Monument

monument

The incredible feat of finishing its CoinList community auction in a record-breaking 17 minutes was revealed by , a decentralized personal data platform. Raising an incredible $8,750,000. This was more than just your typical initial coin offering (ICO) sale; it was a sign of the world's confidence and interest in the project. Masa Unprecedented Demand: A Trusted Community's Decision With a 6.4-fold oversubscription, the Community Sale quickly gained legendary status. It's evident that the world is prepared for a shift in the handling and value of personal data, since just 6% of candidates were able to obtain their MASA Tokens. The first token allocation to the selected participants will soon be distributed, ushering in a new era on or around April 11, 2024. Masa "Our community's trust in Masa's vision is reaffirmed by the overwhelming response," stated Calanthia Mei, co-founder of Masa Network. Masa is a symbol of being empowered, allowing people to control, share, and profit from their personal data in a time when data is valuable. Masa's Role in Shaping the Future Fundamentally, Masa wants to end big tech's present stranglehold on data. Zero-Knowledge Soulbound Tokens, for example, are one of Masa's creative ideas that are opening the door to a future where people own their data. Masa has strong alliances and a roadmap full of opportunities to support this aim. Building a New Data Economy Masa's journey since August 2022 has been remarkable, gathering over 1.3 million unique wallets and making significant strides in the personal data network space. Backed by top investors and incubators, Masa is not just dreaming of a new data economy—it's actively building it. Final Thoughts on Masa Network The CoinList community auction by Masa Network is notable not just for its speedy completion but also for its strategic significance in the context of decentralized personal data management and the emerging digital economy. This occurrence marks a paradigm change toward user empowerment and privacy-first rules in the handling, value, and perception of personal data. The auction itself lasted a very brief 17 minutes! This emphasizes the importance of data ownership and privacy as well as the tremendous demand for MASA tokens! The dedication to growing throughout several blockchain networks indicates a deeper comprehension of accessibility and interoperability, which are critical for the general acceptance and usefulness of MASA currencies.  Zero-Knowledge Soulbound Tokens (zkSBTs), a vital technological advancement that exemplifies the company's commitment to privacy, allow customers to safeguard their data footprint without compromising usability or accessibility. A thorough understanding of the intricate regulatory environment controlling digital assets and personal information is evident in the transaction's KYC/AML and regulatory compliance procedures. These procedures are required to guarantee the platform's long-term viability and acceptance in international marketplaces, even though they could restrict involvement in particular industries. Compliance and Web3 go hand in hand in 2024! The successful community auction that Masa Network conducted on CoinList is a significant step toward creating a digital society that puts security, fairness, and user-centricity first! Howdy! Wonderful! The statement highlights the growing recognition of the importance of personal data and the need for platforms that allow individuals to claim ownership of their data and get compensation for it. The network's growth and transformation are establishing the benchmark for the transition to a decentralized, user-driven internet. Don’t forget to like and share the story! This author is an independent contributor publishing via our brand-as-author program. Be it through direct compensation, media partnerships, or networking, the author has a vested interest in the company/ies mentioned in this story. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR Vested Interest Disclosure:

Masa's Monumental Milestone: $8.75 Million Raised in Lightning Round

মাসার মনুমেন্টাল মাইলফলক: বাজ রাউন্ডে $8.75 মিলিয়ন

Masas monumentaler Meilenstein: 8,75 Millionen US-Dollar in Blitzrunde gesammelt

El hito monumental de Masa: $8,75 millones recaudados en una ronda relámpago

L'étape monumentale de Masa : 8,75 millions de dollars levés lors d'un tour de table éclair

मासा का स्मारकीय मील का पत्थर: लाइटनिंग राउंड में $8.75 मिलियन जुटाए गए

マサの記念碑的なマイルストーン: ライトニングラウンドで 875 万ドルを調達

Masa의 기념비적인 이정표: 라이트닝 라운드에서 875만 달러 모금

Marco monumental de Masa: US$ 8,75 milhões arrecadados na rodada relâmpago

Монументальная веха Масы: 8,75 миллиона долларов собрано в молниеносном раунде

Masa'nın Anıtsal Kilometre Taşı: Yıldırım Turunda Toplanan 8,75 Milyon Dolar

Cột mốc quan trọng của Masa: 8,75 triệu đô la được huy động trong vòng Lightning

Masa 的里程碑：闪电轮融资 875 万美元

OpenAI’s GPT-4 Turbo Changes the Future of AI with Unprecedented Capabilities and Affordability In a landmark event for artificial intelligence, OpenAI’s developer conference saw the unveiling of , the latest iteration of the groundbreaking AI model, GPT-4. OpenAI has taken a giant leap forward with a model that promises enhanced power and cost-efficiency, setting a new standard for the AI industry. GPT-4 Turbo Let’s see what was presented by OpenAI: Text and Image Comprehension GPT-4 Turbo differentiates itself with two distinctive versions: a text-centric analyzer and a cutting-edge variant proficient in interpreting both text and imagery. The text-analyzing model is already accessible via API in preview form, and plans for the release of both versions are on the horizon in the upcoming weeks. Competitive Pricing for Pioneering Performance GPT-4 Turbo is competitively priced at $0.01 per 1,000 input tokens (approximately 750 words) and $0.03 per 1,000 output tokens. The pricing structure for the image-processing capability of GPT-4 Turbo will be contingent on image dimensions, marking a strategic shift in OpenAI’s pricing paradigm. The improved model offers more value, while even the enhanced GPT-3.5 comes at a lower cost than the base model of its earlier version. By the way, I’ll be reviewing the new features of GPT-4 Turbo with tutorials on how to use it in my weekly newsletter .’ There, you can also find the newest and best ideas on how to use AI in your personal life and business. Subscribe, it’s absolutely free! ‘AI Hunters Enhanced Features for Developers and Enterprises OpenAI’s GPT-4 Turbo boasts a remarkable series of enhancements: An extended context length of 128K tokens, capable of handling the equivalent of 365 book pages without losing track of the text. Improved precision in dealing with lengthy texts. A developer-friendly feature allowing for JSON-formatted responses. The capability to invoke multiple functions concurrently. Generation seed specification for output reproducibility. The upcoming addition of logprobs to the API. Built-in retrieval functionality, facilitating the direct incorporation of documents into the platform, is a boon for startups integrating functionalities like chatWithPDF. Knowledge Update and Image Input via API GPT-4 Turbo now encompasses knowledge up to April 2023, and it can process images through its API, enhancing its utility and scope significantly. The Synergy of DALL-E 3 and Text-to-Speech In tandem with the GPT-4 Turbo release, OpenAI introduced the integration of DALL-E 3 and text-to-speech capabilities with six distinct voices, expanding the creative horizons of the API. Fine-Tuning and Custom Models OpenAI has also rolled out fine-tuning for GPT-4, albeit to a select group of users initially. The Custom Models program underscores a commitment to collaborating with enterprises to tailor the fine-tuning process to specific business needs. UI Overhaul and Personalized Chatbots The UI for ChatGPT has undergone a significant transformation, now allowing the creation of specialized chatbots (GPTs). These can rely on prompts, auxiliary files, and a suite of tools and functions that can freely incorporate calls to external services, complete with authentication capabilities. Sharing and Monetization Users will soon be able to share their chatbots, granting access to specific scenarios such as medical appointments or Q&A sessions. The end of the month will witness the launch of GPT-store, a marketplace reminiscent of Apple's App Store, where developers can share their AI assistants post a human review and benefit from a revenue-sharing model. Interactive Demonstrations OpenAI showcased a bot capable of processing PDF ticket files and Airbnb bookings, displaying the information interactively on-screen. This functionality underscores not just the AI's intelligence but also its ability to interact with backend API functions, formulating responses based on the content it processes. Looking Ahead Promising even more acceleration in the near future, OpenAI is setting a rapid pace for advancements in AI. With the introduction of GPT-4 Turbo, OpenAI not only enhances the model's capabilities but also democratizes access to cutting-edge technology, paving the way for a new era of innovation and application in the field of artificial intelligence. P.S. Check out my previous articles on AI at HackerNoon: Essential Insights from 'State of AI 2023' GPT-4V Unveiled: From Detecting Emotions to Ordering Food - You Won't Believe What Else It Can Do! ChatGPT Now Speaks, Listens, and Understands: All You Need to Know Fine-Tuning for GPT-3.5 Turbo: AI Game Changer The Rise of AI Generated Films: Lights, Camera, Algorithm! NFT Marketing Guide - The Most Complete and Detailed Playbook 2023 ** Meta's 2023 Connect Conference: A Spotlight on Innovative AI Features

GPT-4 Turbo: The Most Monumental Update Since ChatGPT's Debut!

GPT-4 Turbo: ChatGPT-এর আত্মপ্রকাশের পর থেকে সবচেয়ে স্মৃতিময় আপডেট!

GPT-4 Turbo: Das monumentalste Update seit dem Debüt von ChatGPT!

GPT-4 Turbo: ¡La actualización más monumental desde el debut de ChatGPT!

GPT-4 Turbo : la mise à jour la plus monumentale depuis les débuts de ChatGPT !

GPT-4 टर्बो: ChatGPT की शुरुआत के बाद से सबसे बड़ा अपडेट!

GPT-4 Turbo: ChatGPT のデビュー以来、最も記念すべきアップデート!

GPT-4 Turbo: ChatGPT 데뷔 이후 가장 기념비적인 업데이트!

GPT-4 Turbo: a atualização mais monumental desde a estreia do ChatGPT!

GPT-4 Turbo: самое грандиозное обновление со времени дебюта ChatGPT!

GPT-4 Turbo: ChatGPT'nin İlk Çıkışından Bu Yana En Devasa Güncelleme!

GPT-4 Turbo: Bản cập nhật hoành tráng nhất kể từ khi ChatGPT ra mắt!

GPT-4 Turbo：自 ChatGPT 首次亮相以来最具里程碑意义的更新！

The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories by Mark Twain, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . A MONUMENT TO ADAM here A MONUMENT TO ADAM Some one has revealed to the that I once suggested to Rev. Thomas K. Beecher, of Elmira, New York, that we get up a monument to Adam, and that Mr. Beecher favored the project. There is more to it than that. The matter started as a joke, but it came somewhat near to materializing. Tribune It is long ago—thirty years. Mr. Darwin's has been in print five or six years, and the storm of indignation raised by it was still raging in pulpits and periodicals. In tracing the genesis of the human race back to its sources, Mr. Darwin had left Adam out altogether. We had monkeys, and “missing links,” and plenty of other kinds of ancestors, but no Adam. Jesting with Mr. Beecher and other friends in Elmira, I said there seemed to be a likelihood that the world would discard Adam and accept the monkey, and that in the course of time Adam's very name would be forgotten in the earth; therefore this calamity ought to be averted; a monument would accomplish this, and Elmira ought not to waste this honorable opportunity to do Adam a favor and herself a credit. Descent of Man Then the unexpected happened. Two bankers came forward and took hold of the matter—not for fun, not for sentiment, but because they saw in the monument certain commercial advantages for the town. The project had seemed gently humorous before—it was more than that now, with this stern business gravity injected into it. The bankers discussed the monument with me. We met several times. They proposed an indestructible memorial, to cost twenty-five thousand dollars. The insane oddity of a monument set up in a village to preserve a name that would outlast the hills and the rocks without any such help, would advertise Elmira to the ends of the earth—and draw custom. It would be the only monument on the planet to Adam, and in the matter of interest and impressiveness could never have a rival until somebody should set up a monument to the Milky Way. People would come from every corner of the globe and stop off to look at it, no tour of the world would be complete that left out Adam's monument. Elmira would be a Mecca; there would be pilgrim ships at pilgrim rates, pilgrim specials on the continent's railways; libraries would be written about the monument, every tourist would kodak it, models of it would be for sale everywhere in the earth, its form would become as familiar as the figure of Napoleon. One of the bankers subscribed five thousand dollars, and I think the other one subscribed half as much, but I do not remember with certainty now whether that was the figure or not. We got designs made—some of them came from Paris. In the beginning—as a detail of the project when it was yet a joke—I had framed a humble and beseeching and perfervid petition to Congress begging the government to build the monument, as a testimony of the Great Republic's gratitude to the Father of the Human Race and as a token of her loyalty to him in this dark day of humiliation when his older children were doubting and deserting him. It seemed to me that this petition ought to be presented, now—it would be widely and feelingly abused and ridiculed and cursed, and would advertise our scheme and make our ground-floor stock go off briskly. So I sent it to General Joseph R. Hawley, who was then in the House, and he said he would present it. But he did not do it. I think he explained that when he came to read it he was afraid of it: it was too serious, to gushy, too sentimental—the House might take it for earnest. We ought to have carried out our monument scheme; we could have managed it without any great difficulty, and Elmira would now be the most celebrated town in the universe. Very recently I began to build a book in which one of the minor characters touches incidentally upon a project for a monument to Adam, and now the has come upon a trace of the forgotten jest of thirty years ago. Apparently mental telegraphy is still in business. It is odd; but the freaks of mental telegraphy are usually odd. Tribune About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Mark Twain (2004). The $30,000 Bequest, and Other Stories. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/142/pg142-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

A MONUMENT TO ADAM

As AI continues to integrate into cybersecurity frameworks, business processes and critical infrastructure, understanding and addressing its unique security risks is crucial for effective risk management. Just as the Pyramid of Pain has provided a structured way to measure the impact and difficulty of disrupting cyberattacks, the Security Pyramid of AI offers a similar framework for evaluating and mitigating the increasing challenges posed by AI-driven systems. Each layer of this pyramid represents a different set of vulnerabilities, escalating in complexity and severity, which security teams must prioritize to protect the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of AI assets. By understanding these layers, CISOs and security leaders can better align their risk mitigation strategies with the evolving AI threat landscape. Let’s explore this concept, layer by layer. AI Model Output Manipulation (Low Pain) At the base of the pyramid, we encounter the easiest-to-address attacks: manipulating AI model outputs. These involve tricking AI models into making incorrect predictions or classifications by making subtle changes to inputs. For example, an adversarial image may fool a visual recognition system by introducing barely perceptible distortions, or misleading text queries may deceive a natural language model into outputting incorrect or harmful responses. While these attacks can affect the performance of AI systems, they are often easier to identify and mitigate. Defenders can detect output anomalies and retrain models with augmented data to improve resilience. Compared to more complex threats, the response is relatively straightforward. Data Poisoning (Moderate Pain) Data poisoning represents a more significant threat: corrupting the data on which the AI model is trained. This can involve introducing incorrect, mislabeled, or malicious data into the training set, causing the model to make biased or harmful predictions. A successful data poisoning attack can degrade the model’s performance in specific areas, such as reducing its ability to detect spam or identify malware. While it’s more challenging than output manipulation, defending against data poisoning is still manageable. By implementing strict data validation processes and continuously monitoring for inconsistencies, defenders can reduce the risk. However, cleaning and retraining the model requires more effort than addressing output manipulation. Model Evasion/Bypass (Moderate to High Pain) Model evasion or bypass occurs when attackers craft inputs that escape detection by AI-powered security systems. This is particularly concerning in areas like AI-driven malware detection or intrusion detection systems. Attackers may make small tweaks to evade detection, leaving defenders scrambling to keep up. The challenge here is that adversaries need only minimal modifications to bypass AI models, while defenders must continuously evolve their detection algorithms. Each bypass increases the difficulty, as detection thresholds need refinement without introducing false positives. Model inversion attacks are more sophisticated. They involve extracting sensitive information from AI models, such as identifying whether a specific data point was part of the training set. This could allow attackers to reverse-engineer private or proprietary data, violating privacy and confidentiality. Model inversion is difficult to detect and mitigate. It often requires implementing privacy-preserving techniques like differential privacy or training models with limited data exposure. These approaches add complexity to AI development and reduce performance, making this a high-impact challenge for defenders. Model Theft/Reverse Engineering (High to Severe Pain) The next layer, model theft or reverse engineering, is a critical issue for AI-driven companies. Here, adversaries steal the AI model’s architecture or weights through techniques like API probing. Once stolen, they can replicate the model’s functionality, undermining the value of intellectual property and giving attackers insight into potential vulnerabilities. Preventing model theft requires robust API security and obfuscation techniques to hide the internal workings of the model. However, the difficulty is immense, as even with protections in place, attackers may still find ways to replicate proprietary systems, leading to severe consequences for businesses that rely on AI innovation. AI Supply Chain Attack (Severe Pain) At the top of the AI Security Pyramid of Pain, we have the most challenging and damaging threat: AI supply chain attacks. These involve compromising the development, deployment, or update process of AI systems, such as introducing vulnerabilities into pre-trained models or injecting malicious code into AI frameworks. AI supply chain attacks have the potential to compromise entire AI ecosystems. Mitigating these risks requires securing the entire AI development pipeline, from sourcing third-party tools to auditing open-source components. This is a monumental task, and a successful supply chain attack can render even the most secure AI systems vulnerable, leading to catastrophic consequences. Why This Pyramid Matters: Just as in traditional cybersecurity, understanding the layers of difficulty in securing AI systems helps us prioritize defenses. At the lower levels, threats are easier to detect and mitigate, but as we move up the pyramid, the complexity, and impact of attacks grow exponentially. Building resilience against AI security risks requires a comprehensive approach that spans from defending against adversarial examples to securing the entire AI supply chain. As AI systems become more prevalent, understanding the spectrum of risks associated with their use is critical. The “Security Pyramid of AI” provides a proposed framework for thinking about these risks, helping defenders focus their efforts where they are needed most. By recognizing and addressing each layer of this pyramid, we can work towards a more secure and resilient AI future. As AI continues to integrate into cybersecurity frameworks, business processes and critical infrastructure, understanding and addressing its unique security risks is crucial for effective risk management. Just as the Pyramid of Pain has provided a structured way to measure the impact and difficulty of disrupting cyberattacks, the Security Pyramid of AI offers a similar framework for evaluating and mitigating the increasing challenges posed by AI-driven systems. Each layer of this pyramid represents a different set of vulnerabilities, escalating in complexity and severity, which security teams must prioritize to protect the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of AI assets. By understanding these layers, CISOs and security leaders can better align their risk mitigation strategies with the evolving AI threat landscape. Security Pyramid of AI Security Pyramid of AI Let’s explore this concept, layer by layer. AI Model Output Manipulation (Low Pain) AI Model Output Manipulation (Low Pain) At the base of the pyramid, we encounter the easiest-to-address attacks: manipulating AI model outputs. These involve tricking AI models into making incorrect predictions or classifications by making subtle changes to inputs. For example, an adversarial image may fool a visual recognition system by introducing barely perceptible distortions, or misleading text queries may deceive a natural language model into outputting incorrect or harmful responses. While these attacks can affect the performance of AI systems, they are often easier to identify and mitigate. Defenders can detect output anomalies and retrain models with augmented data to improve resilience. Compared to more complex threats, the response is relatively straightforward. Data Poisoning (Moderate Pain) Data Poisoning (Moderate Pain) Data poisoning represents a more significant threat: corrupting the data on which the AI model is trained. This can involve introducing incorrect, mislabeled, or malicious data into the training set, causing the model to make biased or harmful predictions. A successful data poisoning attack can degrade the model’s performance in specific areas, such as reducing its ability to detect spam or identify malware. While it’s more challenging than output manipulation, defending against data poisoning is still manageable. By implementing strict data validation processes and continuously monitoring for inconsistencies, defenders can reduce the risk. However, cleaning and retraining the model requires more effort than addressing output manipulation. Model Evasion/Bypass (Moderate to High Pain) Model Evasion/Bypass (Moderate to High Pain) Model evasion or bypass occurs when attackers craft inputs that escape detection by AI-powered security systems. This is particularly concerning in areas like AI-driven malware detection or intrusion detection systems. Attackers may make small tweaks to evade detection, leaving defenders scrambling to keep up. The challenge here is that adversaries need only minimal modifications to bypass AI models, while defenders must continuously evolve their detection algorithms. Each bypass increases the difficulty, as detection thresholds need refinement without introducing false positives. Model inversion attacks are more sophisticated. They involve extracting sensitive information from AI models, such as identifying whether a specific data point was part of the training set. This could allow attackers to reverse-engineer private or proprietary data, violating privacy and confidentiality. Model inversion is difficult to detect and mitigate. It often requires implementing privacy-preserving techniques like differential privacy or training models with limited data exposure. These approaches add complexity to AI development and reduce performance, making this a high-impact challenge for defenders. Model Theft/Reverse Engineering (High to Severe Pain) Model Theft/Reverse Engineering (High to Severe Pain) The next layer, model theft or reverse engineering, is a critical issue for AI-driven companies. Here, adversaries steal the AI model’s architecture or weights through techniques like API probing. Once stolen, they can replicate the model’s functionality, undermining the value of intellectual property and giving attackers insight into potential vulnerabilities. Preventing model theft requires robust API security and obfuscation techniques to hide the internal workings of the model. However, the difficulty is immense, as even with protections in place, attackers may still find ways to replicate proprietary systems, leading to severe consequences for businesses that rely on AI innovation. AI Supply Chain Attack (Severe Pain) AI Supply Chain Attack (Severe Pain) At the top of the AI Security Pyramid of Pain, we have the most challenging and damaging threat: AI supply chain attacks. These involve compromising the development, deployment, or update process of AI systems, such as introducing vulnerabilities into pre-trained models or injecting malicious code into AI frameworks. AI supply chain attacks have the potential to compromise entire AI ecosystems. Mitigating these risks requires securing the entire AI development pipeline, from sourcing third-party tools to auditing open-source components. This is a monumental task, and a successful supply chain attack can render even the most secure AI systems vulnerable, leading to catastrophic consequences. Why This Pyramid Matters: Why This Pyramid Matters: Just as in traditional cybersecurity, understanding the layers of difficulty in securing AI systems helps us prioritize defenses. At the lower levels, threats are easier to detect and mitigate, but as we move up the pyramid, the complexity, and impact of attacks grow exponentially. Building resilience against AI security risks requires a comprehensive approach that spans from defending against adversarial examples to securing the entire AI supply chain. As AI systems become more prevalent, understanding the spectrum of risks associated with their use is critical. The “Security Pyramid of AI” provides a proposed framework for thinking about these risks, helping defenders focus their efforts where they are needed most. By recognizing and addressing each layer of this pyramid, we can work towards a more secure and resilient AI future. “Security Pyramid of AI” “Security Pyramid of AI”

 The Security Pyramid of AI

Donald Trump, $80k Bitcoin and the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

If you haven’t read The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Highs, Finding What? (Part 1), it delves into the challenges I faced as a digital nomad — the lack of stability, absence of community, and the constant stress and fatigue. A key takeaway is my suggestion that “digital homeless” might be a more fitting term for digital nomads. I end by comparing today’s nomads to historical figures like Mountain Hermits and Monastic Wanderers, who also led lives of solitude and self-reliance. Read <Part 1> The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Adventure, Finding What? on Hackernoon! [Click Here.] <Part 2> The common thread that ties digital nomads, Christian monks, and Buddhist monks together is that they all leave their hometowns in pursuit of greater enlightenment and growth. For someone like my parents, watching their daughter constantly pursue challenges can be concerning. Yet, traveling as a digital nomad has been incredibly meaningful for self-discovery and personal growth. Before beginning this journey, I struggled with anxiety rooted in self-consciousness. I was the type of girl who loved popcorn but would skip it when at the theater alone, worried about what strangers might think if they saw me in line by myself. I’d even wait until the theater emptied out to shyly grab a bag on my way out. One unexpected advantage of having to work full-time while traveling is that you don’t really have the leisure to get swept up in all the local tourist attractions. Instead, you find small joys in visiting cafes where you can quietly observe locals while working, or by changing neighborhoods for an evening stroll each day to experience subtle differences in scenery. Contrary to the high-pitched dialogue often heard in Japanese anime, residential neighborhoods in Tokyo are always astonishingly quiet. In Siem Reap, children rummage through trash cans in search of necessities just a few kilometers away from one of the largest and most impressive religious monuments. In Asia’s most liberal city, Bangkok, located in the only country to have legalized cannabis, a less hipster and more capitalistic, and self-conscious scene can be observed, with people waiting their turn at beauty clinics as late as 9 PM. Meanwhile, in Bali, locals begin and end their day with religious rituals, with every store and accommodation advertising their fast Wi-Fi speeds. In Philadelphia, some cafes do not provide Wi-Fi or even allow laptop use, yet still manage to thrive. Seeing such differences in real-life cultures all over the world leads to the questioning of how much of who I am was shaped by the culture and environment I grew up in, this journey becomes a time of introspection. Traveling is the culture and community that shaped a significant part of my identity disappearing right before my eyes. I start asking myself, “Who am I without my culture?” and “What are my fundamental traits?” And from city to the next, the answers to these questions about myself slowly unveil. Who am I without my culture? There’s a unique liberation that comes with exploring “me” in a foreign country. Here, everyone sheds their familiar identity and becomes a foreigner, free from their usual roles and expectations. The term “foreigner” means “a person who does not belong to a particular group or community.” You’re not the hometown girl, recognized by her daily iced black coffee, or the guy who’s known for his DIY car washes since he moved in last year. Instead, you’re simply you, stripped down to the essentials, unbound by the routines and labels from home. One of the greatest advantages of traveling to many places is adopting the mindset of “I am a foreigner anyway.” This mentality of inherently “being different” is freeing. Although we are always unique individuals, experiencing multiple cultures and their contrasts makes this truth resonate deeply. Realizing that no two communities are identical and that we don’t need to conform to any single one allows us to uncover our true nature and personality. As innate social animals, we’ve grown accustomed to communal life over thousands of years. In Eastern cultures, where communal living is especially valued, we sometimes overlook a key fact: communities are composed of individuals, each with unique traits. Often, we subconsciously prioritize the identity of the community over our own, hesitating to adopt beliefs or behaviors that set us apart. As a foreigner passing through an area briefly, it’s rare to get much attention from locals, apart from the enthusiastic promotions of bar promoters. This freedom of not being seen, to simply blend into the background, is liberating and accelerates your self-discovery by giving you more space to allow yourself to be who you are. This is entirely different from wearing a bikini on the streets in Southeast Asia after wearing Confucian-style clothing in your home country. The initial adventurous spirit of arriving in a new place fades, and it’s in the period when you’ve grown somewhat familiar with the place but still don’t belong to the community that you start to see your authentic self emerge. In various cities across the world, I encountered my intrinsic kindness. Even when I didn’t care about how I might be seen to others, and was under a massive amount of stress, I remained kind to others. My shyness was replaced with lengthy conversations with cab drivers. This new found self became a source of strength and uplifted me in ways I hadn’t expected. Language barrier was surprisingly not much of a discomfort, but a factor that helped with self-discovery. How much do the words and sounds we hear around us everyday influence our thoughts? Even last weekend, while hiking in the utter peace of nature, I passed by a group discussing the housing prices of Seoul. Under the clear sky, their conversation made blurred my future into darkness. Koreans, as a whole, seem particularly focused on wealth and the economy, with a strong drive toward accumulating wealth. Since my only financial planning involves saving whatever is left after impulsively spending my salary, hearing these conversations makes me feel on the verge of a panic attack. Additionally, I’m often greeted by a YouTube ad playing the moment I get in although I pay for each ride. Just how much do the words and sounds around us in daily life influence our state of mind In this day and age, exposure to materialistic and consumerist attitudes and media isn’t an experience exclusive to my home country. However, in a foreign country, all advertisements and other people’s conversations just come across as noise, so even if I was exposed to them, I wasn’t really impacted by them. Of course, just because I can’t understand the language around me doesn’t mean that the influence of the culture I’ve lived in for decades simply disappears. Even in the laid-back atmosphere of Southeast Asia, I still found myself prioritizing efficiency and speed — like a true Korean. But when the surrounding noise faded, I began to hear an authentic voice within me — a voice I couldn’t hear as clearly back in Korea. It was the desire to pursue art and creative work, so I began writing again. Traveling to different places felt almost like being free of a past, and therefore your age. Perhaps it’s because, as a foreigner, you’re somewhat invisible, not part of that community’s recorded history — only by staying long enough, by becoming a familiar face, might you start to leave a mark. Or maybe it’s because the places woven into the history of my life are out of sight, and all I see is ‘new’ around me. Anyways, with the emergence of the unique voice inside me, I also stopped feeling so self-conscious of my age. The self-doubt that normally would have risen with the emergence of my authentic voice subdued in the seeming absence of the history it was born from. But the best part of being a digital nomad didn’t strike me until it was over.. I’ll tell you guys everything about it in Part 3, next week.. Thanks for reading If you haven’t read The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Highs, Finding What? (Part 1) , it delves into the challenges I faced as a digital nomad — the lack of stability, absence of community, and the constant stress and fatigue. A key takeaway is my suggestion that “digital homeless” might be a more fitting term for digital nomads. I end by comparing today’s nomads to historical figures like Mountain Hermits and Monastic Wanderers, who also led lives of solitude and self-reliance. The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Highs, Finding What? (Part 1) Read <Part 1> The Reality of Digital Nomads: Chasing Adventure, Finding What? on Hackernoon! [ Click Here .] Click Here <Part 2> The common thread that ties digital nomads, Christian monks, and Buddhist monks together is that they all leave their hometowns in pursuit of greater enlightenment and growth. For someone like my parents, watching their daughter constantly pursue challenges can be concerning. Yet, traveling as a digital nomad has been incredibly meaningful for self-discovery and personal growth . Before beginning this journey, I struggled with anxiety rooted in self-consciousness. I was the type of girl who loved popcorn but would skip it when at the theater alone, worried about what strangers might think if they saw me in line by myself. I’d even wait until the theater emptied out to shyly grab a bag on my way out. self-discovery personal growth anxiety self-consciousness. I was the type of girl who loved popcorn but would skip it when at the theater alone, worried about what strangers might think if they saw me in line by myself. I’d even wait until the theater emptied out to shyly grab a bag on my way out. One unexpected advantage of having to work full-time while traveling is that you don’t really have the leisure to get swept up in all the local tourist attractions. Instead, you find small joys in visiting cafes where you can quietly observe locals while working, or by changing neighborhoods for an evening stroll each day to experience subtle differences in scenery. Contrary to the high-pitched dialogue often heard in Japanese anime, residential neighborhoods in Tokyo are always astonishingly quiet. In Siem Reap , children rummage through trash cans in search of necessities just a few kilometers away from one of the largest and most impressive religious monuments. In Asia’s most liberal city, Bangkok , located in the only country to have legalized cannabis, a less hipster and more capitalistic, and self-conscious scene can be observed, with people waiting their turn at beauty clinics as late as 9 PM. Meanwhile, in Bali , locals begin and end their day with religious rituals, with every store and accommodation advertising their fast Wi-Fi speeds. In Philadelphia , some cafes do not provide Wi-Fi or even allow laptop use, yet still manage to thrive. visiting cafes evening stroll Tokyo Siem Reap Bangkok Bali Philadelphia Seeing such differences in real-life cultures all over the world leads to the questioning of how much of who I am was shaped by the culture and environment I grew up in, this journey becomes a time of introspection. Traveling is the culture and community that shaped a significant part of my identity disappearing right before my eyes. I start asking myself, “Who am I without my culture?” and “What are my fundamental traits? ” And from city to the next, the answers to these questions about myself slowly unveil. “Who am I without my culture?” “What are my fundamental traits? Who am I without my culture? Who am I without my culture? Who am I without my culture? There’s a unique liberation that comes with exploring “me” in a foreign country. Here, everyone sheds their familiar identity and becomes a foreigner, free from their usual roles and expectations. The term “foreigner” means “a person who does not belong to a particular group or community.” You’re not the hometown girl, recognized by her daily iced black coffee, or the guy who’s known for his DIY car washes since he moved in last year. Instead, you’re simply you, stripped down to the essentials, unbound by the routines and labels from home. foreigner, you, One of the greatest advantages of traveling to many places is adopting the mindset of “I am a foreigner anyway.” This mentality of inherently “ being different” is freeing. Although we are always unique individuals, experiencing multiple cultures and their contrasts makes this truth resonate deeply. Realizing that no two communities are identical and that we don’t need to conform to any single one allows us to uncover our true nature and personality. being different” multiple cultures and their contrasts As innate social animals, we’ve grown accustomed to communal life over thousands of years. In Eastern cultures, where communal living is especially valued, we sometimes overlook a key fact: communities are composed of individuals, each with unique traits. Often, we subconsciously prioritize the identity of the community over our own, hesitating to adopt beliefs or behaviors that set us apart. As a foreigner passing through an area briefly, it’s rare to get much attention from locals, apart from the enthusiastic promotions of bar promoters. This freedom of not being seen, to simply blend into the background, is liberating and accelerates your self-discovery by giving you more space to allow yourself to be who you are. This freedom of not being seen, to simply blend into the background, is liberating and accelerates your self-discovery by giving you more space to allow yourself to be who you are. This is entirely different from wearing a bikini on the streets in Southeast Asia after wearing Confucian-style clothing in your home country. The initial adventurous spirit of arriving in a new place fades, and it’s in the period when you’ve grown somewhat familiar with the place but still don’t belong to the community that you start to see your authentic self emerge. In various cities across the world, I encountered my intrinsic kindness. Even when I didn’t care about how I might be seen to others, and was under a massive amount of stress, I remained kind to others. My shyness was replaced with lengthy conversations with cab drivers. This new found self became a source of strength and uplifted me in ways I hadn’t expected. In various cities across the world, I encountered my intrinsic kindness. Even when I didn’t care about how I might be seen to others, and was under a massive amount of stress, I remained kind to others. My shyness was replaced with lengthy conversations with cab drivers. This new found self became a source of strength and uplifted me in ways I hadn’t expected. Language barrier was surprisingly not much of a discomfort, but a factor that helped with self-discovery. How much do the words and sounds we hear around us everyday influence our thoughts? Even last weekend, while hiking in the utter peace of nature, I passed by a group discussing the housing prices of Seoul. Under the clear sky, their conversation made blurred my future into darkness. Koreans, as a whole, seem particularly focused on wealth and the economy, with a strong drive toward accumulating wealth. Since my only financial planning involves saving whatever is left after impulsively spending my salary, hearing these conversations makes me feel on the verge of a panic attack. Additionally, I’m often greeted by a YouTube ad playing the moment I get in although I pay for each ride. Language barrier Just how much do the words and sounds around us in daily life influence our state of mind Just how much do the words and sounds around us in daily life influence our state of mind Just how much do the words and sounds around us in daily life influence our state of mind In this day and age, exposure to materialistic and consumerist attitudes and media isn’t an experience exclusive to my home country. However, in a foreign country, all advertisements and other people’s conversations just come across as noise, so even if I was exposed to them, I wasn’t really impacted by them. Of course, just because I can’t understand the language around me doesn’t mean that the influence of the culture I’ve lived in for decades simply disappears. Even in the laid-back atmosphere of Southeast Asia, I still found myself prioritizing efficiency and speed — like a true Korean. But when the surrounding noise faded, I began to hear an authentic voice within me — a voice I couldn’t hear as clearly back in Korea. It was the desire to pursue art and creative work, so I began writing again. authentic voice within me Traveling to different places felt almost like being free of a past, and therefore your age. Perhaps it’s because, as a foreigner, you’re somewhat invisible, not part of that community’s recorded history — only by staying long enough, by becoming a familiar face, might you start to leave a mark. Or maybe it’s because the places woven into the history of my life are out of sight, and all I see is ‘new’ around me. Anyways, with the emergence of the unique voice inside me, I also stopped feeling so self-conscious of my age. The self-doubt that normally would have risen with the emergence of my authentic voice subdued in the seeming absence of the history it was born from. But the best part of being a digital nomad didn’t strike me until it was over.. But the best part of being a digital nomad didn’t strike me until it was over.. I’ll tell you guys everything about it in Part 3, next week.. Thanks for reading

The Reality of Digital Nomads: Defying Sight and Sound

<Deel 2> Die realiteit van digitale nomades: trotseer sig en klank

<Част 2> Реалността на дигиталните номади: противопоставяне на зрението и звука

<পর্ব 2> ডিজিটাল যাযাবরের বাস্তবতা: দৃষ্টি ও শব্দকে অস্বীকার করা

<Parte 2> La realidad de los nómadas digitales: desafiando la vista y el oído

<Drugi dio> Stvarnost digitalnih nomada: prkoseći vidu i zvuku

<第2部> デジタル遊牧民の現実：視覚と聴覚を無視

<2-бөлүк> Санариптик көчмөндөрдүн чындыгы: Көрүү жана үнгө каршы

<2 dalis> Skaitmeninių klajoklių realybė: nepaisyti vaizdo ir garso

<Część 2> Rzeczywistość cyfrowych nomadów: rzucanie wyzwania wzrokowi i słuchowi

<Chikamu 2> Chokwadi cheDigital Nomads: Kuzvidza Kuona uye Kunzwika

<Частина 2> Реальність цифрових кочівників: заперечення зору та звуку

<پارٹ 2> ڈیجیٹل خانہ بدوشوں کی حقیقت: نظر اور آواز کی مخالفت

When I first set out on the entrepreneurial path, I had one goal: success. But after diving headfirst into the world of search funds and high-stakes startups, I found myself frustrated, drained, and questioning everything I’d come to believe about entrepreneurship. It wasn’t just that I wasn’t seeing the progress I’d envisioned—it was more personal. I felt like I was participating in a script that wasn’t written for me. My journey to create HalalFinanx wasn’t just about building a website; it was about reclaiming control, redefining success, and connecting to something meaningful. The Glamorous Illusion of Entrepreneurship Like many people, I was lured into entrepreneurship by the shiny allure of success stories and the promises of independence and financial freedom. Owning something, leading a team, and creating value sounded perfect. The search fund model was especially appealing, offering a structured path to find, acquire, and grow an existing business. It seemed like a straightforward formula with a lot of support. But as I dove deeper, the reality didn’t line up with the narrative. It felt like the supposed “freedom” of entrepreneurship was simply a myth, shackled by complex financial structures, endless pitching cycles, and a business environment that seemed more concerned with pleasing investors than creating something meaningful. I was constantly running from one “critical task” to another, but with no tangible progress. The whole structure of the search fund, built on layers of assumptions, started to feel like a game—and not the kind I wanted to play. The more I went, the more I felt like I was living someone else’s dream. I was chasing metrics that weren’t meaningful to me, jumping through hoops for outcomes that felt hollow. I started asking myself, “Is this what entrepreneurship is supposed to feel like?” I wanted out, but I didn’t know where to turn. Finding a New Path – The Birth of HalalFinanx The turning point came when I realized that if I wanted real change, I had to start creating things that resonated with me, not just my bank account or a pitch deck. As a Muslim, I’ve always been interested in Islamic finance, especially the ethical approach it brings to wealth. However understanding the field and accessing resources can be a challenge. I thought, why not create something to make Islamic finance easier to understand? I’ll be honest—this wasn’t the kind of idea that was going to impress traditional investors or fit into the typical startup. But for the first time, I was excited about what I was working on. I saw a real gap, not in a theoretical market sense, but a gap in what people genuinely needed. HalalFinanx was my way of bringing Islamic finance to the digital age in a way that’s accessible, understandable, and useful. There was one small issue: my skills lie in the backend and data. I’ve built and structured plenty of systems, but front-end work? Design? User experience? That was all new territory. Still, I knew that if I didn’t push myself here, I’d be back where I started—stuck in a rut, relying on others to bring my vision to life. This time, I was going to be in control. Learning by Doing – Building HalalFinanx with Bolt.new To get HalalFinanx off the ground, I turned to Bolt.new, a product that allowed me to work in a framework even with my limited front-end knowledge. Building this project was intense. I’d spend late nights combing through design guides, trying to make sure the site looked decent and functioned smoothly. It was exhausting, but the work felt real. This wasn’t just a project to show a board or potential investors—it was something I cared about personally, and every element I worked on felt like it added to that sense of fulfilment. Sure, there were plenty of challenges. Frontend work, it turns out, isn’t just about knowing which elements go where—it’s an art form. I struggled with layout, design principles, and even simple user flows. There were days when I’d look at the site and think, “This isn’t working.” But rather than giving up or passing the task to someone else, I forced myself to learn. It was a series of trial and error of building, testing, and iterating. What kept me going was the vision of what HalalFinanx could become, and each small win felt monumental. Making a button work, fixing a colour scheme, aligning content so it made sense—all of these were tiny victories in a larger war. The backend developer in me was learning to appreciate the nuances of frontend work, and it was humbling. The Personal Impact of Creating HalalFinanx This journey with HalalFinanx wasn’t just about building a site it was about redefining what success and fulfilment meant to me. In the search fund and traditional startup world, everything had been about numbers, KPIs, and keeping the right people happy. Here, with HalalFinanx, I was finally creating something with a purpose that resonated with me on a personal level. Building a site to provide accessible Islamic finance information was meaningful, not because of the potential returns or scalability, but because it filled a need I felt deeply. Each piece of content, each design tweak, and each function was geared towards making something simple, clear, and beneficial to anyone seeking this kind of financial guidance. I wasn’t answering to anyone but myself and my users, and that was liberating in a way I hadn’t expected. On a personal level, I found myself rediscovering why I wanted to create in the first place. I wanted to build something that mattered, and HalalFinanx became that for me. Instead of chasing empty metrics, I was now chasing real feedback from real users. Each suggestion and piece of feedback helped me refine the site, making it not just a project, but an evolving resource. For the first time, I was thinking long-term, not about exits or acquisition targets, but about sustainability and relevance. Looking Forward – The Ongoing Journey of HalalFinanx I don’t know where HalalFinanx will be in five years, but I know I’m in it for the long run. This isn’t a project that I’ll drop at the first sign of difficulty or when the next big thing comes along. It’s a genuine part of me now, a blend of my skills, my values, and my aspirations. I’m constantly looking for ways to improve it, from gathering user feedback to exploring new resources and insights to share. This journey taught me that real entrepreneurship isn’t about the numbers on a spreadsheet or the approval of others. It’s about finding something that matters to you, something you’re willing to build from scratch, without shortcuts or compromises. HalalFinanx is still a work in progress, but it’s my work, and that’s what makes it worth every bit of effort. When I first set out on the entrepreneurial path, I had one goal: success. But after diving headfirst into the world of search funds and high-stakes startups, I found myself frustrated, drained, and questioning everything I’d come to believe about entrepreneurship. It wasn’t just that I wasn’t seeing the progress I’d envisioned—it was more personal. I felt like I was participating in a script that wasn’t written for me. My journey to create HalalFinanx wasn’t just about building a website; it was about reclaiming control, redefining success, and connecting to something meaningful. The Glamorous Illusion of Entrepreneurship Like many people, I was lured into entrepreneurship by the shiny allure of success stories and the promises of independence and financial freedom. Owning something, leading a team, and creating value sounded perfect. The search fund model was especially appealing, offering a structured path to find, acquire, and grow an existing business. It seemed like a straightforward formula with a lot of support. But as I dove deeper, the reality didn’t line up with the narrative. It felt like the supposed “freedom” of entrepreneurship was simply a myth, shackled by complex financial structures, endless pitching cycles, and a business environment that seemed more concerned with pleasing investors than creating something meaningful. I was constantly running from one “critical task” to another, but with no tangible progress. The whole structure of the search fund, built on layers of assumptions, started to feel like a game—and not the kind I wanted to play. The more I went, the more I felt like I was living someone else’s dream. I was chasing metrics that weren’t meaningful to me, jumping through hoops for outcomes that felt hollow. I started asking myself, “Is this what entrepreneurship is supposed to feel like?” I wanted out, but I didn’t know where to turn. Finding a New Path – The Birth of HalalFinanx The turning point came when I realized that if I wanted real change, I had to start creating things that resonated with me, not just my bank account or a pitch deck. As a Muslim, I’ve always been interested in Islamic finance, especially the ethical approach it brings to wealth. However understanding the field and accessing resources can be a challenge. I thought, why not create something to make Islamic finance easier to understand? I’ll be honest—this wasn’t the kind of idea that was going to impress traditional investors or fit into the typical startup. But for the first time, I was excited about what I was working on. I saw a real gap, not in a theoretical market sense, but a gap in what people genuinely needed. HalalFinanx was my way of bringing Islamic finance to the digital age in a way that’s accessible, understandable, and useful. There was one small issue: my skills lie in the backend and data. I’ve built and structured plenty of systems, but front-end work? Design? User experience? That was all new territory. Still, I knew that if I didn’t push myself here, I’d be back where I started—stuck in a rut, relying on others to bring my vision to life. This time, I was going to be in control. Learning by Doing – Building HalalFinanx with Bolt.new To get HalalFinanx off the ground, I turned to Bolt.new, a product that allowed me to work in a framework even with my limited front-end knowledge. Building this project was intense. I’d spend late nights combing through design guides, trying to make sure the site looked decent and functioned smoothly. It was exhausting, but the work felt real. This wasn’t just a project to show a board or potential investors—it was something I cared about personally, and every element I worked on felt like it added to that sense of fulfilment. Sure, there were plenty of challenges. Frontend work, it turns out, isn’t just about knowing which elements go where—it’s an art form. I struggled with layout, design principles, and even simple user flows. There were days when I’d look at the site and think, “This isn’t working.” But rather than giving up or passing the task to someone else, I forced myself to learn. It was a series of trial and error of building, testing, and iterating. What kept me going was the vision of what HalalFinanx could become, and each small win felt monumental. Making a button work, fixing a colour scheme, aligning content so it made sense—all of these were tiny victories in a larger war. The backend developer in me was learning to appreciate the nuances of frontend work, and it was humbling. The Personal Impact of Creating HalalFinanx This journey with HalalFinanx wasn’t just about building a site it was about redefining what success and fulfilment meant to me. In the search fund and traditional startup world, everything had been about numbers, KPIs, and keeping the right people happy. Here, with HalalFinanx, I was finally creating something with a purpose that resonated with me on a personal level. Building a site to provide accessible Islamic finance information was meaningful, not because of the potential returns or scalability, but because it filled a need I felt deeply. Each piece of content, each design tweak, and each function was geared towards making something simple, clear, and beneficial to anyone seeking this kind of financial guidance. I wasn’t answering to anyone but myself and my users, and that was liberating in a way I hadn’t expected. On a personal level, I found myself rediscovering why I wanted to create in the first place. I wanted to build something that mattered, and HalalFinanx became that for me. Instead of chasing empty metrics, I was now chasing real feedback from real users. Each suggestion and piece of feedback helped me refine the site, making it not just a project, but an evolving resource. For the first time, I was thinking long-term, not about exits or acquisition targets, but about sustainability and relevance. Looking Forward – The Ongoing Journey of HalalFinanx I don’t know where HalalFinanx will be in five years, but I know I’m in it for the long run. This isn’t a project that I’ll drop at the first sign of difficulty or when the next big thing comes along. It’s a genuine part of me now, a blend of my skills, my values, and my aspirations. I’m constantly looking for ways to improve it, from gathering user feedback to exploring new resources and insights to share. This journey taught me that real entrepreneurship isn’t about the numbers on a spreadsheet or the approval of others. It’s about finding something that matters to you, something you’re willing to build from scratch, without shortcuts or compromises. HalalFinanx is still a work in progress, but it’s my work, and that’s what makes it worth every bit of effort.

Building HalalFinanx: A Journey from Disillusionment to Personal Fulfillment

In Vietnam, Porn Is Better Served and More Accessible Than Starbucks

It is increasingly evident that 2025 could usher in a new financial era. Major global powers are already vying for dominance in this emerging currency landscape, with each nation aiming to secure its influence in what could become a world of state-backed cryptocurrencies. The prior financial order was built upon the Bretton Woods system, underpinned by the U.S. dollar. While some factions are intent on preserving this status quo, others advocate for a global shift toward a decentralized world of cenral bank digital currencies or CDBCs. What Was the Bretton Woods System? According to an American Treasury legend, on the night of Sunday, December 14, 1941, less than a week after the United States entered World War II, U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau dreamed of a unified currency system for global trade. On July 1, 1944, representatives from 44 nations convened in the quaint town of Bretton Woods, nestled in the northeastern United States. By July 22, these delegates had signed an agreement known as the Bretton Woods Agreement, marking the beginning of a new global financial order. Some 80 years later, the international system looks very different to what was agreed during that process, much of it having failed or mutated along the way. All the same, American dominance has continued, with the basic tenets that underpinned the agreement still broadly in place. As we shall see, however, they are now under threat like never before. The Bretton Woods system functioned in such a way that correspondent banks worldwide held their accounts in New York, allowing all dollar-based transactions to flow through the U.S. banking system. This system was more than just a payment mechanism; it was a tool of control, a framework of incentives and penalties. By regulating financial transactions, the U.S. could impose sanctions and freeze payments, effectively exerting influence through monetary channels. What Kind of New Financial World Are We Entering? The essence of the emerging system lies in each nation possessing its own cryptocurrency or CBDC. A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is the digital form of a country’s fiat currency that is also a claim on the central bank. Instead of printing money, the central bank issues electronic coins or accounts backed by the full faith and credit of the government. A global exchange platform would facilitate trades, with each country stating its needs and surpluses. For example, suppose India seeks to purchase technology from the U.S. using "crypto-rupees," but the U.S. is not interested in crypto-rupees. However, the U.S. might want enriched uranium from Russia, for which it needs "crypto-rubles." Russia, in turn, could use crypto-rupees to buy medicines. This web of demands and supplies would operate on an exchange where cryptocurrencies adjust in value according to real-time market conditions. As of writing, 134 countries and currency unions, representing 98% of global GDP, are exploring a CBDC. In May 2020 that number was only 35. Currently, 66 countries are in the advanced phase of exploration—development, pilot, or launch. Worth mentioning that every G20 country is exploring a CBDC, with 19 of them in the advanced stages of CBDC exploration. Of those, 13 countries are already in the pilot stage. This includes Brazil, Japan, India, Australia, Russia, and Turkey. The US is now participating in a cross-border wholesale CBDC project, Project Agorá, with 6 other major central banks. In May, the US House passed a bill prohibiting the direct issuance of a retail CBDC, but the Senate has not acted. CBDC continues to be an issue in the ongoing US presidential campaign. A Time of Change Today, we live in an era of monumental shifts. As everyday individuals deliberate between holding cash or digital assets, the financial and geopolitical landscape is transforming worldwide. The countdown to 2025 brings anticipation—what innovations and disruptions will the year unveil? Will it indeed be the dawn of state-backed cryptocurrencies, redefining how nations trade, transact, and interact on the global stage? Only time will tell. It is increasingly evident that 2025 could usher in a new financial era. Major global powers are already vying for dominance in this emerging currency landscape, with each nation aiming to secure its influence in what could become a world of state-backed cryptocurrencies. The prior financial order was built upon the Bretton Woods system, underpinned by the U.S. dollar. While some factions are intent on preserving this status quo, others advocate for a global shift toward a decentralized world of cenral bank digital currencies or CDBCs. What Was the Bretton Woods System? What Was the Bretton Woods System? According to an American Treasury legend , on the night of Sunday, December 14, 1941, less than a week after the United States entered World War II, U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau dreamed of a unified currency system for global trade. On July 1, 1944, representatives from 44 nations convened in the quaint town of Bretton Woods, nestled in the northeastern United States. By July 22, these delegates had signed an agreement known as the Bretton Woods Agreement, marking the beginning of a new global financial order. legend Some 80 years later, the international system looks very different to what was agreed during that process, much of it having failed or mutated along the way. All the same, American dominance has continued, with the basic tenets that underpinned the agreement still broadly in place. As we shall see, however, they are now under threat like never before. The Bretton Woods system functioned in such a way that correspondent banks worldwide held their accounts in New York, allowing all dollar-based transactions to flow through the U.S. banking system. This system was more than just a payment mechanism; it was a tool of control, a framework of incentives and penalties. By regulating financial transactions, the U.S. could impose sanctions and freeze payments, effectively exerting influence through monetary channels. What Kind of New Financial World Are We Entering? What Kind of New Financial World Are We Entering? The essence of the emerging system lies in each nation possessing its own cryptocurrency or CBDC. A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is the digital form of a country’s fiat currency that is also a claim on the central bank. Instead of printing money, the central bank issues electronic coins or accounts backed by the full faith and credit of the government. A global exchange platform would facilitate trades, with each country stating its needs and surpluses. For example, suppose India seeks to purchase technology from the U.S. using "crypto-rupees," but the U.S. is not interested in crypto-rupees. However, the U.S. might want enriched uranium from Russia, for which it needs "crypto-rubles." Russia, in turn, could use crypto-rupees to buy medicines. This web of demands and supplies would operate on an exchange where cryptocurrencies adjust in value according to real-time market conditions. As of writing, 134 countries and currency unions, representing 98% of global GDP, are exploring a CBDC. In May 2020 that number was only 35. Currently, 66 countries are in the advanced phase of exploration—development, pilot, or launch. Worth mentioning that every G20 country is exploring a CBDC, with 19 of them in the advanced stages of CBDC exploration. Of those, 13 countries are already in the pilot stage. This includes Brazil, Japan, India, Australia, Russia, and Turkey. exploring The US is now participating in a cross-border wholesale CBDC project, Project Agorá, with 6 other major central banks. In May, the US House passed a bill prohibiting the direct issuance of a retail CBDC, but the Senate has not acted. CBDC continues to be an issue in the ongoing US presidential campaign. A Time of Change A Time of Change Today, we live in an era of monumental shifts. As everyday individuals deliberate between holding cash or digital assets , the financial and geopolitical landscape is transforming worldwide. The countdown to 2025 brings anticipation—what innovations and disruptions will the year unveil? Will it indeed be the dawn of state-backed cryptocurrencies, redefining how nations trade, transact, and interact on the global stage? Only time will tell. cash or digital assets

From Dollar Dominance to Digital Power: Is 2025 the Year of State-Backed Cryptos (CBDC)?

ডলারের আধিপত্য থেকে ডিজিটাল শক্তি পর্যন্ত: 2025 কি রাষ্ট্র-সমর্থিত ক্রিপ্টোসের (CBDC) বছর?

Fra dollardominans til digital magt: Er 2025 året for statsstøttede kryptoer (CBDC)?

Del dominio del dólar al poder digital: ¿es 2025 el año de las criptomonedas respaldadas por el Estado (CBDC)?

Dollaridominanssista digitaaliseen tehoon: Onko vuosi 2025 valtion tukemien kryptojen (CBDC) vuosi?

De la domination du dollar à la puissance numérique : 2025 sera-t-elle l’année des cryptomonnaies soutenues par l’État (CBDC) ?

Do dominio do dólar ao poder dixital: é 2025 o ano das criptos apoiadas polo estado (CBDC)?

Od dominacije dolara do digitalne moći: Je li 2025. godina državnih kriptovaluta (CBDC)?

ドル優位からデジタルパワーへ：2025年は国家支援暗号通貨（CBDC）の年となるか？

დოლარის დომინირებიდან ციფრულ ძალამდე: არის 2025 წელი სახელმწიფოს მიერ მხარდაჭერილი კრიპტოზების (CBDC) წელი?

จากการครอบงำของดอลลาร์สู่พลังดิจิทัล: ปี 2025 จะเป็นปีแห่งสกุลเงินดิจิทัลที่ได้รับการสนับสนุนจากรัฐ (CBDC) หรือไม่?

ካብ ዕብለላ ዶላር ናብ ዲጂታላዊ ሓይሊ፡ 2025 ዓመት መንግስቲ ዝድገፍ ክሪፕቶስ (CBDC) ድዩ?

Dollaryň hökmürowanlygyndan sanly güýje çenli: 2025-nji ýyl döwlet tarapyndan goldanýan kriptos ýylymy (CBDC)?

Slovenia's hashrate marketplace NiceHash has announced its first Bitcoin conference, NiceHashX, in the historic city of Maribor. The event, scheduled for November 8-9, 2024, arrives at a crucial juncture when India and other emerging markets closely monitor global cryptocurrency developments. The conference marks NiceHash's decade-long journey since its inception by two Slovenian students in 2014. According to industry data, Slovenia has emerged as a notable cryptocurrency hub, second only to Switzerland in blockchain startup density within Europe. This positions the country as a potential model for developing nations exploring cryptocurrency infrastructure. "Slovenia's journey in cryptocurrency adoption offers valuable insights for emerging markets," Vladimir Hozjan, CEO of NiceHash, told Hackernoon in an exclusive interview. "With over 1,000 businesses already accepting Bitcoin payments, Slovenia demonstrates how digital currency integration can function at a national scale." The conference's speaker lineup features prominent blockchain experts, including Saifedean Ammous, author of The Bitcoin Standard, and CASA CTO Jameson Lopp. Of particular interest to the Indian market are the planned discussions on regulatory frameworks and cryptocurrency adoption in traditional banking systems. Sources familiar with the matter indicate that NiceHash plans to showcase a new Bitcoin payment solution during the conference. This development comes when Indian businesses increasingly explore cryptocurrency payment integrations, despite regulatory uncertainties. Statistical projections reveal that Slovenia's cryptocurrency user base may reach 385,700 by 2028, representing approximately 20% of its population. These adoption rates present interesting parallels for Indian market observers, considering India's growing cryptocurrency user base. The conference agenda spans European Bitcoin adoption strategies, mining operations, and regulatory compliance - topics particularly relevant as India and other Asian markets navigate their cryptocurrency policies. "The regulatory discussions at NiceHashX could provide valuable frameworks for emerging markets," notes a senior cryptocurrency analyst who requested anonymity due to institutional policies. Slovenia's cryptocurrency landscape includes notable initiatives such as BTC City in Ljubljana and the Satoshi monument, demonstrating the country's commitment to blockchain technology. The conference venue, Maribor, hosts numerous businesses already integrating Bitcoin payments, from retail establishments to hospitality services. NiceHash's evolution from a hashrate marketplace to organizing a major Bitcoin conference reflects the broader maturation of cryptocurrency markets. The platform recently launched automated Lightning payouts for miners in 2024, indicating growing sophistication in mining infrastructure. Don’t forget to like and share the story! Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR Slovenia's hashrate marketplace NiceHash has announced its first Bitcoin conference, NiceHashX , in the historic city of Maribor. The event, scheduled for November 8-9, 2024, arrives at a crucial juncture when India and other emerging markets closely monitor global cryptocurrency developments. The conference marks NiceHash's decade-long journey since its inception by two Slovenian students in 2014. According to industry data, Slovenia has emerged as a notable cryptocurrency hub, second only to Switzerland in blockchain startup density within Europe. This positions the country as a potential model for developing nations exploring cryptocurrency infrastructure. NiceHash NiceHashX "Slovenia's journey in cryptocurrency adoption offers valuable insights for emerging markets," Vladimir Hozjan, CEO of NiceHash, told Hackernoon in an exclusive interview. "With over 1,000 businesses already accepting Bitcoin payments, Slovenia demonstrates how digital currency integration can function at a national scale." The conference's speaker lineup features prominent blockchain experts, including Saifedean Ammous, author of The Bitcoin Standard, and CASA CTO Jameson Lopp. Of particular interest to the Indian market are the planned discussions on regulatory frameworks and cryptocurrency adoption in traditional banking systems. Sources familiar with the matter indicate that NiceHash plans to showcase a new Bitcoin payment solution during the conference. This development comes when Indian businesses increasingly explore cryptocurrency payment integrations, despite regulatory uncertainties. Statistical projections reveal that Slovenia's cryptocurrency user base may reach 385,700 by 2028, representing approximately 20% of its population. These adoption rates present interesting parallels for Indian market observers, considering India's growing cryptocurrency user base. The conference agenda spans European Bitcoin adoption strategies, mining operations, and regulatory compliance - topics particularly relevant as India and other Asian markets navigate their cryptocurrency policies. "The regulatory discussions at NiceHashX could provide valuable frameworks for emerging markets," notes a senior cryptocurrency analyst who requested anonymity due to institutional policies. Slovenia's cryptocurrency landscape includes notable initiatives such as BTC City in Ljubljana and the Satoshi monument, demonstrating the country's commitment to blockchain technology. The conference venue, Maribor, hosts numerous businesses already integrating Bitcoin payments, from retail establishments to hospitality services. NiceHash's evolution from a hashrate marketplace to organizing a major Bitcoin conference reflects the broader maturation of cryptocurrency markets. The platform recently launched automated Lightning payouts for miners in 2024, indicating growing sophistication in mining infrastructure. Don’t forget to like and share the story! Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program. HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR Vested Interest Disclosure: This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program . HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR Vested Interest Disclosure: business blogging program business blogging program

NiceHash Sets Bitcoin-focused Conference in Maribor, Positioning Slovenia as Crypto Hub

NiceHash estableix una conferència centrada en Bitcoin a Maribor, posicionant Eslovènia com a Crypto Hub

NiceHash organiza una conferencia centrada en Bitcoin en Maribor, posicionando a Eslovenia como centro de criptomonedas

NiceHash establece unha conferencia centrada en Bitcoin en Maribor, posicionando a Eslovenia como Crypto Hub

NiceHash Gelar Konferensi Berfokus Bitcoin di Maribor, Posisikan Slovenia sebagai Pusat Kripto

NiceHash organizza una conferenza incentrata su Bitcoin a Maribor, posizionando la Slovenia come hub delle criptovalute

NiceHash がマリボルでビットコインに焦点を当てたカンファレンスを開催、スロベニアを暗号通貨の中心地として位置付ける

NiceHash აწყობს ბიტკოინზე ორიენტირებულ კონფერენციას მარიბორში, ათავსებს სლოვენიას კრიპტო ჰაბად

NiceHash dia mametraka fihaonambe mifantoka amin'ny Bitcoin ao Maribor, mametraka an'i Slovenia ho Crypto Hub

NiceHash vendos një konferencë të fokusuar në Bitcoin në Maribor, duke e pozicionuar Slloveninë si qendër kripto

НицеХасх одржава конференцију фокусирану на Битцоин у Марибору, позиционирајући Словенију као Црипто Хуб

NiceHash Inaweka Mkutano unaozingatia Bitcoin huko Maribor, Kuweka Slovenia kama Crypto Hub

I-NiceHash Isetha Ingqungquthela egxile ku-Bitcoin e-Maribor, Ibeka iSlovenia njenge-Crypto Hub

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