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Securities or not, crypto in the US needs new regulations and clearer guidance

CFTC and SEC disagree over whether cryptocurrencies are securities, and two big lawsuits clouding the industry’s future invoke laws that long predate the digital era.
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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.

Why layer 3 is critical to innovation and blockchain’s future

How would layer 3 improve upon what layer-2 protocols do, and what barriers does this emerging technology still need to overcome? Tony Cheng of Foresight Ventures explains.

Bitcoin up on bank jitters, price forecasts; Ether dips, U.S. equity futures flat

Bitcoin edged up on Monday morning in Asia to hold above US$29,000. Ether fell below US$1,900. Most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens traded lower except BNB.

Why I’m excited about commercial IP NFTs

NFT IP allows traders to multiply their brands and grow. The Nakamigos collection has leveraged this advantage of the technology.

Mad Lads tops weekly NFT sales in first week since launch

Mad Lads has been the best selling NFT collection in the world since its launch that was delayed last week due to a DDOS attack.

Coinbase says SEC’s legal threats punish transparency, undermine public listing process

Coinbase said the Securities and Exchange Commission seems to be undermining its own role as the monitor of companies registering to sell shares to the public

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin flirts with US$30,000, Ether regains US$1,900

Bitcoin rebounded from US$27,000 multiple times this week. Uncertainty over U.S. regulation and geopolitical tensions may continue weighing on the crypto market, industry experts told Forkast.

Bitcoin, Ether rise amid renewed recession fears after weaker-than-expected U.S. GDP

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Friday, while the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization closed mixed. The SOL token saw the biggest gain. Asian equity markets strengthened after the Chinese central bank boosted short-term cash injections for the 11th day.

HKMA urges local banks to provide services to regulated digital asset firms

Arthur Yuen, Deputy Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, urged local lenders to provide banking services to regulated crypto firms.

NFTs run out of steam as Cryptos clock weekly gains

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 28, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. The crypto markets end the week on a strong note after a difficult start, with most of the major cryptocurrencies trading in the green once again. The NFT markets had a tougher time today though, as most of the Forkast Indexes […]

Binance says it built 700-member compliance team to handle crypto crime, legal enquiries

Binance said it has more than 700 employees in its compliance team, which includes 170 staff working to combat crypto fraud.

Bitcoin gains after week of bank turbulence, Ether dips, U.S. equity futures lose steam

Bitcoin rose on Friday morning in Asia amid worries about U.S. banks and a possible recession. Ether edged lower. along with most other top 10 tokens.

What the US stands to lose if it keeps heaping scorn on crypto

The current US approach to regulating crypto flies against its history of supporting tech innovation and undermines its own national interest, writes Hamilton Keats of Krayon Digital.

Polygon developers get access to Google Cloud’s node service

Google Cloud has announced that its node hosting service, the Blockchain Node Engine, will be available for developers on the Polygon blockchain. 

Coinbase sues SEC in bid for clarity on crypto rules

Top blockchain and crypto news: Coinbase in court to force SEC’s hand. PEPE surge lifts memecoin mood. China paves CBDC path with payroll.

Bitcoin, Ether inch up; equities strengthen after phone call between China’s Xi Jinping, Ukraine’s Zelensky

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Thursday, while most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization declined. Cardano’s ADA token saw the biggest gain.

Hong Kong’s SFC to release crypto exchange licensing guidelines in May: Bloomberg

Hong Kong’s Web3 industry can look forward to more regulatory clarity, with the city set to release its cryptocurrency exchange licensing framework in May

Investment bank H.C. Wainwright says ‘crypto winter over,’ rates Coinbase a ‘buy’

New York-based investment bank H.C. Wainwright has initiated a “buy” rating on publicly traded Coinbase Global Inc., the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., saying the company is poised to benefit from growth in the global digital asset economy as the so-called “crypto winter” of falling prices is over.

Investment giant Franklin Templeton connects US$270 million fund to Polygon network

Franklin Templeton said Wednesday that its OnChain U.S. Government Money Fund is now supported on the Polygon network.

Meta’s Zuckerberg says he is keeping focus on metaverse development despite losses

Meta Platforms Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said the social media giant is not moving away from its metaverse focus despite reporting repeated losses in the billions of dollars at its division dedicated to developing the virtual reality online world. 

Bitcoin, Ether rebound after early morning fall; U.S. equity futures gain on Meta outlook

Bitcoin rose above US$29,000 on Thursday morning in Asia, rebounding from an earlier drop. Ether gained. Other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens traded mixed.

Mythical Games CEO says U.S. regulatory uncertainty accounted for firm’s conservative stance on crypto

The lack of clarity in crypto rules in the U.S. not only affects exchanges but also this U.S.-based blockchain gaming company, John Linden said.

Mad Lads briefly boosts Tensor’s NFT trading volume past Magic Eden

Tensor topped Magic Eden’s sales volume on Wednesday afternoon in Hong Kong, giving it a brief stint as Solana’s top NFT marketplace. 

US response to crypto is like ‘deer caught in headlights,’ says ex-CFTC chair

Christopher Giancarlo, the former chair of the CFTC, said the U.S. is resisting cryptocurrency innovation due to its threat to vested interests in the financial system.

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.
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South Korea’s cryptocurrency bill gets nod in first phase of review, may pass this year

South Korea’s legislation on how to regulate digital assets passed the first phase of review in the country’s National Assembly on Tuesday.

Binance.US cites ‘hostile’ regulator, yanks US$1.3 billion deal to buy Voyager Digital

Binance.US, a cryptocurrency exchange set up by Binance chief Changpeng Zhao to serve U.S. clients, has pulled out of a US$1.3 billion deal to buy bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital, the company said Tuesday, citing a lack of clear regulations in the country for the crypto industry.

Bitcoin bounces back to US$28,000, Ether gains; U.S. equity futures up on tech earnings

Bitcoin rose in Wednesday morning trading in Asia to reclaim the US$28,000 mark, with Ether and all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies moving higher.

Declaring proof of reserves is important, but it’s not enough

‘Proof of reserve’ is the new catchphrase and promise by crypto leaders eager to allay investor fears. But loopholes remain and audits might not mean what you think, writes Anndy Lian.

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.
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South Korea indicts Terra co-founder Daniel Shin; Shin rejects accusations

South Korean prosecutors on Tuesday indicted Terraform Labs co-founder Daniel Shin for alleged fraudulent transactions related to the collapse of the Terra-Luna crypto project.

CoinShares says weekly investment in Ethereum-linked products rebounds after hard fork

Ethereum-linked digital asset investment products saw inflows of around US$17 million in the week ending April 21, up from US$300,000 in the previous week, appearing to show investor confidence following the blockchain’s milestone upgrade, Coinshares report shows.

Coinbase ups the ante with SEC, asking court to require crypto clarity from regulator

Coinbase sued the U.S. SEC on Monday, asking that a court require the regulator to publicly respond to the Coinbase July 2022 petition asking for clearer crypto regulation guidelines. 

Bitcoin loses ground, Ether dips even as inflows rise; Litecoin edges up, with halving cited

Bitcoin fell below US$27,500 support on Tuesday morning in Asia. Ether and most other top 10 tokens traded lower amid a broader correction.

Until Web3 offers a better user experience, the masses will stay away

People won’t want to bother with a new technology if it’s painful to use, even if they’re aware of the potential benefits, writes Toby Rush of Redeem.

Japan’s Web3 pivot needs global mindset, flexibility to succeed, says incubator founder

Japan’s welcome mat for Web3 is shifting the tone from “buzzword” to opportunity, but success will hinge on the authorities adopting a global, flexible view toward this new technology, says Yudai Suzuki, co-founder of Fracton Ventures.

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. 

Memecoin PEPE falls 18% at start of trading week

PEPE, a memecoin launched on April 14, fell 18.81% to US$0.0000002626 in the 24 hours to 7 p.m. on Monday in Hong Kong. The coin is still up over 392% on the weekly chart and has a market capitalization of US$116 million, according to DEXTools.

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.
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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. 

China’s Changshu city to pay civil servant salaries in digital yuan

State employees in China’s Changshu City will receive their salaries in digital yuan from May, as China’s CBDC expands in daily uses.

Terraform Labs Kwon to get Montenegro court hearing May 11 on passport forgery charges

Kwon Do-hyeong will have a court hearing on May 11 in Montenegro on charges of allegedly attempting to travel using a false passport.

Bitcoin, Ether gain, but hold losses for the week; U.S. equity futures lose ground

Bitcoin rose on Monday morning in Asia but was boxed in below US$28,000. Ether and most other top 10 tokens gained, but not by enough to erase losses for the past week.

Uncertainty in crypto cycles from Memecoins & NFTs

A new memecoin craze is raising Ethereum transaction fees, but it’s also bringing new liquidity in for non-fungible tokens.

Weekly Market Wrap: Can Bitcoin float above US$27,500 after sinking below US$30,000?

Bitcoin fell to US$28,000 in the same week the European Parliament passed its landmark crypto framework. Industry analysts told Forkast that holding US$27,500 will be crucial for Bitcoin in order to spark an upward momentum.

Bitcoin’s mempool congestion eases after millionth Ordinals inscription

Mempool congestion issues subsided after the Bitcoin network surpassed 1 million Ordinals inscriptions.

Bitcoin, Ether decline; equities fall amid U.S.-China tension

Bitcoin and Ether fell by the end of Asian trading hours on Friday afternoon, together with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization apart from the BNB token. Asian equities declined along with U.S. futures, amid mounting political pressure between China and the U.S. Fast facts See related article: EU green lights MICA but […]

Sotheby’s to auction off NFTs owned by defunct hedge fund Three Arrows Capital

Leading auction house Sotheby’s said it will sell NFT artworks owned by the bankrupt crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital.

Bitcoin mining difficulty rises 1.7% to record high, hashrate jumps

Bitcoin’s mining difficulty level rose 1.72% on Thursday to a record high, while the network’s hashrate increased, showing miners are applying more computing power.

Bitcoin falls to near US$28,000, Ether flat, U.S. equities slide on rate hike worries

Bitcoin fell to near US$28,000 on Friday morning in Asia, with Ether trading flat and most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens losing steam.

Bitcoin mining produces energy gold. Let’s use it to help save our planet

Critics have long slammed Bitcoin mining for its enormous carbon footprint. But what if all the heat that miners emit can be sustainably powered and reused?

EU Parliament approves its first crypto regulation MiCA

The European Parliament has approved the Markets in Crypto-Assets Act (MiCA), a legislation aimed at standardizing regulations and establishing harmonized rules for crypto assets across the European Union

From billionaire to Montenegro jail: The rapid rise and fall of Terra chief Do Kwon

South Korea’s Do Kwon went from a poster boy of digital finance as a co-founder of the US$40 billion Singapore-based Terraform Labs to a fugitive on Interpol’s wanted list, all in a matter of several rollercoaster years. He’s now in a Montenegro jail where he may face more time in detention as the U.S. and South Korea demand his extradition to face a long list of charges, including securities fraud – allegations he has repeatedly denied. The following is a timeline of how we got here.

Bittrex in SEC’s crosshairs as compliance lawsuits keep coming

Top blockchain and crypto news: Bittrex in SEC line of fire. Bored Apes fall after whale sale. Chinese banks court crypto clients.

Bitcoin trades below US$29,000, Ether slips, as market eyes Europe’s MiCA vote

Bitcoin and Ether fell during afternoon trading hours in Asia on Thursday, while most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization strengthened. Crypto investors were cautious ahead of Europe’s vote on the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) bill.

Crypto miner Bitdeer falls 35% since Nasdaq debut, reports net loss in 2022

Shares of Singapore-based cryptocurrency miner Bitdeer have slid more than 35% since their Nasdaq debut on April 14, and were trading at US$6.41 at closing on Wednesday.

Bitcoin falls below US$29,000, Ether slumps, U.S. equities stall on inflation concerns

Bitcoin slid below the US$29,000 mark on Thursday morning in Asia. Ether lost hold of US$2,000 in a sell-off across all top 10 non-stablecoin tokens.

Trump’s Series 2 sells out, tops daily NFT sales chart

Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s second set of NFTs sold out within the first 24 hours since launch, according to the project’s website.

Hong Kong court deems crypto as property, in ruling on defunct exchange Gatecoin

Hong Kong’s High Court has recognized cryptocurrency as property in a March 31 landmark ruling in a legal tussle involving defunct crypto exchange Gatecoin

US chip giant Intel abandons Bitcoin ASIC production

Intel has announced it would shut down its Bitcoin mining chip production a year after launch.

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.
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U.K. could push out crypto regulation within a year: lawmaker Andrew Griffith

The U.K. could see digital asset regulation in the next 12 months as part of a push to turn the nation into a hub for digital assets, said economic secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Griffith

Bitcoin to peak at US$42,000 in 2023, end the year above US$35,000: Finder survey

Bitcoin is expected to hit a high of US$42,225 in 2023 and close the year around US$35,485, according to a survey by Finder.

United Arab Emirates opens licensing applications for cryptocurrency companies

UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority said Monday it has started accepting applications for operating licenses from cryptocurrency businesses.

Bitcoin reclaims US$30,000, Ether heads higher after grilling of SEC’s Gensler; Polkadot leads winners

Bitcoin rebounded above US$30,000 on Wednesday morning in Asia. All top 10 tokens rose after SEC chair Gary Gensler was criticized at a congressional hearing for his approach to digital assets.

The true cost of zero-fee crypto trading is anything but zero

Nothing in life is free. Be wary of crypto exchanges that offer ‘free trading,’ and ask hard questions about how they make money, writes Ben Caselin of MaskEX.

Politics will be Trojan Horse for NFTs

Former President Donald Trump’s NFT collection’s floor price may be dropping, but media coverage may extend his profits from the digital trading cards.

SEC’s Gary Gensler dodges question on whether Ethereum is a security

SEC Chair Gary Gensler did not give a direct answer when asked whether Ether is a security or a commodity at a congressional oversight hearing on Tuesday. 

Trump announces more NFTs but the first collection’s price tanks

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a second drop of his NFT trading cards, but the first collection’s price is sinking.

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.
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