JAPAN HAS A NEW CRYPTOCURRENCY-THEMED J-POP BAND

If you prefer your J-pop bands to be a little bit more blockchain-y, we’ve got some great news! A new J-pop girl group from Japan is capitalizing on the recent hype surrounding bitcoin and singing about cryptocurrencies, as spotted by Quartz.

The group’s name is Kasotsuka Shojo, which translates as Virtual Currency Girls. Each one of the eight members represents a different cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, and Cardano. The women are outfitted in maid dresses and lucha liJapan passed laws last April that recognize bitcoin as legal tender, and cryptocurrency trade in the country accounts for around half of global trade volume. The band itself was started by entertainment company Cinderella Academy to educate the public about cryptocurrencies. Cinderella Academy also manages other J-pop bands.bre-style masks that denote the currency they represent.

“We want to promote the idea through entertainment that virtual currencies are not just a tool for speculation but are a wonderful technology that will shape the future,” said the group’s 18-year-old leader Rara Naruse in a press statement.

Kasotsuka Shojo’s debut single is called “The Moon and Virtual Currencies and Me” and is a blistering electro-pop song that warns listeners to be aware of fraud and to maintain their security online.

The group takes payment for concert tickets, merchandise, and other products through — what else? — cryptocurrencies including bitcoin and ethereum. They’re also playing their first show on Friday in Tokyo, which has sold out.