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Battle for blockchain talent is heating up. What and where are the crypto jobs?

Flush with capital, blockchain and crypto firms are on a hiring spree. Here’s how the battle for crypto talent is playing out.

Bitmain spins off Antpool; Binance CEO willing to step down

Binance CEO CZ confirms that a new executive may lead the organization. Meanwhile, Bitmain spins off one of the world’s largest mining pool Antpool.

Amazon’s brush with Bitcoin. Robinhood IPO looms. Huobi backs out of Beijing.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Is Amazon taking up BTC? Robinhood’s share sale deserves scrutiny. Did Huobi jump or was it pushed?

Binance CEO reiterates willingness to replace self, beefs up KYC

Binance also tightens withdrawal limits and unveils new tax reporting tool, to counter recent flurry of government investigations and bad publicity.

Digital asset custody platform Fireblocks completes $310 million fundraise

Capital increase takes company’s valuation to US$2 billion as it looks to grow customer base, partnerships.

Huobi deregisters Beijing entity; K-drama takes crypto back in time

Huobi deregisters Beijing entity while K-drama takes crypto back in time

Bit Mining pivots overseas; Ethereum creator joins ‘Stoner Cats’ cast

Bit Mining pivots overseas as Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin joins animated crypto series ‘Stoned Cats’ cast.

Chinese crypto firms donate millions of yuan to flood-hit Henan

Three blockchain and crypto-related companies have donated hundreds of millions of yuan to China’s Henan Province, which has suffered deadly floods since last week. Fast facts Bitmain, a crypto mining firm was the first to announce a donation of 10 million yuan (US$1.54 million) on July 23 to a charity federation in Zhengzhou, the provincial […]

Binance expands in Singapore amid global crackdown

Binance, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, appears to be expanding its Singapore office. At the time of publishing, Linkedin showed that it had 261 job vacancies in Singapore — where its CEO, Changpeng Zhao, allegedly lives — among 964 vacancies globally.  Fast facts The talent Binance is seeking ranges from futures growth […]

NFTs, smart contracts come to ADA as Alonzo mainnet debut approaches

Wolfram Blockchain Labs and Cardano are set to host a livestream event in which items from Wolfram’s computational universe will be “Liveminted” as NFTs on the Cardano network. Details of the event were shared on the website of Cardano’s parent company, Input Output Hong Kong recently, which said it would take place on July 28. […]

Crypto-ransomware connection draws U.S. Senate scrutiny

Amid growing concerns surrounding ransomware attacks in the U.S., Senator Gary Peters has announced a bipartisan investigation of how cryptocurrencies could be facilitating such activity, Bitcoin.com reports. Fast facts In a statement, Sen. Peters, who is also the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said: “The increased use of cryptocurrencies as the […]

Binance and FTX slash leverage limit from 100x to 20x amid crypto regulations heat

FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried says it’s time to move on from high leverage in crypto trading. Binance also seeks new CEO with a stronger regulatory background.

India issues CBDC update; Korea threatens to block exchanges

India updates its CBDC plans and Korea threatens to block exchanges

Binance chief ‘CZ’ seeks regulatory expert to lead as exchange looks to boost image

Speaking at an SCB 10X DeFi virtual summit, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao says an IPO is not out of the question, but that the exchange first needs to set up corporate structures as it navigates increased regulatory scrutiny.

How Asia is leading the way for digital currencies

Despite growing global interest, CBDCs are not all at the same stage of development. Amit Ghosh of R3 explains how countries in Asia are paving the way.

Ping An trials e-CNY; Core Scientific to go public

Ping An trials e-CNY while Core Scientific is the next to get on the SPAC train.

NFT platform Mintable to auction collection of comics legend Stan Lee

Mintable — a Singapore-based, Mark Cuban-backed non-fungible token platform — today announced the launch of a limited-edition NFT collection featuring comic book legend Stan Lee. Fast facts The collection, which includes three paintings by artist Rob Prior and a selection of photographs and videos of Lee taken by his friend and later caretaker, will be […]

Blockchain gaming unicorn Animoca Brands and Brinc launch NFT accelerator

Hong Kong-based blockchain gaming company Animoca Brands and global venture accelerator Brinc have launched Launchpad Luna, a new accelerator program to identify, mentor, and invest in promising blockchain and non-fungible tokens (NFT) startups, according to a company statement. Fast facts Projects accepted into the accelerator program will receive training, end-to-end support and funding of up […]

FTX closes record fundraise; China Mobile gets hot wallet patent

FTX closes record fundraise. Additionally, China Mobile gets hot wallet patent.

FTX crypto derivatives exchange closes record $900M Series B with $18B valuation

Fast-growing FTX just pulled off the largest-ever fundraise for a crypto exchange to date. Will heightened regulatory scrutiny lie in its near future?

Senators urge E-CNY ban; Russia woos crypto-miners

US Senators urge E-CNY ban while Russia woos crypto-miners

Cryptocurrency payments appear to stall in Singapore

Retailers reluctant to accept currency they are said not to trust even as large finance sector players offer crypto products and beef up their holdings.

E-CNY white paper released; Malaysia steamrolls mining rigs

E-CNY white paper explains how it will work with physical RMB while Malaysia steamrolls mining rigs.

Binance CEO says ‘never easy’ running a crypto exchange as ‘new chapter awaits’

Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the CEO of Binance — the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume — today said it was “never easy” running a crypto exchange in a series of tweets about key products Binance has launched over the past four years. Fast facts “Never easy,” Zhao tweeted, referring to an extract from the […]

Late digitization is Asia’s edge in crypto, says Fireblocks CEO

While the West has first mover advantage in traditional banking, Asia — not wedded to ol infrastructure — now has an edge in the crypto era, says Michael Shaulov of Fireblocks.

Bitcoin interest declines; Rolling Stone gets into NFTs

Bitcoin interest declines while Rolling Stone gets into NFTs.

Chinese crypto news service forced to shutter site

Bishijie’s suspension deprives users of industry news and community forum as Beijing continues campaign targeting cryptocurrency sector.

India seeks crypto advice; K-drama joins NFT bandwagon

India seeks crypto advice meanwhile K-drama joins NFT bandwagon

Cardano blockchain successfully upgrades to Alonzo White

Input Output Hong Kong, one of the companies behind the Cardano blockchain, today announced the successful upgrade of its Alonzo testnet to the Alonzo White network. Fast facts The Cardano blockchain is in the midst of a multi-phase Alonzo upgrade that will bring smart-contract functionality to the blockchain. Each phase — named blue, white and purple […]

ICICI blocks crypto transfers; Korea banks to report crypto crime

ICICI blocks crypto transfers as South Korean banks are to report crypto crime.

Stablecoins promise much, but can they deliver?

As issuer Circle prepares to list and China sounds the alarm over speculation, the mood among regulators is mixed, despite stablecoins’ clear appeal to investors.

7 key developments in blockchain capital markets in 2021

In the second installment of a 2-part report, Lucas Schweiger of Blockdata examines the most notable current trends in blockchain and capital markets.

Korea crypto law applies to Binance; Samsung Next invests in Nifty’s

South Korean financial watchdog says the nation’s crypto laws will apply to foreign exchanges.

NFTs and the music industry: Token gesture or transformative technology? | Part 1

In the first of a four-part series, Forkast.News looks at how non-fungible tokens may be changing who calls the tune in the recording business.

Korean banks extend crypto contracts; Axie Infinity tokens surge

Korean banks extend partnerships with crypto exchanges — for now. And also in Korea, how to earn crypto during bathroom breaks.

Diamond sets record for most expensive object bought with crypto

A 101.38-carat diamond sold at auction in Hong Kong has become the most physical object ever to have been purchased using cryptocurrency, Bloomberg reports. Fast facts The HK$95.1 million (US$12.3 million) sale price nevertheless fell short of the expected US$15 million price, auctioneer Sotheby’s said. A spokesperson for Sotheby’s told Forkast.News it was unable to […]

Derivatives will be crypto’s ‘next big thing’ says 100x CEO

Crypto industry gets the ‘overleveraged’ label and authorities are cracking down on derivatives providers. Alexander Höptner of 100x believes the pushback foreshadows the industry’s next big thing — derivatives.

Delta variant spooking crypto markets? Fresh warning on crypto payments

Market dominance suggests that investors are flocking towards Bitcoin as Covid delta variant concerns hit markets. In Thailand, authorities remind the industry of their stance on cryptocurrency payments.

China closes high-profile blockchain center, citing ‘registration’ issues

Closure of center comes despite — or perhaps because of — professional pedigree of crypto exchange founder board members.

Special series: ‘Let’s get serious’ — how blockchain is revolutionizing payment systems

Though Dogecoin and NFTs dominate headlines, their underlying technology — blockchain — is transforming our world in more meaningful ways, according to authors Kosrow Dehnad and Joe Duncan.
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Crypto exchange Gemini plans expansion in Asia and Australia

U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Gemini is planning to expand its Asia-Pacific operations to cash in on the region’s growth, the bourse’s Asia-Pacific Managing Director, Jeremy Ng, wrote in a blog post this week. Fast facts The new expansion is to capture the growth of its Singapore office after it was first established last year, he wrote.  […]

Penalties for kimchi premium abusers; Digital yuan on trial again

Korea issues penalties for kimchi premium arbitrage as China holds its 15th digital yuan pilot trials.

US$1.5B South Korean ‘kimchi premium’ crypto scheme prompts 33 arrests

Customs officers use foreign exchange law to shut down cycle of foreign remittances and arbitrage.

Stablecoins could pose risks to global financial system, Chinese central bank official says

Warning comes as Beijing ramps up efforts to internationalize China’s currency through launch of digital yuan.

Spending on crypto-linked Visa cards exceeds $1B in first half of 2021

More than US$1 billion was spent on crypto-linked Visa cards in the first six months of 2021, according to a Visa blog post this week. Fast facts Apart from enabling customers to buy cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin using its cards, Visa has partnered with 50 crypto platforms on card programs — such as Coinbase, the largest […]

Meitu to lose big on BTC investments; SK banks warned over crypto laws

Chinese tech giant forecasts a US$17.3 million loss in its BTC investment as more musicians in Asia lean towards NFTs.

Software firm Meitu loses US$17.3M on Bitcoin

Higher value of Ether investments softens blow to value of Bitcoin holdings.

Crypto.com inks partnership deal with martial arts company UFC

Mixed martial arts organization UFC and Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com today announced a partnership that will see Crypto.com become UFC’s first global official fight kit partner. Fast facts Apart from Crypto.com’s logo placement on UFC fight kits, Crypto.com will, as UFC’s cryptocurrency platform partner, have a brand presence inside the Octagon during all pay-per-view […]

Will Basel Committee’s proposed rules for crypto banking fly?

The standards-setter for banks around the world wants to subject crypto like Bitcoin to higher capital requirements. What do industry players think?

Huobi’s public blockchain expands with Animoca, CoinMarketCap and DeFi projects

Huobi Eco Chain, an open-source, decentralized public blockchain, today announced 11 new partners, including Hong Kong-based blockchain gaming company Animoca Brands and crypto data website CoinMarketCap — which is owned by Huobi rival Binance — that will run validating nodes to improve the stability and decentralization of the network. Fast facts Other new validators include […]

IBC Group moves out of China; Pavilions Hotels to accept crypto

IBC Group becomes the latest to seize Bitcoin and Ethereum mining operations in China as crypto gets the nod from Pavilions Hotels and Resorts.

Aussies look to crypto for retirement; Vietnam embracing crypto?

Aussies may be leaning towards crypto for retirement funds while Vietnamese Prime Minister greenlights pilot crypto program.

Cardano expands access to ecosystem with Nexo and Orion partnerships

Input Output Hong Kong, one of the companies behind the Cardano blockchain, is expanding the Cardano ecosystem through partnerships with Nexo, a cryptocurrency lending platform and decentralized finance liquidity aggregator Orion Protocol. Fast facts Input Output Hong Kong is partnering with Nexo to integrate ADA — the native cryptocurrency of the Cardano blockchain — to the […]

WazirX, Binance boost compliance procedures; Forkast speaks to FTX CEO

Crypto exchanges WazirX and Binance look to implement stronger compliance measures. Forkast News speaks with FTX founder and CEO Sam Bankman-Fried about crypto regulatory measures in Asia. Chinese district rewards residents with e-Yuan for counting footsteps. We’ll have more on these stories and other news shaping the cryptocurrency and blockchain world in this episode of […]

Mintable closes $13M series-A, set to integrate Ripple XRP Ledger

Mintable, a Singapore-based non-fungible token platform, this week closed a US$13 million series-A funding round, with U.S. payments technology company Ripple Labs investing. Fast facts Mintable, currently built on the Ethereum and Zilliqa blockchains, enables users to create, buy and sell NFTs using fiat or cryptocurrency. Mintable intends to use the fresh capital to scale […]

Bye-bye, Binance. Elon Musk spawns Floki Shiba Inu craze. Tickets for tokens in China.

Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Binance bounced out of Britain. Musk moves Shiba Inu prices again. China’s digital currency gets ready to roll.

FTX signs deal with Tom Brady; blockchain startup Nansen raises US$12M | The Daily Forkast

Demand for blockchain analytics is on the rise as FTX partners up with NFL superstar quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bündchen.

Chinese cities roll out digital yuan to public transport networks

Adoption of e-CNY for urban transport networks marks first step in wider introduction of state-backed digital money.

Special Series, Part 3: Digital dragons and digital dollars

In the last installment of a 3-part series on blockchain in Asia, Forkast.News examines: Everyone knows money has value. But does it also have ‘values’?
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NFL star Tom Brady, supermodel Gisele Bündchen take stakes in FTX crypto exchange

Cryptocurrency exchange FTX today announced that American football star Tom Brady and his wife, Gisele Bündchen, are taking equity stakes in it, in a multi-year partnership.

Building liquidity

Although institutional interest in Bitcoin is rising, there is still the volatility conundrum to consider. Bitcoin’s market fluctuations, however, make it a poor store of value. But, at the same time, there is an advantage to keeping capital stored in crypto: cashing out crypto into fiat is almost always a taxable event and not ideal […]

Trends and opportunities

Top three digital asset market trends shaping the future Three key trends in the digital asset market are: Tokenization of widely traded traditional assets, such as stocks and bonds; Tokenization of previously untraded or under-traded assets, such as real estate and fine art; Institutional adoption and trading of digital tokens. During the past year the […]

Huobi bans users in China, Taiwan from crypto derivatives trades

Chinese cryptocurrency exchange Huobi has stopped providing crypto derivative trading services to users in China and Taiwan.

Custodians: looking after your assets

The need for custody Who holds the keys? Who looks after the digital assets? The person with control has custody. For an exchange, that custodian should be a third party for better risk management, more robust security and improved accountability. There is no shortage of examples of the inherent problems that can arise when exchange […]

Growth of digital assets markets and exchanges

Interview with Thor Chan, CEO of AAX Forkast.News: The value of digital assets has exploded during the last year, and we are now at levels well above previous forecasts. What are you seeing in the market right now? Thor Chan: We think that the global crypto market is growing. More money is flowing in, and […]

Digital asset exchange infrastructure geared for high-volume trading

Managing trading volume and geography The importance of having the right infrastructure to drive an exchange – any exchange, not just ones for digital assets – cannot be overstated. It provides the engine that lies behind every software platform.  Investors need to know they can execute trades without outages or other interruption. As well, they […]

Foreword

This report is about the development of digital assets, cryptocurrencies and tokenization and how that all-important confidence is established. Thank you for your interest in digital assets and the role of digital asset exchanges, custodians and the value digital assets offer to investors looking to diversify.  For any currency, digital or otherwise, confidence in the […]

Special Series, Part 2: China lays digital groundwork for a new Silk Road

How China’s deployment of the digital yuan intertwines economics with geopolitics and concrete with virtual infrastructure, from Cambodia to the Caribbean.
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The Unstoppable Rise of Digital Assets

Table of contents Foreword For any currency, confidence is essential. This report is about the development of digital assets, cryptocurrencies and tokenization and how that all-important confidence is established. by Angie Lau, Forkast Editor-in-Chief Executive summary and introduction The crypto market of 2020 is not the crypto market of 2013. What was once a cryptocurrency […]

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FATF: Most countries have yet to implement anti-terrorism crypto ‘travel rule’

Why are so few adopting FATF guidance for VASPs? Money laundering watchdog decries ‘continued misuse of virtual assets through jurisdictional arbitrage.’

South Korean crypto exchange fee revelations deal blow to sector’s credibility

Payment for listings raises questions over integrity of cryptocurrencies’ credit scores as compliance deadline nears.