Terror groups may turn to NFTs to raise funds and spread messages — WSJ
National security experts have raised the alarm bells over the "IS-NEWS #01" NFT, which is being seen as the first case of an NFT created and shared by a “terrorist sympathizer." The first known case of a nonfungible token (NFT) created and shared by a “terrorist sympathizer” has come to light, raising concerns that the immutable nature of blockchain tech could help the spread of terrorist messages and propaganda. In a Sept. 4 article in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), intelligence experts said the NFT could be a sign that Islamic State and other terror groups may also be using blockchain....
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In 2021, over $40 billion of NFTs changed hands, marking a 20X increase from 2022, thrusting NFTs into the limelight, demonstrating the use cases of yet another blockchain innovation. NFTs bear similarities with cryptocurrencies in that both deploys from a public chain and their transactions are open and, thus, can be traced. However, beyond transparency and launching from public chains, NFTs are unique, limited in supply, and in recent times being used as a store-of-value in stormy crypto market conditions. Because they are unique and valuable, projects can use NFTs to raise funds for....
Is bitcoin really the preferred currency of terrorists? You might think so from reading some of the mainstream media headlines. But a recent intergovernmental study on terrorist financing paints a very different picture. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a Paris-based, intergovernmental body that develops policies to protect the global financial system against money laundering, terrorist financing and financing of weapons of mass destruction, recently released a report called Emerging Terrorist Financing Risks. There is a small section in the report about virtual currency as a tool....