China activists use NFTs, decentralized technology to counter censorship
Many are minting NFTs and posting articles on Matters, a decentralized content-sharing platform, amid protests across China against Covid-19 lockdowns that turned political.
December 2022
November 2022
FTX failed because of humans, not crypto
Human greed and deception led to FTX’s fall. That’s why the antidote is not more regulations but could be found in blockchain’s original promises, writes Marieke Flament, CEO of NEAR Foundation.
Mastodon is the hot new alternative to Twitter: Can it decentralize social media?
Can decentralized platform Mastodon, named after an extinct elephant, replace the little blue bird that has dominated the world’s social media landscape for over a decade?
October 2022
A bear market may be painful, but it’s good for DAOs
When times are tough, a DAO must trim fat and focus on providing a better product or service to its community, writes Redmption of Harvest Finance.
September 2022
How did Big Tech gain such power over our data, and how do we take it back?
Google earns hundreds of billions annually by monetizing its users. Can blockchain return meaningful control over personal data back to the people?
August 2022
Tornado Cash arrest heralds storm season for crypto mixers
Top blockchain and crypto news: Tornado Cash, mixer crash. Cardano’s Vasil vulnerabilities. Canaan earnings buoy expansion plans.
Welcome to Web3, (hopefully) not a bigger monster than its version 2 sibling
How does a centralized internet browser plan for a decentralized future? Reinvention, and finding a receptive audience. First stop, Southeast Asia.
July 2022
How cold storage can ward against this crypto winter’s freeze
As the Celsius bankruptcy shows, moving to decentralized ways to hold crypto is not only sensible, it’s what Satoshi envisioned all along, writes Ruben Merre, CEO and cofounder of NGRAVE.
June 2022
Crypto lending platforms, DeFi seem to be having an Animal Farm moment
In a decentralized society envisaged under crypto, everybody is reportedly equal. But as the market strains under considerable stress, it’s showing some are more equal than others.
April 2022
How decentralization is making everyone their own CEO
The emancipatory promise of decentralization has been both evangelized and excoriated. The Algorand Foundation’s Jason Lee explains why we should be believers.
March 2022
The future is decentralized: How Web3 can reshape the world
As the public tires of Big Tech’s privacy abuses, Web3’s premise of decentralization has never looked better, writes Edward Chen of Huobi.
February 2022
Binance’s investment in Forbes is a wake-up call for the crypto industry
When the world’s biggest crypto exchange acquires a major stake in the business publication it once sued for defamation, should we worry?
Crypto adoption may rise as industry self-regulates
Crypto regulations are lagging the market’s needs, and the industry should help create order to gain greater public trust, writes Imgesu Cetin of Defy Trends.
January 2022
The rising tide of decentralization in mass movements
Alternative approaches to governance have never been more important, writes Alexander Filatov of TON Labs. Here is how DAOs can change the world.
Happy birthday, Bitcoin! You’re still killing it
Love it or hate it, Bitcoin can be a powerful force for good — and it’s here to stay, writes Peter Vessenes, co-founder of The Bitcoin Foundation.
December 2021
Crypto fall continues; Is DeFi really decentralized?
Crypto fall continues meanwhile, is DeFi really decentralized?
Crypto hit in market sell off; Bitget reportedly suspended by MAS
Crypto hit in market sell off, also Bitget reportedly suspended by MAS
November 2021
Why a decentralized metaverse is Web 3.0’s new frontier
The metaverse is a convergence of the physical and digital worlds, writes Gloria Wu of Ontology. How can the metaverse escape Web 2.0’s failings?
How will decentralized hosting change the future of social media? | Part 2
As social media’s influence on broader society continues to grow, decentralized platforms will mean less central moderation — for better or worse.
What decentralization can offer Web 3.0 and social media | Part 1
How blockchain technology can usher in the next stage of the internet and social media, through decentralized hosting and integration with cryptocurrency.
Solana Breakpoint 2021 celebrates price ATH, technology and projects to come on the emerging blockchain
Rounding out an impressive year for the world’s No. 5 blockchain, Solana held its first global offline conference in Lisbon this week. Here’s a look at some of the key moments.
Thinking big: Blockchain paradigm shift may upend the social contract
Trust, data privacy and job elimination are some of the challenges that society will face as blockchain ushers in Web3.0, according to Don Tapscott.
Disrupting the status quo: Why the world needs decentralization
The familiarity of centralized systems may feel comforting, but decentralized technologies like blockchain are the wave of the future, writes Corey Petty of Status.
Fashion, art, games and community: What does a decentralized metaverse mean for you?
The idea of the metaverse has gone from the realm of science fiction to the latest business model of major companies from Facebook to Nike. What do metaverses powered by blockchain look like, and why is there so much interest in Decentraland?
Why archiving the internet is vital and how a decentralized web can help | Ep. 6
Why archiving the internet is vital for the future, how a decentralized web can help, and why looking at history is a good way to predict the future
Back up Hong Kong: How blockchain has quietly become history’s hard drive
In a city where memories disappear every day, people are turning to blockchain to preserve news archives — so the first drafts of history will survive.
October 2021
Polkadot founder Gavin Wood: Decentralization and security are not optional in the search for scalability
More decentralization is being planned for Polkadot as its much-anticipated rollout draws close with the first batch of parachain slot auctions starting on Nov. 11.
How to protect digital privacy and freedom of expression | Ep. 4
The importance of digital privacy, freedom of expression and civil liberties and how Web 3 can protect them.
September 2021
Why decentralization can help solve the content moderation problem | Ep. 3
Why is content moderation a cosmically huge problem, do humans need to be involved and how can the decentralized web ensure it’s a place for everyone.
What decentralization means for internet censorship | Ep. 2
What was internet censorship like in the early days, how has it changed, and what role does decentralization play.
What are public, private and permissioned blockchains?
What are the different kinds of blockchain, and how do they compare? Learn all about public, private and permissioned platforms in this Forkast.News explainer.
August 2021
Why honest centralization is superior to chaotic decentralization
Are DAOs and decentralization always beneficial for the group or the user? Antoni Trenchev of Nexo urges you to think again.
Are DAOs a new way for companies to go public?
As more crypto companies go public, some are returning to a decentralized business model. ShapeShift CEO Erik Voorhees explains the ethos and reasons why.
July 2021
How blockchain can transform social media | Part 2
Why is social media’s current centralization problematic, and what would a decentralized Twitter or Facebook look like?
Why decentralization is essential for protecting user data and privacy
Centralized data management is outdated and vulnerable to hacking, says Li Jun of Ontology. Here’s how blockchain can make data more secure.
June 2021
Decentralized theme parks promise kids virtual prizes to earn as they learn
Prototype launches in Hong Kong, with children able to collect digital currency and NFTs instead of arcade coupons.
How DeFi exchanges like SynFutures may challenge TradFi and CeFi
Singapore-based decentralized exchange SynFutures has closed a $14 million series A round to bring crypto derivatives to new users around the world.
The internet paradigm shift is here: Are you prepared for Web 3.0?
Permissionless, open source and decentralized, Web 3.0 will transform computing and data storage. Maria Paula Fernandez of Golem Network explains how.
Plasm Network closes $10M fundraise to bolster Polkadot ambitions
With Kusama slot parachain auctions underway, the first starting next week, Plasm and Shiden networks prepare for a multi-chain future with Polkadot.
May 2021
April 2021
How blockchain technology can improve trust in democratic elections
Loss of faith in elections may be at an all-time high around the world. Here is how blockchain voting and decentralization can restore public trust.
ASEAN+1 pledge to advance blockchain; Paypal to launch wallet in China | The Daily Forkast
Six blockchain groups in the Asia-Pacific form a consortium, aiming to champion blockchain advocacy in the region.
DeFi insurance: Why buy coverage for your digital assets?
Insurance policies for DeFi can cover losses from theft to smart contract issues. But do read the fine print — and know the industry is ‘self-regulated.’
March 2021
What does Weibo’s takedown of Binance & Huobi mean for crypto in China?
China’s Twitter-like platform disabled the crypto exchanges’ accounts on the same day China vowed to ‘crack down’ on businesses that sound like crypto.
February 2021
Capitol riot: Is political extremism tarnishing blockchain by association?
Decentralized apps like DLive are gaining attention since the violent attack on the US Capitol. How will this affect the wider adoption of blockchain DApps?
Binance Labs invests in Plasm Network to expand Polkadot
Plasm Network, a leading DApps hub on Polkadot and first parachain on its Rococo testnet, secures $2.4 million to build out the growing Polkadot ecosystem.
Uproar over WhatsApp and user privacy shows need for new data economy
Sharing user data in exchange for free services is not necessarily a bad thing, writes Henri Pihkala of Streamr. The key is transparency and user consent.
January 2021
Tether prosecution delayed again. Bitcoin’s false ‘double-spend’ rumors. Brave sends 24 million users to Web 3.0 via IPFS.
Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: BIS touts digital currencies. China’s blockchain network to add CBDCs as payment option.
SpaceChain’s Zee Zheng on bitcoin going mainstream and blockchain in space
In this edition of Forkast Forecasts, SpaceChain’s CEO offers his predictions for 2021 on bitcoin’s growing importance and blockchain in space.
Why crypto’s decentralized exchanges will continue their rise in 2021
Do you trust third parties with your finances? Alex Zha of MXC Exchange explains the benefits of decentralized exchanges (DEX) and problems that remain.
December 2020
DeFi explained: The guide to decentralized finance
What is DeFi and how does it work? What are its benefits and risks? Forkast.News explains everything you need to know about one of the hottest, most lucrative and controversial crypto trends.
November 2020
Filecoin explained: Decentralizing cloud storage for Web 3.0
AWS is down again? Protocol Labs’ Filecoin — an ‘Airbnb for cloud storage’ — is a response to the risks inherent in centralized data storage and cloud giants
Online salon with Filecoin to explore future of cloud storage and Web 3.0
Forkast.News and Decrypt Media host an exclusive live video discussion with the Filecoin team to explore the next frontier in cloud storage
October 2020
Filecoin mainnet launch brings Web 3.0 apps to the mainstream
After some early turbulence, Filecoin is now opening up applications like video streaming and social networks that used to exist only in centralized Web 2.0.
What’s up with Filecoin and the uproar over its miners?
Miners’ complaints with economic model are resulting in early rewards release and falling FIL prices. What happened to 800,000 coins?
Power over Bitcoin is held by a few. Is it at risk of a 51% attack?
In a special interview, Konstantin Richter of Blockdaemon also discusses the critical role of government in encouraging greater blockchain adoption.
Space Race’s success prompts Filecoin to announce Space Race 2 | Space Race Episode 3
Space Race miners accumulate 230 PiB of storage as independent miners show why they’re the day-to-day heroes.
September 2020
Space Race miners challenged with rapid network upgrades | Space Race Episode 2
Miners have accumulated over 215 PiB of storage power in Filecoin’s Space Race, but daily updates have been slowing them down.
HackFS kickstarts project development in Web 3.0
The end of HackFS signals the start of Space Race as developers prep for the global decentralization of storage nodes in the era of Web 3.0.
Filecoin’s mainnet aims for the clouds of Web 3.0
Web 2.0 gave users the power to engage with other users and contribute content to the network, but data is still stored in centralized databases. Web 3.0 wants to end all of that.
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.
May 2020
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
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?