March 2022
Chinese video streamer MangoTV NFT sells out in seconds
MangoTV, a Chinese video streaming platform with 50.4 million subscribers, launched its non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace on Monday, as its first batch of collectibles sold out within seconds since opening. See related article: China plans crackdown on illegal fundraising in metaverse, NFTs Fast facts MangoTV is owned by the state-backed Hunan Broadcasting System and is the […]
LG first in S.Korea cosmetics industry to digitize beauty brand with NFTs
LG Household & Health Care is minting 3,000 non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on OpenSea to promote its beauty brand Belif with plans to further expand linkage with the metaverse. See related article: TV home shopping in South Korea moves to the metaverse Fast facts LG’s Klaytn blockchain-based NFT collection consists of 12 characters from the Belif […]
How crypto is driving diversity and gender equality
While crypto used to be associated with a ‘bro’ culture, it is now maturing into a hotbed for inclusivity, writes Cynthia Wu of Matrixport.
Singapore’s crypto future; Korea “White Day” NFTs a hit
Singapore’s image as a “crypto hub” may soon change as the country doubles-down on it’s stance that crypto currency is “not suitable for the general public”. Meanwhile, Korean convenience store giants CU launch their White Day NFT competition.
Ukraine to launch NFT ‘museum’ depicting Russian invasion
The Ukrainian government will launch a non-fungible token (NFT) collection that will be “like a museum of the Russian-Ukrainian war,” the Guardian reported on Sunday, citing minister of digital transformation Alex Bornyakov. See related article: Ukraine cancels crypto airdrop, promises NFTs Fast facts Each NFT will feature digital art depicting a news story from trusted […]
L’Dezen auctions physical and NFT earrings for owner and avatar
A pair of diamond earrings designed by luxury lifestyle brand L’Dezen and its non-fungible token (NFT) counterpart sold for 3.27 ETH (US$8,205) at an online auction on Saturday at Ethereum-based marketplace Digital Twin. See related article: How high fashion is waking up to blockchain’s possibilities Fast facts The winning bidder will receive the physical jewelry […]
20,000 line up for S.Korean convenience store’s NFTs on White Day
South Korean convenience store CU’s non-fungible token (NFT) collectibles airdrop event for White Day, a local romantic holiday, drew in more than 20,000 applications. Read related article: Samsung-backed university to issue NFTs to select graduates Fast facts March 14 is celebrated as White Day in Japan and Korea, where men return the favor to women […]
NFTs subject to existing tax rules in Singapore, FM says
Income from non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in Singapore will be subject to existing income tax rules, the Business Times reported, citing Singapore Finance Minister Lawrence Wong’s Friday speech in parliament. See related article: Singapore prohibits crypto, NFT transactions in sanctions against Russia Fast facts However, individuals who receive capital gains from NFT transactions will not be […]
Tomorrowland wants to bring music to Web 3.0 with FTX Europe
Global cryptocurrency exchange FTX’s European arm announced a partnership with Tomorrowland on Thursday with goals to bring blockchain and Web 3.0 applications to the popular electronic music festival. Fast facts The partners will explore Web 3.0 applications such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for art, music, ticketing, as well as crypto payments and metaverse events. The […]
Third Chinese tech giant Baidu to open NFT marketplace
Baidu is airdropping over 20,000 non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of nostalgic Chinese cartoon characters ahead of its upcoming marketplace launch by the end of March. See related article: Tencent calls dibs on metaverse virtual concerts in patent application Fast facts See related article: Alibaba NFT marketplace suspends users for massage gun rapid clicks
Alibaba NFT marketplace suspends users for massage gun rapid clicks
Alibaba’s non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Jingtan issued one-year suspensions to more than 680 accounts for using computer programs and massage guns to make instant purchases as soon as items hit the market. See related article: Ant Group’s NFT arm punishes users for digital collectible resales Fast facts See related article: Why Asia is poised to […]
Fans celebrate NFT artist Alotta Money’s life at Cryptovoxels metaverse
The crypto and non-fungible token (NFT) community organized a tribute for French NFT artist Alotta Money at the Cryptovoxels metaverse on March 5, two days after he lost his battle with cancer and a day after what would have been his 50th birthday. See related article: S.Korean presidential hopefuls campaign to avatars in the metaverse […]
China plans crackdown on illegal fundraising in metaverse, NFTs
China Supreme People’s Procuratorate warned of “severe punishment” for financial crimes such as illegal fundraising and money laundering in a work report released on Tuesday. See related article: ‘Metaverse’ enters government radar at China’s Two Sessions Fast facts China’s highest procuratorate has taken note of rising financial crimes deemed illegal fundraising, disguised as metaverse, non-fungible […]
Why NFT scams are on the rise — and how to stop them
‘Lazy minting’ may seem affordable but heightens the risk of NFT theft, writes Anthem Blanchard of Herasoft. Is storing NFTs on-chain the solution?
NFT startup Immutable valued at $2.5 billion in Temasek-led financing
Australian non-fungible tokens (NFTs) startup Immutable has raised fresh funding in a round led by Singapore’s Temasek, bringing its valuation to US$2.5 billion, the company said in a statement on Monday. See related article: Jump in NFT demand reflects crypto prices, right? Wrong Fast facts Immutable raised US$200 million in a Series C funding led […]
S.Korean presidential candidate issues over 22,000 NFTs
The conservative candidate for South Korea’s March 9 presidential election, Yoon Suk-yeol, issued non-fungible tokens (NFTs) featuring images and videos of himself on Monday in an attempt to sway younger voters at the final stages of his campaign. See related article: Crypto investors are being wooed in South Korea’s tight presidential election Fast facts Yoon […]
Singapore prohibits crypto, NFT transactions in sanctions against Russia
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has prohibited transactions involving digital assets such as cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in its sanctions against Russian banks and entities, the central bank said in a statement. See related article: USDT-RUB volume outpaces Bitcoin pair as Russia sanctions pile Fast facts Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, MAS will […]
Korean exchanges block Russians; Crypto’s role in conflict
As the war in Ukraine enters it’s second week, we take a look at how cyptocurrencies and digital assets can play a role in a conflict.
OpenSea blocks Iranian users, citing US sanctions list
OpenSea users based in Iran claim their accounts have been suspended from the U.S.-based non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, in a growing list of users experiencing restrictions from cryptocurrency-related service providers due to sanctions against the Iranian government, CoinDesk reported. Fast facts See related article: Binance may join sanctions imposed on Russian targets Many OpenSea users […]
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.
Ukraine cancels crypto airdrop, promises NFTs
Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Federov said on Thursday that Ukraine would cancel a crypto airdrop created to reward its donors that had been announced just one day before. Fast facts “After careful consideration we decided to cancel airdrop. Every day there are more and more people willing to help Ukraine to fight back the agression. […]
Nomura Holdings plans new digital assets company
Nomura Holdings will restructure its Future Innovation Company into a newly established company to leverage the rise of digital assets, effective April 1. Fast facts See related article: IBM, Nomura to use blockchain for plastics recycling in new consortium The Japanese financial services giant revealed in a statement its plans to expand its private markets […]
NFTs enter ‘mini-bear market’ as buyers drop to three-month low
The number of unique non-fungible token (NFT) buyers in February dropped to 843,000, in what data aggregator CryptoSlam calls a “mini-bear market.” See related article: Wash trading in NFT marketplace LooksRare can inflate prices: analysts Fast facts February’s NFT market had a 7% month-over-month drop in buyers from the all-time high set in January. February […]
Ukraine DAO NFT sells for $6.5M (2,173.6 ETH)
The Ukrainian flag non-fungible token (NFT) auctioned by Ukraine DAO was sold to a pool of donors for 2,173.6 ETH (US$6.534 million) on Wednesday, as proceeds are expected to support Ukrainians affected by the invasion. See related article: ‘We don’t have time’ for traditional fundraising, crypto is most efficient: Ukraine DAO Fast fact The NFT […]
Bitcoin shores up Ukraine fighters amid Moscow’s money meltdown
Top blockchain and crypto news: Digital currency battling Russian invasion. Ethereum remains NFT projects’ chain of choice. China to lock up crypto traders.
Metaverse NFT projects boom as Meta ignores blockchain
It’s been a booming time for the NFT market, and as data from CryptoSlam shows, there has been particular interest in metaverse projects recently.
‘We don’t have time’ for traditional fundraising, crypto is most efficient: Ukraine DAO
With limited access to donations through traditional crowdfunding, cryptocurrencies and NFTs offer immediate help, Trippy Labs tells Forkast.
February 2022
Ethereum reaches 1 million NFT buyers as gas fees sink
The total number of unique non-fungible token (NFT) buyers on the Ethereum blockchain crossed the 1 million customers milestone on Sunday as the network’s gas fees slid to its lowest since August. See related article: Ethereum price expected to hit $7,609 in 2022: report Fast facts NFT sales on Ethereum increased by 36.06% in the […]
Top NFT game Axie Infinity generated $1.3B in revenue last year
Top non-fungible token (NFT) game Axie Infinity generated US$1.3 billion in revenue over the past year, reaching a daily peak of US$17.5 million on Aug. 6, 2021, according to a new report from blockchain analytics firm Nansen. See related article: Axie Infinity becomes first NFT series to break $4B in sales Fast facts Axie Infinity […]
BSN to integrate CasperLabs’ chain to support NFT issuance in China
CasperLabs, a smart contracts protocol, is set to power part of China’s state-backed non-fungible token (NFT) network, to support the legal issuance of NFTs in mainland China. See related article: BSN to integrate Neo’s chain to bolster NFT issuance in China Fast facts The Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) will add Casper Network-powered Fuzhou Chain to […]
Russia retreats from crypto ban as it pushes rules for industry
Moscow moves to regulate crypto. OpenSea’s security struggle. Will China cool its metaverse mania?
Jupiter Meta launches fully curated NFT marketplace in India
Jupiter Meta on Wednesday launched a fully curated non-fungible token marketplace in India focusing on music, film and gaming. See related article: WazirX launches India’s first NFT marketplace Fast facts The NFT marketplace is built on Jupiter Meta’s Rubix blockchain, which the company claims has zero gas fees and is sustainable. Jupiter Meta has also […]
Second K-pop agency taps Binance for NFT partnership
Binance inked a partnership with an SM Entertainment subsidiary to explore non-fungible token (NFT) opportunities, the second K-pop agency to sign with Binance in February. See related article: Animoca Brands, K-pop agency Cube form metaverse joint venture Fast facts The pair will build what they call a “play-to-create” ecosystem, which aims to let fans reproduce […]
Alibaba to reward NFTs in its first blockchain game
Alibaba is rewarding non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on its first blockchain game Ant Adventure, which can be played through the Alipay mobile application, one of China’s leading mobile payment providers. See related article: Ant Group’s NFT arm punishes users for digital collectible resales Fast facts Ant Adventure is powered by Alibaba’s blockchain AntChain, and takes users […]
Why Are NFTs Worth Anything At All?
How do NFTs create value? The answer is not as complex as it seems.
Animoca Brands, K-pop agency Cube form metaverse joint venture
Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands and K-pop agency Cube Entertainment announced on Tuesday the completion of a new joint venture named AniCube Entertainment, as Korean music labels race to cash in on their loyal fan bases through metaverse and non-fungible token (NFT) projects. See related article: K-pop agency Cube bets big on NFT and metaverse Fast […]
Ant Group’s NFT arm punishes users for digital collectible resales
Jingtan, Alibaba affiliate Ant Group’s non-fungible token (NFT) platform, has placed limitations on at least 56 accounts for participating in the resale of digital collectibles, after various collections surged in popularity in online second-hand markets. See related article: CCTV NFTs hit resale market before transfer permitted Fast facts Jingtan, developed by AntChain, said it has […]
BAYC NFT owner sues OpenSea for $1M over hack
A former owner of a rare Bored Ape Yacht Club non-fungible token (NFT) is suing marketplace OpenSea for US$1 million or the token’s return after an exploit on the platform saw the NFT sold for a fraction of its market value. See related article: OpenSea NFT marketplace hacked for 332 ETH Fast facts Texas man […]
NFT credit card in the works for top S. Korean crypto exchange
Dunamu, the operator of crypto exchange Upbit, signed a memorandum of understanding with credit card company BC Card on Monday to develop a non-fungible token (NFT) and metaverse-based credit card. See related article: South Korean crypto exchange acquires stake in major bank Fast facts Certain items purchased offline via the Dunamu BC Card will be […]
NFTs Explained in Less than 4 Minutes
When 3D artist Beeple sold a digital piece of art for a record $69 million through Christie’s, the world went NFT crazy. But what exactly is an NFT?
Why digital assets are poised to disrupt philanthropy
Charitable giving in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is growing by leaps and bounds. Michael B. Greenwald and Logan Weber explain the risks and benefits.
Axie Infinity becomes first NFT series to break $4B in sales
Play-to-earn superstar Axie Infinity became the first non-fungible token (NFT) series to cross the US$4 billion mark in historic sales early Tuesday morning Asia time, according to CryptoSlam data. See related article: Axie Infinity fans play their way to payday as game token prices soar Fast facts Running on the Ethereum sidechain Ronin, Axie Infinity’s […]
Korea’s KB embraces crypto; China’s NFT fever
NFTs hit resale market in China despite criticism over speculation. Meanwhile, South Korean financial giant plans crypto funds.
Jump in NFT demand reflects crypto prices, right? Wrong
An asset bought and valued in crypto becomes decoupled from crypto prices, a split that reflects the differences between crypto investors and NFT buyers.
NFTs can upend the music business. Artists should take note
Blockchain technology allows musicians to sell songs directly and earn more per song, writes Adi Ben-Ari of Applied Blockchain.
CCTV NFTs hit resale market before transfer permitted
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), or digital collectibles, issued by China Central Television (CCTV), the nation’s largest state-owned broadcast media, are appearing in China’s largest online second-hand market for at least 10 times the original price in a pre-sale bid, even before trade embargoes on the assets have lifted. See related article: China’s mouthpiece newspaper is giving […]
LooksRare trails OpenSea in sales volume as developers cash out $30M
Trading volumes on non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace LooksRare dropped by more than half its daily volume since developers withdrew roughly US$30 million of its native LOOKS token and cashed out in wrapped Ether (wETH) Fast facts LooksRare was averaging daily sales volumes of around US$550 million but fell more than 50% overnight in early February […]
OpenSea CEO: $1.7M phishing not from the NFT marketplace
OpenSea CEO Devin Finzer has responded to an apparent phishing scam that targeted its users in a US$1.7 million theft of popular non-fungible tokens (NFTs) such as Bored Ape Yacht Club and Azuki. Fast facts “As far as we can tell, this is a phishing attack. We don’t believe it’s connected to the OpenSea website. […]
Azuki, CryptoPunks battle it out for week’s top NFT title
Azuki, an anime avatars NFT collection, is in a tight race with the CryptoPunks for the weekly sales volume title, building on its successful debut month in January, according to CryptoSlam data. See related article: ‘All eyes are on it:’ CryptoPunks at center of copyright legal dispute Fast facts Azuki traded the top spot with […]
Buyers snap up Olympics panda NFTs
Animoca Brand’s nWayPlay sold out second batch of Bing Dwen Dwen mascot NFTs on Thursday as prices of first set fetched 900% in average resale value.
South Korean university to issue NFTs to all 2,830 graduates
South Korea’s Hoseo University will issue non-fungible token (NFT) degrees and certificates to all 2,830 graduates of its 2021 batch at its graduation ceremony on Friday. See related article: Samsung-backed university to issue NFTs to select graduates Fast facts The university hopes the pivot from a paper-based degree to NFTs will improve access to administrative […]
Animoca Brands’ new Japan arm aims to connect fans in Web 3.0 world
Hong Kong-based blockchain unicorn Animoca Brands’ Japanese strategic subsidiary started operations on Tuesday to bridge the nation’s exclusive intellectual property (IP) with the Web 3.0 ecosystem. See related article: Animoca Brands valued at US$5B after latest fundraise Fast facts The subsidiary, Animoca Brands KK, is building a blockchain-powered platform for Japanese IP holders to launch […]
NEO gets price bump after NFT integration on BSN
The price of NEO climbed by 6.2% over the last 24 hours to US$25.13 on Thursday morning Asia time, following China-based Neo’s Tuesday announcement of its Jiuquan Chain’s integration to China’s state-backed blockchain network. See related article: BSN to integrate Neo’s chain to bolster NFT issuance in China Fast facts NEO hit a daily high […]
Indian media giant’s Fully Faltoo NFTs sell out in 48 hours
Indian media staple Viacom18’s Youth, Music and English Entertainment Cluster (YME) released 3,000 Fully Faltoo non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that sold out within 48 hours since launching, the company said in a press release on Wednesday. See related article: WazirX launches India’s first NFT marketplace Fast facts Fully Faltoo is a local award-winning sitcom program that […]
US NFT trademarks increase by 420-fold in 2021: report
Over 1,200 non-fungible token (NFT)-related trademarks were registered in the U.S. in 2021, a 420-fold increase from the previous year, according to data acquired by Finbold. Fast facts More than 400 trademarks were filed in the month of December 2021 while none were filed in January 2021. There were 450 filings in January 2022, a […]
Prime time for crypto as Super Bowl ads make splash
Top blockchain and crypto news: Super Bowl score for digital asset exchanges. CryptoPunks holders face copyright conundrum. Hong Kong warns of NFT risks.
State-backed newspaper is giving out NFTs amid unclear regulation
A new NFT gallery owned by the People’s Daily online arm is airdropping this week its first batch of “digital collectibles” minted on Tencent’s blockchain since the gallery’s opening last January. Fast facts Digital collectibles is a phrase now commonly used by Chinese companies to avoid the term “NFT” since Chinese state media began denouncing […]
BSN to integrate Neo’s chain to bolster NFT issuance in China
China’s state-backed Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) announced the addition of Neo’s Jiuquan Chain to its open permissioned blockchain ecosystem to support the legal issuance of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in the mainland. Fast facts Jiuquan Chain, powered by China-based Neo, will run as one of the 10 BSN open permissioned blockchains, as part of the BSN […]
HK watchdog’s NFT warning; DBS plans crypto expansion
HK watchdog’s sends out warning calling NFT a threat, meanwhile in Singapore DBS plans a crypto expansion
Hong Kong’s Ocean Park brings virtual attractions to The Sandbox metaverse
Hong Kong’s Ocean Park announced on Monday that it is entering The Sandbox metaverse to offer virtual experiences through non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and gaming, as visitors to its physical venue dropped throughout the pandemic. Fast facts The government proposed last January that it will transform the physical theme park into a resort and leisure destination […]
S.Korean regulators to strengthen watch over NFTs and the metaverse
A South Korean financial watchdog announced it will strengthen monitoring of new trade assets, including non-fungible tokens (NFTs), in its annual work plan released on Monday. Fast facts The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said it will prepare countermeasures against factors that cause damage to consumers in the rapidly growing digital assets market. Earlier this month, […]
NFTs, metaverse listed as top ‘must watch’ security risks in Hong Kong
A Hong Kong government-run internet security watchdog has listed risks associated with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the metaverse as a top “must watch” security threat this year, while both trends continue to thrive in the city. Fast facts The Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre said in a statement last week that criminals […]
Alibaba and Canaan’s AI team up; Metahuman creates Valentine’s NFT
Chinese giant Alibaba and Canaan team up to work on AI. Meanwhile, Valentine NFTs are created by meta-human using auction data.
‘All eyes are on it:’ CryptoPunks at center of copyright legal dispute
The biggest-selling NFT collection of all time has two competing versions, threatening to undermine the value of the tokens and faith in the industry itself.
Samsung-backed university to issue NFTs to select graduates
South Korea’s Sungkyunkwan University will issue non-fungible token (NFT) certificates to three students who won in-school competitions at the institution’s upcoming online graduation ceremony on Wednesday. Fast facts Sungkyunkwan University said NFT certificates can be used any time as official proof of graduation without the risks of losing the original or fear of forged copies. […]
Phillips to auction metahuman-made NFTs for Valentine’s Day
Phillips, a global auction house, launched a nine-day non-fungible token (NFT) auction on Monday, Valentine’s Day, in Hong Kong. Fast facts Six artworks are being auctioned as NFTs. One NFT for bidding is an auction data-generated NFT “Drowning in Love” made by MonoC, a virtual artist developed by Gusto Collective. MonoC is a virtual metahuman […]
Bandai Namco plans IP metaverse; Russia’s crypto flip
Japanese gaming giant Bandai Namco plans on a metaverse with their IP meanwhile, Russia does a crypto flip.
Fan tokens enjoy weekly sales surge while NFTs slump
Cryptocurrencies categorized as fan tokens surged by 27.53% in global sales volume over the past seven days while non-fungible tokens (NFTs) dropped by 31.66%, according to CryptoSlam data. Fast facts The market capitalization of fan tokens surged in tandem, rising by 41.3% over the same timeframe as NFTs also jumped by 30.4% in this measurement. […]
OpenSea delists CryptoPunks V1 after DMCA notice from Larva Labs
Non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace OpenSea has removed CryptoPunks V1, the “wrapped” edition of the original collectibles, after receiving a DMCA notice — a takedown issue by copyright holders — from creator Larva Labs. Fast facts The V1 CryptoPunks is the original issue of the collection but were replaced with exact copies — the current V2 […]
UN approves NFT standards proposed by Tencent, Ant Group: report
The United Nations specialized agency for telecommunications standardization, ITU-T, has approved a non-fungible token (NFT) technical framework proposed by Chinese tech giants including Tencent Holdings and Ant Group, state-owned media reported. Fast facts The framework, which introduces an NFT standard, proposes technical and security requirements for digital collectibles on the blockchain. The international standards approved […]
Fan friction: What’s keeping influencers and artist communities from Web3?
The new token economy offers unparalleled opportunities for content creators, writes Weiwei Geng of Unite.io. Improving user experience will be key.
AssangeDAO strikes crypto gold
WikiLeaks founder’s legal defense fundraising bonanza. Shiba Inu’s big new leap. NFT fever rises in China.