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Bitcoin stays above US$30,000; ETF optimism dampens; further rate hikes expected
Bitcoin dipped on Monday morning in Asia but held above the US$30,000 support level. Ether edged lower along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens.

South Korea, Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto rules as U.S. in state of regulatory ‘warfare’
While Asia nations such as Singapore and Thailand seem to be following the U.S. regulator in frowning upon certain products offered by crypto exchanges, the approach in Asia so far seems to be clarity instead of court battles, in contrast with North America

Japanese gaming firm Sega backs out of blockchain: Bloomberg
Japanese multinational gaming firm Sega Corp. is withdrawing from blockchain-based games as play-to-earn games are “boring,” according to Shuji Utsumi, the company’s co-chief operating officer cited by Bloomberg on Friday.

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin holds above US$30,000; SEC officially silent over spot Bitcoin ETF applications
Bitcoin held above US$30,000 for most of the week but lost momentum as the SEC left investors guessing on how it will treat spot Bitcoin ETF applications.

Bitcoin rises back to US$30,000, Ether remains under US$1,900, top cryptos in the red
Crypto buying subsided as the U.S. regulator made no official comment on Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications and executives quit Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange.

Tokenization makes the world a better place, and Asia is paving the way: Opinion
Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Thailand have regulations supporting the growth of tokenization, showing the world the benefits of fractionalizing assets.

Binance executives Hillman, Christie say they are leaving, cite personal reasons
Binance Chief Strategy Officer Patrick Hillmann and Vice President for Compliance Steven Christie both confirmed they are leaving the firm.

How did Do Kwon move US$18 mln in stablecoins to ‘unfreezable’ tokens while in Montenegro jail?
A South Korean academic tracking on-chain data says Do Kwon, the imprisoned founder of the now collapsed Terra-Luna crypto project, seems to have outside help in moving stablecoins from his digital wallets into other cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin loses US$30,000 peg, Ether falls as risk-off sentiment spreads to cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin fell below US$30,000 on Friday morning in Asia as traders took profits amid worries about interest rate hikes in U.S. markets.

Cardano ‘ghost chain’ outperforms top blockchains in NFT market
Despite a plunge in unique NFT buyers on Cardano, which earned it the nickname “ghost chain,” data reveals that the blockchain’s NFT market outperformed leading competitors such as Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon in June.

No surprise as Singapore, Thailand step up crypto regulation
Southeast Asia steps up regulation. No end in sight for NFT market decline. Voyager’s shrinking portfolio.

Bitcoin, Ether rise, top cryptos mixed, as investors await SEC response to Bitcoin ETF applications
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top altcoins were mixed, as investors await the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) response to spot Bitcoin ETF applications. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin breaches US$31,195 following Fidelity’s spot Bitcoin ETF application Bitcoin, Ether rise, top 10 […]

Bitcoin, Ether, all other top 10 cryptocurrencies fall; Litecoin leads losers with Cardano
Bitcoin, Ether fell along with all top 10 cryptocurrencies. Litecoin and Cardano led the losers. The Forkast 500 NFT index rose, but NFT mood is pessimistic.

The NFT market’s historic new lows
NFT market recovers after Azuki’s Elementals mint debacle as traders report liquidity issues amidst price tumble.

Singapore’s DBS starts e-CNY bank services for China clients
Singapore-based DBS bank has introduced a “merchant collection solution” using e-CNY – China’s central bank digital currency – to allow corporate clients of DBS China to collect payments from their customers in e-CNY, and avail the automated settlement of e-CNY directly into their bank deposit account.

Australian regulator searches Binance’s local offices: Bloomberg
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the country’s financial services regulator, searched the local offices of Binance on Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation of the exchange’s derivatives business, a Bloomberg report said.

Bitcoin, Ether slip but remain above key price levels while altcoins struggle to find momentum
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Wednesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong but remained above key price levels, while most of the top altcoins were in the red.

Airchains to record land ownership with NFTs for Indian city
Indian Web3 firm Airchains has announced a partnership with the New Town Kolkata Development Authority of West Bengal, to release 500,000 NFTs in hopes to enhance registration and transfer of land ownership.

Why a wash sale rule for crypto may be coming soon — and what this means for you: Opinion
For years, crypto and NFT investors enjoyed tax advantages that holders of stocks and bonds do not have, but legislation on the horizon could end that loophole.

Bitcoin trades flat after losing US$31,000 peg; Solana gains; Polygon, BNB lead losers
Bitcoin and Ether traded little changed on Wednesday morning in Asia, while the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies were mixed.

Bitcoin, Ether slip but remain above key levels; top 10 cryptos mixed
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Tuesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization were mixed.

How Web3 is disrupting gaming business models and player economics: Opinion
From pay-to-play arcade video games to sales of home consoles, gaming’s evolution into peer-to-peer marketplaces is posing a new challenge to the status quo, writes Jackson Poon.

Bitcoin breaches US$31,000 on BlackRock’s updated ETF; Ether gains, Polygon leads winners
Bitcoin climbed above US$31,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia after Blackrock refiled its Bitcoin ETF application. Ether also gained amid institutional interest.

Singapore to require crypto firms to hold customer assets in a trust; restricts lending, staking by retail users
Cryptocurrency service providers in Singapore will have to keep customer assets under a statutory trust before the end of the year, for safekeeping purposes, the city state’s central bank announced Monday.

Bitcoin slips, Ether inches up, top 10 cryptos gain as investors remain upbeat
Bitcoin fell and Ether rose during Monday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization strengthened.

Global shifts in crypto capital are underway. Here’s where the money is going
Digital assets funds have been flowing in waves all over the world since crypto’s inception, writes Amy Yu, CEO of SEBA Bank. Where is crypto capital going now?

Hong Kong launches task force to promote blockchain initiatives, developments
Hong Kong’s local government on Friday set up the Task Force on Promoting Web3 Development to promote the benefits of blockchain to real-world industries.

Bitcoin flat, Ether gains in mixed crypto market; Solana rebounds, Litecoin leads winners
Bitcoin traded flat above US$30,000 while most other leading tokens were mixed. Litecoin and Solana saw the biggest gains among the top 10.

Blockchain Alliance’s Raj Kapoor says the technology can reshape India’s governance systems
Kapoor founded the India Blockchain Alliance five years ago and gives an update on how the technology is being used in police reports to real estate transactions, as well as challenges of CBDC adoption and plans for tokenization of assets. He spoke in an interview for Forkast IQ.

South Korea approves crypto bill to protect investors, goes into effect in one year
South Korea approved a bill to protect cryptocurrency investors as part of building the country’s first legal framework devoted to digital assets.

Generative Art – The Golden Goose of NFTs
Dmitri Cherniak’s generative art NFT, ‘The Goose’, sold for US$5.4 million at Sotheby’s. The sale, a second highest for generative art, signals NFT art’s growing prominence and potential in the Web3 era.

US SEC says Bitcoin ETF applications inadequate: WSJ
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said the recent series of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications by asset managers were inadequate and not sufficiently clear, according to a report by Wall Street Journal on Friday.

FXHASH NFT upgrade to allow users to mint on both Tezos and Eth
FXHASH, the largest non-fungible token (NFT) platform by sales volume on the Tezos blockchain, has announced an upgrade that allows users to choose between Tezos and Ethereum, along with on-chain minting for both networks.

ApeCoin DAO replaces Yat Siu and Alexis Ohanian
ApeCoin DAO, the decentralized autonomous organization behind the ApeCoin cryptocurrency, has replaced Animoca Brands chairman Yat Siu and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, in its special council that oversees the Ape Foundation.

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin breaches US$31,195 following Fidelity’s spot Bitcoin ETF application
Bitcoin briefly rose to US$31,195 after Fidelity filed its spot Bitcoin ETF application. Can the wave of institutional interest keep Bitcoin above US$30,500?

Ripple executive spells out Asia future after license success in Singapore
Ripple Labs’ Asia-Pacific branch is offering digital payment services in Singapore after receiving in-principle approval of its license application from the MAS on June 22. What does that mean for the company’s Asia business?

Bitcoin, Ether rise along with all other top 10 cryptos
Cyptocurrency investor sentiment continues to improve with Litecoin posting strong gains as its halving event in August gets closer.

Blockchain Association joins Coinbase in pushing back against SEC over crypto crackdown
The Blockchain Association said the U.S. SEC chair Gary Gensler should remove himself from enforcing rules on the crypto sector.

U.K. bill to regulate crypto assets passes into law, offering ‘rocket boost’ for economy
A U.K. bill to recognize cryptocurrency trading as a regulated financial activity passed into law on Thursday.

The bane of crypto today is quantity over quality: Opinion
The market now has 26,000 different cryptocurrencies and the total number of coins in circulation approaches infinity. How do those tokenomics make any sense?

Bitcoin gains with all top 10 crypto, Fidelity confirms Bitcoin ETF bid, U.S. economy rebounds
All top 10 cryptocurrencies rose, led by Solana, as another financial heavyweight applied to offer a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund and data showed the U.S. economy in good health. Stocks rose.

Binance to change euro banking partner from September
Binance’s euro banking partner, Paysafe Payment Solutions, will stop offering its services for the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange from Sept. 25.

Crypto gets a boost following reports of Fidelity’s imminent Bitcoin spot ETF filing
Top blockchain and crypto news: Fidelity Investment is reportedly close to filing its own Bitcoin ETF. NFT traders seek liquidity. Singapore eyes asset tokenization.

Bitcoin remains above US$30,000, despite hawkish remarks from Powell
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization were mixed.

China Mobile launches metaverse industry alliance
China Mobile, a leading telecommunication company of China, launched a metaverse alliance on Wednesday, whose members include Huawei, Xiaomi and Unity China.

Ledger wallet launches institutional crypto trading platform
Ledger announced the launch of Ledger Enterprise Tradelink, a secure and regulation-friendly trading system for institutional investors.

Bitcoin, all other top 10 cryptos lose ground; Azuki Elementals NFT disappoints investors
Bitcoin dropped but remained above US$30,000, with all other major cryptocurrencies falling, as investors reacted to news of MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin purchase and ARK Invest’s spot Bitcoin ETF plan.

EU publishes draft bill for digital euro and cash payments
The European Commission released two proposals on Wednesday, one for the digital euro, the ECB’s CBDC, and a legislative proposal to safeguard the role of cash.

Bitcoin dips but holds above US$30,000, all top 10 cryptos drop
Despite a slight dip in crypto prices, positive investor sentiment persists, buoyed by the potential of Bitcoin ETFs, rising institutional adoption, and recovery from regulatory concerns.

Sony Network Communications to invest in Japanese Web3 developer Startale Labs
With the announcement of funding invested in Japanese firm Startale Labs, gaming giant Sony will increase its already active exploration of Web3 and the possibilities inherent in blockchain technologies.

Crypto in the land of geisha — the global Web3 community arrives in Kyoto
Geisha, kimono, tea ceremony — the Japanese city of Kyoto is a place rich in traditional culture. But as the national government pivots toward the cutting edge potential of digital assets and Web3, the city is this week playing host to one of Asia’s largest crypto get-togethers.

Why Asia’s Web3 ecosystem needs collaborative venture building: Opinion
Collaborative venture building involves pooling resources, expertise and ideas — a strategy ideal for Web3 startups to succeed, writes Katherine Ng.

Bitcoin, other top 10 cryptos rise; Fidelity said to plan spot Bitcoin ETF application in U.S.
Bitcoin rose along with other major cryptocurrencies. Fidelity reportedly plans a second spot Bitcoin ETF application in the U.S. following BlackRock’s move earlier this month. A strong day on Wall Street also offered support.

Can Azuki’s new Elementals spark the entire NFT market?
Azuki’s Elementals launch may be a turning point for the NFT market, with the continued decline of top projects’ floor prices.

Bitcoin holds above US$30,000, most other top 10 cryptos mixed
Bitcoin slipped 0.04% but remained above US$30,000. Ether fell 0.97% to US$1,875.

Singapore outlines design framework for interoperable networks in collaboration with financial firms
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the city state’s central bank, has proposed a framework for designing open, interoperable networks for digital assets, developed jointly with the Bank for International Settlements and other financial institutions.

Bitcoin Cash price doubles amid U.S. crypto crackdown, expert says gain won’t be long term
Bitcoin Cash, the spin-off of the world’s largest cryptocurrency, gained over 108% in the last seven days as investors hope the altcoin receives the same categorization as Bitcoin.

Shanghai targets US$6.9 billion metaverse revenue from culture, tourism projects
Shanghai on Wednesday released a three-year plan to build its culture and tourism metaverse.

Crypto is sweeping South and SE Asia. Here’s why it matters to the rest of the world
Five countries in South and Southeast Asia now rank in the global top 10 for cryptocurrency adoption, embracing DeFi and defying government attempts to discourage crypto use. Is this a harbinger of larger trends to come?

Bitcoin loses ground, but holds above US$30,000; most other top 10 crypto decline
Bitcoin slipped in directionless trading while Ether retreated, but both held gains for the past seven days. Most other top 10 tokens lost ground, led by Solana, while Tron was in the green as markets entered the last trading week of June.

Bitcoin slips but remains above US$30,000; Asian, European, U.S. stock futures stay down
Bitcoin prices drop 1.04% to US$30,416 in 24 hours, while Ether fell 0.98% to US$1,893.

Switzerland freezes US$26 million in crypto held by Terraform Labs and Do Kwon
Swiss prosecutors have reportedly frozen about US$26 million in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies that belong to Terraform Labs and its chief executive officer Kwon Do-hyeong.

How blockchain gaming can level up: Opinion
Despite its potential, Web3 gaming has had mixed reviews from gamers and developers, writes Freddie Ng. Here are the challenges and opportunities.

Shanghai Clearing House launches digital yuan services for commodity trading
The Shanghai Clearing House started digital yuan clearing and settlement services for trading in commodities on Monday.

Japan exempts cryptocurrency issuers from 30% tax on unrealized gains
Cryptocurrency issuers in Japan are now exempt from paying a 30% corporate tax on unrealized gains on tokens.

Bitcoin treads water above US$30,000; SEC approves first leveraged Bitcoin futures ETF
Bitcoin held ground above US$30,000 following a week of traditional financial institutions showing interest in financial instruments that include the token. The U.S. regulator approved the first leveraged Bitcoin Futures ETF on Friday.

Binance Abu Dhabi’s Longman discusses UAE’s crypto boom
Binance Abu Dhabi’s chief Dominic Longman discusses the UAE’s approach to cryptocurrencies and the state’s support for innovation.

JPMorgan begins euro payments on its blockchain platform: Bloomberg
New York-headquartered investment bank JPMorgan Chase & Co. has launched euro-denominated transactions on its blockchain-based payment system, JPM Coin, Bloomberg reported on Friday.

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin remains above US$30,000 as market shrugs off Prime Trust’s cease order
Bitcoin shrugged off Prime Trust’s cease order, as risk appetite was bolstered by several TradFi alumni entering the crypto space this week. Could we see more spot Bitcoin ETF applications next week?

OKX crypto exchange to be operational in Dubai within the year, says executive
Seychelles-registered cryptocurrency exchange OKX, which says it is the world’s second-largest crypto platform by trading volume, opened an office in Dubai on June 15 as part of its global expansion and aims to raise staff numbers to 30 to tap opportunities in the region.

Bitcoin slips but remains above US$30,000, amid crypto custodian Prime Trust’s cease order
Bitcoin remained above US$30,000, even as Nevada state regulators in the U.S. ordered crypto custodian Prime Trust to cease operations.

Why DeFi token airdrops are risky and how to make them more secure: Opinion
Having a crypto wallet is necessary to participate in a token airdrop, but wallets are also vulnerable to hacks and mishaps, writes Ravindra Kumar of Frontier.