FD International joins hands with Lbank to expand global blockchain ecosystem

IEEE to deploy skill certificates on blockchain for Indian membersThe Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a professional association boasting a membership of over 75,000 in India, has chosen the Avalanche blockchain as the primary settlement layer for issuing tamper-evident certificates.Photo by Vishnu Mohanan on UnsplashIntegrating Avalanche blockchainIndia holds the second-largest IEEE membership base globally outside the United States, making this move a significant development in secure credentialing.According to a report by Cointelegraph on Wednesday, Avalanche’s C-Chain will serve as the key settlement layer for IEEE’s certificate issuance due to its compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). The decision aims to provide an ecosystem that meets the requirements for tamper-proof, instant and secure verification processes for all trainees and users receiving IEEE credentials.Zupple Labs collaborationThe blockchain certificates will be issued through LegitDoc, a blockchain-based credential lifecycle management system developed by Zupple Labs. Neil Martis, Co-Founder of Zupple, noted that the Indian public sector has shown increased willingness to implement full-fledged blockchain projects over the past 12 months, moving beyond pilot initiatives.This is the latest project in recent weeks that has seen Zupple Labs play a key role in enabling the real-world use of blockchain. Through a collaboration with the Indian Web3 startup in October, the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) streamlined its purchase order process, issuing tamper-proof digital purchase orders via LegitDoc.Avalanche expands into IndiaDevika Mittal, Head of Avalanche’s India arm, emphasized the significance of Avalanche’s EVM compatibility in simplifying the deployment of widely used applications, including credential registries and identity management. She pointed out that reputable institutions like SK Planet and JP Morgan Onyx prefer Avalanche as their go-to blockchain.Mittal has been a key hire for Avalanche blockchain developer Ava Labs recently as part of its efforts to target significant expansion within India. Earlier this year, the company collaborated with China’s Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing subsidiary of e-commerce behemoth Alibaba Group, assisting with the building of a launchpad that will enable the deployment of metaverses.The partnership between IEEE and Zupple Labs is poised to bring about the issuance of numerous tamper-proof engineering credentials in India. This collaboration underscores the growing acceptance of blockchain in education credentialing, setting a powerful precedent for broader participation in the Web3 landscape.In an interview, Martis expressed the flexibility of their approach, stating:“We would be experimenting with new platforms as additional parallel settlement layers as suitable new tech emerges.”This reflects an openness to exploring evolving blockchain technologies while maintaining a commitment to ensuring the immutability, longevity and security of the solutions.The IEEE-Zupple Labs collaboration aligns with the trend of blockchain integration in educational and professional spheres, offering a glimpse into the future of secure and efficient credentialing systems. As the second-largest membership base outside the United States, India plays a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of blockchain adoption within professional associations like IEEE.

Crypto fund manager secures capital markets license in SingaporeDigital asset fund manager HashKey Capital Singapore celebrated a significant milestone on Tuesday as it secured a regulatory license from the local regulator and central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).Photo by Mike Enerio on Unsplash‘Pivotal development’HashKey announced its regulatory success by way of a press release published to its website. This achievement, described by the company as a “pivotal development,” positions the firm to offer regulated fund management services primarily in connection with capital markets products from its Singapore base.Deng Chao, Chief Executive of HashKey Capital Singapore and Head of HashKey Singapore, expressed the company’s commitment to the local blockchain community, stating:“As a licensed fund management company, we are committed to contributing to the local blockchain community and playing our part in shaping its future.”Enabling product launchHaving initiated the licensing process in late 2021, HashKey Capital Singapore now plans to leverage its new status to launch a regulated fund and provide capital market products to local customers. The company envisions connecting blockchain experts and global capital to the local market, contributing to the advancement of the blockchain community in the region.Chao emphasized the company’s excitement about propelling blockchain-related capital markets products and investments further into the mainstream. This move is expected to open new possibilities for institutional and accredited investors in Singapore.Hong Kong presenceHashKey Capital falls under the overarching umbrella of Hong Kong-headquartered parent company HashKey Group. Company colleagues in Hong Kong have been busy in 2023, with a number of milestones having been achieved during the year.HashKey and OSL became the first digital asset exchange platforms to be licensed by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) as part of a new regulatory approach that allowed such platforms to offer their services to retail investors from June 1 onwards.A few months on from that and the company has been working towards increasing platform liquidity and trading volumes through a token rewards program and partnerships with market makers.At the end of October, the firm launched an exchange app, having received approval for the product from the local regulator. The firm has also bolstered customer deposit protection by way of a deal struck with fintech firm OneDegree to provide insurance cover for digital assets held on the platform.In April, a separate entity, HashKey Wealth, was formed, offering a wealth management service to both institutional and individual investors looking for exposure to digital assets.HashKey Singapore, inclusive of HashKey Capital Singapore, boasts a team of approximately 40 professionals covering various areas such as venture capital investment, fund management and over-the-counter trading of digital assets. The development follows HashKey Capital’s successful conclusion of a $500 million funding round, reinforcing its position as one of the largest crypto asset managers.Founded in 2015, HashKey Capital has played a pioneering role as an institutional investor in Ethereum, managing over $1 billion in client assets and making investments in more than 500 projects across infrastructure, tools and applications.During a funding round which the HashKey Group pursued earlier this year, it emerged that the company was being valued at $1 billion.

Lotte Group’s Bellygom NFT Project Garners Global Fanbase of Over 300KDaehong Communications and Lotte Homeshopping shared yesterday that their NFT project has now garnered a global fanbase exceeding 300,000 members. The two companies are subsidiaries of South Korean industrial conglomerate Lotte Group.Photo by Khinaii van Laren on UnsplashPartnership initiatives as global expansionTheir NFT initiative, operated by the group’s marketing arm Daehong, is based on Bellygom, the pink bear character representing Lotte Homeshopping. As part of its global strategy, the Bellygom NFT project has formed partnerships with various international projects and has been actively involved in communication efforts. Notably, Bellygom’s X (formerly Twitter) account, created earlier this year, has attracted 100,000 followers within a span of five months.At the end of last month, Daehong successfully completed the minting of Bellyland, the second NFT collection of the Bellygom project. The minting event was accompanied by Jelly Adventure, a universe where users can participate in a wide range of missions and games to earn “Bubble Gums.” Notably, Jelly Adventure is not only accessible to Bellyland NFT holders but also to those of other projects such as YogaPetz and Mocaverse.It’s worth highlighting that the minting event achieved the sale of over 5,000 NFTs, even during a period of reduced activity in the NFT market. Despite the declining minting prices and quantities, it managed to raise over 750,000 MATIC.Joining of new international usersAdditionally, the minting event attracted new international users to the Bellygom project, underlining its sustainability. The successful debut of Bellyland NFTs has significantly contributed to the project’s global expansion and presence.Furthermore, Daehong is pursuing a range of initiatives aimed at cultivating a fan-centric ecosystem with the ultimate objective of driving broader adoption of Web3 technologies. With the belief that the fanbase provides a strong foothold for the brand’s growth, the marketing firm plays a crucial role in facilitating the introduction of the Bellygom brand to the Web3 space. To this end, Daehong is constructing a universe with a story that embodies the brand’s identity while seamlessly integrating it with conventional marketing strategies.