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Markets: Bitcoin rises above US$23,000 as Fed says ‘disinflation’ started. All top 10 tokens gain
Bitcoin traded back above US$23,000 on Wednesday morning in Asia after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell overnight said the “disinflationary process” has started in the economy.
DCG to sell Grayscale holdings at a discount to pay creditors: report
Digital Currency Group has started to sell shares of its cryptocurrency funds at a significant discount, according to a Tuesday report from the Financial Times.
Gemini agrees to put US$100 mln to Earn asset recovery efforts
Gemini has agreed to put up US$100 million to the asset recovery of Earn users as part of bankrupt crypto lender Genesis Capital’s in-principle agreement with parent firm DCG and other creditors.
Markets: Bitcoin rises as Polygon gains most in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin prices gained in Tuesday afternoon trading in Asia while Ethereum dropped with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
JPMorgan report shows institutional trader interest shifting to AI from blockchain after crypto slump
Nearly three out of four institutional traders surveyed “have no plans to trade crypto,” while most see Artificial Intelligence as the next big disrupter.
Yuga Labs says it won first Bored Ape trademark lawsuit against RR/BAYC project
Yuga Labs, the company behind the leading non-fungible token (NFT) project, Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), won a settlement on Monday in a trademark infringement lawsuit against Thomas Lehman, a collaborator in the controversial RR/BAYC project headed by artist Ryder Ripps.
NFTs inspired by K-drama Crash Landing on You coming from Crypto.com, Studio Dragon
Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com has partnered with Korean drama distributor Studio Dragon to issue NFTs inspired by popular Korean drama series, including the hit Crash Landing on You, the exchange said on Monday.
How regenerative finance can ease climate change and boost the bottom line
Renewable energy is plagued by financing difficulties, but blockchain technology can bridge the sector’s funding gaps, writes Brianna Welsh of Reneum.
Binance suspends international U.S. dollar transfers, CEO indicates issues with banks
Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, will suspend all deposits and withdrawals of U.S. dollars at its international exchanges from Feb. 8.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall with bearish U.S. equities, but Bitcoin long bets jump
Bitcoin and Ether dipped in Tuesday morning trading in Asia along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies as Wall Street fell overnight on concern the Fed may crank up interest rates for longer than expected.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether extend losses: Solana, Polygon biggest losers
Bitcoin and Ethereum prices dropped in afternoon trading on Monday in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Bitcoin continued trading under US$23,000, while Solana and Polygon led losses.
Chinese liquor giant Moutai unveils NFTs linked to liquor bottles
Moutai launched NFTs that gives owners to purchase limited edition liquor.
Filecoin developer Protocol Labs cuts 21% staff amid ‘crypto winter’
Crypto layoffs last month matching 41% of the total industry job cuts in 2022, a new study finds.
Bankrupt FTX threatens legal action to claw back donations to politicians, charities
The move marks a shift in tone from December when recipients of FTX donations were requested to “voluntarily” return the funds.
What is CeDeFi, and why it is the future of finance
CeDeFi offers the benefits of CeFi and DeFi without their shortcomings, writes Alexander Tkachenko of VNX. Here’s how it works.
South Korea issues guideline on cryptocurrencies as securities tokens ahead of planned legalization
South Korea published guidelines on Monday for defining what specific cryptocurrencies would fall under regulations applicable to financial securities.
Markets: Bitcoin falls below US$23,000, Ether drops as crypto market follows equities lower
Bitcoin traded below US$23,000 on Monday morning in Asia, tracking a decline in U.S. equities as unexpectedly strong job growth numbers on Friday raised concerns markets may face more interest rate hikes to slow the economy and inflation.
Binance tells Indian crypto exchange WazirX to remove funds from its platform as feud escalates
Binance has stopped providing wallet services to Indian crypto exchange WazirX, asking it to withdraw any remaining assets held in Binance wallets by Feb. 3.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin breaches US$23,000 in best monthly performance since October 2021
Bitcoin climbed more than 39% in January to break through the US$23,000 resistance ceiling in its best monthly performance since October 2021. Can the world’s first and biggest cryptocurrency maintain the upward momentum? Industry commentators share their views with Forkast.
Binance re-enters S. Korea through GOPAX equity purchase: report
Binance has returned to South Korea after a two-year break by acquiring a majority stake in the local cryptocurrency exchange GOPAX, Bloomberg reported Friday.
India working with IMF, FSB on crypto regulations, says economic affairs secretary
India, the current holder of the G20 presidency, has been working with the IMF and the Financial Stability Board FSB to develop a regulatory approach for cryptocurrencies.
Crypto exchange PayBito begins to integrate ChatGPT into its platform
Cryptocurrency exchange PayBito announced its plans to integrate ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot developed by research firm OpenAI, on Friday.
Markets: Bitcoin and Ether down, Polkadot biggest winner among top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, along with the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Polkadot’s DOT posting the biggest gains.
China should reconsider its ban on cryptocurrencies, says former central bank official
China’s blanket ban on cryptocurrency trading can have the country miss critical opportunities for technological development, says former PBOC official.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says NFTs and DAOs can bolster ‘Cool Japan’ strategy
NFTs and DAOs can help support Japan’s national strategy dubbed ‘Cool Japan’ to attract investment and expand the economy.
Silvergate probed by US prosecutors over FTX, Alameda accounts: Bloomberg
U.S. prosecutors are investigating California-based cryptocurrency bank Silvergate Capital Corp. for how it handled accounts tied to now-bankrupt crypto exchange FTX and its brokerage arm Alameda Research, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Why DeFi remains niche and what might get it out of its market rut
DeFi is still a Wild West, and many would-be users are wary of its lawlessness and anonymity. Could decentralized IDs foster greater trust and growth in the sector?
Markets: Bitcoin dips to US$23,500, Ether inches up, other top 10 crypto mixed
Bitcoin and Ether traded mostly little changed Friday morning after a strong run up in the week, with other top 10 cryptocurrencies prices mixed.
India’s largest retailer Reliance starts CBDCs sales
Indian retail giant Reliance Retail announced on Thursday that it has started accepting digital rupee payments to become the largest Indian firm to adopt the nation’s CBDC.
Markets: Bitcoin and Ether up, Matic tops gains as investors wait for ECB’s decision on interest rates
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Polygon’s Matic posted the biggest gains
China’s Suzhou city joins other regions in the country seeking to be metaverse hub
Suzhou has laid out plans to attract at least 200 companies in working with VR technology by 2025.
Donald Trump helps Polygon NFTs outsell Ethereum on OpenSea exchange for second month
The non-fungible token (NFT) project by former U.S. President Donald Trump has helped its host network, Polygon, outsell Ethereum on the leading NFT marketplace OpenSea for the second straight month, according to transaction data.
Meta’s metaverse division Reality Labs posts wider loss of $13.7 billion in 2022
Meta Platforms Inc., the former Facebook, said losses at its Reality Labs division developing virtual reality technologies widened last year, but the company’s Q4 earnings beat expectations and it projected overall stronger growth into 2023, according to its earnings report released Wednesday.
U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex lays off 83 employees
Seattle-based cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex is laying off 83 employees, according to the U.S. Employment Security Department’s layoff alert.
Why the cloud will be critical to US competitiveness in world finance
The future global financial system will be reliant on the cloud, especially when it comes to CBDCs and stablecoins, writes Michael Greenwald and Logan Weber.
South Korea arrests head of Bithumb crypto exchange for alleged embezzlement
A South Korean court approved the prosecutor’s request to issue an arrest warrant for Kang Jong-hyun for alleged embezzlement.
Markets: Bitcoin breaks US$24,000 ceiling after Fed says ‘disinflationary process’ started in U.S. economy
Bitcoin rose above US$24,000 for the first time since mid-August in Thursday morning trading in Asia before sliding back slightly.
Crypto hackers stole record US$3.8 bln in 2022, mostly from DeFi and cross-chain bridges: Chainalysis
Hackers stole at least US$3.8 billion in cryptocurrencies throughout 2022, a record-breaking year for crypto heists, says blockchain forensics firm Chainalysis.
Bankrupt FTX held US$1.4B in cash at the end of 2022
Bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX.com had around US$1.4 billion in cash reserves at the end of 2022, according to a financial update released Tuesday.
Cardano’s Djed stablecoin locks US$10 mln in reserves on its first day
Djed, a Cardano-based algorithmic stablecoin, has collected over US$10 million in its reserves within the first 24 hours since it was launched on Wednesday.
Markets: Bitcoin stays above US$23,000; Cardano leads gains in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin traded above US$23,000 throughout Wednesday afternoon trading in Asia, while Ethereum and other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies were mixed. Cardano led gains with 2.03% followed by XRP’s 1.13%.
Digital yuan sales during Lunar New Year up from last year, online retailers say
Digital yuan sales at online retail platforms in China have surged during the Lunar New Year holidays fueled by local governments’ red packet coupons.
Bitcoin mining fund soars as BTC powers into 2023
Top blockchain and crypto news: BTC mining ETF outperforms. SBF under pressure as accusations mount. ‘China’s Instagram’ embraces NFTs.
India crypto industry on ‘Stairway to Heaven’ as government ignores requests in Budget
Cryptocurrency exchanges in India had lobbied the government to reduce taxes introduced last year, arguing the levies were backfiring by driving local investment offshore.
New Bitcoin protocol may shake up the NFT market
Bitcoin has long been the world’s largest cryptocurrency blockchain, but non-fungible tokens or NFTs were always the domain of Ethereum. A new protocol could change that, and some in the Bitcoin community are not too pleased.
Bitcoin miner Greenidge Generation cuts NYDIG debt 78% to US$17 million
Troubled U.S.-based Bitcoin mining firm Greenidge Generation Holdings Inc. has restructured more of its debt to investment management service provider NYDIG and investment bank B. Riley Commercial Capital, the company announced on Tuesday.
Judge rules secondary sale of LBC does not classify as security in SEC vs LBRY appeal
In the SEC’s case against decentralized publishing platform LBRY Inc., the judge ruled that the secondary sale of LBC does not qualify as a security.
Markets: Bitcoin climbs back above US$23,000 as most top 10 crypto tokens gain ground
Bitcoin prices broke back above US$23,000 in Wednesday morning trading in Asia.
Hong Kong to mandate stablecoin licensing as early as this year
The HKMA said in a consultation conclusion that algorithmic stablecoins will not be allowed in the city.
Celsius misled investors, spent customer funds, bankruptcy examiner claims
Celsius Network may have misled its investors and spent customer funds, an independent examiner said in a Tuesday court filing.
Alameda Research sues Voyager Digital for US$445.8 mln
Alameda Research has sued bankrupt digital assets lender Voyager Digital to reclaim US$445.8 million worth in loan payments before FTX filed for its own bankruptcy.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether drop; Dogecoin rebounds
Bitcoin and Ethereum prices fell during Tuesday afternoon trading in Asia along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. Dogecoin was the exception in that list as it rebounded from morning losses.
January weekly crypto product investment reaches highest since July, says CoinShares report
Digital asset investment products reached US$117 million in the week ending Jan. 27 — the highest since July 2022 — with nearly all of that going into Bitcoin.
South Korea regulator recommends unified crypto disclosure system to protect investors
South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service has recommended a unified system for mandatory disclosure from issuers of cryptocurrencies.
Judge rules Sam Bankman-Fried’s $250 mln bail co-signers should be named
A U.S. federal judge has granted motions to reveal the identities of the two unnamed co-signers of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s US$250 million bail bond.
What we must learn from FTX so that history does not repeat itself
Tighter regulations are necessary but not enough. The industry also needs to address its issues with custody and transparency, writes Chen Zhuling of RockX.
Bitcoin falls in broad crypto pull back ahead of U.S. Fed meeting on interest rates
Bitcoin fell along with Ether and all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies in Tuesday morning trading in Asia, wiping out most of Monday’s gains.
Valkyrie’s WGMI Bitcoin Miners ETF named best-performing U.S. fund, surges 105% in 2023
Valkyrie’s Nasdaq-listed Bitcoin Miners exchange-traded fund (ETF), WGMI, has been the best-performing fund of 2023 so far, rising over 105% throughout January.
Bitcoin trades higher in Nigeria amid cashless economy drive
Bitcoin price was trading at a premium in Nigerian cryptocurrency exchanges on Monday following the central bank’s limit on ATM cash withdrawals.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether extend gains; Solana leads among top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ethereum were up in Monday afternoon trading in Asia, while all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies were mixed. Solana led gains at 5.08%.
A crypto regulatory storm front is coming in 2023. Are we ready for it?
Laws to prevent another FTX blowup, crackdowns on crypto tax cheats, and a ruling on Ripple are likely imminent. A bull’s eye is also on DeFi, writes Gergo Varga of SEON.
Bitcoin mining difficulty hits new all-time high with 4.7% rise
Bitcoin’s mining difficulty level rose 4.68% on Sunday, hitting an all-time high, as the networks’ hashrate also continued to increase.
China’s ‘Instagram’ gets NFT makeover with Conflux
Xiaohongshu, or “Little Red Book,” a popular social media application widely described as the Chinese equivalent of Instagram, has integrated layer-1 public blockchain Conflux Network, allowing users to showcase their non-fungible tokens on their profile pages, Conflux announced on Thursday.
S.Korea to adopt crypto tracking software in the first half of 2023
The South Korean Ministry of Justice (MOJ) announced Thursday that it will adopt a cryptocurrency tracking system within the first half of 2023.
China’s Hainan province to step up NFT supervision
Hainan province, a popular tourist destination in South China, published a notice on Sunday vowing to step up oversight on non-fungible tokens, or “digital collectibles,” which authorities said come with risks of fraud, money laundering and illegal fundraising.
Biden administration urges U.S. congress to pursue crypto regulation
Four senior officials in U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration called for Congress to “step up its efforts” in regulating the cryptocurrency market.
Markets: Bitcoin closes in on US$24,000, lifts crypto top 10
Bitcoin was up on Monday morning in Asia, reaching its highest price in five months. Ether also rose along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies, with Solana and Litecoin posting the biggest gains.
Sam Bankman-Fried’s family members are not cooperating with FTX attorneys, court documents claim
Sam Bankman-Fried’s mother and brother are not cooperating with the FTX legal team’s investigations into the Bahamans-based exchange’s bankruptcy and misappropriation of customer funds
DOJ, FBI hack Hive Network, save US$130 mln from crypto ransomware attacks
The FBI and the DOJ have concluded a month-long disruption campaign against the Hive ransomware group, preventing victims from having to pay US $130 million.
Bankrupt BlockFi asks court to approve bonuses to keep staff
BlockFi said it needed bonus payments to keep employees from fleeing the company. But creditors argue the plan is excessive when compared to other crypto bankruptcies.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin rebounds above $23,000. Can it maintain momentum?
Bitcoin this week broke through the US$23,000 price ceiling for the first time since Aug. 2022. Can the benchmark cryptocurrency maintain its momentum? Industry commentators share their views with Forkast on what the market is telling investors and the signals from the U.S. Federal Reserve on interest rates.
Markets: Bitcoin up, Ether down; MATIC tops gains among top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin was up and Ether was down by the end of Asian trading hours on Friday afternoon when most of the top coins fell slightly. Polygon’s MATIC saw the biggest gains among the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies