How Blockchain Fights Food Fraud as Bitcoin Adoption Soars and Crypto Evolves

Blockchain as a Solution to the Global Food Fraud Crisis

Food fraud remains a significant threat to the global food industry, siphoning up to $50 billion annually and endangering public health, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The problem encompasses intentional substitution, addition, or removal of materials for economic gain, with examples such as melamine in Chinese milk, horsemeat sold as beef in Europe, and diluted olive oil. The true cost extends beyond economics, including reputational damage, regulatory compliance, legal battles, and loss of consumer trust. The 2008 melamine scandal in China, for instance, harmed over 300,000 infants.

The complexity and opacity of global supply chains, especially in cold chain logistics, create vulnerabilities that allow fraudulent products to enter undetected. Common targets include dairy, spices, seafood, organic products, honey, and fruit juices. Fragmented data systems further exacerbate the issue, as highlighted by David Carvalho, CEO of Naoris Protocol, who points out that without shared, reliable data, fraudsters can exploit the system.

Blockchain technology offers a potential antidote by providing transparency, decentralization, and immutability. Real-world implementations are emerging: Walmart, in collaboration with IBM, uses Hyperledger Fabric to trace pork in China and mangos in the US, reducing trace times from days to seconds. Companies like TE-Food, Provenance, Nestlé, Carrefour, and Seafood Souq are also exploring blockchain for supply chain transparency. However, challenges remain, including scalability, cost, interoperability, integration with legacy systems, and the "garbage in, garbage out" problem—blockchain can only secure data once it is on-chain, not guarantee its accuracy at entry.

Privacy concerns, regulatory uncertainty, and stakeholder adoption are additional hurdles. Permissioned blockchains and selective transparency can help, but require robust governance and clear data access protocols. Industry-wide standards, training, and collaboration are essential for success. The convergence of blockchain with IoT and AI offers further promise, enabling real-time, tamper-proof records and anomaly detection.

Food fraud costs the global industry up to $50 billion annually.
Blockchain can reduce trace times from days to seconds, as seen in Walmart’s supply chain.
Challenges include scalability, cost, data integrity, privacy, and regulatory uncertainty.

"The damage is not calculated as the sum of individual losses. It should be calculated as a systemic weakening of the food industry’s foundation." – Temujin Louie, CEO of Wanchain

Source: Cointelegraph

Key Takeaway: Blockchain holds significant promise for combating food fraud, but widespread adoption will require overcoming technical, regulatory, and organizational challenges.

Blockchain’s Journey from Niche Novelty to Everyday Utility

Bitcoin’s first real-world transaction in 2010—a pizza purchase—marked the beginning of a transformation that has seen cryptocurrencies evolve into robust payment systems and stablecoins with real-life use cases. According to Binance CEO Richard Teng, the industry has shifted from novelty to building systems that "change lives." The user base, once limited to tech-savvy individuals, has expanded to hundreds of millions worldwide by 2020, driven by increased access, education, and user-friendly exchanges like Binance.

Mainstream financial institutions and investors initially hesitated due to regulatory uncertainty, but recent clarity in the US and Europe has accelerated crypto’s integration into the financial mainstream. Today, many businesses accept cryptocurrencies, and countries like El Salvador have made Bitcoin legal tender. A recent survey from a major US bank found that while under 15% of retailers currently accept crypto, 75% plan to do so within the next two years.

User experiences highlight the practicality of crypto payments. For example, a Mexican Binance user found paying with BNB "simple and practical," while a Dubai-based user reported that paying with USDT in Turkey was "incredibly convenient" and offered a better exchange rate than local banks. In Vietnam, crypto enabled urgent cross-border payments. As awareness grows, the shift from niche to everyday utility is expected to continue.

Bitcoin’s user base grew to hundreds of millions by 2020.
Under 15% of retailers accept crypto now, but 75% plan to within two years.
Crypto payments are increasingly seen as simple, practical, and sometimes more cost-effective than traditional methods.

"Fifteen years ago, crypto was about buying a pizza. Today, it’s about building robust payment systems, stablecoins, and real-life use cases that change lives." – Richard Teng, Binance CEO

Source: Hindustan Times

Key Takeaway: Crypto and blockchain have moved from niche to mainstream, with growing adoption among businesses and consumers, and increasing regulatory clarity fueling further integration.

Bitcoin Profit-Taking Surges After Golden Cross

On May 22, Bitcoin’s 50-day simple moving average (SMA) crossed above its 200-day SMA, confirming a "golden cross" and signaling bullish long-term momentum. On the same day, Bitcoin’s price reached a record high above $111,000, according to CoinDesk data. However, on-chain data from Glassnode shows that profit-taking has surged, with realized profits exceeding $500 million per hour multiple times in the past 24 hours—marking the most intense profit-taking since early February.

The entity-adjusted realized profit metric, which tracks the total USD profit of all coins moved on-chain, indicates a steady increase in profit-taking since mid-May. The entity-adjusted spent output profit ratio (SOPR) also suggests a notable uptick, with the average coin capturing a +16% profit. Fewer than 8% of trading days have been more profitable for investors, signaling a meaningful transition into profit-taking. Despite this, the intensity is still below previous major price-topping patterns. As of the latest data, Bitcoin was trading at $105,600.

Date	BTC Price	Profit-Taking (USD/hour)
May 22	$111,000+	$500 million+
Current	$105,600	Multiple $500 million+ spikes

Golden cross confirmed on May 22, 2025.
Profit-taking activity at highest levels since early February.
Average coin profit: +16%.

Source: CoinDesk

Key Takeaway: Bitcoin’s recent price surge has triggered intense profit-taking, with realized profits exceeding $500 million per hour, though not yet at the peak levels seen in previous cycles.

Bitget and University of Zurich Partner to Advance Blockchain Education

Bitget, a leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has announced a partnership with the University of Zurich, ranked as the world’s #3 university for blockchain education by Coindesk’s 2021/22 rankings. Bitget will sponsor the 6th edition of the International Summer School—Deep Dive into Blockchain 2025 program at the University of Zurich Blockchain Center (UZH BCC), offering scholarships and career opportunities to students interested in blockchain.

The scholarship initiative is part of Bitget’s $10 million Blockchain4Youth (B4Y) program, aiming to make high-impact blockchain education accessible to talented students. Up to 10 scholarships will be awarded, fully covering tuition, accommodation, transportation within Zurich, academic materials, site visits, and participation in intercultural programs. The program, led by Prof. Dr Claudio J. Tessone, offers an interdisciplinary exploration of blockchain from academic, technological, legal, and economic perspectives. Bitget COO Vugar Usi Zade will also deliver a masterclass during the program.

Bitget to sponsor up to 10 full scholarships for the 2025 summer school.
Scholarships cover all major expenses, including tuition and accommodation.
Program features academic-industry dialogue and masterclasses from industry leaders.

"This scholarship isn’t just about learning blockchain—it’s about equipping future leaders with the tools to question, to build, and to leave the space better than they found it." – Vugar Usi Zade, COO at Bitget

Source: Morningstar

Key Takeaway: Bitget’s partnership with the University of Zurich aims to empower the next generation of blockchain professionals through comprehensive scholarships and industry engagement.

US-Pakistan Talks on Strategic Bitcoin Cooperation

Bo Hines, President Trump’s top crypto advisor, recently met with Bilal Bin Saqib, CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC), at the White House to discuss strategic cooperation on Bitcoin and digital assets. Pakistan is planning to establish a government-led strategic Bitcoin reserve and allocate resources for Bitcoin mining and AI data centers, aiming to position itself as a leader in digital assets in the Global South.

The plan includes creating a Bitcoin wallet for long-term holding, allocating 2,000 megawatts for Bitcoin mining and AI data centers, exploring tokenization of illiquid assets, and enhancing government efficiency with blockchain technology. However, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed concerns about energy shortages, fiscal challenges, and potential impacts on electricity tariffs, requesting urgent clarification from Pakistan’s Finance Ministry. The IMF has previously warned developing countries against adopting crypto as a national reserve, referencing El Salvador’s experience.

Pakistan plans to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve and allocate 2,000 MW for mining and AI data centers.
The IMF has raised concerns about the potential impact on energy and fiscal stability.
Discussions focused on advancing cooperation in crypto policy, blockchain innovation, and financial technology.

"I envision Pakistan to be a leader in the Global South for Digital Assets." – Bilal Bin Saqib, CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council

Source: Crypto Briefing

Key Takeaway: Pakistan’s ambitious plans for a national Bitcoin reserve and large-scale mining face both international interest and scrutiny, particularly from the IMF.

The Blockchain Group Increases Bitcoin Holdings to 1,471 BTC

The Blockchain Group, a France-based tech consulting firm, has completed the purchase of 624 BTC for approximately €60.2 million ($68.7 million), bringing its total holdings to 1,471 BTC. The company and its subsidiary, The Blockchain Group Luxembourg SA, have acquired these holdings for a total of €131.9 million at an average price of about €89,687 per bitcoin.

Following the announcement, the company’s stock opened higher at €3.18 on Tuesday, up from Monday’s close of €2.93, before retracing to €2.93. The Blockchain Group is part of a growing trend of firms accumulating Bitcoin, with Strategy, led by Michael Saylor, remaining the largest publicly traded corporate holder at 580,955 BTC.

Company	BTC Purchased	Total Holdings	Total Investment	Average Price per BTC
The Blockchain Group	624 BTC	1,471 BTC	€131.9 million	€89,687

Latest purchase: 624 BTC for $68.7 million.
Total holdings: 1,471 BTC acquired for €131.9 million.
Stock price opened at €3.18, retraced to €2.93.

Source: The Block

Key Takeaway: The Blockchain Group continues to reinforce its Bitcoin accumulation strategy, joining other major firms in increasing their exposure to the leading cryptocurrency.

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