Digital news
Web3 Domain Alliance expands with 51 new members
The Web3 Domain Alliance, a member-led coalition that aims to provide a standardized framework for Web3 naming services, has announced 51 new members, including Blockchain.com, Rarible, Wyre, Bitdegree, WazirX, and Klever. These firms will help promote the development of the Web3 naming industry and the functioning of Web3 domain registries, according to the company We’re excited to announce that 52 new members are joining the Web3 Domain Alliance including @blockchain, @rarible, @sendwyre, @bitdegree_org, @WazirXIndia, and @klever_io, along with dozens of other naming systems, projects and companies! #W3DA Why this is great news [1/4] pic.twitter.com/rzSlYKYpEh — unstoppable.nft (@unstoppableweb) February 22, 2023 …
Technology / Feb. 22, 2023
5 ways to monetize your digital art with NFTs
Nonfungible tokens (NFTs) offer a new way to sell and distribute digital art, and they have the potential to unlock new revenue streams for artists in the digital age. Here are five ways to monetize your digital art with NFTs. Fractionalized ownership This involves splitting the ownership of an artwork into smaller parts and selling them as tokens, allowing multiple investors to own a stake in the artwork. For example, an artist can create 100 tokens for a piece of art and sell them to 100 different buyers, each of whom owns a share of the artwork. Related: How do …
Adoption / Feb. 19, 2023
Siemens issues €60M digital bond on a public blockchain
German engineering and technology giant Siemens has become one of the first companies in Germany to issue a digital bond on a public blockchain, worth €60 million, with a maturity of one year, in accordance with Germany’s Electronic Securities Act. According to the announcement, the bond was sold directly to investors such as DekaBank, DZ Bank, and Union Investment, without the need for central clearing and paper-based global certificates. Siemens noted that the process enabled transactions to be executed much faster and more efficiently than traditional bond-issuing methods. Siemens emphasized the benefits of using digital bonds over traditional bond-issuing methods …
Technology / Feb. 14, 2023
Hermès wins case against Mason Rothschild’s Metabirkins
On Feb 8, a jury trial in the Southern District of New York reached a verdict in Hermès' lawsuit against MetaBirkins. The court ruled that artist Mason Rothschild had violated the trademark protections of the brand Hermès. Rothschild's 100 "Metabirkins" NFTs were found to not be artistic commentary and therefore not protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution. According to a report by Vogue Business, a nine-member jury found Rothschild liable for trademark infringement, trademark dilution, and "cybersquatting," awarding Hermès $133,000 in damages. Notably, the decision marks the first time the relationship between digital art, NFTs, and physical …
Technology / Feb. 8, 2023
Dominica works with Huobi for digital identity program
Cryptocurrency exchange Huobi has partnered with the Commonwealth of Dominica to roll out a digital identity and national token service that promises digital citizenship of the West Indian island nation. Not to be confused with the nearby, larger Dominican Republic, Dominica is home to some 72,000 people and is situated in the middle of the Lesser Antilles archipelago. The government is looking to explore metaverse and Web3 technology to drive its development and attract talent from the cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem. The island nation is one of the first Caribbean countries to adopt a Citizenship by Investment program. Dominica passports …
Adoption / Nov. 29, 2022
UAE regulator adopts blockchain to speed up commercial judgments
A judicial authority established by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Federal Decree has adopted blockchain technology to save time and costs related to the enforcement of commercial judgments. ADGM Courts, an authority that supports the financial regulator Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM), has implemented blockchain technology to help save significant time for the parties in the judicial process. Commercial judgments involve assessing various financial risks and dealing with commercial issues in business. Digitization through blockchain technology will allow courts and parties to immediately access commercial judgments — a move aimed at easing judicial processes for international trade and commerce. Explaining …
Adoption / Nov. 16, 2022
Koreans to have access to blockchain-powered digital IDs by 2024
South Koreans could soon allow its citizens to use blockchain-based digital identification (ID) instead of physical cards as soon as 2024, as the nation further embraces blockchain technology. According to an Oct. 17 report from Bloomberg, a plan from the government will see digital IDs embedded as an app within mobile devices in the future, working in a similar fashion to physical resident registration cards. The digital IDs are expected to launch in 2024, with around 45 million citizens expected to adopt the technology within two years. An economist at Korea’s Science and Technology Policy Institute Hwang Seogwon said the …
Adoption / Oct. 17, 2022
Zero-knowledge KYC could solve the privacy vs compliance conundrum: VC partner
As the Web3 industry matures, Zero-knowledge Know Your Customer (zkKYC) is becoming more widely discussed as a means to comply with strict financial regulations while maintaining user privacy, according to the partner of a venture capital firm. In an interview with Cointelegraph, John Henderson, partner at Australian-based venture capital firm Airtree Ventures said the successful implementation of a zkKYC system would be “great news for both regulators and consumers” and could increase cryptocurrency adoption: “Institutions and retail users are more likely to participate in DeFi if they can be confident that they are complying with their AML/CTF obligations.” Henderson explained …
Defi / Oct. 11, 2022
Sony Music files trademark application for NFT-authenticated music
American music giant Sony Music Entertainment has signaled intentions to utilize non-fungible tokens (NFTs) after filing a trademark application covering music and artists under the Columbia Records logo. According to an Aug. 30 trademark application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) shared by trademark attorney Mike Kondoudis on Sept. 6, the application covers "audio and video recordings featuring live musical performances authenticated by NFTs." #SonyMusic has filed a trademark application for the Columbia Records logo claiming plans to use it for: ▶️ NFT Backed Media ▶️ Music + Podcast Production ▶️ Artist Management + Music distribution services …
Adoption / Sept. 8, 2022
Hermès reveals plans for Metaverse fashion shows, crypto, and NFTs
Luxury brand Hermès is laying the groundwork for its entrance to Web3 after filing a trademark application covering NFTs, cryptocurrencies, and the Metaverse. According to an Aug. 26 filing to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the trademark covers downloadable software to view, store and manage virtual goods, digital collectibles, cryptocurrencies, and NFTs “for use in online worlds.” It also filed trademarks for “retail store services featuring virtual goods” as well as fashion and trade shows in “online virtual, augmented or mixed reality environments” and for “providing an online marketplace for buyers and sellers of virtual goods.” Luxury …
Adoption / Sept. 1, 2022
Reinventing yourself in the Metaverse through digital identity
The Metaverse has become one of the biggest buzzwords of the year as a number of brands, companies and even countries begin to explore virtual worlds to conduct business. Even though Metaverse development is still underway, a recent report from the technology research and advisory firm Technavio found that the Metaverse will hit a market share value of $50.37 billion by the year 2026. Another report predicts that the growth of the Metaverse will be driven by e-commerce, which is expected to reach a market share of $60.47 billion by the year 2026. E-commerce across social media platforms is also …
Decentralization / Aug. 11, 2022
Philippines' fintech achieves unicorn status after embracing crypto payments
Voyager Innovations, the firm behind the Philippines' top digital payments app Paymaya, has announced it has achieved unicorn status after a recent round of funding, surpassing a $1 billion valuation. Voyager Innovation announced Tuesday that the new $210 million capital boosted its valuation to $1.4 billion. The company highlighted that the new funds will be used to develop crypto offerings that it recently added to its flagship digital payments app PayMaya. According to the news release, the recent financing round was led by SIG Venture Capital. It included well-known firms such as KKR, First Pacific Co., Tencent Holdings Limited and …
Adoption / April 12, 2022