Wemade Partners with Etherscan to Enhance Transparency in WEMIX 3.0 Ecosystem

NEOPIN teams up with Project SEED to propel growth of Web3 gaming ecosystemCentralized decentralized finance (CeDeFi) protocol NEOPIN has partnered with Project SEED — a blockchain gaming ecosystem based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — to grow the global Web3 gaming ecosystem, according to South Korean news outlet News1. NEOPIN plans to serve as a bridge between Project SEED and the IP owners and game studios within its ecosystem, facilitating the creation of more global Web3 games.Photo by Mateo on Unsplash“Connecting notable IPs and game studios to gamify Web3 holds significant meaning beyond just securing well-made Web3 games. We expect to diversify the genres and improve the qualitative standards of Web3 games in collaboration with Project SEED,” said Kim Yong-gi, CEO of NEOPIN.Pioneering Web3 gaming excellenceLed by a team of experts from various cryptocurrency exchanges such as Binance and Crypto.com, Project SEED is the developer behind the popular Web3 action role-playing game (RPG) Outland Odyssey. The firm also operates the Grow Program, which was launched in 2021 to incubate blockchain game projects and allow builders to concentrate their efforts on developing high-quality games. Next year, Project SEED plans to unveil its launchpad platform Seed Launcher as part of the Grow Program to aid gaming finance (GameFi) projects in raising funds and discover promising projects worth investing in.Under the newest partnership, NEOPIN’s CeDeFi wallet function will be integrated into Web3 games and NFT projects that are launched through the Grow Program and Seed Launcher platform, driving worldwide user acquisition and promoting the launch of DeFi products on NEOPIN.“We will leverage NEOPIN’s wallet service, network and blockchain expertise to develop high-quality games for diverse users. We plan to strengthen our capabilities to provide benefits to developers, IP owners and gamers alike,” said Project SEED CEO Liko Subakti.NEOPIN’s blockchain journeySince 2017, NEOPIN has accumulated its blockchain expertise and technology by serving as a node validator in multiple global blockchain projects, including Ethereum, Tron, Cardano and Cosmos. Launched last year, its CeDeFi protocol aims to provide Web3 users with a safe and convenient non-custodial DeFi platform.Earlier this year, the company was selected to participate in the Innovative Program of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), attracting a series of investments. It is also working with the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an international financial center and free zone in the UAE, to create the world’s first DeFi regulations through a public-private partnership.

Kazakhstan achieves first retail payment with digital tengeBinur Zhalenov, Chairman of Kazakhstan’s National Payment Corporation (NPC), marked a historic moment at the XI Congress of Finance in Almaty on Wednesday by conducting the inaugural transaction with the country’s newly introduced Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), the digital tenge.Photo by J B on UnsplashDigital tenge debit cardThat’s according to a report published by local media outlet, Kapital.kz. Utilizing a debit card linked to the CBDC account, Zhalenov demonstrated the practicality of the digital tenge during his speech, showcasing its potential impact on the nation’s financial landscape.The official launch of the digital tenge on the retail market is expected to usher in a wave of development, with Zhalenov outlining that it will result in massive platform development in 2024. Collaborating with global giants Visa and Mastercard, as well as local banks, Kazakhstan aims to integrate the CBDC into plastic cards, enabling users to make digital tenge payments globally through platforms like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.Eurasian Bank is one of the local banking participants in the project. Its CEO, Lyazzat Satiyeva, commented on the development:“Participation in the ‘Digital Tenge’ project opens up opportunities for launching innovative products for consumers and businesses using blockchain and cryptocurrency technology, developing a regulatory framework for digital assets and, in general, this is a big step in the development of a new digital economy in the country.”Meanwhile, Zhalenov emphasized the programmable capabilities of the digital tenge, envisioning its utilization in smart contracts, innovative financial services and digital asset transactions. Looking ahead, the CBDC’s development roadmap includes a focus on offline payments in 2024, with ambitions to incorporate the digital tenge into cross-border trade by 2025.The journey towards the digital tenge commenced in February 2023, with the NPC, established in September, spearheading the development and implementation of the CBDC. The launch of the NPC was likened to a restructuring of the Kazakhstan Center for Interbank Settlements. Its mandate includes overseeing interbank clearing services, managing digital identification and enabling money transfers.As Kazakhstan strides into the digital era, parallel measures have been taken to tighten oversight of the cryptocurrency market.‘Great Kazakh investment firewall’While the central Asian country may be progressing its CBDC, authorities in Kazakhstan appear to be taking a different approach to international crypto businesses operating within its borders. In September, reports surfaced of difficulties accessing major international crypto exchanges such as Coinbase and Kraken without a local license. Following this, local crypto mining operators addressed President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in an open letter in October, urging a reconsideration of newly introduced tax rates on mining activities.Kazakhstan’s advancement of the digital tenge signals a transformative phase in the nation’s financial landscape, aligning with global trends in digital currency adoption. As the NPC continues its strategic development, the intersection of traditional finance and emerging digital assets in Kazakhstan is poised for further evolution.

Thaksin Shinawatra, who served as Thailand's 23rd prime minister from 2001 to 2006 and whose daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra currently serves as the Southeast Asian nation’s prime minister, expressed positive views on crypto while speaking at an event in Bangkok on Monday.Photo by Evan Krause on UnsplashIssuing stablecoins According to a report by Reuters, in his speech, Shinawatra called on Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to enable the trading of stablecoins and cryptocurrencies that are otherwise backed by real-world assets (RWAs). Addressing the consideration of systemic risk posed by cryptocurrencies, Shinawatra stated:"There will be no risk, it is just another currency in the world."  Shinawatra also commented on a government plan to make the Thai tourist resort city of Phuket a potential location for a pilot program which would trial crypto payments. Bullish on crypto This is not the first occasion in which the former Thai prime minister expressed a bullish view on crypto. He has been a long-standing advocate for cryptocurrencies. His comments earlier this week mirror similar views he expressed while speaking at an event at the Intercontinental Hotel in Hua Hin in December. On that occasion, he stated: “There are already many cryptocurrencies. Some people say that in the future, we will have more currencies than countries.”  In Hua Hin, he also suggested that his friends believe that Bitcoin could reach a unit price of $850,000. With that potential rise in value, Shinawatra wants Thai citizens to be well-positioned for the crypto wave. He encouraged the Thai government to engage positively with digital assets and to take the time to study the emerging asset class. Back in August, Thailand’s SEC launched the Digital Asset Regulatory Sandbox as part of an initiative to permit interested service providers to trial crypto-related services within a controlled sandbox environment.  Building on that sentiment expressed by Shinawatra in December, in his latest speech, he called on the country’s financial institutions to be more open to cryptocurrency.  Paying attention to U.S. policy on crypto In making that call, he cited developments in the United States. Particularly, he focused on the incoming U.S. administration’s positive embrace of digital assets. This includes positive commentary made by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and the appointment of Paul Atkins by Trump as the new head of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the U.S. Atkins has already outlined plans to collaborate with crypto-friendly SEC Commissioners Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda, with a view towards shaping the agency’s crypto policies.  Beyond crypto, the former prime minister had a number of other suggestions that he feels would be good for Thailand. With regard to the country’s stock market, he called for tighter regulatory oversight, tax incentives for long-term investors and improved corporate governance. He encouraged the opening of a carbon credit trading venue in order to ensure better pricing. Shinawatra believes that Thailand should legalize online gambling on the basis that it is currently losing 100 billion Thai baht ($4 billion) in annual tax revenue from the activity. The Thai government has moved to approve a draft law that would legalize casinos and gambling.