Why blockchain is the operating system of the digital age
Blockchain has achieved platform status, writes Don Tapscott of Blockchain Research Institute. Get ready for the ‘trivergence’ that will shake up the world.
King Fury movie director launches monster figure NFTs
Martial arts comedy movie series “King Fury” director David Sandberg has launched a new non-fungible token series called “Unicorn Masters” inspired by monstrous action figures from movies in the 1980s and 90s. Fast facts The Halloween edition of Unicorn Masters contain 15 3D-rendered animated characters described as disturbed, disembodied and desiccated. The NFT characters look […]
Warning issued over K-pop crypto; Dog fight hits crypto market
Warning issued over K-pop crypto meanwhile Dog fight hits crypto market
FATF updates regulatory guidance for crypto industry
The global AML watchdog provides clarifications on how crypto is to be regulated — and why DeFi could see more scrutiny.
Back to the future: Why Bitcoin is still a game-changer
Bitcoin is awakening humanity to its own sovereign capacities, says Ben Caselin of AAX. Here’s why the world’s first cryptocurrency is still at the cutting edge of finance and culture.
China’s national standard for blockchain could be released next year: report
China’s first national standard for blockchain could be released next year and a draft is now in the process of being submitted for approval, an official said earlier this week at an event in the western province of Sichuan, according to a report from local media Chuanguan, run by state-owned Sichuan Daily. Fast facts Li […]
Tales from the Crypt, 2021: 10 crypto horror stories
Behind this year’s giddy markets, evil and tragedies abound. Just in time for Halloween, Forkast.News shakes out the skeletons in crypto’s closet.
Unraveling the mystery behind why Bitcoin prices are all over the place
Even the most reliable media can report wildly different crypto numbers. Forkast.News dives into DeFi math and crypto exchange economics to find out who’s right.
DBS Bank first in Southeast Asia to join Hedera Governing Council
Singapore’s DBS Bank — Southeast Asia’s largest lender — has joined the Hedera Governing Council, a diverse group of companies that governs and supports the Hedera network, an enterprise-grade public ledger of transactions, according to a media statement. Fast facts DBS — the first and only bank in Southeast Asia to join the Governing Council […]
India’s long-awaited crypto regulation coming in February, finance ministry officials say
Recent developments indicate the government is looking to regulate the sector instead of quashing it, and industry experts remain optimistic.
Tesla’s trillion-dollar triumph — and its bond with Bitcoin
Top blockchain and crypto news: Is Tesla’s turbocharge a boost for Bitcoin? Mastercard’s Bakkt with a new crypto deal. Chinese NFTs on knife-edge.
Beijing to launch second e-CNY pilot zone
The Municipal Administrative Center of Beijing officially announced the launch of an e-CNY enterprise zone to “explore the digital renminbi financial system.” The plan includes support for experimental digital currency projects including by increasing 5G infrastructure to enable faster transactions. Fast facts E-CNY is China’s central bank digital currency (CBDC). It is anticipated to be […]
Vitalik Buterin: Layer 2 is the future of Ethereum scaling
Ethereum’s creator explains why rollups can help scale Ethereum while preserving decentralization.
Philippines trials blockchain voting; Byron Bay to host crypto mining
Philippines trials blockchain voting meanwhile Byron Bay to host crypto mining
Byron Bay to host Australia’s largest Bitcoin mining operation — using green energy
While it may be known locally and domestically as a tourist hotspot and home to many Hollywood A-list celebrities, Australia’s coastal town of Byron Bay is set to become host to Australia’s biggest Bitcoin mining site— and it’s going to be powered by 100% renewable energy. Fast facts According to a company press release, local […]
Alipay and Tencent now call NFTs ‘digital collectibles’ amid state media criticism
Tech giants banish non-fungible token references as Beijing looks down new virtual asset market.
The Philippines looks to blockchain voting for its diaspora
The nation’s elections commission wants to upgrade its voting technology to improve voter turnout and public trust. Does blockchain check the boxes?
Proshares files for exemption; Shiba Inu hits all-time high
Proshares files for exemption meanwhile Shiba Inu hits all-time high
China’s BSN launches service portal in Hong Kong, Macau with digiXnode
Hong Kong-based blockchain technology company digiXnode Technology Ltd. today officially launched an exclusive service portal — for users in Hong Kong and Macau — that grants access to the Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN), China’s public-private nationwide infrastructure project to spur mass adoption of blockchain technology. Fast facts By subscribing to the service from digiXnode’s website […]
Nigeria to become 1st African country to launch a central bank digital currency
Nigeria, a country with one of the world’s highest cryptocurrency adoption rates, is set to become the first African nation to launch its own central bank digital currency (CBDC) today as President Muhammadu Buhari formally launches the eNaira. Fast facts Nigeria’s CBDC, the eNaira, was initially scheduled to be launched on Oct. 1. The launch […]
ProShares seeks to alter BTC ETF after less than a week
Less than a week out from its historic launch, ProShares is already seeking to amend its Bitcoin futures exchange-traded fund — the first in the U.S. — by filing for an exemption from trading limits at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, where the fund purchases its futures contracts, according to an article in Barron’s. Fast facts […]
How Australia’s National Blockchain Roadmap sets an example for the world
The Australian government sees blockchain’s enormous benefits and is now actively developing the technology, writes Chami Akmeemana. What can other countries learn from this?
Australia looks to regulate crypto; Ethereum hits all-time high
Australia’s Senate report into fintech regulations includes 12 recommendations for a clear digital assets framework.
China has no plan to promote its e-currency within BRI countries — yet
“For now, we do not have any plan for using e-CNY in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries yet,” China’s central bank chief said at the 2021 G30 International Banking Seminar, regarding the electronic yuan (e-CNY), the world’s first major central bank digital currency that is being slowly rolled out in China. Meanwhile, authorities […]
Ethereum price touches new all-time high in altcoins rally
Ethereum prices surged to new heights ahead of next week’s Altair Beacon Chain upgrade but then pulled back. How do crypto experts make sense of it?
FTX raises $421 million, valuation jumps $7B in 3 months
Just three months after closing a record US$1 billion series B, the two-year-old cryptocurrency exchange is now valued at US$25 billion. Fast facts The US$420,690,000 Series B-1 funding round saw the participation of 69 investors, with prominent names the lineup, including Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, via its Teachers’ Innovation Platform, Singapore’s state-owned investment firm […]
Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com offers NFTs despite state media criticisms
Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com is giving away free non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to those who sign up for its annual technology conference JD Discovery, in a move to jump on the NFT bandwagon following its rivals Alibaba and Tencent. Fast facts JD.com’s tech arm JD Technology said yesterday in a social media post it is giving […]
What Singapore’s novel crypto license scheme means for the future of payments
In a special Q&A, CEO Louis Liu describes the hoops FOMO Pay jumped through to win Singapore’s first crypto license and calls its regulator a ‘collaborator.’
Bitcoin price hits all-time high after ProShares ETF debut
Bitcoin set another record as it traded above US$67,000 Wednesday, one day after ProShares’ first-day trading volume reached nearly US$1 billion
How to make sense of the hot new digital assets, like Bored Apes? Think: Lego blocks
Money, culture and community are now converging in NFTs and the token economy, writes Lily Z. King. Welcome to a new world where ‘money Lego’ meets ‘culture Lego.’
China’s crypto investors get creative to bypass domestic trading ban
Some are registering companies overseas, via — you guessed it — Taobao vendors.
Facebook to create 10,000 jobs in the EU to build its vision for the metaverse
Facebook says it will create 10,000 jobs in the European Union over the next five years to build its highly anticipated metaverse — a digital platform that utilizes technology such as virtual and augmented reality that the company says has the potential to unlock new creative, social and economic opportunities. Fast facts According to a […]
How Singapore’s crypto regulations are shaping its DeFi space
Singapore is a major crypto hub. But for whom? In this primer, Malcolm Tan explains the island-state’s regulatory evolution and which groups are no longer in its favor.
What the coming Bitcoin-futures ETF bonanza means for investors
The first US Bitcoin futures EFT is set to begin trading today. Will this exchange-traded fund bring Bitcoin closer to the masses?
China fuels blockchain development despite stricter crypto ban
Authorities encourage new ways to apply blockchain across various industries, although there’s no room for crypto
BTC price nears all-time-high as futures ETFs near approval
The U.S. could see a long-awaited Bitcoin futures ETF trading on the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq in the next few days. Forkast.News spoke with market watchers to find out what it means for the industry.
Taking opulence online: How blockchain is beckoning luxury brands
As luxury brands eye the virtual realm, Zilliqa co-founder Max Kantelia looks forward to a convergence of desirable objects and digital opportunities.
Chinese President Xi Jinping underscores blockchain importance in transport
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday at the United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference the country needs to uphold an innovation-driven approach and create more drivers for development. He specifically mentioned in his remarks the integration of blockchain. Fast facts Xi said more should be done to develop smart transport and smart logistics and […]
China’s Zhejiang province busts covert crypto mining operations — some within public entities
Hidden mining tracked by IP addresses to state agencies, enterprises, institutions, schools
China Mobile launches a network-less E-CNY wallet
The state-run Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and telecommunications service giant China Mobile on Wednesday jointly announced the launch of a fiat digital-yuan hard wallet that allows equipped phones to transact in e-CNY without a mobile network. Fast facts The wallet, SIM Pay, is a super-SIM card with near-field communication (NFC) technology. NFC […]
Why global regulations for stablecoins can help catalyze crypto adoption
In this special Q&A, industry leaders tell Forkast.News why global stablecoin regulations can help catalyze crypto adoption.
Hong Kong exhibition to showcase NFTs for good causes
An NFT art exhibition demonstrates how digital tokens can be used to promote United Nations sustainability goals.
China’s state-backed blockchain network, U.S. firm team up to enhance CBDC efficiency
China’s Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) — a public-private nationwide infrastructure project to spur mass adoption of blockchain technology — is partnering with a New York-based blockchain company to advance interoperability as BSN actively expands its global presence to lure more developers to use the blockchain network. Fast facts Cypherium, a smart contract technology provider focusing on central […]
Crypto lender Celsius bags US$400M despite regulatory heat
In spite of ongoing regulatory issues, cryptocurrency lender Celsius Network has raised US$400 million in an investment round pegging the valuation of the company at US$3 billion. Fast facts The funding was led by U.S. growth equity firm WestCap and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), a global investment group. Celsius will use the funds to […]
Coinbase and Binance move to diversify; Stablecoins under scrutiny
Coinbase and Binance move to diversify meanwhile Stablecoins under scrutiny
Bitmain to supply 10K Antminer rigs to Bit Digital for U.S. expansion
Crypto miners in China may be under siege and driven out of business or forced to flee to friendlier shores. But one corner of the country’s crypto mining industry — the mining machine manufacturers — does not seem to be affected much. Chinese mining rig maker Bitmain, for example, has recently secured a deal with […]
Crypto exchanges diversify amid growing competition
As non-crypto players like Twitter and PayPal take up digital assets, Coinbase, Binance and others look for ways to expand offerings.
Sri Lanka to study digital banking, blockchain and crypto mining regulation
Sri Lanka has formed a panel to recommend a regulatory framework covering the growth of digital banking, blockchain and cryptocurrency mining, the government has announced. Fast facts Developing an integrated system of digital banking, blockchain and cryptocurrency mining is crucial for Sri Lanka to keep up with its regional neighbors while expanding international trade, the […]
Shenzhen has the most e-CNY pilot program uses, Chinese state-owned media says
According to a Shenzhen state-owned newspaper, Shenzhen now has nearly 120,000 e-CNY pilot program application scenarios, ranking first in the country. Fast facts In October last year, Hong Kong’s neighboring city, Shenzhen, became the first e-CNY pilot city, which rolled out the first batch of 50,000 e-CNY red packets with a total value of 10 […]
Is DeFi at war with traditional finance, and should TradFi be scared?
Decentralized finance may look like it’s consuming TradFi, writes Will Hamilton of TCM Capital. But here’s why one won’t survive without the other.
China’s national blockchain network to expand to Turkey, Uzbekistan
China’s Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) — a public-private nationwide infrastructure project to spur mass adoption of blockchain technology — is setting up more portals overseas, as it moves a step closer to more international exposure. Fast facts Red Date Technology, the company China tapped to manage its BSN, announced today that it is working to […]
Is Blockchain’s age of interoperability finally on the horizon?
As blockchain nodes multiply around the world, the need for interconnectivity has never been greater. John DeVadoss of InterWork Alliance explains why.
NFTs and the music industry: Flatten the learning curve | Part 3
Singers and musicians are embracing non-fungible tokens, but will their non-crypto active fans buy it?
Tether lashes out at report that claims it is not 100% backed
Tether is facing another round of scrutiny as the world’s number one stablecoin responds to a damning Bloomberg report published yesterday that claimed — among other things — that Tether is not fully backed as the company claims and is using its reserves to make crypto-backed loans. Fast facts In the article, reporter Zeke Faux […]
Crypto exchange Binance looks to Ireland for regional HQ
Binance — the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world — is looking at setting up regional headquarters in Ireland, according to Reuters. Fast facts “Historically, we claim that we don’t have headquarters. We are actually just in the process of establishing a few headquarters in different parts of the world,” Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao told […]
How blockchain can unify healthcare and improve public health
Global healthcare data sharing suffers from lack of security, clear ownership, interoperability and accessibility. Can blockchain provide solutions?
CoinSwitch Kuber becomes unicorn; Australians reminded over crypto tax
Coinswitch Kuber becomes unicorn meanwhile Australians reminded over crypto tax
2021 is a banner year for NFTs. Here’s what you need to know
The NFT boom is transforming the art world, writes Laura Ballman and Michael Greenwald. Collectors would be wise to learn all they can about this new technology.
SHIB price surges, biggest gains since May
Outstripping the explosive growth of Dogecoin in the past week, copycat memecoin SHIB was up over 300% over the past four days this morning, briefly reaching a five-month high of US$0.00003436, according to CoinGecko. Fast facts Trading at US$0.00003079 at press time, this marks the second massive jump in the Shiba Inu coin’s price since […]
How to protect digital privacy and freedom of expression | Ep. 4
The importance of digital privacy, freedom of expression and civil liberties and how Web 3 can protect them.
How should the world tackle crypto criminals and digital dangers?
Top blockchain and crypto news: US leads charge in ramping up cybersecurity. Crypto fans crow as Facebook flops. China bears down on metaverses.
Korea crypto tax pause called for; TikTok jumps into NFTs
Korea crypto tax pause called for meanwhile Tiktok jumps into NFTs
How Singapore is emerging as a safe harbor for the Chinese crypto industry exodus
As China intensifies its crypto crackdown, regulatory clarity is a beacon for safer shores in Southeast Asia.
Central and Southeast Asia among fastest-growing regions in global crypto adoption: Chainalysis
Much of the growth in the region is driven by strong grassroots adoption rates led by Vietnam, India and Pakistan, new data from Chainalysis shows
e-CNY chat wallet launched; Korean illegal crypto transactions surge
China’s telecom giants to bring digital yuan transactions to mobile chatting boxes.
Why domestic and overseas Chinese should worry about China’s crypto ban
In a special Q&A, a Canadian law advisor who works with Chinese clients breaks down the ban’s potential legal boundaries and concerns held by overseas Chinese.
How will China’s new dictates affect Hong Kong’s future as a crypto hub?
Mainland China’s recent clampdowns on crypto are reverberating beyond its borders. In a special Q&A, former regulator and crypto industry leader Angelina Kwan discusses what this means for Hong Kong.
Crypto on the beach: FTX and other players find paradise in the Caribbean
This week, FTX announced it is moving its headquarters from Hong Kong to the Bahamas, as the larger Caribbean region takes on a bigger role as host to virtual currency exchanges.
Singapore grants crypto licenses to DBS and Australian exchange Independent Reserve
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) today granted licenses to DBS Vickers (DBSV), the brokerage arm of DBS Bank, and Independent Reserve, an Australian cryptocurrency exchange, to provide digital payment token services under the Payment Services Act (PS Act). Fast facts Formal approval from MAS, which follows its earlier “in-principal approval” granted to both companies […]
DeFi benefits from China ban; Gamevil increases Coinone stake
DeFi benefits from China ban while Gamevil increases Coinone stake
A crypto-trading hamster is outrunning Warren Buffett
Although scarcely the size of a human palm, Mr. Goxx is earning big returns in the virtual currency market, raking in a 16% return as of Tuesday.
Why China’s latest stomp on crypto is turbo-charging DeFi growth
DeFi tokens like dYdX soared after China’s latest move to throttle crypto. Is this a short-term spurt or decentralized finance shifting into high gear?