A blockchain-powered platform that allows content creators to reach its fans directly says it is broadening the choice of music, illustrations and webtoons it has on offer — improving both quality and quantity ahead of its launch. The debut of ContentsDeal has suffered from delays, but the company says its team is determined to get its offering online as soon as possible. Already, the platform says it has attracted an impressive ensemble of artists from South Korea and around the world — giving creatives a way of broadcasting their content to the masses while ensuring their copyright is protected. ContentsDeal …

A blockchain platform is enabling creators to share their music, videos and webtoons with the masses, all while ensuring that their copyright is protected. ContentsDeal says it aims to simplify the “complicated distribution structure” that is seen across the media world today, a structure which often means it can be difficult for talented artists to make a profit from their works. The company claims that an extensive range of Korean and global artists have gotten involved with its platform so far, delivering exclusive, limited-edition content to fans. Changing tune According to ContentsDeal, the evolution of platforms such as YouTube and …

A payments and cryptocurrency platform offering a Visa card that can be used anywhere has unveiled a range of cashback benefits designed to attract modern consumers and frequent travelers. Crypto.com says it now offers free Netflix and Spotify subscriptions to its MCO Visa Card holders. Users who pay for their subscription with the MCO Visa Card can receive a 100 percent rebate on the cost of their plan, dependent on the type of card they have signed up for. The platform is also offering 10 percent rebate on Expedia bookings to customers with the top two tiers of its five-tier …

A new blockchain-powered platform, combining streaming services and digital payments, aims to pay musicians 80 percent of the streaming revenue from their tracks, such as subscription services and advertising revenue — more than is reported to be standard practice. Choon, a recently launched blockchain-based platform, describes itself as “the blockchain’s music solution.” In essence, every time a track is played, the artist earns cryptocurrency. This could, in turn, eliminate another major problem that Choon has highlighted with regular artist royalty systems: as payment is daily, there will no longer be extended wait periods for artists to see a financial return …

A new report by the Berklee College of Music and the Institute of Creative Entrepreneurship Rethink Music estimates that around 20 to 50 percent of money generated by streaming is never returned to the artists. The initiative proposed the blockchain as a solution to tally the transactions and provide greater transparency. Royalties The report analyzed the costs that are distributed between parties that contribute in the distribution of music. “Of the $15 billion in global recorded music revenue for sound recordings reported by the IFPI for 2014, only a small portion of the money beyond the initial recording advances ultimately …