Despite being ostracized by the broader gaming community, financially-motivated players could unlock remarkable growth in both gaming and crypto, says Leah Callon-Butler.
Decentralization on a Spectrum: How Fully On-chain Games Are the Future of Web3 Gaming
Game developers should stop worrying about Web3’s friction and think more about many true benefits that blockchain can bring, says Leah Callon-Butler.
Barbie Is a Metaverse
Virtual worlds, like Barbie’s, are a source of meaning and fulfillment for people seeking more in life. And these worlds gain from interactions: the more interoperability, the better.
The Next Big Web3 Trend Wasn’t on Stage at Consensus
If you want to know what’s coming next in this industry, you need to listen to people still on the sidelines, says Leah Callon-Butler.
2023 Predictions: The Year of Web3 Pets
Virtual pets have been around for decades, but with NFTs, we set to own our online cats and dogs this year, not just play with them, says Leah Callon-Butler.
Privacy Isn’t Just an Edge Case for Crypto
Financial privacy is useful for dissidents in extreme situations. But nobody should have to justify keeping their personal lives private, says our columnist.
Why Crypto Isn’t a Tool for Protest in Argentina
The idea that growing stabelcoin use can offer a solution to Argentina’s persistent economic and political problems doesn’t accord with reality, says Leah Callon-Butler after a recent visit.
Megan Kaspar: Meta-a-Porter Fashion
A pioneer in digital luxury fashion weighs in on the future of wear-to-earn and online photorealism. Kaspar is a speaker at CoinDesk’s Consensus festival starting June 9.
‘Not About Playing It Safe’: Krista Kim on How Artists Inspire the Metaverse
As contemporary artist Krista Kim sees it, there are too many corporate executives conceiving these new virtual worlds and not enough genuine creatives.
How the Play-to-Earn Industry Can Rebuild Better After the Ronin Attack
The Metaverse Opportunity for Artists
With contributions from Filipino-American rapper Allan Pineda Lindo, the First Mint Fund helps mint NFTs for aspiring artists in Southeast Asia. Leah Callon-Butler meets volunteer-manager AJ Dimarucot.
The Pandemic Was Just the Catalyst
Harry Dent predicted 2020’s economic upheaval several years in advance. The coronavirus pandemic was just a trigger to a long-term reckoning over public debt.
Will the Next M-Pesa Be a Blockchain App?
A contest for inclusive fintech shows the potential for crypto-related tech to help the world’s poor, but also how much it still needs to develop.
Bitcoin, Mescaline and Parallel Worlds
From conspiracy theories to magical internet money, humans have bought into shared belief systems to make sense of reality.
The NFT Game That Makes Cents For Filipinos During COVID
Axie Infinity, a NFT trading game running on Ethereum, has proven a pandemic lifeline for a small community north of Manila.
Is Crypto Fintech? It Depends Who You Ask
Crypto is financial technology. But Is it fintech?
What DeFi Can Learn From ‘InFi’
By studying informal financial cooperation, including lending circles, blockchain developers can uncover new opportunities, says our columnist.
An Indonesian Chef and the Remittance Industry’s $554B Problem
When the coronavirus forced Chef Bagus to conduct his cooking classes online, he needed a good payment system. There wasn’t one, but his customers helped find a workaround.
To See Libra’s Potential, Look at the Philippines, Not the US
Some have written off Libra as a watered-down project. But you can see its potential in places where Facebook use is high and payment standards are low.
Filipino Pawnshops Bank on Crypto Remittances During Crisis
Pawn shops in the Philippines are well placed to popularize cryptocurrencies as alternatives to cash.