Forkast.News is now Forkast Labs

Tokenization is driving new value, and Asia is leading the way: Opinion

Across Asia, projects dedicated to asset tokenization have become a cornerstone of the new digital economy, showing the world the technology’s possibilities.

Bitcoin, Ether lose direction as caution rules market; Dogecoin still a winner on Musk factor

Bitcoin traded flat on Wednesday morning in Asia as risk-aversion remained the market theme, though the token managed to hold above US$29,000.

CyberKongz Genkai NFT set to be the first PFP set on Ronin

Sky Mavis announced on Tuesday a partnership with the CyberKongz NFT project to introduce a PFP collection to the Ronin blockchain for the first time.

Bitcoin, Ether remain below key levels, most top 10 cryptos fall

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Tuesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization except Dogecoin.

Blockchain sleuths win Arkham’s US$5,000 bounty for Terra, Do Kwon’s wallet info

Arkham Intel Exchange on Monday said two blockchain sleuths had won the bounty for new evidence of wallets owned by Terraform Labs and its imprisoned co-founder Kwon Do-hyeong.

How Web3 can accelerate climate finance and help save our warming planet: Opinion

$1 trillion in capital is needed to fight climate change, but investment money is sitting on the sidelines, going unused. How can we close this funding gap?

Bitcoin, Ether fall as risk-aversion grows; Dogecoin gains on Twitter rebranding

Bitcoin fell on Tuesday morning in Asia along with most major cryptocurrencies on speculation the U.S. regulator will appeal a decision in the Ripple case and enthusiasm waned for a Bitcoin ETF.

South Korea crypto lender Delio says operations in peril amid prosecutor raids, lawsuit

Delio halted interest payments for all users on Monday, after announcing difficulties in providing services as usual.

Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most top 10 cryptos, except Dogecoin

Bitcoin will have to remain above US$29,500 to prevent further bearish momentum, industry experts told Forkast.

Why Asia will emerge as the global hub for Web3 gaming: Opinion

Already home to most of the world’s gamers, Asia has a rich pedigree in seeding and embracing new technologies, writes Robbie Ferguson of Immutable.

SEC hints at appeal of Ripple decision in court filing against Terraform Labs

The SEC has hinted it may be set to appeal a recent court ruling against the agency in its case against Ripple Labs and the XRP token.

Bitcoin reclaims US$30,000, Ether gains, Cardano leads winners as top 10 crypto rise

Bitcoin rose on Monday morning in Asia to reclaim the US$30,000 support level. Ether moved higher, while most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens also gained.

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin falls below US$30,000 as institutional interest in ETFs fails to lift markets

Bitcoin fell under US$30,000, despite the SEC accepting eight spot Bitcoin ETF applications for review this week. A weekly close under that psychological level could lead to more panic selling, industry experts told Forkast.

New NFT Project makes it big; XRP & BTC pull up crypto

Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Angie Lau, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions. Coming up on today’s show:

Bitcoin, Ether slip below key levels, ETF developments fail to lift investor sentiment

Bitcoin and Ether both remained below key support levels, as investor sentiment failed to pick up even after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accepted eight spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications for review.

Tourists from Mainland China can now shop in Hong Kong with Chinese CBDC

Mainland tourists can now shop in Hong Kong with Chinese CBDC, as part of a digital yuan shopping festival launched this week by the Bank of China (Hong Kong).

McDonald’s Hong Kong launches McNuggets-themed metaverse

McDonald’s Hong Kong has joined the likes of Adidas, Coca-Cola, Gucci and other global brands with Thursday’s launch of its own metaverse.

Can Web3 bring morality and social good to the metaverse?

The value of crypto is typically tied to its correlation with fiat money. What if tokens can be earned only through good deeds and helping others?

Bitcoin price falls, heads for weekly loss; Ether flat, Matic leads gainers, Solana the losers

Bitcoin fell on Friday morning in Asia as other top 10 cryptocurrencies traded mixed. Bitcoin again slipped below support at US$30,000.

XRP triumphs over SEC, but crypto clarity remains in the shadows

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

Bitcoin, Ether inch above key levels; Matic leads gainers

Bitcoin and Ether both recaptured key support levels. Institutional interest remains upbeat following a slew of Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications, industry experts told Forkast.

Bitcoin, Ether trade flat as buzz around Bitcoin ETFs and Ripple court ruling fades

Bitcoin edged higher on Thursday morning, along with most other top 10 cryptocurrencies, but the token looks to have lost support at the US$30,000 line.

Manta Network developer p0x Labs raises US$25 million for Asia expansion

P0x Labs, the developer behind layer-1 zero-knowledge blockchain Manta Network, has secured US$25 million for the Network’s expansion in Asia.

Bitcoin returns above key level, Ether inches up, XRP leads top 10 cryptos in gains

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Wednesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

Chinese police uncover $54 million USDT money laundering scheme

Police in China’s Shanxi Province made 21 arrests in relation to an alleged USDT money laundering scheme amounting to over US$54 million.

The future of finance is tokenized. Get on board or get left behind: Opinion

Change won’t happen overnight, but tokenization is a trend that will trigger seismic shifts in the financial landscape, writes Hamilton Keats of Krayon Digital.

Bitcoin loses grip on US$30,000 as profit-taking kicks in; XRP gains as other top 10 crypto fall

Bitcoin slipped under US$30,000 on the back of profit-taking and long liquidations as the recent run up on optimism about exchange-traded funds seemed to run out of steam.

NFTs, Where did the buyers go?

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.

S. Korea’s Shinhan Bank, SCB TechX, complete second stablecoin trial on Hedera

Shinhan Bank, the second largest bank in South Korea, and SCB TechX, the technology unit of Siam Commercial Bank, the oldest bank in Thailand, announced on Tuesday that they completed a second stablecoin transaction trial on the Hedera, a public distributed ledger network. 

Bitcoin, Ether, top 10 cryptos fall; SEC accepts Valkyrie’s spot Bitcoin ETF for review

Bitcoin and Ether both fell below key price levels earlier but returned above as investors remained optimistic after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accepted the second Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) application for review, from asset manager Valkyrie.

Stablecoins can make banking safe again: Opinion

Stablecoins play a pivotal role as a safe-haven medium of exchange in times of high inflation, writes James Glasscock. But they’re not without risks.

Bitcoin dips but recovers back above US$30,000; Ether, most other top 10 crypto lose ground

Bitcoin dipped under US$30,000 in early Asia trade before recovering. Ether and other top 10 cryptocurrencies fell, while NFT trading slumped.

Bitcoin, Ether slip, top cryptos mixed, XRP biggest gainer after last week’s court win

XRP continued its rally after XRP issuer Ripple’s favorable ruling last week in its lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

How Asia is emerging as a safe haven for digital assets: Opinion

As the US is engulfed in regulatory strife, Asian countries are rolling out legal frameworks that attract crypto investment, protect consumers and encourage innovation.

SEC accepts BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF application for review

The U.S. SEC has accepted BlackRock’s application for a spot Bitcoin ETF, a major step for the potential launch of the country’s first spot Bitcoin ETF.

Bitcoin dips over weekend, other top 10 cryptos mixed; US stock futures edge down

Bitcoin rose to trade at over US$30,300 on Monday morning in Asia, but the price fell over the weekend to around the pre-Ripple ruling level.

USDT’s goal is to be the dollar, not beat it, says Tether CTO

Scrutiny on the stablecoin’s reserves has intensified since USDT’s latest depegging scare. Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Tether and Bitfinex, delves into the composition of USDT reserves, explaining how the firm ensures dollar redemptions, irrespective of secondary market prices.

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin rises past US$31,000, cryptos rally after Ripple’s win against U.S. SEC

Bitcoin rose to US$31,736 on Friday, bolstering Ethereum to above US$2,000, after the court ruled that the sale of XRP did not constitute a security. Bitcoin needs a close above US$31,000 to pave the way for US$32,500, market experts told Forkast.

XRP leads gains as Bitcoin, top 10 cryptos rally after Ripple’s win against U.S. SEC

A favorable U.S. court ruling for Ripple boosted Bitcoin prices. All top 10 non-stablecoin cryptos rallied with XRP prices gaining 62% in the past 24 hours.

Celsius founder Alex Mashinsky arrested, pleads not guilty to fraud

Alex Mashinsky, founder and CEO of Celsius Network, pleaded not guilty after being arrested in the U.S. Thursday on several fraud-related criminal charges.

How Web3 can help island nations fight climate change: Opinion

Global warming and rising sea levels are threatening to submerge countries like Maldives and Kiribati. Can blockchain technology help avert disaster?

Bitcoin, Ether surge after Ripple notched partial win against SEC; Ripple’s XRP leads crypto rally 

Bitcoin, all other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens logged gains Friday morning. That followed a favorable SEC ruling for Ripple, whose XRP token led the gains.

Europe’s first spot Bitcoin ETF set to launch in July: FT

Europe’s first spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) is expected to be publicly listed this month, following a 12-month delay from the initially planned date

Standard Chartered’s great expectations for Bitcoin in 2024

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.

Bitcoin, Ether fall; all other top 10 cryptos mixed

Bitcoin prices fell below US$30,500 in the past 24 hours while its trading volume has gained over 20%. Ether also fell. Cardano and BNB were the day’s biggest losers.

USDC issuer Circle trims workforce

Stablecoin issuer Circle has reduced its workforce and investment in non-core activities.

Bitcoin, Ether fall, Polygon leads losers; U.S. equities gain as inflation slows

Bitcoin dropped on Thursday morning in Asia to below US$30,500. Ether and most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens also logged losses.

Why culture and ownership are critical to the metaverse: Opinion

As stores of our identity, customs and creativity, NFTs will drive Web3 adoption and become central to the new digital economy, writes Yat Siu, executive chairman of Animoca Brands.

Bitcoin inches up, holds above US$30,500; all other top 10 cryptos mixed

Bitcoin trade volumes dropped in the last 24 hours but the token is holding steady above US$30,500. Binance’s BNB token posted the biggest gain while most other top 10 cryptocurrencies traded mixed.

South Korea mandates new accounting rules for domestic crypto sector

South Korea’s FSC is requiring companies that issue or own cryptocurrencies to provide detailed crypto disclosures from 2024.

Bitcoin above US$30,500, Ether flat, SOL leads the winners

Bitcoin rose on Wednesday morning in Asia to trade above US$30,500. Ether traded flat while most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens gained. SOL led winners.

NFT recovery or new bottom discovery?

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

Bitcoin steady above US$30,000, all top 10 cryptos rise on market optimism

Bitcoin breached US$31,000 level in the past 24 hours after falling back to hold above US$30,000. Ether and all other top 10 cryptos gained.

Sega says still exploring Web3 game initiatives despite reports of withdrawal

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

Improving crypto user experience is an imperative and need not come at the cost of security: Opinion

The key to making crypto easier to use while less prone to skulduggery lies in centralizing some security and UX features, writes Hsuan Lee of Blocto.

Bitcoin gains on StanChart price predictions, fund inflows; Ether rises, Matic leads winners

Bitcoin rose on Tuesday morning in Asia, after Standard Chartered predicted the token could reach US$120,000 by the end of 2024. Ether and most other top 10 tokens rose.

Bitcoin dips but holds above US$30,000, all other top 10 cryptos drop

All top 10 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ether, drop over the last 24 hours while investors brace for more interest rate hikes in the U.S.

Despite the regulatory darkness in America, crypto’s dawn is nigh: Opinion

Crypto’s current turmoil in the US stands in stark contrast to other jurisdictions that are paving paths to for the industry to shine, writes Sean O’Connor.

Bitcoin stays above US$30,000; ETF optimism dampens; further rate hikes expected

Bitcoin dipped on Monday morning in Asia but held above the US$30,000 support level. Ether edged lower along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens.

South Korea, Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto rules as U.S. in state of regulatory ‘warfare’

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
and

Japanese gaming firm Sega backs out of blockchain: Bloomberg

Japanese multinational gaming firm Sega Corp. is withdrawing from blockchain-based games as play-to-earn games are “boring,” according to Shuji Utsumi, the company’s co-chief operating officer cited by Bloomberg on Friday. 

Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto rules; NFTs become new cultural frontier

Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Angie Lau, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions. Coming up on today’s show:

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin holds above US$30,000; SEC officially silent over spot Bitcoin ETF applications

Bitcoin held above US$30,000 for most of the week but lost momentum as the SEC left investors guessing on how it will treat spot Bitcoin ETF applications.

Bitcoin rises back to US$30,000, Ether remains under US$1,900, top cryptos in the red

Crypto buying subsided as the U.S. regulator made no official comment on Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications and executives quit Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange.

Tokenization makes the world a better place, and Asia is paving the way: Opinion

Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Thailand have regulations supporting the growth of tokenization, showing the world the benefits of fractionalizing assets.
and

Binance executives Hillman, Christie say they are leaving, cite personal reasons

Binance Chief Strategy Officer Patrick Hillmann and Vice President for Compliance Steven Christie both confirmed they are leaving the firm.

Bitcoin loses US$30,000 peg, Ether falls as risk-off sentiment spreads to cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin fell below US$30,000 on Friday morning in Asia as traders took profits amid worries about interest rate hikes in U.S. markets.

Cardano ‘ghost chain’ outperforms top blockchains in NFT market

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.

No surprise as Singapore, Thailand step up crypto regulation

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

Bitcoin, Ether rise, top cryptos mixed, as investors await SEC response to Bitcoin ETF applications

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top altcoins were mixed, as investors await the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) response to spot Bitcoin ETF applications. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin breaches US$31,195 following Fidelity’s spot Bitcoin ETF application Bitcoin, Ether rise, top 10 […]

Bitcoin, Ether, all other top 10 cryptocurrencies fall; Litecoin leads losers with Cardano

Bitcoin, Ether fell along with all top 10 cryptocurrencies. Litecoin and Cardano led the losers. The Forkast 500 NFT index rose, but NFT mood is pessimistic.

The NFT market’s historic new lows

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