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Luxury liquor non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace BlockBar has selected 10 Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) avatars to be featured on 100 Monkey Shoulder limited edition NFT bottles, earning rights to 5% of sales in royalties.  See related article: BlockBar and Monkey Shoulder partner for BAYC exclusive NFTs Fast facts The 10 BAYCs selected by BlockBar […]

Binance has received regulatory approval in France, as the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange continues its global expansion and push for regulatory compliance. See related article: Binance wants to play ball with regulators Fast facts Binance has obtained a digital asset service provider (DASP) registration with France’s Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), the finance market watchdog […]

Blockchain can save time, money and reams of paperwork, writes Tim Bailey of Red Date Technology. But its future in global trade remains uncertain.

Pakistan’s federal government has formed three subcommittees to explore the future of cryptocurrencies and related services, local media report.  See related article: Pakistani central bank echoes RBI’s concerns over crypto Fast facts The first panel is chaired by the law secretary with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and […]

Kazakhstan is mandating that cryptocurrency miners file regular status reports in a new ministerial order, as the Central Asian nation attempts to gain a stronger grip on the sector. See related article: Ex-Kazakh president’s brother busted for illegal crypto mining Fast facts Crypto miners must submit information including locations of mining facilities, IP addresses, power […]

Total cryptocurrency market capitalization rose by 5.4% as the U.S. Federal Reserve announced it is raising interest rates by 50 basis points, the sharpest since 2000. See related article: Has Bitcoin become a victim of its own success? Fast facts The increase creates a target range of between 0.75% and 1% following a 25 basis […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Otherdeeds debacle stings with gas fee spike. Algorand scores World Cup deal. Will China be forced to embrace Bitcoin?

Except for a bout of recession in March 2020, Bitcoin has been fairly resilient to the vagaries of global financial crisis. But with murmurs of another recession gaining steam, Forkast examines the cryptocurrency’s relevance as a safe haven.

Crypto rookie Joel Stein dives into Axie Infinity and the curious economics of ‘play to earn.’ Will his teenage gaming dreams come true?

Australia Zoo, a wildlife conservatory related to the family of noted conservationist Steve Irwin, has announced a non-fungible token (NFT) series on the green blockchain Algorand to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its Wildlife Warriors conservation project.  See related article: Algorand becomes 2022 Qatar World Cup’s new blockchain partner Fast facts Created in partnership with […]

South Korean president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s administration has included approval of initial coin offerings (ICOs) among its 110 national tasks announced Monday. See related article: Crypto is presidential election campaign issue for South Korea Fast facts The right-wing government will prepare a two-lane regulatory framework for ICOs by classifying digital assets as securities and non-securities. The […]

Decentralized finance (DeFi) lending protocol Clearpool announced Tuesday the launch of a permissioned liquidity pool in partnership with quantitative trading firm Jane Street and crypto and blockchain investment firm BlockTower Capital. See related article: Nexo and Fidelity Digital Assets expand institutional lending services Fast facts The liquidity pool has been funded with US$25 million worth […]

South Korean digital bank KakaoBank announced on Tuesday at its quarterly business performance conference it is reviewing a partnership with a local cryptocurrency exchange. See related article: South Korean banks seek green light on crypto Fast facts “As [crypto] is considered a major asset amongst customers, we are reviewing how we can provide virtual assets […]

Indian online travel company MakeMyTrip has launched a non-fungible-token (NFT) collection of Indian tourist destinations, becoming the first Indian travel brand to step into the NFT space.  See related article: Is there a future for the NFT beyond digital art? Fast facts The NFT collection “Virtual Vacations!” aims at bringing to life “a kaleidoscopic meta-world […]

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it is expanding its crypto asset enforcement team by adding 20 positions, in a move to bolster its efforts to combat cybercrime associated with cryptocurrency. See related article: Peirce dissents from SEC’s US$100M BlockFi settlement Fast facts The SEC on Tuesday said that its staff strength in a […]

MicroStrategy Inc., the world’s largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, reported a total revenue of US$119.3 million in Q1, a 2.9% year-over-year decrease. See related article: Terra’s US$10 billion Bitcoin Bet Sends LUNA to Record High Fast facts As of March 31, MicroStrategy’s 129,218 BTC under management had a carrying value of US$2.896 billion and a […]

Global cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has announced the launch of its non-fungible token (NFT) platform, joining exchanges such as Binance and FTX to do so. See related article: NFT Marketplace Competition Heats Up Fast facts Sellers can list their NFTs in cryptocurrencies supported by Kraken, or in fiat currencies, such as USD, EUR, CAD, GBP and […]

The Indian government is exploring ways to levy additional taxes on interest earned on cryptocurrencies through decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms located outside India, according to an Economic Times report. See related article: India tax breaks crypto’s back Fast facts The government wants to impose a 20% tax deducted at source (TDS) or factory-gate levy for […]

Anthony Scaramucci, founder of investment firm SkyBridge Capital and former White House communications director, says governments such as those in China and the US will inevitably allow for people to own and trade cryptocurrencies.

A panel of 36 industry experts revised down the year-end price target set for the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by more than 11%, according to a report by Finder, an Australian fintech. See related article: Ethereum price expected to hit $7,609 in 2022: report Fast facts Ethereum’s price is expected to rise to US$5,783 by the […]

Choo Kyung-ho, the yet-to-be-confirmed nominee for deputy prime minister and finance minister, said Monday a planned 20% tax on capital gains from digital asset investments and stock market investment should be pushed back until January 2025. See related article: South Korea’s 20% tax on virtual asset gains is postponed Fast facts During a National Assembly […]

Blockchain unicorn Animoca Brands said it has signed a licensing deal to include the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg racetrack in its REVV Motorsport ecosystem of play-to-earn racing games. See related article: Need for Speed gets Hong Kong’s Animoca in driver’s seat Fast facts Animoca Brands will mint and sell non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that represent partial ownership of […]

Following a network outage over the weekend, Solana continued to trade below US$90 at 12 p.m. HKT on Tuesday, although Solana’s non-fungible token (NFT) secondary sales rebounded sharply, rising more than 95% in the past 24 hours. See related article: Solana loses consensus after bots flood network, SOL takes hit Fast facts Solana was trading […]

Japanese gaming giant Square Enix announced Monday that it is selling three of its gaming studios to Sweden-based Embracer Group for US$300 million and will use the funds for new businesses in blockchain technology, artificial intelligence and the cloud. See related article: Japan’s Square Enix reveals blockchain gaming ambitions for 2022 Fast facts Square Enix […]

The Indian Ministry of Electronics and IT has issued a new directive that requires cryptocurrency exchanges to collect and preserve a wide range of client data for five years, 60 days after the date of issuance on April 28.  See related article: Indians see future in crypto, government sees revenue, FM says Fast facts “During […]

What are ‘machine NFTs’ and how could they help democratize the ownership of capital in a future ‘machine economy’? Max Thake of peaq explains.

Signed by MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor, Castle Island Ventures’ Nic Carter and Block’s Jack Dorsey, the Bitcoin Mining Council’s (BMC) letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sought to respond to legislators’ “serious concerns.” See related article: Almost 60% of Bitcoin mining now on sustainable energy: BMC Fast facts BMC’s letter was written in response to […]

The Algorand network has signed a deal to become the official blockchain technology partner of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. See related article: What is Algorand and why is it a blockchain to watch? Fast facts Algorand will assist FIFA in developing […]

Young investors demand more accessibility, transparency and accountability than traders of yore, writes Joe Jowett of StrikeX. What are the solutions?

Last-minute delays to three Australian cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) could allow Toronto-based 3iQ Digital Asset Management to launch the first of such products in the country, the Australian Financial Review reported. See related article: Launch of three crypto ETFs in Australia delayed Fast facts The Canadian firm lodged disclosure documents with the Australian Securities and […]

Following a year of explosive price gains, the SHIB token is inching closer toward becoming a top 10 cryptocurrency. Will this so-called “Dogecoin killer” succeed? Forkast.News explores what’s in store for Shiba Inu.

Australian crypto exchange BTC Markets Pty Ltd has partnered with the 2022 Australian Fashion Week (AFW) in launching a couture dress as a non-fungible token (NFT) in collaboration with local designer Daniel Avakian. See related articles: How high fashion is waking up to blockchain’s possibilities Fast facts The dress will be displayed physically during the […]

The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF), the organization that runs the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, will no longer accept donations in the form of cryptocurrency, the foundation announced Sunday. See related article: Ukraine crypto donations top $36M amid Russian invasion Fast facts The decision follows a vote concluded on April 12 where over 70% of the community voted […]

Solana suffered another outage on Sunday Asia time, after the network lost consensus due to bots flooding the non-fungible token (NFT) minting tool “Candy Machine,” spamming more than six million transactions per second.  See related article: Solana DeFi avoids meltdown as Wormhole loss replaced Fast facts The network was down for about seven hours before […]

Yuga Labs’ long-awaited metaverse project Otherside debuted on Saturday in a non-fungible token (NFT) land sale to generate US$285 million but also clogged the Ethereum network to cost investors millions in gas fees. See relates article: Bored Apes creator to launch new metaverse ‘Otherside’ Fast facts Traders snapped up a limited supply of 55,000 “Otherdeeds” […]

A loophole in South Korea’s recent ‘Travel Rule’ means the North Korean hacker behind the stunning espionage saga involving Bitcoin may evade authorities, Forkast learns.

Our Happy Company, cofounded by musician John Legend, has raised US$7.5 million in its seed round, as the company looks to expand its music non-fungible token (NFT) platform OurSong. Watch explainer: What does Music have to do with NFTs? Fast facts The financing round was led by Infinity Ventures Crypto and Animoca Brands, the company […]

Ethereum’s network revenue from gas fees totaled US$2.4 billion in the first quarter of 2022, down 44% from US$4.34 billion in Q4 2021, while 87% of the revenue, or around US$2.1 billion worth of ETH tokens, were burned, according to Bankless’ Q1 report of the blockchain. See related article: Amount of Ether burnt since EIP […]

South Korean asset manager Samsung Asset Management is reportedly set to list a blockchain exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the Hong Kong stock exchange (HKEX), local media reported on Thursday. See related article: South Korea’s largest financial group mulls crypto ETFs Fast facts The ETF set to list in Hong Kong will have the identical structure […]

Bilibili, a video streaming platform popular with China’s Generation Z, Thursday announced a batch of Ethereum-based non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for sale overseas. See related article: Resist the temptation on NFTs, Chinese state-backed developer says Fast facts Bilibili said the NFTs will be a series of auto-generated characters with different features such as faces, clothes, skin […]

Flipkart, the Indian e-commerce marketplace, plans to explore Web 3.0 and metaverse use cases including non-fungible-tokens, virtual storefronts, play-to-earn and other blockchain technologies under its new initiative, Flipkart Labs, the company said.  See related article: Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com offers NFTs despite state media criticisms Fast facts Flipkart Labs, based in Bengaluru, will also serve […]

Three Arrows Capital, a cryptocurrency trading and hedge fund manager, is moving its headquarters to Dubai from Singapore, becoming the latest among a growing number of firms looking to expand their presence in the Middle East. See related article: Dubai could be crypto’s promised land, Citi says Fast facts Su Zhu, cofounder of Three Arrows […]

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. offered its first Bitcoin-backed loan, setting another milestone in Wall Street’s cryptocurrency adoption, Bloomberg reported on Friday. See related article: Crypto milestone on Wall St.: Goldman Sachs makes OTC Bitcoin trade  Fast facts The cash loan’s Bitcoin collateral was owned by the borrower, according to the Bloomberg report. The banking giant […]

ApeCoin (APE) set a new high at US$26.70 on Friday morning Asia time, and is now the largest metaverse token by market cap, ahead of the launch of the Otherside on Saturday.  See related article: What is ApeCoin and How It Made The Bored Apes Richer Fast facts The APE ecosystem’s governance token was trading […]

The Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office has indicted a local executive from a cryptocurrency investment firm and an active-duty military officer for violating the National Security Act by leaking military secrets to a North Korean hacker in exchange for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, according to the prosecutor’s investigation report shared with Forkast. See related article: […]

The city-state wants to position itself as a hub for cryptocurrency service providers while holding onto its reputation as an important cog in the global AML, ATF compliance machinery.

Regulating crypto will take time to ensure the government takes a considered approach, Indian finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said at Stanford University on Wednesday. See related article: Indians see future in crypto, government sees revenue, FM says Fast facts “We recognize that there is a lot of potential and already well-grounded progress made in the […]

More state departments in China are embracing NFTs, with tax bureaus in Shanghai and Chengdu releasing tokens based on Tencent’s blockchain. See related article: ‘Voice of April’ NFTs highlight Shanghai’s struggles amid harsh lockdown Fast facts Shanghai will drop 2,000 NFTs themed on its tax office mascot on Friday. Chengdu’s tax office dropped 1,000 NFTs […]

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will launch a wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot project, coined CBDCPh, as part of its efforts to promote the stability of the country’s payment system. See related article: Report: Stablecoins, CBDCs may not resolve financial inclusion, international remittance challenges Fast facts The central bank’s pilot will test the […]

A record sellout of Okay Bears NFTs helped Solana emerge as a viable alternative to Ethereum, the preferred platform for most NFTs.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s cyber bureau has arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly defrauding nine investors of 210 million KRW (US$165,798) over the sale of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of a cat-like character named CatSle. See related article: S.Korean regulators to strengthen watch over NFTs and the metaverse Fast facts According to the police, the […]

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has granted in-principle approval to fintech firm Revolut to offer digital payment token (DPT) services under the Payment Services Act, according to media reports. See related article: Caught between a rock and a hard place, Singapore tightens crypto oversight Fast facts Revolut Technologies Singapore Pte. Ltd. (RTS) is already […]

Bitcoin mining difficulty reached yet another all-time high on Wednesday, logging a 5.56% increase from the last adjustment two weeks ago. See related article: Almost 60% of Bitcoin mining now on sustainable energy: BMC Fast facts The mining difficulty level is now at 29.79 trillion at block height 733,824, after it saw a drop of […]

The Central African Republic (CAR) became the second country in the world — and the first in Africa — to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender on Wednesday. See related article: What does El Salvador’s new Bitcoin law mean for crypto markets? Fast facts President Faustin-Archange Touadera on Wednesday approved the bill regulating cryptocurrencies, which passed […]

Bored Ape Yacht Club owners rejoiced, as ApeCoin launched with a generous airdrop for the NFT collection’s holders. Learn what ApeCoin is and how it made the Bored Apes richer in this Forkast explainer.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Tweet dreams come true for world’s richest man. Instagram scam hits Bored Apes. Bilibili tests China’s NFT boundaries.

The city’s de facto central bank Wednesday sought public consultations on the e-HKD, as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) chief expressed concerns on a retail digital Hong Kong dollar intensifying competition in the retail payments space. See related article: Hong Kong to press ahead with digital dollar, e-CNY plans Fast facts See related article: […]

At least US$516 million worth of long positions in cryptocurrencies have been liquidated this week, according to data from Coinglass. See related article: Bitcoin long positions worth $1.5 billion liquidated amid crypto crash Fast facts The crypto liquidation comes as the Nasdaq closed at its lowest since late 2020. Bitcoin accounted for more than US$142 […]

Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover isn’t really about free speech, writes Ben Armstrong, aka BitBoy Crypto. It’s an attempt to push you out of Bitcoin and sell your data.

As many as 600 NFTs featuring a montage of audio calls and complaints made by Shanghai residents as they interacted with medical staff and neighborhood compound managers have appeared on OpenSea.

China has broadened the range of public services and the number of cities included in its digital yuan pilot project underway in the provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian. See related article: Chinese state media calls for wider e-CNY adoption Fast facts See related article: Hangzhou races to showcase digital yuan at Asian Games

The New York State Assembly said it passed a cryptocurrency mining moratorium bill on Tuesday, blocking new permits and expansion for proof-of-work (PoW) mining facilities using carbon-based energy sources.  See related article: New York’s Bitcoin mining showdown sets stage for battles elsewhere Fast facts The bill needs approval by the New York State Senate. Existing […]

The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Monday said it granted a full license to the global cryptocurrency exchange, allowing it to service customers across the Middle East and North Africa region. See related article: Dubai could be crypto’s promised land, Citi says Fast facts The license from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM […]

Former Microsoft strategist Joe McCann’s new crypto fund Asymmetric has gained backing from a16z’s Marc Andreessen and Solana cofounders Anatoly Yakovenko and Raj Gokal, The Block reported. See related article: KuCoin launches $100 mln fund for NFT projects Fast facts Asymmetric is aiming to raise US$1 billion to be split into a venture investment fund […]

Binance has partnered with European banking service provider Contis to launch a crypto card for Ukrainian refugees, enabling crypto payments in the European Economic Area for those displaced by the war. See related article: Russians turn to crypto as Western sanctions hit the ruble Fast facts Kirill Khomyakov, Binance’s Ukraine general manager, said the crypto […]

The Bitcoin Mining Council, a voluntary forum of cryptocurrency mining companies supported by Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy Inc., said its latest quarterly survey showed the global Bitcoin mining industry is relying more on electricity from sustainable sources.  See related article: Can Ethereum’s proof-of-stake transition save the planet? Fast facts The global Bitcoin mining industry had a […]

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) says it has charged Spaniard Alejandro Cao de Benos and U.K. citizen Christopher Emms with allegedly assisting former Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith in presenting the uses of crypto to avoid U.S. sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). See related article: Former Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith gets […]

The world’s largest crypto exchange may soon establish a regulated entity in a G-7 nation in Europe, Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao said Tuesday at the Financial Times Crypto and Digital Assets Summit. See related article: Binance wants to play ball with regulators Fast facts Zhao said Binance already has a standard corporate structure […]

Jump.trade, a gaming non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace by GuardianLink, sold 55,000 Meta Cricket League (MCL) collectibles within nine minutes of launching on Friday, Economic Times reported. See related article: NFTs are leveling up gaming and not all about money Fast facts Priced at $25 each, the Super Loot NFTs marked GuardianLink’s foray into the artificial […]

Fireblocks, a digital asset custody platform, says its institutional clients can now access decentralized applications supported by Terra’s decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem, the No. 2 protocol behind Ethereum. See related article: Late digitization is Asia’s edge in crypto, says Fireblocks CEO Fast facts Institutional users can now access decentralized applications built on Terra such as […]

Crypto and stock markets tumbled as the U.S. dollar rallied to its highest point since March 2020 amid concerns of looming interest rate hikes at the U.S. Federal Reserve. See related article: Is Bitcoin really a hedge against inflation? Fast facts The U.S. stock market fell with Nasdaq dropping by 4% on Tuesday over concerns […]

Fidelity, one of the largest providers of 401(k) retirement plans in the U.S., is allowing participants to invest a piece of their retirement portfolio into Bitcoin, provided the employers allow it. See related article: Nexo and Fidelity Digital Assets expand institutional lending services Fast facts Fidelity introduced a digital assets account to hold Bitcoin, integrating […]