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Alex Mashinsky

Celsius founder Alex Mashinsky arrested, pleads not guilty to fraud

Alex Mashinsky, founder and CEO of Celsius Network, pleaded not guilty after being arrested in the U.S. Thursday on several fraud-related criminal charges.
web 3 and climate change

How Web3 can help island nations fight climate change: Opinion

Global warming and rising sea levels are threatening to submerge countries like Maldives and Kiribati. Can blockchain technology help avert disaster?
XRP coin | Bitcoin, Ether surge after Ripple notched partial win against SEC; Ripple’s XRP leads crypto rally | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, XRP, NFT - Non-Fungible Token

Bitcoin, Ether surge after Ripple notched partial win against SEC; Ripple’s XRP leads crypto rally 

Bitcoin, all other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens logged gains Friday morning. That followed a favorable SEC ruling for Ripple, whose XRP token led the gains.
Ripple coin on dollar banknotes. XRP Cryptocurrency on US dollar bills

US court rules in favor of XRP in Ripple Labs case against SEC, with caveats

Judge Analisa Torres ruled on Thursday that Ripple Labs’ programmatic sales of the XRP cryptocurrency did not qualify as the offer and sale of investment contracts.
Golden Bitcoin Cryptocurrency

Europe’s first spot Bitcoin ETF set to launch in July: FT

Europe’s first spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) is expected to be publicly listed this month, following a 12-month delay from the initially planned date
Standard chartered Bitcoin

Standard Chartered’s great expectations for Bitcoin in 2024

Top blockchain and crypto news: Standard Chartered eyes US$120,000 per Bitcoin | Another week of declines in NFT market | Sega and Line team up.
Bright bitcoin coins next to dollar bills.

Bitcoin, Ether fall; all other top 10 cryptos mixed

Bitcoin prices fell below US$30,500 in the past 24 hours while its trading volume has gained over 20%. Ether also fell. Cardano and BNB were the day’s biggest losers.
USDC issuer Circle trims workforce

USDC issuer Circle trims workforce

Stablecoin issuer Circle has reduced its workforce and investment in non-core activities.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin, Ether fell, Polygon leads losers; U.S. equities gain as inflation slows | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, NFT - Non-Fungible Token, Inflation

Bitcoin, Ether fall, Polygon leads losers; U.S. equities gain as inflation slows

Bitcoin dropped on Thursday morning in Asia to below US$30,500. Ether and most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens also logged losses.
silhouette of business people working in metaverse

Why culture and ownership are critical to the metaverse: Opinion

As stores of our identity, customs and creativity, NFTs will drive Web3 adoption and become central to the new digital economy, writes Yat Siu, executive chairman of Animoca Brands.
Bitcoin halving. Cryptocurrency trading. Trading at home. New economy

Bitcoin inches up, holds above US$30,500; all other top 10 cryptos mixed

Bitcoin trade volumes dropped in the last 24 hours but the token is holding steady above US$30,500. Binance’s BNB token posted the biggest gain while most other top 10 cryptocurrencies traded mixed.
Seoul Southern District Prosecutor's Office | Seoul prosecutors chasing Do Kwon establish crypto investigative team

Seoul prosecutors chasing Do Kwon establish crypto investigations team

The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office announced that it will launch the Virtual Asset Joint Investigation Unit at the end of this month.
South Korea flag is depicted on a puzzle, which the man's hand completes to fold. | South Korea mandates new accounting rules for domestic crypto sector

South Korea mandates new accounting rules for domestic crypto sector

South Korea’s FSC is requiring companies that issue or own cryptocurrencies to provide detailed crypto disclosures from 2024.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin above US$30,500, Ether gains, SOL leads the winners | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, SOL - Solana, NFT - Non-Fungible Token

Bitcoin above US$30,500, Ether flat, SOL leads the winners

Bitcoin rose on Wednesday morning in Asia to trade above US$30,500. Ether traded flat while most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens gained. SOL led winners.
illuminated neon-colored NFT letters

NFT recovery or new bottom discovery?

Blur has been adding demand for specific collections by incentivizing floor NFT trading, which may have mitigated aggressive price undercutting for liquidty.
Gamers can now earn Bitcoin rewards on Minecraft via Zebedee

Gamers can now earn Bitcoin rewards on Minecraft via Zebedee

Zebedee, a New Jersey-based payments technology firm, will allow Minecraft players to earn Bitcoin by completing in-game quests.
Bitcoin cryptocurrency, blockchain technology decentralized currency coin, conceptual image with selective focus

Bitcoin steady above US$30,000, all top 10 cryptos rise on market optimism

Bitcoin breached US$31,000 level in the past 24 hours after falling back to hold above US$30,000. Ether and all other top 10 cryptos gained.
Sega co-COO Shuji Utsumi

Sega says still exploring Web3 game initiatives despite reports of withdrawal

The Japanese gaming giant is currently somewhere in the Web 2.3 to 2.7 range, says co-Chief Operating Officer Shuji Utsumi.
Bitcoin and Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey | Crypto extremely speculative investment, not money, says Bank of England Governor Bailey

Crypto ‘extremely speculative’ investment, not money, says Bank of England Governor Bailey

Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies don’t meet standards to be recognized as money.
cryptocurrency technology and security concept

Improving crypto user experience is an imperative and need not come at the cost of security: Opinion

The key to making crypto easier to use while less prone to skulduggery lies in centralizing some security and UX features, writes Hsuan Lee of Blocto.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin gains on StanChart price predictions, fund inflows; Ether gains, Matic leads winners | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, MATIC - Polygon, NFT - Non-Fungible Token

Bitcoin gains on StanChart price predictions, fund inflows; Ether rises, Matic leads winners

Bitcoin rose on Tuesday morning in Asia, after Standard Chartered predicted the token could reach US$120,000 by the end of 2024. Ether and most other top 10 tokens rose.
Hong Kong and crypto coins

Global crypto industry worth US$180 billion, says K33 Research report

The global cryptocurrency industry is valued at US$180 billion, with over 10,000 companies employing a total of 190,000 employees, according to a July 5 report from crypto intelligence firm K33 Research. See related article: Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto rules; NFTs become new cultural frontier Fast facts See related article: South Korea, Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto […]
bitcoin and chart

Bitcoin dips but holds above US$30,000, all other top 10 cryptos drop

All top 10 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ether, drop over the last 24 hours while investors brace for more interest rate hikes in the U.S.
worldwide connection concept

Despite the regulatory darkness in America, crypto’s dawn is nigh: Opinion

Crypto’s current turmoil in the US stands in stark contrast to other jurisdictions that are paving paths to for the industry to shine, writes Sean O’Connor.
Daniel Shin and Terra logo | South Korea holds first court hearing for Terra co-founder Daniel Shin on crypto fraud charges

South Korea holds first court hearing for Terra co-founder Daniel Shin on crypto fraud charges

South Korea on Monday held the first preliminary hearing for Terraform Labs co-founder Daniel Shin and seven other former employees on charges related to the collapse of the Terra-Luna crypto project.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin remains above US$30,000, Ether dips, Polygon gains on incoming network upgrade | BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, NFT, Polygon

Bitcoin stays above US$30,000; ETF optimism dampens; further rate hikes expected

Bitcoin dipped on Monday morning in Asia but held above the US$30,000 support level. Ether edged lower along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens.
Singapore, Bitcoin, Thailand

South Korea, Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto rules as U.S. in state of regulatory ‘warfare’

While Asia nations such as Singapore and Thailand seem to be following the U.S. regulator in frowning upon certain products offered by crypto exchanges, the approach in Asia so far seems to be clarity instead of court battles, in contrast with North America
and
Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog balloon during the 95th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 25, 2021 in New York City.

Japanese gaming firm Sega backs out of blockchain: Bloomberg

Japanese multinational gaming firm Sega Corp. is withdrawing from blockchain-based games as play-to-earn games are “boring,” according to Shuji Utsumi, the company’s co-chief operating officer cited by Bloomberg on Friday. 
US crypto law and regulation

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin holds above US$30,000; SEC officially silent over spot Bitcoin ETF applications

Bitcoin held above US$30,000 for most of the week but lost momentum as the SEC left investors guessing on how it will treat spot Bitcoin ETF applications.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin breaches US$31,000 on BlackRock’s updated ETF; Ether gains, Polygon leads winners | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, Non-FUngible Token - NFT, ETF

Bitcoin rises back to US$30,000, Ether remains under US$1,900, top cryptos in the red

Crypto buying subsided as the U.S. regulator made no official comment on Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications and executives quit Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange.
cryptocurrency tokens and flags of Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Thailand

Tokenization makes the world a better place, and Asia is paving the way: Opinion

Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Thailand have regulations supporting the growth of tokenization, showing the world the benefits of fractionalizing assets.
and
Binance logo and box | Binance executives Hillman, Christie say they are leaving, cite personal reasons | Binance, CZ - Changpeng Zhao

Binance executives Hillman, Christie say they are leaving, cite personal reasons

Binance Chief Strategy Officer Patrick Hillmann and Vice President for Compliance Steven Christie both confirmed they are leaving the firm.
do kwon handcuff | How did Do Kwon move US$18 mln in stablecoins to ‘unfreezable’ tokens while in Montenegro jail?

How did Do Kwon move US$18 mln in stablecoins to ‘unfreezable’ tokens while in Montenegro jail?

A South Korean academic tracking on-chain data says Do Kwon, the imprisoned founder of the now collapsed Terra-Luna crypto project, seems to have outside help in moving stablecoins from his digital wallets into other cryptocurrencies.
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

Bitcoin loses US$30,000 peg, Ether falls as risk-off sentiment spreads to cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin fell below US$30,000 on Friday morning in Asia as traders took profits amid worries about interest rate hikes in U.S. markets.
A screenshot of cnft.me, displaying the biggest NFT projects on the Cardano blockchain

Cardano ‘ghost chain’ outperforms top blockchains in NFT market

Despite a plunge in unique NFT buyers on Cardano, which earned it the nickname “ghost chain,” data reveals that the blockchain’s NFT market outperformed leading competitors such as Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon in June.
Voyager, Singapore, Bitcoin, Thailand

No surprise as Singapore, Thailand step up crypto regulation

Southeast Asia steps up regulation. No end in sight for NFT market decline. Voyager’s shrinking portfolio.
Golden Bitcoin Cryptocurrency

Bitcoin, Ether rise, top cryptos mixed, as investors await SEC response to Bitcoin ETF applications

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top altcoins were mixed, as investors await the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) response to spot Bitcoin ETF applications. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin breaches US$31,195 following Fidelity’s spot Bitcoin ETF application Bitcoin, Ether rise, top 10 […]
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, Ether, all other top 10 cryptocurrencies fall; Litecoin leads losers with Cardano

Bitcoin, Ether fell along with all top 10 cryptocurrencies. Litecoin and Cardano led the losers. The Forkast 500 NFT index rose, but NFT mood is pessimistic.
Screenshot of Azuki Elementals NFTs displayed on OpenSea marketplace.

The NFT market’s historic new lows

NFT market recovers after Azuki’s Elementals mint debacle as traders report liquidity issues amidst price tumble.
DBS bank

Singapore’s DBS starts e-CNY bank services for China clients

Singapore-based DBS bank has introduced a “merchant collection solution” using e-CNY – China’s central bank digital currency – to allow corporate clients of DBS China to collect payments from their customers in e-CNY, and avail the automated settlement of e-CNY directly into their bank deposit account.
australian dollar

Australian regulator searches Binance’s local offices: Bloomberg

Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the country’s financial services regulator, searched the local offices of Binance on Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation of the exchange’s derivatives business, a Bloomberg report said.
Closeup of golden bitcoin BTC cryptocurrency

Bitcoin, Ether slip but remain above key price levels while altcoins struggle to find momentum

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Wednesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong but remained above key price levels, while most of the top altcoins were in the red.
Biswa Bangla Gate in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Airchains to record land ownership with NFTs for Indian city

Indian Web3 firm Airchains has announced a partnership with the New Town Kolkata Development Authority of West Bengal, to release 500,000 NFTs in hopes to enhance registration and transfer of land ownership. 
US dollar bills on a soap sud background

Why a wash sale rule for crypto may be coming soon — and what this means for you: Opinion

For years, crypto and NFT investors enjoyed tax advantages that holders of stocks and bonds do not have, but legislation on the horizon could end that loophole.
Golden bitcoin coin in a business woman hand outdoors. Cryptocurrency and blockchain concept. | Bitcoin trades flat after losing US$31,000 peg; Solana gains; Polygon, BNB lead losers

Bitcoin trades flat after losing US$31,000 peg; Solana gains; Polygon, BNB lead losers

Bitcoin and Ether traded little changed on Wednesday morning in Asia, while the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies were mixed.
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 but remain above key levels; top 10 cryptos mixed

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Tuesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization were mixed.
gaming and economics

How Web3 is disrupting gaming business models and player economics: Opinion

From pay-to-play arcade video games to sales of home consoles, gaming’s evolution into peer-to-peer marketplaces is posing a new challenge to the status quo, writes Jackson Poon.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin breaches US$31,000 on BlackRock’s updated ETF; Ether gains, Polygon leads winners | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, Non-FUngible Token - NFT, ETF

Bitcoin breaches US$31,000 on BlackRock’s updated ETF; Ether gains, Polygon leads winners

Bitcoin climbed above US$31,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia after Blackrock refiled its Bitcoin ETF application. Ether also gained amid institutional interest.
Singapore City - July 29, 2018 : Merlion and skyscrapers buildings at sunrise and twilight sky.

Singapore to require crypto firms to hold customer assets in a trust; restricts lending, staking by retail users

Cryptocurrency service providers in Singapore will have to keep customer assets under a statutory trust before the end of the year, for safekeeping purposes, the city state’s central bank announced Monday.
Bitcoin sprout | Bitcoin surges above US$28,000 on institutional adoption; Ether gains; U.S. equity futures down | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, Non-Fungible Token - NFT, ETF

Bitcoin slips, Ether inches up, top 10 cryptos gain as investors remain upbeat

Bitcoin fell and Ether rose during Monday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization strengthened.
global cryptocurrencies

Global shifts in crypto capital are underway. Here’s where the money is going

Digital assets funds have been flowing in waves all over the world since crypto’s inception, writes Amy Yu, CEO of SEBA Bank. Where is crypto capital going now?
Hong Kong Web3 | Hong Kong launches task force to promote blockchain initiatives, developments | Hong Kong, Web 3.0, blockchain

Hong Kong launches task force to promote blockchain initiatives, developments

Hong Kong’s local government on Friday set up the Task Force on Promoting Web3 Development to promote the benefits of blockchain to real-world industries.
Bitcoin coins on black background, top view | Bitcoin flat, Ether gains in mixed crypto market; Solana rebounds, Litecoin leads winners

Bitcoin flat, Ether gains in mixed crypto market; Solana rebounds, Litecoin leads winners

Bitcoin traded flat above US$30,000 while most other leading tokens were mixed. Litecoin and Solana saw the biggest gains among the top 10.
Wiew of Taj Mahal monument reflecting in water of the pool, Agra, India

Blockchain Alliance’s Raj Kapoor says the technology can reshape India’s governance systems

Kapoor founded the India Blockchain Alliance five years ago and gives an update on how the technology is being used in police reports to real estate transactions, as well as challenges of CBDC adoption and plans for tokenization of assets. He spoke in an interview for Forkast IQ.
Seoul, South Korea skyline at night | South Korea approves cryptocurrency bill to protect investors, goes into effect in one year

South Korea approves crypto bill to protect investors, goes into effect in one year

South Korea approved a bill to protect cryptocurrency investors as part of building the country’s first legal framework devoted to digital assets.
Blue and white neon sign spelling "ART"

Generative Art – The Golden Goose of NFTs

Dmitri Cherniak’s generative art NFT, ‘The Goose’, sold for US$5.4 million at Sotheby’s. The sale, a second highest for generative art, signals NFT art’s growing prominence and potential in the Web3 era.
U.S. SEC

US SEC says Bitcoin ETF applications inadequate: WSJ

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said the recent series of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications by asset managers were inadequate and not sufficiently clear, according to a report by Wall Street Journal on Friday. 
NFT

FXHASH NFT upgrade to allow users to mint on both Tezos and Eth

FXHASH, the largest non-fungible token (NFT) platform by sales volume on the Tezos blockchain, has announced an upgrade that allows users to choose between Tezos and Ethereum, along with on-chain minting for both networks. 
Two Bored Apes layerd in front of raining ApeCoins

ApeCoin DAO replaces Yat Siu and Alexis Ohanian

ApeCoin DAO, the decentralized autonomous organization behind the ApeCoin cryptocurrency, has replaced Animoca Brands chairman Yat Siu and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, in its special council that oversees the Ape Foundation.
A golden Bitcoin token on top fo other golden coins

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin breaches US$31,195 following Fidelity’s spot Bitcoin ETF application

Bitcoin briefly rose to US$31,195 after Fidelity filed its spot Bitcoin ETF application. Can the wave of institutional interest keep Bitcoin above US$30,500?
Employee Singapore Office 1055

Ripple executive spells out Asia future after license success in Singapore

Ripple Labs’ Asia-Pacific branch is offering digital payment services in Singapore after receiving in-principle approval of its license application from the MAS on June 22. What does that mean for the company’s Asia business?
US dollar and bitcoin

Bitcoin, Ether rise along with all other top 10 cryptos

Cyptocurrency investor sentiment continues to improve with Litecoin posting strong gains as its halving event in August gets closer.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Hosts Financial Stability Oversight Council Event | Blockchain Association joins Coinbase in pushing back against SEC over crypto crackdown

Blockchain Association joins Coinbase in pushing back against SEC over crypto crackdown

The Blockchain Association said the U.S. SEC chair Gary Gensler should remove himself from enforcing rules on the crypto sector.
UK flag and Big Ben | U.K. financial reform bill to regulate crypto assets passes into law after ‘Royal Assent’ | UK, Regulation & Law, crypto regulations

U.K. bill to regulate crypto assets passes into law, offering ‘rocket boost’ for economy

A U.K. bill to recognize cryptocurrency trading as a regulated financial activity passed into law on Thursday.
various cryptocurrencies

The bane of crypto today is quantity over quality: Opinion

The market now has 26,000 different cryptocurrencies and the total number of coins in circulation approaches infinity. How do those tokenomics make any sense?
Bitcoin and USD

Bitcoin gains with all top 10 crypto, Fidelity confirms Bitcoin ETF bid, U.S. economy rebounds

All top 10 cryptocurrencies rose, led by Solana, as another financial heavyweight applied to offer a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund and data showed the U.S. economy in good health. Stocks rose.
Binance logo

Binance to change euro banking partner from September

Binance’s euro banking partner, Paysafe Payment Solutions, will stop offering its services for the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange from Sept. 25.
Crypto gets a boost following reports of Fidelity's imminent Bitcoin spot ETF filing

Crypto gets a boost following reports of Fidelity’s imminent Bitcoin spot ETF filing

Top blockchain and crypto news: Fidelity Investment is reportedly close to filing its own Bitcoin ETF. NFT traders seek liquidity. Singapore eyes asset tokenization.
Closeup of golden bitcoin BTC cryptocurrency

Bitcoin remains above US$30,000, despite hawkish remarks from Powell

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization were mixed.
China Mobile logo | China Mobile launches metaverse industry alliance | China, Metaverse, China Mobile

China Mobile launches metaverse industry alliance

China Mobile, a leading telecommunication company of China, launched a metaverse alliance on Wednesday, whose members include Huawei, Xiaomi and Unity China. 
Ledger website | Ledger wallet launches institutional crypto trading platform

Ledger wallet launches institutional crypto trading platform

Ledger announced the launch of Ledger Enterprise Tradelink, a secure and regulation-friendly trading system for institutional investors.
Bitcoin

Bitcoin, all other top 10 cryptos lose ground; Azuki Elementals NFT disappoints investors

Bitcoin dropped but remained above US$30,000, with all other major cryptocurrencies falling, as investors reacted to news of MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin purchase and ARK Invest’s spot Bitcoin ETF plan.

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