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ETH futures contracts open interest on Binance breaks 8-month high: Glassnode

Ethereum futures contracts open interest reached an eight-month high of over US$3.1 billion on Binance on Sunday, Glassnode said on Twitter. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin little changed, Ether dips below $2,000, Memecoins surge Fast facts See related article: Privacy protocol Monero completes upgrade to make transactions more private

Privacy protocol Monero completes upgrade to make transactions more private

Monero completed its hard fork for a network upgrade on Saturday in an attempt to add more privacy to transactions on the protocol. See related article: Ransomware attacks are growing in sophistication. What can stop them? Fast facts Monero Sunday said that the network is “now more private and efficient with ringsize 16, Bulletproofs+, and […]

Polkadot-based stablecoin Acala Dollar depegs after a breach

Stablecoin Acala Dollar (aUSD) lost its parity with the U.S. dollar following a breach over the weekend, but its price has since begun to bounce back. See related article: Axie Infinity blockchain Ronin hacked for over $600M Fast facts Cryptocurrency analyst @Alice und Bob tweeted that the depeg was caused by US$1.2 billion of aUSD mistakenly […]

Limit crypto expansion in developing countries, urges U.N. agency

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has urged limits on cryptocurrencies across developing nations, in a series of policy briefs released on Wednesday. See related article: IMF says crypto crash hasn’t quite harmed broader financial system Fast facts The UNCTAD, part of the UN Secretariat, said cryptocurrencies could curb the effectiveness of […]

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise on slower inflation, Ethereum’s completed test run ahead of PoS merge

Bitcoin and Ethereum rose, along with nearly all other top 10 cryptocurrencies, in Thursday afternoon trading in Asia after the U.S. reported slower inflation in July and as Ethereum completed a test run for its upcoming shift to the proof-of-stake (PoS) model. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise with equities as US inflation shows […]

Klaytn chief says reducing ‘human elements’ can prevent hacks

After high-profile cyberattacks on decentralized apps, the blockchain industry is in a hurry to ramp up security. Sam Sangmin Seo, head of Klaytn, tells Forkast that minimizing human error may be the key.

Binance to support Ethereum’s PoS Merge, evaluate new forked tokens

Binance will support Ethereum’s “Merge,” expected in September, and will evaluate if it would list any newly forked tokens, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume said on Wednesday. See related article: USDC, Tether announce support for Ethereum proof-of-stake Fast facts Binance said it is closely monitoring the development of the merge, which could […]

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall in general sell off; Solana takes hit, BNB stumbles

Bitcoin and Ethereum fell in Wednesday afternoon trading in Asia, with almost all top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap in the red. Solana was the biggest mover among the major coins, dropping 5.94% in the past 24 hours. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin falls as crypto market loses steam, equities dip ahead of inflation data […]

India’s WazirX says it has no-tolerance policy on illegal activities

Zanmai Labs Private Limited, the firm operating Indian cryptocurrency exchange WazirX, said Tuesday it has a no-tolerance policy towards any “illegal activities”. Users agree to use the exchange in accordance with applicable laws, the company said in a statement. See related article: Tax authorities recover US$9M from India’s biggest crypto exchanges Fast facts WazirX, one […]

Zipmex to release unspecified amount of Bitcoin, Ether to its customers

Crypto exchange Zipmex is planning to release an unspecified amount of Ethereum and Bitcoin on Aug. 11 and 16 respectively, after a suspension of withdrawals from its Z Wallet last month.  See related article: Why Singapore may be the ideal place for companies to rebuild post-crypto winter Fast facts The Singapore-based company said on Monday […]

Crypto lender Hodlnaut halts withdrawals, ends token swap feature

Singapore-based crypto lender Hodlnaut freezed withdrawals as well as ended its token swapping feature on Monday, just as the market is showing signs of recovery from the so-called crypto winter. See related article: Zipmex resumes withdrawals of certain tokens in phased manner Fast facts Hodlnaut said the withdrawal freeze is to “focus on stabilizing our […]

Circle freezes smart contract addresses linked to blacklisted Tornado Cash

Circle Internet Financial Ltd., the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, froze over 75,000 USDC in funds linked to 81 sanctioned addresses at the cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash on Monday, according to data from crypto aggregator Dune Analytics. See related article: Bad actors in North Korea, Russia send record-high funds to crypto mixers Fast facts The […]

UK seeks guidance on how to regulate crypto, digital assets

A U.K. parliamentary group is seeking advice from both industry players and policymakers on regulating cryptocurrencies and the digital asset sector, according to a press release. See related article: UK seeks to regulate stablecoins for payments in new markets bill Fast facts See related article: Bank of England calls for greater crypto regulation

Why Singapore may be the ideal place for companies to rebuild post-crypto winter

Singapore is growing its digital assets industry while reducing risks, and its clear regulations allow firms to better plan for the future, writes Desmond Yong of DTC.

New US bill to give CFTC oversight of cryptocurrencies may speed up crypto legislation in other markets   

The U.S. bill to bring cryptocurrencies under the oversight of the Commodities Futures and Trading Commission is likely to hasten legislation of such digital assets around the world.

Bitcoin flat, Ether gains in late Asia trade; BNB still going strong on expanded staking

Bitcoin was largely flat in Friday afternoon trading in Asia, while Ethereum gained. However, both of the two major coins on the top 10 list by capitalization were trading more than 3% lower week-on-week. BNB’s gains ran into a second day, while Polkadot and Dogecoin rose.  See related article: Ethereum Classic’s ‘Merge’ surge not expected […]

Riot Blockchain earns millions in credits by cutting energy use during Texas heat wave

American Bitcoin mining firm Riot Blockchain earned an estimated US$9.5 million in power credits in July as it reduced energy consumption and mined fewer Bitcoins. See related article: Bitcoin miners in Texas halt operations amid heat wave Fast facts Riot produced 318 Bitcoins in July this year, about 28% less than July last year, thereby […]

Ex-PwC crypto head sets up digital asset fund in Dubai: report

Former PwC crypto arm leader Henri Arslanian said in a report the digital asset fund Nine Blocks Capital Management will receive $75 million from major supporters, including Hong Kong-based hedge fund Nine Masts Capital. See related article: Dubai scorches crypto winter with plans to support 40,000 ‘virtual jobs’ Fast facts See related article: India’s WazirX […]

Ethereum Classic’s ‘Merge’ surge not expected to last: report

Ethereum Classic’s (ETC) price has rallied since Ethereum developers announced the scheduled date for “The Merge,” which will see the blockchain transition from proof of work (PoW) to proof of stake (PoS), while Messari’s Tom Dunleavy says it won’t see sustained growth. See related article: Prominent Chinese ETH miner plans proof-of-work fork amid The Merge […]

Bitcoin mining difficulty rises 1.74% after three consecutive drops

Bitcoin mining difficulty rose by 1.74% on Thursday following three consecutive drops in previous adjustments, according to data from BTC.com. See related article: Chinese mining rig maker Canaan says global expansion on track despite ‘crypto winter’ Fast facts The mining difficulty reading was at 28.17 trillion, as of block height 747,936, the data showed. The […]

India questions Binance-backed WazirX on foreign exchange violations

India’s Directorate of Enforcement (ED), responsible for enforcing economic laws and fighting economic crime, is investigating two cases against crypto exchange WazirX under the Foreign Exchange Management Act of 1999 (FEMA), reported local media. See related article: Only the big fish will survive as India cracks the whip on crypto: Binance-backed WazirX Fast facts Zanmai […]

Why crypto and DeFi are key to building wealth in times of high inflation

As wages stagnate and prices spiral, crypto offers investment and growth opportunities unmatched by the traditional financial system, writes Tarik Moon, CEO of Alpine.

Filecoin on a tear as cautious optimism returns to crypto markets

Top blockchain and crypto news: Filecoin leads in market uptick. CryptoPunks in new glow as Tiffany jewelry. Chinese firms flock to Singapore.

Zipmex resumes withdrawals of certain tokens in phased manner

Crypto platform Zipmex on Aug. 2 began to resume the withdrawal of certain altcoins such as Solana, Ripple and Cardano, the firm said in a blog post, after it halted customer withdrawals on July 20.  See related article: Zipmex seeks moratorium from creditors in Singapore court Fast facts From Aug. 2, Zipmex users could withdraw […]

Gucci begins accepting BAYC-tied token ApeCoin as payment

Gucci has further embraced cryptocurrencies, announcing in a tweet on Tuesday that it is accepting in-store purchases with ApeCoin through payment service provider BitPay. See related article: How high fashion is waking up to blockchain’s possibilities Fast facts ApeCoin is a cryptocurrency tied to Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), a non-fungible token (NFT) project created […]

Solana an investor favorite as July registers strongest crypto inflows year-to-date: report

Crypto investments totaled US$474 million in July, mostly reversing outflows of US$481 million in June, even as Solana (SOL) witnessed year-to-date inflows of US$114 million, a report by Coinshares said. See related article: Ethereum needs scalability to retain market share: report Fast facts See related article: ETH crosses Bitcoin in options market for first time […]

BUSD reserves consist of 60.5% US Treasury bills, 4.21% cash

Binance and Paxos Trust Company, which issues the dollar-pegged stablecoin BUSD (Binance USD), released the first unaudited breakdown of the reserves backing the token on Aug. 1. See related article: Binance spent over US$1B on compliance, founder Changpeng Zhao says Fast facts According to the reserve report, BUSD was backed by US$738 million in cash, […]

XRP trades down 3.5% after Ripple unlocks 1 billion tokens from escrow

Blockchain payments company Ripple released 1 billion of XRP from three escrow accounts on August 1, pushing the price of its native token down by 3.4% in the past 24 hours, according to CoinGecko data. See related article: SEC fails to block XRP holders from aiding in Ripple case Fast facts In December 2017, Ripple […]

Bitcoin, Ether edge lower in Asian trading, Dogecoin ends July with gains

Bitcoin and Ethereum were trading lower by 1.3% and 0.4% over the past 24 hours in Monday evening trade in Hong Kong. See related article: Bitcoin, Ethereum fall back after posting monthly gains for July Fast facts Bitcoin was trading down 1.3% at US$23,331.73 over the past 24 hours at 5:20 p.m. HKT on Monday, […]

Tether will support ETH 2.0 amid speculations of Merge delay

Bitfinex and Tether’s chief technology officer Paolo Ardoino said on Sunday that Tether plans to support ETH 2.0, amid widespread speculations that the Merge may get delayed yet again.  See related article: Ethereum one step closer to Eth2 with Ropsten testnet merger Fast facts While the Merge has been delayed multiple times, developers said it […]

Back to the future: Blockchain returns to the real world

As the once febrile crypto market cools, it’s time to look again at the enterprise capabilities of blockchain, says the Hyperledger Foundation’s Daniela Barbosa

Bitcoin, Ether rally continues in Friday afternoon trading in Asia

The cryptocurrency market continued its rally in afternoon trading in Asia on Friday, with Bitcoin and Ethereum up 4.4% and 5.7%, respectively, over the past 24 hours. See related article: Crypto continues tear while Vitalik Buterin says Eth2 ‘not priced in’ Fast facts Bitcoin was at one point changing hands above the US$24,000 mark in […]

Nirvana’s ANA token down more than 80% after US$3.5 mln hack

Solana-based decentralized finance protocol Nirvana Finance was exploited in a flash loan attack for US$3.49 million on July 28, the firm announced in a Twitter post, causing its tokens to topple by more than 80%. See related article: C.R.E.A.M. Finance suffers $28M flash loan hack Fast facts Using flash loans on lending protocol Solend, the […]

Komainu latest to get Dubai’s approval to operate

Digital assets company Komainu has received a provisional license from the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to offer cryptocurrency products and services to institutional clients in Dubai, CoinDesk said in a report.  See related article: Dubai could be crypto’s promised land, Citi says Fast facts Komainu is the latest to receive approval from Dubai […]

Terra allegedly ramped up its numbers with insider trading: report

Terraform Labs and affiliates allegedly ramped up the numbers of its decentralized finance (DeFi) service Anchor Protocol by investing their own capital, a claim that South Korean prosecutors are currently looking into, state broadcaster KBS reported. See related article: S.Korea slaps ‘notification upon arrival’ on Terra’s Do Kwon Fast facts The local media outlet claims […]

Ethereum price surges amid bounceback, tenth shadow fork going live

Ethereum has been on a tear, gaining 14% in the past 24 hours. The world’s second-biggest cryptocurrency by market capitalization is now up ​​more than 47% in the past 14 days ahead of the Merge. See related article: Vitalik Buterin says Ethereum to be 55% complete post-merge Fast facts Ethereum is up 13.9% over the […]

Tether says USDT reserves have no Chinese commercial paper

Tether, the issuer of USDT, the world’s most traded stablecoin, said it doesn’t hold Chinese commercial paper in its reserves and it plans to reduce its commercial paper holdings overall. See related article: Tether slashes commercial paper, shows more reserves than liabilities Fast facts In a statement published on Wednesday, Tether said it “holds no […]

Why DeFi remains attractive to institutions in a bear market

Despite the bleak macro outlook, more institutions are looking to gain exposure to the DeFi sector, writes Robert Alcorn of Clearpool. Here’s why.

US stablecoin bill draft may be released this week: report

Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives are pushing to introduce a stablecoin bill draft this week before the House breaks for August recess, according to four unnamed sources “familiar with the plan” cited by The Block.  See related article: Hold onto your crypto bags, the regulators are coming Fast facts The proposal on stablecoin […]

MicroStrategy shares fall after Jefferies downgrade to ‘underperform’

Investment banking firm Jefferies downgraded the MicroStrategy stocks from “hold” to “underperform.” See related article: Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy buys more Bitcoin Fast facts MicroStrategy, the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, has a premium valuation for a low-growth asset, Jefferies said in a research report released on Tuesday. Jefferies kept the MicroStrategy price target unchanged at […]

IMF says crypto crash hasn’t quite harmed broader financial system

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Tuesday that the cryptocurrency market turmoil hasn’t quite affected global financial stability. See related article: Crypto volatility hasn’t had macroeconomic implications so far: Jerome Powell Fast facts In a report published Tuesday, the IMF said crypto assets have “experienced a dramatic selloff” that has led to losses in crypto […]

Bitcoin mining difficulty records largest fall in a year

Bitcoin mining difficulty dropped by 5.01% on Friday, marking the third decline in a row and the largest fall since July 2021, according to data from BTC.com. See related article: Celsius Network could add to crypto mining struggles Fast facts The mining difficulty reading is now at 27.69 trillion at a block height of 745,920, […]

Tesla’s Bitcoin bump; Zipmex freezes withdrawals

Bitcoin drops after Tesla sells 75% of its bitcoin holdings. Meanwhile, South Korean authorities raid 15 companies as part of their Terra Luna investigations.

How crypto trading can become a life-consuming addiction

Residential rehabilitation centers around the world are starting to see a new kind of patient with an old problem: gambling addiction focused on crypto trading.

S.Korea prosecutors raid crypto exchanges as part of Terra-LUNA investigation

South Korean prosecutors raided 15 companies, including seven cryptocurrency exchanges, on Wednesday as part of their investigation into the Terra-LUNA debacle. See related article: Terra subsidiary used as funds channel for overseas affiliates: report Fast facts “[The search and seizure] is to secure any physical evidence needed to prove the allegations,” Choi Sung-kook, prosecutor in […]

3AC founders moved money out of troubled hedge fund, allege liquidators

Court filings in Singapore by the lawyers appointed by Three Arrow Capital’s creditors allege money was being moved out of the troubled crypto hedge fund into a company controlled by its founders.

Seeking Bitcoin alpha: How I learned crypto day trading

Hoping to strike crypto riches, Joel Stein follows the footsteps of a master degen investor. Here are the secrets revealed to him.

Aave to partner with Pocket to increase blockchain access to dApp developers

The decentralized finance (DeFi) lending protocol will use Pocket’s distributed network to increase access for decentralized app (dApp) developers across 50 blockchain networks.  See related article: DeFi lending platform Aave to ‘build Twitter on Ethereum’ Fast facts Pocket, which on Tuesday tweeted a Cointelegraph report on the partnership, offers Aave a distributed network of over […]

More than half of Bitcoin investors in SE Asia use the crypto to preserve wealth: report

According to a report by AAX crypto exchange and Forrester Consulting, 51% of Bitcoin owners in Southeast Asia used it to save money and preserve their wealth. See related article: Crypto trading volumes dip to 18-month low amid bear market Fast facts Some 47% of Bitcoin users in Southeast Asia sought a profit while 44% […]

Singapore’s MAS to further strengthen crypto regulations

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said it will seek consultation in the next months on proposed measures toward regulating the crypto industry. See related article: Singapore’s central bank says cryptocurrencies have ‘no fundamental value’ Fast facts Singapore’s regulatory focus on crypto has been mainly toward containing money laundering and terrorist financing risks, MAS Managing […]

Celsius says users can settle for cash at a discount or go long on crypto

In a presentation on Monday, embattled crypto lender Celsius Network presented a plan of action as it enters Chapter 11 proceedings to restructure and stabilize its business in an effort to placate stakeholders.   See related article: Celsius says it owes its users US$4.72B amid a US$1.19B balance sheet deficit Fast facts The firm expects to […]

The Lummis-Gillibrand bill could reshape global crypto regulations

As a world leader, the US now offers a regulatory template for crypto that others are sure to follow, writes Michael Shing of XREX. Here are the key provisions.

How the crypto winter is laying groundwork for Web3 to reach its potential

Digital assets are powering new industries, and DeFi will be the financial system of the future internet economy, writes Alex Tapscott in his new book, ‘Digital Asset Revolution.’

Celsius Network could add to crypto mining struggles

Celsius Mining, troubled crypto firm Celsius Network’s mining arm, still has over 80,000 crypto mining rigs, according to the lender’s bankruptcy filings. See related article: Celsius says it owes its users US$4.72B amid a US$1.19B balance sheet deficit Fast facts See related article: Celsius files for bankruptcy after closing DeFi loans

Questions over Circle’s USDC reserves linger despite assurances

Fresh claims that emerged over the weekend about the status of Circle’s USDC reserves cast doubts on the ability of the so-called stablecoin to maintain its peg. In a deep dive, Forkast examined the allegations and reached out to the company for its version of events.

Bitcoin hashrate slumps to lowest in over five months amid 100-degree-plus weather in Texas

Bitcoin’s hashrate dropped by more than 27% in 24 hours to 159.41 exahashes per second (EH/s) on Wednesday, the lowest since February this year, according to data from BTC.com.  See related article: Bitcoin miners in Texas halt operations amid heat wave Fast facts Multiple crypto miners in Texas, a mining hub in the U.S., have […]

Ethereum will soon turn 7 — and its upcoming ‘Merge’ will be well worth the wait

The ‘Merge’ will have a major impact on the Ethereum ecosystem and beyond, and getting it right is more important than speed, writes Kevin Loo of IDEG.

Will Mt. Gox Bitcoin eruption smother hopes of rapid crypto recovery?

Top blockchain and crypto news: Payback time for Mt. Gox investors. USDC issuer strikes back as critics circle. Chinese bank fiasco hits a nerve.

Bitcoin below US$20,000; Voyager refund questions

Bitcoin once again falls below the US$20,000 mark. Meanwhile, Celsius pays over US$113 million in debt and recovers more.

Why Singapore needs to rethink its approach to regulating crypto

Singapore wants to attract institutional capital while shielding its people from crypto — but it can’t have it both ways, writes Donovan Choy.

Why Bitcoin is still a good investment despite the bear market

BTC remains a safe haven for investors for the long term amid this year’s soaring inflation and market volatility, writes Josef Tětek of SatoshiLabs.

Bitcoin, Ethereum rebound pulls back amid worries of BTC dump from Mt. Gox, Celsius

Gains made by two of the world’s largest cryptocurrencies were partially eroded as speculation of a glut of Bitcoin from Mt. Gox’s customers and creditors and Celsius Network’s payback of its debt circulated over the weekend.

Crypto investments to count when determining conflict of interest: US gov’t ethics watchdog

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) said federal employees of the executive branch owning cryptocurrencies or mutual funds investing in the sector need to recuse themselves from any matter related to the industry. See related article: CFTC Commissioner Pham suggests regulators stay tech-neutral on stablecoins Fast facts The July 5 memo clarified that the […]

Circle says customers could redeem all of USDC in one day

In an exclusive interview with Forkast Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau, Circle Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Fox-Geen said reserves backing the so-called USDC stablecoin are ring-fenced from any potential fallout from the contagion engulfing crypto markets.

India’s Directorate of Enforcement said to question crypto exchanges

The country’s federal agency charged with investigating money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws has reportedly reached out to Indian crypto exchanges to probe possible violations of foreign exchange rules. See related article: CoinDCX double downs as the going gets tough in India Fast facts The Enforcement Directorate has sought “further details and documents” […]

Three Arrows, Voyager failures raise questions of who is next in crypto fall from grace

The crypto winter is killing off companies that took on big risks when markets were booming. So is this the shakeout all financial markets go through?

‘Wolf of Wall Street’ says Bitcoin investments will be profitable in three to five years

Jordan Belfort, the man who inspired Martin Scorsese’s film “Wolf of Wall Street” and a once-avowed crypto critic, said Bitcoin is a long play while speaking on Yahoo Finance’s show The Crypto Mile.  See related article: Bank of England calls for greater crypto regulation Fast facts The former convicted financial criminal turned famous consultant and […]

Bank of England calls for greater crypto regulation

The Bank of England (BoE) called for stricter financial regulations on the back of the recent cryptocurrency crash in its Financial Stability Report released Tuesday. See related article: Crypto crash justifies RBI’s stance: central bank chief Fast facts Risk is growing with the cryptocurrency industry’s expanding connection with the wider financial system, the U.K. central […]

Crypto winter hits NFTs; Three Arrows Capital files for bankruptcy

Three Arrows Capital files for bankruptcy in the US. Meanwhile, SBF and FTX agrees deal with option to buy for up to US$240 million.

Monthly NFT sales fall below US$1 billion for first time in 12 months

Crypto industry sales are slumping, but it’s not just hedge funds and lenders that have been hit hard by the crypto winter. The NFT industry has also begun to feel the chill.

CEL soars 17%; reclaims spot in top 100 crypto by market cap

Celsius Network’s cryptocurrency CEL is up 32.1% over the past 14 days leading to Monday in Asia, even as speculation around the lender filing for bankruptcy heats up.  See related article: Celsius community adopts GameStop tactics to squeeze out short sellers Fast facts CEL token gained 17% over the past 24 hours, peaking at US$0.94, […]

EU’s new crypto rule requires stablecoin issuers to hold more reserves

European Union officials agreed to the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) law on Thursday, placing cryptocurrencies, issuers and service providers under the EU’s first regulatory framework for the industry. The rules are expected to kick in as early as 2024. See related article: European Union to track all crypto transfers Fast facts All stablecoins will fall […]