Search results: AR

How do NFTs create value? The answer is not as complex as it seems.

Jingtan, Alibaba affiliate Ant Group’s non-fungible token (NFT) platform, has placed limitations on at least 56 accounts for participating in the resale of digital collectibles, after various collections surged in popularity in online second-hand markets.  See related article: CCTV NFTs hit resale market before transfer permitted Fast facts Jingtan, developed by AntChain, said it has […]

Dunamu, the operator of crypto exchange Upbit, signed a memorandum of understanding with credit card company BC Card on Monday to develop a non-fungible token (NFT) and metaverse-based credit card. See related article: South Korean crypto exchange acquires stake in major bank Fast facts Certain items purchased offline via the Dunamu BC Card will be […]

Solana joined Bitcoin’s free fall along with other cryptocurrencies on Tuesday, after being among the few cryptos standing in the green during a red day in the crypto market on Monday.  See related article: What Solana prices will be at the end of 2021 and beyond Fast facts Solana — currently at US$83.50 – is […]

Kazakhstan’s energy authority has identified and disconnected 13 unauthorized crypto mining farms in the country, as the government continues to ramp up efforts to regulate the sector. See related article: Crypto mining’s Great Migration continues — out of Kazakhstan Fast facts The Ministry of Energy said on Monday that an inspection team has shut down […]

China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) said on Monday that 16,000 trademarks containing the word “metaverse” have been filed.  See related article:  Why the metaverse is a trillion dollar opportunity Fast facts CNIPA opposed the high number of filings, vowing to crack down on “malicious registrations” of trademarks, such as piggybacking on the rising popularity […]

Charitable giving in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is growing by leaps and bounds. Michael B. Greenwald and Logan Weber explain the risks and benefits.

Blockchain technology allows musicians to sell songs directly and earn more per song, writes Adi Ben-Ari of Applied Blockchain.

Indian authorities arrested 11 individuals over the weekend, connected with a crypto scam case that allegedly used the allure of high gains to dupe 2,000 investors out of US$5.4 million (INR 400 million), local media reported.  Fast facts Four of the accused were apprehended on Saturday after being on the run since March last year, […]

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), or digital collectibles, issued by China Central Television (CCTV), the nation’s largest state-owned broadcast media, are appearing in China’s largest online second-hand market for at least 10 times the original price in a pre-sale bid, even before trade embargoes on the assets have lifted.  See related article: China’s mouthpiece newspaper is giving […]

Trading volumes on non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace LooksRare dropped by more than half its daily volume since developers withdrew roughly US$30 million of its native LOOKS token and cashed out in wrapped Ether (wETH) Fast facts LooksRare was averaging daily sales volumes of around US$550 million but fell more than 50% overnight in early February […]

Cardano is projected to skyrocket to US$58.04 by the start of the next decade, while closing 2022 at more than double its current value at US$2.79, according to Finder’s panel of 17 crypto experts.  See related article: Ethereum price expected to hit $7,609 in 2022: report Fast facts Cardano, which was trading at US$0.96 at […]

Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, continues to tank along with other cryptocurrencies in the global market, with investor sentiment at “extreme fear” at Bitcoin’s Fear and Greed Index.  See related article: Bitcoin leads market-wide downturn as Russia fears rise Fast facts Bitcoin is currently down by almost 2% to trade at US$39,185. Bitcoin’s […]

South Korea’s KB Asset Management launched a committee on Monday that will develop investment strategies for releasing digital asset products such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs). See related article: South Korean banks find workaround to cash in on crypto services Fast facts The ‘Digital Asset Management Preparatory Committee’ aims to be the first to launch digital […]

OpenSea CEO Devin Finzer has responded to an apparent phishing scam that targeted its users in a US$1.7 million theft of popular non-fungible tokens (NFTs) such as Bored Ape Yacht Club and Azuki.  Fast facts “As far as we can tell, this is a phishing attack. We don’t believe it’s connected to the OpenSea website. […]

While the government cultivates the booming metaverse industry, experts say laws fail to protect youth from abuse within virtual and digital realms.

Hong Kong’s first metaverse-themed exchange-traded fund (ETF), the CSOP Metaverse Concept ETF, is scheduled to be listed on Feb. 21 on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, according to a CSOP Asset Management disclosure document.  See related article: NFTs, metaverse listed as top ‘must watch’ security risks in Hong Kong Fast facts The metaverse ETF […]

Investor relief at last week’s slight market rebound gave way to concerns over military tensions in Ukraine, sending crypto and traditional markets reeling.

Dating platform Mingout has introduced metaverse dating in India by organizing a virtual date for two of its users in a moon-based setting. See related article: Phillips to auction metahuman-made NFTs for Valentine’s Day Fast facts Metaverse or virtual dating is a nascent concept in India, and Mingout hopes to create a dating revolution and […]

Bitcoin led a market-wide sell-off Thursday night Asia time by losing almost 8% coming into business hours Friday Asia time, and was trading at US$40,578 at press time. See related article: Is Bitcoin’s rocky start to 2022 a sign of things to come? Fast facts All other major tokens were down around the same amount, […]

Hong Kong-based blockchain unicorn Animoca Brands’ Japanese strategic subsidiary started operations on Tuesday to bridge the nation’s exclusive intellectual property (IP) with the Web 3.0 ecosystem. See related article: Animoca Brands valued at US$5B after latest fundraise Fast facts The subsidiary, Animoca Brands KK, is building a blockchain-powered platform for Japanese IP holders to launch […]

DeFi can put investors at risk if they don’t understand how it works, writes Korapat Arunanondchai. Here’s how to improve user experience.

Over 1,200 non-fungible token (NFT)-related trademarks were registered in the U.S. in 2021, a 420-fold increase from the previous year, according to data acquired by Finbold. Fast facts More than 400 trademarks were filed in the month of December 2021 while none were filed in January 2021. There were 450 filings in January 2022, a […]

Pakistan’s State Bank governor warns crypto’s risks, also in India, banks show crypto reluctancy.

A new NFT gallery owned by the People’s Daily online arm is airdropping this week its first batch of “digital collectibles” minted on Tencent’s blockchain since the gallery’s opening last January. Fast facts Digital collectibles is a phrase now commonly used by Chinese companies to avoid the term “NFT” since Chinese state media began denouncing […]

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway purchased US$1 billion of Brazilian neobank Nubank Class A stock in Q4 2021 while selling billions of dollars of stock in Mastercard and Visa. Fast facts Buffett’s holding company dumped US$1.3 billion and US$1.8 billion from Mastercard and Visa, respectively, according to a Feb. 14 filing with the U.S. Securities and […]

HK watchdog’s sends out warning calling NFT a threat, meanwhile in Singapore DBS plans a crypto expansion

Hong Kong’s Ocean Park announced on Monday that it is entering The Sandbox metaverse to offer virtual experiences through non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and gaming, as visitors to its physical venue dropped throughout the pandemic.  Fast facts The government proposed last January that it will transform the physical theme park into a resort and leisure destination […]

Ransomware revenue in crypto in 2021 has been traced to strains connected to Russia with most of the extorted funds laundered through services that primarily cater to Russian users, blockchain forensics firm Chainalysis reported. Fast facts Around 74% of the over US$400 million worth of crypto ransomware revenue last year was directed to strains that […]

The Indian government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) are working in “complete harmony” and any decision on cryptocurrency will be made jointly, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a press conference on Monday.  Fast facts Discussions on crypto have been ongoing between the government and the RBI — India’s central bank — even […]

The biggest-selling NFT collection of all time has two competing versions, threatening to undermine the value of the tokens and faith in the industry itself.

Union minister Bhagwat Karad said on Saturday that cryptocurrencies are not legal in India and that their future is uncertain at the moment.  Fast facts Many investors and exchanges had viewed a decision to impose a 30% tax on cryptocurrency profits as a step toward validating the industry. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, however, clarified last […]

Reserve Bank of India’s chief sends crypto warning. In addition, Korean crypto execs gets jailed

Netmarble revealed Thursday that it has formed a strategic partnership with Binance to establish a global blockchain gaming ecosystem. Fast facts Binance will provide its blockchain platform and tech infrastructure to Netmarble. Netmarble will build a new sidechain on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC) for developing GameFi and an initial game offering (IGO) on the […]

The European Commission announced Wednesday it will propose a bill in early 2023 to introduce a digital euro, according to a report by Politico. Fast facts The European Central Bank (ECB) is already experimenting with the digital euro and is expected to begin working on a prototype by the end of next year. A digital […]

The announcement of a crypto tax dispelled fears of a ban but left exchanges wondering whether they may be hurt in the long run.

China does not expect significant impact on its monetary system if the digital dollar were introduced, said Mu Changchun, director-general of the People’s Bank of China Digital Currency Initiative on Wednesday. He spoke at a panel organized by the Atlantic Council think tank to support the release of the International Monetary Fund’s report on central […]

Non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace OpenSea has removed CryptoPunks V1, the “wrapped” edition of the original collectibles, after receiving a DMCA notice — a takedown issue by copyright holders — from creator Larva Labs. Fast facts The V1 CryptoPunks is the original issue of the collection but were replaced with exact copies — the current V2 […]

The United Nations specialized agency for telecommunications standardization, ITU-T, has approved a non-fungible token (NFT) technical framework proposed by Chinese tech giants including Tencent Holdings and Ant Group, state-owned media reported.   Fast facts The framework, which introduces an NFT standard, proposes technical and security requirements for digital collectibles on the blockchain.  The international standards approved […]

The new token economy offers unparalleled opportunities for content creators, writes Weiwei Geng of Unite.io. Improving user experience will be key.

PBoC pushes for e-CNY standardization, meanwhile Indian crypto unicorn CoinDCX hits 10 million users

Indian crypto trading exchange CoinDCX says it has crossed the 10 million user mark. Fast facts CoinDCX had 3.5 million customers as of August last year.  CoinDCX became India’s first crypto unicorn after its Series C funding round led by former Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin’s B Capital and others. Established in 2018, the company’s milestone […]

Kakao Games announced Tuesday that Friends Games, its subsidiary, will now become Meta Bora to focus on blockchain-based games and entertainment supporting its Bora cryptocurrency. Fast facts “We will work our hardest to help the development of the Web 3.0, such as in blockchain and the metaverse, by integrating Kakao Games’ game industry network and insight […]

Decentralized finance has not yet done much real-world good, writes Ben Sheppard. But putting it to work on small infrastructure projects can do just that.

Smart MFG, a blockchain-based supply chain decentralized finance firm, has integrated with Polygon to launch Phigital, a 3D marketplace for non-fungible tokens (NFT). Fast facts Phigital will focus on interoperability of 3D assets across metaverses, and NFTs with real-world use cases. The movement of different assets and NFTs across metaverses has been one of the […]

“Digital collectibles” issued by Shanghai Securities News are trading at least 13 times their original price on China’s largest second-hand trading platform, despite state media’s criticism of the non-fungible token (NFT) frenzy.  Fast facts In China, the phrase “digital collectibles” is often used to avoid references to NFTs. The collectibles are now available on the […]

Memecoins, led by Dogecoin (DOGE) and Shiba Inu (SHIB), have been among the biggest movers in this week’s rally, gaining more than 20% in market cap as a token category over the past 24 hours, Tuesday morning Asia time, according to CoinGecko. Fast facts SHIB was one of the strongest performers, gaining almost 30% in […]

After a poor start to the year, the market needed some good news. Industry watchers urge caution.

An Indian auto parts dealer became the victim of a US$267,000 cryptocurrency scam after local police closed the case on what was determined to be a hoax call on Friday, local media reported.  Fast facts 29-year-old victim Vinay Jain told police on Saturday that he had been robbed by the accused who had promised him […]

Unique non-fungible token (NFT) buyers hit an all-time high (ATH) in January with more than 895,000 shoppers, according to data tracker CryptoSlam. Fast facts The new ATH recorded an almost 3,000% year-over-year increase and a 6.5% month-over-month growth. The number of unique sellers grew by almost 14% from December to January with 741,865 vendors, just […]

A U.S. taxpayer fighting the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over whether newly created tokens are taxable income announced Thursday that he has rejected the government’s offer of a refund in order to force the government to clarify its policy. Fast facts On Thursday, Joshua Jarrett shared on Twitter that the IRS had offered him a […]

While sales volumes on NFT marketplaces thrive, new data show much of this comes from manipulating sales — painting the whole industry in a different light.

The beloved Pinkfong Baby Shark franchise is getting its own blockchain-based play-to-earn (P2E) game, set for a worldwide release in the first half of this year, South Korean developer CityLabs announced on Thursday. Fast facts The Baby Shark Bubble Pong Friends game has been teased as a bubble-shooter puzzle game where players transact in cryptocurrencies […]

CBDCs are vulnerable to hacking and the powers of quantum computing, cybersecurity expert Amnon Samid writes. Central banks must heed the warning.

Top blockchain and crypto news: New Delhi’s crypto give and take. Malice in Wonderland? Hong Kong’s selective spot ETF rules.

Mark Cuban-backed non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Mintable launched a self-described vampire attack against top marketplace OpenSea by selling popular collectibles at a loss. Fast facts Singapore-based Mintable conducted a fire sale of nine Mutant Ape Yacht Club NFTs by selling them 1 to 2 ETH below their floor price on Jan. 26, while another was […]

Singapore-based medical service firm Zuellig Pharma is using its blockchain-based medical tracking tool eZTracker to enhance vaccine transparency by flagging expired or mismanaged Covid-19 shots. Fast facts The eZTracker system verifies the authenticity of vaccines and other medical products to improve supply chain transparency and prevent black market distribution of supplies. QR codes on product […]

Warner Music partners with The Sandbox for metaverse, meanwhile crypto still a niche gift for lunar new year

Digital payments are commonplace in Asia, but gifting crypto as lucky money remains niche.

The record label conglomerate Warner Music Group (WMG) announced it will create a music-themed digital world in The Sandbox metaverse. Fast facts WMG confirmed its partnership with The Sandbox on Thursday, expanding the music company’s venture into non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the metaverse. The Sandbox is a subsidiary of blockchain unicorn Animoca Brands, with high […]

South Korean game developer Netmarble announced its crypto and play-to-earn (P2E) strategies at a press conference on Thursday, including plans to issue its own cryptocurrency. Fast facts Netmarble CEO Kwon Young-sik said the company is preparing to issue and list a crypto token that would act as a key currency for Netmarble games. Netmarble has […]

Hong Kong’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) project with three other central banks and the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) will enter its pilot stage this year to test international trade settlements, a Hong Kong government official said. Fast facts Christopher Hui, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, said on Wednesday the […]

South Korea’s media regulation agency has launched a council to discuss user protection on the metaverse, including the issue of sexual harassment targeting minors. Fast facts The council, under the Korea Communications Commission, consists of 30 professionals in media, law, technology and industrial management, and will discuss issues in the metaverse such as violence, sexual […]

The global cryptocurrency market rose along with smaller gains in the broader equity and bond markets in the aftermath of a Federal Reserve Open Market Committee statement Wednesday afternoon that it would leave interest rates untouched at near zero but expects to raise them soon. As the market digested the latest report, prices began trending […]

Crypto market concerns over invasion on Ukraine;, while Thailand plans for crypto regulation.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Market chills make investors shiver. Hacking storm at OpenSea. Has Beijing tamed NFTs?

Boston Consulting Group (BCG), one of the Big Three global management consulting firms, says the South Korean crypto market will be worth around 1,000 trillion won (about US$835 billion) in 2026, while calling for a brand new regulatory framework. Fast facts The number comes from BCG Korea’s Future of Asset 2022 report, which said South […]

A survey of more than 1,000 digital respondents found 79% of Indians want more clarity on cryptocurrency and non-fungible token (NFT) regulations in the budget session of Parliament starting on Jan. 31, according to new survey findings.  Fast facts The survey, conducted by tax and advisory firm Grant Thornton Bharat, also found that 61% of […]

China’s state-backed blockchain network disclosed eight platform partners today in line with the soft launch of its non-fungible token (NFT) platform, the BSN-DDC network.  Fast facts The auction house Rong Bao Zhai, Hainan International Culture and Artworks Exchange Center — an essential part of China’s free trade port — and EY Blockchain are among the […]

OpenSea NFT marketplace has suffered a front-end attack with the exploiter withdrawing 332 ETH (US$800,000), as reported by security and data tracker PeckShield. Fast facts PeckShield noted the issue overnight Asia time, revealing the attacker received 10 ETH from Ethereum mixer TornadoCash, which was then wrapped to wETH to carry out the attack. The non-fungible […]

Bitcoin and Ethereum fall below psychologically important levels as rising uncertainty clouds markets. Is the Fed also depressing crypto’s prospects?

Fantom has overtaken Binance Smart Chain (BSC) to become the third-largest blockchain in decentralized finance (DeFi) as measured by total value locked (TVL), according to DeFiLlama. Fast facts Fantom’s TVL bucked the global crypto market downtrend and increased more than 60% to US$12.2 billion over the past week, as of publishing time. Fantom is an […]