Hong Kong’s race to launch first crypto-linked ETF begins
Three Hong Kong-based asset management firms have applied for exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking Bitcoin and Ethereum futures for retail investors.
Crypto lender Nexo to quit U.S. market over ‘regulatory unclarity’
Cryptocurrency lender Nexo will pull out of the U.S. market “due to a lack of regulatory clarity.”
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall; Polkadot is biggest loser in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether declined in Asian trading on Tuesday afternoon. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies retreated, with the largest decline seen in Polkadot
Bankrupt crypto lender Celsius gets court approval for extension to file restructuring plan
Cryptocurrency lender Celsius Network has received approval from the bankruptcy court of the Southern District of New York to extend the deadline to submit a restructuring plan
Bitcoin mining difficulty drops more than 7% as cash crunch hits miners
Miners face a liquidity crunch as cryptocurrency prices slide, with the world’s largest publicly-listed miner, Core Scientific, saying it may run down its cash reserves by the end of this year.
S.Korea central bank puts hand up to regulate stablecoins
The Bank of Korea (BOK) claimed it needs the authority to monitor and supervise stablecoins, according to the South Korean central bank’s report published on Monday.
Majority of ‘wealthy’ South Koreans say no plan to invest in crypto, cite lack of trust
The majority (58.3%) of South Koreans with assets of 1 billion Korean won (US$760,000) said they don’t plan to invest in cryptocurrencies.
Bankman-Fried claims new FTX CEO’s testimony is ‘false’
Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX.com, alleged in an interview released on Monday that John J. Ray III, the new chief executive of the firm, has made statements that Bankman-Fried knows to be “false.”
DeFi regulation: it’s not a matter of if, but when
The push to regulate DeFi is stronger than ever, and the sector would be wise not to fight but participate in that inevitability, writes Michael Shing of XREX.
Markets: Bitcoin, crypto top 10 retreat with equities on signs of inflation uptick in U.S.
Bitcoin dipped below US$17,000 in Tuesday morning trading in Asia, as Ether and most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies lost ground.
Innovation vs Regulation
Innovation and regulation are mutually exclusive in the world of crypto – and in the aftermath of the FTX collapse, getting the balance right is key.
NFTs ruled virtual property in China, its sales protected by law
The Hangzhou Internet Court has ruled that non-fungible tokens (NFT) are virtual properties protected by law, according to the court’s summary of a recent case posted on its official Wechat account on Nov. 29. See related article: China’s diktat against NFT trading spawns an ingenious industry Fast facts See related article: Tencent’s Huanhe allows NFT […]
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rally; Litecoin sees most gains across top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether rose in Asian trading on Monday afternoon. Most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies strengthened, led by gains in Litecoin
Will the next wave of FTX victims be unwitting tax cheats?
When a crypto exchange fails, will your transaction records vanish, too? Here’s why investors should take responsibility over their own trading data.
S.Korean prosecutors mull second request of arrest warrant for Terra cofounder Daniel Shin
Seoul judge dismisses prosecutors’ request for arrest warrant for Terra’s Daniel Shin, derails their plan to investigate Shin in custody
Australian crypto exchange Swyftx cuts 40% of jobs amid fallout from FTX collapse
Australian cryptocurrency exchange Swyftx cut 90 staff members — or 40% of its workforce — to prepare for a “worst-case scenario” in the market from the collapse of FTX.com.
Coinbase CEO Armstrong says Bankman-Fried’s US$8 bln ‘accounting error’ doesn’t stand up
Coinbase Global Inc. Chief Executive Brian Armstrong said Sam Bankman-Fried’s explanation of sloppy accounting as the reason US$8 billion moved from his crypto exchange FTX to brokerage arm Alameda Research doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
Sam Bankman-Fried ‘not sure’ if he will testify before Congress on Dec. 13
Sam Bankman-Fried, founder and former chief executive officer of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, tweeted on Monday morning Hong Kong time that he may not testify before the U.S. Congress on Dec. 13.
Wemade in talks with Binance for custody of WEMIX cryptocurrency
Wemade Co. Ltd. said its in talks to have Binance Institutional Services take custody of its native cryptocurrency, WEMIX.
Crypto exchange Bybit to cut 30% of staff to ‘navigate market slowdown’
Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit plans to cut 30% of its staff as part of a company reorganization, cofounder and chief executive officer Ben Zhou said in a statement shared with Forkast on Sunday.
Markets: Bitcoin back above US$17,000, Ether gains along with other top 10 crypto
Bitcoin traded above US$17,000 Monday morning in Asia, with all the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market cap gaining ground.
Cold comfort: Is Crypto Winter the right time to invest in Web3?
Amid the current crypto market carnage, Web3’s appeal for investors remains solid — and perhaps even stronger — says CVP NoLimit Holdings founder Gin Chao.
Hong Kong crypto exchange AAX has lost most staff, unlikely to reopen, says former executive
The exchange has gone silent since pausing withdrawals and liquidating all futures positions, with users fearing a repeat of the FTX collapse.
DeFi protocol Ankr to buy US$5 mln of BNB to cover funds lost in exploit
Decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol Ankr will buy US$5 million worth of BNB – the token of cryptocurrency exchange Binance – to compensate liquidity providers affected by Friday’s exploit
Digital ID Ready?
As the Philippine government ties to roll out a hugely ambitious ID system, we take a look at how blockchain could make data more secure.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether slip; Dogecoin leads decline across most top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether fell in Asian trading on Thursday afternoon, with other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also mostly down
NFT sales rise for first time in 7 months in November despite crypto price slump
NFT investors seemingly see opportunities in a month full of surprises and headwinds for the broader cryptocurrency market.
MetaComp becomes the latest crypto exchange to receive Singapore license
Singapore-based crypto exchange MetaComp has been granted Singapore’s license, enabling it to offer digital asset exchange and custody services to institutional investors.
S.Korea court to settle MIR4 maker Wemade, WEMIX legal battle
Following a hearing on Friday, the court is expected to finalize its decision on an injunction Wemade filed against four exchanges.
Coinbase disables NFT transfer on iOS app, citing hefty in-app fees
Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has disabled its non-fungible token transfer feature for iOS users, citing a dispute over Apple’s in-app purchase policy.
Terra cofounder Daniel Shin makes court appearance for arrest warrant review
Terra cofounder Daniel Shin attended a court hearing on Friday morning in South Korea that will decide on local prosecutors’ request to issue an arrest warrant.
Sam Bankman-Fried says not aware of any improper use of funds in FTX downfall
Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, said he did not know of any improper use of customer funds at his company, in an interview with ABC News.
S. Korea energy conglomerate builds US$84 mln metaverse fund
Daesung’s venture capital subsidiary recently established a fund worth 110 billion Korean won (US$84.5 million) for expanding investments into metaverse startups.
Markets: Bitcoin dips back below US$17,000, Ether falls, Dogecoin leads losers list
Bitcoin fell back below US$17,000 in Friday morning trading in Asia. Ether and all other non-stablecoin top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization also lost ground.
Blockchain Security Issues
The blockchain sphere has been hit with a ton of security issues over 2022. What can we do about it to make things better?
VPN in China may be at risk as users report connection issues on Twitter
VPN services, a reliable tool for Chinese internet users to bypass the Great Firewall, are reporting connectivity issues in the mainland after anti-lockdown protest content flooded Twitter.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise with Polygon topping gains in most top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether increased in Asian trading Thursday afternoon, with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies mixed
Sam Bankman-Fried points blame for FTX collapse to Alameda, says he was blindsided
Bankman-Fried beamed into New York from the Bahamas to give his version of what happened at FTX, mentioning his own failure of oversight and being “frankly surprised” by what was going on at his company’s sister brokerage.
FTX collapse will blunt activities of North Korea hackers, analyst says
The collapse of FTX.com and its far-reaching impacts will hinder North Korea’s ability to profit from cryptocurrency hacks, says one analyst.
Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is still optimistic about the metaverse
Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg said that he remains optimistic about the future of the metaverse over a “five-to-ten-year horizon” despite widespread skepticism of his company’s venture into the technology.
Troubled Hong Kong crypto exchange AAX unlikely to reopen, says former executive
Hong Kong-based crypto exchange AAX is likely to end operations and restructure, former head of communications, Ben Caselin, told CoinDesk TV on Wednesday.
South Korea’s Shinhan Bank starts ‘metaverse’ services, according to local media
Shinhan has opened a metaverse to provide financial and non-financial services, claiming to be the first bank in the country to provide such a platform.
U.S. crypto exchange Kraken to lay off 30% of its workforce, cites ‘market conditions’
U.S.-based crypto exchange Kraken said it will lay off 30% of its global workforce, or approximately 1,100 people, to “adapt to current market conditions.”
Indonesia central bank releases whitepaper on digital rupiah, to develop wholesale CBDC first
Indonesia’s central bank has released a whitepaper detailing plans for its central bank digital currency (CBDC), as the country looks to “advance digital transformation.”
Telegram plans decentralized crypto exchange, wallets following FTX collapse
Telegram plans to build non-custodial wallets and decentralized exchanges for cryptocurrencies following the collapse of the FTX exchange says CEO Pavel Durov.
It’s time for more institutions to adopt blockchain and crypto: Opinion
Despite the myriad benefits of blockchain and cryptocurrency, institutional interest remains mixed in Asia Pacific. What lessons should the industry learn from 2022 to overcome the barriers to adoption?
Markets: Bitcoin, crypto, rise after Fed Chair Powell hints at easing rate hikes
Bitcoin and Ether rose as Fed Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that the central bank may start easing interest rate hikes.
Philippines’ Blockchain Future
The Philippines might have moved on from Axie Infinity and other NFT collections, but its still steaming ahe
Binance re-enters Japan with acquisition of regulated Sakura Exchange BitCoin
Binance returned to the Japanese market with the acquisition of regulated crypto exchange Sakura Exchange BitCoin (SEBC), according to a blog post on Wednesday. See related article: Binance to help S. Korea’s Busan build first city-backed exchange Fast facts See related article: Crypto exchange Binance in regulators’ crosshairs as scrutiny mounts
Philippine Blockchain Week: Blockchain adoption struggles in the Philippines as businesses ‘invest to survive’
Blockchain adoption in the Philippines is struggling because businesses are focused on survival, according to Dr. Donald Lim, lead convenor at Philippine Blockchain Week in Manila.
Grayscale holdings questioned amid crypto investment giant’s silence
Top blockchain and crypto news: Grayscale’s cryptic reserves. Binance rides to the rescue? China hit by protests and digital dissent.
S.Korea requests warrant to bring Terra-Luna cofounder Daniel Shin into custody
A court in South Korea will review if prosecutors are allowed to arrest and bring Terraform cofounder Daniel Shin and seven others into custody, for charges including fraud.
Markets: Bitcoin rises, Ether leads gains across most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether strengthened in Asian trading on Wednesday afternoon, with Ether the biggest gainer among top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies that also generally increased. See related article: Diverging paths of two CEOs running FTX’s Alameda Research may meet again in court Fast facts See related article: Dominica releases ‘world’s first national’ crypto token with Huobi, […]
China activists use NFTs, decentralized technology to counter censorship
Many are minting NFTs and posting articles on Matters, a decentralized content-sharing platform, amid protests across China against Covid-19 lockdowns that turned political.
Diverging paths of two CEOs running FTX’s Alameda Research may meet again in court
Employee accounts of life at Sam Bankman-Fried’s flagship cryptocurrency trading arm Alameda Research paint a picture of overworked and inexperienced millennials running a ship headed for the rocks: one seemingly escaped.
FTX’s LedgerX prepping US$175 mln for bankrupt parent firm
FTX subsidiary LedgerX is reportedly preparing US$175 million for its parent company’s bankruptcy proceedings, according to unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg on Wednesday.
Sony launches motion capture wearables for the metaverse
Sony Japan unveiled Mocopi, a set of wearable motion-tracking sensors that captures user movements that are reflected by virtual avatars
Dominica releases ‘world’s first’ national crypto token with Huobi, Tron
The Commonwealth of Dominica in the Caribbean reportedly issued its national crypto token, DMC, on Tuesday, in partnership with crypto exchange Huobi Global, TronDAO and DMC Labs.
Swiss crypto bank SEBA Bank expands to Hong Kong
Swiss crypto bank SEBA Bank announced on Wednesday the opening of its Hong Kong office to serve global institutional clients as part of its Asia-Pacific expansion. See related article: Hong Kong said it remains upbeat on digital assets after FTX debacle Fast facts See related article: Hong Kong needs engineering talent to reclaim role as […]
Digital Currency Group receives offers to buy CoinDesk: report
CoinDesk, an online crypto news site, has attracted potential buyers to take over the media outlet from Digital Currency Group amid market turmoil, Semafor reported.
S. Korea’s Wemade files injunction against country’s top 4 crypto exchanges
The blockchain game maker fights delisting of its symbolic WEMIX crypto token.
S. Korea releases ethical guidelines for the metaverse
South Korea’s science ministry released a guideline of core ethical principles for metaverse application participants.
Coinbase wallet ends support for ETC, BCH, XRP, XLM
The largest U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Global Inc. announced that its wallet will no longer be supporting Ethereum Classic (ETC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), XRP and Stellar (XLM).
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether gain as China eases Covid rules amid protests; Dogecoin jumps
Bitcoin and Ether both rose in Wednesday morning trading in Asia, with all other non-stablecoin top 10 cryptocurrencies also gaining ground as China on Tuesday said it will relax some Covid rules in response to protests.
CeFi vs DeFi
FTX’s collapse has now led to another crypto service filing for bankruptcy. Could this be the end for centralized exchanges?
India to roll out retail CBDC on Dec. 1
India will launch its retail CBDC pilot on Thursday with plans to gradually expand trials, the RBI announced on Tuesday.
CeFi must adopt DeFi’s transparency following FTX collapse, Justin Sun says
Justin Sun says CeFi must adopt DeFi’s transparency to regain public trust as 1inch Network cofounder Sergej Kunz sees crypto’s struggles as an opportunity for DeFi.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise; top 10 crypto mostly higher with Dogecoin leading gains
Bitcoin and Ether rose in Asian trading on Tuesday afternoon. Top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also mostly strengthened, led by gains in Dogecoin and Litecoin
FTX to resume paying wages
FTX Trading and its affiliates will resume paying wages to employees globally and to some non-U.S. contractors and service providers
BlockFi files for bankruptcy protection, set to sue Sam Bankman-Fried over collateral
The cryptocurrency lender was hit by the earthquake set off across the industry by the collapse and bankruptcy of the FTX crypto exchange this month, and other companies are looking vulnerable.
ECB’s Christine Lagarde: Further crypto regulation ‘absolute necessity’ following FTX collapse
Christine Lagarde of the European Central Bank said regulating cryptocurrency in the EU is an “absolute necessity” following the collapse of Bahamas-based exchange FTX.com.
Kraken pays over US$360K to US Treasury to settle Iran sanctions allegations
U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has agreed to pay over US$362,000 to settle claims that it violated sanctions against Iran, the Treasury said Monday.