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Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission released the Web 3.0 whitepaper at the Zhongguancun Forum on Saturday in Beijing. Image: Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission / WeChat

Beijing releases Web3 white paper, highlights challenges in talent, rules

Beijing’s local government on Saturday released a white paper outlining plans and challenges for development of the city’s Web 3.0 industry.
Bitcoin stack | Bitcoin back above US$28,000 as cryptos rebound on US debt ceiling talks | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, Inflation

Bitcoin back above US$28,000 as cryptos rebound on positive debt ceiling talks

Bitcoin moved back above US$28,000 on Monday morning in Asia, leading a rally among all top 10 non-stablecoin tokens. Ether reclaimed the US$1,900 level.
Top view crypto currency Silver Bitcoin,Ethereum and blank mobile screen on dollar banknote on black table,Virtual digital money.mock up screen for display design

Bitcoin and Ethereum: Two titans battle for NFT supremacy

Unpacking the NFT disparity at Veecon & BTC Miami 2023: established ETH vs emerging BTC. CryptoSlam seeks to bridge the gap.
bitcoin on downtrend red candlestick graph background

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin weighed down by debt ceiling uncertainty

Bitcoin traded above US$26,000 as the uncertainty around the U.S. debt ceiling negotiations caused global concerns over a potential governmental default. Crypto markets will stay muted until a deal is reached, Industry experts told Forkast.
Bitcoin on blue chart | Bitcoin drops on liquidity concerns, Ether dips; Polkadot leads winners; U.S. equity futures gain | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, DOT - Polkadot, Inflation

Most top 10 cryptos up, despite looming fears of US default

Bitcoin and Ether rose during afternoon trading in Asia on Friday, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding the Solana and Tron tokens.
Brazilian money

Warren Buffet-backed Nubank, Visa, Mastercard to join Brazil’s CBDC pilot

Banco Central do Brasil, the central bank of Brazil, has selected 14 institutions to participate in the pilot run of the country’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) named Real Digital.
China Metaverse | China: Zhengzhou City proposes metaverse plan | China, Metaverse, blockchain

China: Zhengzhou City proposes metaverse plan

China’s Zhengzhou city issued a set of policy proposals Wednesday to support metaverse companies, including a 10 billion yuan (US$1.42 billion) metaverse fund.
Computer screen with Binance website | Binance launches NFT loan service amid Blend’s growing popularity

Binance launches NFT loan service to rival Blend

Binance Marketplace, Binance’s NFT trading platform, is launching a new service Friday where users can loan Ether by using NFTs as collateral.
Coinone logo and bribery image | South Korea: Former Coinone executive pleads guilty to bribery

South Korea: Former Coinone executive pleads guilty to bribery

A former executive at Coinone pleaded guilty on Thursday to accepting bribes in exchange for listing certain cryptocurrencies on the platform.
AI chip

Nvidia chip boom a boost for AI-related cryptos

The stock price boost for tech giant Nvidia on the back of an AI chip boom has sent AI-related cryptocurrencies on a surge.
Alien Worlds Community

Why GameFi is the future of the new player economy

Opinions about Web3 gaming remain divided, but it’s undeniable that NFTs and GameFi offer players big opportunities, writes Ramona Ciocea of Protokol.
Nvidia

AI-themed cryptos rise; NFT lenders duke it out; US debt talks continue

Surge of interest in AI chipmaker Nvidia extends to crypto, Binance and Blur vie for top NFT lender spot, while uncertainty abounds over U.S. debt talks.
In battle to be Asia crypto hub, which city will emerge victorious

In battle to be Asia’s crypto hub, which city will emerge victorious?

Top blockchain and crypto news: Asia’s crypto hub race. Is US debt ceiling fight a boon or a bane for crypto? China’s red carpet for metaverse investment.
Hong Kong flag with Bitcoin at the corner | Hong Kong’s new crypto regulation may lure Web3 firms back, experts say | Hong Kong, Web 3.0, Regulation & Law, virtual asset service providers (VASP), SFC - Securities and Futures Commission

Hong Kong is world’s most crypto-ready jurisdiction, new study claims

Hong Kong is the most crypto-ready jurisdiction in the world, based on the number of blockchain startups per 100,000 people and the number of crypto ATMs proportional to the population, according to a new study by forex education platform Forex Suggest. 
Coins with bitcoin symbol on red light and crypto stocks chart b

Top 10 cryptos decline, except Matic, as debt ceiling negotiations erode risk appetite

Bitcoin and Ether fell during afternoon trading in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding Polygon’s Matic token. Most Asian equities declined while most U.S. stock futures strengthened, despite Fitch Ratings placing America’s AAA rating on a negative watch, citing rising concerns that the government could default on its […]
Inside South Korea's National Assembly | South Korea will require public officials to disclose crypto holdings from 2024

South Korea will require all public officials to disclose crypto holdings from 2024

South Korean lawmakers unanimously approved a new bill requiring public officials to disclose their crypto holdings to be implemented in December.
Flag of Hong Kong and China | Hong Kong’s new crypto rules covered by China state TV in rare move from Beijing | Hong Kong, China, Regulation & Law, virtual asset service provider (VASP), Cryptocurrency Assets

Hong Kong’s new crypto rules covered by China state TV in rare move from Beijing

Analysts say the move could signal a bull run in cryptocurrencies.
Terraform CEO Do Kwon’s bail revoked in Montenegro

Terraform CEO Do Kwon’s bail revoked in Montenegro

The high court of Montenegro’s capital city Podgorica has revoked its decision to grant bail to Terraform Labs chief executive officer Do Kwon.
cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin drops near US$26,000 amid U.S. debt uncertainties

All top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies fell, as investors assess macro sentiment.
Byodo-in temple, Japan.

Japan to implement anti-money laundering rules for crypto: report 

Japan will introduce strict anti-money laundering rules on cryptocurrency transactions from June 1, the Southeast Asian nation’s cabinet decided on Tuesday.
Toyota and Uniswap DAO webs

DAO communities – we need to talk about decentralization

Just how decentralized are today’s DAOs? When compared to the world’s largest transnational corporations, not so much, says Pat Rawson, co-founder of Web3 innovation network Curve Labs.
Human hand stacking generic coins over black background with hexagonal golden shapes. Concept of angel investor and investing in startup companies. Composite image between a hand photography and a 3D background.

Singapore’s OCBC Bank, ADDX exchange launches tokenized structure notes

OCBC Bank will offer tokenized equity-linked structured notes to accredited investors, in a partnership with private market exchange ADDX.
bitcoin on downtrend red candlestick graph background

Bitcoin drops below US$27,000, Dogecoin biggest loser

Bitcoin dropped 2.33% to US$26,671. Ether lost 2.15% but traded above US$1,800.
and
Nanjing City & Woman wearing VR gear | China Nanjing city launches metaverse organization | China, Metaverse, Web 3.0

China’s Nanjing city launches state-backed metaverse entity

China’s Nanjing City launched a state-backed organization on Monday to promote and enhance metaverse studies throughout the nation.
man with VR goggles making hand gestures | Only 4% of South Korea use the metaverse, survey reveals

Only 4% of South Koreans use metaverses, survey reveals

Only 4.2% of South Korean citizens have said that they regularly use metaverse services, a recent survey results show.
anti-money laundering in global standards

Crypto’s aversion to anti-money laundering standards is only hurting itself

For crypto to grow for the long term, the industry must show greater respect for global standards that combat crime, writes Slava Demchuk of AMLBot.
Several golden cryptocurrencies highlighting the Dogecoin coin with graphics in blue color

Bitcoin, Ether rise; Dogecoin falls despite record high transaction volume

Top 10 non-stablecoin cryptos traded mixed, while investors continue to assess U.S. debt talks.
A shot of VeeCon

VeeCon: Rekindling the NFT Community’s Fire

VeeCon 2023 NFT conference inspires and strengthens the market with community focus and innovation. Gary Vaynerchuk’s keynote resonates with fans worldwide.
Hong Kong

Hong Kong? Singapore? Tokyo? Seoul? Dubai? The race is on for the Web3 hub of Asia | Part 2

While U.S. regulators continue debating over whether cryptocurrencies are securities or commodities, the digital assets industry is being pleasantly welcomed by several Asian cities. And the competition is really hotting up now.
Warsaw, Poland.

Bitget crypto exchange registers in Poland

Seychelles-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange Bitget announced on Tuesday that it successfully registered as a virtual asset service provider in Poland.
Binance logo

Binance allegedly commingled customer funds: Reuters

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has been accused of blending client funds with its own corporate revenue in violation of U.S. financial regulations, according to three unnamed sources cited by Reuters.
Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong

Hong Kong to open crypto to retail traders, plans guardrails

Hong Kong will allow licensed cryptocurrency trading platforms to offer services to retail investors and will implement a slew of measures to protect individual traders, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) said on Tuesday.
Ledger Nano S hardware wallet cold storage for cryptocurrency

Governments could access Ledger wallet private keys, says CEO

Cryptocurrency wallet Ledger’s new update allows governments to access users’ seed phrases via subpoena, said Pascal Gauthier, the chief executive officer of Ledger. 
Bitcoin golden coin and dollar background. Cryptocurrency

All top 10 cryptos rise; Hotbit crypto exchange shuts down; U.S. stock futures drop

Bitcoin gained 1.71% and Ether climbed 2.35%. Polygon gained the most in 24 hours followed by Tron.
and
Philippines flag and Gemini logo | Philippines regulator warns against Gemini Derivatives for unregistered securities

Philippines regulator warns against Gemini Derivatives for unregistered securities

The Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission warned the public last week not to use crypto exchange Gemini’s derivatives platform.
dot com, crypto and AI

How many of today’s AI darlings will end up in the dot-com and crypto sewage?

For every PayPal or Google, countless other startups from the bubble days of yore took investor money down the toilet, writes Naveen Agnihotri. What makes this AI boom any different?
crypto btc

Bitcoin, Ether, top 10 cryptos rise; US futures climb

The top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ether, were up across the board as U.S. Fed rate talks and debt negotiation outcomes remain unpredictable.
Tourist junk boat ferry with red sails and Hong Kong skyline cityscape downtown skyscrapers over Victoria Harbour in the evening. Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong? Singapore? Tokyo? Seoul? Dubai? The race is on for the Web3 hub of Asia | Part 1

As U.S. regulators file lawsuits against cryptocurrency platforms, prompting some digital asset companies to seek more favorable jurisdictions, a fleet of cities in Asia are putting out the welcome mat, seeking to attract the jobs and investment that Web3 technologies promise. Right now, Hong Kong seems to be grabbing the limelight, but it has competition.
The popular tourist attraction of Batu Caves which are sacred Hindi limestone caves near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Malaysian regulator orders Huobi crypto exchange to cease local operations

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), the capital markets regulator, has charged cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global and its chief executive officer Leon Li for operating a digital asset exchange (DAX) without registration.
3 different colored bitcoin digital currency on computer keyboard with blurred background of investing chart stock market trading in monitor, future financial currency concept

Bitcoin, top 10 cryptos fall except Tron; U.S. futures slightly up; Asian equities rise

Bitcoin traded below US$27,000 in Monday afternoon trade in Asia.
and
deposit slip with coins

Are deposit tokens the new stablecoins — or a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

Stablecoins are a key part of the crypto ecosystem, but banks like JPMorgan are now exploring deposit tokens as an alternative. Which is better, and why?
South Korea's Ruling Party lawmaker Lee Man-hee | S.Korean lawmaker propose public officials disclose crypto holdings |

S.Korean lawmakers propose public officials disclose crypto holdings

A South Korean ruling party lawmaker proposed all public officials and candidates disclose their crypto holdings in a new bill unveiled last Friday.
Circle’s reserve breakdown shows US$13.58B cash and US$42.12B U.S. Treasurys

Circle: US regulation can help create the ‘most stable stablecoin’

Circle Vice President of Global Policy Corey Then says he is optimistic that U.S. regulatory developments can eventually benefit local players despite ongoing scrutiny.
Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin, Ether fall; Tron trades higher; Investors digest G7, U.S. debt ceiling implications

Bitcoin fell below US$27,000 on Sunday, dipping further Monday morning in Asia as wider macro developments continue to weigh.
Bitcoin on chart | Bitcoin, Ether fall to month lows; Polygon leads losers; U.S. equity futures up as inflation cools | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, Matic - Polygon, Inflation

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin trades below US$27,000 amid U.S. debt ceiling negotiations

Bitcoin traded below the US$27,000 mark for most of the week, as investor sentiment was weighed down by the prospect of the U.S. government’s potential default. Investors will be closely monitoring the ongoing debt ceiling negotiations.
Ripple XRP token and market screen backdrop | Markets: Bitcoin, Ether inch up; XRP biggest loser among top 10 | bitcoin price today, ether price today, crypto market today, crypto price, xrp news

XRP lone gainer among top 10 cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin and Ether fell during afternoon trading in Asia, along all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding XRP.
Ripple logo, Hong Kong dollars

Ripple joins Hong Kong CBDC pilot, partners with Fubon Bank

Ripple Labs has launched a new payment platform for a central bank digital currency in Hong Kong.
Golden BTC Bitcoin and XRP Ripple Coins | XRP sees gains after Ripple’s CBDC announcement; US investor sentiment up on positive debt ceiling talks; Bitcoin Ordinals tops sales

XRP gains; Lift-off for Space Pepe NFTs; US investor sentiment up on positive debt talks

Bitcoin and Ether prices fell on Friday morning in Asia. XRP gained after Hong Kong CBDC announcement by issuer Ripple.
electric vehicle and blockchain concept

How blockchain can shift electric car use into the fast lane

Electric vehicles remain rare in developing countries because of high costs and ‘range anxiety,’ writes George Cox of eTukTuk. Here’s how blockchain technology can remove those barriers.
Tether USDT China Litecoin

Is Tether unmoored — or just dandy?

Top blockchain and crypto news: Fighting words over USDT erupt on Twitter. Litecoin surges amid memecoin fever. Chinese city bids for blockchain business.
HKMA boss Eddie Yue

Hong Kong’s e-HKD pilot puts the world on notice

Rollout of the central bank digital currency in Hong Kong is a potential game-changer and a move that others may soon look to follow.
Binance logo displayed on screen and a kangaroo.

Binance suspends Australian dollar services

World’s largest cryptocurrency exchange halts Australian dollar services after payment provider cuts off service.
stack of Bitcoins. | January weekly crypto investment reaches highest since July 2022, says CoinShares report

Matic leads crypto rise despite Ledger security concerns

Cryptocurrencies rebounded on Thursday but wallet service provider Ledger’s latest update raised new security concerns.
(From left to right) Dexter Chan, Smart acting vice president for content business development; Peter Ing, BlockchainSpace founder and chief executive officer; Lloyd Manaloto, Smart first vice president head of prepaid and content; and Aspen Sañez, BlockchainSpace global head of marketing.

Philippine telco giant partners BlockchainSpace for Web3 creator platform

Smart Communications, one of the Philippines’ largest telcos, is entering the Web3 space through a partnership with Web3 community enabler in Southeast Asia, BlockchainSpace.
Bitcoin and cryptocurrency miner

Bitcoin mining difficulty rises to a new all-time high

Bitcoin’s mining difficulty level rose 3.22% on Thursday, hitting an all-time high, as the network’s hashrate also increased to a record high.
Flag of Montenegro, Do Kwon | Montenegro prosecutors appeal court ruling to allow bail for Terraform Labs CEO Do Kwon | do kwon, terra luna, terraform labs

Montenegro prosecutors appeal court ruling to allow bail for Terraform Labs CEO Do Kwon

Montenegro prosecutors have filed an appeal against a local court decision to approve bail for the detained Terraform Labs CEO Do Kwon.
A SIM card with Conflux logo | Conflux Network, China Telecom unveil blockchain-based SIM card | Conflux Network, China, Hong Kong

Conflux Network, China Telecom unveil blockchain-based SIM card

Conflux Network and China Telecom on Tuesday unveiled their first blockchain-based SIM card, which will be piloted in Hong Kong.
bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies | Bitcoin, Ether mixed; Polygon leads gainers; Equity futures flat as U.S. debt default worries recede

Bitcoin, Ether mixed; Polygon leads gainers; Equity futures flat as U.S. debt default worries recede

Bitcoin prices rose on Thursday morning in Asia. Ether edged down, while other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization gained.
Bitcoin, cryptocurrency trading.

Bitget crypto exchange doubles down on expansion, to hire 300 more

Bitget is looking to hire 300 more people across operations, compliance, research and development, and customer support, the cryptocurrency exchange said.
Bitcoin | Bitcoin loses ground, Ether dips even as inflows rise; Litecoin edges up, with halving cited | Markets, BTC - Bitcoin, ETH - Ethereum, LTC - Litecoin, Memecoin

Ordinals inscriptions slow down but Bitcoin congestion lingers

Ordinals inscriptions have slowed down this week but Bitcoin continues suffering from congestion issues due to the BRC-20 craze.
Ripple coin on dollar banknotes. XRP Cryptocurrency on US dollar bills

Ripple Labs acquires digital asset custody provider Metaco for US$250 mln

San Francisco-based Ripple Labs, a technology and financial services firm built around the XRP cryptocurrency, said it will acquire Metaco, a Swiss-based tokenization and digital asset custody provider, for US$250 million. 
UK lawmakers propose cryptocurrency regulation as gambling

UK lawmakers propose cryptocurrency regulation as gambling

In a new report, U.K. lawmakers suggest treating Bitcoin and Ether like gambling due to significant consumer financial risks.
bitcoin on downtrend red candlestick graph background

Bitcoin slips below US$27,000, XRP leads gains in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin prices dropped below US$27,000 on Wednesday afternoon in Asia, while XRP gained the most after positive news for Ripple Labs on its lawsuit against U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
and
China emblem and NFT | China’s top prosecuting body issues warnings, guidance about country’s NFT market | China, Regulation & Law, NFT - Non-Fungible Token

China’s top prosecuting body issues warnings, guidance about country’s NFT market

China’s top legal authority issued a commentary on Monday about the risks and potential in NFTs, highlighting the need for legislation.
William Hinman, a former director of the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance. Images: SEC, Envato Elements

XRP lawsuit: Judge denies SEC motion to seal documents in win for Ripple

A U.S. federal judge has denied a motion by the SEC to seal internal documents related to a speech given by the SEC’s former director on whether cryptocurrencies are securities.
Web 3.0

Web3 needs to engage with local communities. Its future depends on it

Web3’s terrible user experience, scams and lack of diversity could be solved if its leaders take a cue from environmentalists and ‘act locally,’ writes Tim Williamson of NieuxCo.
Ripple coin isolated on black background. Cryptocurrency. Top view | XRP gains as U.S. denies SEC motion; NFT index down; U.S. equities anticipate debt ceiling deal | hinman speech, ripple sec, crypto news, crypto price, bitcoin, ether, nft, biden debt ceiling

XRP gains as SEC motion denied; NFT index down; US investors anticipate debt ceiling deal

Bitcoin prices fell on Wednesday morning in Asia but remained above the US$27,000 line. Ether gained but still posted a weekly drop. XRP led gainers among other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.
Screenshot of image on Bitcoin sale in 2010, as displayed on Bitcointalk.org.

Bitcoin history shows first financial transaction was almost an NFT

Internet sleuths unearth the first financial transaction on Bitcoin, showcasing the potential of NFTs.
Bitcoin on a home computer chart and money and investment

Bitcoin, Ether fall, Solana leads declines; U.S. stock futures trade flat; Asian equities mixed

Bitcoin fell 0.58% while Ether dropped 0.36%. Solana was the biggest loser of the day, dropping 1.67%.
and
EU crypto MiCA

EU’s MiCA gets unanimous nod from European Council

European Union finance ministers unanimously approved MiCA, a set of cryptocurrency rules aiming to reshape the digital asset industry across the EU bloc.
Logos of SEC and Coinbase

SEC in no rush to respond to Coinbase calls for regulatory clarity

As part of the ongoing legal dispute between the two, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said it would not be hurried into a response to Coinbase demands.
Lawmaker Kim Nam-kuk and Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office | South Korea raids firms Upbit, Bithumb, Kakao over local lawmaker’s crypto scandal

South Korea raids firms Upbit, Bithumb, Kakao over local lawmaker’s crypto scandal

South Korean prosecutors have raided Upbit, Bithumb and the crypto wallet unit of Kakao, as part of their investigation into lawmaker Kim Nam-kuk.

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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.