Search Results for: First Digital

Hong Kong-based First Digital Group introduces its First Digital USD (FDUSD) stablecoin on the BNB Smart Chain, offering programmable abilities for executing contracts, escrow services, and insurance without intermediaries. Regulated under the Hong Kong Trustee Ordinance, FDUSD is backed by US dollar reserves or high-quality assets, ensuring stability and regulatory compliance.

Russia is set to launch a pilot program for its digital ruble with 600 participants and 30 retailers. This Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) initiative follows China’s digital yuan strategy and could see the digital ruble in active use by 2025, transforming the country’s financial landscape. The token has potential for making and receiving cross-border payments.

The official Wimbledon non-fungible token (NFT), a unique fusion of sports, digital art and data science, encapsulates 18 years of renowned tennis player Andy Murray’s championship career. This NFT project leverages live data to evolve organically, offering an appealing synchronization of high-performance sports data and aesthetics.

“China’s digital yuan experienced increased usage at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where athletes interacted with the new technology. New language features were introduced, and the currency is linked with Hong Kong’s Fast Payment System. Overseas visitors can now open a digital yuan wallet using an overseas mobile phone number, and can ‘top up first, and use later’, for smoother transactions.”

Avant Arte marketplace and Yuga Labs collaborate to release two limited edition prints bringing 10,000 CryptoPunks into the physical world. Elsewhere, Pfizer-backed decentralized organization VitaDAO, launches biotech company Matrix Bio. Hong Kong explores potential digital currency, e-HKD, while crypto infrastructure MoonPay introduces a new feature called Swaps.

‘The Quiet Maid’, the first European feature film funded through NFT sales, represents a new era of blockchain technology in the creative industry. Despite uncertainties surrounding NFTs, this film’s funding model garners worldwide attention. The evolution of blockchain in filmmaking is yet to unfold.

The digital currency research division of People’s Bank of China (PBoC) has interlinked its CBDC platform with Hong Kong’s Fast Payment System (FPS), to expedite cross-border digital yuan transactions and enhance system compatibility with international payment networks. However, this convergence of global currency networks may risk homogenizing diverse economic systems.

“Matt Kane, celebrated digital artist and software developer, has reshaped the creative industry through blockchain technology, using it to put forth innovative digital artwork. His work dips into understanding identity through art, marking a dramatic transformation in the digital art space and the unbounded potential of blockchain.”

The South Korean central bank, BOK, is advancing towards a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pilot, scheduled for late 2024. By testing a wholesale CBDC model first, it aims to streamline inter-bank settlements while preparing for retail use. The bank collaborates with domestic institutions and international bodies like the BIS, though it remains undecided on fully endorsing a digital won.

“The Bank of Korea initiates pilot project to design infrastructure for a central bank digital currency (CBDC), aiming to enhance cross-border payments and potentially establish a new international monetary system. However, the journey towards CBDC’s full implementation isn’t guaranteed and potential pitfalls in the unregulated crypto world can nurture high stakes and fraud risks.”

Russian firms are adopting the central bank digital currency (CBDC), the digital ruble. Sirius Innovation Science and Technology Center and Rostelecom are pioneering this journey with their digital wallets, highlighting the practical application of this currency. However, this new model poses challenges for traditional financial institutions, and concerns remain about security and potential economic disruption.

“Rosbank, a trailblazer in the digital currency revolution, invested $1.6 million on integrating its systems with the digital ruble merely two months into the CBDC pilot. Emphasizing on secure transactional gateways, engaging complex cryptography solutions, and investing in specialized expertise, Rosbank stands resolved to overcome challenges of safety concerns, technological hurdles, and costly investments in this digital financial infrastructure.”

“China’s financial entities, local governmental bodies and businesses are gradually embracing the digital yuan, China’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), revolutionizing sectors from gold recycling to land registry fee payment. The gold recycling project powered by digital yuan and CBDC-powered land registry adoption in Fuqing highlights the acceleration of the digital yuan in various scenarios.”

“Tencent, the operator of WeChat and WeChat Pay, is teaming up with the People’s Bank of China to promote the use of the digital yuan via Project mBridge. While this challenges the dominance of WeChat Pay and Alipay, the digital yuan is anticipated to complement rather than compete with these platforms. This venture signifies a technological revolution in payment systems, though its uncertainties remain to be explored.”

“China expands the utility of its Digital Yuan App to include tourist-friendly features. The latest update allows visitors to pre-charge their wallets using VISA and Mastercard, driving China’s intentions to establish e-CNY as a commonplace retail option, marking a significant step in the evolution of global digital currencies.”

China’s central bank has updated its official CBDC app to allow overseas visitors to purchase digital yuan tokens with foreign credit cards. The update reflects an unprecedented convenience, aiming to push the usage of mobile wallets of the CBDC, providing users with seamless online experiences, including refunds for any unused funds. This move widens the application of e-CNY, promoting its use for online financial exchanges on major platforms.

A growing number of Chinese companies are switching to digital yuan for salary payments. The Zhongkai High-tech Industrial Development Zone, in partnership with the ICBC, has become the first city company to pay its employees, including CCP officials, in digital yuan. This initiative encourages digital yuan adoption and broadens its application in the public sector, helping to tackle the longstanding US dollar dominance.

“Tokenized real-world assets are becoming mainstream with firms like Coinbase, Circle, and Aave forming the Tokenized Asset Coalition to promote the transition to decentralized finance. Predictions estimate tokenized assets reaching $16 trillion by 2030. Meanwhile, key financial entities globally are considering or offering crypto-related services, signifying a pivotal switch in financial systems.”

Anatoly Aksakov, head of Russia’s State Duma financial committee, predicts a reduced role for traditional banks as the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), the digital ruble, gains adoption. Aksakov urges banks to align their infrastructure with blockchain technology to leverage CBDC’s financial capabilities.