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ROME, ITALY - MAY 12: Binace CEO Chanpeng Zhao poses during the visits SS Lazio training sport centre on May 12, 2022 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi - SS Lazio/Getty Images)

Binance’s Changpeng Zhao emerges as ‘winner on all fronts’ of FTX acquisition

Commonly known as “CZ,” the Chinese-Canadian founder of Binance appears to have stolen Sam Bankman-Fried’s shine, coming out of the FTX acquisition with the most to gain.
binance

Binance boosts emergency insurance fund to US$1 billion on market volatility

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has raised its emergency insurance fund “SAFU” to US$1 billion equivalent in cryptocurrencies, founder Changpeng Zhao said in a Tweet on Wednesday. 
Former FTX.com CEO Sam Bankman-Fried. | Bankman-Fried alleges new FTX CEO’s testimony is “false”

Crypto exchanges see more withdrawals over fears of FTX liquidity

Large volumes of stablecoins moved out of exchanges, including KuCoin, OKX, Kraken, Huobi and Binance over the past week.
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Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao and FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried

What could Binance gain from FTX’s wider investments?

FTX has invested in many projects through its FTX Ventures arm, contributing to two of the 10 biggest blockchain and crypto funding rounds in the industry. Here are the top five investments FTX has been involved in.
Binance set to swallow FTX as run on exchange allows CZ to swoop

Binance set to swallow FTX as run on exchange allows CZ to swoop

Top blockchain and crypto news: FTX concedes defeat in long battle with Binance. Crypto eyes Congress races. Hong Kong U-turns on digital assets.
Ex-FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried | Binance’s pending acquisition, rescue of FTX may attract attention of antitrust regulators

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether slump eases but market sell-off continues

Bitcoin recovered slightly in Wednesday afternoon trading in Asia after hitting a year-low of US$17,604 this morning amid news of Binance’s takeover of the FTX exchange following speculation of solvency issues at FTX, although several coins extended their declines.
Martin Shkreli (top center) and Do Kwon (top right) on UpOnly podcast | ‘Pharma bro’ Martin Shkreli to Do Kwon: jail isn't that bad | do kwon, martin shkreli, do kwon uponly, binance ftx, sam bankman fried

‘Pharma bro’ Martin Shkreli to Do Kwon: jail isn’t that bad

“Pharma bro” Martin Shkreli has tried to reassure Terra chief Do Kwon that life in jail is “not the worst”, while they discussed the Binance-FTX deal on the UpOnlyTV podcast.
Ex-FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried | Binance’s pending acquisition, rescue of FTX may attract attention of antitrust regulators

Binance’s pending acquisition of FTX may attract attention of antitrust regulators

Binance chief executive officer Changpeng Zhao already runs the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange so just what are his ambitions?
Binance becomes white knight for FTX: How did we get here?

Binance becomes white knight for fallen FTX: How did we get here?

Binance steps in with deal to buy FTX.com, but with so many moving parts to consider how messy could this pending acquisition get?
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Coinbase

Coinbase says it has minimal exposure to FTX, downplays risk

Coinbase said new users have registered on the exchange, while the crypto exchange claimed it has limited exposure to the underwater crypto exchange FTX.
binance ftx logo and dark clouds | Binance buys FTX: What does it mean for the crypto industry? | binance buys ftx, binance ftx, sam bankman fried

Binance buys FTX: Updates on what it means for the crypto industry

The following is a running compilation of views and comments on Binance’s takeover of the FTX exchange amid speculation of solvency problems at FTX.
Pile of shining Bitcoins | Bitcoin hits year low, Ether slumps as Binance rescue of FTX unnerves investors

Markets: Bitcoin hits year low, Ether slumps as Binance rescue of FTX unnerves investors

Bitcoin fell to a year’s low of US$17,603 in Tuesday morning trading in Asia as Binance Global Inc.’s takeover of the FTX exchange unnerved investors.

Binance agrees to acquire FTX following liquidity crunch

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has agreed to acquire rival exchange FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried announced on Tuesday. 
NTT Docomo

Japan’s NTT Docomo to develop Web 3.0 with Accenture, Astar Network

NTT Docomo, Japan’s largest mobile phone operator, has partnered information technology firm Accenture and blockchain infrastructure Astar Network to explore Web 3.0 adoption.
mining facility

Bitcoin miner Riot Blockchain’s stock drops amid widening Q3 losses

Stocks of Nasdaq-listed Riot fell 4.87% in pre-market trading on Tuesday, after U.S. Bitcoin miner Riot Blockchain on Monday reported weaker revenues in the third quarter of this year.
Various cryptocurrencies in a winter background

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices drop; Matic the only coin to gain

Bitcoin and Ether slumped in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, with almost every other top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins, also losing ground. For the second consecutive day, polygon was the only coin that strengthened.
The U.S. Capitol dome behind the U.S. House of Representatives. | U.S. midterm election may mean more progress on crypto industry regulation

U.S. midterms: gridlock… and progress on crypto industry regulation?

In a period of toxic divide between the Democrats and Republicans, the need to figure out how to regulate the growing cryptocurrency industry is one of the few issues both parties seem to agree on.
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Tokyo skyline and Masaaki Taira | Japan’s Web 3.0 lawmaker urges further ease to country’s crypto regulation | japan crypto, japan web3, fumio kishida

Japan’s Web 3.0 lawmaker urges further easing of country’s crypto regulation

Japan needs to further relax rules for its crypto industry, said lawmaker of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party Masaaki Taira.
Graphs

Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX token falls more than 20% amid Binance feud

Crypto exchange FTX’s native token, FTT, fell more than 20% in afternoon trading in Asia amid speculation rival exchange Binance is selling off the FTX token.
BitDAO price

Alameda says ‘wasn’t us’ amid speculation about BitDAO’s 20% plunge

BitDAO, or BIT, the token supported by crypto exchange Bybit, dropped more than 20% within an hour at one stage around noon on Tuesday in Asia.
Word DeFi in gold and gold crypto coins, grayscale photo of people walking

DeFi still has a long way to go before mass adoption

Decentralized finance will stay niche unless the sector overcomes its myriad problems, including a lack of a credit system and regulations that inspire greater trust, writes Brian Pasfield.
SDNY

Seizure, guilty plea in US$3.36 bln stolen Silk Road Bitcoin case

The U.S. Department of Justice revealed on Monday that in 2021 it seized US$3.36 billion worth of stolen Bitcoin from Georgia real estate developer James Zhong.

CZ vs. SBF tweet exchange is no ‘fight,’ Binance CEO claims

Binance chief executive officer Changpeng Zhao (CZ) said in a Twitter thread that he had no intention of picking a fight with FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.
Man packing his stuff and Meta logo | Zuckerberg’s Meta plans mass layoff to affect many thousands: report | meta layoff, meta horizon worlds, meta news, meta stock

Zuckerberg’s Meta plans to lay off thousands of employees: WSJ report

Meta Platforms Inc. is planning its first significant mass layoff later this week that may affect many thousands of employees.
Pile of Bitcoins on red background. | Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices fall with most of crypto top ten, Polygon flips Solana

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices fall with most of crypto top 10, Polygon flips Solana

Bitcoin dipped below US$21,000 in Tuesday morning trading in Asia as Ether and most other tokens in the cryptocurrency top ten by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins, lost ground.
Singapore Future Finance Forum (L-R Balaji Srinivasan, Dante Disparte, Eric Anziani, Jessica Renier, Diogo Monica) discussing stablecoins and CBDCs

Stablecoin, CBDC issues take center stage at Singapore’s Future of Finance Forum

Central bank digital currencies draw fire over inflation, privacy and threat to innovation, as questions raised over status of stablecoins in digital asset ecosystem.
Ripple Vs SEC Images

SEC gets more time to file reply briefs in XRP lawsuit against Ripple

The U.S. SEC has received approval from the court to extend the time for all parties to submit reply briefs, in the ongoing lawsuit the SEC filed in 2020 against Ripple.
graph2 1

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall; Dogecoin interest fades

Bitcoin and Ether dropped in afternoon trading in Asia along with almost every other top 10 cryptocurrency by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins. MATIC was the only coin to gain.
People walk by the Louis Vuitton store on Bond Street in London, England

How sustainable is that fast-fashion minidress? Blockchain can help you find out

Fashion’s ‘greenwashing’ scandals could be a thing of the past if blockchain is used to hold companies accountable, writes Lars Rensing of Protokol.
Hong Kong skyline. Neil Tan, chairman of the Fintech Association of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong needs engineering talent to reclaim role as digital asset hub

Hong Kong’s latest FinTech policies indicate it wants to reclaim its position as a hub for cryptocurrencies and digital assets, but that means finding the right people for the job.
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WazirX

Indian crypto exchange WazirX introduces profit, loss function

WazirX, India’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trade volume, has introduced a profit and loss function for users to analyze and calculate their investments. 
Mining bitcoin concept. Golden Bitcoin currency. Festive atmosphere on black background with lights.

Bitcoin mining difficulty falls 0.2% in latest adjustment

Bitcoin mining difficulty nudged down 0.2% in Monday’s biweekly adjustment, according to data from BTC.com.
LG Electronics logo, Web3 background | LG Electronics seeks Web3 talent for blockchain-NFT efforts | lg electronics web3, blockchain

LG Electronics seeks Web3 talent for blockchain, NFT efforts

LG Electronics is recruiting chief technical officers (CTOs) to lead the company’s growing Web3 business.
Mastodon logo (left), Twitter logo (right)

Half a million users move to decentralized alternative Mastodon following Elon Musk Twitter grab

Amid uncertainty and criticism following Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, nearly half a million users have flocked to Mastodon, a decentralized alternative.
Ex-FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried | Binance’s pending acquisition, rescue of FTX may attract attention of antitrust regulators

Binance to sell FTX token holdings amid questions over trading arm Alameda finances

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said Binance will liquidate its remaining FTT tokens issued by the second-largest crypto exchange FTX amid questions over Alameda Research.
coinone and kakaobank logo | South Korea’s online KakaoBank to open accounts for Coinone exchange users this month | kakaobank, south korea crypto, coinone kakaobank

South Korea’s online KakaoBank to open accounts for Coinone exchange users this month

KakaoBank, one of South Korea’s online-only banks with nearly 20 million users, said it will start providing accounts for users of Coinone exchange in November.
Bitcoin and cash on a wooden table.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices pull back after weekend gain on sign U.S. inflation may be easing

Bitcoin and Ether fell in Monday morning trading in Asia as the crypto market gave up some gains made on the weekend on the back of U.S. job numbers on Friday.
Singapore skyline at night

Crypto asset manager HashKey gets Singapore’s in-principle license

HashKey Capital Singapore, an investment arm of Hong Kong-based HashKey Group, said on Friday that it received an in-principle approval for the Capital Markets Services license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
From above set of financial diagrams showing growth in trading market against green background. 3d render

Chainlink, green asset exchange MVGX to explore crypto carbon trading

Singapore blockchain-based carbon credits exchange Metaverse Green Exchange (MVGX) will partner crypto data provider Chainlink to explore tokenized carbon trading.
Cryptocurrency Bitcoin golden coins spilling on the table.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether gain; DOGE leads top 10 crypto losses; Hang Seng rises 5%

Bitcoin and Ether gained with mixed results across the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins. The Hong Kong Hang Seng Index gained 5.30% amid speculation that the Chinese economy will soon reopen.
India's Taj Mahal

India forms new crypto advocacy body with Coinbase, Polygon

Cryptocurrency exchanges and Web 3.0 companies, including Coinbase and Polygon, have formed the Bharat Web3 Association in India to strengthen regulation and consumer protection for the industry.
puzzle-with-cyber-robber-icons-be-careful-and-unl-2022-09-29-15-37-30-utc

Token price of Ethereum-based play-to-earn company Gala Games falls some 20% after hacking scare

The network says the apparent attack was just a preemptive safeguard against an issue with a cross-chain bridge.
coins Bitcoin, against the background of Canada flag, concept of

Canada to examine risks from crypto, stablecoins, CBDCs in budget

The Canadian government will begin a consultation on the risks that digital assets and currencies may pose to the country’s traditional financial system.
bangkok2 5

Dashcam maker Hivemapper issues crypto HONEY for road image contribution

San Francisco-based dashcam maker and decentralized mapping service provider Hivemapper issued cryptocurrency tokens HONEY to reward dashcam users for contributing driving data and road imagery on Friday Hong Kong time, according to a press release shared with Forkast.
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon. Goldman Sachs launches crypto categorization tool for institutional clients

Goldman Sachs launches crypto explainer, trend tool for institutional clients

After dabbling in cryptocurrency product offerings, Goldman Sachs is now offering a service to clients to help analyze tokens and market trends.
do kwon and europe map | Crypto fugitive Do Kwon said to be hiding in Europe, mocks ‘cops from world over’ in series of tweets | do kwon, do kwon news, terraform labs

Crypto fugitive Do Kwon said to be hiding in Europe, mocks ‘cops from world over’ in series of tweets

The South Korean founder of the collapsed Terra stablecoin faces multiple allegations of wrongdoing, the latest being price manipulation.
Stuart Haber

Curiosity ‘always’ fuels innovation, says blockchain co-creator Stuart Haber 

U.S. computer scientist Stuart Haber, recognized with Scott Stornetta as the co-inventor of blockchain, says he is excited to see the evolution of the technology, not only in the financial sector, but also in entertainment, business, and technology industries.
Stack of Bitcoins on top of a laptop. Bitcoin, Ether prices rise, Polygon leads top 10 in gains, Doge, Shib retreat

Bitcoin, Ether prices rise, Polygon leads top 10 in gains, Doge, Shib retreat

Bitcoin and Ether rose in Friday morning trading in Asia. Polygon’s Matic led gains in the top 10 tokens after Instagram said it would use Polygon to integrate NFTs into its platform.
Standard Chartered Bank

Standard Chartered invests in Partior blockchain payments platform

London-headquartered banking giant Standard Chartered announced on Thursday that it had invested in the blockchain-based interbank settlement platform Partior, a joint venture of JP Morgan, DBS bank and Temasek.
Singapore Downtown skyline at night. Financial district and business centers in technology smart urban city in Asia. Skyscraper and high-rise buildings.

‘End of the beginning’ in blockchain development, Singapore FinTech Festival speakers declare

Bursting of speculative bubble described as a turning point in the evolution of digital assets as industry players and observers welcome promise of mainstream adoption and better governance.
Merion at night in Marina Bay, Singapore

Singapore still aims to be a crypto hub, minus speculative trading

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) wants to build the city-state into a “crypto hub” fueled by instant settlements, tokenized assets and programmable money, not “speculating in cryptocurrencies,” Ravi Menon, the central bank’s managing director, said at the Singapore FinTech Festival on Thursday. 
Singapore

Singapore’s Project Ubin+ to study cross-border FX with CBDCs

The MAS launched Project Ubin+ on Thursday, a collaborative initiative with international partners to explore cross-border foreign exchange settlements using wholesale CBDC.
A red padlock stands out from others. Protecting information and avoiding unauthorized access and data leakage. Hacking attack. Safety of personal data, privacy of users. NSFW. Virus, antivirus

OpenSea unveils features to freeze stolen NFTs and malicious links

OpenSea will pilot a system that freezes the trading of NFTs involved in suspicious sales while it reviews the transaction.
Ripple Vs SEC Images

Digital wallet Cryptillian seeks to back Ripple against SEC in XRP lawsuit

Digital wallet service provider Cryptillian Payment Systems has requested to file an amicus brief to support Ripple Labs Inc. in the latter’s ongoing court battle against the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall; top 10 crypto mixed following Fed rate hike

Bitcoin and Ether dropped in Thursday afternoon trading in Asia, while the rest of the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins, posted mixed results.
Do Kwon and Terra logo | South Korea’s investigation of Do Kwon ‘unfair’: Terraform Labs | do kwon terra, do kwon investigation, do kwon news, do kwon latest news

Crypto leaders differ over Do Kwon blame in May’s market crash

‘Bad actor’ or a ‘sliding market’? Blockchain industry leaders at Hong Kong FinTech Week offer insights into the Terra-LUNA crash.
Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao at Web Summit 2022 | Binance will re-enter South Korea’s crypto market, CZ says | binance, changpeng zhao, cz binance, binance south korea

Binance will re-enter South Korea’s crypto market, CZ says

Binance is preparing to operate in South Korea’s crypto market, said CEO Changpeng Zhao at the Web Summit 2022 held in Lisbon.
Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao. Image: Binance/Youtube

Binance considers buying banks, bridging gap between crypto, TradFi

The world’s largest crypto exchange seeks to become a bridge between traditional finance and cryptocurrencies.
Screenshot of Instagrams NFT support. Instagram to allow creators to mint and sell NFTs through the platform

Instagram to allow creators to mint and sell NFTs through the platform

Instagram will soon allow creators to mint and sell NFTs through the platform to buyers both on and off Instagram using an ‘end-to-end toolkit.’
Bitcoin cryptocurrency, blockchain technology decentralized currency coin, conceptual image with selective focus

Crypto Winter will only get worse as industry adjusts: Tezos cofounder

The ongoing Crypto Winter is ‘only going to get worse’ as the industry is re-evaluated amongst tighter interest rates, the cofounder of Tezos predicts.
NFT sign on a microchip and token with SBT letters; golden electronic board background

How soulbound tokens can lift billions of lives around the world

What are soulbound tokens, and how can they end the ‘credit paradox’ that has been holding back the unbanked masses? Fakhul Miah of CreDA explains.

Singapore fintech fest raises profile of industry that wants to ‘disappear’

Digital asset and blockchain highlights of event draw huge crowds, even as industry figures say they want the technology behind them to become just a normal component of the finance system.
US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell

Markets: Bitcoin and Ether fall with crypto top 10 as Fed raises rates 75 bps

Markets: Bitcoin and Ether fall with crypto top 10 as Fed raises rates 75 bps
nirmala sitharaman

India’s finance minister urges G20 nations to come on board to regulate crypto

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged all Group of 20 (G20) nations, as well as international bodies like the International Monetary Fund and Financial Stability Board, to come together to help regulate crypto assets. See related article: India’s finance minister sees 46% growth in blockchain technology use in next few years Fast facts Sitharaman […]
Project Mariana overview

BIS’ ‘Project Mariana’ to explore CBDC integration with DeFi

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has launched a new project with the central banks of Singapore, France and Switzerland to study the possibility of integrating some decentralized finance (DeFi) features with central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). See related article: mBridge participants to end domestic payments of foreign CBDCs Fast facts The BIS announced on […]
eddie yue

Hong Kong crypto policy turns on hopes of economic revival

Top blockchain and crypto news: Hong Kong rethinks digital assets. CBDC to debut in India. China’s e-yuan privacy problem.
singapore

Payments platform StraitsX to show real-world stablecoin use at Singapore Fintech Festival

Singapore-based StraitsX, a payments infrastructure for digital assets, will pilot stablecoin applications at the ongoing Singapore Fintech Festival. 
Bitcoin and Hong Kong banknote

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether drop; Dogecoin rally ends

Bitcoin and Ether dropped in Wednesday afternoon trading in Asia amid losses among all top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins, led by Shiba Inu.
From above set of financial diagrams showing growth in trading market against green background. 3d render

Can blockchain tech in green finance attract more investors and deter bad actors?

As governments look towards zero carbon emission goals, new means of creating climate-related financial products are being tested on the blockchain.
Huobi logo, Justin Sun photo

Huobi plans to move HQ to the Caribbean, Justin Sun says

Huobi Global, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, plans to move its headquarters to the Caribbean, its new advisory board member Justin Sun said.
near korea logo, behind night skyline of Seoul, south korea | NEAR sets up Web3 hub in South Korea, eyes Asia expansion | near protocol, near foundation, near south korea

NEAR sets up Web3 hub in South Korea, eyes Asia expansion

NEAR Foundation is establishing a Web3 hub in South Korea to expand its allegiance with blockchain projects in Korea and Asia.
Art Gobbler NFT series. NFT sales decline for sixth straight month despite tailwinds

NFT sales decline for sixth straight month despite tailwinds

While October saw the emergence of two very popular NFT collections, sales failed to break US$500 million in the lowest figures since July 2021.

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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.