September 2020
Tencent Cloud continues blockchain expansion with two new platforms
Aside from cross-chain compatibility and scaling, the Shenzhen tech giant is also aiming to resolve data privacy and security issues in healthcare and finance.
Ep. 30 | DeFi gets fishier with Sashimiswap. MasterCard stages CBDC cosplay. IRS targets Monero and Bitcoin Lightning Network.
More top news: OKLink offers free cryptocurrency tracker. Trade fair in China introduces blockchain ideas to 20,000 companies.
How blockchain is reforming the colored gemstone trade, from ‘mine to finger’
Everledger CEO Leanne Kemp explains blockchain’s role in promoting ethical labor and confidence in goods like wine. Are less toxic electric cars next?
Rented hash power for 51% attacks is a ‘huge vulnerability’ for proof-of-work blockchains, says ETC Labs CEO
Ethereum Classic Labs CEO Terry Culver calls the hash rental market shady “like under a rock somewhere…. They’re basically money laundering operations.”
Ep. 29 | DeFi surges to dizzying heights. Brazil jumps into CBDC race. Swiss ‘Crypto Valley’ tax collectors will soon accept bitcoin.
In other news: Public gets sneak peek at China’s digital currency DCEP in flash testing. US-China trade war threatens SMIC and bitcoin mining.
Are blockchain game voxels the new square foot?
From CryptoKitty pets to metaverses like Minecraft and Decentraland, blockchain video games are redefining what it means to own virtual property.
Why blockchain is the trust-building technology our post-Covid world needs
By promoting transparency and data security, blockchain is poised to transform international trade. Dr. Geoff Jiang of Ant Group explains how.
Ep. 28 | FTX buys Blockfolio in $150 million deal. What’s up with the 300 crypto-terror accounts? China forks BSN to retain control.
Also: Japan’s deputy PM Taro Aso urges greater blockchain cooperation. Inner Mongolia raises bitcoin mining costs. Fintech investments in S. Korea.
August 2020
Why decentralization and democratic governance are blockchain myths
Many blockchain protocols claim to be decentralized, but industry practices show the opposite. Even Bitcoin is largely controlled by a few.
Joe Lubin of ConsenSys on acquiring Quorum: ‘a match made in blockchain heaven’
In a special Forkast.News interview, the CEO who co-founded Ethereum discusses the deal with JPMorgan, DeFi’s rise, and expectations for Ethereum 2.0.
Ep. 27 | YFI soars past bitcoin. ConsenSys acquires JPMorgan’s Quorum blockchain. OMG Network integrates Tether transfers.
Other top news: $50 billion in cryptocurrency leaves China. Severe flooding in Sichuan destroys bitcoin mining farms. DeFi in India.
How cryptocurrency fuels protests and anti-government movements
As mass demonstrations rock the world, technologies like blockchain, social media and AI are escalating unrest and state crackdowns to the next level.
What is the secret to Conflux Network’s success in China?
Conflux wins rare endorsements from Shanghai and Hunan provincial governments as other blockchain firms struggle for a toehold on the mainland.
What the Twitter hack reveals about the need for digital identity security
Could blockchain technology and decentralized ID verification have prevented all those VIP Twitter accounts from being commandeered for a bitcoin scam?
Journalist Maria Ressa’s ordeal shines light on social media’s dark side
Can blockchain stop the paid trolls, bot armies and floods of fake news that are subverting democracy through sites like Facebook?
Ep. 26 | US Fed taps MIT for CBDC research as China intensifies DCEP testing. YAM protocol soars before crashing.
Other top news: USPS explores blockchain for voting. Coinbase offers crypto loans. Huobi launches Global DeFi Alliance.
Ethereum at the crossroads: Where does the popular blockchain go from here?
As Ethereum moves toward its 2.0 upgrade, here is a reflection on the open-source platform’s transformational impact on the blockchain ecosystem.
Coda Protocol announces new cohort for Genesis token Program
New lightweight protocol nearing mainnet launch says it is distributing six times more tokens than others to attract developers and encourage greater decentralization.
Crypto tax in Australia: what investors need to know
Australians can buy bitcoin from post offices and use cryptocurrency in soda vending machines. But are confusing tax policies discouraging wider adoption?
Ep. 24 | Bitcoin riding high again. Philippines enters global CBDC race. Cardano’s Shelley mainnet goes live.
Other top news: China imposes standards for blockchain companies. Huobi launches digital asset custody business. Blockchain VC in the Middle East.
July 2020
Ep. 23 | Is Ethereum more popular than Bitcoin now? Crypto love comes to K-pop world. SEC-sanctioned crypto firms receive PPP funds.
Other top news: China’s BSN blockchain network expands global reach. US lets major banks act as crypto custodians. VC in India and Singapore.
How blockchain can transform telehealth and Covid patient care
Covid is accelerating telemedicine and patient data protection needs. Here’s how digital ledger applications can take healthcare to the next level.
How tokenization via blockchain can digitize assets and open up investment opportunities
Cryptocurrencies are enabling illiquid assets — like real estate, art and even pro athlete contracts — to be tokenized. What does this mean for investors?
Ep. 22 | How Twitter hackers broke into VIP accounts. Are SEC and CFTC targeting DeFi via Abra? BitMEX parent rebrands as 100x Group.
Other top news: InterContinental uses blockchain to prove hotel cleanliness. Beijing plans for blockchain in city services. VC in India and Israel.
UNICEF has invested in 100 startups. Could your blockchain project be no. 101 — and receive funding in crypto?
The UN, which now has a CryptoFund, wants to incubate new technology that would benefit children around the world. Apply now, or help get the word out!
5 ways blockchain can help the world better survive Covid-19 and the next crisis
Management guru Don Tapscott and his son Alex Tapscott — co-authors of the best seller, “Blockchain Revolution” — explain how blockchain’s “internet of value” can transform healthcare, the economy and more.
Could blockchain technology have prevented the Twitter VIP hacks?
Social media platforms like Twitter need more advanced technology, like blockchain, to protect user accounts from attacks, says Voice CEO Salah Zalatimo.
Hyperledger is helping create ‘blockchain with Chinese characteristics’
Brian Behlendorf, a longtime open-source evangelist, discusses China’s adoption of Hyperledger Fabric for its Blockchain Service Network (BSN), blockchain trends to watch, and more.
Ep. 21 | Dogecoin rises on TikTok challenge. Brock Pierce runs for President. CFTC planning more crypto regulations.
Other top news: Alibaba to help Cosco deploy blockchain technology for Chinese shipping industry. Fintech investment in Saudi Arabia.
SEC ‘Crypto Mom’ Hester Peirce: US will lose out in crypto innovations if regulations remain in limbo
The US is gold standard for global financial regulations. But if US does not get its act together over crypto, other nations will emerge as leaders in this growing space.
Release the robots: reinforcements arrive on the Covid-19 battlefield
Robot nurses, machine attendants and cleaning bots are increasingly replacing humans in and out of hospitals, to protect front-line medical staff from deadly infections. Is this a good thing?
Astronaut Chris Hadfield on blockchain’s next frontier: nodes in orbit, and settling the moon
The former International Space Station commander also discusses how blockchain can lower space exploration costs, and more. Bonus: advice on enduring Covid and social isolation with grace.
Ep. 20 | OKEx launches in Latin America. Cardano deploys Shelley. Crypto firms R3, IoTeX and iExec join Confidential Computing Consortium.
Other top news: US still dominates blockchain patents globally. First court case in China litigated with blockchain. VC in Indonesia and Singapore.
Vast majority of China’s top fintech startups are exploring blockchain
SCMP’s China Internet Report 2020 shows healthy fundraising and investment activity in tech sector despite ravages of Covid and US-China trade war.
Q&A: How blockchain is disrupting financial services
Mike Cagney, co-founder of Figure Technologies, explains how blockchain and digital assets are transforming consumer loans, banking, and more.
June 2020
Ep. 19 | Will PayPal and Venmo offer crypto trading? FC Barcelona kicks off fan token. USDC ditches Ethereum for Algorand.
Other top news: Chainlink embraced by China’s blockchain network. Could Justin Sun’s infamy outshine TRON 4.0? Fintech in Thailand and Singapore.
Seeking a new job? Crypto firms are on a hiring hot streak right now.
Blockchain and cryptocurrency companies are rapidly expanding, and there’s a shortage of talented hires. That makes it a great time to consider a career in crypto.
Ep. 18 | Fed chair throws shade at Digital Dollar Project. Ripple elbows in on SWIFT. Compound dethrones MakerDao.
Other top news: China’s new blockchain cross-border payment platform for Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong. 5G for all in Shenzhen. Fintech VC in India.
China uses blockchain to ease cross-border finance barriers in Greater Bay Area
Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong have three legal and monetary systems. A new blockchain banking platform would unify the area into an economic hub.
Ripple proposes framework for India to regulate crypto assets
White paper by global blockchain payment platform urges Indian lawmakers to make cryptocurrency legal while providing mechanisms to root out bad actors.
Ep. 17 | Will India ban crypto again? VeChain wows Germany. Centrapay and bitcoin vending machines.
Other top news: Chinese high schoolers cram-studying bitcoin mining. Blockchain-powered lotteries in Cambodia. Startups in India, Singapore and UAE.
China’s ‘Gaokao’ college entrance exam may have a question on bitcoin mining
10 million Chinese high schoolers will soon take the equivalent of the SAT or A-Levels, and it looks like they better study up on how crypto gets made.
Ep. 16 | Bitcoin and Black America. Is Coinbase watching you? Bitmain’s Game of Thrones.
Other top blockchain news: China sounds new warning against crypto. Brave browser brouhaha. Startups in Japan and Malaysia.
Distribution strategy may be the key to blockchain adoption
How Visa, M-Pesa and Binance became wildly successful — and why even the greatest technology still requires thinking through how to get your product into the hands of your customers.
How Congress is learning about blockchain, one bit of bitcoin at a time
Covid stimulus needs and China’s new CBDC have heightened interest in digital assets, but US lawmakers are still trying to make sense of new technologies. In an interview with Forkast.News, Perianne Boring of Chamber of Digital Commerce also discusses prospects for a U.S. digital dollar, and more.
Ep. 15 | Is China’s digital RMB ready for prime time? Making the case for a US CBDC. Blockchain comes to Minecraft.
More top news: China exploring blockchain to cure gaming addiction. LG joins Hedera Hashgraph. Startups in Japan, Singapore and the Philippines.
May 2020
Ep. 14 | Was that Satoshi? TRON 4.0 gets lukewarm reception. Blockchain Bill of Rights.
More top news: China pours billions into blockchain and other infrastructure. Ant Financial’s new smart contracts. VC in Singapore and India.
What is China’s new CBDC, and what is it not?
The central bank’s cash-like DCEP sets the stage for China’s next-gen financial infrastructure. Will it threaten the US dollar’s global supremacy? A University of Chicago Booth professor explains.
Blockchain will disrupt the entertainment industry. Which part first?
Cinemas are closed, Netflix is here, but torrent providers renew their careers!
Ep. 12 | Bitcoin halving elicits yawns. As China trials CBDC, Tim Draper predicts it will bomb. Is NEAR Ethereum’s new killer?
Other top news: TRON snags Covid aid. Free Telegram Open Network. China builds tech talent database. Bitmain’s civil war. Another win for Ripple.
China will soon have its first bachelor’s program in blockchain. Why isn’t the talent-starved industry more excited?
Blockchain education conundrum: China wants blockchain growth, but its tech labor supply “quality” falls short of high employer demands. A Forkast.News exclusive report on a new program in Chengdu and clues to what might be holding China back.
Ep. 11 | Crypto surges before bitcoin halving. China taps SenseTime for CBDC rollout. BitMEX shuts out Japan.
Other top news: IBM’s Covid medical supply network. China now has over 1,000 blockchain firms. Startups in Japan, India and Singapore.
Lessons from Covid: How the blockchain community can rise to its ideals
What can the blockchain industry do to adapt its work to the current crisis? Acknowledging the widening socio-economic divide would be a good start.
April 2020
Ep. 10 | Ripple sues YouTube over scam videos. Hong Kong’s first regulator-approved bitcoin fund manager. Hacker messes with dForce.
Other top news: Courier giant YTO forms blockchain logistics lab. 224 more blockchain firms get official thumbs up. VC in Singapore, UK and US.
Celebrating Earth Day 2020 — and not letting Covid overshadow the Paris accords and blockchain climate solutions
A co-founder of the original Earth Day urges world leaders to not be complacent about the temporary dip in emissions and lose sight of urgent climate goals.
Ep. 9 | U.S. rethinks ‘digital dollar.’ China’s new national blockchain platform. Is Libra now a stronger rival to China’s CBDC?
Other top news: Bitcoin halving frenzy. New Huawei tech zone. Blockchain company busted for defective face masks. VC in Hong Kong and Canada.
What is ‘proof of work’ and how does that affect Bitcoin halving?
Forkast.News explains ‘proof of work’ — the DNA of Bitcoin — and and why most of the world’s cryptocurrency miners will soon be sweating a lot more for their coins.
Covid is disrupting the global workforce to its core. What will the future of work look like?
Companies are decentralizing into purely digital workplaces to survive the pandemic. What are the long-term implications on the structure of employment and the technologies required for working from home?
Ep. 8 | Reddit crypto awards, Ripple coupling with BoA, blockchain boozes up in China, and more
Also: Dozens of crypto firms sued in 11 class-action lawsuits. Bitcoin mining company Canaan bleeds red ink. Fintech funding in India, and more.
How healthcare uses blockchain to wage a smarter war against the coronavirus pandemic
Distributed ledger technology can help flatten the curve of Covid-19 through telemedicine, supply-chain security, rapid payments and more.
How China hot-housed a new technology and 35,000 ‘blockchain’ companies bloomed
China is trying to grow its blockchain industry, but are all these startups for real? Forkast.News dives into the data to find the truth behind the numbers.
Ep. 6 | New blockchain arsenal to fight Covid-19, Zoom cancels Facebook, coronavirus wipes out Digital Farms, and more
Other top headlines from around the world: Microsoft wants to power mining with brain waves. Crypto exchanges Huobi and OKEx under fire. China shifts to digitally sweep ancestral graves.
March 2020
Ep. 5 | U.S. weighs digital dollar, Coinbase top lawyer joins Treasury, and more
In this newsletter and podcast, we bring you top headlines around the world, including: A new proposal to create a digital dollar. Coinbase’s legal chief heading U.S. Treasury. A Bitcoin-Red Cross coronavirus fundraiser in Italy. Universal basic income’s revival. Steem’s hard fork into Hive, and more.
Ep. 4 | Bitcoin’s wild ride, Robinhood in tough times, Covid-19 hacks Ethereum event
Also: Blockchain voting after the Voatz debacle, IOTA limps back after cyber attack, smart cities in China, and Forkast.News insights to help you make sense of the top headlines.
Blockchain in telecom: ‘blockchain phones’ need to evolve to be taken seriously
In the third installment of this special three-part Forkast.News series, we look at some phones on the market that bill themselves as ‘blockchain’ but are only doing a disservice to the industry.
February 2020
How blockchain can defend against data heists and cyber attacks
As increasingly useful and potentially destructive data migrates onto the internet, more and more countries will deploy cyber weapons. Could blockchain provide a defense against future incursions?
January 2020
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.
Switzerland is a blockchain haven, but government lags behind, says Trust Square CEO
Although Switzerland’s Crypto Valley may seek to become a global blockchain hub, its government is too slow to adopt the technology even as Facebook’s Libra incorporates in the country, according to Trust Square cofounder Daniel Gasteiger.
Kaleido CEO: How ConsenSys’ blockchain provider tackles production hurdles and data silos
Getting blockchain right is hard enough – not to mention building
consortium, says Steve Cerveny, founder and CEO of Kaleido, a Consensys Enterprise Business that offers blockchain as a service.
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.
December 2019
Inside China’s vision to globalize its currency
The central bank’s digital currency efforts, ironically, would give it more control over the economy.
Privacy doesn’t equal anonymity on blockchain, says Concordium CEO
Identification on a protocol level could help blockchain become mainstream for blue-chip companies like MasterCard, Volvo and Geely if international regulations are met. Anonymity is “exactly what is hindering wider use of blockchain,” said Concordium CEO Lone Fonss Schroder.