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Senators urge SEC to halt crypto ETF approvals amid concerns

U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Laphonza Butler have expressed concerns over the approval of crypto ETFs beyond Bitcoin.

MetalCore game secures US$5 mln for development

Studio 369’s blockchain-based game MetalCore receives fresh funding to enhance AI-driven features and ecosystem.

Ethereum ETF approval odds drop as SEC remains silent

Analysts lower expectations for a spot Ethereum ETF approval by May.

SEC Chair Gensler remains silent on Ethereum’s status amid ETF reviews

Gary Gensler, SEC Chair, avoids commenting on Ethereum’s security status as the agency reviews spot ETF applications.

SEC commissioners criticize unclear crypto enforcement after ShapeShift settlement

Two SEC commissioners express concerns over the agency’s ambiguous approach to cryptocurrency regulation following a recent settlement with ShapeShift.

SEC presses court over Binance.US compliance issues

The SEC alleges Binance.US has not fully complied with information requests regarding customer assets.

EigenLayer’s DeFi TVL hits $10 billion, secures major deal

EigenLayer’s total value locked reaches $10 billion, flipping Maker to become the third-largest DeFi protocol.

Court rules ‘certain’ crypto as securities in Coinbase insider trading case

A U.S. judge’s ruling classifies crypto assets traded in secondary markets as securities.

SEC’s Hester Peirce calls for clear crypto regulation

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce urges for sensible crypto regulation to support innovation and protect U.S. industry interests.

SEC scrutinizes Terraform Labs’ US$166 mln legal retainer

The financial watchdog contends the payment may be intended to avoid future judgments and should instead aid investors and creditors.

Polygon-founded Avail secures $27M in seed funding

Avail, a Web3 infrastructure project, has raised US$27 million to develop its core products aimed at enhancing blockchain interoperability and scalability.

SEC sued over crypto regulation authority

Crypto group and digital asset firm challenge SEC’s authority in Texas lawsuit.

SEC’s crypto enforcement lawyer joins private law firm

Former SEC attorney Ladan Stewart transitions to White & Case, a firm known for defending crypto companies.

MetaMask boosts security with Blockaid’s privacy module

MetaMask partners with Blockaid to enhance security for over 30 million users.

Solana’s second smartphone hits 100,000 pre-orders

The blockchain company’s latest mobile venture for a US$450 pre-order price per phone brings in US$45 million for Solana.

SEC postpones verdict on Grayscale’s spot Ether ETF

Ether ETF hopefuls on hold as SEC postpones decision.

SEC delays Fidelity’s Ethereum ETF decision

Fidelity’s bid for a spot Ethereum ETF hits a snag as SEC delays decision.

Solana to launch second crypto smartphone

Solana Mobile hints at second smartphone following surprise success of Saga. 

Crypto milestone: SEC approves spot Bitcoin ETFs

SEC’s landmark decision approves 11 Bitcoin ETFs, heralding a new era for digital asset investments.

SEC decision looms: Cboe pushes for Bitcoin ETFs

Cboe appeals to SEC for fast-tracking Bitcoin ETFs.

SEC’s cybersecurity in question after ETF tweet blunder

Following a misleading tweet about Bitcoin ETFs, Senators Vance and Tillis demand answers from the SEC regarding its cybersecurity measures.

Bitcoin ETF applicants make swift amendments to filings following SEC’s response

Imminent SEC decision on Bitcoin ETFs could mark a watershed moment for crypto, spearheaded by industry giants BlackRock and VanEck, reshaping the investment world.

Upbit Singapore secures coveted MPI license

Upbit joins 15 other crypto firms permitted to provide digital payment token services in Singapore.

SEC’s Gensler warns of crypto risks amid Bitcoin ETF buzz

SEC Chair Gary Gensler cautions about cryptocurrency volatility, highlighting investor protection concerns, as his agency nears a decision on spot Bitcoin ETF applications.

FTT up 65% after SEC’s Gensler hints FTX restart

FTT rose over 65% despite FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s guilty verdict last week.

SEC in talks with Grayscale for Bitcoin ETF: CoinDesk

The SEC has reportedly been in contact with Grayscale since its court victory in August.

Bitcoin breaks US$36,000 as SEC enters potential ETF approval period

Bitcoin is up over 32% in the past month.

HSBC plans tokenized securities custody service with Ripple’s Metaco

HSBC’s new service is expected to launch in 2024.

PayPal subpoenaed by SEC over PYUSD Stablecoin

PayPal said that it is collaborating with the SEC’s request.

SBF trial enters final stage; Bankman-Fried lied about spending customer funds, prosecutors say in closing arguments

Bankman-Fried trial nears end: defense claims good faith as prosecution alleges misuse of funds.

Sam Bankman-Fried’s credibility questioned by prosecutors during cross-examination

Prosecutors pointed out inconsistencies in Bankman-Fried’s public statements before FTX collapsed in a four-hour grilling.

SEC drops all charges against Ripple’s CEO Garlinghouse and co-founder Larsen

The XRP token rose over 6% on the day after the SEC dismissed the charges against Ripple’s top executives.

Prosecution winds up case against Bankman-Fried ahead of six-day pause in trial

FTX’s former general counsel Can Sun testified he was “shocked” by $7 billion in missing customer funds as the prosecution’s case starts to draw to a close.

Israel-Palestine crisis: Navigating the intersection of conflict, aid and blockchain

Top blockchain and crypto news: Gaza tensions, digital tremors, NFTs are not dancing in September, Joe Lubin talks traditional system’s twilight.

FTX collapse helped the evolution of crypto regulation, says Bahamas securities regulator

FTX’s collapse and the crypto winter helped regulators familiarize themselves with the rapidly evolving crypto industry, said Christina Rolle of the Bahamas Securities Commission.

ESMA publishes second MiCA consultation paper

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) is seeking feedback on the second consultation paper on the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) bill, published on Thursday.  See related article: Binance ICO raised less than US$5 mln: Forbes Fast Facts See related article: What Europe’s new spot Bitcoin ETF means for global markets

Sam Bankman-Fried committed ‘massive fraud,’ says prosecutor in opening statements

Prosecutors allege the founder of the failed FTX cryptocurrency exchange had a reputation that was “built on lies” as hotly awaited trial begins.

XRP up over 4% after judge denies SEC’s interlocutory motion

The XRP token rose 4.42% after a federal judge denied the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) motion to overturn its recent loss against Ripple Labs. XRP traded at US$0.5308 at 2:45 p.m. in Hong Kong on Tuesday, according to CoinMarketCap data.  See related article: HK’s SFC & US SEC crack the whip as Blockchain […]

Philippines no plans to mirror U.S. SEC’s ‘crypto crackdown’, to publish crypto framework by H1 of 2024, says securities regulator

The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission delayed the publishing of a crypto framework earlier this year citing the FTX collapse in late 2022 as the reason.

SEC Chair Gensler faces bipartisan backlash over strict crypto regulations

Top blockchain and crypto news: U.S. lawmakers berate SEC over ETF applications. NFTs down but not dead. Hong Kong sees year’s biggest crypto heist so far.

Top 10 cryptos mixed, SEC again delays decision on Ark Invest ETF filing

Toncoin led losses among top 10 cryptos. Bitcoin dropped while Ether rose marginally.

SEC has lost again. What’s next for digital assets?

With winds in its legal sails, crypto is now poised to evolve into a complete economy with its own financial products and capital markets. The question is when.

HK’s SFC & US SEC crack the whip as Blockchain Week rocks Manila

It’s a week for regulatory enforcement in the cryptocurrency space as blockchain takes center stage in the Philippines.

US SEC to tighten regulatory enforcement beyond Coinbase, Binance.US

Top blockchain and crypto news: U.S. SEC steps up regulatory enforcement. Gaming giant Zynga moves into NFTs. Woes ahead for JPEX exchange after HK arrests.

SEC will load more charges on crypto exchanges and DeFi, says enforcement chief

The U.S. SEC will expand its regulatory enforcement onto crypto exchanges, intermediaries and decentralized finance (DeFi) entities.

Solana leads winners in top 10 cryptos; Bitcoin, Ether rise for 2nd consecutive day

Solana led gainers in the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, recovering from a two-month low. Bitcoin and Ether rose during afternoon trading in Asia along with most cryptos. Market experts said that the continued entrance of large institutions could provide the crypto industry more legitimacy and price stability. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: […]

U.S. SEC denied immediate access to Binance.US software

A U.S. federal judge has denied the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission immediate access to Binance.US’ software, in response to the regulator’s motion demanding more detailed information from Binance and greater availability of its executives for depositions.

Half a world away — Gary Gensler’s SEC dominates discussion at Singapore’s Token 2049

Billed as Asia’s largest crypto event, Token 2049 took place over Sept. 13-14 in the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore. Drawing over 10,000 attendees from all parts of the world, there was excitement about blockchain adoption in the region. But repeat references to one man were a reminder of the U.S. regulatory concerns weighing heavily on the crypto industry.

SEC fines Stoner Cats for selling unregistered securities as NFTs

NFT markets fear more enforcement action may be heading their way, while NFT offerings as securities fail to convince the SEC.

U.S. SEC moves to appeal Ripple court decision

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) submitted a filing last Friday that pushed the court of the Southern District of New York to appeal its ruling on the agency’s lawsuit against Ripple Labs.

US regulation could stifle blockchain innovation, says former White House cybersecurity director

Blockchain innovation in the U.S. could suffer from over-regulation of the crypto industry, cybersecurity expert Carole house said.

India’s G20 presidency has failed to advance global crypto governance, ex-finance secretary says

With nine months under its G20 presidency belt, India’s approach to cryptocurrency governance remains static. Amid regulatory ambiguity, the nation’s crypto industry struggles to cope with stringent tax rules.

Grayscale wins against SEC as India moves on blockchain; Friend.tech loses friends

Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Forkast’s Angie Lau, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions.

SEC delays verdict on BlackRock’s ETF application; Will Bitcoin ETFs see light of day?

After Grayscale’s legal win, the SEC decided to postpone its decision on spot Bitcoin ETF applications. Will these proposals be greenlit? And when?

Grayscale triumphs over SEC: A David v. Goliath win in the crypto arena

Top blockchain and crypto news: U.S. court compels SEC to review Grayscale’s ETF application. SEC zooms in on NFTs. Asia’s richest man eyes blockchain, CBDCs

Uniswap securities violation charges dismissed by US court

A U.S. district court on Wednesday dismissed charges against a group of five firms for alleged securities violations on the Uniswap DeFi platform.

Crypto market gets boost from favorable court ruling for Grayscale against U.S. SEC

Prices of all cryptocurrencies rose on Wednesday after a U.S. court backed Grayscale on its Bitcoin ETF application, compelling the SEC to review its rejection of the application.

Green ink across crypto after Grayscale scores SEC win

A U.S. court’s landmark decision to side with Grayscale on its Bitcoin ETF application to the SEC sent crypto prices upward Wednesday morning in Asia.

Court backs Grayscale, overturns SEC decision blocking Bitcoin ETF

In a landmark ruling, the court overturned the SEC’s previous decision, signaling potential tailwinds for other financial giants.

SEC charges NFT project with securities law violations

The U.S. SEC charged Impact Theory, a Los Angeles-based media and entertainment company, on Monday with offering unregistered securities in the form of NFTs.

Bitcoin, Ether trading flat as SEC targets firm offering NFTs

Bitcoin, Ether were little changed. Cardano led gains while Solana posted losses as experts say crypto prices are looking up.

Why FTX deserves a second chance

Despite the outrage against Sam Bankman-Fried and the now-bankrupt exchange, everyone would be better off with a relaunched FTX 2.0, writes Rachel Lin, CEO of SynFutures.

SEC wants to question Terra’s Daniel Shin, could ask South Korea for help

The U.S. SEC could call for South Korea’s cooperation in questioning Daniel Shin, co-founder of Terraform Labs.

SEC granted permission to file interlocutory appeal in Ripple case

Judge Analisa Torres has granted the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) the request to file an interlocutory appeal in its lawsuit against Ripple Labs.

SEC to appeal in Ripple case, says ruling is a matter of opinion

SEC seeks to appeal a court ruling in July that the programmatic sale of Ripple’s XRP cryptocurrency did not qualify as sales of financial securities.

S.Korean prosecutors to submit XRP ruling to prove Terra-Luna as securities

South Korean prosecutors are looking to submit the recent U.S. ruling on Ripple to a Seoul court to prove Luna as financial securities.

Kenya suspends Worldcoin over security concerns

The Republic of Kenya has suspended Worldcoin, a cryptocurrency project co-founded in 2019 by OpenAI chief Sam Altman, while the country’s security and data protection services look into the authenticity and legality of the project, the Ministry of the Interior and National Administration said on its Facebook page on Wednesday.

Web3 has a big security problem, and the industry is not doing enough to protect users: Opinion

If Web3 wants to be an alternative to traditional finance, the industry must make itself less vulnerable to hacks and security breaches, writes Richard Meissner.

South Korea crypto lender Delio says operations in peril amid prosecutor raids, lawsuit

Delio halted interest payments for all users on Monday, after announcing difficulties in providing services as usual.

SEC hints at appeal of Ripple decision in court filing against Terraform Labs

The SEC has hinted it may be set to appeal a recent court ruling against the agency in its case against Ripple Labs and the XRP token.

XRP triumphs over SEC, but crypto clarity remains in the shadows

Top blockchain and crypto news: Ripple not clear of hurdles | NFTs in historically slow period | Hong Kong banks dither

S. Korea’s Shinhan Bank, SCB TechX, complete second stablecoin trial on Hedera

Shinhan Bank, the second largest bank in South Korea, and SCB TechX, the technology unit of Siam Commercial Bank, the oldest bank in Thailand, announced on Tuesday that they completed a second stablecoin transaction trial on the Hedera, a public distributed ledger network.