Articles by
Pradipta Mukherjee
Pradipta Mukherjee is a business reporter and has worked for Bloomberg News and Business Standard in India. An MBA and a post-graduate in Economics, Mukherjee focuses on financial markets and corporates. She is a Mary Morgan Hewett award recipient for Women in Journalism. She has also won the Jefferson Fellowship; the Thomson Reuters Foundation fellowship on ‘Social Media and Digital Journalism’ at The Chinese University of Hong Kong; the Kiplinger Fellowship at Ohio University, USA; and most recently, the National Press Foundation's fellowship on 'International Trade.'
June 2023
Bitcoin drops below US$27,000 with Cardano leading losses
Bitcoin fell 1.36% to US$26,805 in 24 hours. Ether slipped 0.82% to US$1,854.
May 2023
Hong Kong Web3 industry forms new associations to push crypto hub ambition
Leaders in Hong Kong’s Web3 industry announced the formation of two new associations, Hong Kong Licensed Virtual Assets Association (HKLVAA) and Web3 Harbour, on Monday.
Singapore’s Temasek cuts employee compensation for failed FTX investment decision
Temasek, Singapore’s state-owned investment firm, said on Monday that it has cut the pay of senior management and the investment team involved in the decision to invest in the now-bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange.
Bitcoin drops below US$28,000, Tron’s deflation slows losses
Bitcoin couldn’t maintain its Monday morning gains as the world’s largest cryptocurrency dropped below US$28,000 in the afternoon.
Warren Buffet-backed Nubank, Visa, Mastercard to join Brazil’s CBDC pilot
Banco Central do Brasil, the central bank of Brazil, has selected 14 institutions to participate in the pilot run of the country’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) named Real Digital.
Hong Kong is world’s most crypto-ready jurisdiction, new study claims
Hong Kong is the most crypto-ready jurisdiction in the world, based on the number of blockchain startups per 100,000 people and the number of crypto ATMs proportional to the population, according to a new study by forex education platform Forex Suggest.
Japan to implement anti-money laundering rules for crypto: report
Japan will introduce strict anti-money laundering rules on cryptocurrency transactions from June 1, the Southeast Asian nation’s cabinet decided on Tuesday.
Bitcoin drops below US$27,000, Dogecoin biggest loser
Bitcoin dropped 2.33% to US$26,671. Ether lost 2.15% but traded above US$1,800.
Hong Kong? Singapore? Tokyo? Seoul? Dubai? The race is on for the Web3 hub of Asia | Part 2
While U.S. regulators continue debating over whether cryptocurrencies are securities or commodities, the digital assets industry is being pleasantly welcomed by several Asian cities. And the competition is really hotting up now.
Bitget crypto exchange registers in Poland
Seychelles-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange Bitget announced on Tuesday that it successfully registered as a virtual asset service provider in Poland.
Hong Kong to open crypto to retail traders, plans guardrails
Hong Kong will allow licensed cryptocurrency trading platforms to offer services to retail investors and will implement a slew of measures to protect individual traders, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) said on Tuesday.
All top 10 cryptos rise; Hotbit crypto exchange shuts down; U.S. stock futures drop
Bitcoin gained 1.71% and Ether climbed 2.35%. Polygon gained the most in 24 hours followed by Tron.
Hong Kong? Singapore? Tokyo? Seoul? Dubai? The race is on for the Web3 hub of Asia | Part 1
As U.S. regulators file lawsuits against cryptocurrency platforms, prompting some digital asset companies to seek more favorable jurisdictions, a fleet of cities in Asia are putting out the welcome mat, seeking to attract the jobs and investment that Web3 technologies promise. Right now, Hong Kong seems to be grabbing the limelight, but it has competition.
Malaysian regulator orders Huobi crypto exchange to cease local operations
The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), the capital markets regulator, has charged cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global and its chief executive officer Leon Li for operating a digital asset exchange (DAX) without registration.
Bitcoin, top 10 cryptos fall except Tron; U.S. futures slightly up; Asian equities rise
Bitcoin traded below US$27,000 in Monday afternoon trade in Asia.
Bitget crypto exchange doubles down on expansion, to hire 300 more
Bitget is looking to hire 300 more people across operations, compliance, research and development, and customer support, the cryptocurrency exchange said.
Ripple Labs acquires digital asset custody provider Metaco for US$250 mln
San Francisco-based Ripple Labs, a technology and financial services firm built around the XRP cryptocurrency, said it will acquire Metaco, a Swiss-based tokenization and digital asset custody provider, for US$250 million.
Bitcoin slips below US$27,000, XRP leads gains in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin prices dropped below US$27,000 on Wednesday afternoon in Asia, while XRP gained the most after positive news for Ripple Labs on its lawsuit against U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Bitcoin, Ether fall, Solana leads declines; U.S. stock futures trade flat; Asian equities mixed
Bitcoin fell 0.58% while Ether dropped 0.36%. Solana was the biggest loser of the day, dropping 1.67%.
Bitcoin, Ether push higher, Litecoin biggest gainer in top 10 cryptos; U.S. stock futures, Asian equities gain
Bitcoin rose 2.07% to US$27,409 in 24 hours while Ether gained 1.27% to US$1,829. Litecoin was the biggest gainer of the day, rising 7.65%.
Bitcoin, Ether prices fall; Asian equities, U.S. stock futures drop ahead of key inflation data
Bitcoin lost 0.43% while Ether dipped 0.60% in 24 hours. Polygon’s Matic token was the biggest loser and dropped 2.16%.
Bitcoin, Ether fall; Polygon, Solana lead losers; Asian equities, U.S. stock futures drop
Bitcoin dropped 1.25% and Ether fell 0.25% in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also dropped.
Bitcoin, Ether drop; Polkadot, XRP biggest losers; Asian equities gain
Bitcoin, Ether fell in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Polkadot and XRP led the losers in that list.
India not against blockchain tech, but cryptocurrency should be monitored, says FM
India is not against the blockchain technology, but currencies have to be monitored by either the government or the central bank, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday.
Bitcoin, Ether gain most among top 10 cryptos; U.S. stock futures mixed ahead of Fed’s rate decision
Bitcoin gained 2.18% in 24 hours while Ether rose 1.67%.
Temasek denies investment in algorithmic crypto developer Array
Temasek, Singapore’s state-owned investment firm, has denied that it had invested in Array, an algorithmic cryptocurrency developer.
Bitcoin, Ether drop; BNB, Polkadot biggest losers in top 10 cryptos; U.S. stock futures weaken
Bitcoin dropped 2.09% in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia while Ether lost 0.81%. BNB fell 2.93% and Polkadot declined 2.66%.
Bitget crypto exchange still hiring, eyes Hong Kong license, to rebrand BitKeep wallet
Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitget expects more clarity on Hong Kong’s licensing regime from June as the city pushes ahead with plans to attract blockchain and cryptocurrency entrepreneurs.
Bitcoin, Ether fall amid renewed banking sector concerns; BNB is sole gainer in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin dropped below US$29,000, while Ether fell below US$1,900 on Monday afternoon in Asia. Binance’s BNB was the only token in the top 10 cryptocurrencies to rise.
April 2023
Bitcoin, Ether, top 10 cryptos rise; Asian equity markets mixed
Bitcoin and Ether rose on Wednesday trade in Asia, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies, with Solana and Cardano leading the way.
Bitcoin, all top 10 cryptos fall; Asian equity markets drop on rising Covid fears
Bitcoin fell in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. Polygon was the biggest loser followed by Solana.
Russia is 2nd biggest Bitcoin miner after U.S.: report
Russia is now the second largest Bitcoin miner after the U.S., according to a report by Russian media Kommersant.
Bitcoin extends drop, stays below US$28,000; Solana, Polygon leads losers in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin extended losses in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Solana and Polygon as the biggest losers.
India’s finance minister lauds DLT, says crypto regulation does not mean technology control
India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in commending the potential of distributed ledger technology (DLT), has urged for a global consensus in regulating crypto while emphasizing that regulation did not equate to government control over the technology.
Bitcoin gains, holds above US$30,000; Solana, BNB biggest losers in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin rose and traded above US$30,000 on Wednesday afternoon in Asia, while Ether fell along with most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana lost the most, followed by Binance’s BNB token.
Bitcoin slips, Ether inches above US$2,100
Bitcoin dropped on Tuesday afternoon in Asia but remained above US$29,000, while Ether and most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies gained. Dogecoin and Solana fell on the day and rose on the week.
Bitcoin, Ether extend losses; Solana gains most in mixed market
Bitcoin dropped on Monday afternoon in Asia and continued to trade below US$30,000. Cardano led losers among top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies in a mixed market. Solana led gains, followed by Binance’s BNB token and memecoin Dogecoin.
Bitcoin slips but remains above US$30,000 ahead of U.S. inflation data
Bitcoin slipped in Wednesday afternoon trade in Asia but remained above the US$30,000 mark. Ether prices sank, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Cardano and Dogecoin as the biggest losers.
Equinix, Astra in pact to advance Indonesia’s digital infrastructure needs
Nasdaq-listed Equinix and Indonesian conglomerate Astra International have set up a joint venture to help local businesses and multinationals capitalize on emerging technologies.
Common regulatory framework for crypto to come during India’s G20 presidency, finance minister says
A common regulatory framework for all countries is underway, India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday.
Bitcoin rises above US$30,000, Solana leads gains across top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin continued to rally past US$30,000, with Ether and all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies gaining in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia. Solana was the biggest gainer at 11.09%.
Bitcoin holds above US$28,000, Dogecoin rises most in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether rose in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Bitcoin holds above US$28,000, Ether rises most in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin remained above US$28,000 in Wednesday trade in Asia. Ether made the most gains as the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization increased, except Dogecoin.
Overseas crypto transfers cost 96.7% less than traditional system: Coinbase
Americans spend more than US$12 billion in remittance fees each year when sending money to family and friends living overseas using the traditional financial system. However, overseas remittances using Bitcoin and Ethereum cost 96.7% less, according to research by Coinbase.
Bitcoin trades above US$28,000, Dogecoin leads gains among top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, recovered to trade above US$28,000 on Tuesday afternoon in Asia.
Bitcoin drops below US$28,000, Dogecoin biggest loser in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin fell and traded below US$28,000 in Monday afternoon trade in Asia. Ether and most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization also declined.
March 2023
Crypto exchange Fasset hopes to win Indonesia license next month
Dubai-based Fasset says Indonesia digital asset adoption is still in early stages, but the country’s young population is taking to crypto faster, encouraging exchanges to move in despite infrastructure constraints.
Russia delays CBDC pilot to await new law
Russia has postponed the trial of a digital ruble originally scheduled for April 1, as it awaits a regulatory framework to be adopted before the pilot, according to a report by state-owned news agency TASS.
Bitcoin rebounds above US$28,000, XRP leads gains among top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin rallied above US$28,000 in Wednesday afternoon trade in Asia after losing ground earlier in the week when U.S. regulators filed a lawsuit against Binance, the world’s biggest crypto exchange, for allegedly breaching trading rules.
Walt Disney reportedly scraps metaverse plans
Entertainment conglomerate Walt Disney Co. has reportedly scrapped its metaverse plans as part of its decision to lay off 7,000 employees and reduce US$5.5 billion in expenses.
Bitcoin, Ether extend declines amid U.S. lawsuit against Binance; Asian equities mixed
Bitcoin and Ether continued to fall in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with most other top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, after regulators in the U.S. pulled up Binance, the world’s biggest crypto exchange, for allegedly violating trading mandates.
Bitcoin rises, most top 10 cryptos drop, amid mixed signals on state of banking sector
Bitcoin rose while Ether and most of the other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies fell during afternoon trading in Asia on Monday.
Bitget invests US$30 mln in BitKeep wallet, becomes controlling shareholder
Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitget said it has invested US$30 million in decentralized multi-chain wallet BitKeep to become its controlling shareholder.
Magic Eden introduces Bitcoin Ordinals for NFT traders
Magic Eden, the largest Solana-based non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, has launched its “audited” Bitcoin Ordinals for NFT traders.
Bitcoin rises above US$28,000; XRP biggest gainer in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin continued to trade above US$28,000 on Wednesday afternoon in Asia. Ether also rose, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies with XRP and Cardano leading gains.
Indian crypto exchange WazirX blocks over 2,400 accounts in 6 months
WazirX, India’s largest crypto exchange by trade volume, has blacklisted over 2,431 accounts between October 2022 and March 2023, based on its internal monitoring process as well as under the direction of law enforcement agencies (LEA).
Bitcoin, Ether extend losses; all eyes on U.S. interest rates
Bitcoin and Ether fell in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia after rallying through the past week, while financial authorities injected cash into markets to ease liquidity pressures and took other steps to address concerns over a banking sector crisis in the U.S. and Europe.
Singapore to publish crypto, stablecoin consultation feedback by mid-2023
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) aims to publish cryptocurrency and stablecoin consultations feedback by the middle of this year, it said Monday.
Bitcoin rises past US$28,000, most other top 10 cryptos gain
Bitcoin traded above US$28,000 on Monday afternoon in Asia, a gain of 25% over last week, as a banking crisis in the U.S. and Europe prompted traders to see Bitcoin as a safe haven.
Singapore-based Crypto.com gets preparatory license to expand services in Dubai
Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com will soon be able to extend its services in Dubai, after it received a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) Preparatory License from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).
Bitcoin, Ether, Forkast 500 NFT index extend gains; U.S. banking crisis concerns ease as inflation slows to 6%
Bitcoin and Ether rose on Wednesday afternoon in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana and Polygon were the biggest gainers, both rising above 5% in the last 24 hours.
India imposes money laundering regulations on crypto industry
India’s crime fighting agencies have been investigating crypto exchanges and individuals on money laundering charges and have now put the onus on exchanges to report suspicious transactions.
Bitcoin, Ether extend gains as U.S. regulators take charge of banking industry turmoil
Bitcoin and Ether rose the most in the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization on Tuesday afternoon in Asia. Cryptocurrencies have been on a rebound since U.S. regulators took charge of the failures in the banking industry and moved to protect deposits across crypto-linked banks.
Bitcoin, Ether gain after U.S. regulators take charge to shield deposits across crypto-related banks
Bitcoin and Ether gained in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, after U.S. regulators took charge of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, both with exposure to crypto industry, protecting deposits and confirming that no losses will be borne by the taxpayer.
Most of NFT industry working on recycled liquidity, says Forkast Labs’ co-founder
NFT sales and market capitalization show rising investor activities, but recycled liquidity and wash trading may tell a different story, Forkast Labs co-CEO says.
Bitcoin, Ether inch up as investors await U.S. Fed chair’s comments; Forkast NFT 500 index dips 0.44%
Bitcoin and Ether gained in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. Polygon’s Matic token led gains followed by XRP and Dogecoin.
Singapore police begin probe linked to Do Kwon’s Terraform Labs: Bloomberg
Singapore’s police have begun investigations linked to Terraform Labs that was co-founded by fugitive Do Kwon, according to a Bloomberg report.
Bitcoin gains, all other top 10 cryptos in the red amid Silvergate fallout
Bitcoin gained in Monday afternoon trade in Asia while all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization posted losses.
Singapore’s DDEx eyes security token offerings, mulls adding more cryptocurrencies
DBS bank’s digital exchange, which serves institutional clients, said macroeconomic conditions last year were not suitable for security token offerings (STO), but it will explore opportunities for such listings in 2023 and plans to add more crypto tokens.
Bitcoin, Ether rise along with most top 10 cryptos, amid ‘bull trap’ warning
Bitcoin and Ether gained in Wednesday afternoon trading in Asia, along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Asian equities mostly rose on Wednesday as investors digested economic recovery indications as Hong Kong ended its mask mandate.
February 2023
Bitcoin, Ether prices fall; Solana biggest loser in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether fell in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, despite U.S. equities rising on Monday after last week’s selloff. Asian stock markets mostly rose on Tuesday as investors absorbed key economic indicators across the region.
Japanese tech, finance firms sign pact to build metaverse economic zone
About 10 Japanese companies, including Fujitsu, Mitsubishi and Sumitomo Mitsui, have agreed to advance Japan’s metaverse plans with the establishment of the “Japan Metaverse Economic Zone”.