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japanese cherry blossom tree along a scenic view

Nomura-backed Komainu partners Crypto Garage for institutional crypto services

The collaboration aims to build institutional crypto services in Japan.
Circle Internet Financial logo in front of cryptocurrencies laid on gravel | Circle says US$3.3 bln USDC reserve at SVB available Monday, announces partnership with Cross River | circle usdc, silicon valley bank, silvergate, signature bank

Circle to cease USDC minting for retail customers

Circle said the account closures do not apply to businesses or institutional Circle Mint accounts.
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried exits a Manhattan Federal Court

SBF examined over “cozy relationship” with Bahamian government in fraud trail

This marked Bankman-Fried’s fourth and final day of testimony before Wednesday’s closing arguments.
child online safety

How blockchain can fortify children’s online safety

Colossal failures in online age verification have opened the floodgates for kids to access harmful content and become ‘friends’ with adult strangers. Can encrypted decentralized IDs put a stop to all that?
abstract NFT

NFT’s October treat

October sees NFT resurgence with US$300 million in sales despite negative trade profits; SoFi platforms face challenges amid financial scrutiny.
DUBAI, UAE - MAR 18, 2014: Famous Jumeirah beach view with 7 star hotel Burj Al Arab, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Mad Lads creator Backpack to launch licensed crypto exchange in Dubai

Backpack said it also secured operational licenses in other jurisdictions.
Bitcoin October Uptober Autumn

‘Uptober’ narrative saved by spot Bitcoin ETF bounce

Often dismissed as coincidence, October has once again produced an upswing in the crypto market, with excitement around a potential U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF to thank for this year’s ‘Uptober.’
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Image: Getty Images

Sam Bankman-Fried’s credibility questioned by prosecutors during cross-examination

Prosecutors pointed out inconsistencies in Bankman-Fried’s public statements before FTX collapsed in a four-hour grilling.
Downtown Singapore.

Singapore, Japan, Switzerland and U.K. to collaborate on digital assets pilots

The MAS said that its previous tokenization pilots demonstrated great potential benefits of the technology.
flag of UK and the word crypto on a magnifying glass

UK plans to introduce fiat-backed stablecoin rules in early 2024

The U.K. intends to introduce rules on fiat-backed stablecoins in early 2024, according to the government’s latest cryptocurrency policy update published on Monday.  See related article: Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto rules; NFTs become new cultural frontier Fast Facts See related article: Blockchain tech in Thailand gets boost from new pro-crypto lead
Standard Chartered Bank

Standard Chartered’s Zodia Custody to launch in Hong Kong

The move is part of an Asia Pacific expansion effort by the cryptocurrency custodian.
zipmex thai sec

Thailand’s Kasikorn Bank buys majority stake in Satang crypto exchange

The lender, known as K-bank, said it will also open three additional crypto subsidiaries.
social media icons

Web2 social media is in a race to the bottom. Web3 can do better

Platforms like Facebook, Reddit and the hot mess formerly known as Twitter are alienating users like never before. ‘Web3 doesn’t let you be a dick and get away with it,’ writes Joonatan Lintala, CEO of Phaver.
SBF trial

Take two: Sam Bankman-Fried testifies, for real this time

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried denied defrauding anyone as he took to the stand in his criminal trial.
Neo founder Da Hongfei during his speech at Neo's APAC hackathon's

Neo sets sights on DeFi, unveils EVM-compatible sidechain

Neo’s new sidechain hopes to counter MEV attacks to mitigate exploits and manipulations.
Taipei Taiwan Skyline

Taiwan introduces crypto regulation proposal

Taiwan’s new bill mandates crypto platform permits, addressing self-regulation gaps.
SBF trial

Sam Bankman-Fried’s testimony gets a test run as the defense presents its case

In a rare move, Judge Lewis Kaplan sent the jury home early so he can decide what is and isn’t admissible in FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s testimony.
BTC ETF Parity

Bitcoin soars amid buzz of potential ETF approval: Is a crypto renaissance on the horizon?

Top blockchain and crypto news: Bitcoin ETF potential pumps life in markets. Ethereum NFTs back on rise. Major industry layoffs continue.
mastercard

Mastercard explores partnerships with crypto wallets MetaMask, Ledger: CoinDesk

Mastercard’s potential tie up with custody service providers may turbocharge crypto wallets’ growth with its global payments prowess.
NFTs bull

NFTs dressing up as a bull?

Amid Bitcoin’s ‘Uptober’ surge and Friend.tech’s security concerns, traders pivot back to NFTs, spurred by Blur’s rewards end date and potential Bitcoin ETF approvals.
Bitcoin ETF silver bullet

US spot Bitcoin ETFs — crypto’s silver bullet?

Amid news, fake or otherwise, of an imminent approval for at least one spot Bitcoin ETF, Bitcoin’s price has skyrocketed. Could a year of pain in the crypto industry be over?
Polkadot

Parity Technologies, Polkadot blockchain developer, lays off 30% of staff

Parity CEO Björn Wagner said that despite the need for layoffs, the company’s financial health “remains robust.”
$MOON and Reddit

Dark Side of the $MOON: What the collapse of Reddit Community Points teaches us about Web3 tokenomics

To quell the uproar over the imminent death of a popular rewards program, Reddit is blaming ‘scalability’ and regulatory woes. But the real culprit is Reddit itself for failing to make its tokens sustainable, writes Fabio Galbi, CEO of VSC.
Binance logo

Binance loses two more top execs in UK and France

Global regulatory pressure on the world’s largest exchange continues to take its toll.
Binance logo seen through magnifying glass

Binance challenges CFTC’s global reach in legal clash

Binance hits back at CFTC, stating U.S. laws can’t police global crypto operations; claims Binance.US operates separately.
Bitcoin ETF | SEC accepts BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF application for review | ETF, BlackRock, U.S., BTC-Bitcoin, Regulation & Law

Bitcoin ETF fever sends BTC to heights not seen since May 2022

As Bitcoin breaks past $35,000, optimism brews in the crypto market. Is this the end of the prolonged ‘crypto winter’ investors have dreaded?
North America retains crypto crown even as US regulatory clouds loom Chainalysis

North America retains crypto crown even as US regulatory clouds loom: Chainalysis

The United States is the region’s top driver of crypto activity.
Astar Network logo

Astar, Startale Labs announce Web3 partnership with Japanese telecom giant, KDDI 

Astar Network and Startale Labs partner with Japanese telecom giant KDDI to boost Web3 adoption.
Chinas central bank to ‘resolutely curb crypto speculation

China’s central bank to ‘resolutely curb’ crypto speculation; Hong Kong updates regulations

PBOC to crack down on crypto speculation, as Hong Kong restricts access to certain “complex” virtual asset products.
Coins.ph logo

Philippines’ Coins.ph may have lost US$6 million worth of XRP in hack: The Block

Coins.ph, a cryptocurrency exchange based in the Philippines with millions of users, appeared to have lost 12.2 million XRP tokens, The Block reported on Friday.
Paypal/Visa/Scwab/Goldman Sachs/BlackRock/Fidelity International/Abrdn logos

Is TradFi’s entry into DeFi a turning point or a sign of greater battles ahead?

The pillars of Wall Street are muscling their way into crypto and decentralized finance. Who stands to benefit the most?
Bitcoin Ethereum NFT

Bitcoin briefly rallies above US$30,000 following Grayscale’s new ETF application

Bitcoin gained over 10% this past week, boosted by Grayscale’s renewed spot Bitcoin ETF application.
Binance

Binance says it signed agreements with new euro banking partners 

Binance announced it has secured new fiat partners for euro services after its former partner cut ties with the exchange last month.
Hand holding up closed sign

LBRY shuts down operations

LBRY issued a final goodbye to the crypto community before winding down operations.
SEC chairman Gary Gensler | FTX sues LayerZero Labs to recover US$21 million

SEC drops all charges against Ripple’s CEO Garlinghouse and co-founder Larsen

The XRP token rose over 6% on the day after the SEC dismissed the charges against Ripple’s top executives.
SBF trial

Prosecution winds up case against Bankman-Fried ahead of six-day pause in trial

FTX’s former general counsel Can Sun testified he was “shocked” by $7 billion in missing customer funds as the prosecution’s case starts to draw to a close.
Bitcoin ETF | SEC accepts BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF application for review | ETF, BlackRock, U.S., BTC-Bitcoin, Regulation & Law

Grayscale files for new spot Bitcoin ETF on NYSE Arca

Grayscale said that its fund is ready to operate as an ETF upon regulatory approval.
Gemini Falling stars

Gemini, Genesis, DCG sued by New York Attorney General

The lawsuit alleges that the companies defrauded over 230,000 investors.
The Wallet Wars logo visible on a black background

Wallet Wars’ raW Pass NFTs sells out in 5 minutes

Wallet Wars, a Space Invaders-inspired game with a Web3 twist: upgradeable NFT spaceships.”
Coinbase logo

Coinbase taps Ireland as European hub ahead of MiCA regime

Coinbase said that the regulatory clarity MiCA provides to the industry is “hugely welcome.”
Binance Japan Bitcoin ETF

Binance’s rollercoaster week: expansion, setbacks, and the ghost of FTX’s collapse

Top blockchain and crypto news: Is Japan a new frontier for Binance? AI art sweeps NFT sales. ETF buzz electrifies Bitcoin.
Single Bitcoin cryptocurrency on a silver through gold metallic gradient background lying face up in the centre

Lightning Labs to enable stablecoins on Bitcoin ecosystem with Taproot Assets

Taproot Assets will “accelerate the process of bringing Bitcoin to those billions of people,” according to Lightning Labs.
digital euro

ECB to kick off digital euro preparation phase on Nov. 1

The central bank said that the preparation phase is not a decision on the issuance of a digital euro.
israel-and-palestine-conflict-or-war-situation-ref-2022-11-02-16-22-02-utc

OFAC sanctions Gaza-based crypto exchange allegedly linked to Hamas

The U.S. takes action against 10 Hamas-linked entities, including Gaza-based money transfer business and crypto exchange Buy Cash.
By royal decree — the UK moves toward regulating crypto

UK emerges as world’s third-largest economy in terms of crypto transaction volume: Chainalysis

The U.K. is also listed as the 14th economy on Chainalysis’ Global Crypto Adoption Index.
Hong Kong

Over 40% of Hong Kong investors shun digital assets post-JPEX Scandal, survey reveals

The survey aimed to measure the public attitude towards virtual asset investments, following the JPEX incident.
Image of a smartphone displaying the Trust Wallet application's earn page.

Trust Wallet’s TWT up 7%, leads top 100 cryptos in gains

TWT price rose over 15% during the past week, after Trust Wallet announced a major rebranding upgrade.
Sui network

SUI Foundations denies supply manipulation allegations

SUI fell to a new all-time low on Wednesday following supply manipulation allegations, which the Sui Foundation denies.
A huge euro logo is seen in front of the headquarters of the ECB in Frankfurt, Germany.

EU adopts new crypto tax rules, mandate data sharing from crypto firms

The new data sharing rules will go into effect 20 days after their publication in the Official Journal.
scam

Rampant scams highlight critical need for greater crypto literacy

The plight of the Philippines — which has a high rate of crypto adoption but is also plagued by fraud — offers a window into why the industry’s ‘do your own research’ mantra isn’t enough.
FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried. | Former FTX executive Nishad Singh negotiating guilty plea on fraud charges: Bloomberg

FTX top lieutenant Nishad Singh bought US$3.7 million house after learning about the exchange’s misuse of customer funds

Nishad Singh testified he bought a house a month before FTX’s collapse despite learning of the exchange’s misuse of customer funds weeks prior.
Fractionalized NFTs

Traders split from Blur for fractionalized NFTs

As the NFT tide shifts, traders seek new horizons. While Blur and OpenSea grapple with change, SoFi and fractionalized assets emerge as the next big wave.
israel-and-palestine-conflict-or-war-situation-ref-2022-11-02-16-22-02-utc

Binance freezes over 100 accounts on Israeli police request: Financial Times

Israeli police requested information on 200 additional crypto accounts.
Binance

Binance.US suspends USD withdrawals

Users can still withdraw cryptocurrencies, according to the exchange’s updated terms of use.
Young man holding XRP Ripple coin in hand with green bush in background - Cryptocurrency and Digital asset concept

XRP support for Roblox “inaccurate”: Decrypt 

Correction: This article originally stated that the XRP cryptocurrency is available for in-game payments in Roblox and Smite through the payment processor BitPay. Roblox has denied the report and BitPay has since deleted its announcement on X. Roblox, a popular online game with an average of 65.5 million daily active users, has denied claims that […]
japanese cherry blossom tree along a scenic view

Binance Japan — death knell or savior for the nation’s smaller crypto exchanges?

Few tokens and too many exchanges are a bad recipe for Japan’s smaller crypto trading houses. The experts say there’s room for up to five only. So what happens to the little guy now that the world’s largest exchange Binance has rolled back into town?
OSL logo and Hong Kong skyline | Hong Kong's OSL Asset Management obtains license to invest in blockchain and AI | sfc hong kong crypto license regime

OSL exchange’s HK$1 billion sale is “factually inaccurate,” says BC Technology

OSL’s parent firm said investors should exercise caution due to the “unusual movement” in the company’s stock price.
Binance logo

Binance halts new user registration in the U.K.

The exchange added that it will also stop releasing new products and services in the country.
Coins with bitcoin symbol on red light and crypto stocks chart background. Concept of a cryptocurrency market crisis.

Fake BlackRock ETF news prompts US$57 mln in Bitcoin long liquidations

Bitcoin briefly spiked to US$29,388 after the fake post, before tracing back the gains.
SBF

FTX exec Nishad Singh testifies on Bankman-Fried’s ‘excessive’ and ‘flashy’ spending

FTX co-founder Nishad Singh testified on Bankman-Fried’s “excessive” spending including political donations coordinated in a group chat titled “Donations Processing.”
Nearly half of Tether reserves are now in US Treasury bills

Tether freezes 32 addresses related to terrorism in Israel and Ukraine

Tether says it froze US$873,000 in USDT linked to terror activities in Israel and Ukraine. CEO Ardoino stresses crypto’s traceability.
Solana, What is the Solana ecosystem and how is it fueling SOL’s stratospheric rise

Solana Foundation partners with DMCC Dubai

The SOL token rose over 5% in the 24-hour after the partnership was announced.
Binance logo is displayed on a screen

Binance: One year on from FTX’s downfall

Inside the world’s largest crypto exchange’s annus horribilis.
A red Ferrari 296 GTB parked in a white parking lot.

Ferrari starts accepting crypto payments in the US

The luxury car maker said it started accepting crypto payments due to popular demand from its crypto investor customers.
Bitcoin and DeFi

A Bitcoin ETF is coming to the US. Here’s what to expect when that happens

A spot Bitcoin ETF will allow BTC be easily tradeable without the headaches and pitfalls of self-custody. Its arrival — likely just around the corner — will mark the moment crypto goes mainstream.
Merlion statue fountain in Merlion Park and Singapore city skyline at night.

Upbit Singapore receives in-principal license from MAS

Singapore’s major payment institution license will enable Upbit to continue offering regulated digital asset services while awaiting its full license.
Sydney, Australia

Australian Treasury to release crypto draft legislation by 2024 

The Australian Department of the Treasury said it will accept feedback on the draft bill by December.
Tether coin

Tether appoints Paolo Ardoino as new CEO

Ardoino takes Tether’s helm after serving as the USDT stablecoin issuer’s chief technical officer since 2017.
Mastercard plastic electronic credit cards macro close up. ISTANBUL, TURKEY - February 2022.

Mastercard’s Ciphetrace VP discusses decade-long maturation of cryptocurrency

Crypto is “part of the future,” said Melissa Wisner, vice president of crypto risk at Ciphertrace, during her panel discussion at D3 Bahamas.
D.C. Court of Appeals greenlights Grayscale’s bid for Bitcoin ETF

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin falls below US$27,000 following CPI and Israeli conflict

Bitcoin was subdued by the mounting geopolitical concerns around Israel’s war with Hamas and the ongoing FTX lawsuit.
Former FTX Founder And CEO Sam Bankman-Fried's Trial Continues In New York

Caroline Ellison told Alameda Research about FTX user deposits last November: Cointelegraph

Alameda Research reportedly did not know about the misuse of FTX user deposits until last November.
FTX, authorities investigate potential US$477 mln theft

Russian hackers may be behind FTX hack: Elliptic

The research firm said that on-chain data point toward Russian hackers, instead of the previously-suspected North Korean Lazarus Group.

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