LONDON - September 15, 2025 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - Luffa, the newly launched operating system for the fan economy, congratulates its founding advisor and the co-founder of Endless Protocol, Professor Yu Xiong, on being elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS), one of the UK’s highest honors in the social sciences.
Professor Xiong is among 63 newly elected Fellows this year, recognized for outstanding contributions to research, policy, and society.
Yu Xiong is an internationally renowned scholar and industry leader, specializing in business analytics, blockchain, metaverse technologies, and innovation ecosystems. He has published over 100 academic papers in leading journals, including Nature Communications, European Journal of Operational Research, and Journal of Operations Management.
As a pioneer in blockchain and metaverse applications, Professor Xiong founded and leads the University of Surrey Academy of Blockchain and Metaverse Applications, advancing cutting-edge research and fostering collaboration between academia and industry. He also chaired the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Metaverse and Web 3.0, shaping policies in emerging digital fields. And he is a member of the advisory board for All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) in the UK Parliament.
Professor Xiong's career bridges academia and industry. He has served as Vice President of Fotor, a platform with over 650 million users, and a non-executive director for Yinde Group, which invests in over 30 companies annually in the UK. His work drives innovation and strategic partnerships at the forefront of technological transformation.
Xiong first rose to global prominence in 2021 with a Nature Communications study that shook the world of cryptocurrency mining. The landmark paper exposed the scale of Bitcoin’s carbon footprint, projecting emissions equivalent to those of entire nations. Widely cited by policymakers and the media, the study reshaped debates at COP26, accelerated China’s regulatory crackdown on crypto mining, and fundamentally changed how the world thinks about the sustainability of digital assets.
Professor Xiong’s election as an Academy Fellow underscores his continuing mission to ensure that technology serves society. That mission now powers his blockchain journey: Endless, a decentralized intelligent protocol built to bridge Web2 and Web3 ecosystems, exploring the future of an AI-powered Web3 ecosystem.
Endless has also incubated Luffa, a social operating system that integrates programmable loyalty, decentralized identity, and AI-driven agents - tools that give creators and fans new ways to build value and trust. His Fellowship recognition affirms the importance of bridging rigorous scholarship with real-world innovation.
Professor Yu Xiong said, “My research on Bitcoin’s carbon footprint demonstrated how technology can disrupt global systems for better or worse. That work helped change the rules of the game for crypto mining. With Endless & Luffa, we now have the opportunity to build a digital economy that empowers developers, creators and community, using AI and blockchain not just for efficiency, but for fairness, transparency, and sustainability.”
About Luffa
Luffa is the operating system for the fan economy - combining wallet, messaging, loyalty, and community into one seamless experience. Built for the global creative class, Luffa transforms attention into ownership and social connection into real-world perks, campaigns, and value. Learn more at https://luffa.im/.
About the Academy of Social Sciences
The Academy of Social Sciences is the UK’s national academy of academics, learned societies, and practitioners in the social sciences. With more than 1,700 Fellows, the Academy champions the vital role that social sciences play in advancing knowledge, shaping public policy, and addressing the most pressing challenges facing society. Its Fellowship brings together leading social scientists from universities, government, business, and the third sector, recognizing excellence and promoting the impact of social science for the public good. Learn more at www.acss.org.uk.
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