Tag: wall street

Solana ETF: A Gateway for Southeast Asian Artists or Another Wall Street Grab?

Solana ETF: A Gateway for Southeast Asian Artists or Another Wall Street Grab?

• Commentary

The whispers are getting louder. Solana ETF. Approved? Maybe. Soon? Possibly. Before we uncork the champagne and declare victory for the little guy, especially the artists and creators in Southeast Asia who I deeply care about, let's ask a crucial question: Who really benefits?Wall Street Wins, Artists Lose?The story they’re...

BlackRock's Crypto Chat: Will It Empower Artists or Just Wall Street?

BlackRock's Crypto Chat: Will It Empower Artists or Just Wall Street?

• Commentary

Dewi is a Masters alumni and budding Balinese artist. She spends hours hand-drawing elaborate batik patterns, her fingers permanently dyed blue by indigo under the blazing equatorial sun. She dreams of being able to show her art to the world, but galleries are difficult to get into and online platforms...

Nike's NFT Lawsuit: A Warning Sign for Wall Street's Web3 Dreams?

Nike's NFT Lawsuit: A Warning Sign for Wall Street's Web3 Dreams?

• Commentary

Wall Street has been ecstatic over Web3, luring investors with the allure of disruptive innovation and sky-high profits. Are they actually equipped to handle the Wild West of digital assets? Nike’s newly settled NFT lawsuit may be what’s needed to bring the NFT industry back down to earth.Regulation's Shadow Looms...

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...

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....

Immutable's Gamble: Will Gas-Free Trading Save Web3 Gaming?

Yet the hype around Web3 gaming is real, offering gamers true digital ownership and player-driven economies. Let’s get real: that promise usually meets a very different fate. High gas fees and a clunky user experience can quickly derail those intentions. Immutable is taking a big bet with its zkEVM and...