Resistance

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) continued consolidating this past week just above the psychologically key 10k whole figure level, and appears to be near completion of a descending triangle (on the daily and weekly chart).  The daily and weekly chart triangle can be described as being a part of a bull flag about to resume higher, with any […]

What Regulators Think at OECD and Why it Matters; R3’s Regulatory Head Says Adoption Relies on Governments

What are the rules? For most blockchain companies and projects, the complex landscape of regulation and policy creates business risk, which impacts not only innovation but also ultimately, mainstream adoption.  But at OECD’s second Global Blockchain Policy Forum, regulators are increasingly becoming aware of the need for concerted efforts at every government and agency levels. […]

Security Token Offerings — The What and the Why, Vol. 2: Tokenizing Real Estate

Why would tokenization of real estate be attractive? Fractional ownership will allow part of an asset to be made available by tokenization. This provides the asset owner with different choices on how to approach the market. For instance, an anchor investor could hold a 40% interest, 30% could be released to other key investors, and […]

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) Still Consolidating Despite Weekly MACD Negative Cross

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) spent the past week back above the psychologically key 10k whole figure level, continuing an ongoing 2 month plus consolidation around 10k.  BTCUSD is increasingly close to resuming a bull flag (on its weekly and daily chart), with any resumption of the bull markets since the November low likely coinciding with Ripple (XRPUSD) […]

Forkast Talks Tech | Agnostic Code and Cloud Storage: NEO is Accessible to Everyone, While Sharing Your Data With No One

NEO is a cross-platform, code-agnostic blockchain revolutionizing the sector starting with distributed storage. We sit down with Hongfei Da to chat about the technology and where it’s going.  In any sort enterprise deployment, or even in a software stack, different protocols and standards need to co-exist. One way to ensure this cross-compatibility is through APIs […]

Opinion | What Other Big Companies Might Follow Facebook In Adopting Cryptos?

Facebook executives announced not long ago that they would launch their own cryptocurrency, Libra, next year. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has likened his vision for the ease of peer-to-peer cash transfers to sending photos, and now it seems as if the company may be able to bring that vision to life with cryptocurrency. And beyond […]

The SEC as World Police: What the World Should Know about the SEC’s Jurisdiction

Initial coin offerings (ICOs), initial exchange offerings (IEOs), and security token offerings (STOs) are a worldwide phenomenon. After all, a coin or token that has no physical existence apart from some computer code can be easily sent around the world to anyone with an internet connection with a few clicks of a keyboard.   While the […]

BOE Governor Says Global Digital Currency Should Replace the US Dollar – Rabobank’s Michael Every Breaks It Down

In this last week, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney made waves in the crypto industry by espousing, as a pillar of traditional banking, an alternative to the very system he heads. At a speech in the U.S., Carney put forward the idea of a “synthetic hegemony currency” – in other words, a central bank-banked […]

LISTEN: Pegging Cryptocurrency to the Global Economy Growth?

Key Highlights There is a huge demand [for stablecoins] out there. When we look at the global economy, we’re suffering as a result of the US-China trade wars. The trade fluctuations this year have been defined by this growing tension between the US and China. Stablecoins are something that people inevitably will look at. We’ve […]

LISTEN: Could the Global Economy Push Bitcoin to an Inflection Point?

In this episode of Word on the Block, Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau sits down with Kevin Kelly of Delphi Digital to explore the recent trends in the market has seen for Bitcoin given monetary policy. Kelly recently published a piece, The Perfect Storm for Bitcoin. Is the global macroeconomic environment creating an opportune moment for cryptocurrency? […]

Opinion | Can We Transition Enterprises from Private Data Silos to Collaborative Data Sharing?

The question is not “Public OR private?”: Enterprise reality requires a flexible public AND private context. Old habits die hard. The enterprise sector has been traditionally used to closing themselves off, shielding every bit of information and focusing solely on achieving the organizational optimum. Some companies went to the extreme: Confectionery giant Mars Inc., for […]

Opinion | Rising U.S.-China Trade War Tensions Highlight Need for a Viable Stablecoin

In the midst of rising U.S.-China trade war tensions over sanctions against Iranian oil, investors are likely to look to bitcoin and other cryptos as alternative options to traditional stocks and other fiat-driven investments. While uncertainty in traditional markets has benefited the crypto market, volatility remains a substantive issue for investors seeking long-term price stability. […]

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) Continues 2 Month Consolidation Near Key 10k Level

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) has reclaimed the psychologically key 10k whole figure level (as part of its ongoing 2 month consolidation) after some profittaking last week.  While bulls see BTCUSD resuming an upchannel or bull flag (on its weekly and daily chart), they should closely monitor Ripple (XRPUSD) and Ethereum (ETHUSD) in their ability to reclaim (after […]

The Perfect Storm for Bitcoin

Trade wars. Slowing global growth. Weak inflation. $14 trillion of negative-yielding debt. Unprecedented monetary policies. It’s easy to get lost in the mayhem of markets when these are just some of the notable trends investors face today. Amid the chaos, the narrative surrounding Bitcoin has shifted quite dramatically since the beginning of the year as […]

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) Trying to Resume Rally Since December

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) pushed higher for the 2nd straight week last week as it appears close to completing its month plus consolidation, and resuming its uptrend since December.  Nevertheless, while bulls see BTCUSD resuming its upchannel or bull flag (on its weekly and daily chart), they should closely monitor Ripple (XRPUSD) and Ethereum (ETHUSD) as they […]

Insider Trading in Cryptocurrency: How to Avoid Trouble

As the saying goes, “ignorance of the law excuses no one.” It is a legal principle that holds even in the murky space of cryptocurrency trading. With securities and commodities regulators almost unanimously asserting jurisdiction over cryptocurrencies under the theory that such products are securities or commodities, it follows that insider trading abuses in the […]

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) Month Plus Consolidation Nearing Completion

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) has decisively reclaimed the psychologically key 10k level in the past week and appears close to completing its month plus consolidation.  Significantly, BTCUSD is attempting to resume its upchannel or bull flag (on its weekly and daily chart), with broader crypto sector strength seen by the inability this past week of bears to […]

LISTEN: U.S., Lithuania, and International Regulators Discuss the Potential and Need for Cooperation in Governing Cryptocurrency (Part II)

Key Highlights The inherent differences in policy that result from country-specific priorities and demands lead to opportunities for arbitrage across borders. It is in the interest of all parties involved to prevent this from happening, even if that means compromising on certain rules. The input of drastically different nations on their experiences with regulating cryptocurrency […]

WATCH: U.S., Lithuania, and International Regulators Discuss the Potential and Need for Cooperation in Governing Cryptocurrency (Part II)

Key Highlights The inherent differences in policy that result from country-specific priorities and demands lead to opportunities for arbitrage across borders. It is in the interest of all parties involved to prevent this from happening, even if that means compromising on certain rules. The input of drastically different nations on their experiences with regulating cryptocurrency […]

LISTEN: Why Japan May Be Zuckerberg’s Best Friend Right Now

Listen to the podcast Key Highlights “Within the G7, within the G20, there’s a lot of concern among governments, and I think that some of the concerns are valid. I mean, some of the concerns have to do with control, of course, but they also have to do with money laundering, and I also think […]

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) Retesting 4 Month Uptrend Support

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) appears to be struggling to find support after the Saturday plunge, but on the shorter 4hr timeframe chart (not shown) is showing tentative signs going into the European Sunday morning of bottoming.  BTCUSD’s break below upchannel support (on the weekly and arguably on the daily chart) seemingly suggests stronger selling this week, but […]

Facebook’s Libra Gets a Timely ‘Like’ From Japan

Facebook just did the unthinkable in the Donald Trump era: give America’s Republicans and Democrats something on which to agree. Same with the Group of Seven nations taking a dim view of the social media giant minting its own money. US President Trump declared that Libra, Facebook’s proposed virtual currency, “will have little standing or […]

Bitcoin Consolidating Around Key 10k Level

Bitcoin (BTCUSD) has bounced back above 10k in the past few days after dipping below the psychologically key whole figure level last week.  Although the weekly RSI and Stochastics are turning down from overbought levels, which when combined with the weekly MACD trying to negatively cross seemingly suggest bearish momentum, any further downside this week […]

Opinion | Why the Security Token Industry Hasn’t Taken Off

Trustless payment methods were the first disruption blockchain brought to the financial industry. The second wave of disruption came about when the ICO boomed in 2017 as a way to reach a larger market of investors through crowdfunding smart contracts on Ethereum. In 2017 alone, ICOs raised around $7 billion. More recently, we’re seeing the […]

What’s Next for CZ? Binance CEO on Getting Hacked, Being Compliant, and His Future

Changpeng Zhao, better known as CZ, is one of the most influential figures in cryptocurrency / blockchain circles. From flipping burgers at McDonald’s to getting his computer science degree at McGill University, to now Founder and CEO of Binance; CZ has built one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. In this unreserved 40-minute conversation, CZ […]