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FTX collapse not the worst for crypto investors this year, says Chainalysis study

The bankruptcy of cryptocurrency exchange FTX doesn’t represent the biggest losses for crypto investors in 2022, according to a report from Chainalysis.

Sam Bankman-Fried in Bahamas police custody, faces criminal charges in U.S.

Top blockchain and crypto news: SBF denied bail, US extradition likely next. The Block chief quits over secret FTX loans. Hong Kong readies digital asset rules.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether strengthen; Solana leads gains in most top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether increased in Asian trading on Wednesday afternoon, with Solana leading gains across most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies

Terra fugitive Do Kwon has registered address in Serbia: S. Korean local media

Interpol fugitive and chief of Terraform Labs Pte. Ltd. Kwon Do-hyung has registered his residential address in the Republic of Serbia.

FTX an ‘old-fashioned embezzlement’ says new CEO as US authorities charge Bankman-Fried with fraud

Members of a U.S. Congressional hearing expressed frustration about the timing of Bankman-Fried’s arrest, saying they wanted him to testify under oath so the public could get the answers they are seeking about the collapse of FTX.

Wemade appeals against the court ruling in favor of WEMIX delisting

Wemade Co. filed an immediate appeal against the court’s Dec. 7 decision that rejected the developer’s request to disallow four of the nation’s largest crypto exchanges from delisting its native cryptocurrency, WEMIX.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices rise as November U.S. inflation reading lower than expected

Bitcoin and Ether both rose more than 3% in Wednesday morning in Asia, as the U.S. consumer price index came in lower than expected.

Binance resumes USDC withdrawals amid record stablecoin outflows

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, announced at 12:54 a.m. on Wednesday in Hong Kong that USDC stablecoin withdrawals have resumed.

Crypto savings, staking products not protected in Hong Kong, finance regulator says

The Hong Kong SFC said that virtual asset investments offering high-interest returns on cryptocurrency deposits and those that guarantee additional assets at fixed rates are unregulated products that are not protected by law. 

Bitcoin up 5% as U.S. inflation cools in November

Bitcoin jumped more than 5% on Tuesday evening Hong Kong time, after the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said that the consumer price index (CPI), a key inflation indicator, was up 7.1% in November from a year earlier, less than the expected 7.3%, and down from 7.7% in October. The CPI rose 0.1% in November from October.

Binance ‘temporarily’ freezes USDC stablecoin withdrawals, cites need for NY banks to reopen

The Binance cryptocurrency exchange “temporarily paused” USDC stablecoin withdrawals while it carried out a “token swap,” the company announced Tuesday.

SEC charges FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried with defrauding investors

FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried has been charged by the U.S. SEC for orchestrating a years-long fraud on investors, the agency announced on Tuesday.

Crypto market implosions, bankruptcies bring sweeping job losses … and opportunity

By some estimates, job cuts in the cryptocurrency-specific industry are running at about 30-40%, which means tough times for employers and employees, and compensation packages are also taking a hit.

New FTX CEO says he found ‘utter failure of corporate controls’ at the exchange

John J. Ray III, the new CEO of FTX.com, said the company’s failure was caused by the “concentration of control in a very small group of grossly inexperienced and unsophisticated individuals.”

Sam Bankman-Fried arrested in Bahamas — could other FTX executives be next?

The fall from grace: Once one of the most admired figures in crypto, the former head of the FTX exchange is unlikely to see his Bahamas penthouse anytime soon after being arrested Monday on U.S. charges that are expected to lead to his extradition.
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Why local currency stablecoins are needed in non-US countries

Stablecoins in USD are becoming the digital world’s default currency — which burdens ordinary crypto users and monetary policies in smaller nations, writes Wei Zhou of Coins.ph.

U.S. Justice Department mulls charging Binance over potential money laundering violations: report

Prosecutors at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) are reportedly split on filing charges against Binance and its executives on possible money laundering and sanctions violations, as part of a long-running criminal investigation.

KuCoin’s BTC, ETH reserves overcollateralized, says auditor Mazars

KuCoin, a Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange, on Monday released its proof of reserves report issued by third-party auditor Mazars, which concluded that the exchange’s reserves of Bitcoin, Ether, USDT and USDC are overcollateralized.

Coniferous crypto: What the industry must do to survive this winter

Crypto is weathering this year’s extreme turbulence so far. But its long-term health will require the sector’s urgent attention to regulation, education and security, writes Oliver Linch, CEO of Bittrex Global.

S.Korea discusses control over crypto listings after WEMIX delisting

S.Korean authorities may mandate companies to pursue direct approval from regulators to list their crypto on local digital assets exchanges.

The Block CEO resigns after reports of undisclosed loans from Alameda Research

Michael McCaffrey, the CEO of crypto news outlet The Block, resigned after reports revealed that he received undisclosed multi-million dollar loans from Alameda Research.

SEC advises public firms to disclose crypto risks

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has advised publicly-listed firms to disclose their exposure to the cryptocurrency market, in light of the fallout of the FTX collapse.

Bankman-Fried’s parents cancel classes at Stanford Law School for next year

The Stanford Law School professor parents of Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX.com who has been accused of misusing customer funds, are not on next year’s class schedule at the school.

Wemade to buyback US$10 mln in WEMIX after delisting verdict

Wemade, a S.Korean blockchain game maker, announced that it will buyback and burn US$10 million worth of its WEMIX token to stabilize its value.

U.S. considering bill to require crypto miners to report carbon emissions

U.S. cryptocurrency miners would be required to report greenhouse gas emissions under a new bill submitted to the Senate, reflecting criticism the industry is adding to use of fossil fuels blamed for global warming.

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices rise as gains in U.S. equities help cryptocurrencies bounce back

Bitcoin rose back above the US$17,000 mark in Friday morning trading in Asia, helped by gains in U.S. equities overnight.

Sam Bankman-Fried probed over Terra-LUNA crash: report

Federal prosecutors are reportedly investigating Sam Bankman-Fried for possible market manipulation that led to the Terra-LUNA crash in May

Hong Kong’s virtual asset licensing regime to take effect next June

Hong Kong passed the amendment to the bill that includes a licensing regime VASP on Wednesday, which will come into effect on June 1, 2023.

South Korea’s Wemade shares drop, WEMIX token plunges after delisting verdict

The South Korean blockchain game maker’s WEMIX cryptocurrency will be removed from the country’s four major cryptocurrency exchanges that collectively account for more than 95% of the country’s crypto trading volume.

Bankman-Fried may face subpoenas if he does not testify

The embattled founder of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX may be subpoenaed if he declines to testify at the two hearings on the platform’s meltdown in Washington DC next week.

FTX failure a ‘wake-up call’ for security, says former Mt Gox CEO Mark Karpeles

Before the FTX implosion there was Mt. Gox, an exchange that oversaw 80% of all Bitcoin trades before it collapsed in 2014. In this exclusive interview with Forkast, former Mt. Gox Chief Executive Officer Mark Karpeles says what he sees in store for the industry in 2023 in the wake of the FTX bankruptcy.
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Markets: Bitcoin, Ether drop as SEC’s Gensler says crypto firms running out of time to comply with securities laws

Bitcoin fell below US$17,000 in Thursday morning trading in Asia. The other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also retreated.

S.Korea court dismisses Wemade’s injunction, local exchanges to delist WEMIX

A Seoul court has dismissed the injunction filed by Wemade Co. Ltd. to stop four local digital asset exchanges from delisting WEMIX cryptocurrency

AAX’s future in doubt amid staff exodus and FTX contagion

Top blockchain and crypto news: AAX teeters on the brink. SBF hints at Congressional hearing no-show. Chinese court boosts NFT legitimacy.

Sam Bankman-Fried hires attorney Mark Cohen amid probes of failed FTX exchange

Sam Bankman-Fried, founder and former chief executive officer of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, has hired white-collar crime specialist Mark Cohen to represent him, said a Bankman-Fried spokesman.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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

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. 

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.

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.”

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?
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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 

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, […]

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.

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.

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.