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Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin rises above US$23,000 after its first weekly ‘death cross’

Bitcoin briefly climbed above US$25,000 for the first time since August 2021, before declining to US$23,764 after its first weekly “death cross.” Investors liquidated over US$70 million worth of Bitcoin short positions in the past 24 hours, according to data aggregator GlassNode, contributing to BTC’s rally.
Japan’s government approves policy to drive Web 3.0 adoption

Japan to launch digital yen pilot programme in April

Japan will start a pilot programme to test the use of a digital yen in April, joining a growing number of countries seeking to launch their own CBDCs.
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried | FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried | sam bankman fried news, bahamas, ftx

Judge says Bankman-Fried could ‘conceivably’ have bail revoked: CNN

There might be “probable cause” to believe that Sam Bankman-Fried engaged in witness tampering and other activities that could revoke his bail, says judge.
Bitcoin coins on keyboard computer with trading exchange graph

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most top 10 cryptos following hawkish U.S. Fed remarks

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, following hawkish remarks from U.S. Federal Reserve officials on more upcoming interest rate hikes.
Blur logo

Weekly NFT sales spike after Blur’s Valentines airdrop

Blur.io, the NFT marketplace that beat OpenSea’s trading volume in the past month, airdropped its platform tokens on Valentine’s Day, contributing to the global NFT sales increase this week.
Tencent building | Tencent says “personnel reshuffle” underway at Metaverse unit, denies job cuts | Tencent, Metaverse, China, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR)

Tencent confirms ‘personnel reshuffle’ at metaverse unit, denies team being disbanded

China technology giant Tencent said its reshuffling staff in its metaverse unit, but denied it was being disbanded, as reported by local media.
Wemix graphic | Wemade’s WEMIX token surges after relisting on South Korea’s Coinone exchange | wemix, wemade, coinone, south korea

Wemade’s WEMIX token surges after relisting on South Korea’s Coinone exchange

South Korean blockchain game developer Wemade’s WEMIX token surged after it was relisted on local crypto exchange Coinone on Thursday.
Do Kwon, metal handcuffs and SEC logo| Do Kwon, founder of collapsed Terra stablecoin, charged with fraud by U.S. securities regulator

Do Kwon, founder of collapsed Terra stablecoin, charged with fraud by U.S. securities regulator

The U.S. SEC charged Singapore-based Terraform Labs and its chief Kwon Do-hyung for defrauding investors.
online gaming

Why gaming’s next frontier is owning your in-game assets

Many gamers still oppose NFTs and blockchain gaming, overlooking the myriad benefits of the latest technology, writes Ramona Ciocea of Protokol.
Cryptocurrency golden bitcoin image for crypto currency | Markets: Bitcoin slips back below US$24,000 as inflation worries resurface in U.S., equities slide | crypto news, bitcoin news, crypto price today

Markets: Bitcoin slips back below US$24,000 as inflation worries resurface in U.S., equities slide

Bitcoin and Ether fell Friday morning in Asia, curtailing a strong run up in the week, after the U.S. January PPI rose much faster than expected.
Binance expects to pay penalties to settle U.S. probes: Wall Street Journal

Binance expects to pay penalties to settle U.S. probes: Wall Street Journal

Binance expects to pay to settle U.S. authorities’ investigations into its business and past crypto offerings, according to its chief strategy officer.
Elon Musk next to his dog Floki

Markets: Bitcoin rallies over 11% as top 10 cryptos gain, memecoin Floki surges 82%

Bitcoin posted the biggest gains during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with increases in the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies
El Slavador President Nayib Bukele. | El Salvador to establish “Bitcoin Embassy” in Texas to promote adoption of digital assets

El Salvador to establish ‘Bitcoin Embassy’ in Texas to promote adoption of digital assets

El Salvador, the first country in the world to make Bitcoin legal tender, is planning on opening a “Bitcoin embassy” in Texas.
Square Enix logo and metaverse background | Japan’s Square Enix to launch Web3 game on Polygon blockchain, cites ‘sustainability’ benefits | japan web3 blockchain metaverse nft

Japan’s Square Enix to launch Web3 game on Polygon blockchain, cites ‘sustainability’ benefits

Square Enix announced Wednesday that it will launch its first Web3 game Symbiogenesis on the Polygon blockchain.
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Image: Getty Images

Sam Bankman-Fried’s bail backers revealed as former Stanford dean, research scientist

Academics from Stanford Law School and Stanford University are the previously two unknown individuals who signed bonds that allowed the release of FTX crypto exchange founder Sam Bankman-Fried from prison on bail, according to court filings released Wednesday. 
gold and silver bitcoins; crypto chart

Go ahead and ban staking. Crypto investors will just go elsewhere

The SEC’s latest heavy-handed approach toward crypto will leave investors less protected while benefitting dodgy offshore companies, writes Danny Talwar of Koinly.
Piles of Bitcoins. | Bitcoin breaches US$24,000 to reach highest price since August amid short position liquidation

Markets: Bitcoin breaches US$24,000 to highest price since August as short sellers liquidated

Bitcoin broke through the US$24,000 price ceiling for the first time in two weeks to reach its highest price since mid-August in Thursday morning trading in Asia, as investors liquidated almost US$70 million of mostly short-position bets.
Portrait of Evan Cheng, the co-founder of Mysten Labs | Web3 isn’t just about money, it’s about equality and transparency, says Mysten Labs co-founder

Web3 isn’t just about money, it’s about equality and transparency, says Mysten Labs co-founder

Investors may view Web3 through the lens of financial opportunities and revenue, but that misses the point of trying to build a fairer and more transparent infrastructure, with content creators at the forefront, says Mysten Labs co-founder Evan Cheng
and
EU begins blockchain regulatory sandbox for DLT development

EU begins regulatory sandbox for blockchain technology

The European Commission (EC), has started a regulatory sandbox to test use cases of blockchain technologies and provide legal clarity for the industry.
Conflux Network (Shanghai Tree-Graph Blockchain Research Institute) is officially collaborating with China Telecom (the second-largest wireless carrier in China) to develop a sim card integrated with Blockchain technology called BSIM.

Conflux Network, China Telecom to build blockchain-enabled SIM cards

Blockchain protocol Conflux Network and China’s second-largest wireless carrier China Telecom have partnered to build a “blockchain-enabled SIM card” (BSIM).
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 23: Sam Bankman-Fried speaks onstage during the first annual Moonlight Gala benefitting CARE - Children With Special Needs - hosted by Michael Cayre, Roy Nachum and MegaMoon Museum at Casa Cipriani on June 23, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for CARE For Special Children )

Sam Bankman-Fried banned from using VPNs while on bail: Bloomberg

Sam Bankman-Fried, the co-founder of the now-bankrupt FTX exchange, has been banned from using virtual private networks (VPNs) while out on bail, as the judge cited similar concerns to the co-founder’s use of encrypted messaging apps, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. See related article: Bankrupt FTX threatens legal action to claw back donations to politicians, charities […]
Paxos ordered to stop minting stablecoin as SEC ponders lawsuit

Paxos ordered to stop minting Binance stablecoin as SEC mulls legal action

Top blockchain and crypto news: Paxos halts BUSD issuance. Kraken faces disclosure charges. Beijing backs new blockchain research center.
Stack of golden bitcoins

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether extend gains; Cardano rises most among top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether prices strengthened in Wednesday afternoon trade, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Cardano led gains at 6.91%, followed by Dogecoin at 5.21%, though prices of top 10 tokens remain subdued on the week.  
and
Jingtan logo and blocks with lock sign | Chinese NFT marketplace Jingtan eases asset transfer restrictions | China, NFT - Non-Fungible Token, Ant Group

Chinese NFT marketplace Jingtan eases asset transfer restrictions

Jingtan, one of China’s major NFT marketplace, has relaxed its rules on NFT transfer between users.
DBS

Singapore’s DBS Digital Exchange’s Bitcoin trade volume grows 80% in 2022

DBS Digital Exchange (DDEx), one of Asia’s first bank-backed digital exchanges, has reported a year-on-year increase of 80% in Bitcoin traded in financial year 2022, while the number of Bitcoin custodized with the bank doubled from 2021. 
Senator Sherrod Brown. | Digital asset industry comes under fire at hearing by U.S. Senate on ‘Crypto Crash’

Digital asset industry comes under fire at hearing by U.S. Senate on ‘Crypto Crash’

The cryptocurrency industry faced criticism during a Senate committee meeting on Tuesday entitled “Crypto Crash: Why Financial System Safeguards are Needed for Digital Assets.”
south korea flag in 3D | S. Korean regulators to probe local crypto staking services following U.S. crackdown: News1 | sec crypto, crypto news today, south korea crypto, cryptocurrency staking, coinbase, kraken, paxos, busd, binance

S. Korean regulators to probe local crypto staking services following U.S. crackdown: News1

S.Korean regulators are planning to review crypto staking services on local exchanges following recent regulatory enforcements from the SEC.
Bitcoin. | U.S. Congress, not the SEC, will set cryptocurrency regulations, says Blockchain Association

U.S. Congress, not the SEC, will set cryptocurrency regulations, says Blockchain Association

The Blockchain Association Chief Policy Officer Jake Chervinsky said the U.S. Congress will ultimately set the laws in the country to govern the cryptocurrency industry and not the Securities and Exchange Commission
Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao. Image: Binance

Binance CEO says more non-USD stablecoins may emerge

The intensifying regulatory oversight in the U.S. is highlighting the increasing need for non-U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoins in the cryptocurrency industry, Binance Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao said on Tuesday.  See related article: Be careful what you wish for? Regulators pick up pace in the crypto industry crackdown Fast facts See related article: SEC may make […]
SEC and cryptocurrencies | SEC may make it harder for hedge funds to work with crypto firms: Bloomberg | crypto news, hedge fund, paxos, coinbase, U.S. SEC

SEC may make it harder for hedge funds to work with crypto firms: Bloomberg

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) plans to propose rule changes that would make it difficult for cryptocurrency firms to hold digital assets.
Bitcoin and U.S. cash. | Markets: Bitcoin, Ether, other major tokens rise despite hotter-than-expected CPI reading

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether, other major tokens rise despite hotter-than-expected CPI reading

Bitcoin rose in Wednesday morning trading in Asia to move back above US$22,000 as investors shrugged off a seeming U.S. regulatory crackdown on digital assets and data showing U.S. inflation for January was above forecasts.
Hong Kong hopes to raise US$102 mln from digital green bonds debut: Bloomberg

Hong Kong hopes to raise US$102 mln from digital green bonds debut: Bloomberg

The Hong Kong government is looking to raise US$102 million through the pilot issuance of its digital green bonds, according to a Monday report from Bloomberg. 
transport truck driving on the road, green meadow with blue sky

Truck industry as real-world crypto use case? How blockchain could replace system that leaves U.S. truckers out of pocket 

The current payment system relied on by truck drivers runs through third parties and adds costs to supply chains and consumers. Could blockchain tech provide an alternative, and would truckers trust it?
Golden bitcoin coins

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether drop; BNB biggest loser in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether dropped in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Binance’s native token BNB led the day’s decline across the top 10 cryptos.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler. | Be careful what you wish for? Regulators pick up pace in the crypto industry crackdown

Be careful what you wish for? Regulators pick up pace in the crypto industry crackdown

Last year was memorable in the emerging world of digital assets for the sheer number of corporate failures. The industry itself has been asking for clearer legal guidelines to help development. Is that what’s happening now?
and
pile of cryptocurrency coins under the word transparency

Why the crypto sector needs radical transparency in the post-FTX world

Self-custody is cumbersome and carries risks of seed phrases getting lost, but how can we ensure if a third-party custodian can be trusted?
BNB among pile of gold coins. | Markets: Bitcoin rises amid market jitters as Paxos stablecoin issuer next regulator target after Kraken clampdown

Markets: Bitcoin rises amid market jitters as Paxos stablecoin issuer next regulator target after Kraken clampdown

Bitcoin was the only top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrency to gain in Tuesday morning trading in Asia in a market unsettled by regulators in the U.S. targeting digital asset companies.
DBS Bank logo and Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP cryptocurrencies

Singapore’s DBS bank plans to apply for crypto license in HK: report

Singapore’s DBS Group plans to apply for a license to offer crypto to Hong Kong customers as the city pushes to become a hub for digital assets.
Nirmala Sitharaman

India discussing crypto, regulation with G20, says finance minister

As India moves forward with its one-year presidency of the Group of 20 (G20), it is discussing cryptocurrency and regulation with the group’s members, India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said. 
American judge beats with the gavel and gives the sentence in the courtroom.Head of crypto, FX trading platform EminiFX pleads guilty to US$248 million of fraud charges

Head of crypto, FX trading platform EminiFX pleads guilty to US$248 million fraud charges

Mastermind of the EminiFX fraud has pleaded guilty to soliciting investments worth more than US$248 million from tens of thousands of investors, says US DOJ.
Close up of metal shiny bitcoin crypto currency coins on US dollar bills.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices extend losses; Dogecoin sole gainer among top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin continued to trade below US$22,000 in Monday afternoon trading in Asia. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies dropped except Dogecoin.
UAE / United Arab Emirates Flag with fine texture in angled view close-up

UAE central bank to issue CBDC, promote digital asset growth

The United Arab Emirates plans to launch a central bank digital currency (CBDC), among other initiatives, to become a financial and digital payment hub.
BUSD reserves consist of 60.5% US Treasury bills, 4.21% cash

Paxos ordered to stop issuing Binance USD stablecoin: report

Paxos Trust Company has been ordered by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) to stop issuing the U.S. dollar-pegged Binance USD (BUSD) stablecoin
Red Date Technology showcased BSN Spartan in Dubai in September. Image: BSN Twitter

China’s international blockchain BSN Spartan gets new push in Middle East, Africa

Red Date Technology, the developer of China’s state-backed blockchain infrastructure Blockchain-based Service Network, has partnered Dubai-based Singularity Innovations to offer blockchain infrastructure services in the Middle East and Africa, as the Chinese blockchain network continues to go global.
A Bitcoin logo, on a smartphone, held in someone's hand, in front of a busy road

What is the outlook for crypto in 2023 and beyond?

Tokenization, stablecoins and DeFi will be growth areas, but regulatory uncertainty is still holding back adoption, writes John Avery of FIS.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong | Coinbase CEO says he will “happily defend” crypto staking service against claim it’s a securities product | coinbase, staking, crypto, u.s. sec, binance usd, busd, kraken

Coinbase CEO says he will “happily defend” crypto staking service against claim it’s a securities product

CEO Brian Armstrong said that the company will defend its staking services in court against claims that they need to be classified as securities.
bitcoin gold token and dollar bills | Markets: Bitcoin dips to US$23,500; Ether inches up, other top 10 cryptocurrencies mixed | bitcoin price today, bitcoin news, ether price today, ether news, apple earnings, amazon earnings, alphabet earnings, dogecoin, elon musk

Digital Currency Group plans restructuring to pay creditors of bankrupt Genesis unit

Digital Currency Group (DCG), the parent firm of failed crypto broker Genesis Global Capital, plans to transfer equity in another unit, Genesis Global Trading, to Genesis Global Holdco and eventually sell both companies to raise capital to pay back creditors.
Row of bitcoin miners set up on the wired shelfs

Bitcoin mining difficulty dips 0.5% over two weeks after hitting record high

Bitcoin’s mining difficulty level edged down 0.5% in the two weeks through Sunday after hitting an all-time high in the previous adjustment, according to data from BTC.com.
busd and US SEC logo | Securities and Exchange Commission may sue BUSD stablecoin issuer Paxos, WSJ reports | paxos, kraken, coinbase, us sec, binance stablecoin, binance usd

Securities and Exchange Commission may sue BUSD stablecoin issuer Paxos, WSJ reports

The U.S. SEC may sue the Paxos Trust Company for allegedly violating investor protection laws in its issue of the Binance USD (BUSD) stablecoin.
Bitcoin. | Markets: Bitcoin treads water under US$22,000 following SEC action on Kraken, Ether falls

Markets: Bitcoin treads water under US$22,000 following SEC action on Kraken, Ether falls

Bitcoin was little changed in Monday morning trading in Asia in a mixed morning for the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Huobi logo, Justin Sun photo

Huobi to expand in Hong Kong as it bets on China

Huobi Global plans to expand its operations in Hong Kong, anticipating that Mainland China will soon follow the city’s recent pro-crypto shift, says Justin Sun.
Paxos Brand Logo

Stablecoin issuer Paxos probed by New York regulator

Paxos Trust, the issuer of Binance’s BUSD stablecoin, is reportedly being investigated by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS).
Bitcoin with a bar graph and an arrow showing upward trend

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin retreats below US$22,000 after a record January. Is the strong start to 2023 reversing?

After the strongest January price increase since 2013, Bitcoin gave up some of its gains this week to dip below the US$22,000 support line on Friday. The crypto market was buffeted by bearish comments on interest rates by U.S. Federal Reserve officials this week, along with concerns about a regulatory crackdown. Is this the start of a downtrend, a healthy correction, or the beginning of a so-called “crab” market moving sideways?
A scale signaling The Flippening by equally weighing Bitcoin and Ethereum

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with top 10 cryptos; SOL biggest loser

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, along with the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana’s native token notched the biggest loss, following rumors of a potential ban on crypto staking for retail investors in the U.S.
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce (left), SEC Chair Gary Gensler. Images: SEC, Getty Images

A house divided? SEC Commissioner Peirce attacks agency’s fines against Kraken exchange

Hester Peirce said using enforcement action to dictate law in an emerging industry is the act of a “lazy” regulator, after the SEC fined the U.S.-based Kraken crypto exchange for failing to register staking programs.
China emblem and word "blockchain" | China to set up national blockchain technology research center in Beijing | China, blockchain, DLT-Distributed Ledger Technology

China to set up national blockchain technology research center in Beijing

China has given the go-ahead to set up the National Blockchain Technology Innovation Centre in Beijing to run blockchain research and development, according to local media.
stock market showing downward trajectory with dice implying risks

Lessons from FTX: crypto investment risks and how to avoid them

The recent spate of crypto exchanges freezing customer accounts should be a wake-up call to investors everywhere. What can you do to better protect yourself?
Set of cryptocurrencies

Markets: Bitcoin slumps in broad sell off amid SEC charges against Kraken, regulation worries

Bitcoin sank below US$22,000 on Thursday morning in Asia after the U.S. SEC slapped a fine on the Kraken exchange, sparking concerns that regulators are set to take a tougher line on crypto trading.
Jury sides with fashion giant Hermès in MetaBirkins NFT case

Jury sides with fashion giant Hermès in MetaBirkins NFT case

Luxury fashion house Hermès International won its lawsuit against NFT artist Mason Rothschild on Wednesday for violating its Hermès’ Birkin trademark.
Pile of golden bitcoin tokens laid out

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall; Matic sees biggest gain as top 10 cryptos decline

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Polygon’s Matic posting the biggest gains.
Baidu logo on a robotic hand | China tech giant Baidu reveals AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT | Artificial Intelligence (AI), China

China tech giant Baidu reveals AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT

The AI chat bot party is heating up in China, with Baidu revealing its ChatGPT rival – ERNIE Bot.
Data Centre. | Blockchain developers have taken a decentralized interest in cloud storage – will it shake up the industry?

Blockchain developers have taken a decentralized interest in cloud storage – will it shake up the industry?

Blockchain developers want a piece of the multi-billion dollar cloud computing pie. Do current heavyweights in the industry – Amazon, Google and Microsoft – have cause for concern?
Coinbase Global Inc. cheif executive officer Brian Armstrong. | Title

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says SEC has ‘terrible’ idea to ban crypto staking for U.S. retail customers

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is considering a ban on cryptocurrency staking for retail customers in the country, said Brian Armstrong, the chief executive of Coinbase Global Inc.
Robinhood

Robinhood aims to buy-back its shares seized by Department of Justice in FTX failure

Robinhood Markets Inc., the U.S.-based financial services company, aims to purchase the 55 million of its shares that FTX-linked Emergent Fidelity Technologies bought in May 2022, according to its earnings report released Wednesday.
holographic technology with the inscription CBDC; good or bad checklist

CBDCs are coming. Here’s why you should worry

Governments are pushing central bank digital currencies to exert more control over macro policy, writes Josef Tětek of Trezor. But your money and privacy are also at stake.
Bitcoin and U.S. Cash. | Markets: Bitcoin falls under US$23,000 as Fed says inflation remains stubborn. Most top 10 crypto decline

Markets: Bitcoin falls under US$23,000 as Fed says inflation remains stubborn. Most top 10 crypto decline

Bitcoin slipped back below US$23,000 on Thursday morning in Asia, tracking the fall in U.S. equity markets overnight amid comments from Federal Reserve officials that the fight to curb inflation is far from over.
Alameda wallets activate, transfers millions in FTT tokens

Alameda wallets activate, transfer millions in FTT tokens 

Wallets linked to Alameda Research became active over the past week, transferring millions worth of FTX’s native token, FTT, according to Arkham Intelligence. 
Close up of metal shiny bitcoin crypto currency coins on US dollar bills.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether extend gains; Polygon leads top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ethereum extended gains on Wednesday afternoon in Asia along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Binance makes Korea comeback with GOPAX acquisition

Binance makes Korea comeback with GOPAX acquisition

Top blockchain and crypto news: GOPAX deal sees Binance return to South Korea. Inflation fight spooks crypto markets. Chinese liquor giant gives cheers to NFTs.
GLEO on the website of Shucangbao | Beijing’s football club launches NFTs ahead of its virtual stadium launch | China, NFT - Non-fungible Token, Metaverse, sports

Beijing football club launches NFTs ahead of its virtual stadium launch

China’s Beijing Guoan Football Club has launched its first NFT collection, while building a virtual replica of its stadium.
Do Kwon and flags of South Korea and Serbia | South Korea prosecutors say Serbia ready to help fraud investigation into Terra’s Do Kwon | do kwon, south korea, stablekwon, terra luna

South Korea prosecutors say Serbia ready to help fraud investigation into Terra’s Do Kwon

Prosecutors flew to Serbia earlier this month as part of an investigation into Terraform Labs chief Do Kwon, who faces fraud accusations related to the US$40 billion collapse of his Terra-Luna cryptocurrency project in May last year.
China NFT

Beijing regulator warns about NFT speculation, illegal fundraising. Crackdown coming?

Beijing’s market regulator warned that projects marketed in the country as non-fungible tokens or with metaverse-related concepts risk being involved in illegal fundraising or fraudulent activities.

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