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Search results: Ethereum

Will the new multi-chain world ignite another ‘DeFi summer’?

2022 will see a flowering ecosystem of blockchains working together, writes Will Harborne of DeversiFi. Here’s what the multi-chain future will look like.

Forget synthetic wombs. Give women more opportunities in DeFi and Web3

Vitalik Buterin’s advocacy of synthetic wombs misses the point, writes Izzy Howell of Cypher. Here’s why crypto can do more for gender equality.

Phillips to auction metahuman-made NFTs for Valentine’s Day

Phillips, a global auction house, launched a nine-day non-fungible token (NFT) auction on Monday, Valentine’s Day, in Hong Kong. Fast facts Six artworks are being auctioned as NFTs. One NFT for bidding is an auction data-generated NFT “Drowning in Love” made by MonoC, a virtual artist developed by Gusto Collective. MonoC is a virtual metahuman […]

Will the growing regulatory heat on stablecoins stifle innovation?

As stablecoins face pressure to adopt traditional safeguards, the industry’s efforts to self-regulate should not be overlooked, writes Charlie Martin of Gro.

Fan friction: What’s keeping influencers and artist communities from Web3?

The new token economy offers unparalleled opportunities for content creators, writes Weiwei Geng of Unite.io. Improving user experience will be key.

AssangeDAO strikes crypto gold

WikiLeaks founder’s legal defense fundraising bonanza. Shiba Inu’s big new leap. NFT fever rises in China.

What is Web 3.0 and how will it shape the crypto future?

By returning data ownership and reshaping human-machine interactions, the third generation of the internet promises an interconnected future.

Memecoins prove their staying power, despite industry skepticism

Last weekend’s rally shows there is still life left in memecoins. Industry insiders weigh in on where they stand in the long run.

Web 3.0 developer Alchemy reaches $10B valuation

Web 3.0 blockchain developer Alchemy announced on Tuesday that it has raised an additional US$200 million, bringing its valuation to US$10.2 billion. Fast facts Led by venture capital firms Lightspeed and Silver Lake, the funding is a continuation of its Series C round launched in October where it raised US$250 million at a US$3.5 billion […]

3D NFT marketplace coming to Polygon via Smart MFG

Smart MFG, a blockchain-based supply chain decentralized finance firm, has integrated with Polygon to launch Phigital, a 3D marketplace for non-fungible tokens (NFT). Fast facts Phigital will focus on interoperability of 3D assets across metaverses, and NFTs with real-world use cases. The movement of different assets and NFTs across metaverses has been one of the […]

Polygon raises $450M led by Sequoia Capital India

Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution Polygon has raised US$450 million from several big name investors including Sequoia Capital India, SoftBank, Galaxy Digital and Tiger Global, boosting its war chest as demand for its services grow.  Fast facts Polygon is one of the most prominent Ethereum scalers whose tools allow developers to create decentralized apps (dApps) and […]

Year’s biggest rally pushes crypto market cap above $2 trillion

After a poor start to the year, the market needed some good news. Industry watchers urge caution.

Number of unique NFT buyers soars to all-time high in January

Unique non-fungible token (NFT) buyers hit an all-time high (ATH) in January with more than 895,000 shoppers, according to data tracker CryptoSlam. Fast facts The new ATH recorded an almost 3,000% year-over-year increase and a 6.5% month-over-month growth. The number of unique sellers grew by almost 14% from December to January with 741,865 vendors, just […]

Solana DeFi avoids meltdown as Wormhole loss replaced

Jump Crypto announced that it replaced 120,000 ETH Friday morning Asia time to its cross-chain bridge Wormhole after a US$325 million exploit left wrapped Ether (wETH) in the Solana ecosystem unbacked. Fast facts The hacker was able to exploit Solana’s verification system to mint 120,000 wETH, and use it to funnel at least 93,750 ETH […]

Will blockchain’s future be cross-chain or multi-chain?

Vitalik Buterin caused an uproar over his recent criticisms of blockchain bridges. Here is a rebuttal in support of this nascent technology.

Indian crypto tax ends fears of ban as investors brace for impact

Top blockchain and crypto news: New Delhi’s crypto give and take. Malice in Wonderland? Hong Kong’s selective spot ETF rules.

Another NFT marketplace launches ‘vampire attack’ against OpenSea

Mark Cuban-backed non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Mintable launched a self-described vampire attack against top marketplace OpenSea by selling popular collectibles at a loss. Fast facts Singapore-based Mintable conducted a fire sale of nine Mutant Ape Yacht Club NFTs by selling them 1 to 2 ETH below their floor price on Jan. 26, while another was […]

Non-US XRP investors petition for congressional investigation of SEC

Lawyer for 63,000 XRP investors invites non-US investors to demand a congressional investigation of the SEC for impropriety.

When the going gets tough, the tough get their wallets out

The recent crypto price plunge has done little to rattle new investors. Are they just buying the dip, or is there more to it? Q9 Capital’s James Quinn explains.

Are crypto e-red packets a thing for the Lunar New Year?

Digital payments are commonplace in Asia, but gifting crypto as lucky money remains niche.

What is OpenSea and why is everyone talking about it?

OpenSea is the world’s largest open marketplace for NFTs. Find out what’s driving everyone there in this Forkast explainer.

Regulatory uncertainty has not slowed down India’s crypto sector

With new products and services being launched and international exchanges setting up camp, crypto startups thrive despite the shadow of a crypto ban.

Kakao’s Klaytn latest to join China’s BSN International

Klaytn, a public blockchain platform under South Korean internet giant Kakao, has joined China’s Blockchain-based Service Network’s (BSN) international infrastructure. Fast facts Klaytn’s joins fellow public blockchains Ethereum, Solana, Tezos and Polkadot in BSN International, to become accessible to the 25,000 developers in the ecosystem. The BSN is a Chinese state-backed project that is split […]

Crypto market suffers mauling as bears go berserk

Top blockchain and crypto news: Market chills make investors shiver. Hacking storm at OpenSea. Has Beijing tamed NFTs?

‘We’re in a crypto super cycle,’ says CoinFLEX CEO

Mark Lamb of CoinFLEX takes a 20-year view of crypto and predicts ‘infinitely bigger’ growth than imagined today, with stablecoins leading the transformation.

SEC wins time to resist crucial document handover to Ripple in XRP lawsuit

A federal judge on Monday has given the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) until Feb. 17 to fight her earlier order to turn over to the defendant Ripple Labs certain sensitive government documents in the agency’s lawsuit alleging the XRP token is an unregistered security. Fast facts Ripple and XRP investors initially believed they […]

China’s BSN names eight partners for its non-crypto NFT platform

China’s state-backed blockchain network disclosed eight platform partners today in line with the soft launch of its non-fungible token (NFT) platform, the BSN-DDC network.  Fast facts The auction house Rong Bao Zhai, Hainan International Culture and Artworks Exchange Center — an essential part of China’s free trade port — and EY Blockchain are among the […]

OpenSea NFT marketplace hacked for 332 ETH

OpenSea NFT marketplace has suffered a front-end attack with the exploiter withdrawing 332 ETH (US$800,000), as reported by security and data tracker PeckShield. Fast facts PeckShield noted the issue overnight Asia time, revealing the attacker received 10 ETH from Ethereum mixer TornadoCash, which was then wrapped to wETH to carry out the attack. The non-fungible […]

Crypto market tumbles amid uncertainty over Russia and Ukraine

Bitcoin and Ethereum fall below psychologically important levels as rising uncertainty clouds markets. Is the Fed also depressing crypto’s prospects?

Fantom overtakes Binance Smart Chain in DeFi TVL

Fantom has overtaken Binance Smart Chain (BSC) to become the third-largest blockchain in decentralized finance (DeFi) as measured by total value locked (TVL), according to DeFiLlama. Fast facts Fantom’s TVL bucked the global crypto market downtrend and increased more than 60% to US$12.2 billion over the past week, as of publishing time. Fantom is an […]

NFTs and music: Is the fan outcry over NFTs’ environmental impact warranted? | Part 4

K-pop fans are waging online campaigns against their favorite artists over NFTs, denouncing the technology’s carbon footprint. How polluting are NFTs?

Facebook, Instagram explore NFT integration, marketplace: report

Meta’s Facebook and Instagram are exploring plans that would allow non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to be used as profile pictures, according to a report. Fast facts The plans include the showcasing, minting and selling of NFTs, several insiders told Financial Times. Meta staff members are also reportedly discussing the launch of a marketplace to buy and […]

Bitcoin price falls below $40K for second time in two weeks

The price of Bitcoin dropped below US$40,000 on Friday for the second time in two weeks, in the face of headwinds from the Russian central bank’s call to ban crypto trading. Fast facts Bitcoin lost up to 11% on Friday morning Asia time and was trading at US$38,599 at press time, according to CoinMarketCap. The […]

Straight shot: How sports stars are sidestepping middlemen in Web 3.0

A pro basketball player and an ex-banker are aiming for a slam-dunk with a ‘creator first’ content platform. Calaxy co-founder Solo Ceesay explains how.

Google hires former PayPal exec in crypto push

Google has hired former PayPal executive Arnold Goldberg to run its payments division as the company eyes offering a broader range of financial services including cryptocurrencies. Fast facts “Crypto is something we pay a lot of attention to,” Google’s president of commerce Bill Ready told Bloomberg. PayPal has already incorporated cryptocurrency into its business, recently […]

The rising tide of decentralization in mass movements

Alternative approaches to governance have never been more important, writes Alexander Filatov of TON Labs. Here is how DAOs can change the world.

Crypto clampdowns mount in Asia as authorities ponder bans

Top blockchain and crypto news: Asian governments target crypto. Managing MATIC. China’s expanding metaverse.

Crypto-related crimes in China still high despite ban on transactions

The total number of legal judgments involving crypto-related crime in China slightly dipped in 2021 to 5,137 cases, as the nationwide clampdown continues, according to a research report.  Fast facts China’s legal system published 5,170 judgments in 2020, a significant leap from 3,474 in 2019, Chinese blockchain data tracker Zhongke Lianan found in its report. […]

Fusang receives green light for US$10M equity-token IPO

Malaysian exchange will offer equity tokens representing direct shares on the blockchain, claiming it will be the world’s first fully regulated equity-token IPO.
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Polygon upgrade ignites token burn to make MATIC more valuable

Polygon’s upgrade, which piggybacks off Ethereum’s EIP-1559, makes MATIC deflationary while allowing users to estimate gas fees more accurately.

S. Korean lawmaker takes Bitcoin donations, issues receipts in NFTs

South Korean lawmaker Lee Kwang-jae announced on Sunday that he has started accepting political donations in cryptocurrencies. Fast facts Donors can use Bitcoin, Ethereum, Kakao’s KLAY, media industry-focused NEWS, and payments-focused Paycoin, while receipts can be issued as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), according to Lee’s website.  The first donor was an anonymous professional from the blockchain […]

How to invest in cryptocurrency

If you’re intrigued about Bitcoin’s price history or Ethereum’s all-time highs, you might be wondering if you’re missing out on financial gains. To explore how to get started in investing in cryptocurrency, Forkast has created a quick explainer video on what to do and the options. What you’ll learn: What are the two types of […]

Upstart NFT marketplace LooksRare challenges OpenSea’s dominance

The NFT platform crosses $1B in sales volume within a week after launch, but with a controversial incentive structure and so-called ‘vampire’ attack.

North Korea hacked US$400M of crypto in 2021, says Chainalysis

State-backed hackers from North Korea stole cryptocurrencies worth about US$395 million last year across at least seven cyber attacks, according to Chainalysis, a blockchain data company. Fast facts Several of the attacks were likely led by Lazarus, a group of hackers believed to be backed by North Korea’s primary intelligence agency, the Reconnaissance General Bureau, […]

Kim Kardashian sued for alleged crypto pump-and-dump

An investor is suing Kim Kardashian; boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr.; Hall of Fame basketball player Paul Pierce, and the cofounders of Ethereum Max for allegedly colluding to promote the cryptocurrency last spring in a pump-and-dump scheme, according to papers filed on Jan 7. Fast facts The investor, Ryan Huegerich, brought the federal suit in the […]

New NFT marketplace challenges OpenSea’s dominance

New non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace LooksRare has outsold market leader OpenSea just a day after launch, reaching US$275.5 million in sales volume in the past 24 hours. Fast facts This compares with almost US$120 million in sales volume for OpenSea over the same period, according to DappRadar. Like its main competitor, LooksRare, which launched on […]

Indian authorities seize assets in alleged $162M crypto scam

The Enforcement Directorate in India seized assets of a businessman worth around US$4.9 million in a money laundering case involving a crypto scam, according to a press release on Monday.  Fast facts Nishad K and his associates allegedly perpetrated a crypto scam in which some 900 investors were cheated out of approximately US$162.4 million. The […]

Is Bitcoin’s rocky start to 2022 a sign of things to come?

The 2022 crypto market has had a tough start as Bitcoin and Ethereum dipped below significant price points. But crypto experts say it’s not all doom and gloom.

Blood, sweat and tiers: Why layer 2 remains the bedrock of Bitcoin development

How has layer-2 innovation saved Bitcoin from becoming a victim of its own success? Blockstream chief Adam Back explains.

Tendermint CEO Peng Zhong on how the Cosmos ecosystem is connecting a multi-chain world

In a special Q&A, a core contributor to the rapidly expanding Cosmos ecosystem discusses the ‘internet of blockchains’ and the new cross-chain economy.

Bitcoin’s biggest test may come at next TradFi sell-off

Traditional equities and global markets are due for a correction. Valkyrie CEO Leah Wald wonders whether Bitcoin would hold strong in a global sell-off.

Flash crash hits crypto market, but prices steady throughout Asia trading day

Bearish concerns over Federal Reserve rate hikes show a continued correlation with traditional markets, but industry watchers see changing dynamics at play.

Goldman Sachs: Bitcoin could reach $100K price by beating gold

Goldman Sachs, one of the world’s largest banks, joins the list of analysts predicting the price of Bitcoin could reach US$100,000, according to a report by Bloomberg. Fast facts According to Goldman Sachs estimates, Bitcoin’s float-adjusted market capitalization is just shy of US$700 billion, which accounts for a 20% share of the “store of value” […]

‘Everything will be an NFT next year,’ says Circle chief of product

Rachel Mayers sees corporate and institutional interest in crypto and blockchain create an explosion in use cases and a whole new way of demonstrating consumer loyalty.

After a stellar year for Bitcoin and record crypto prices, what to expect in 2022

2021 was a big year for crypto. As we enter a new year, Forkast.News asks market watchers what might be in store for the next 12 months.

Blockchain interoperability will take center stage in 2022, Aventus CEO predicts

Aventus CEO Alan Vey also predicts the decentralized finance rally is just getting started. Which blockchains does he see growing massively in the new year?

Top 5 blockchain trends for 2022 and beyond

Looking beyond this year’s headlines like El Salvador’s Bitcoin adoption, here are the key developments in blockchain technology that will have lasting impact in the new year and beyond.

Crypto in Asia: 5 top fintech regulatory stories of 2021

Countries acted to encourage — or discourage — cryptocurrency and other blockchain-based assets, sending markets wildly up and down.

What lies ahead for crypto regulations in 2022

From China’s ban to FATF’s travel rule, crypto regulations have been top of mind this year. How might regulatory impulses and current trends play out?

How DeFi is devouring traditional finance, bit by bit

2021 will go down as the year the DeFi giant woke up, writes Derek Alia of Futureswap. What lies in store for decentralized finance in the year to come?

Looking ahead: 3 crypto predictions for 2022

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.

Year in cryptocurrency: biggest surprises of 2021

While increasing crypto adoption was predictable, 2021 also saw much that was unexpected. Here are the events that shocked even crypto natives.

Use cases for blockchain will expand beyond crypto, says SyncFab exec

Dennis Delgado, co-founder of a blockchain developer for supply chain management sees an explosion in new blockchains in 2022 for industry, logistics and manufacturing.

Year in review: Top China blockchain news in 2021

China tries to stamp out Bitcoin mining while increasing its influence over blockchain technology and preparing the digital yuan for launch. What lies in store for 2022?
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Why I got a Bitcoin wallet, and how it can be used for crypto gift-giving and receiving

Curious to use Bitcoin but don’t know where to start? Forkast.News explains how.

Japan’s SBI invests in Singapore crypto exchange Coinhako

Japan’s financial conglomerate SBI Holdings announced a joint investment in Singapore’s virtual asset exchange Coinhako with Switzerland-based Sygnum Bank. Fast facts The investment is made through a fund formed in Singapore named the SBI-Sygnum-Azimut Digital Asset Opportunity fund. SBI expressed certainty in supporting Coinhako’s international expansion and other startups that have growth potential in the […]
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Does content moderation on platforms like OpenSea amount to censorship?

What are the responsibilities of blockchain companies when it comes to freedom of expression? A controversial cartoonist finds out the boundaries.

Bitcoin’s price is a lie, says Morgan Creek Capital chief

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

The Forkast.News guide to last-minute blockchain and crypto gift ideas

Not yet done with your holiday shopping? Here are ideas for all the loved ones on your list, whether they are tech-savvy or merely crypto-curious.

Game company Nexon America now accepts crypto for in-game payments

Asia’s gaming giant Nexon’s US subsidiary supports cryptocurrencies for players in buying items inside its popular online games.

Avalanche price surge leads minor market rebound

After two weeks of a downward price spiral, the market showed some signs of life this morning, with most coins managing to rise about 5% coming into business hours Asia time. AVAX, however, the native token of the Avalanche blockchain, gained almost 25% overnight to reach a two-week high of US$106.87 and finding itself in […]

NBA is taking the lead with blockchain, crypto

The National Basketball Association has been ahead of the game in crypto adoption, but after a week of major developments, the league is now way out in front.