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The right balance of regulations can better protect gaming companies’ intellectual property as well as players’ assets, writes Henry Chang of Wemade.

The future world will run on digital money—the most trusted being Bitcoin, writes André Neves of Zebedee. Here’s how gaming can bring BTC to the masses.

Hong Kong police announced on Tuesday the arrest of a 24-year-old who is suspected of stealing HK$1.5 million (US$191,076) in cryptocurrencies in a physical cash-to-crypto transaction.  See related article: Hong Kong sees high engagement with crypto, Visa research shows Fast facts The police labeled the rare on-site cryptocurrency theft as a serious crime punishable by […]

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, denied sharing client data with Russian authorities, following a Reuters investigation into the exchange’s ties with the country.

Joe Biden’s executive order on crypto has put America on course for solid success in the digital asset space, says the Blockchain Association’s Kristin Smith.

Can blockchain embody the values of Earth Day? Consider its growing role in ESG and the energy-efficiency of newer crypto, writes Eddie Hui of MVGX.

Australian crypto exchange BTC Markets has partnered with Mastercard to allow its customers to make direct debit, prepaid or credit card payments to purchase cryptocurrencies from the platform. See related article: Mastercard partners with Australian exchange for crypto card Fast facts The move is part of a broader trend by payments giants like Mastercard and […]

Asia looks set to become the next big market for NFTs, with some experts predicting the region may surpass the West as early as this year. Global Google search interest for the term “NFT” surged past “crypto” in January, with the search engine’s data showing growth originating in the East. Data from Taiwan, Japan and […]

Ethereum’s market value passing up Bitcoin’s may not be a matter of if, but when. Dr. Kosrow Dehnad and Joe Duncan offer a predictive model.

Amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, two divergent narratives about crypto are being told, writes Alex Tapscott. Which version is correct?

War-mongering Russia is finding itself increasingly isolated. Can cryptocurrency help the rogue state soften the blow of sanctions?

The European Union (EU) said on Wednesday that crypto assets fall under the scope of “transferable securities” in its sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus. See related article: Russian banks turn to China’s UnionPay as Visa, Mastercard pull plug Fast facts The EU is extending its sanctions to Belarus for its involvement in Russia’s invasion […]

Binance has launched its own fiat-to-crypto service provider Bifinity to improve on-ramps and encourage more merchants to take crypto payments. See related article: Israel added to Binance’s list of global regulatory trouble spots Fast facts Bifinity offers over 50 cryptocurrencies and supports major payment methods, including Visa and Mastercard. Crypto business aggregator Coinmap has tracked […]

Stranded away from home, Web 3.0 company Everstake founder Sergey Vasylchuck realized he could still help his war-torn homeland Ukraine by raising funds through a DAO.

Look for progress reports on e-CNY, blockchain technology, new digital infrastructure, and subtle mentions of the international sanctions against Russia.

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway purchased US$1 billion of Brazilian neobank Nubank Class A stock in Q4 2021 while selling billions of dollars of stock in Mastercard and Visa. Fast facts Buffett’s holding company dumped US$1.3 billion and US$1.8 billion from Mastercard and Visa, respectively, according to a Feb. 14 filing with the U.S. Securities and […]

As more countries announce plans for central bank digital currencies, will that break crypto’s promise as the future of money?

China does not expect significant impact on its monetary system if the digital dollar were introduced, said Mu Changchun, director-general of the People’s Bank of China Digital Currency Initiative on Wednesday. He spoke at a panel organized by the Atlantic Council think tank to support the release of the International Monetary Fund’s report on central […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Bandwidth bust in Kazakhstan. Binance chief CZ tops rich list. Digital yuan app adoption grows.

NFTs are finding novel uses across many sectors, from fashion to real estate. What industries stand to benefit most from this technology in the year ahead?

Ethereum was game-chaging at its 2015 launch, but today it’s showing its age. As Eth2 upgrades slowly unfold, who are the top rivals trying elbow out the #2 blockchain?

As 2021 draws to a close, what are this year’s milestones and trends to watch in the year ahead? Forkast.News consults experts to find out.

Alex Tapscott of Ninepoint Partners also shares with Forkast.News his predictions for stablecoins and NFTs in 2022.

Bitcoin’s current price is not indicative of the crypto’s future prospects, says Mark Yusko, who looks forward to the tokenization of everything.

Blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs has raised US$60 million in a Series B funding round led by investment firm Tiger Global, the company announced on Tuesday. Fast facts Also participating in the financing round were American Express’ Amex Ventures, Visa, B Capital Group, Citi Ventures, DRW Venture Capital, Blockchain Capital, Jump Capital, Marshall Wace, Block […]

The US Internal Revenue Service is taking a hard look at cryptocurrency transactions to crack down on tax dodgers. How can crypto holders protect themselves?

17,437 virtual strangers chipped in over $40 million to jointly buy a rare copy of the US Constitution. They lost their bid but now has everyone asking: What is a DAO?

How to sift through millions of NFTs before buying? NFT marketplace Mintable is hoping to attract more users with these new organizing and ranking features.

First it was crypto derivatives FTX jumping into the game in Miami. Now Singapore-based Crypto.com has stepped it up a notch by dropping more than US$700 million to rename the iconic Staples Center in Los Angeles to Crypto.com Arena for 20 years, according to the Los Angeles Times. Fast facts This figure makes it one […]

The projects topped 300 rivals in their potential to improve the future digital Singapore dollar in payment services and financial inclusion. Who were the other winners?

The tiny island nation of Barbados announced it will build a virtual embassy in Decentraland.

Rounding out an impressive year for the world’s No. 5 blockchain, Solana held its first global offline conference in Lisbon this week. Here’s a look at some of the key moments.

Ethereum’s sprawling Web 3.0 ecosystem — which includes the majority of the decentralized finance (DeFi), stablecoins, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and blockchain gaming worlds — continues to expand and draw users, with 3.4 million Ethereum addresses interacting with DeFi protocols, according to ConsenSys’ Web 3 Q3 2021 report published this week. Led by Ethereum co-founder Joseph […]

Crypto market cap breaks US$3 trillion, also APAC crypto cards to launch

New Jersey-based crypto banking services provider BlockFi and investment management firm Neuberger Berman jointly filed for a Bitcoin spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday. Fast facts In September, the U.S. got its first Bitcoin-linked ETF with the launch of ProShares Bitcoin Strategy Fund. But ProShares’ ETF was backed […]

Mastercard has partnered with three crypto companies in Asia Pacific — Hong Kong-based Amber Group, Bitkub in Thailand, and CoinJar in Australia — to launch crypto-funded payment cards, according to a Nov. 8 media statement. Fast facts The three companies are the first APAC-based cryptocurrency platforms to join Mastercard’s global Crypto Card Program, which enables […]

DeFi is here to stay, but regulations are still lacking. Jason Blick of EQIBank explores the challenges and how authorities can move forward.

The big-money world of NFTs is also attracting hackers, thieves and con artists. How do you know if that Ape NFT or digital Banksy is fake?

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.

Payments giant Mastercard and cryptocurrencies firm Bakkt Holdings Inc. announced on Monday they have partnered to facilitate cryptocurrency debit and credit card payments. The partnership will make it easier for merchants, banks and fintechs in the U.S. to offer a broad set of cryptocurrency services and ​​enable consumers to buy and sell digital assets through […]

As the crypto market lit up with green across the board this morning, the price of Solana (SOL) jumped 6% in a few hours overnight to reach a new all-time high of US$218.73, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Solana’s price has since lost some of this ground, however, and was trading at US$208.57 at press […]

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

U.S.-based Bakkt, a cryptocurrency custodian and trading platform, went public Monday on the New York Stock Exchange after an announcement by Intercontinental Exchange, or ICE, which owns Bakkt and the NYSE. Fast facts Unlike its competitor Coinbase, which chose a direct listing on Nasdaq, Bakkt is going public by merging with a special-purpose acquisition company, […]

As non-crypto players like Twitter and PayPal take up digital assets, Coinbase, Binance and others look for ways to expand offerings.

The importance of digital privacy, freedom of expression and civil liberties and how Web 3 can protect them.

A profound shift is underway in online culture, writes Anndy Lian of BigOne Exchange. Here’s how decentralized finance might one day power the NFT and metaverse economy.

SOL had been on a tear but is now losing ground. Is Solana a victim of its own success — or does the network have deeper problems?

Payments giant Mastercard announced it is extending its reach into the realm of cryptocurrency with the acquisition of CipherTrace, a blockchain analytics startup, for “greater security, transparency and trust to digital assets across the ecosystem.” Fast facts CipherTrace, which calls itself the world’s first blockchain forensics team, provides cryptocurrency tracking and investigation services. It launched an […]

As most of the market saw a 10% to 15% dip in the past 48 hours, Solana (SOL) has defied that trend, crossing the US$200 mark for the first time and becoming the new sixth-largest coin by market cap a few hours ago, according to data from CoinMarketCap.com. Fast facts SOL was trading at US$205.27 […]

As non-fungible tokens break into the mainstream, experts advise buyers to do research and watch for a correction.

Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: El Salvador’s BTC experiment. EthereumMax and the power of celebrity. Hong Kong shores up regulatory oversight.

Despite significant losses across the board, industry experts are not too concerned, seeing the plunge as normal market behavior.

The Central American nation opens up the next chapter in the history of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency.

Solana (SOL) is continuing to break new ground, gaining 22% in the past 24 hours to reach a new all-time high of US$177.95 at press time, according to data from CoinMarketCap.com. Fast facts It has been a historic run for the network, which rose 45% over the previous week to reach its previous all-time high […]

As the blockchain industry shifts to ‘proof of stake,’ staking’s bonding period can lock up capital. What are the alternatives?

Zipmex, a Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange, has completed a US$41 million Series B funding round as it innovates toward a “full 360 digital banking offering,” the company said during a media briefing today. Fast facts Investors in Zipmex’s Series B funding round indicate increasing institutional buy-in to the digital assets industry. The investors include Krungsri Finnovate, […]

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) today announced 15 finalists for its “Global CBDC Challenge” — a competition to develop retail Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) solutions to improve payment services and promote financial inclusion. Fast facts According to MAS, the Global CBDC Challenge attracted over 300 submissions from more than 50 countries, with over […]

What is the relationship between crypto assets and stock prices? An analysis week’s market trends.

Amid the immense growth in the non-fungible token market, leading Singapore-based crypto exchange AAX is planning to launch its own NFT marketplace in the “near future,” according to a press release shared with Forkast.News. Fast facts In preparation for the launch, AAX is running a campaign in which its users can auction NFTs for charity […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Is another Bitcoin bull run coming soon? Punks rocking NFTs. Why crypto contracts may not be enforceable in China.

Fetch.ai, an artificial intelligence lab based in the British city of Cambridge, today announced the launch of its new non-fungible token (NFT) platform, Colearn Paint, that will allow creators to automatically generate NFTs using a machine learning algorithm. Fast facts Alongside the surge in NFT sales over the past year, NFT marketplaces have proliferated. According […]

Professor jailed for crypto scam while Cryptopunks trading volume soars

In what will likely be a relief for many Salvadorans, El Salvador’s finance minister said the use of BTC will remain “totally optional” and businesses will not be sanctioned for not using it when the country’s controversial BTC law comes into effect on Sept. 7, reports Yahoo News. Fast facts The country’s adoption of BTC […]

Solana hits all time high as GoSats launches bitcoin reward card

Solana price hits new record and enters top 10, beating Uniswap, following launch of blockchain communication bridge Wormhole and sellout debut of Degenerate Ape NFTs.

GoSats, an Indian Bitcoin rewards app, has launched a new cash back card that will allow Indians to earn up to 100% of their spending in Bitcoin and provide a chance to win one full Bitcoin on every spend, GoSats announced in a tweet. Fast facts The GoSats prepaid RuPay debit cards will be released […]

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.

Crypto exchanges, or VASPs, are coming under increasing regulation. Complying with the Financial Action Task Force’s travel rule will be one of them.

Ethereum upgrade closely watched also India launches e-RUPI voucher

In a further move towards cryptocurrency adoption, Mastercard has partnered with one of Australia’s oldest crypto exchanges, CoinJar, to launch one of the country’s first crypto payment cards. Fast facts The card became available on Tuesday in a digital form through integration with Apple Pay and Google Pay, and will be available in a physical […]

The International Monetary Fund says it has a mandate to help countries around the world adopt and adapt to digital currencies, but only if the digital money is in the public interest — which Bitcoin is not, according to an IMF report published yesterday. Fast facts While the IMF recognizes the potential benefits of digital […]

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 […]