March 2023
What impact will Ethereum’s Shanghai upgrade have on ETH and crypto markets?
Despite the potential sell pressures after Ethereum’s upcoming hard fork, it’s more likely that ETH stakers will hold for the longer term, writes Bill Xing of Bybit.
Hong Kong blockchain initiatives natural evolution for finance hub, says Signum Digital CEO
Hong Kong’s new crypto licensing regime isn’t the only bullish sign for the city’s digital asset industry, says Signum Digital, the first company to win a preliminary license to handle securitized tokens in the city.
Hong Kong poised for ambitious changes
Hong Kong has opened its doors to the world once more, and it spared no time hosting blockchain and web3 focused summits.
How DAOs can be remade to be more efficient and successful
DAOs are exploding in popularity but still hampered by weak governance and treasury mismanagement. What can help these novel organizations become more effective?
Bitcoin buoyed as bank busts spook investors
Top blockchain and crypto news: Banking woes boost Bitcoin. Arbitrum counts down to launch. Chinese billionaire faces US crypto scam charges.
Over 80 Web3 firms in line to set up shop in HK, ahead of crypto regulations taking effect in June
Over 80 foreign and Mainland China companies have expressed their interest in establishing a Web3 company in Hong Kong, ahead of new crypto regulations that will take effect from June
Enterprise software giant Salesforce partners with Polygon for NFT-based loyalty programs
Salesforce has partnered with Polygon Labs to help its clients develop non-fungible token (NFT) based loyalty programs on the Polygon blockchain.
Silvergate teeters as regulators circle and crypto firms cut ties
Top blockchain and crypto news: Silvergate woes spark bankruptcy talk. LDO dips on false enforcement rumors. Chinese leaders push digital development.
The digital economy needs a better BS detector — so we are building it through data transparency
Blockchain data is public for all to see. The irony is that few know what to look for, and why. A new set of indexes by Forkast Labs filters out the noise and offers data intelligence and clarity.
China’s Blockchain Bet
The Chinese “Two Sessions” meetings began over the weekend, and blockchain technology could be at the forefront of Beijing’s vision for growth
What Web3 must do if it wants to attract 1 billion users
Web3 is growing more rapidly than the early internet, writes Ken Timsit of Cronos Labs. But to achieve mainstream success, the following issues must be addressed.
Ethereum core developers delay Shanghai hard fork to early April
The expected launch of the Shanghai hard fork has been delayed from late March to the first two weeks of April, according to Ethereum developers on Thursday.
Where is China’s digital economy heading? The ‘Two Sessions’ may give some pointers
Look for blockchain, self-reliance in technology discussions in China’s biggest political meetings of the year as China’s President Xi Jinping’s aims to build a digital economy.
Australia’s central bank identifies CBDC use cases as it prepares pilot launch
Australia has outlined potential use cases and providers for a central bank digital currency (CBDC), with a pilot program to be launched in the coming months.
Japanese banks to launch, test stablecoins on ‘Japan Open Chain’
Three major banks in Japan will issue stablecoins on an Ethereum-compatible blockchain created by the blockchain-related tools developer G.U. Technologies.
What policymakers need to know about the metaverse to make the real world a better place
The metaverse has the potential to make the real world more just and inclusive, writes Sébastien Borget of The Sandbox. Here are the key ingredients for its future success.
Indonesia’s Crypto First
Indonesia’s crypto coming of age could help them become a blockchain superpower
Blur NFT wash trading soars, fueling market distortions
Top blockchain and crypto news: Blur wash trading explodes. Coinbase extends developer foray with Base test. Hong Kong crypto embrace gets Beijing’s nod.
February 2023
Huawei forms Web3 alliance with Polygon, Morpheus Labs, others
Chinese smartphone maker Huawei partnered with multiple overseas Web3 firms, as part of the company’s blockchain and metaverse venture.
Crypto Crimes Surge
2022 saw a lot of cryptocurrencies traded illicitly through various crypto exchanges – but that figure only represents less than 1% of all crypto transactions performed. Could things be looking up?
Crypto exchanges face an existential challenge. What can bring users back?
Amid the rubble of FTX and other centralized exchanges, cross-chain technology and on-chain trading offer more trustworthy alternatives, writes Simon Harman of Chainflip.
Hong Kong’s new crypto regulation may lure Web3 firms back, experts say
Hong Kong’s proposed crypto licensing regime received Huobi Global’s pledge to return to the city, and more companies may follow, industry experts told Forkast.
Web3’s biggest power up: casual games
Web3 gaming could see a huge turn in growth in 2023. Is there potential for this industry to match the growth and performance of the mainstream video game industry?
Hong Kong to invest US$6.37 million to spur Web3 growth
Hong Kong is allocating HK$50 million (US$6.37 million) to develop its Web3 sector, the Financial Secretary Paul Chan announced Wednesday.
Ankr token surges 60%, partners Microsoft for enterprise-grade node service
ANKR surged by more than 60% after the blockchain infrastructure startup announced a partnership on Tuesday with Microsoft.
China’s Shenzhen city to stamp data ownership on blockchain
Shenzhen is adopting blockchain technology to safeguard data ownership, as China seeks to build a regulated data economy.
How Web3 in China is taking shape — with ‘Chinese characteristics’
What makes Web3 compelling to many is its promise to shift power from centralized players to individual users, but China is doing the opposite, writes Lily King.
Bataan Blockchain Plans
Blockchain can be utilized in numerous ways to benefit the public sector, Philippine province Bataan is getting a head start.
Trust in crypto is in shambles. How can we rebuild it?
Greater transparency and confidence in who you are transacting with could go a long way toward alleviating public mistrust, writes Travis Nelson of Quadrata.
Why gaming’s next frontier is owning your in-game assets
Many gamers still oppose NFTs and blockchain gaming, overlooking the myriad benefits of the latest technology, writes Ramona Ciocea of Protokol.
Web3 isn’t just about money, it’s about equality and transparency, says Mysten Labs co-founder
Investors may view Web3 through the lens of financial opportunities and revenue, but that misses the point of trying to build a fairer and more transparent infrastructure, with content creators at the forefront, says Mysten Labs co-founder Evan Cheng
EU begins regulatory sandbox for blockchain technology
The European Commission (EC), has started a regulatory sandbox to test use cases of blockchain technologies and provide legal clarity for the industry.
Conflux Network, China Telecom to build blockchain-enabled SIM cards
Blockchain protocol Conflux Network and China’s second-largest wireless carrier China Telecom have partnered to build a “blockchain-enabled SIM card” (BSIM).
Paxos ordered to stop minting Binance stablecoin as SEC mulls legal action
Top blockchain and crypto news: Paxos halts BUSD issuance. Kraken faces disclosure charges. Beijing backs new blockchain research center.
U.S. Congress, not the SEC, will set cryptocurrency regulations, says Blockchain Association
The Blockchain Association Chief Policy Officer Jake Chervinsky said the U.S. Congress will ultimately set the laws in the country to govern the cryptocurrency industry and not the Securities and Exchange Commission
Truck industry as real-world crypto use case? How blockchain could replace system that leaves U.S. truckers out of pocket
The current payment system relied on by truck drivers runs through third parties and adds costs to supply chains and consumers. Could blockchain tech provide an alternative, and would truckers trust it?
Why the crypto sector needs radical transparency in the post-FTX world
Self-custody is cumbersome and carries risks of seed phrases getting lost, but how can we ensure if a third-party custodian can be trusted?
China to set up national blockchain technology research center in Beijing
China has given the go-ahead to set up the National Blockchain Technology Innovation Centre in Beijing to run blockchain research and development, according to local media.
Upgrading The Cloud
Blockchain data storage could be a game-changer in defining the future of cloud storage. Should you also be using blockchain to store your data?
Shanghai Staking Surge
Ethereum’s Shanghai upgrade brings about new changes and flexibility for investors – how much of an impact could it have on the industry?
JPMorgan report shows institutional trader interest shifting to AI from blockchain after crypto slump
Nearly three out of four institutional traders surveyed “have no plans to trade crypto,” while most see Artificial Intelligence as the next big disrupter.
How regenerative finance can ease climate change and boost the bottom line
Renewable energy is plagued by financing difficulties, but blockchain technology can bridge the sector’s funding gaps, writes Brianna Welsh of Reneum.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says NFTs and DAOs can bolster ‘Cool Japan’ strategy
NFTs and DAOs can help support Japan’s national strategy dubbed ‘Cool Japan’ to attract investment and expand the economy.
Why DeFi remains niche and what might get it out of its market rut
DeFi is still a Wild West, and many would-be users are wary of its lawlessness and anonymity. Could decentralized IDs foster greater trust and growth in the sector?
Islamic Crypto Finance
Islamic finance has seen growth in a time where most of the world’s economy has suffered losses. How could its integration into crypto help the industry?
January 2023
Reversing Blockchain Transactions?
Some members of the crypto community are starting to question the insistence that “code is law”. But is technology the only issue surrounding blockchain?
Blockchain as Enabler
The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting has come to an end. What key takeaways were there for the crypto industry?
World Economic Forum’s digital asset head expects real-world blockchain adoption in 2023
Cryptocurrencies post the Terra-Luna, FTX failures were a debated topic at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos in the week through Jan. 20, with some authorities calling for a doubling down on regulations. Others had a more nuanced view.
Ethereum’s Shanghai Mainnet moves one step closer as “Shadow Fork” goes live
Software developers for Ethereum, the world’s second-largest blockchain, on Monday said they successfully deployed a copy of the blockchain — or “shadow fork” — to run tests of the upcoming Shanghai hardfork upgrade scheduled for March.
Binance Charity to fund over 30,000 Web3 scholarships in 2023
Binance Charity Fund, the philanthropic arm of the world’s largest crypto exchange, Binance Global Inc., has announced it is funding 30,665 Web3 scholarships in 2023.
2023 Should be the Year of Web3 Security
Despite 2022’s turbulent impact on the crypto industry, Immunefi CEO Mitchell Amador believes this year could encourage better Web3 security.
Accelerator Graviton to help Indian Web3 start-ups get funding
India-focused accelerator Graviton has announced an initiative to help Indian Web 3.0 start-ups get up to US$50,000 in funding
Filecoin lifting off
The Filecoin Foundation’s Marta Belcher unveils details to send the IPFS into space to speed up long distance communications.
CryptoSlam, Forkast.News merge to form Web3 data intelligence platform
Web3 media company Forkast.News and blockchain data analytics firm CryptoSlam are merging to establish Forkast Labs, a media intelligence platform for the digital economy that will combine on-chain data analytics and journalism.
Crypto’s data problem: Rebuilding trust in a trustless environment
Price is the wrong measure of Web3’s true value, writes Angie Lau, editor-in-chief of Forkast. To recover from Crypto Winter, we need metrics that are less prone to whims and manipulation.
North Korean hackers move 41,000 ETH stolen from Harmony Bridge attack
The Lazarus Group, a North Korean cybercrime organization, has transferred 41,000 Ether (US$63.9 million) stolen from the 2022 Harmony bridge hack onto cryptocurrency exchanges Binance, OKX and Huobi, according to blockchain data shared by Twitter sleuth ZachXBT.
Your fitness app knows a scary lot about you. How secure is your data?
Being on the watch, your tracker knows where you live, when you sleep and how healthy (or not) you are. What happens if your data is sold — or hacked?
It’s Ethereum forking time
Although investors fear the Shanghai upgrade brings selling pressure to Ethereum, Amber’s Justin D’Anethan shares why this can be a bull case for Ethereum.
Digital Currency Group in spotlight over suspicious fund transfers
Top blockchain and crypto news: DCG under investigation. Lido DAO surges as Ethereum’s Shanghai upgrade looms. Hong Kong burnishes crypto credentials.
Stopping Scalpers
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour was met with a series of ticketing nightmares as scalpers tried to resell tickets for as high as US$22,000. But could NFTs have solved that problem?
Can human psychology help save blockchain gaming?
NFTs in gaming have drawn mixed reactions, including gamer backlash and vitriol. What can the sector do to better meet gamers’ innermost needs?
Hong Kong pushes ahead with crypto hub plans as tech firms, startups show interest: financial secretary
Hong Kong will continue pushing ahead with the development of the Web 3.0 industry as it aims to become a regional hub for the nascent industry despite the series of collapses of crypto exchanges, said Paul Chan, the city’s financial secretary on Monday.
Animoca Brands slashes Web3 fund target to US$1B: Bloomberg
Animoca Brands Corp. has scaled down the target amount for its Web 3.0 and metaverse investment fund to US$1 billion.
How ‘naming collisions’ threaten the promise of Web3
What are ‘naming collisions,’ and why will unique user-owned identities play a pivotal role in Web3’s future success? Matthew Gould explains.
Alameda Research transfers spark suspicions as SBF denies involvement
Top blockchain and crypto news: Where is Alameda Research’s money going? US tax loophole may give crypto investors a break. China’s blockchain momentum builds.
December 2022
Biggest blockchain trends for 2023 and beyond
After a year of new all-time highs for major cryptocurrencies in 2021, 2022 was a challenging year for Web3. Industry experts tell Forkast what crypto has in store for 2023 and beyond.
India’s religious festivals coming to a metaverse near your avatar?
India loves religious festivals, but are its citizens ready to attend such celebrations in virtual reality? An Indian startup reckons they are and launched its first effort this year, saying 20,000 avatars showed up.
Blockchain gets religion? Taiwan temple mints NFTs of local sea goddess
A centuries old Taiwan temple dedicated to a popular goddess has latched onto non-fungible tokens or NFTs as a means for worshippers to get access to pilgrimages and other events.
Worship in Web3
With Christmas around the corner we look at how religions are embracing blockchain and the metaverse.