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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 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.

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

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. 

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.

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.

Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Thailand have regulations supporting the growth of tokenization, showing the world the benefits of fractionalizing assets.

Binance Chief Strategy Officer Patrick Hillmann and Vice President for Compliance Steven Christie both confirmed they are leaving the firm.

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 fell below US$30,000 on Friday morning in Asia as traders took profits amid worries about interest rate hikes in U.S. markets.

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.

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

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 […]

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.

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

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 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.

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.

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. 

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.

Bitcoin and Ether traded little changed on Wednesday morning in Asia, while the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies were 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.

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 climbed above US$31,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia after Blackrock refiled its Bitcoin ETF application. Ether also gained amid institutional interest.

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

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’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 traded flat above US$30,000 while most other leading tokens were mixed. Litecoin and Solana saw the biggest gains among the top 10.

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.

South Korea approved a bill to protect cryptocurrency investors as part of building the country’s first legal framework devoted to digital assets.

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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?

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?

Cyptocurrency investor sentiment continues to improve with Litecoin posting strong gains as its halving event in August gets closer.

The Blockchain Association said the U.S. SEC chair Gary Gensler should remove himself from enforcing rules on the crypto sector.

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

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?

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’s euro banking partner, Paysafe Payment Solutions, will stop offering its services for the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange from Sept. 25.

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

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, a leading telecommunication company of China, launched a metaverse alliance on Wednesday, whose members include Huawei, Xiaomi and Unity China. 

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

The European Commission released two proposals on Wednesday, one for the digital euro, the ECB’s CBDC, and a legislative proposal to safeguard the role of cash.

Despite a slight dip in crypto prices, positive investor sentiment persists, buoyed by the potential of Bitcoin ETFs, rising institutional adoption, and recovery from regulatory concerns.

With the announcement of funding invested in Japanese firm Startale Labs, gaming giant Sony will increase its already active exploration of Web3 and the possibilities inherent in blockchain technologies.

Geisha, kimono, tea ceremony — the Japanese city of Kyoto is a place rich in traditional culture. But as the national government pivots toward the cutting edge potential of digital assets and Web3, the city is this week playing host to one of Asia’s largest crypto get-togethers.

Collaborative venture building involves pooling resources, expertise and ideas — a strategy ideal for Web3 startups to succeed, writes Katherine Ng.

Bitcoin rose along with other major cryptocurrencies. Fidelity reportedly plans a second spot Bitcoin ETF application in the U.S. following BlackRock’s move earlier this month. A strong day on Wall Street also offered support.

Azuki’s Elementals launch may be a turning point for the NFT market, with the continued decline of top projects’ floor prices.

Bitcoin slipped 0.04% but remained above US$30,000. Ether fell 0.97% to US$1,875.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the city state’s central bank, has proposed a framework for designing open, interoperable networks for digital assets, developed jointly with the Bank for International Settlements and other financial institutions. 

Bitcoin Cash, the spin-off of the world’s largest cryptocurrency, gained over 108% in the last seven days as investors hope the altcoin receives the same categorization as Bitcoin.

Shanghai on Wednesday released a three-year plan to build its culture and tourism metaverse.

Five countries in South and Southeast Asia now rank in the global top 10 for cryptocurrency adoption, embracing DeFi and defying government attempts to discourage crypto use. Is this a harbinger of larger trends to come?

Bitcoin slipped in directionless trading while Ether retreated, but both held gains for the past seven days. Most other top 10 tokens lost ground, led by Solana, while Tron was in the green as markets entered the last trading week of June.

Bitcoin prices drop 1.04% to US$30,416 in 24 hours, while Ether fell 0.98% to US$1,893.

Swiss prosecutors have reportedly frozen about US$26 million in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies that belong to Terraform Labs and its chief executive officer Kwon Do-hyeong.

Despite its potential, Web3 gaming has had mixed reviews from gamers and developers, writes Freddie Ng. Here are the challenges and opportunities.

The Shanghai Clearing House started digital yuan clearing and settlement services for trading in commodities on Monday.

Cryptocurrency issuers in Japan are now exempt from paying a 30% corporate tax on unrealized gains on tokens.

Bitcoin held ground above US$30,000 following a week of traditional financial institutions showing interest in financial instruments that include the token. The U.S. regulator approved the first leveraged Bitcoin Futures ETF on Friday.

Binance Abu Dhabi’s chief Dominic Longman discusses the UAE’s approach to cryptocurrencies and the state’s support for innovation.

New York-headquartered investment bank JPMorgan Chase & Co. has launched euro-denominated transactions on its blockchain-based payment system, JPM Coin, Bloomberg reported on Friday. 

Bitcoin shrugged off Prime Trust’s cease order, as risk appetite was bolstered by several TradFi alumni entering the crypto space this week. Could we see more spot Bitcoin ETF applications next week?

Seychelles-registered cryptocurrency exchange OKX, which says it is the world’s second-largest crypto platform by trading volume, opened an office in Dubai on June 15 as part of its global expansion and aims to raise staff numbers to 30 to tap opportunities in the region.

Bitcoin remained above US$30,000, even as Nevada state regulators in the U.S. ordered crypto custodian Prime Trust to cease operations.