Archives

While the idea of the metaverse has many people talking and Chinese tech giants showing signs of making a foray into the space, a Beijing-based state-owned think tank has warned of the national security risks that the metaverse could bring. Fast facts In a research report titled “Metaverse and National Security” published Saturday by China […]

Sebastien Borget, COO and co-founder of The Sandbox tells Forkast.News how NFTs and an open and decentralized metaverse is transforming the way we live, work and play.

Facebook, now called Meta, is casting off one of the world’s most famous names to retool itself into a metaverse company. Will its $10 billion bet pay off?

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the social media giant is rebranding its corporate name to Meta as it focuses on building out its metaverse vision of an embodied internet with immersive spaces and experiences where people can digitally connect. Fast facts “The metaverse is the next chapter for the internet and it’s the next chapter […]

Sotheby’s ended its Natively Digital 1.2 auction event with 1,500 bids on Tuesday, with a total turnover of US$18.6 million after nine days of live bidding. Three non-fungible tokens (NFTs) reached record bids, including #8817 Ape by Bored Ape Yacht Club, Rare Pepe PEPENOPOULOS, and Self Portrait #1 by Dmitri Cherniak, according to a press […]

South Korean mobile game developer Netmarble to create a virtual K-pop idol group under partnership with internet giant Kakao group using meta-human technologies.

New virtual worlds are full of opportunities, writes Sandra Helou of Zilliqa. But what if real-world problems get magnified in the metaverse?

Chinese internet giant Tencent reportedly plans to bet big on the metaverse — a trending idea on building a virtual world typically with the support of virtual and augmented reality technologies — and is looking to build an advanced gaming studio for that, the South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with […]

Bitcoin hits all-time high, also Lotte World opens in metaverse

Lotte World Adventure, one of the most popular South Korean amusement parks, is opening a virtual replica on Naver’s Zepeto metaverse. Fast facts Lotte World Adventure constructed “Magic Island,” its outdoor section of the park, onto the Zepeto metaverse, which opens tonight at 6 p.m. Korea time. Upon entering the Lotte World map on the […]

Facebook says it will create 10,000 jobs in the European Union over the next five years to build its highly anticipated metaverse — a digital platform that utilizes technology such as virtual and augmented reality that the company says has the potential to unlock new creative, social and economic opportunities. Fast facts According to a […]

A profound shift is underway in online culture, writes Anndy Lian of BigOne Exchange. Here’s how decentralized finance might one day power the NFT and metaverse economy.

Evergrande debt woes hit crypto meanwhile Mooncakes are in the metaverse

China’s largest brokerage firm, CITIC Securities, said in a research report the metaverse will enter an exploration stage in the next three to five years and could become a way of life in 20 years. Fast facts The report said the development of the metaverse can be divided into three stages. The first stage will be completed […]

The Sandbox, Animoca Brand’s subsidiary for decentralized virtual gaming, announces partnership with animation studio in Korea.

A Chinese game company, Zhong Qing Bao, announced a metaverse game, and its stock rose considerably this week for two days in a row. Fast facts The game’s name is Brew Master, a game that lets players pretend to be winemakers and trade the wines that they make as NFTs. Two days after the game […]

Bitcoin price plunges however Metaverse actions heats up in China

The magazine unveils two digital-only covers as well as fashion, beauty and design NFTs, all for sale in a new metaverse.

The ideal metaverse is open and interoperable, says Jamie Burke of Outlier Ventures. Here’s how blockchain gaming and NFTs are closing in on that future.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has a vision for metaverses — online worlds that one day will replace big parts of our offline lives. But some say that future is already here.

South Korea’s top asset managers are racing to get into the metaverse game while Forkast.News visits a decentralized theme park in Hong Kong.

Samsung Asset Management, South Korea’s biggest asset manager, has launched a fund tied to a virtual world known as the metaverse.

In a special Q&A, Sarojini McKenna of Alien Worlds discusses play-to-earn gaming, digital assets like Trilium, and lives increasingly lived inside virtual worlds.

Greg Solano’s return as Yuga Labs CEO spurs a significant increase in Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT prices.

Yuga Labs is expected to feature the Moonbirds collection in its Otherside metaverse.

The move is part of SC Ventures’ expansion into the United Arab Emirates.

While Hong Kong and Singapore compete for the top spot, Dubai is already shaping the future of fintech and Web3, writes Mohammad Alblooshi, chief executive officer of the DIFC Innovation Hub.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Bankman-Fried’s memory lapses, betting on the return of NFTs, ETF dreams and Bitcoin’s Uptober

October sees NFT resurgence with US$300 million in sales despite negative trade profits; SoFi platforms face challenges amid financial scrutiny.

Often dismissed as coincidence, October has once again produced an upswing in the crypto market, with excitement around a potential U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF to thank for this year’s ‘Uptober.’

From tech monopolies to the synergy of AI and blockchain, Alex Tapscott, author of “Web3: Charting the Internet’s Next Economic and Cultural Frontier,” dissects the trajectories of the digital landscape.

Several crypto firms join forces to set up a humanitarian fund amid ongoing war and star witness in Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial gives testimony.

As ‘Floptober’ rattles the NFT world, Pudgy Penguins emerge as unlikely victors, spotlighting the potential of IP-focused tactics.

Once driven by speculation and vanity car plate-like profile images, NFTs are now becoming more useful — with value that is not captured by market prices.

The CEO of blockchain services provider Consensys and co-founder of Ethereum spoke to Forkast at the Token 2049 crypto conference in Singapore. He discussed decentralization and what he sees as the crucial role to be played by blockchain in AI and vice-versa.

Clay Nation, a project of 10,000 non-fungible tokens (NFTs), announced the launch of a new blockchain bridge for Cardano and Polygon networks in The Sandbox metaverse.  See related article: DOJ seeks to block Bankman-Fried from bringing up Anthropic fundraise in court Fast Forkast See related article: NFT creators seek alternatives after OpenSea cuts royalties

Top blockchain and crypto news: Spotlight on Bankman-Fried, Pudgy Penguins’ new revenue stream and Google’s Web3 goggles

CMCC Global, a Hong Kong-based blockchain-focused venture capital fund, announced Wednesday that it raised US$100 million to launch the “Titan Fund.” See related article: SFC to monitor illegal VATP activities with Hong Kong Police Force Fast Facts See related article: Valkyrie CIO expects US spot Bitcoin ETF approval in Q2 2024 (Update adds comment from […]

Cryptocurrencies and NFTs are evolving and carving out distinct niches, prompting a closer look at their diverging paths and the emerging trends in the digital financial landscape.

Web2 may be easier than ever to use, but its users are plagued by personal data theft and other security risks. Here’s how Web3 can do better.

At the Token 2049 crypto conference in Singapore held Sept. 13 to 14, Google Cloud’s James Tromans spoke to Forkast about a possible marriage between Webs 2 and 3.

Two former employees at Coinone were sentenced Tuesday for accepting bribes in exchange for listing certain cryptocurrencies on the platform.

Mitsubishi UFJ and Binance Japan will collaborate on the issuance of fiat-pegged stablecoins.

Blockchain and AI’s synergistic combination will create technology beyond today’s wildest imagination. But true AI-Web3 integration remains a difficult affair.

The third installment of Forkast’s ‘Crypto in Sport’ series comes from Singapore, which this week plays host to Formula One’s Singapore Grand Prix. Crypto companies poured hundreds of millions of sponsorship money into F1 at the height of the bull market, but might a prolonged crypto winter pull the plug on this marriage of convenience? Or can diversification and real world use cases help breathe new life into the relationship? Welcome to crypto’s very own drive to survive.

Japan-based Astar Network announced Wednesday that it is launching its zkEVM solution powered by Polygon’s Chain Developer Kit.

Bitcoin’s NFT sales dip mirrors early challenges of Ethereum; is the pioneer blockchain set for a comeback in the collectibles market?

Oasys, a blockchain-based game development platform, will team up with non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace αU market and cryptocurrency wallet αU Wallet – a crypto wallet by KDDI, one of Japan’s top three telecom companies – for users to trade NFTs on the αU market. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: ETF developments bolsters Bitcoin above […]

Animoca Brands announced Monday that it has raised US$20 million to accelerate the development of Mocaverse, its flagship project.

Web3 companies often focus on building their tech above all else, but poor public communications can undermine all the work they do.

In the second installment of Forkast’s ‘Crypto in Sport’ series we head to the land of the rising sun, where J1 League football club Avispa Fukuoka have incorporated a first-of-its-kind DAO into their operations. Can the DAO provide a model for the rest of the sports world to follow? Can it change the way fans engage with their clubs?

NFTs are now capable of being interactive and changing with the weather, user location and time of day. What are the downsides and challenges ahead?

Blockchain games are often touted as the next big thing. Joseph Cooper, CEO of Earn Alliance, takes a hard look at the industry’s challenges and how to overcome them.

This final installment of a 3-part series on the U.K. digital asset industry looks at the politics driving the British crypto conversation. PM Rishi Sunak is a believer, but an election’s coming up, and his rivals appear less keen on turning the U.K. into a global crypto hub.

Bitcoin dipped slightly, having hovered around the $29,380 level throughout the weekend. Ether and most other top 10 crypto were little changed.

Wreck League: New PVP NFT game with custom mechs set to dominate. Partnerships with Yuga Labs and Bored Ape Yacht Club promise big potential in shifting NFT market landscape.

The latest in blockchain gaming has shades of game tech and development from the Web2 era. Is this a regression — or sign of a maturing industry?

From forays into the metaverse to blockchain-based sales and financing, the fine art world is now at the forefront of profound technological change.

Shanghai plans to build a blockchain infrastructure by the end of 2025 and establish links with Hong Kong and Singapore.

Bitcoin and Ether prices dropped on Monday morning in Asia, but remained above key support levels. Altcoins fell on Curve Finance hack.

Concerns arise over Worldcoin’s free crypto. NFT market does a crabwalk. Japan’s next big thing for the metaverse.

Bitcoin and Ether slipped during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization rose, except Dogecoin.

Bitcoin gained Thursday morning in Asia, but not enough to breach US$29,500 after the Fed raised interest rates by the expected quarter point.

The Tokyo WebX Asia conference, which claimed to be the largest of its kind in Asia, wrapped on Wednesday after two days of exhibitions, crypto-themed side events, and debate on what Japan needs to do to be a central part of the future of the digital asset industry.

Cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com and Line Xenesis — the crypto asset and blockchain-related business developer of Japanese messenger app Line — have signed a memorandum of understanding to boost crypto innovation in Asia-Pacific and the global industry. See related article: Singapore-based Crypto.com gets preparatory license to expand services in Dubai Fast facts

$1 trillion in capital is needed to fight climate change, but investment money is sitting on the sidelines, going unused. How can we close this funding gap?

Already home to most of the world’s gamers, Asia has a rich pedigree in seeding and embracing new technologies, writes Robbie Ferguson of Immutable.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Ripple not clear of hurdles | NFTs in historically slow period | Hong Kong banks dither

Shanghai on Tuesday published a set of guidelines to promote use of blockchain, the digital yuan, and the metaverse in the city’s legacy industries.

Despite ample Ethereum holdings, traders appear less willing to invest in NFTs. Ethereum wallet growth data in 2023 suggests low NFT sales, while Ether used for NFT sales has dropped to 2021 levels.

Beijing municipal government plans to train 10,000 engineering talents each year in emerging technologies including blockchain, AI and big data.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Standard Chartered eyes US$120,000 per Bitcoin | Another week of declines in NFT market | Sega and Line team up.