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Shaanxi Expressway accepts digital yuan as tolls

Shaanxi Province has built the province’s first toll lane that supports digital yuan payments; the first payment was successfully made on August 16. Fast facts Shaanxi Province says it will continue to install digital renminbi payment equipment at all expressway toll stations in the province. Shaanxi Province is located in the western inland region of China, and […]

Upbit submits compliance report: China’s e-CNY trials broaden

Upbit submits compliance report: China’s e-CNY trials broaden

Digital yuan trials now looking like a ‘soft launch’ stage

China’s high penetration of smartphones, digital-savvy population helps reduce e-CNY testing time, observers say

Liquid crypto exchange hackers use ETH mixer to evade detection

The hunt for hackers who stole an estimated US$97 million from the Japanese crypto exchange Liquid last week has hit some snags as the cybercriminals have been actively hiding their tracks with a crypto mixing tool as they move to transfer their loot into other wallets. Fast facts According to public blockchain information on Etherscan, […]

Why an open metaverse economy might be coming soon

The ideal metaverse is open and interoperable, says Jamie Burke of Outlier Ventures. Here’s how blockchain gaming and NFTs are closing in on that future.

Coinbase partners with Mitsubishi UFG for entry to Japan

The largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S. has partnered with one of Japan’s largest banks to gain market entry. What does the move say about the Japanese market as the industry is rocked by yet another crypto exchange hack?

Calling Poly Network incompetent, upset hackers refuse to give back remaining $141M

The Poly Network hackers have returned assets worth around US$427 million, the company announced on Thursday. But hackers accused the company of “incompetency” and are refusing to give back the rest of the loot. Fast facts The hackers had transferred the stolen assets worth over US$600 million in total to mutli-signature wallets controlled by the […]

Netherlands warns Binance is illegally offering crypto services

The central bank of the Netherlands has issued a warning that Binance — the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by trading volume — is illegally operating in the country. Fast facts Binance is providing crypto services in the Netherlands without the required legal registration with De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), according to the regulator. “This […]

Antinalysis hung out to dry. Solana eclipses Uniswap. Alibaba’s auction action.

Top blockchain and crypto news: A darkweb stain is scrubbed away. Solana’s moment in the sun. Alibaba huddles with Tencent.

Shutdown of dark web tool Antinalysis suggests harder times ahead for crypto criminals

Money laundering token tracer developed using AMLBot application programming interface was suspended within eight hours of public exposure.

E-CNY tests ramp up as more banks enable top-up feature

In China, digital yuan testing, which increasingly looks like a soft rollout, is continuing full steam ahead, with more banks allowing their customers to top up their e-CNY wallets. Fast facts An additional 13 banks have started to allow their customers to recharge their wallets directly in the e-CNY app, bringing the total number of […]

Poly Network offers hacker top job as another hacker saves SushiSwap from potential $350M attack

Poly Network wants to hire the hacker who stole over US$600 million worth of tokens from the platform last week — as its chief security advisor, according to a tweet by the company. Fast facts In response to the job offer, the hacker posted a joke on the Ethereum blockchain that was shared in a […]

Dogecoin Foundation re-established, Vitalik Buterin now on board

Following a few years of inactivity, the Dogecoin Foundation is being reestablished with Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin serving as the organization’s “blockchain and crypto adviser,” according to an announcement posted Tuesday on the foundation’s website. Fast facts Originally founded in 2014, the non-profit organization aims to support the Dogecoin ecosystem and community with a particular […]

How stablecoins can help investors weather crypto storms

Notwithstanding Iron Finance’s collapse, stablecoins can play important roles for consumers and the economy, writes Julian Hosp of Cake DeFi.

India crypto bill awaits approval; Poly Network hack saga continues

India crypto bill awaits approval while Poly Network hack saga continues

Poly Network hackers delay handover of stolen assets

The hackers claim that trust issues with the Poly Network team are slowing down the complete handover of stolen assets.

Kakao to spearhead global expansion of Klaytn blockchain from Singapore

South Korean internet giant Kakao this week announced that its newly established non-profit entity headquartered in Singapore — the Klaytn Foundation — will lead the development and global expansion of the Klaytn blockchain, according to a company release. Fast facts The Klaytn Foundation, together with Krust, Kakao’s newly established global accelerator unit, and GroundX, which […]

Why Silicon Valley is pouring big money into India’s crypto industry

While Delhi goes back and forth over a crypto ban, crypto’s huge growth potential in the world’s second most populous country is captivating American venture capital.

Polygon makes the case for scaling solutions after ETH 2.0

London hard fork is live and Ethereum users are hoping high gas fees will be a thing of the past. Will ETH improvements phase out layer-2 scaling protocols? Polygon’s co-founder thinks not.

Poly Network recovers assets; Rario launches cricket NFT platform

Poly Network recovers assets meanwhile Rario launches cricket NFT platform

Poly Network hacker returns remaining assets, offered US$500K white hat bounty

Poly Network has confirmed that all its remaining stolen assets on Ethereum, worth around US$269 million, barring US$33 million worth of Tether that was frozen post-attack, have been returned to a multi-signature wallet controlled by itself and the hacker. Fast facts The hacker had returned more than 50% of the assets stolen on the Polygon […]

Cambodian central bank, Maybank partner on cross-border digital currency transfers

Malaysia’s Maybank and the National Bank of Cambodia yesterday announced the launch of a real-time funds transfer service between Malaysia and Cambodia — the first international partnership between a bank and Cambodia’s Bakong digital payments system. Fast facts The service facilitates fund transfers via NBC’s Bakong e-wallet and Maybank’s MAE app. It allows Maybank customers […]

Largest hack in DeFi history; ADA hits two month high

Largest hack in DeFi history while ADA hits two month high

Why honest centralization is superior to chaotic decentralization

Are DAOs and decentralization always beneficial for the group or the user? Antoni Trenchev of Nexo urges you to think again.

Chinese DeFi platform Poly Network suffers US$600M hack

Impact of one of the biggest heists in the industry looks set to be mitigated as hackers agree to return funds.

Crypto miners set to be snared by U.S. infrastructure bill

A landmark US$1 trillion infrastructure bill moved one step closer to becoming law on Sunday, notably without carve-outs for cryptocurrency miners and network validators. What does it mean for the industry?

Are DAOs a new way for companies to go public?

As more crypto companies go public, some are returning to a decentralized business model. ShapeShift CEO Erik Voorhees explains the ethos and reasons why.

Latest digital yuan trial launches with backing of JD.com, Bank of Communications

E-commerce company’s tie-up with government-owned lender suggests hybrid private-state future for central bank digital currency.

China’s central bank to accelerate digital yuan pilots for Winter Olympics

The Business Administration Department at China’s central bank has said it will push forward pilots of the e-CNY digital currency in the Winter Olympics area to cover all payment scenarios. Fast facts To promote the digital yuan for the Winter Games, two batches of e-CNY red packets were distributed in Beijing in February and June, totaling 50,000,000 yuan […]

Cambodian state digital currency sees strong uptake

Since its launch in October 2020, Cambodia’s central bank digital currency project, Bakong, has reached 5.9 million users across the country, according to a report by Nikkei Asia. Fast facts The figure includes users of member bank mobile apps, with the number of Bakong electronic wallet addresses doubling in June from three months before to […]

Decentralized music streaming platform Audius reaches 5M users

As blockchain begins to make its way into more consumer applications, decentralized, Ethereum-based music streaming platform Audius has reached 5 million monthly users for the first time, Yahoo! Finance reports. That milestone makes Audius one of the biggest consumer-centric blockchain applications. Fast facts Launched in 2019, Audius boasts approximately 100,000 artists, including big names such […]

China continues e-CNY pilot; Google allows crypto advertising

China continues e-CNY pilot also Google allows crypto advertising

Ethereum rising: 3 reasons why Ether’s price could soon break $3,000

Will Google greenlighting US crypto ads, Ethereum’s London upgrade and clearer regulations pave the way for another Ether price rally?

Google lifts crypto advertising ban

In a long-awaited reversal of a 2018 policy decision, Google will allow crypto exchanges and wallets to advertise on its platform in the U.S. But not everyone’s happy.

Rothschild’s RIT Capital leads funding round for Aspen Digital to provide crypto services for institutional investors

Hong Kong-based Aspen Digital, a digital asset management platform for institutional investors, announced on Wednesday that it has secured US$8.8 million in pre-A funding to develop a one-stop shop for asset managers to invest in digital assets and manage their clients’ portfolios. Fast facts The funding round was led by RIT Capital Partners, the London-based […]

Ethereum upgrade closely watched; India launches e-RUPI voucher

Ethereum upgrade closely watched also India launches e-RUPI voucher

Ethereum addresses using DeFi soar 65% to over 2.9M

The Ethereum ecosystem is continuing to see strong growth, with institutional capital ‘flooding’ into decentralized finance and decentralized autonomous organizations flourishing.

Blockchain applications that will change the world in the next 5 years

The next half decade will see mass adoption of decentralized technology, writes Max Kordek of Lisk. Here are the leading uses.

Over 220 million people are now crypto users, says new report

The number of crypto users around the world grew to 221 million in June, double the number in January, according to a report released today by Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange, Crypto.com. Fast facts Bitcoin drove the growth in crypto use from January to April, with companies such as Microstrategy, PayPal, Tesla and Visa buying into […]

PayPal unveils plan to greatly expand crypto services

PayPal customers will soon have access to a greater range of crypto services through the global payment platform, CEO Dan Schulman said during PayPal’s Q2 2021 investor update call yesterday. Fast facts Describing the upgrade as “code complete,” Schulman said the wallet should be fully available for customers in the Unite States in the next […]

Amber Group launches CreatorFi NFT initiative to bridge traditional, crypto worlds

Hong Kong-based crypto financial services company Amber Group wants to bridge the gap between creators, collectors and platforms looking to get into NFTs and the crypto space.

Blockchain developer platform Biconomy Raises $9M, led by Mechanism Capital

Biconomy, a Singapore-incorporated technology company building transaction infrastructure for blockchain applications, today announced it had raised US$9 million in a private funding round led by digital asset fund manager DACM and investment firm Mechanism Capital, according to a company statement. Fast facts Other investors included Coinbase Ventures, Coinfund, Huobi Innovation Labs and Stani Kulechov, founder […]

Amazon’s brush with Bitcoin. Robinhood IPO looms. Huobi backs out of Beijing.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Is Amazon taking up BTC? Robinhood’s share sale deserves scrutiny. Did Huobi jump or was it pushed?

Dogecoin for dog food at Brazil’s Burger Kings

In the latest effort of crypto cross-promotion, Burger King Brazil is now accepting the memecoin Dogecoin as payment for a “Dogpper” — a special edible doggie treat for customer’s pets and a play on words of the fast-food chain’s famous burger, the Whopper. Fast facts The doggie treat is not new to Latin America. Burger […]

Digital asset custody platform Fireblocks completes $310 million fundraise

Capital increase takes company’s valuation to US$2 billion as it looks to grow customer base, partnerships.

Huobi deregisters Beijing entity; K-drama takes crypto back in time

Huobi deregisters Beijing entity while K-drama takes crypto back in time

Binance and FTX slash leverage limit from 100x to 20x amid crypto regulations heat

FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried says it’s time to move on from high leverage in crypto trading. Binance also seeks new CEO with a stronger regulatory background.

Bitcoin ETF applicant is not surprised by US delays

Valkyrie is among a growing number of asset managers at the SEC’s door, seeking approval to offer a Bitcoin ETF. Will a Bitcoin ETF ever get the green light in the United States?

Chinese electricity bills to become payable using digital yuan

A digital yuan wallet app launched by China’s central bank will include an electricity bill payment feature designed by the country’s State Grid, according to Economic Information Daily, a local financial media outlet.  Fast facts Users will be able to pay their electricity bills through the digital yuan app directly and do not need to […]

Australian buy-now-pay-later fintech Zip to launch crypto trading

In the latest example of a fintech company looking to branch into crypto, Australian buy-now-pay-later company Zip Pay has announced it will launch crypto trading services in the next 12 months, Reuters reports. Fast facts Zip co-founder Peter Gray told Reuters that crypto trading was one of the most requested features by users of the […]

Indonesian regulators play catch-up as crypto investment soars

Indonesia has seen red-hot growth in the crypto asset market, but the country’s regulators are just beginning to get to grips with burgeoning industry and formulate policy responses.

Ping An trials e-CNY; Core Scientific to go public

Ping An trials e-CNY while Core Scientific is the next to get on the SPAC train.

Vitalik Buterin: Ethereum is more than DeFi. Is social media its next big use?

At EthCC in Paris, Ethereum’s boyish creator lays out a vision for the blockchain’s non-finance uses — like ridding social media of bots and fake news.
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NFT buzz continues as OpenSea raises US$100M

OpenSea, the world’s second-biggest non-fungible token marketplace by trading volume, has raised US$100 million in a series B funding round led by venture capital firm A16z, the company has announced.  Fast facts The new funding raises the company’s value to US$1.5 billion, making it a unicorn — a start-up with a valuation of more than […]

Chinese insurer Ping An seeks digital yuan payments for new Covid-19 policy

China’s trial of e-CNY, the digital version of the national currency, the yuan, has extended to the insurance industry, with conglomerate Ping An encouraging medical staff in the southern city of Shenzhen to pay premiums for a Covid-19 insurance plan using the new currency. Fast facts One Ping An branch in Shenzhen is offering insurance […]

Blockchain gaming unicorn Animoca Brands and Brinc launch NFT accelerator

Hong Kong-based blockchain gaming company Animoca Brands and global venture accelerator Brinc have launched Launchpad Luna, a new accelerator program to identify, mentor, and invest in promising blockchain and non-fungible tokens (NFT) startups, according to a company statement. Fast facts Projects accepted into the accelerator program will receive training, end-to-end support and funding of up […]

FTX’s $900 million deal. Dogecoin in the doghouse. Digital yuan dragnet.

Top blockchain and crypto news: FTX swells to $18 billion valuation. Etherum and Dogecoin disowned by creators. US pols call for Olympics boycott of e-yuan.

China Mobile discloses virtual currency system patent, joins e-CNY team

China’s largest telecommunications company, China Mobile, has disclosed a patent on a virtual currency management system that can prevent the theft of hot-wallet keys. Fast facts The system achieves theft-prevention by separating the hot-wallet server interacting directly with a public data server via a system wallet server. The patent disclosure shows that China Mobile filed […]

U.S. senators ask athletes to boycott digital yuan at Beijing Winter Olympics

Privacy concerns prompt call for Americans to avoid e-CNY as lawmakers point to use of WeChat app to ‘surveil, threaten and arrest Chinese citizens.’

E-CNY white paper released; Malaysia steamrolls mining rigs

E-CNY white paper explains how it will work with physical RMB while Malaysia steamrolls mining rigs.

China’s digital yuan moves a step closer with smart-contract technology

Central bank in apparent push for adoption ahead of Olympics as it doubles up on warning over non-state cryptocurrencies.
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Late digitization is Asia’s edge in crypto, says Fireblocks CEO

While the West has first mover advantage in traditional banking, Asia — not wedded to ol infrastructure — now has an edge in the crypto era, says Michael Shaulov of Fireblocks.

How blockchain can transform social media | Part 2

Why is social media’s current centralization problematic, and what would a decentralized Twitter or Facebook look like?
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Square to build new Bitcoin DeFi platform, says CEO Jack Dorsey

CEO Jack Dorsey announced that his mobile payments company Square has created a new division dedicated to decentralized finance (DeFi) on Bitcoin. For now, Dorsey is referring to the new Square Bitcoin DeFi platform as TBD, having not yet decided on an official name.  Fast facts The DeFi space, which has grown exponentially over last […]

Has the NFT bubble burst? The data says otherwise

Axie Infinity, Meebits and Bored Ape Yacht Club are some of those keeping the market for non-fungible tokens alive.

India seeks crypto advice; K-drama joins NFT bandwagon

India seeks crypto advice meanwhile K-drama joins NFT bandwagon

Visa to launch first Bitcoin-linked card in Australia

Australians will soon be able to use Visa cards to spend their Bitcoin holdings for the first time as the global payment giant is partnering with local fintech app CryptoSpend, the Australian Financial Review reports. Fast facts CryptoSpend allows payments to be made in several cryptocurrencies to any account in the Australian banking system, crediting […]

ICICI blocks crypto transfers; Korea banks to report crypto crime

ICICI blocks crypto transfers as South Korean banks are to report crypto crime.

Bull run or BS? Where will crypto markets go after the Bitcoin crash?

Soaring BTC and altcoin prices earlier this year drew in new investors, who now worry about the current slump. Will crypto prices rise again, or are modest valuations here to stay?

Gravity DEX brings DeFi into Cosmos network’s orbit

Cosmos’s DeFi capital pulling power is set to get stronger as Gravity DEX launches, with Gravity Bridge and the Emeris DeFi portal on the way.

Ripple seeks to force ex-SEC director to testify on XRP next week

Despite opposition from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Ripple is pushing ahead with plans to question former SEC director William Hinman, the former head of the regulator’s Division of Corporation Finance, telling the judge overseeing discovery in the SEC v. Ripple Labs lawsuit that Hinman’s deposition has been rescheduled to July 19, according to a […]

Delta variant spooking crypto markets? Fresh warning on crypto payments

Market dominance suggests that investors are flocking towards Bitcoin as Covid delta variant concerns hit markets. In Thailand, authorities remind the industry of their stance on cryptocurrency payments.