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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.
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Bitcoin transaction fees surge, El Salvador users suffer consequences

Skyrocketing activity has led to a surge in average Bitcoin transaction fees — which rose to US$31.15 as of March 8 — exerting increasing pressure on users in low- and middle- income economies including Bitcoin-reliant communities in El Salvador, the first country to implement mass adoption of the digital currency.

Bitcoin falls below US$28,000, Ether declines, Litecoin slips further, US equity futures stall

Bitcoin fell below US$28,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia as memecoin hype clogged the network and drove up transaction fees. Ether and all other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens dropped.

Bittrex’s U.S. crypto exchange unit files for bankruptcy following closure, SEC lawsuit

U.S. crypto exchange Bittrex Inc. has filed for bankruptcy just days after closing operations following an SEC lawsuit and citing unclear crypto laws.

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.
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Cryptocurrencies can be used for debt settlement in China: Supreme Court

Cryptocurrencies in China can be legally used to settle basic relations debts such as exchange and labor, according to the Supreme People’s Court of China.

Prosecutor says Terra-Luna fugitive Do Kwon should face trial in South Korea: WSJ

The prosecutor leading Korea’s investigation into the Terra-Luna project said its founder Do Kwon should be extradited to Seoul to face trial.

Binance resumes Bitcoin withdrawals after halting transactions twice in 12 hours

Binance resumed withdrawals of Bitcoin around Monday noon in Hong Kong after temporarily halting the service twice within 12 hours due to what the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange said was a “large volume of pending transactions.”

Bitcoin, Ether fall; XRP leads losers as top 10 tokens lose steam; US equity futures flat

Bitcoin fell in Monday morning trading in Asia after failing to breach the US$30,000 ceiling over the weekend. Ether dropped below the US$1,900 mark.

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin rises above US$29,000, Ether recaptures US$1,900

Bitcoin inched above US$29,000 on Friday, as concerns over the health of the banking system have been reignited. Industry experts tell Forkast that banking troubles could fuel Bitcoin values, which face significant resistance above US$29,500.

Bitcoin rises, Solana leads losses across top 10 cryptos, U.S. dollar slides amid banking sector concerns

Bitcoin rose while Ether fell in Thursday afternoon trade in Asia, with declines across most of the other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana’s SOL token was the biggest loser of the day.

Kenya eyes 3% tax on digital asset transfers

Kenya plans to impose a 3% tax on the transfer of digital assets for the coming budget year

China’s Henan state-owned investment group sets up US$22 mln metaverse fund

Henan Cultural Tourism Investment Group, a state-owned investment enterprise in Central China’s Henan province, has set up a 150 million yuan private equity investment fund to finance metaverse ventures.

How standardized smart financial contracts could prevent crypto’s next black swan

Many tokenized platforms have grave shortcomings, but if better standards could be adopted, the improved transparency can avert future crises, writes Ralf Kubli of the Casper Assn.

Bitcoin, Ether dip following Europe’s rate hikes; US equity futures edge up despite banking woes

Bitcoin dipped below US$29,000 in Friday morning trading in Asia as rate hikes in Europe sent uncertainty to investors. Ether fell below US$1,900.

Israel confiscates suspicious Binance accounts allegedly linked to Islamic State: Reuters

Binance says it works closely with law enforcement to freeze funds and the news agency’s report left out “critical facts.”

What JPMorgan’s First Republic takeover means for the crypto industry

Top blockchain and crypto news: JPMorgan swoops as another bank falls. NFT market rivalry heats up. Bitget seeks Hong Kong exchange license.

Bitcoin, Ether rise; ADA is day’s biggest gainer; investors await European Central Bank’s interest rate decision 

Bitcoin and Ether rose in Thursday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Cardano’s ADA token saw the day’s biggest gains.

Bitcoin back above $29,000, Ether gains; Matic leads winners on Polygon tools update

Bitcoin and Ether rose in early Thursday morning trading in Asia, with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies mixed.

Fed hikes rates by a quarter point, Bitcoin drops 0.48%

Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, dropped 0.48% on Thursday, Hong Kong time, after the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee said it would raise interest rates by 25 basis points, as widely expected. The latest rate bump brings the target range to 5%-5.25%, the highest since September 2007. See related story: Bitcoin, Ether, […]

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%.
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Crypto miner Bitdeer expands to Bhutan, partners state-owned investment arm

Singapore-headquartered cryptocurrency miner Bitdeer Technologies is planning to expand its mining operations to Bhutan and raise up to US$500 million for a fund through a new partnership with the Himalayan kingdom’s state-owned investment company Druk Holding and Investments.

Coinbase opens Bermuda-based crypto derivatives exchange amid conflict with U.S. regulators

Coinbase, the publicly listed largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., opened its offshore derivatives exchange in Bermuda on Tuesday.

Biden administration pushes for 30% electricity tax in swipe at crypto miners

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is campaigning for a tax on cryptocurrency miners equal to 30% of the cost of the power they use, citing what it calls “negative spillovers” from the industry.

Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin rise, BNB stumbles; US equity futures flat ahead of Fed interest rate decision

Bitcoin and Ether gained ground in Wednesday morning trading in Asia, with most other top 10 tokens mixed. Litecoin gained, BNB was the biggest loser.

Bitcoin inscriptions: Are Ordinals a boon or a drag on the network?

Now that the Bitcoin Ordinals genie is out of the bottle, a debate is raging about whether they’re good for the original blockchain and their long-term consequences.

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%.
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Sotheby’s launches NFT marketplace for transactions on Ethereum, Polygon networks

Sotheby’s, which accounts for 24% of global art auction sales, has launched an online secondary marketplace for its curated NFTs as the 279-year-old auction house for fine art expands its push into digital assets.

Bitcoin, Ether lose ground; Polkadot leads losers among top 10; U.S. equity futures slip

Bitcoin dipped to US$28,000 in Tuesday morning trading in Asia and then fell through that support line later in the morning. Ether and other top 10 cryptocurrencies also fell.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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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. 

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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Crypto leaders need to collaborate with regulators more — for the industry’s own good

A clear and balanced legal framework will encourage more crypto investment, while the industry can promote best practices, writes Mahin Gupta of Liminal.

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.

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.

Abu Dhabi calls for feedback on proposed legal framework for decentralized economy: CoinDesk

The UAE’s registration authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market is seeking feedback on its proposed legislative framework for distributed ledger technology, which will focus on disclosures, liquidation, and governance structures, according to a report by CoinDesk

Do Kwon: The Rise & Fall

Do Kwon has been charged by Montenegrin authorities for attempting to travel with forged documents as the US and South Korea race to extradite him.

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 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.