Tag: digital currency

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...

.BCH: Will Bitcoin Cash Finally Empower Southeast Asian Creators?

.BCH: Will Bitcoin Cash Finally Empower Southeast Asian Creators?

• Commentary

Meet Anya, a young, talented batik artist from a small Indonesian village. She is passionate about her work. She puts her heart and soul into her elaborate designs. She has aspirations of serving an audience much larger than her small local market. She’s read the hype about how easy it...

Crypto Regulation: Will AG James' Push Crush Southeast Asian Artists?

Crypto Regulation: Will AG James' Push Crush Southeast Asian Artists?

• Commentary

I get it. Headlines scream at us about billions in losses to crypto scams. Celsius ripped off thousands, including New Yorkers. But I can't shake this feeling: are we about to throw the baby out with the bathwater? And even more importantly, aren’t we ignoring whose baby it is in...

Navigating Economic Storms: Crypto's Role Amidst Recession Fears and Regulatory Shifts

Navigating Economic Storms: Crypto's Role Amidst Recession Fears and Regulatory Shifts

• Regulation

Meanwhile, economic uncertainty continues to hang over the economic market. Investors are grappling with both recession concerns and the fast-evolving regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies. In April 2025, even the suggestion of renewed Trump-era tariffs sent markets into a tailspin, underscoring the fragility of investor confidence. This unease highlights the need...

Japan's "New Capitalism 2025" Plan Signals Regulatory Embrace of Bitcoin and Web3

Japan is strategically positioning itself as a global leader in digital innovation with its updated "New Capitalism 2025" plan, released on April 13. Taken together, this plan represents a major regulatory turning point event toward welcoming Bitcoin and Web3 technologies. The initiative aims to leverage digital assets to solve social...

Japan's Bitcoin Revolution: A Boon for Artists and Web3 Creators?

Is Japan on the verge of accidentally unleashing a tsunami of creative destruction and financial liberation onto the rest of the emerging markets? I know this seems like a tall order, but hear me out. Japan’s regulatory change to officially recognize Bitcoin as a financial product. This step is a...

5 Ways This Crypto Bill Empowers Southeast Asian Artists, Not Wall Street

Let’s be honest, when you hear about crypto regulation, your first thought probably isn't Southeast Asian artists finding new avenues for creative expression. Surely visions of Wall Street honchos and inscrutable derivatives dance in your head. Well, what if I told you that the Senate’s Banking Committee just released their...

Senate Republicans Forge Ahead on Crypto Market Structure Framework

Republican senators working on a new framework for digital assets legislation, riding the positive bipartisan wave in the Senate as of late. This announcement follows the Senate’s passage of a bill to regulate stablecoins last week. It was passing with overwhelming bipartisan support.Senators Tim Scott, Cynthia Lummis, Thom Tillis, and...

Crypto's 'Light-Touch' Regulation Gamble Will It Protect You?

The Senate Committee’s proposed “light-touch” regulatory framework for crypto is a long high-stakes poker game. Are we all truly holding a winning hand, or are we collectively bluffing our way into a future financial crisis? It’s a question every investor, every innovator, and frankly, every citizen should want to know....

Trump Jr. at KBW2025: Web3's Mainstream Moment?

Donald Trump Jr.’s scheduled keynote address at KBW2025 is raising eyebrows and inspiring intense discussion across the Web3 ecosystem. He’s just a high-profile guy shaking things up in the crypto world. His presence further exemplifies the increasing importance of blockchain technology and its potential to revolutionize the traditional economy. Does...

Trump Jr. at KBW2025: Web3's Punk Rock Moment or Sellout?

Or I think about Nandar, a wonderful Burmese artist that I met in Yangon, sharing with me her latest NFT collection. Each work exploded with vivid imagery, bravely fighting back against the junta’s repressive hold. She began selling them directly to supporters around the world, allowing her to cleverly sidestep...

KBW2025: Is Trump Jr. Web3's Trojan Horse or its Savior?

Donald Trump Jr. at Korea Blockchain Week? It's a head-scratcher, isn't it? About as easy as locating a MAGA hat at a Burning Man soirée. Before we put this down as just another short-lived publicity stunt, let’s take a closer look at what this could IoTally Web3 means. Cynical ploy...