Forkast.News is now Forkast Labs
Sam Bankman Fried charged with stealing customer funds for political donations

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried charged with stealing customer funds for political donations

The FTX founder faces charges of wire fraud, securities fraud, commodities fraud and money laundering related to the exchange’s collapse in November.
Hong Kong bank notes

To read Hong Kong’s future as a crypto hub, look closely at its colorful paper money: Opinion

Most countries allow only government to mint currency, but in the land of public-private partnerships, legal tender HKD notes are issued by private banks.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin flat amid low volatility; NFT transactions soar; Nvidia leads Wall Street rally | Markets, BTC, ETH, SOL, NFT

Bitcoin trading sideways; NFT transactions soar; Nvidia leads Wall Street rally

Bitcoin edged higher on Tuesday morning in Asia. Ether also edged up, while other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens traded flat to higher. Solana led the winners.
Cryptocurrency Bitcoin golden coins spilling on the table. Crypto investment concept background

Bitcoin inches up; Dogecoin, Solana lead losses

Bitcoin rose slightly in the past 24 hours while Ether lost. Dogecoin and Solana were the day’s biggest losers, both dropping by over 1%, although both posted gains on the week.
safe storage for crypto; cryptowallet

Who do you trust the most to keep your Bitcoin safe?

Storing crypto on an exchange risks theft and hacks. But DIY can also be perilous — just ask the guy who accidentally trashed a hard drive and his Bitcoin fortune.
Sam Bankman-Fried | FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried jailed for witness interference | SBF, FTX, U.S.

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried jailed for witness interference

Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the collapsed crypto exchange FTX, was jailed Friday and his bail revoked ahead of his trial for fraud scheduled for October 2.
Picture of Shiba Inu dog and multiple crypto tokens | Shiba Inu surges; DeGods Season 3 unveiled; risk sentiment improves for US stocks

Shiba Inu surges; DeGods Season 3 unveiled; risk sentiment improves for US stocks

Bitcoin dipped slightly, having hovered around the $29,380 level throughout the weekend. Ether and most other top 10 crypto were little changed.
Bitcoin blue | Bitcoin loses US$30,000 peg, Ether falls as risk-off sentiment spreads to cryptocurrencies | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, Non-Fungible Token - NFT, Inflation

Weekly Market Wrap: Can Bitcoin close the week above US$29,300?

Bitcoin briefly rose above US$30,000 twice this week, but failed to remain the support level despite positive catalysts in the industry like the launch of PayPal’s new stablecoin. Bitcoin will have to close the week above US$29,300 for upward momentum, industry experts told Forkast.
golden Bitcoin virtual money concept.Burning bitcoin symbol. Decentralised Cryptocurrency logo of BTC coin. | Bitcoin, Ether, all other top 10 cryptocurrencies fall; Litecoin leads losers with Cardano

Bitcoin slips but remains in ‘bullish scenario’ above US$27,500; Ether, most top 10 cryptos slide

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Friday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Despite its recent crab walk, Bitcoin is in a “bullish scenario” as long as it holds US$27,500, industry experts told Forkast.
Huobi | Huobi seeks update of crypto holdings across data platforms, amid market talk of its insolvency woes | Huobi, USDT, Justin Sun

Huobi seeks update of crypto holdings across data platforms, amid market talk of insolvency woes

Huobi has contacted multiple data platforms to update its cryptocurrency holdings, following market talk that the it might face an insolvency issue.
Gary Gensler | SEC claims favorable Ripple ruling a matter of opinion | SEC, Ripple, XRP, Cryptocurrencies, Regulation & Law

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.
MAS Singapore crypto

Why smart money is pushing the big idea of ‘purpose-bound money’: Opinion

Recently proposed by Singapore in collaboration with fintech heavy hitters, PBM can be a powerful tool for promoting accountability and efficiency, writes Anndy Lian. But it’s not without risks.
Bitcoin and dollar | Slowing US inflation data inspires hope for a crypto price rally

Slowing US inflation data inspires hope for a crypto price rally

Bitcoin and Ether dipped on Friday morning in Asia, while U.S. CPI data points to a potential rally in the crypto market.
NFT displayed on a smartphone

Y00ts NFTs to migrate again — this time to Ethereum

Y00ts, a non-fungible token (NFT) collection that has been the second most traded NFT collection on Polygon over the past week, announced that it will migrate to Ethereum, the world’s largest blockchain for NFTs. 
PYUSD Huobi Global

Is PayPal’s new stablecoin a watershed moment for crypto?

PayPal launches stablecoin. Traditional gamers take on NFTs. Tough times ahead for Huobi.
bitcoin crypto currency diagram | Bitcoin, Ether steady; Coinbase bullish; Traders await US jobs report

Will Bitcoin fall to US$28,500? Ether, top 10 cryptos slide

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. With a lack of positive news catalysts, Bitcoin could fall to the US$28,500 support level, but US$27,500 is also on the table, industry experts told Forkast.
Coinbase logo is reflected in a mobile phone screen | Coinbase launches its own blockchain in first for a publicly listed company

Coinbase launches its own blockchain in first for a publicly listed company

Coinbase Global announced the public launch of its Ethereum layer-2 blockchain Base on Wednesday.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin, Ether dip but more bullish times ahead? | Market, BTC, ETH, NFT, ADA

Bitcoin, Ether dip but more bullish times ahead?

Bitcoin dropped on Thursday morning in Asia after briefly breaching the US$30,000 level. Ether also dipped, while other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens traded mixed.
Closeup Bitcoins mockup on the keyboard over the cryptocurrency trading graph in the computer screen, crypto currency and investment concept

Bitcoin, Ether rise near key levels, Sol leads gains across top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Wednesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. With over 69% of Bitcoin supply inactive for over a year, long-term investors remain bullish on the world’s first cryptocurrency, industry experts told Forkast.
Huobi | Huobi sees US$105 million outflow amid insolvency rumors | Huobi, USDT, Justin Sun

Huobi sees US$105 million outflow amid insolvency rumors

Rumors of arrest and insolvency plague the Huobi cryptocurrency exchange, which enjoys close ties to the Tron founder Justin Sun. How will Huobi respond?
Return of NFTs

NFT gamers ready to get wrecked

Wreck League: New PVP NFT game with custom mechs set to dominate. Partnerships with Yuga Labs and Bored Ape Yacht Club promise big potential in shifting NFT market landscape.
past and future road sign

Back to the future? Why a new wave of blockchain games is a blast from the past: Opinion

The latest in blockchain gaming has shades of game tech and development from the Web2 era. Is this a regression — or sign of a maturing industry?
Bitcoin | Bitcoin, Ether rise; Solana leads post-PayPal stablecoin rally; several U.S. banks downgraded | Markets, BTC, ETH, PayPal, NFT

Bitcoin, Ether rise; Solana leads post-PayPal stablecoin launch rally; several US banks downgraded

Bitcoin rose on Wednesday morning in Asia to trade above US$29,700. Ether also logged gains along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.
Crypto crime fraud concept. Bitcoin and crypto coins, handcuffs and US dollar banknotes

U.S. senators reintroduce crypto anti-money laundering bill

Two U.S. senators have re-introduced the ‘‘Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2023’’ after months of delay, which puts greater emphasis on industry participants such as miners and validators. If the bill is passed, all crypto participants will be required to report transactions of over US$10,000.
close-up photo of bitcoin cryptocurrency physical coin on the tablet computer showing stock market charts. trading bitcoin cryptocoin concept on the wooden table

Bitcoin, Ether slip as long term holders continue to accumulate BTC

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Tuesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Long term investors continue accumulating Bitcoin, despite the asset’s recent price action, industry experts told Forkast.
Seoul Southern District Prosecutor's Office | Seoul prosecutors chasing Do Kwon establish crypto investigative team

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.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 02: A sign is posted in front of PayPal headquarters | PayPal launches fully backed and regulated USD stablecoin on Ethereum

PayPal launches fully backed and regulated USD stablecoin on Ethereum

Paypal, the California-based online payments giant, announced Monday that it is launching an Ethereum blockchain-based stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar.
hands pointing at a glowing digital brain; AI concept

How AI, with blockchain, can transform everyday life: Opinion

Combining blockchain with AI, two of the greatest innovations of this era, will unlock myriad benefits for consumers and businesses alike, writes Eugen Kuzin.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin up as market digests PayPal stablecoin launch | Markets, BTC, ETH, Paypal, NFT

Bitcoin up as market digests PayPal stablecoin launch

Bitcoin edged up on Tuesday morning in Asia after U.S. multinational payment giant PayPal launched a U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin on Monday.
crypto aid world map

Blockchain is fast, direct and all too cryptic — can it reshape international aid?

As explored in the first installment of this two-part series, crypto funding is being used to provide small but important items to troops on the frontline. But beyond the battlelines, how can crypto help get aid to civilians in times of crisis?
bitcoin and chart

Bitcoin, Ether slip as XRP leads declines in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Monday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, with XRP leading losses in the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Investor sentiment remained subdued given regulatory concerns and a lack of positive catalysts, industry experts told Forkast.
crypto spike

Crypto’s fear and loathing: Will TradFi take over?

Moves by big financial institutions into digital assets are worrisome to crypto purists, but it could be just what crypto needs to shake off its doldrums, writes Konstantin Horejsi of Blocktrade.
There will never be an X (Twitter) token: Elon Musk | SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 24: Tesla CEO Elon Musk leaves the Phillip Burton Federal Building on January 24, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Musk testified at a trial regarding a lawsuit that has investors suing Tesla and Musk over his August 2018 tweets saying he was taking Tesla private with funding that he had secured. The tweet was found to be false and cost shareholders billions of dollars when Tesla's stock price began to fluctuate wildly allegedly based on the tweet. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

There will never be an X (Twitter) token: Elon Musk

Elon Musk appeared to put an end to recent speculation of X issuing its crypto token, in a tweeted reply Saturday to another user on the platform.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin, Ether flat; Solana leads winners | Markets, BTC, ETH, DOGE, NFT

Bitcoin, Ether flat; Solana leads winners

Bitcoin traded flat on Monday morning in Asia to stay just above US$29,000 as the token’s volatility rating hit a record low. The NFT market recorded losses while, in the U.S., equities traders await more earnings reports.
crypto sent to frontline soldiers

First aid kits, boots and batteries — how small but significant crypto funds are used in global conflicts

As war rages in eastern Europe, this first installment in a two-part series looks at the growing use of crypto funding in global conflicts, focusing on the small but significant provision of supplies to pro-Russian mercenary groups in Ukraine.
and
A golden Bitcoin token on a black background

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin plunges under US$30,000 amid market turbulence. Is US$27,000 next? 

Bitcoin dips below US$30,000 and Ether loses ground as a mix of bleak sentiment, SEC suits and recent hacks test investor nerves.
close-up photo of bitcoin cryptocurrency physical coin on the tablet computer showing stock market charts. trading bitcoin cryptocoin concept on the wooden table

Bitcoin, Ether extend gains; top 10 cryptos mixed

Litecoin lost the most in the past 24 hours, followed by XRP, while Tron led gains.
Coinbase, Ether | Coinbase launches bridge for layer-2 blockchain Base, sets mainet launch date | Coinbase, Layer 2, cross-chain bridges

Coinbase launches bridge for layer-2 blockchain Base, sets mainet launch date

Coinbase launched a bridge for its Ethereum layer-2 blockchain “Base,” on Thursday and set Base’s mainet launch for Aug. 9.
Hong Kong | HashKey Exchange and OSL licensed to serve retail investors | Hong Kong, VASP, cryptocurrency exchanges, SFC, OSL

HashKey Exchange and OSL licensed to serve retail investors

HashKey Exchange and OSL — the only two cryptocurrency exchanges licensed by the Hong Kong SFC — received license upgrades Thursday to service retail investors.
contemporary art in digital age

How the art world is embracing technology in the digital age: Opinion

From forays into the metaverse to blockchain-based sales and financing, the fine art world is now at the forefront of profound technological change.
bitcoin crypto currency diagram | Bitcoin, Ether steady; Coinbase bullish; Traders await US jobs report

Bitcoin, Ether steady; Coinbase bullish; traders await US jobs report

Bitcoin and Ether remained stable Friday morning in Asia as Litecoin led losers among other top 10 cryptos. Coinbase execs bullish after upbeat Q2 results.
Japan crypto tax Litecoin halving

Japan’s blockchain group lobbies for tax change

Japan’s blockchain group urges tax change. Bitcoin NFT struggles but it may be a sleeping giant. Litecoin falls after halving.
Dogecoin, litecoin, etheteum and bitcoin.

Bitcoin, Ether fall, along with all top 10 cryptos, after Litecoin halving fails to lift market sentiment

Bitcoin and Ether slipped during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Litecoin led the losers in the top 10, despite successfully completing its third quadrennial halving event yesterday.
Litecoin | Litecoin prices fall some 6% after third halving event | LTC - Litecoin, Halving, Markets

Litecoin prices fall 6% after third halving event

Litecoin prices have lost over 6% since it completed its third halving event on Wednesday evening in Asia.
Binance & DOJ | Binance could face fraud charge from US Department of Justice | Binance, U.S., Reuglation & Law

Binance could face fraud charge from US Department of Justice

Officials at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) are considering fraud charges against Binance, according to news site Semafor.
Bitcoin, Ether down; Litecoin slips after halving event | Bitcoin on black background. Bitcoin laundering with water. Economic crisis.

Bitcoin, Ether down; Litecoin slips after halving event

Bitcoin, Ether and all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies dipped in Thursday morning trading in Asia, including Litecoin following its halving event.
Litecoin | Bitcoin dips under US$27,000, Ether falls, Litecoin leads winners, U.S. equities bounce back | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, NFT - Non-Fungible Token, Inflation

Litecoin completes third halving event

Litecoin has executed its third halving event on Wednesday, reducing block rewards for miners from 12.5 to 6.25 Litecoins per block.
A screenshot of Ordinals Punks, from Bitcoin Ordinals Market

Bitcoin Ordinals profitability falls in July, but total inscriptions pile on

Revenue for NFT services on the Bitcoin network, or the aggregate value of marketplace fees and creator royalties, declined over July even as total Ordinals inscriptions crossed 20 million.
Close up picture of Kenyan shilling, shallow depth of field.

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.
Closeup Bitcoins mockup on the keyboard over the cryptocurrency trading graph in the computer screen, crypto currency and investment concept

Bitcoin returns above US$29,000 support level, most top 10 tokens rise

Bitcoin was the day’s biggest gainer, rising 2.11% in the past 24 hours. Ether rose 1.11%.
China, where crypto is banned, is Binance’s largest market with US$90 billion worth of transactions

China is Binance’s largest market with US$90 billion despite crypto ban: WSJ

Binance users in China traded about US$90 billion worth of cryptocurrency-related assets in May despite the crypto ban since 2021.
Shanghai | Shanghai plans blockchain infrastructure hub to link with Hong Kong, Singapore by 2025 | China, blockchain, Regulation & Law

Shanghai plans blockchain infrastructure hub to link with Hong Kong, Singapore by 2025

Shanghai plans to build a blockchain infrastructure by the end of 2025 and establish links with Hong Kong and Singapore.
mobile phone and credit card; digital payment concept

Tokenization could bring mass adoption to crypto — or trigger disaster: Opinion

Tokenization is having a breakout year, but providers must learn from the past to prevent another FTX or Celsius-level crisis, writes Philipp Pieper of Swarm.
Cryptocurrency golden bitcoin image for crypto currency | Cryptos show resilience; BNB gains on Binance Japan launch; US credit rating downgraded

Cryptos show resilience; BNB gains on Binance Japan launch

Bitcoin, Ether and most other top ten tokens gained Wednesday morning in Asia, with BNB leading winners after Binance Japan launch.
Gamers Come Together To Compete At The epicLAN Esports Tournament

The diversity in NFTs

NFT trading volumes continue to stay low but gaming NFTs gave traders some positive news this week.
binance

Binance Japan launches with 34 tokens, BNB debuts in the country

Binance announced the launch of Binance Japan on Tuesday, offering 34 cryptocurrencies.
close-up photo of bitcoin cryptocurrency physical coin on the tablet computer showing stock market charts. trading bitcoin cryptocoin concept on the wooden table

Bitcoin, Ether extend losses; most other top 10 cryptos fall

Bitcoin fell in Tuesday afternoon trading in Asia, dipping below the support level of US$29,000.
Yam Ki Chan talking

Crypto’s latest inflection point an opportunity for Asia to lead, says Circle’s Yam Ki Chan

Speaking at the WebX Asia conference in Tokyo, Circle’s Singapore-based vice president of strategy and policy discusses U.S. regulation, growing pains in the crypto industry and Asia’s burgeoning role as a Web3 innovator.
cybersecurity

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.
Intruder gains access to secrets. Hacker hacking into the security system. Data leakage, industrial espionage. Crypto theft, computer viruses. Authentication. Electronic encryption key. | Bitcoin, Ether little-changed as market digests Curve hack; most leading tokens decline

Bitcoin, Ether drop in Asia afternoon trading amid DeFi hack reports; most other leading tokens decline

Bitcoin and Ether fell in early Tuesday afternoon trading in Asia, with Bitcoin slipping below support at US$29,000. Ether fell more than 2%.
Tether USDT coin on stacked dollar banknotes. USDT dollar parity concept

Tether says USDT excess reserves reached US$3.3 billion in Q2

Tether Holdings Limited, the issuer of stablecoin USDT, released its consolidated reserves report for the second quarter of 2023 on Monday, showing consolidated assets of at least US$86.5 billion against total liabilities of US$83.2 billion. Tether reported an increase of approximately US$850 million in its excess reserves, totaling around US$3.3 billion as of June 30, the close of the quarter. 
Backgrounds and textures: group of golden bitcoin coins, close-up shot, shallow depth of field | Bitcoin price falls, heads for weekly loss; Ether flat, Matic leads gainers, Solana the losers

Bitcoin, Ether slip, top 10 cryptos fall led by Tron

Bitcoin and Ether slipped during Monday afternoon trading in Hong Kong along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, except the BNB token, with crypto markets poised for an uneventful month ahead, industry experts told Forkast.
human brain and artificial intelligence concept

Proving our humanity in an AI world is not an option — it’s a necessity: Opinion

As artificial intelligence becomes more human-like, it’s critical to distinguish real people from code and prevent Web3 from turning into a bot zoo, writes Khori Whittaker, executive director of Ethereum Name Service.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin, Ether dip but remain range-bound; Tron’s TRX leads losers | Markets, BTC, ETH, NFT, Hacking

Bitcoin, Ether dip but remain range-bound following Curve Finance hack

Bitcoin and Ether prices dropped on Monday morning in Asia, but remained above key support levels. Altcoins fell on Curve Finance hack.
close-up photo of bitcoin cryptocurrency physical coin on the tablet computer showing stock market charts. trading bitcoin cryptocoin concept on the wooden table

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin falls below key US$30,000 support level, as market optimism over ETFs ebbs

Bitcoin fell below US$30,000 this week, as market optimism over ETFs began to ebb. Bitcoin has to hold above US$28,000 next week to avoid further bearish momentum, industry experts told Forkast.
Golden bitcoin on graph background

Bitcoin, Ether drop; Dogecoin, Polygon lead losers

Bitcoin and Ether dropped in afternoon Asia trading. Dogecoin, Polygon led losses while Tron and Litecoin gained.
remittance spelled in wooden cubes

Crypto isn’t fixing the remittance travesty — but it could: Opinion

Blockchain technology has the potential to slash transaction fees, speed up money transfers and lift up the world’s poor. Why aren’t we doing that yet?
Bitcoin | Bitcoin, Ether end week in interest rate doldrums; Binance’s BNB token leads winners | BTC, ETH, Binance, Markets, NFT

Bitcoin, Ether end week in interest rate, summer doldrums; Binance’s BNB token leads winners

Bitcoin and Ether prices were largely mixed but running into the red on Friday morning in Asia, looking to end the week with losses after a period of directionless trading.
Is Worldcoin’s free crypto more than just a freebie?

Is Worldcoin’s free crypto more than just a freebie?

Concerns arise over Worldcoin’s free crypto. NFT market does a crabwalk. Japan’s next big thing for the metaverse.
Bitcoin halving. Cryptocurrency trading. Trading at home. New economy

Bitcoin, Ether slip, top 10 cryptos rise except Dogecoin

Bitcoin and Ether slipped during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization rose, except Dogecoin.
The US Capitol building with a waving American flag superimposed on the sky Capitol Hill in Washington DC

US congressional committee passes crypto bill, steps closer to regulatory clarity

The U.S. House Financial Services Committee passed a bill Wednesday aimed at defining whether cryptocurrencies are securities or commodities.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin, Ether edge up after Fed raises interest rates as expected; Solana leads winners | Markets, BTC, ETH, SOL, NFT

Bitcoin, Ether edge up after Fed raises interest rates as expected; Solana leads winners

Bitcoin gained Thursday morning in Asia, but not enough to breach US$29,500 after the Fed raised interest rates by the expected quarter point.

Delivered weekly on Thursdays

The Current Forkast

An unmissable weekly round up of the biggest stories in emerging tech from an Asian perspective, featuring commentary from Forkast Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau. Check out recent editions.