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Sam Bankman-Fried in Bahamas police custody, faces criminal charges in U.S.

Top blockchain and crypto news: SBF denied bail, US extradition likely next. The Block chief quits over secret FTX loans. Hong Kong readies digital asset rules.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether strengthen; Solana leads gains in most top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether increased in Asian trading on Wednesday afternoon, with Solana leading gains across most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies

FTX an ‘old-fashioned embezzlement’ says new CEO as US authorities charge Bankman-Fried with fraud

Members of a U.S. Congressional hearing expressed frustration about the timing of Bankman-Fried’s arrest, saying they wanted him to testify under oath so the public could get the answers they are seeking about the collapse of FTX.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices rise as November U.S. inflation reading lower than expected

Bitcoin and Ether both rose more than 3% in Wednesday morning in Asia, as the U.S. consumer price index came in lower than expected.

Binance ‘temporarily’ freezes USDC stablecoin withdrawals, cites need for NY banks to reopen

The Binance cryptocurrency exchange “temporarily paused” USDC stablecoin withdrawals while it carried out a “token swap,” the company announced Tuesday.

SEC charges FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried with defrauding investors

FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried has been charged by the U.S. SEC for orchestrating a years-long fraud on investors, the agency announced on Tuesday.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise; BNB is biggest loser in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether rallied in Asian trading on Tuesday afternoon. BNB was the biggest loser across the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies

Crypto market implosions, bankruptcies bring sweeping job losses … and opportunity

By some estimates, job cuts in the cryptocurrency-specific industry are running at about 30-40%, which means tough times for employers and employees, and compensation packages are also taking a hit.

Sam Bankman-Fried arrested in Bahamas — could other FTX executives be next?

The fall from grace: Once one of the most admired figures in crypto, the former head of the FTX exchange is unlikely to see his Bahamas penthouse anytime soon after being arrested Monday on U.S. charges that are expected to lead to his extradition.
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Why local currency stablecoins are needed in non-US countries

Stablecoins in USD are becoming the digital world’s default currency — which burdens ordinary crypto users and monetary policies in smaller nations, writes Wei Zhou of Coins.ph.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise in mixed trading; U.S. equities gain ahead of inflation data

Bitcoin and Ether rose in Tuesday morning trading in Asia, with other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies putting in a mixed performance.

Sam Bankman-Fried arrested in the Bahamas, expected to be extradited to U.S.

Sam Bankman Fried, founder and former CEO of FTX exchange, was arrested and taken into custody by the Royal Bahamas Police on Monday.

U.S. Justice Department mulls charging Binance over potential money laundering violations: report

Prosecutors at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) are reportedly split on filing charges against Binance and its executives on possible money laundering and sanctions violations, as part of a long-running criminal investigation.

KuCoin’s BTC, ETH reserves overcollateralized, says auditor Mazars

KuCoin, a Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange, on Monday released its proof of reserves report issued by third-party auditor Mazars, which concluded that the exchange’s reserves of Bitcoin, Ether, USDT and USDC are overcollateralized.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall; Dogecoin leads retreat in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether weakened in Asian trading on Monday afternoon, with Dogecoin leading the decline across top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies

The Block CEO resigns after reports of undisclosed loans from Alameda Research

Michael McCaffrey, the CEO of crypto news outlet The Block, resigned after reports revealed that he received undisclosed multi-million dollar loans from Alameda Research.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether down as markets brace for November inflation data

Bitcoin and Ether fell slightly in Monday morning trading in Asia, along with all other non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies in the top 10, excluding Litecoin.

Sam Bankman-Fried misses deadline to respond to Senate Committee hearing

Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the now-bankrupt FTX exchange, has missed the deadline set by the U.S. Senate Committee to confirm his appearance at an upcoming hearing.

Markets: Bitcoin rises, Ether is biggest gainer in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether gained in Asian trading on Friday afternoon, with Ether leading the rally across all the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies

Bankman-Fried’s parents cancel classes at Stanford Law School for next year

The Stanford Law School professor parents of Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX.com who has been accused of misusing customer funds, are not on next year’s class schedule at the school.

U.S. considering bill to require crypto miners to report carbon emissions

U.S. cryptocurrency miners would be required to report greenhouse gas emissions under a new bill submitted to the Senate, reflecting criticism the industry is adding to use of fossil fuels blamed for global warming.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices rise as gains in U.S. equities help cryptocurrencies bounce back

Bitcoin rose back above the US$17,000 mark in Friday morning trading in Asia, helped by gains in U.S. equities overnight.

Mark Karpeles on SBF

Former Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpeles knows what a crypto bankruptcy looks like, and has some advice for SBF.

Trader loses 70 ETH over bug in NFT marketplace Blur 

A bug in the new bidding system of non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Blur caused a user to lose 70 ETH by accidentally overbidding on an Art Gobbler NFT.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether inch up; Shiba Inu leads rise across top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether inched up in Asian trading on Thursday afternoon, with Shiba Inu leading gains across most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin, Ether drop as SEC’s Gensler says crypto firms running out of time to comply with securities laws Fast facts See related article: FTX failure a ‘wake-up call’ for […]

Some 97% of Binance’s liabilities collateralized by Bitcoin, wrapped Bitcoin: Mazars

Some 97% of Binance’s scrutinized crypto liabilities are collateralized by Bitcoin and Wrapped Bitcoin, according to a report by auditing firm Mazars about Binance’s proof of reserves

South Korea’s Wemade shares drop, WEMIX token plunges after delisting verdict

The South Korean blockchain game maker’s WEMIX cryptocurrency will be removed from the country’s four major cryptocurrency exchanges that collectively account for more than 95% of the country’s crypto trading volume.

FTX failure a ‘wake-up call’ for security, says former Mt Gox CEO Mark Karpeles

Before the FTX implosion there was Mt. Gox, an exchange that oversaw 80% of all Bitcoin trades before it collapsed in 2014. In this exclusive interview with Forkast, former Mt. Gox Chief Executive Officer Mark Karpeles says what he sees in store for the industry in 2023 in the wake of the FTX bankruptcy.
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Markets: Bitcoin, Ether drop as SEC’s Gensler says crypto firms running out of time to comply with securities laws

Bitcoin fell below US$17,000 in Thursday morning trading in Asia. The other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also retreated.

Salary in stablecoins?

Can crypto and stablecoins be used to pay employees across borders as remote working becomes more popular?

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether weaken; Dogecoin leads slump across top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether fell in Asian trading on Wednesday afternoon, with Dogecoin leading declines across top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies

Sam Bankman-Fried hires attorney Mark Cohen amid probes of failed FTX exchange

Sam Bankman-Fried, founder and former chief executive officer of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has hired white-collar crime specialist Mark Cohen to represent him, said a Bankman-Fried spokesman.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise in slow trading, Solana gains on Web3 game partnership

Bitcoin edged up above US$17,000 in Wednesday morning trading, a level it has fluctuated around for much of the past week.

Unfazed by FTX fiasco, Goldman Sachs eyes investments in crypto market

Goldman Sachs plans to spend millions of dollars to buy or invest in undervalued crypto companies in the post-FTX implosion market depression, as it sees long-term market opportunity, according to Reuters

Crypto lender Nexo to quit U.S. market over ‘regulatory unclarity’

Cryptocurrency lender Nexo will pull out of the U.S. market “due to a lack of regulatory clarity.”

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall; Polkadot is biggest loser in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether declined in Asian trading on Tuesday afternoon. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies retreated, with the largest decline seen in Polkadot

Markets: Bitcoin, crypto top 10 retreat with equities on signs of inflation uptick in U.S.

Bitcoin dipped below US$17,000 in Tuesday morning trading in Asia, as Ether and most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies lost ground.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rally; Litecoin sees most gains across top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether rose in Asian trading on Monday afternoon. Most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies strengthened, led by gains in Litecoin

S.Korean prosecutors mull second request of arrest warrant for Terra cofounder Daniel Shin

Seoul judge dismisses prosecutors’ request for arrest warrant for Terra’s Daniel Shin, derails their plan to investigate Shin in custody

Coinbase CEO Armstrong says Bankman-Fried’s US$8 bln ‘accounting error’ doesn’t stand up

Coinbase Global Inc. Chief Executive Brian Armstrong said Sam Bankman-Fried’s explanation of sloppy accounting as the reason US$8 billion moved from his crypto exchange FTX to brokerage arm Alameda Research doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.

Crypto exchange Bybit to cut 30% of staff to ‘navigate market slowdown’

Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit plans to cut 30% of its staff as part of a company reorganization, cofounder and chief executive officer Ben Zhou said in a statement shared with Forkast on Sunday.

Markets: Bitcoin back above US$17,000, Ether gains along with other top 10 crypto

Bitcoin traded above US$17,000 Monday morning in Asia, with all the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market cap gaining ground.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether slip; Dogecoin leads decline across most top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether fell in Asian trading on Thursday afternoon, with other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also mostly down

Terra cofounder Daniel Shin makes court appearance for arrest warrant review

Terra cofounder Daniel Shin attended a court hearing on Friday morning in South Korea that will decide on local prosecutors’ request to issue an arrest warrant.

Sam Bankman-Fried says not aware of any improper use of funds in FTX downfall

Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, said he did not know of any improper use of customer funds at his company, in an interview with ABC News. 

Markets: Bitcoin dips back below US$17,000, Ether falls, Dogecoin leads losers list

Bitcoin fell back below US$17,000 in Friday morning trading in Asia. Ether and all other non-stablecoin top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization also lost ground.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise with Polygon topping gains in most top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether increased in Asian trading Thursday afternoon, with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies mixed

Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is still optimistic about the metaverse

Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg said that he remains optimistic about the future of the metaverse over a “five-to-ten-year horizon” despite widespread skepticism of his company’s venture into the technology.

South Korea’s Shinhan Bank starts ‘metaverse’ services, according to local media

Shinhan has opened a metaverse to provide financial and non-financial services, claiming to be the first bank in the country to provide such a platform.

U.S. crypto exchange Kraken to lay off 30% of its workforce, cites ‘market conditions’

U.S.-based crypto exchange Kraken said it will lay off 30% of its global workforce, or approximately 1,100 people, to “adapt to current market conditions.”

Markets: Bitcoin, crypto, rise after Fed Chair Powell hints at easing rate hikes

Bitcoin and Ether rose as Fed Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that the central bank may start easing interest rate hikes.

S.Korea requests warrant to bring Terra-Luna cofounder Daniel Shin into custody

A court in South Korea will review if prosecutors are allowed to arrest and bring Terraform cofounder Daniel Shin and seven others into custody, for charges including fraud.

Markets: Bitcoin rises, Ether leads gains across most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether strengthened in Asian trading on Wednesday afternoon, with Ether the biggest gainer among top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies that also generally increased.  See related article: Diverging paths of two CEOs running FTX’s Alameda Research may meet again in court  Fast facts See related article: Dominica releases ‘world’s first national’ crypto token with Huobi, […]

Diverging paths of two CEOs running FTX’s Alameda Research may meet again in court

Employee accounts of life at Sam Bankman-Fried’s flagship cryptocurrency trading arm Alameda Research paint a picture of overworked and inexperienced millennials running a ship headed for the rocks: one seemingly escaped.

FTX’s LedgerX prepping US$175 mln for bankrupt parent firm

FTX subsidiary LedgerX is reportedly preparing US$175 million for its parent company’s bankruptcy proceedings, according to unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg on Wednesday.

Sony launches motion capture wearables for the metaverse

Sony Japan unveiled Mocopi, a set of wearable motion-tracking sensors that captures user movements that are reflected by virtual avatars

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether gain as China eases Covid rules amid protests; Dogecoin jumps

Bitcoin and Ether both rose in Wednesday morning trading in Asia, with all other non-stablecoin top 10 cryptocurrencies also gaining ground as China on Tuesday said it will relax some Covid rules in response to protests.

CeFi must adopt DeFi’s transparency following FTX collapse, Justin Sun says

Justin Sun says CeFi must adopt DeFi’s transparency to regain public trust as 1inch Network cofounder Sergej Kunz sees crypto’s struggles as an opportunity for DeFi.
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Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise; top 10 crypto mostly higher with Dogecoin leading gains

Bitcoin and Ether rose in Asian trading on Tuesday afternoon. Top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also mostly strengthened, led by gains in Dogecoin and Litecoin

ECB’s Christine Lagarde: Further crypto regulation ‘absolute necessity’ following FTX collapse

Christine Lagarde of the European Central Bank said regulating cryptocurrency in the EU is an “absolute necessity” following the collapse of Bahamas-based exchange FTX.com.

Markets: Top 10 crypto fall as BlockFi enters bankruptcy, macroeconomic concerns spread

Bitcoin and Ether fell in Tuesday morning trading in Asia as U.S.-based crypto lender Blockfi filed for bankruptcy overnight in what is seen as another casualty of the collapse of the FTX exchange this month.

Blockchain is transforming capital markets, and Singapore is leading the way: Opinion

Asset tokenization and DeFi hold tremendous potential for the finance sector, writes Han Kwee Juan of DBS Bank. Here’s how the Singaporean government is at the forefront of change.

Terra-Luna cofounder Daniel Shin may face fraud charges in South Korea, prosecutors say

South Korean prosecutors may charge Terraform Labs cofounder Daniel Shin with fraud for promoting the Terra stablecoin as a payment method despite multiple warnings from financial regulators that it was against the law.

Bitcoin price follows slide in Asia equity markets amid growing China protests against Covid-19 lockdowns

Reports of civil disobedience, protests and clashes with the police in cities and universities in China are unnerving financial markets in Asia

Markets: Bitcoin little changed, Dogecoin leads pack in muted morning of trading

Bitcoin was little changed in Monday morning trading amid mixed results from the other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies following a relatively muted few days of trading over the Thanksgiving weekend in the U.S.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall; Litecoin leads decline across most top 10 crypto

Bitcoin and Ether fell in Asian trading on Thursday afternoon, with Litecoin seeing the steepest drop in declines across most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies ranked by market capitalization

Stablecoin project Ardana on Cardano halts operation

Ardana, a stablecoin project being built on the Cardano blockchain, announced the project has been halted due to funding and uncertainty over its timeline.

Singapore police say they are investigating crypto lender Hodlnaut on fraud allegations

Singapore’s white-collar crime unit is investigating Hodlnaut on allegations of fraud, according to a statement on the website of the Singapore police dated Nov. 23.

Markets: Bitcoin little changed, Ether rises ahead of ‘Shanghai’ upgrade, XRP climbs

Bitcoin traded little changed Friday morning in Asia, while Ether rose amid a mixed performance by the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether extend gains; Solana leads rise across most top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether increased in Asia trade on Thursday afternoon. The top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization also mostly rose, with Solana leading gains

Fake crypto awards on the rise during football world cup: research

Global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has warned against fraudsters taking advantage of football fans during the ongoing FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise as Fed minutes suggest an easing in interest rate hikes

Bitcoin and Ether were both trading up as the U.S. Federal Reserve released meeting minutes suggesting it is looking to slow the rate of interest rate rises.