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Kikitrades co founder Allen Ng

Asian crypto exchange Kikitrade wins funds from UK billionaire Alan Howard

Kikitrade today announced a US$12 million fund raise with investment from British hedge fund billionaire Alan Howard to accelerate its growth.
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China’s biggest crypto exchanges blocked from internet searches, social media

Huobi, OKEx and Binance have been blocked by the country’s most popular internet search engines and social media platforms.
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Ripple: Delaying SEC lawsuit would pose ‘existential threat’ to XRP

In a new court filing, Ripple describes the damage the SEC lawsuit has already done to XRP and the payment company’s now-frozen US business.
FF Moon

Moonstake ties up with Uzbekistan exchange in blockchain push

Staking service provider Moonstake has partnered with UzNEX to provide blockchain consulting services in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Vitalik Buterin Hyperledger

Vitalik Buterin: Why Eth2 will propel Ethereum’s use in enterprise

In a talk this week, Vitalik Buterin explains Ethereum’s growing use in enterprise and the importance of building diverse, open-source communities.
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FF Xinjiang

China’s Xinjiang and Qinghai regions ban cryptocurrency mining

Xinjiang and Qinghai regions in China are now banning cryptocurrency mining, after Inner Mongolia tightened its crypto mining ban last month.
FF New York

New York State passes bill restricting Bitcoin mining

A bill restricting the granting of crypto mining permits on environmental ground has passed the New York State Senate.
Presidente Nayib Bukele

El Salvador’s Bitcoin experiment. Ethereum’s steady rise. Free money in China.

Top blockchain and crypto news: El Salvador bets on Bitcoin as national currency. ETH gains ground on BTC. Beijing dishes out digital yuan in latest trials.
Hassan Rouhani

Iranian president calls for crypto regulation to mitigate risks

Iran wants to “preserve and protect national interests” in the field of digital currencies and cryptocurrencies, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says.
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Cardano to roll out smart-contract tools in new product suite

Cardano is set to provide tools for developers, end users and businesses to execute smart contracts in financial agreements through a new suite of products.
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El Salvador’s Bitcoin law wins vote, set to shake up BTC investments everywhere

Now that Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s Bitcoin-as-legal-tender bill is almost reality, what will it mean for BTC investors around the world?
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Beijing Winter Olympics vendors begin to accept digital yuan

Shijingshan, a site for the upcoming Winter Olympics, has started supporting payments made using the state digital money, known as e-CNY.
FF Miami

Miami property deal breaks crypto real estate record

A Miami property has set a record for the highest price paid in cryptocurrency in a real estate transaction — US$22.5 million.
FF BTCEarth

Chinese Bitcoin investors among most profitable globally

Bitcoin investors in China saw greater returns in 2020 than almost any other nation — second only to the US.
FF Green Crypto

Australian crypto exchange Bitunivex plans to go green

Australian crypto exchange Bitunivex.com has announced plans to offset its carbon footprint by investing in green crypto initiatives.
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UNICEF invests in blockchain startups for financial inclusion

UNICEF Venture Fund is awarding up to $100,000 to blockchain startups, including India’s GovBlocks, in its latest funding round. Here are the other projects.
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Hong Kong eyes digital currency as part of new fintech plan

Hong Kong will be initiating a study on a digital Hong Kong dollar as part of its plans to “future proof” the city for central bank digital currencies.
Ripple XRP

Ripple proposes federated sidechains for XRP Ledger smart contracts

Ripple is inviting feedback from its developer community on a plan to introduce federated sidechains on the XRP Ledger.
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KuCoin exchange in Ontario regulator’s sights after law breaches

The Ontario Securities Commission is set to take enforcement action against two companies behind the cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin for violating the province’s securities laws.
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How NFTs are redrawing Asia’s art scene from artists to galleries

From Phillips auction house in Hong Kong to Art Fair Philippines, non-fungible tokens are redefining how Asia appreciates, buys and profits from art.
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World Economic Forum offers DeFi ‘toolkit’ for policymakers

In collaboration with Wharton business school, WEF releases a toolkit for governments to consider the opportunities and risks of decentralized finance.
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Ripple asks court to ignore 70+ SEC actions against cryptos before XRP

Did Ripple have ‘fair notice’ that SEC might deem the XRP a security? Ripple calls report on SEC’s prior anti-crypto enforcement actions ‘misleading.’
FF India REG

Indian crypto exchanges form self-regulatory body

Crypto exchanges in India have partnered with the Internet and Mobile Association of India to form a self-regulatory body.
FF Pipeline

Bitcoin worth millions recovered from Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack

Millions of dollars worth of Bitcoin paid to ransomware hackers who shut down the main fuel pipeline on the U.S. East Coast last month has been recovered.
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Beijing looks to boost blockchain, create industry champions

China has released guidelines aimed at boosting the country’s blockchain development.
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Four in 10 Australian millennials would buy crypto over real estate

Nearly 40% of Australians born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s would rather invest in cryptocurrencies than real estate, according to a nesurvey.
Labuan Malaysia Financial Park Complex

Crypto exchange Fasset expands to Southeast Asia

Cryptocurrency exchange Fasset has received three licenses from the Labuan Financial Services Authority in Malaysia for business operations in the country.
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XRP sees robust institutional inflows; Ethereum ‘altcoin of choice,’ report says

XRP last week saw inflows of US$7 million into investment products, the most since April, according to CoinShares.
FF Kazakhstan

Bitcoin mining rig maker Canaan to open service center in Kazakhstan

Canaan, one of the largest crypto mining rig makers in the world, is opening its first-ever service center outside China—in Kazakhstan.
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Ripple accuses SEC of ‘noncompliance’ in sharing XRP, Bitcoin and Ether communications

Ripple is also asking court to order SEC to reveal the agency’s internal employee policies on trading cryptocurrencies and other digital assets.
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CoinShares lists Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin ETPs on Germany’s Börse Xetra

CoinShares has announced that its Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin physically-backed exchange traded products have cross-listed on Germany’s Börse Xetra exchange.
Binance

Binance launching NFT platform with ‘100 Creators’ campaign

Binance today announced a “100 creators” campaign featuring creative talents from around the world as part of the launch of its non-fungible token marketplace on June 24.
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Smartphone giant Huawei doubles down on blockchain technology

Following blockchain’s mention as a next-wave technology in China’s five-year plan, Huawei unveils applications for government and in-house services.
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El Salvador poised to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender

El Salvador is proposing a bill to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in the Central American nation. In a videotaped announcement shown at the Bitcoin 2021 Conference in Miami, President Nayib Bukele said he would submit the bill this week.
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South Korean crypto exchange executives face ban from own platforms

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission has announced plans to ban executive employees and exchange operators from trading on their own platforms, prompting a chorus of complaints. Fast Facts: The FSC’s Financial Intelligence Unit recently met with officials from cryptocurrency exchanges to explain upcoming amendments to the Act on Reporting and Use of Certain Financial Transaction Information, […]
FF Goldshell

NortonLifeLock bids to turn users into home Ethereum miners

Users of cybersecurity product NortonLifeLock will soon be able to mine Ethereum on their home computers through a new feature named Norton Crypto.
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Shanghai in US$3M e-CNY windfall ahead of Dragon Boat holiday

Following a digital yuan giveaway announced for Beijing last week, Shanghai will distribute 350,000 red envelopes to people across the city during next week’s Dragon Boat Festival.
FF Goldshell2

Crypto mining rig maker Goldshell to launch ‘mine-at-home’ kits in Asia

Crypto mining equipment manufacturer Goldshell has announced that it will launch a new line of mining rigs designed specifically for home use in Asian markets.
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Weibo blocks crypto accounts as Chinese clampdown continues

Microblog platform Weibo has blocked more than 30 influential Chinese cryptocurrency-related accounts amid a series of actions by Beijing against crypto mining and trading.
FF Brisbane

Australia’s first Bitcoin capital growth fund gaining interest

Australia’s first capital growth fund to offer institutional exposure to BTC has announced its received inquiries from some of the country’s largest companies.
Alien Worlds

What blockchain games like Alien Worlds say about life outside metaverses

In a special Q&A, Sarojini McKenna of Alien Worlds discusses play-to-earn gaming, digital assets like Trilium, and lives increasingly lived inside virtual worlds.
FF Indonesia

Luno crypto exchange looks to expand into Indonesia and SE Asia

Global crypto exchange Luno is in talks with conglomerate Lippo Group to launch operations in Indonesia in order to enter the Southeast Asian market.
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How serious is the threat of Bitcoin mining to the environment?

Is Bitcoin’s carbon footprint a growing risk to Earth, or is it a red herring? On this year’s United Nations World Environment Day, crypto mining is a hot topic.
Fan Gang Huawei ifs

Prominent Chinese economist urges public to ‘avoid confusion’ between digital currency and cryptocurrencies

It is important to distinguish between developing a digital currency for currency digitalization and digitalization of assets or cryptocurrencies so that China can be more focused on preventing risks in the financial sector, said Fan Gang, a Peking University professor and a prominent advocate in China for economic reform. Fast Facts: In a keynote speech […]
FF Hainan

Regulators in Hainan warn of illegal crypto fundraising schemes

Regulators Hainan province have issued a warning against illegal fundraising schemes using crypto or blockchain..
N Seoul Tower, South Korea | Crypto 'Michelin Guide' releases token evaluation report in South Korea

South Korea will tax overseas crypto assets starting next year

S. Korea residents with accounts in foreign crypto exchanges may have to report their crypto holdings starting in 2022. Above what amount is taxable?
FF UK

UK watchdog: Crypto firms fall short on anti-money laundering rules

Many of Britain’s crypto firms are failing to meet required anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws, says the country’s watchdog.
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BitFlyer to launch Bitcoin-Japanese yen pair for U.S. traders

BitFlyer announced today that it is launching a Bitcoin-to-Japanese yen pair for currency traders in the U.S.
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NFT sales slump amid May crypto crash

The market for non-fungible tokens took a beating in May amid turmoil in the cryptocurrency sector, according to industry data.
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Ripple execs seek info to defend XRP trades from 16 foreign crypto exchanges

To defend themselves against SEC lawsuit, Ripple’s CEO and chairman ask court for help getting XRP info from a who’s who list of offshore crypto exchanges.
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DBS Bank tapping on tokenized bonds as a new way to invest

From digital bonds to real estate, blockchain-enabled security token offerings and tokenization are redefining corporate fundraising and investing.
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South Korean crypto exchange Upbit in the dock over botched transfers

Eleven users of Upbit have filed a class action lawsuit against its owner, Dunamu Inc., seeking damages over a suspected technical failure.
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Ethereum is rocketing out of this world with SpaceX and SpaceChain

Can Ethereum, also known as the ‘World Computer,’ function outside this world — in space? A SpaceX rocket launch today will put that to the test.
FF Google

Google to lift ban on ads for crypto wallets, exchanges

Google has announced plans to lift a ban on advertising cryptocurrency wallets and exchanges that has been in place for almost three years. A ban on advertising initial coin offerings will remain, however. Fast Facts: An advertising policy update on the company’s main webpage states that advertisers of crypto wallets and exchanges targeting the US […]
FF Standard Chartered

Standard Chartered, BC Group to launch digital asset trading platform

Standard Chartered and BC Group to launch digital asset trading platform for corporate and institutional clients in Europe and the UK.
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Bitcoin mining rig maker Canaan reports huge jump in overseas sales

Chinese Bitcoin mining hardware maker Canaan says overseas sales accounted for almost four-fifths of its revenue during the first quarter of 2021.
FF mining1

‘Green’ crypto mining should be spared crackdown, Canaan chief says

Green crypto mining operations should be spared China’s recent crackdown on the sector, according to the CEO of Canaan Inc.
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Cardano and Nervos to launch cross-chain bridge

Input Output Hong Kong and Nervos announced today that they will be launching a cross-chain bridge to connect the two networks.
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Is India’s central bank greenlighting crypto? Bitcoin fees fall to new lows. Cardano rolls out Alonzo upgrade for DeFi.

Other top blockchain and crypto news: Thailand’s SEC tries to rein in DeFi via regulation. Will China’s future DCEP digital yuan offer smart contracts?
FF NFT

WazirX launches India’s first NFT marketplace

WazirX launched the country’s first NFT marketplace on Tuesday, featuring artists from India and other South Asian nations.
Beijing buildings

China to give away digital yuan worth US$6.3M in latest e-CNY test

China is set to hand out 200,000 virtual red envelopes, each containing 200 yuan (US$31.30) of the country’s prototype digital currency, to Beijing residents.
Racing at Arlington Park

Cryptocurrency behind spike in illegal gambling, Asian racing body says

Illegal gambling in Asia is on the rise, facilitated in part by sites accepting bets in cryptocurrency.
FF DOGE

Dogecoin to list on Coinbase Pro

Dogecoin has gained an additional measure of credibility, with crypto exchange Coinbase announcing that it will add DOGE to its professional trading platform.
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Ethereum investment products hit market-share high of 27%, report says

Ethereum has hit a market-share high of 27% of all digital asset investment fund products following recent price corrections.
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Australian Tax Office issues reminder of cryptocurrency tax obligations

ATO will contact 400,000 Australian crypto holders over concerns that they may not be fully aware of their crypto tax obligations. Tax cheats beware!
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What’s up with Taproot, the biggest proposed change to Bitcoin since 2017?

Bitcoin’s proposed Taproot update for smart contracts and privacy has wide verbal support from miners, but will they put their crypto where their mouth is?
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S. Korean banks process US$57B linked to crypto exchanges

South Korean banks processed over 64 trillion won (US$57 billion) of deposits and withdrawals linked to crypto exchanges in the first quarter.
FF TradingCrypto

Robinhood’s Chinese rivals to launch crypto services abroad

China-based trading apps Futu and Tiger Brokers have announced plans to move into crypto to compete outside China with apps such as Robinhood and eToro.
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Financial Stability Board seeks faster, cheaper cross-border payments

The Financial Stability Board has launched a public consultation on global targets for cross-border payments.
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How blockchain technology is revolutionizing KYC in financial services

‘Know your customer’ is key to anti-money laundering efforts. Isabelle Corbett of R3 explains why blockchain is uniquely suited for KYC/AML.
Bangkok CBD

Thailand’s DeFi sector targeted for regulation over coin offerings

Thailand’s Securities regulator has announced that digital tokens issued and offered for transactions must have its approval.
FF Markets

Bitcoin suffers second-biggest monthly price drop in May

Bitcoin dropped by 37.5% in May after hitting a low of US$34,195 yesterday, the second-largest drop on record after it fell 40% in September 2011.

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