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Singapore’s Crypto Dance; Women in Web3

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – August 29, 2022 – presented by Joel Flynn. Coming up on today’s show: Crypto clarity from Singapore’s central bank. Forkast and NEAR Foundation initiative champions women in Web3. We’ll have more on those stories — and other news shaping the cryptocurrency and blockchain world — in this episode of […]

Singapore’s MAS says needs to do better job explaining crypto policy

The city-state hosted a seminar with a title that it hopes sums up its crypto approach: “Yes to digital asset innovation, No to cryptocurrency speculation.”

Why the crypto world needs more women as leaders and investors

Women foster a better environment for innovation and are sober with money — which is what the industry needs, writes Gracy Chen of Bitget.

ENS domain name expires as developer is in prison, becomes up for grabs in Sept.

The domain for the Ethereum Name Service Decentralized Autonomous Organization (ENS DAO), eth.link, now displays an empty page with a banner saying the domain has expired, as the only person with authority to renew it is in prison. See related article: What is ENS (Ethereum Name Service) and how does it work? Fast facts Ethereum […]

China exploring blockchain for energy trading

The National Energy Administration (NEA) will explore blockchain-based power trading platforms to facilitate electricity trading between self-contained power generation units and the state and national grids, according to a policy document released last Friday. see related article: The Bitcoin-energy connection intensifies Fast facts see related article: Here’s why Australia can’t use its empty deserts to mine […]

Grayscale says XLM, ZEC and ZEN may be securities after SEC inquiry

In recent filings, the crypto asset management firm has said Stellar (XLM), Zcash (ZEC) and Horizen’s (ZEN) native cryptocurrencies may be securities. Grayscale was responding to questions from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding the company’s crypto trusts. See related article: Grayscale sues SEC over spot Bitcoin ETF rejection Fast facts In its […]

An internet of blockchains: Interoperability in a multi-chain future

Interoperability among blockchains will be central to the next phase of the technology’s evolution, says Cosmos cofounder Ethan Buchman.

India financial crime-fighters search CoinSwitch crypto exchange

India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has searched five premises connected with cryptocurrency company CoinSwitch on alleged money laundering charges, according to a media report. See related article: India’s WazirX says it has no-tolerance policy on illegal activities Fast facts The country’s central agency fighting financial crime conducted searches at residences of CoinSwitch directors and the official […]

Huobi-incubated Chinese NFT platform iBox ends international operations

Its operations in mainland China are continuing as normal.

Binance to suspend ETH deposits, withdrawals during “The Merge”

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, said it will suspend deposits and withdrawals for ETH and ERC-20 during “The Merge,” in support of Ethereum’s migration to the proof-of-stake (PoS) model. See related article: Ethereum finalizes start date for Bellatrix upgrade Fast facts Binance said on Thursday that it will do so on […]

Crypto ATM Bitcoin Depot unveils US$885 mln SPAC listing plans

Bitcoin Depot has announced its backdoor listing plans on the Nasdaq by the first quarter of 2023 via a merger with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) GSR II Meteora at an estimated equity value of US$885 million, the crypto ATM operator said in a statement. See related article: Bitcoin ATMs face existential threat in Hong […]

Each NFT scam perpetrator gained average of $300,000 in past year: Elliptic report

More than US$100 million worth of NFTs were scammed between July 2021 and July 2022, with each scam perpetrator making an average of US$300,000, according to a report released on Wednesday by crypto analysis firm Elliptic. See related article: Who fared worse in cryptocurrency slump: criminals or legitimate users? Fast facts See related article: Ronin […]

Crypto miners plan to fork Ethereum, will it make a difference to the Merge?

Ethereum has by far the most developers from DeFi projects to NFTs so how are they expected to respond to a plan by Etheruem miners to fork the network, a move miners argue is needed to stay in business.

Crypto trader donates US$100,000 to YouTuber fighting defamation suit

Crypto trader Cobie has donated US$100,000 to YouTuber Erling Mengshoel “Atozy” to fight a lawsuit filed against him by Ben Armstrong “BitBoy Crypto”. See related article: Crypto ‘finfluencers’ are attracting a new following — of regulators Fast facts In a Twitter post, Atozy said he was being sued by BitBoy Crypto for a video Atozy […]

Tether says didn’t freeze sanctioned Tornado Cash addresses so as to not interfere in investigations

Tether Holdings Ltd.,the issuer of USDT, the world’s largest stablecoin by market capitalisation, Wednesday said freezing the sanctioned addresses might interfere with ongoing investigations despite no clear instruction to do so by law enforcement. See related article: Bad actors in North Korea, Russia send record-high funds to crypto mixers Fast facts The U.S. Treasury Department’s […]

Markets: Bitcoin treads water, Ether Classic gets a bump, Cosmos gains on Kujira news

Bitcoin and Ether were little changed in Asia on Thursday morning, though Ether Classic rose. Solana and Cardano lost ground along with most other top 10 tokens by capitalization, though the global cryptocurrency market cap edged up 0.23% to US$1.03 trillion. Investors across all financial markets remain on edge about the direction of interest rates […]

Huobi warning issued; Singapore’s blockchain aims

Huobi in hot water after being put on investor alert list. Meanwhile, we take a closer look into crypto regulation in Asia.

Tornado Cash arrest heralds storm season for crypto mixers

Top blockchain and crypto news: Tornado Cash, mixer crash. Cardano’s Vasil vulnerabilities. Canaan earnings buoy expansion plans.

Ukraine seizes funds from crypto wallet funding Russian forces

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) seized and blocked a cryptocurrency wallet used to fund the Russian military campaign in the country. The agency is working on tracking the funds and transferring them under Ukrainian jurisdiction, according to the SSU. See related article: Vitalik Buterin says he used Tornado Cash to donate to Ukraine Fast […]

OSL Digital placed a ‘tokenized bond’ in July — what’s next for blockchain securities?

Financial instruments sold and traded on a public blockchain could be the next big thing, so Forkast caught up with OSL to hear about what’s planned.

Crypto exchange Bitfinex plans new chain split tokens

iFinex Financial Technologies Limited, which operates the Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange, has announced Ethereum chain split tokens (CSTs) to help prepare for all eventualities as the Ethereum merge nears.  See related article: ‘The Merge’ can make crypto payments mainstream again: Vitalik Buterin Fast facts “The Merge” upgrade involves the Ethereum blockchain’s transition from the proof-of-work (PoW) […]

Huobi Global talking to Malaysian regulator about being put on investor alert list

Huobi Global told Forkast it is working towards being in compliance with Malaysia after its securities regulator put the Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange on its investor alert list for operating the digital asset business without proper registration. See related article: Huobi to end crypto derivatives trading in New Zealand Fast facts “We are currently in discussions […]

Coinbase hit with lawsuit over allegedly poor security

U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has been hit with a class action lawsuit last week over claims the firm allegedly failed to properly secure customers’ accounts, leaving them vulnerable to unauthorized activity. See related article: Coinbase under investigation by SEC, quarterly report reveals Fast facts Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of […]

Tornado Cash storm; Australia plans crypto rules

The Tornado Cash bans have stirred the pot in the crypto markets. Meanwhile, Australia looks for new ways to regulate crypto.

More than half of Indian crypto investors want to increase investments: report

Over 50% of Indian crypto investors intend to increase their investments over the next six months as they view the asset class as a long-term investment rather than hype, according to a report by cryptocurrency exchange Kucoin.  See related article: Most Indian traders impacted by India’s crypto tax: survey Fast facts While 56% of crypto […]

Australia’s crypto industry split on Treasury’s ‘token mapping’ scheme

The Treasury Department says its plan for how to regulate cryptocurrencies is unlike anything else in the world, but the country’s crypto industry isn’t sure that’s a good thing.

India blockchain forum plans to chart future with governments, regulators

Stakeholders in India’s blockchain space have created a new forum with more than 40 influencers to liaise with governments and regulators for blockchain and Web 3.0 adoption in the country. See related article: India’s latest tax assault on crypto exchanges starts Friday Fast facts According to a local media report, India Blockchain Forum is setting […]

Crypto volatility returns; Big names investing in blockchain

BTC and ETH hit by volatility, while big players start investing in blockchain despite market wobbles.

If successful, Ethereum’s Merge will cause a sea change in ETH supply and value

The Merge, one of this year’s biggest crypto events, is now due to happen next month. Why is it so hotly anticipated — and feared?

USDC whales leave, trading volume soars

The percentage of stablecoin USD Coin (USDC) supply held by the top 1% addresses dropped to a 22-month low on Monday, while USDC average trading volume in seven days surged to an all-time high on the same day, according to crypto data dashboard Glassnode. See related article: Vitalik Buterin says he used Tornado Cash to […]

FTX revenue grew 1,000% in 2021 amid booming crypto market: SBF

FTX chief executive officer Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) has confirmed media outlet CNBC’s report that FTX’s revenue grew 1,000% in 2021 on the back of a booming crypto market and a host of acquisitions.  See related article: Sam Bankman-Fried lashes out at Voyager for rejecting FTX’s proposal  Fast facts In a Twitter post, SBF said, “Fwiw […]

FTX.US among 5 companies cited by FDIC for ‘false, misleading’ claims to consumers

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), one of the two federal agencies insuring savings in American depository institutions, has sent cease-and-desist letters to five companies, including FTX.US, for making false statements about deposit insurance. See related article: FDIC clarifies that cryptocurrencies are not insured Fast facts In a press release, the FDIC said it has […]

Creditors object to bankrupt crypto lender Voyager paying out bonuses

Creditors of cryptocurrency lender Voyager Digital Holdings are objecting to the company’s request for funds to payout bonuses to staff, saying the employees are already “well-compensated.” See related article: Court allows Voyager Digital to return US$270 mln in custodial account to customers Fast facts The creditors’ objection came after Voyager, which filed for Chapter 11 […]

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether gain; BNB best performer among top 10 tokens

Bitcoin and Ether rose with most of the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization in Monday morning trading in Asia. The gains follow a flash crash last Friday afternoon that dragged the world’s leading cryptocurrency below US$21,000 on Saturday for the first time in almost a month. Bitcoin is still down about 12% in the […]

Merge prep rush; Scams down, hacks up

CME prepares to launch ETH options as the merge gets closer, Meanwhile, a Chainalysis says crypto scams are down.

Hodlnaut exploring option to allow withdrawal of deposits with interest before closing accounts

The Singapore and Hong Kong-based crypto lender said it was exploring options to allow users to withdraw deposits at an undisclosed discount rate, while seeking Singapore court approval to appoint a judicial manager for the company, according to a post on its blog on Friday. See related article: How a market slump may be helping […]

Run-to-earn protocol Stepn announces NFT project colab with Atlético de Madrid

Web3 lifestyle app Stepn is releasing a non-fungible token (NFT) running shoe collection in partnership with crypto exchange WhaleFin and Spanish soccer club Atlético de Madrid, the company announced on Thursday. See related article: Play-to-earn game developers pivot to engaging fans Fast facts This collection will feature 1,001 Atlético de Madrid shoes that grant the […]

ETHPoW token price drops to all-time-low on Thursday

ETHPoW, the token that will run on a potential Ethereum PoW fork, fell to an all-time low of US$50.36 on Thursday, down 64% from its Aug. 2 peak, according to CoinMarketCap.  See related article: Chandler Guo tells why he is the man who would hard fork Ethereum Fast facts The ETHPoW token is currently only […]

Mining rig maker Canaan shares nudge up, profit expanded in Q2

Shares of cryptocurrency mining rig maker Canaan traded up 0.77% in U.S. trading on Thursday after the company said net income expanded in the second quarter from a year earlier despite the fallout from Covid-19 lockdowns in China and challenging market conditions. See related article: Chinese mining rig maker Canaan says global expansion on track […]

CME, world’s biggest derivatives exchange, to offer Ether options in September

CME Group – the world’s biggest operator of financial derivative markets, including the Chicago Mercantile Exchange –  on Wednesday said it will offer options on Ether futures starting Sept. 12, pending regulatory review. See related article: New US crypto bill seeks to make CFTC top Bitcoin, Ethereum watchdog Fast facts See related article: ETH futures […]

Bitcoin, Ether fall in broad crypto pull back; memecoins reverse gains

Bitcoin and Ether continued their weekly slide, while all other top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization fell in Friday morning trading in Asia. The world’s number one cryptocurrency fell below US$23,000 for the first time in over a week. Investors remain tentative about macroeconomic trends – inflation and interest rates in the U.S. and a […]

Confusion from US regulators; Markets hit by ‘vibe-flation’

The FDIC tries to deter banks from doing business with crypto firms. Meanwhile. Genesis CEO steps down amidst reshuffle.

Chandler Guo tells why he is the man who would hard fork Ethereum

In a Q&A, the former cryptocurrency miner explains his methods for trying to pull together a band of Ethereum mining brethren in order to keep their rigs running. The idea started at a party at his house.
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U.S. federal deposit insurer allegedly deterring banks from doing business with crypto firms

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), one of the two federal agencies insuring savings in American depository institutions, may be asking banks to refrain from providing services or extending credit to cryptocurrency companies, Republican Senator Pat Toomey alleged. See related article: New US bill to give CFTC oversight of cryptocurrencies may speed up crypto legislation […]

Australians can now use crypto to buy gasoline, Krispy Kreme donuts

Australian consumers can use cryptocurrency to pay for gasoline and other goods — including Krispy Kreme donuts — at 175 OTR service stations through a partnership with Crypto.com and payment terminal provider DataMesh Group Pty Ltd. See related article: Crypto.com inks AU$27M deal with the Australian Football League Fast facts The service stations allow Crypto.com […]

Venture capital rallies for CoinFund, Shima Capital crypto investment funds

Venture capital for two new investment funds from CoinFund and Shima Capital were announced, with amounts reaching US$300 million and US$200 million, respectively. See related article: New Investors and Investments Fast facts The Ventures I fund, announced Thursday by CoinFund, will focus on backing blockchain startups, including both existing portfolios and new startup teams. The […]

Crypto lender Genesis cuts staff, CEO exits amid executive shuffle

Cryptocurrency brokerage Genesis announced its CEO Michael Moro will step down as it reshuffles its executive team, while a 20% layoff of its 260-person workforce is being widely reported. See related article: BIS, HKMA partner on Project Genesis to tokenize green bonds Fast facts Chief operating officer Derar Islim will take over as CEO on […]

Despite crypto downturn, illicit activity outpaces legitimate uses

Criminal activity in cryptocurrency was more resilient than legitimate uses despite the downturn in the crypto market in 2022, according to a new report by blockchain data aggregation firm Chainalysis. See related article: Chainalysis says $2 bln stolen in cross-chain bridge hacks this year, more expected Fast facts Illicit transaction volumes are down just 15% […]

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether decline; memecoins fall back, XRP holds gains

Bitcoin and Ether fell in Thursday morning trading in Asia, along with all other cryptocurrencies on the top 10 list by capitalization, with the exception of XRP.  U.S. equities were weaker overnight as Federal Open Market Committee minutes released on Wednesday indicated interest rates in the U.S. will continue rising until inflation is brought under […]

Eqonex closes crypto exchange as market woes prompt cost-cutting

Top blockchain and crypto news: Eqonex shutters exchange operation. Huobi denies sale report. Taiwan beefs up cyber defenses.

Fed’s crypto bank guidelines; Coinhako planning expansion

The Federal Reserve issues new crypto banking guidelines. Meanwhile, Singaporean crypto exchange Coinhako plans an expansion.

Coinhako crypto exchange sees Asia expansion opportunity as rivals stumble

Cross currents: BlackRock Inc, the world’s biggest money manager, is talking about Bitcoin opportunities amid a market slump. Singapore’s Coinhako looks to have similar ideas.

Huobi to end crypto derivatives trading in New Zealand

Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global will cease crypto derivatives trading services in New Zealand from Tuesday next week — only months after launching in the country – according to a company blog post. See related article: Huobi closes Thai crypto unit, regulator revokes license Fast facts From Aug. 23, Huobi will classify New Zealand as […]

Tencent’s Huanhe allows NFT refunds, halts further sales

Tencent’s non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Huanhe says it will allow buyers to refund purchased NFTs but will no longer issue the digital assets, citing a “focus on the company’s core strategic considerations.” See related article: Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com offers NFTs despite state media criticisms Fast facts The marketplace’s app will remain, but it will […]

Fed issues guidelines for crypto banks to enter central banking system

The U.S  Federal Reserve published what it called “final guidelines” for how crypto banks could be granted “master accounts” that are needed to transact directly with the Fed and the broader global banking system.  See related article: Federal Reserve to taper bond purchases, prompting concerns over BTC impact  Fast facts The Fed referred to these […]

Eqonex closing exchange; Guo’s fork plans

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – August 16, 2022 – presented by Joel Flynn. Coming up on today’s show: Eqonex to focus on asset management and custody. Chandler Guo – a man on a mission.  Total value locked taking a knock. We’ll have more on those stories — and other news shaping the cryptocurrency and […]

U.S. Treasury overstepping authority in Tornado Cash sanction, says advocacy group Coin Center

The U.S. Treasury may have overstepped its legal authority by sanctioning cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash, said crypto advocacy group Coin Center. See related article: Circle freezes smart contract addresses linked to blacklisted Tornado Cash Fast facts See related article: Ronin hack proceeds seen headed to Tornado Cash

Crypto lender Hodlnaut seeks judicial management for protection against creditors

Singapore-based cryptocurrency lender Hodlnaut has filed an application with the Singapore High Court to be placed under judicial management, which could provide the company “the breathing space to focus our efforts on the recovery plan to rehabilitate the company,” Hodlnaut said on Tuesday. See related article: Crypto lender Hodlnaut halts withdrawals, ends token swap feature […]

Binance receives in-principal approval to operate in Kazakhstan

The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, has received in-principal approval to operate a digital asset trading facility and provide custody services in Kazakhstan from the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA), the company announced on Monday. See related article: Crypto mining’s Great Migration continues — out of Kazakhstan Fast facts Binance is still required to complete […]

Bitcoin should be higher?; Memecoins on a tear

Bitcoin and Ethereum

Australia’s Holon Global got ahead of BlackRock with funds shrugging off crypto winter

Australia’s retirement fund industry, the world’s fifth largest at US$2.3 trillion, is one future target for investment funds offering cryptocurrencies.

Privacy protocol Monero completes upgrade to make transactions more private

Monero completed its hard fork for a network upgrade on Saturday in an attempt to add more privacy to transactions on the protocol. See related article: Ransomware attacks are growing in sophistication. What can stop them? Fast facts Monero Sunday said that the network is “now more private and efficient with ringsize 16, Bulletproofs+, and […]

Polkadot-based stablecoin Acala Dollar depegs after a breach

Stablecoin Acala Dollar (aUSD) lost its parity with the U.S. dollar following a breach over the weekend, but its price has since begun to bounce back. See related article: Axie Infinity blockchain Ronin hacked for over $600M Fast facts Cryptocurrency analyst @Alice und Bob tweeted that the depeg was caused by US$1.2 billion of aUSD mistakenly […]

Markets: Bitcoin little changed, Ether dips below $2,000, Memecoins surge

Bitcoin flirted with US$25,000 over the weekend while Ethereum broke through the US$2,000 barrier before both lost steam in early trading in Asia on Monday. Leading “memecoin” tokens Dogecoin (DOGE) and Shiba Inu token (SHIB) jumped, with DOGE re-entering the crypto top 10 by market cap. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin dips, Ether little changed; […]

Huobi looks to sell stake that values exchange at US$3 bln, Bloomberg reports

Leon Li, the founder of China cryptocurrency exchange Huobi, is seeking to sell a 60% stake in the company that would value the business at US$3 billion, according to a Bloomberg News report that cited people familiar with the matter. See related article: Sam Bankman-Fried’s Voyager debt emerges; Celsius reshuffles board Fast facts See related […]

BlackRock backflips on Bitcoin as latest institution to see promise in crypto

Something of a sea change? Financial institutions that once turned up their noses at cryptocurrencies are now figuring out ways to get access for their clients.

India authorities block crypto exchange Bitbns’ bank account

Indian crypto exchange Bitbns said on Thursday that withdrawals in Indian rupees (INR) have been delayed as law enforcement officers have blocked its bank account.  See related article: India authorities freeze Vauld exchange’s assets worth $46.5 mln Fast facts “If a cybercrime case is raised for say even an amount of 10,000 Indian rupees (US$125), […]

Bitcoin miner Hut 8 shares gain on revenue, outlook – despite Q2 profit slump

Crypto mining slump? Canada-based company booked 31% revenue growth on year, expanded Bitcoin holdings, and plans to ramp up mining capacity this year. Other crypto miners seem to be following suit.

No ‘conclusive evidence’ that US$6 mln Solana hack caused by loophole: Slope

Solana-based wallet Slope said on Thursday there is no “conclusive evidence” to connect its mobile wallet’s loophole with Solana’s recent breach, although 1,400 wallets connected to the loophole were drained. See related article: Seed-phrase leak from crypto wallet Slope prompts Solana hack Fast facts See related article: Solana blames Slope for exploit

India authorities freeze Vauld exchange’s assets worth $46.5 mln

India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED), the country’s economic crime unit, on Thursday froze 3.70 billion rupees (US$46.5 million) in assets at the struggling cryptocurrency exchange Vauld, local media reported citing unnamed sources. See related article: India crypto traders try to dodge fallout from WazirX woes, spat with Binance Fast facts The move comes days after the […]

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether retreat as investors digest inflation, Blackrock developments

Bitcoin fell back in Asia trading after setting a two-month high of US$24,822 overnight following news BlackRock Inc., the world’s largest asset manager, had launched its own Bitcoin fund. Ethereum followed a similar track, but held some of its gains after hitting a six-week high of US$1,927. Both crypto and equity markets had risen earlier […]

Indian authorities probe alleged $125 mln money laundering cases involving crypto, report says

India’s Enforcement Directorate is investigating at least 10 cryptocurrency exchanges for alleged money laundering, according to The Economic Times