Angie Lau

The recent U.S. banks fallout is a stress test for both traditional finance and digital assets but to weather the storm side by side is a powerful opportunity, says Circle Chief Strategy Officer Dante Disparte. Dante Disparte, the chief strategy officer and head of global policy at Circle Internet Financial, has spoken out about the need for greater collaboration between the cryptocurrency industry and banks. Circle is the co-founder and issuer of USDC, a dollar-backed stablecoin with a market capitalization of US$39.5 billion. However, the stablecoin broke its dollar peg over the weekend after it was revealed that Circle held US$3.3 billion in reserve deposits at SVB. As a result, USDC fell to as low as US$0.8774 before gaining its dollar parity on Monday. Tune in to the latest episode of Word on the Block with Forkast Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau for more.

Mar 14, 2023

Crypto and blockchain have seen everything this year. From the start with its all-time highs and its role in the Ukraine War to the year ending with the debacles of Terra Luna and the mess left by FTX and much more. These instances have left the industry edging more towards the importance of security and regulations in the space. We spoke with the Independent Community Bankers of America's Brian Laverdure to learn more about developments in crypto asset regulation and how they might help the industry rebound.

Dec 27, 2022

If you have been paying attention to crypto this year then you’ll know that the industry has been on a rollercoaster ride. From its record-breaking all-time highs in the start of the year only to be reduced to just a third of that later on. Macros and micro economics have taken a hit on the industry, leading venture capitalists and investors to take a more cautious path when investing. But some believe the opposite: Now is the time to seize the opportunity. Why should we be investing during the crypto winter? What value can you get out of this? And what should we be investing in? Get the answers to all these questions and more in the latest episode of Word on the Block where Forkast’s Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau talks to the person who is still betting big on blockchain.

Dec 5, 2022

As China’s dominance in the world of blockchain grows, the question that everybody is asking is: Can one be tracked by this technology? Watch what Yifan He, who is building Chinese Blockchain Based Service Network (BSN) and taking it to the world, has to say in this conversation with Forkast’s Angie Lau. Find out why he doesn’t believe in cryptocurrencies and why non-crypto blockchains are going to be what traditional industry and systems back on. Plus, what synergies and links there are, if any, between the Digital Yuan & BSN.

Nov 14, 2022

While initially cautious about blockchain technology, China now has an over 80% share in blockchain patent applications worldwide. This shift in China’s strategy comes even though cryptocurrencies are frowned upon in the country. Even though crypto currencies are one of the most popular applications of blockchain technology globally, China has taken a different route as it develops Blockchain Base Service Network or BSN. How exactly does BSN work? Is it linked to existing public chains? Or is it developing in isolation? Is BSN China’s connection to global blockchains? And how does it operate without cryptocurrencies? What is NTT & how does one use it? Get the answer to all these questions and more in the latest episode of “Word on the Block” where Forkast’s Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau talks to the man helping build BSN.

Nov 7, 2022

Blockchain and cryptocurrencies have been around for a little bit more than a decade, but compared to institutional companies they are still in their infancy. But as blockchain and crypto grows, more and more institutional players are joining the field. You know things are getting serious when one of the oldest ventures joins the game supporting ventures that disrupt the way we invest and work. When did they realize that they would no longer turn a blind eye to these disruptions? What made them join forces and build infrastructure on it? Will this pave the way for more institutions to join in? Get all these answers and much more on the latest episode of Word on the Block where we are joined by Alex Mansion of Standard Charted Ventures.

Oct 24, 2022

The right policy structure is critical for success. As the blockchain and cryptocurrency sectors grow and break through barriers set by traditional industry, having the right guardrails in place will be essential to help it get to the next level. So which agency or agencies need to develop policies for the crypto industry? What are the rules that need to be written? How do we ensure the policy architecture does not stifle innovation? Are cryptocurrencies securities or commodities? And does any one country in the world have the lead in formulating crypto policy? Get the answers to these questions and a whole lot more in this conversation between Tomicah Tillemann and Forkast’s Angie Lau.

Oct 17, 2022

Crypto markets have lost over $2 trillion in value from the peak seen in November of last year, but that isn’t stopping those building the foundation of this new ecosystem. They continue to back and invest in projects that will be the bedrock of Web3. Hong Kong-based crypto unicorn Animoca Brands has invested in over 340 Web3 projects and companies so far, and more are coming. We find out how they find the right ventures to back and what challenges and opportunities they are spotting in this age of the crypto chill. And why are they participating in the Open Metaverse Alliance, what exactly is it and why do we need it?

Sep 26, 2022

NFTs have become ubiquitous, but they are a lot more than just a picture. They are a way to prove provenance, secure authenticity and a whole lot more. Artifact Labs, which originated within the realms of one of Hong Kong’s oldest newspapers SCMP, is using NFTs to preserve Asia’s historic moments. Find out the challenges they’ve faced along the way as well as their thoughts on the Chinese NFT landscape, what the missing pieces are in the crypto regulatory puzzle and what can be done better.

Sep 19, 2022

The world of finance is male-dominated and this is true of the Web3 world as well. Per a McKinsey report, all-male teams snagged 85% of venture funding in the U.S. in 2018, compared to a measly 2% by all-female founding teams. How can this equation be made more equal? How can women get access to a more inclusive financial system and what needs to change? Forkast’s Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau speaks to Wendy Diamond who leads the Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization or WEDO, that is trying to solve these exact problems that women across the world face when it comes to accessing, participating and using the existing financial ecosystem.

Sep 12, 2022