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Blockchain analytics are key to understanding the nascent crypto industry. But the analysis sector is far from immune from the pressures of the ongoing crypto bear market. In the first of a series of 1-on-1 interviews from the Token2049 conference held in Singapore Sept. 13-14, Alex Svanevik, CEO of blockchain analytics firm Nansen, sat down with Forkast to discuss current crypto challenges, the Asia growth market and the increasing use of artificial intelligence in the industry.

The JPEX scandal sheds light on the vulnerabilities in Hong Kong’s crypto marketplace, prompting reflection on regulatory safeguards as the city aspires to be a global digital asset hub, former SFC regulator Angelina Kwan says.

Top blockchain and crypto news: U.S. SEC steps up regulatory enforcement. Gaming giant Zynga moves into NFTs. Woes ahead for JPEX exchange after HK arrests.

Zynga’s free Sugartown Oras NFTs spotlight the power of mystery in the digital asset realm as prices surge on speculation.

Funders see the novel social media network as emblematic of an abundance of opportunity in crypto and DeFi amid infrastructure gaps and increased integration with real-world assets

The third installment of Forkast’s ‘Crypto in Sport’ series comes from Singapore, which this week plays host to Formula One’s Singapore Grand Prix. Crypto companies poured hundreds of millions of sponsorship money into F1 at the height of the bull market, but might a prolonged crypto winter pull the plug on this marriage of convenience? Or can diversification and real world use cases help breathe new life into the relationship? Welcome to crypto’s very own drive to survive.

FTX’s former CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, faces DOJ scrutiny with seven charges. Here are the six key figures in the coming crypto courtroom showdown.

Bitcoin’s NFT sales dip mirrors early challenges of Ethereum; is the pioneer blockchain set for a comeback in the collectibles market?

It has been more than a year since Nepal’s central bank, the Nepal Rastra Bank, initiated amendments to the law to enable the issuance of the digital version of the Nepalese rupee. What is the status of its CBDC?

The annual Korea Blockchain Week conference in Seoul is running from Sept. 4 to 10. Crypto industry leaders and advocates from around the world have gathered in the South Korean capital to discuss all things blockchain, including the growing regulatory gap between the U.S. and Asia.

In the second installment of Forkast’s ‘Crypto in Sport’ series we head to the land of the rising sun, where J1 League football club Avispa Fukuoka have incorporated a first-of-its-kind DAO into their operations. Can the DAO provide a model for the rest of the sports world to follow? Can it change the way fans engage with their clubs?

Top blockchain and crypto news: Coinbase steps up to fill void of crypto lenders. NFTs extend losses. What’s next for crypto as Singapore gets a new president?

SEC charges shake NFT market as pricey assets record losses and global sales hit new lows, marking the onset of a transformative era for digital collectibles.

With nine months under its G20 presidency belt, India’s approach to cryptocurrency governance remains static. Amid regulatory ambiguity, the nation’s crypto industry struggles to cope with stringent tax rules.

After Grayscale’s legal win, the SEC decided to postpone its decision on spot Bitcoin ETF applications. Will these proposals be greenlit? And when?

The 9 key pieces of information you need to know ahead of the FTX founder’s first trial on Oct. 2

Top blockchain and crypto news: U.S. court compels SEC to review Grayscale’s ETF application. SEC zooms in on NFTs. Asia’s richest man eyes blockchain, CBDCs

From Miami parties with A$AP Ferg to a historic NFT market slump: The highs and lows of the NFT world.

This final installment of a 3-part series on the U.K. digital asset industry looks at the politics driving the British crypto conversation. PM Rishi Sunak is a believer, but an election’s coming up, and his rivals appear less keen on turning the U.K. into a global crypto hub.

OpenSea’s royalty policy change ignites debate between tech advocates and creators. Mark Cuban calls it “a huge mistake as NFT market slides 6%.

How can we claim to own something that falls outside traditional categories of personal property? In this second installment in a 3-part series looking at the U.K. digital asset industry, Law Commissioner for England and Wales Sarah Green explains how.

This first installment in a 3-part series on the U.K. digital asset industry looks at recent efforts to regulate crypto and expand the sector.

NFT data reveals a staggering 876,000 transactions across DMarket, DraftKings, Gods Unchained, and Sorare. DMarket alone boasts over 15 million NFTs. Combined, these giants account for nearly one-third of all NFT transactions.

PayPal launches stablecoin. Traditional gamers take on NFTs. Tough times ahead for Huobi.

As explored in the first installment of this two-part series, crypto funding is being used to provide small but important items to troops on the frontline. But beyond the battlelines, how can crypto help get aid to civilians in times of crisis?

As war rages in eastern Europe, this first installment in a two-part series looks at the growing use of crypto funding in global conflicts, focusing on the small but significant provision of supplies to pro-Russian mercenary groups in Ukraine.

Japan’s blockchain group urges tax change. Bitcoin NFT struggles but it may be a sleeping giant. Litecoin falls after halving.

Revenue for NFT services on the Bitcoin network, or the aggregate value of marketplace fees and creator royalties, declined over July even as total Ordinals inscriptions crossed 20 million.

NFT trading volumes continue to stay low but gaming NFTs gave traders some positive news this week.

Speaking at the WebX Asia conference in Tokyo, Circle’s Singapore-based vice president of strategy and policy discusses U.S. regulation, growing pains in the crypto industry and Asia’s burgeoning role as a Web3 innovator.

Concerns arise over Worldcoin’s free crypto. NFT market does a crabwalk. Japan’s next big thing for the metaverse.

The Tokyo WebX Asia conference, which claimed to be the largest of its kind in Asia, wrapped on Wednesday after two days of exhibitions, crypto-themed side events, and debate on what Japan needs to do to be a central part of the future of the digital asset industry.

CyberKongz plans a shift to the Ronin blockchain alongside Axie Infinity as Sky Mavis gears up for its first PFP collection and third-party NFT mint.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Ripple not clear of hurdles | NFTs in historically slow period | Hong Kong banks dither

Despite ample Ethereum holdings, traders appear less willing to invest in NFTs. Ethereum wallet growth data in 2023 suggests low NFT sales, while Ether used for NFT sales has dropped to 2021 levels.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Standard Chartered eyes US$120,000 per Bitcoin | Another week of declines in NFT market | Sega and Line team up.

Blur has been adding demand for specific collections by incentivizing floor NFT trading, which may have mitigated aggressive price undercutting for liquidty.

The Japanese gaming giant is currently somewhere in the Web 2.3 to 2.7 range, says co-Chief Operating Officer Shuji Utsumi.

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

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.

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.

Southeast Asia steps up regulation. No end in sight for NFT market decline. Voyager’s shrinking portfolio.

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

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.

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.

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?

Top blockchain and crypto news: Fidelity Investment is reportedly close to filing its own Bitcoin ETF. NFT traders seek liquidity. Singapore eyes asset tokenization.

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.

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

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

Seychelles-based 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.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Wall Street backs new crypto exchange. NFT traders remain cautious. Alibaba’s incoming chairman is a crypto fan.

Ethereum developers inspired by Bitcoin’s ordinals launch ‘Ethscriptions’, a new on-chain collectible.

Independent Reserve may have a new Hong Kong office in the “next few months,” the Singapore chief of the Australian crypto exchange said in an exclusive interview. Focusing on institutional clientele, the exchange aims to double trade volumes and expand its user base this year.

Sotheby’s NFT auction sees Ringers #879 rise to the record books as one of the highest ever generative art in Ether value.

An account of a holiday from hell draws parallel to the dark world of cybercrime and how anyone can fall victim to sophisticated crypto thefts.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Binance.US at risk. Ex-SEC official’s comments complicate Ripple suit. Hong Kong lawmaker aims to entice exchanges.

The final story in a three-part series on Asia metaverse developments looks at China’s national strategy, which has seen dozens of cities and provinces release spending plans and training schemes to adopt this digital world in real-world industries. China’s initiatives, however, face challenges from regulation and global competition.

SEC scrutiny sends NFT market into downturn. Traders liquidate or hold off as Forkast 500 NFT Index hits all-time low amidst crypto turbulence.

After a slow start, Japan’s development of a domestic metaverse is gaining pace. This second account in a three-part series asks: can the nation compete with rivals China and South Korea in building a 3D virtual world that – according to the promises – would open up new realms of economic prosperity and even potentially ease nagging social problems?

South Korea, China, Japan — East Asia’s three industrial powerhouses are taking their economic rivalry to the virtual world. Each is developing a domestic metaverse in a race to become the region’s industry leader. This first account in a three-part series takes a look at what’s happening in South Korea.

Ghassan Jumblat, fintech director at financial services company Integrated Communications Channel discusses the evolution of the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, as the city positions itself as a future hub for digital assets.

NFT Community Resilience: Amid SEC scrutiny, builders thrive with Bitcoin NFTs soaring, Polygon’s mystery unveil, art sales surging, and IP licensing advancements.

Sebastien Borget of The Sandbox and Yehudah Petscher of Forkast Labs discuss the promise of the metaverse, the role of NFTs and the potential impact of Apple’s Vision Pro.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Binance, Coinbase in SEC firing line. Solana NFTs slump as Bitcoin’s surge. New dawn in Hong Kong crypto regulations.

Apple’s Vision Pro VR is the new door to the metaverse. This headset may not be the first, but like CryptoPunks, it’s set to redefine how we see and use NFTs

The SEC sued Binance on Monday, amid mounting regulatory scrutiny of crypto exchanges. Industry experts shared insights on what this could mean for Binance and how it could drive crypto innovation out of the U.S.

NFTs reach new heights as May sees record-breaking transactions, hinting at widespread adoption.

OSL is one of only two digital assets trading platforms in Hong Kong licensed to offer services to professional investors.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Miners dodge tax bullet. Blur, Binance heat up NFT lending. Chinese cities’ plans reveal nationwide Web3 ambition.

Virtual assets will receive the same regulatory clarity in Hong Kong as their real-world counterparts, says former Hong Kong SFC regulator Angelina Kwan.

China’s possible entry into NFTs, Russia’s crypto payments, and new token standards fuel market optimism.