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A CryptoPunk non-fungible token (NFT) — CryptoPunk #8690 — was sold at an auction in Shanghai organized by Shanghai Jiahe Auction earlier this week for 5,232,500 yuan (US$823,300), with a starting price of 1.5 million yuan (US$236,000), reflecting growing investor interest in NFTs in China despite criticism from state-controlled media. Fast facts V.V Yu, general manager […]

Today’s consumers are looking for more equitable financial services, writes Sean Rach of hi. Here’s how blockchain can offer a nonprofit banking alternative.

NFTs are finding novel uses across many sectors, from fashion to real estate. What industries stand to benefit most from this technology in the year ahead?

In South Korea, virtual asset investors with more than 500 million Korean won, or approximately US$418,935, worth of crypto assets in overseas accounts must report to their regional tax authorities beginning in 2023. Fast facts According to a new year guidebook by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, any resident or domestic corporation with overseas […]

The Chinese government published a draft regulation on Dec. 31 stating that no organization or individual is allowed to provide internet marketing for illegal financial activities, which include cryptocurrency transactions. Fast facts The regulation, drafted by the People’s Bank of China — China’s central bank — and other Chinese government institutions stipulates that any organization or […]

The world’s largest crypto exchange continues struggling to stay compliant, but it has seen some luck in the Middle East.

Love it or hate it, Bitcoin can be a powerful force for good — and it’s here to stay, writes Peter Vessenes, co-founder of The Bitcoin Foundation.

2021 was a big year for crypto. As we enter a new year, Forkast.News asks market watchers what might be in store for the next 12 months.

Yosuke Matsuda, president of Square Enix — the game developer behind Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Kingdom Hearts — recently reiterated the company’s blockchain ambitions while acknowledging ongoing concerns about the new trend. Fast facts In a new year’s letter posted on the company website, Matsuda emphasized that incorporating blockchain technology into gaming holds “the […]

With wider acceptance as a financial asset, a teenage Bitcoin may not see the explosive 200% average annual returns of the past, but also may experience less price volatility.

Looking beyond this year’s headlines like El Salvador’s Bitcoin adoption, here are the key developments in blockchain technology that will have lasting impact in the new year and beyond.

A regulatory hurricane swept away half of South Korea’s crypto exchanges in 2021. Who are the survivors — and are there larger lessons for the rest of the world?

It’s a myth that crypto transactions are anonymous, writes Warren Paul Anderson of Discreet Labs. Confusing anonymity with privacy is what causes trouble.

Countries acted to encourage — or discourage — cryptocurrency and other blockchain-based assets, sending markets wildly up and down.

Ethereum was game-chaging at its 2015 launch, but today it’s showing its age. As Eth2 upgrades slowly unfold, who are the top rivals trying elbow out the #2 blockchain?

From China’s ban to FATF’s travel rule, crypto regulations have been top of mind this year. How might regulatory impulses and current trends play out?

2021 will go down as the year the DeFi giant woke up, writes Derek Alia of Futureswap. What lies in store for decentralized finance in the year to come?

As 2021 draws to a close, what are this year’s milestones and trends to watch in the year ahead? Forkast.News consults experts to find out.

While increasing crypto adoption was predictable, 2021 also saw much that was unexpected. Here are the events that shocked even crypto natives.

Hackers scam 7,000 Solana, or US$1.3 million, from would-be buyers of a new NFT collection of the Monkey Kingdom project.

China prepares to show off its tech innovation muscles at the Beijing Winter Olympics as it unveils some unusual-looking wallets for its new digital yuan.

Global shifts are underway in crypto regulations, writes Huong Hauduc of Bequant. How might the political and market forces play out next year?

Who in the crypto world deserves Santa love this year, and whose chimney should be snubbed? The elves at Forkast.News help the big man with his list.

China tries to stamp out Bitcoin mining while increasing its influence over blockchain technology and preparing the digital yuan for launch. What lies in store for 2022?

Curious to use Bitcoin but don’t know where to start? Forkast.News explains how.

Liquidity mining plays a unique role in the DeFi ecosystem. How does it work?

Of the Big Four central banks, including those of the EU, UK and Japan, only the Federal Reserve has not progressed beyond research mode in central bank digital currencies.

Japan’s financial conglomerate SBI Holdings announced a joint investment in Singapore’s virtual asset exchange Coinhako with Switzerland-based Sygnum Bank. Fast facts The investment is made through a fund formed in Singapore named the SBI-Sygnum-Azimut Digital Asset Opportunity fund. SBI expressed certainty in supporting Coinhako’s international expansion and other startups that have growth potential in the […]

Yusaku Maezawa, founder of Japan’s largest online fashion retailer Zozotown, tweeted about turning a photo he took in space into a non-fungible token (NFT), saying it may be the very first NFT to be issued from space. Fast facts Named “Rendezvous,” the NFT includes a photo that Maezawa took while the Russian Soyuz MS-20 he […]

An investor who received $1.25M in Bitcoin by accident will not be criminally penalized, raising questions on the legal status of cryptocurrencies.

What are the responsibilities of blockchain companies when it comes to freedom of expression? A controversial cartoonist finds out the boundaries.

Crypto finance platform XLD Finance wants to enable users to spend GameFi tokens and stablecoins to pay for real-world goods and services. Fast facts The company has launched its first project, xSpend, which allows users from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to purchase mobile prepaid credits on the platform using GameFi tokens and stablecoins. Users may also pay Philippine-based […]

U.S.-based tax preparation service company H&R Block has filed a trademark infringement case over Square’s new name, Block. Fast facts The lawsuit states: “Block brings this lawsuit to protect consumers from being deceived and to prevent a Silicon Valley tech company from stealing Block’s name.” According to a press release from H&R Block, fintech firm […]

Blockchain promotes trust and can greatly cut transaction costs, writes Edmund To of GSBN. So why is the shipping industry still clinging to paper documents?

With Ethereum usage at all-time high, a Cosmos ‘bridge’ to other blockchains and Mastercard rollups aim to solve a major problem plaguing the Eth network.

Federal regulators have turned their sights on stablecoins. But is the attempt to tame this digital currency too late?

Not yet done with your holiday shopping? Here are ideas for all the loved ones on your list, whether they are tech-savvy or merely crypto-curious.

Asia’s gaming giant Nexon’s US subsidiary supports cryptocurrencies for players in buying items inside its popular online games.

In a contract dispute case, a Beijing court in Chaoyang district on Wednesday ruled a legal arrangement for Bitcoin mining to be invalid, signaling how China’s legal system may view future crypto-related disputes. Fast facts In May 2019, the plaintiff, Fengfu Jiuxin company, signed purchases and services contracts with blockchain technology company Zhongyan Zhichuang, with the latter […]

Games like Axie Infinity are now the darlings of big investors. Does it matter that revenue is falling and many players earn less than the minimum wage?

While China continues to stamp out cryptocurrency mining, the mining rig producers continue raking in the deals. The latest: Canaan, a Chinese crypto mining rig maker, has secured a follow-on contract from Genesis Digital Assets for 30,000 units of Avalon Bitcoin mining machines, with another 150,000 units to be executed. Fast facts Back in August, […]

After two weeks of a downward price spiral, the market showed some signs of life this morning, with most coins managing to rise about 5% coming into business hours Asia time. AVAX, however, the native token of the Avalanche blockchain, gained almost 25% overnight to reach a two-week high of US$106.87 and finding itself in […]

The National Basketball Association has been ahead of the game in crypto adoption, but after a week of major developments, the league is now way out in front.

Lotte Cinema, one of South Korea’s largest movie theater chains, is giving away NFTs (non-fungible tokens) of the movie “The Matrix Resurrections” to people who reserve tickets to the latest addition in the popular science fiction series that depicts life in a simulated reality. Fast facts In collaboration with Warner Bros. and NFT tech startup […]

Gas fee unpredictability is a highly problematic aspect of the Ethereum ecosystem, writes Matt Cutler of Blocknative. What are the solutions?

Metaverse platform Spatial assembled a Series B funding round worth about US$25 million, with new investments from Maven Growth Partners, Pine Venture Partners, South Korea’s KB Investment, Korea Investment Partners, Mirae Asset and others. Fast facts With the Series B, Spatial gathered an accumulated investment amount of over US$49.6 million. Investors from past funds included […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Can stablecoins bankroll democracy? Nike swooshes into the metaverse. Animoca and Bored Apes venture deeper into the gaming jungle.

Legendary Japanese manga artist Tezuka Osamu’s beloved “Astro Boy,” which was first published in 1952, has been made into NFT (non-fungible token) collectibles, one of which was listed on OpenSea for auction. Fast facts With the help of NFT solution startup double jump.tokyo, Tezuka Productions launched its first official NFT art project — “From the […]

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, today announced that it has set up a joint venture with the venture capital arm of Telkom Indonesia, the country’s largest telecommunication company, to develop a new digital asset exchange there. Fast facts Binance said in a statement that it has teamed up with MDI Ventures — a US$830 […]

The report says the country’s crypto industry could swell by up to 30 times its current size in the coming decade.

An internet authority in East China’s Zhejiang province has identified in July 4,699 IP addresses in the province that were involved with cryptocurrency mining, and among them 183 addresses were related to 78 state-owned entities, according to a Tuesday article published on the website of China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the country’s anti-corruption […]

The National Unity Government recognizes Tether as an official currency, defying the cryptocurrency ban imposed last year.

Brinc, a Hong Kong-headquartered venture capital focused on Web 3.0, today announced that it has secured US$30 million in a Series B round and an additional US$100 million for startup investments. The funding was led by Animoca Brands — a Hong Kong-based blockchain gaming, metaverse and non-fungible token (NFT) company — to further fuel Brinc’s investment in […]

Dogecoin rallied 31% when Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla will accept it for payment of “merch.”

Nike announced the acquisition of a company that designs fashion clothing for the metaverse, RTFKT Studios, once noted for selling 608 pairs of NFT shoes in just six minutes. Fast facts After announcing the acquisition, both Nike and RTFKT Studios tweeted videos, each containing the logos of Nike, Jordan, Converse and RTFKT. RTFKT Studios, founded […]

Crypto 1 will consider acquisition targets worldwide but steer clear of digital assets companies in China and Hong Kong. Are the lights dimming on a major crypto hub?

Metizens can already attend concerts, visit art galleries and earn money in a metaverse, writes Joe Caselin of Hex Trust. What’s coming next?

Blockchain gaming studio Vulcan Forged was hacked on Tuesday and 4.5 million PYR, the platform’s native token, was stolen, the company announced on Twitter. Fast facts Vulcan Forged also runs a decentralized exchange and a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace. The attacker gained the private keys to 96 wallets and proceeded to empty them, making off […]

The billion-dollar intersection of sports and crypto is a big win for all, writes Ben Armstrong, aka BitBoy Crypto. Here’s how to make sense of this seismic cultural shift.

South Korean video game developer WeMade revealed today it has invested in Kasa, a blockchain-based digital asset-backed securities (DABS) trading platform with a focus on prop-tech — where information technology is applied to real estate economics. Fast facts Kasa is a platform where users can invest in commercial buildings with small amounts of money, similar […]

Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), one of the most successful non-fungible token (NFT) collections, is joining hands with Animoca Brands — a Hong Kong-based blockchain gaming, metaverse and NFT company — to develop a play-to-earn game utilizing BAYC’s popular avatar NFTs, according to a company statement. Fast facts The new game, which will feature play-to-earn […]

Justin Kan, co-founder of livestreaming platform Twitch, announced he will be launching Fractal, a new marketplace for gaming non-fungible tokens (NFTs). While the OpenSea NFT marketplace may be the largest, Fractal is not competing directly — it is betting on a niche in gaming NFTs. Fast facts The announcement comes days after a Twitch plug-in […]

Macroeconomic factors and a spate of bad news override bullish outlook in crypto market as the year lurches toward its end.

Fast facts Blockchain-based payment platform Danal Fintech announced a new service plan that will allow BMW vehicles to be purchased with Paycoin (PCI) in its new partnership with Samchully Motors, the domestic dealer of the luxury automobile line. The recent announcement makes the first case in South Korea where an automobile can be paid in […]

One of the most influential cheerleaders for cryptocurrency is named Time’s 2021 Person of the Year for his work on electric cars and space rockets.

Crypto 1 Acquisition Corp., a U.S.-incorporated blank check company, has completed its initial public offering (IPO) with gross proceeds of US$230 million, according to a company statement released Friday. Fast facts The company’s units commenced trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol “DAOOU” on Dec. 7. Acting as a special purpose acquisition […]

Non-fungible token minting platform PlayNFT wants to enable Twitch streamers to offer NFTs to their audience without needing to leave the Twitch platform. Fast facts Blockchain games studio Enigma Games is using Enjin’s Efinity blockchain on PlayNFT, the studio’s NFT minting platform, to build a plug-in that will allow Twitch’s 9.2 million streamers to use […]

Gamers and developers gather at the annual Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum to discuss how video games may evolve in the future.

Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, announced today that its Singapore entity Binance Asia Services has withdrawn its application to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for a license to operate a regulated crypto exchange in the country, according to a company statement. Fast facts The exchange had operated in Singapore under an exemption that […]

Confusion surrounded the Solana blockchain community over the weekend as a sudden drop in transaction speeds was initially believed to be a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack, resulting in a lengthy debate as to the cause of the delay. Fast facts Solana-based non-fungible token (NFT) platform Blockasset was one of the first to highlight […]

India prime minister Narendra Modi’s Twitter account was hacked on Sunday morning, with the attacker posting a false tweet about India officially adopting Bitcoin as legal tender. Fast facts The tweet also said the government has bought 500 Bitcoin which will be distributed among citizens. This was the second instance of Modi’s Twitter account getting […]

The energy authority in Southwest China’s Yunnan province said it has eliminated the illegal power supply from small and midsize hydropower stations to Bitcoin mining, as China continues to intensify its clampdown on crypto mining. Fast facts In a Friday post on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like microblogging platform, the Yunnan authority said as of the end […]