Tag: economic policy

Stablecoin Delay: Is US Regulatory Gridlock Ceding Financial Power to China?

Stablecoin Delay: Is US Regulatory Gridlock Ceding Financial Power to China?

• Commentary

The US Senate has recently kicked the can down the road on stablecoin regulation. Again. While politicians bicker over the minutiae, a chilling question hangs in the air: Are we handing China the keys to the future of finance?So Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse is right to sound the alarm. He...

El Salvador's Bitcoin Bet: A Revolution or a Risky Gamble?

El Salvador's Bitcoin Bet: A Revolution or a Risky Gamble?

• Commentary

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele took a massive swing, didn't he? Making Bitcoin legal tender. The war torn apart, as the world watched—some cheering that spreading of democracy, and others clutching their pearls. This development should be a cautionary tale for emerging economies. Artists in Southeast Asia, especially, are having...

U.S. Government Embraces Crypto, Signaling a Shift in Digital Finance

U.S. Government Embraces Crypto, Signaling a Shift in Digital Finance

• Regulation

The U.S. federal government is leaning much more on crypto—an encouraging early sign that a digital finance inflection point is happening in earnest. Recent developments show a commitment to fostering the growth of crypto, with initiatives aimed at securing America's position in the digital asset economy. This change in mindset...

Fed's Crypto U-Turn: A Win for Southeast Asian Artists?

Fed's Crypto U-Turn: A Win for Southeast Asian Artists?

• Commentary

The Fed just blinked. Their retreat from stringent crypto guidance for banks – specifically, rescinding those 2022 and 2023 supervisory letters – might seem like dry regulatory housekeeping. But for a community often overlooked, this shift could be a lifeline: Southeast Asian artists diving into the Web3 space.Forgotten Voices, Finally...

The Fed Just Blinked: Is Crypto Regulation About to Get Weaker?

The Fed Just Blinked: Is Crypto Regulation About to Get Weaker?

• Commentary

Did the Fed just open Pandora's Box? It certainly feels that way. The recent withdrawal of crypto guidance for banks – the rescinding of those 2022 and 2023 supervisory letters, the backing away from joint statements with the FDIC and OCC – screams one thing: the potential for a regulatory...

Stablecoins Take Center Stage in Washington's New Digital Asset Strategy

Stablecoins Take Center Stage in Washington's New Digital Asset Strategy

• Regulation

Stablecoins, cryptocurrencies pegged to the U.S. dollar, have emerged as a focal point in Washington's evolving approach to digital assets. These are central bank digital currencies, which feature the speed and accessibility of crypto. They remove the price instability that comes with assets such as Bitcoin, which makes them suited...

Trump's Tariff Loophole: Is Crypto's Market Surge a False Dawn?

Trump's Tariff Loophole: Is Crypto's Market Surge a False Dawn?

• Commentary

We're seeing green across the crypto board. Bitcoin's flirting with all-time highs, altcoins are pumping, and everyone's talking about the next bull run. It’s no wonder, then, that articles are flooding the internet promoting projects like Chainlink, VeChain and even newer entrants like Qubetics, promising investors outrageous ROI. But hold...

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 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...

Schiff's Crypto Ban: Is He Protecting Us or Silencing Innovation?

Senator Adam Schiff's proposed crypto ban, the COIN Act, aimed at preventing the President (read: Donald Trump) from dabbling in digital assets, raises a critical question: Is this genuine protection against corruption, or a veiled attempt to stifle innovation, especially for emerging markets? Let's be real, the optics are terrible....