Tag: global south

Worldcoin's Orb Mini: Empowering Artists or Exploiting the Global South?

Worldcoin's Orb Mini: Empowering Artists or Exploiting the Global South?

• Commentary

The sleek, smartphone-esque Orb Mini, the brainchild of Tools for Humanity and Sam Altman, promises to solve a problem most of us didn't even know we had: proving we're human online. Two biometric sensors and a shoe-in-the-face camera eyeball scan poofed together and boom, you’re an approved citizen of the...

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...

Crypto-Colonialism: Is the Global South at Risk?

Crypto-Colonialism: Is the Global South at Risk?

• Facts

Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology promise great things, along with great danger, especially for developing countries. Proponents laud its promise to expand financial inclusion and spur innovation. On the other side is a darker, twisted version that could further exacerbate inequities and erode the agency of countries in the Global South....

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...

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...