Decentralized data aggregator Fluence Labs highlighted user uptake as the number one problem facing decentralized app (DApp) developers in a new survey released on Jan. 29. The DApp industry, which began using the Ethereum blockchain in 2017, has since grown to number around 1,800 products, according to listing resource DappRadar. Fluence notes that of the 900 projects they found that had contacts available, 160 projects filled out their survey. EOS and TRON have since risen to compete with Ethereum as host blockchains, the latter nonetheless still being home to 87 percent of DApps, Fluence says. More broadly, the climate for …

Crypto games are all the rage right now – but for all of the talk about collectibles one blockchain startup says there’s a key element which is being overlooked: skill. Ether Kingdoms believes gamers want more than an opportunity to collect virtual assets – and it has created an “exciting and engrossing game that can make real money for the player.” At the heart of its universe are imps – “the kingdom’s main workers and warriors.” They can go mining for IMP tokens – with one IMP equal to a warrior under your command. Each imp has distinctive characteristics, and …

Move over DC and Marvel: a fledgling company wants to create a comic book universe where crypto and blockchain are at its center – building an immersive experience for readers with a whole new suite of coveted collectibles. Tokenville says comics offer an exciting format for entertaining crypto enthusiasts, not to mention enlightening those who are new to the community. It also believes that non-fungible tokens and decentralized apps (DApps) mean this medium can become more interactive than ever before – meaning everything from comic book characters to strips (and even the front covers of issues) can become tokenized. Comic …

A new commissioner at U.S. regulator the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) repeated called for handling fintech – including blockchain and cryptocurrency – with an “open mind” in a speech Thursday, Oct. 25. Speaking at the 2018 International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) Annual Japan Conference in Tokyo, Rostin Behnam, who has now held the post for a year, revealed he had spent much of that time focusing on issues related to disruptive fintech. “I am surprised by the amount of time I spent examining issues related to bitcoin, crypto assets, distributed ledger technology (DLT), artificial intelligence, and cloud-based programming,” …

An Australia-based digital entertainment company with a global audience of 350 million gamers is turning its attention to blockchain as it launches its first cryptocurrency-based web game. iCandy Interactive says CryptantCrab is a player versus player (PVP) game that offers “artistically designed crabs for players to collect, mutate, battle, and trade.” Each CryptantCrab is unique and individual to the players – as well as tamper-proof – a concept that the developer believes will ensure the game is “uncheatable.” Crabs can be mutated ahead of battles, and every triumph is duly recorded on the blockchain. It is estimated that more than …

Taiwanese electronics company HTC has announced the presale of its widely-discussed blockchain smartphone, Exodus 1, the product’s official Twitter account reveals Oct. 23. The Exodus 1 presale was officially announced today during the Web3 summit, taking place Oct. 22-24 in Berlin. According to the HTC Exodus website, “early access” to the phone can currently only be purchased via Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH), and is available to 34 regions, including the U.S., U.K. and Hong Kong. At press time, pre-orders for the Exodus 1 are listed at around $960 (0.15 BTC or 4.78 ETH), with shipping date stated as December …

The interview has been edited and condensed. Nouriel Roubini is a New York-based economist that famously predicted the 2008 financial crisis when only a few considered there might be a threat to the existing course of events at the time. A Harvard alumnus and now a professor at NYU Stern School of Business, Mr. Roubini has always been critical of the crypto and blockchain industry. Oct.11, 2018 he testified at the Congressional hearing on Capitol Hill, Washington D.C., warning U.S. senators about “the mother or father of all scams and bubbles," — crypto. We met with Mr. Roubini during BlockShow …

For small indie game developers, the advent of Apple’s App Store and Google Play has proven to be both a blessing and a curse. While one-man bands were able to upstage some of the world’s largest game publishers initially – Flappy Bird, anyone? – established studios have started to catch up, with competition in the marketplace rife and high commission fees eating into already tight profit margins. However, a decentralized “crypto arcade playground” is hoping to help smaller creators survive and succeed by enabling them to target gamers through blockchain – giving them a chance to market and monetize their …

Opera is launching today a “Labs” special edition of its desktop web browser with built-in crypto wallet functionality, according to an exclusive blog post shared with Cointelegraph Monday, September 24. Opera first announced it would be integrating a built-in crypto wallet for its desktop browser in early August, and “Labs” is today open for private beta testers of Opera for Android. According to the blog post, the new edition will enable users to authenticate Web 3.0 and decentralized application (DApp) transactions made on their computer using their Android phone. “Labs” is therefore fully interoperable with the mobile crypto wallet that …

What are crypto collectibles? A crypto collectible is a digital asset. Unlike common tokens, which are identical and easily exchanged, crypto collectibles are non-fungible tokens. This is because their unique attributes mean that no two are the same, hence they are usually irreplaceable. There are a plethora of things that can be collected — from cats to celebrities, and from politicians to planets. In gaming environments, they can be swapped between players, and on other platforms, it’s possible to buy someone’s collectible without their permission — adding a competitive edge. Can money be made from digital collectibles? If you have …

A blockchain-based platform where crypto enthusiasts can own digital collectibles inspired by public figures is planning to open up its ecosystem to developers — in the hope that new games and competitions will be added to its burgeoning marketplace. MyCryptons launched in May 2018. The company has been developing its social media presence, and more than 2,000 tweets have been sent from its official Twitter account over recent months. These posts have often reflected topical events in the news, primarily the tumultuous state of politics in the United States. On its website, enthusiasts are given the chance to buy Cryptons. …

Litecoin (LTC) founder Charlie Lee tweeted July 29 that he will be an advisor for HTC’s new smartphone Exodus, which will support LTC and the Lightning Network (LN). In acknowledging Lee’s new advisory position, HTC tweeted: “One small step for @SatoshiLite. One giant leap for blockchain.” As previously reported by Cointelegraph, HTC is seeking to enter the crypto space with a mobile device that includes decentralized ledger technology (DLT), announcing the Exodus as “the first native blockchain phone” in May. In June, the company clarified that the Exodus will instead contain a cryptocurrency wallet that will support Bitcoin (BTC) and …