Tag: digital currency

Stablecoins for Artists? Why ING's Move Matters in Southeast Asia

Stablecoins for Artists? Why ING's Move Matters in Southeast Asia

• Commentary

ING's quiet foray into the stablecoin arena, spurred by the EU's MiCA regulations, might seem like another blip on the radar of global finance. For artists in Southeast Asia, it may be a quiet revolution underway. Why? That’s because it’s about access, stability, and yes, at the end of the...

ECB Sounds Alarm: US Crypto Push Threatens EU Financial Stability

ECB Sounds Alarm: US Crypto Push Threatens EU Financial Stability

• Facts

The European Central Bank (ECB) has long waved a red flag. EURECA’s members are deeply concerned that the expanding US crypto industry may undermine the financial stability of the European Union (EU). The ECB cautions that, like in the U.S. recently, this could create a “contagion” effect. Continuing to shore...

Stablecoin Scramble: Congress's Hot New Crypto Obsession?

Stablecoin Scramble: Congress's Hot New Crypto Obsession?

• Facts

Stablecoins have rapidly emerged as a major theme within the crypto industry. They are bringing the attention of all legislators and FDIC partners to them. These unique digital assets are intentionally created to be stable in value. Typically backed 1:1 by a fiat currency such as the US dollar, these...

Crypto's New Colonialism Is Here: How International Rules Hurt the Global South

Crypto's New Colonialism Is Here: How International Rules Hurt the Global South

• Commentary

We're told international cooperation is always good. Regulation is necessary. What if the global push for cryptocurrency regulation is truly just paving the way for a different kind of colonialism? This new colonialism would be again driven by code and controlled by the same concentrated power and money. This theme...

Stablecoins: Congress' Priority or a Missed Chance to Empower Emerging Artists?

Stablecoins: Congress' Priority or a Missed Chance to Empower Emerging Artists?

• Commentary

Congress is laser-focused on stablecoins. Really? Trade wars are escalating and murmuring of recessionary times are getting harder to ignore. In the background, our elected officials are scrambling to catch up to regulate stablecoins. It strikes many of us as the equivalent of polishing the silverware while the house is...

Cryptocurrency Regulation: A New Divide Between Global North and South?

Cryptocurrency Regulation: A New Divide Between Global North and South?

• Regulation

With no globally agreed upon international unified regulatory body, the current state cryptocurrency is leaving a distinctly divided landscape. This bifurcation would further entrench the Global North/South economic divides. Not everyone is convinced—a few stakeholders have been advocating for a more global regulatory structure. There is increasing worry that this...

Trump's Crypto: How Southeast Asia's Artists Can Navigate the Risks

Trump's Crypto: How Southeast Asia's Artists Can Navigate the Risks

• Commentary

The rise of Trump's crypto empire is not just a Wall Street story. It's a global one, and Southeast Asia's vibrant artistic community needs to pay close attention. We’re discussing the prospect of market manipulation, of lax regulations that favor those who are already the 1% and a whole bunch...

Crypto & Inequality: BIS Sounds Alarm on Wealth Gap Risks

Crypto & Inequality: BIS Sounds Alarm on Wealth Gap Risks

• Facts

They are doing so by finally raising the alarm that cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance (DeFi) are likely to exacerbate wealth inequality. Perhaps most importantly, the report notes that the structure of the crypto market and its speculative nature are likely to heavily benefit larger investors. This state of affairs would...

Stablecoin Regulation: 6 Fixes to Avert a Financial Disaster

Stablecoin Regulation: 6 Fixes to Avert a Financial Disaster

• Commentary

We are at the dawning of a new financial age, an age made possible by digital assets such as stablecoins. Now, members of Congress are prepared to act. There’s a rare bipartisan consensus and deep sense of urgency driving congressional leaders from both sides of the political aisle. Are we...

Is .BCH the Key to Unlocking Bitcoin Cash's True Potential?

Is .BCH the Key to Unlocking Bitcoin Cash's True Potential?

• Commentary

The buzz around .BCH domains is undeniable. Simplified payments, greater security, widespread adoption – that’s the pitch. Slow down, just one second. We can only hope, but is this the real deal, or just another shiny object to dazzle us while more pressing problems remain? Herewith, then, are a few...

Immutable's NFT Surge: A Win for Southeast Asian Artists?

The recent NFT market surge, with Immutable (IMX) overtaking Ethereum in sales volume, isn't just a statistic. It’s a potential lifeline for a segment of the art world often left drowning in gas fees and inaccessible platforms: Southeast Asian artists.Forgotten Voices, New Opportunities?Indeed, the NFT narrative has been unjustly centered...

NFT Sales Surge: Immutable Overtakes Ethereum! What's Next?

The NFT landscape is changing, and the resulting aftershocks are being felt throughout the blockchain universe. Seasoned blockchain regulatory analyst Marcin Kowalczyk takes a closer look at Immutable’s (IMX) recent climb to the top of the NFT sales charts. He dives into what this all means for Ethereum and tells...

NFTs' $144M Pump: Is This a Real Recovery or Fool's Gold?

That $144 million price tag definitely grabs your attention, right? A 37% increase in NFT sales volume … It’s starting to sound like we’re back in 2021, aren’t we? Wrong. Now, before you begin imagining Lambos and Bored Apes, allow us to temper those prospects with a healthy splash of...

Senate Advances GENIUS Act, Aiming to Regulate Stablecoins and Secure U.S. Dollar Dominance

The U.S. Senate is moving closer to regulating the burgeoning stablecoin market with the "Guaranteeing National Integrity and Undermining Russian (GENIUS) Aggression Act" (GENIUS Act). A new bipartisan competition bill has been introduced, largely at the instigation of Republican Senator Bill Hagerty from Tennessee and Democrat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand from...

GENIUS Act: Will Congress's Crypto Bill Protect Your Wallet?

The digital currency landscape is on the cusp of a seismic change. That much-needed change might finally be in motion with the expected passage of the GENIUS Act. This bill would establish the first federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins. Most importantly, it will bring clarity and oversight to a...

5 Ways the GENIUS Act Could Empower Southeast Asian Crypto Artists

Let's talk about something seemingly distant, yet profoundly impactful: the GENIUS Act, a US bill aiming to regulate stablecoins. Why should you, or your favorite starving artist in Bali, or that up-and-coming musician in Manila be paying attention. This often overlooked and dry piece of legislation may be the gamechanger...

GENIUS Act's Hidden Danger A Crypto Journalist's Warning

As someone who’s spent the past few years wading through the blockchain trenches, sifting signal from noise, let me tell you, the "Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins of 2025" Act – the GENIUS Act – has me deeply concerned. It's not that regulation is inherently bad. This...

Trump's Crypto Millions: Proof Web3 Can't Be Ignored Anymore

Donald Trump made $1.16 million from NFTs. Let that sink in. The man who built his empire on real estate and reality TV made the Republican party a shining example of traditional finance. Fast forward to today and he’s betting big on Web3, raking in SERIOUS cash. This isn't just...