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By returning data ownership and reshaping human-machine interactions, the third generation of the internet promises an interconnected future.

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 […]

Charitable donations on crypto philanthropy platform The Giving Block rose by 1,558% in 2021, the company announced in its annual report. Fast facts The Giving Block’s crypto donation volume increased in each quarter of 2021 and surpassed US$69 million in total donations, with an average of US$10,455 worth of crypto per donation. As cryptocurrency is […]

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 […]

Vitalik Buterin caused an uproar over his recent criticisms of blockchain bridges. Here is a rebuttal in support of this nascent technology.

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

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her budget speech on Tuesday that a 30% tax will be levied on income from all cryptocurrency or digital assets transfers.  Fast facts The levy on cryptocurrency will also apply to non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and gifts, where the recipient will be taxed. In case of losses from crypto […]

The recent crypto price plunge has done little to rattle new investors. Are they just buying the dip, or is there more to it? Q9 Capital’s James Quinn explains.

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 […]

OpenSea is the world’s largest open marketplace for NFTs. Find out what’s driving everyone there in this Forkast explainer.

Russian Ministry of Finance against the latest crypto ban, meanwhile in Korea, there are plans to protect metaverse users.

Klaytn, a public blockchain platform under South Korean internet giant Kakao, has joined China’s Blockchain-based Service Network’s (BSN) international infrastructure. Fast facts Klaytn’s joins fellow public blockchains Ethereum, Solana, Tezos and Polkadot in BSN International, to become accessible to the 25,000 developers in the ecosystem. The BSN is a Chinese state-backed project that is split […]

San Francisco-based Ripple Labs announced Tuesday that on the heels of a strong year it bought back the shares it sold in a 2019 fundraise and is now valued at US$15 billion. Fast facts The blockchain payments platform developer is in the middle of a 13-months-long lawsuit filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission […]

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

The metaverse could be life-changing for the world’s unbanked, writes Pavel Matveev of Wirex. Interoperability between the real and virtual worlds will be key.

The tech-savvy nation is deemed a prime environment to grow the metaverse. What comes next, and will some be left out by a digital divide?

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 […]

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

The top contenders jockey for position on initial coin offerings and other blockchain-based innovations. How did crypto become a critical factor in the race?

A pro basketball player and an ex-banker are aiming for a slam-dunk with a ‘creator first’ content platform. Calaxy co-founder Solo Ceesay explains how.

The gaming industry suffers from a talent shortage, but blockchain technology and Gen Z’s obsession with self-expression are relieving cost pressures.

Several mainland tech giants are launching digital collectibles as a novel gifting option for the Chinese New Year holiday season, which starts Feb. 1. Fast facts Digital collectibles are essentially non-fungible tokens (NFTs), but the term has been discouraged by authorities. Chinese search engine Baidu’s XuperChain has launched its digital collectibles platform, with a series […]

Hyundai Card vice president Chung Tae-young said on Wednesday the rise of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and the metaverse is helping crypto to move past the Dutch tulip mania stage. Fast facts “Although there might be ups and downs, it seems cryptocurrencies are passing the ‘Dutch tulip stage,’” Chung wrote in a Facebook post.  Hyundai Card, […]

Alternative approaches to governance have never been more important, writes Alexander Filatov of TON Labs. Here is how DAOs can change the world.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Asian governments target crypto. Managing MATIC. China’s expanding metaverse.

Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands announced a US$358,888,888 capital raise Tuesday that values the blockchain gaming and open metaverse company at US$5 billion. Fast facts The round was led by New York-based Liberty City Ventures, with more than 18 other investors around the world, including Kingsway Capital, Sequoia China, Smile Group, Soros Fund Management and Winklevoss […]

Solana-based non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Burnt Finance, best known for burning then tokenizing street artist Banksy’s artwork, announced on Tuesday an $8 million Series A funding round led by Animoca Brands. Fast facts Other investors in this round include Alameda Research, Multicoin Capital, Valor Capital, Figment, Spartan Capital, HashKey, Terra and Fantom.  Burnt Finance got […]

In the latest sign of growing blockchain adoption, the tennis tournament expands to the metaverse, offering rewards and participation through NFTs.

Cardano’s ADA edged out Bitcoin as the currency of choice in a Twitter poll posted by Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin on a hypothetical future without ETH. Fast facts Buterin asked his 3.1 million followers on Friday what currency, aside from Ethereum, they would prefer to be used in 80% of all global transactions by 2035, […]

If 2021 was a breakout year for crypto, this year may mark a similar advance for regulation of the industry, says Caroline Malcolm, Chainalysis’ new policy chief.

Taiwanese’s superstar Jay Chou’s NFT dethrones Bored Ape Yacht Club. Meanwhile Bitcoin dips below US$40k mark.

Internet blackouts are partially restored but access remains unpredictable to support full crypto mining, industry players say.

Klaytn, a public blockchain platform under South Korean internet giant Kakao, announced on Monday five partnerships to drive plans to become a global blockchain benchmark for the increasingly competitive gaming and metaverse space in 2022. Fast facts Klaytn is partnering with Japanese tech giant GMO Group, Indonesia’s Innovation Factory, NFT marketplace East NFT, U.S.-based entertainment […]

How has layer-2 innovation saved Bitcoin from becoming a victim of its own success? Blockstream chief Adam Back explains.

In a special Q&A, a core contributor to the rapidly expanding Cosmos ecosystem discusses the ‘internet of blockchains’ and the new cross-chain economy.

Traditional equities and global markets are due for a correction. Valkyrie CEO Leah Wald wonders whether Bitcoin would hold strong in a global sell-off.

Gaming metaverse the Sandbox announced the partners for its upcoming Hong Kong-influenced virtual cultural hub.

Have you already made your first Bitcoin trade? Perhaps you already have and would like to know more about other digital assets. This Forkast.News video explainer explores what investors can hold in their portfolios as alternatives to cryptocurrency. What you’ll learn: What digital assets can you invest in other than Bitcoin and altcoins? What are […]

Bearish concerns over Federal Reserve rate hikes show a continued correlation with traditional markets, but industry watchers see changing dynamics at play.

The Australian Open (AO) is one of the biggest sporting events on the world tennis calendar, and now there is another way to watch, as this year’s tournament will also be held in Decentraland — the decentralized metaverse platform. Tennis fans will be able to participate further through buying non-fungible tokens (NFTs) linked to live […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: CBDCs at the crossroads. A token gesture from Samsung. NFTs survive in China.

In South Korea, a new presidential administration will be chosen in March. Here’s where the four major candidates stand on Korea’s booming virtual asset space.

A CryptoPunk is sold in a Shanghai auction house despite an existing crypto ban in China.

In South Korea, virtual asset investors with more than 500 million Korean won, or approximately US$418,935, worth of crypto assets in overseas accounts must report to their regional tax authorities beginning in 2023. Fast facts According to a new year guidebook by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, any resident or domestic corporation with overseas […]

2021 was a big year for crypto. As we enter a new year, Forkast.News asks market watchers what might be in store for the next 12 months.

Yosuke Matsuda, president of Square Enix — the game developer behind Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Kingdom Hearts — recently reiterated the company’s blockchain ambitions while acknowledging ongoing concerns about the new trend. Fast facts In a new year’s letter posted on the company website, Matsuda emphasized that incorporating blockchain technology into gaming holds “the […]

Aventus CEO Alan Vey also predicts the decentralized finance rally is just getting started. Which blockchains does he see growing massively in the new year?

Looking beyond this year’s headlines like El Salvador’s Bitcoin adoption, here are the key developments in blockchain technology that will have lasting impact in the new year and beyond.

A regulatory hurricane swept away half of South Korea’s crypto exchanges in 2021. Who are the survivors — and are there larger lessons for the rest of the world?

Countries acted to encourage — or discourage — cryptocurrency and other blockchain-based assets, sending markets wildly up and down.

Ethereum was game-chaging at its 2015 launch, but today it’s showing its age. As Eth2 upgrades slowly unfold, who are the top rivals trying elbow out the #2 blockchain?

From China’s ban to FATF’s travel rule, crypto regulations have been top of mind this year. How might regulatory impulses and current trends play out?

While China made a big moves in banning crypto this year, US lawmakers appear to be warming up to the industry, setting the stage for next year.

As 2021 draws to a close, what are this year’s milestones and trends to watch in the year ahead? Forkast.News consults experts to find out.

While increasing crypto adoption was predictable, 2021 also saw much that was unexpected. Here are the events that shocked even crypto natives.

Alex Tapscott of Ninepoint Partners also shares with Forkast.News his predictions for stablecoins and NFTs in 2022.

Who in the crypto world deserves Santa love this year, and whose chimney should be snubbed? The elves at Forkast.News help the big man with his list.

China tries to stamp out Bitcoin mining while increasing its influence over blockchain technology and preparing the digital yuan for launch. What lies in store for 2022?

Court overturns Korean Bitcoin ruling, also are the days numbered for SWIFT?

What are the responsibilities of blockchain companies when it comes to freedom of expression? A controversial cartoonist finds out the boundaries.

Crypto finance platform XLD Finance wants to enable users to spend GameFi tokens and stablecoins to pay for real-world goods and services. Fast facts The company has launched its first project, xSpend, which allows users from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to purchase mobile prepaid credits on the platform using GameFi tokens and stablecoins. Users may also pay Philippine-based […]

Bitcoin’s current price is not indicative of the crypto’s future prospects, says Mark Yusko, who looks forward to the tokenization of everything.

With Ethereum usage at all-time high, a Cosmos ‘bridge’ to other blockchains and Mastercard rollups aim to solve a major problem plaguing the Eth network.

Not yet done with your holiday shopping? Here are ideas for all the loved ones on your list, whether they are tech-savvy or merely crypto-curious.

Asia’s gaming giant Nexon’s US subsidiary supports cryptocurrencies for players in buying items inside its popular online games.

Games like Axie Infinity are now the darlings of big investors. Does it matter that revenue is falling and many players earn less than the minimum wage?

The National Basketball Association has been ahead of the game in crypto adoption, but after a week of major developments, the league is now way out in front.

Metaverse platform Spatial assembled a Series B funding round worth about US$25 million, with new investments from Maven Growth Partners, Pine Venture Partners, South Korea’s KB Investment, Korea Investment Partners, Mirae Asset and others. Fast facts With the Series B, Spatial gathered an accumulated investment amount of over US$49.6 million. Investors from past funds included […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Can stablecoins bankroll democracy? Nike swooshes into the metaverse. Animoca and Bored Apes venture deeper into the gaming jungle.

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, today announced that it has set up a joint venture with the venture capital arm of Telkom Indonesia, the country’s largest telecommunication company, to develop a new digital asset exchange there. Fast facts Binance said in a statement that it has teamed up with MDI Ventures — a US$830 […]