• A useful map of Southeast Asia, in case one were to get lost (via Shutterstock).
    Asia & Australia

    Central banks across Southeast Asia are embracing blockchain

    Serving the unbanked and leapfrogging inefficient interbank and international settlement systems are a major focus

    Financial authorities across Southeast Asia are embracing blockchain technology and digital currencies as a way of helping the poor get better access to banking services that can help lift them out of poverty, as well as speeding and improving interbank payments and cross-border settlements.

  • A Citibank, in case you've never seen one (via Wiki Commons).
    Alt coins,  Technology

    As JPM Coin launches, Citi reflects on decision to cancel Citicoin

    JPMorgan’s Ethereum-based digital currency has competition from IBM Blockchain World Wire’s Stellar-based stablecoin platform

    In the wake of JPMorgan’s February launch of its Ethereum-based JPM Coin digital currency, Citi let it be known why it had killed the Citicoin project its innovation lab discussed—but never formally announced—back in 2015.

  • A pump jack in a canola field (via Shutterstock)
    Technology

    With Vakt investment, five of the biggest energy companies bet on blockchain

    The oil and gas industry is embracing blockchain technology for everything from tracking products to financing sales

    With the announcement on Jan. 16 that three major oil and gas firms including Chevron, Total, and Reliance Industries have joined Vakt, the energy-industry enterprise blockchain company now has five of the 10 largest oil firms by market capitalization on board.