Marvel Weighs Legal Move Against Crypto Startup's 'Wacoinda' Plans

Marvel Weighs Legal Move Against Crypto Startup's 'Wacoinda' Plans

Marvel Characters is not yet sure if it will oppose a cryptocurrency startup playing off the name of the fictional nation of Wakanda from the Black Panther film.

The Marvel subsidiary filed for extensions with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to receive more time before deciding whether it will oppose the Wakanda Wine Fest and Wacoinda. The latter company wants to launch financial and educational services around cryptocurrencies, according to legal information website Justia.

Specifically, Wacoinda has applied to register a trademark for initiatives aimed at financial education and economic empowerment of the black community.

Wacoinda filed for the trademark in February, but Marvel Characters' request for an extension came just last week, public documents reveal. The company now has until November 14 to decide if it wishes to oppose the trademark. The extension does not necessarily mean that Marvel will oppose the trademark.

Marvel Characters did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

Wacoinda was not the first cryptocurrency-related project that Black Panther called to life: in June, African singer Akon announced the creation of the cryptocurrency Akoin and a plan to build a "real-life Wakanda." As previously reported, the city is already being built on a 2,000-acre area of land gifted to the singer by the president of Senegal, Macky Sall.

Black Panther image via Shutterstock

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