= December 2019=
Blockchain and distributed ledger news from across Asia and Australasia, covering applications spanning agriculture, finance, food provenance, logistics and far beyond.
- Blockchain/IoT combination could reduce food fraud by $131BN inside 5 years by imposing verification at all stages in supply chain
- ICYMI: Open Privacy, Canadian nonprofit, working on Cwtch, a zcash-fueled messaging app aiming for more decentralization than Telegram or Signal
- ICYMI: Greyp e-mobility firm raises €1.4M in world-first blockchain-driven IPO, delivered via Neufund platform
- A podcast discussion of whether public blockchains can actually guarantee privacy
- ICYMI: Deloitte’s 2019 Global Blockchain Survey (pdf)
- This year proved Asia is ahead in crypto-blockchain adoption
- Algorand blockchain startup partnered by International Blockchain Monetary Reserve to launch social impact-focused SE Asia Microfinance platform and token
- Blockchain technology could radically shake up trade finance, one of the most archaic corners of the financial world, by reducing its reliance on paper documents
- Honeywell partners iTRACE and SecureMarking to implement multi-stage tech and blockchain process to beat counterfeit aerospace parts
- ICYMI: Brazil’s first civil partnership recorded on blockchain by local startup Growth Tech running IBM’s cloud-based blockchain platform
- Russia’s Alrosa diamond producer launches WeChat mini-program with Everledger, allowing consumers and retailers in China to track diamond sources via blockchain
- AMD chip manufacturer becomes first hardware firm to join Blockchain Gaming Alliance
- Reuters’ visual explainer diving into what blockchain is, and how it works
- Australia: Blockchain and the creative industries – how cultural institutions would cooperate to build shared infrastructure to grow this segment of the economy
- Australia: A brief intro to the new board of Blockchain Australia
- Australia: Blockchain and the Creative Industries, from RMIT Blockchain Innovation Hub (pdf)
- China’s largest 3 blockchain trade finance projects claim $63BN in transaction volume so far
- China: Blockchain Service Network Alliance to launch nat’l blockchain infrastructure platform, Gov’t-driven and with bank, digital payment provider and telco membership
- ICYMI: Court in Shaoxing, China, delivered the country’s first criminal sentence based on evidence stored on a blockchain
- China: EtherscanIO, one of the longest-running and most widely-used Ethereum block explorers, now blocked for in-country IP addresses
- China: In mid-November, digital Yuan stage 1 implementation commenced with 3 pilot provinces chosen; stage 2 likely to be DLT-based digital national identity cards
- Bank of China uses blockchain to issue $2.8BN of financial bonds to small businesses and micro-enterprises
- China: Conflux blockchain startup to receive research institute and incubation centre funding from Shanghai Government
- An overview of the apparently reviving relationship between Slovakia and China, and the role blockchain tech may play as time goes on
- China’s Alibaba secures 2 US patents to secure and expedite its blockchain network, reducing data verification time and introducing process scheduling
- China: Securities regulator considering application for listing of exchange-traded fund that will track blockchain-related stocks as underlying assets
- Ethereum 101: What is it, how does it work and what is it used for?
- India: An intro to Biconomy, startup platform helping developers provide a smoother UX to decentralised app users
- India: VeriDoc enables blockchain-based pilot project for property tax assessment certification in Maharashtra
- India: Infosys IT services multinational launches blockchain-based applications for government services, insurance and supply chain management
- India: National Payment Corporation of India unveils Varja, blockchain platform enabling retail payments and settlements
- India: Bulgaria’s AE Ventures, early-stage blockchain investment and acceleration firm, expands Global Starfleet Programme to Bangalore
- Japan’s BUIDL blockchain startup acquired by Securitize, SF-based startup helping firms tokenize securities and assets
- Japan: More than 80 banks join JPMorgan blockchain-based Interbank Information Network, aiming to boost anti-money laundering efforts
- South Korea: A look at the 7 startup pitches made at the recent 4th Season of BCapitalist Program run by Blockchain Investment Academy
- South Korea: Konstellation blockchain solutions provider in finance unveils Konstellation Venture Studio aiming to bootstrap economy around its DARC token
- BMW and DHL partner to produce blockchain proof of concept for Asia Pacific supply chain operations to provide better visibility for auto parts from Malaysia
- Singapore: Tezos to partner Tribe, gov’t-backed blockchain platform, for Tezos blockchain developer training focused on producing more crypto professionals
- Singapore: Blockchain-focused Tribe Accelerator unveils the 9 startups selected for the 2nd edition of its Global Demo Tour
- Singapore: Tribe Accelerator secures $15.7M for 9 participating firms with market-ready blockchain solutions, the 2nd Tribe cohort to receive funding
- Singapore’s Practical Smarts blockchain specialist acquired by Deloitte in move to enhance distributed ledger tech advisory offerings in Southeast Asia
- Singapore: Zilliqa consolidates startup programs under new ZILHive brand, and unveils the projects that won the fifth wave of ZILHive Grants
- An in-depth look at stablecoins and more in the cryptocurrency and blockchain worlds, in conversation with Zilliqa’s VP Growth and Strategy
- ICYMI: Singapore’s WORBLI blockchain platform offers ‘compliance as a service’ with Agenix, to reduce time and expense for companies in satisfying mandatory regulations
- Twitter to fund independent team of open source architects, engineers, and designers to develop open, decentralized standard for social media
- Taiwan: An overview of the AppWorks Demo Day 19 and the 18 AI and blockchain startups that presented
- Thailand: An overview of the recent World Blockchain Summit held in Bangkok
- Thailand to apply blockchain tech to Electronic Visa On Arrival system, aiming to speed entry process for 5M visitors from 20 countries
- Vietnam’s Cai Mep International Terminal joins TradeLens, Maersk and IBM blockchain platform for supply chain efficiency
- A look at the rise of branded, industry-specific cryptocurrencies, and what this means for financial regulators
- MVL, parent of blockchain ride-hailing app TADA, raises $5M Series A with over 50K drivers and over 500K users across Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia
- KPMG rolls out KPMG Origins, blockchain-based track-and-trace platform for trade, in Australia, China and Japan
Other subject-specific news from December 2019:
Blockchain in Asia / Crypto in Asia
Artificial Intelligence in Asia / Fintech in Asia
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