Search results: AR

With the Cardano blockchain now supporting smart contract capabilities, developers will soon be able to upload their decentralized applications (DApps) and make them available to others through a Plutus dAppStore, according to a blog post by Input Output HK (IOHK) ahead of the Cardano Summit taking place this weekend. Fast facts “The store will provide […]

Umbrella Network, a decentralized oracle, has acquired Lucidity, a blockchain-based advertising and analytics platform, to bring more data transparency to advertisers, according to a company statement. Fast facts The acquisition was completed in August 2021 for an undisclosed amount, according to the company statement. Lucidity will be integrated with Umbrella Network as part of the […]

Survey shows growing consensus on adoption, investment and use cases. ‘Blockchain is here to stay.’

Amber Group, a Hong Kong-based crypto financial services company, is eyeing a direct listing in the U.S. within the next two years, Amber Group co-founder and CEO Michael Wu told the South China Morning Post in an interview. Fast facts Founded in 2017, Amber Group propelled to unicorn status this year following its US$100 million Series […]

Marquee investors like Softbank and Andreessen Horowitz are heaping love on Sorare and Dapper Labs. What does this mean for the future of the non-fungible tokens sector?

Top blockchain and crypto news: Evergrande end-game roils crypto markets. SEC takes aim at stablecoins. How close is China’s digital yuan to the finish line?

Blockchain and parametric insurance offer a bigger safety net for the world’s most vulnerable, writes Jan Stockhausen of Etherisc. Here’s how it works.

Chinese crypto mining rig maker Canaan Inc. announced Monday that its board of directors has authorized a share repurchase program, in a signal of confidence in crypto mining’s future and a belief that its own stock is undervalued. Fast facts Nasdaq-listed Canaan said it may repurchase up to US$20 million worth of its outstanding American […]

From crypto-embossed mooncakes to mooncake NFTs to gatherings in the metaverse, how Asia’s crypto fans are celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Crypto investors and industry watchers are following closely the potential collapse of Chinese property giant Evergrande.

A focus of China’s free trade and shipping, Shanghai will explore in pilot project cross border trading with offshore renminbi stablecoin.

As most of the crypto market stagnates, Cosmos has been on a tear over the weekend, gaining 35% since Saturday morning Asia time to reach an all-time high of US$44.54 this morning, according to CoinMarketCap.com. Fast facts Though it dropped slightly to US$41.72 just before press time, this jump marks the first time the ATOM […]

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, is reportedly now under investigation for possible insider trading and market manipulation by the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Fast facts According to a Bloomberg report that cited unnamed sources, investigators from the CFTC — the agency that regulates the U.S. derivatives markets — […]

Most banks distance themselves from virtual asset platforms as the country’s central bank lobbies for a ban.

AVAX and SHIB outperform Bitcoin, which gained in price but shied from the $50K mark.

The U.S. Treasury is preparing a raft of recommendations for stricter oversight of Tether and other stablecoins, as unnamed insiders say the department has identified the greatest risks posed by the tokens, according to a recent Bloomberg report. Fast facts Making sure investors are able to transfer money in and out of tokens is a […]

Under scrutiny around the world, the largest cryptocurrency exchange wants to do a better job engaging with regulators.

As Cardano’s Alonzo upgrade goes live, founder Charles Hoskinson of IOHK calls DeFi a ‘bubble.’ How does he think the regulation that is sure to come will reshape DeFi in the future?

With the ease of counterfeiting products like premium tea, keeping a tamper-proof digital paper trail can record each step along the way.

Leading Chinese crypto mining hardware manufacturer attributes robust revenue to ‘substantial increase in total computing power sold.’

Blockchain Association Singapore (BAS) and Singapore’s National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) U Care Fund today announced their inaugural non-fungible token (NFT) charity auction event, Blockchain For Good, which will take place Oct. 4 to 10. Fast facts The charity initiative — supported by a wide range of companies including Singapore Airlines, Amazon Web Services Inc., […]

African countries collectively received US$105.6 billion worth of cryptocurrency between July 2020 and June 2021, a year-on-year increase by more than 12 times, blockchain data platform Chainalysis said in a report. Fast facts The adoption rate of cryptocurrency in Africa at the grassroots level is the highest in the world. And retail transactions in Africa […]

Blockchain and tokenization are transforming how real estate can be bought and sold. Here is how one fintech startup in Asia is using digital fractionalization to raise capital.

Solana validators complete restart also Laos ends crypto ban

Top blockchain and crypto news: Walmart dispels Litecoin hoax. Cardano’s real work begins. Beijing bears down on NFTs.

In his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee, Gary Gensler, chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, said that Coinbase lists “dozens of tokens that may be securities.” Fast facts In response to Senator Pat Toomey’s questions about whether cryptocurrencies classify as securities, Gensler said “very many” of the cryptocurrencies, including stablecoins, are in […]

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?

Three banks — the Bank of China, Singapore’s DBS and HSBC — have partnered with the Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN), a Hong Kong-based non-profit consortium that recently launched a blockchain-based trade platform, to form a trade finance advisory group, according to a media release shared with Forkast.News today. Fast facts Trade finance — the […]

Software firm MicroStrategy, the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder, purchased an additional 5,050 Bitcoins for US$242.9 million at an average price of US$48,099 per Bitcoin.  Fast facts Bitcoin was trading 3% lower on Monday, the day of the purchase, at around US$44, 800. The purchase puts MicroStrategy’s total Bitcoin holdings at 114,042 Bitcoins acquired for around […]

China’s largest brokerage firm, CITIC Securities, said in a research report the metaverse will enter an exploration stage in the next three to five years and could become a way of life in 20 years. Fast facts The report said the development of the metaverse can be divided into three stages. The first stage will be completed […]

Scams and fake news have long dogged the crypto world. This week saw two major blockchain companies and a global retailer get swept up by hack rumors or hoaxes.

Institutional investors continued to buy into Solana investment products despite the market correction last week, according to a report by digital asset manager CoinShares. Fast facts Solana prices, which have soared by over 13,000% this year, reached an all-time high of US$213.47 on Sept. 9, according to CoinGecko data. Solana briefly overtook XRP to become […]

E-CNY problems to be solved, also China sees warning over NFT hype

A few altcoins managed to stand out coming into the working week as Solana’s tear comes to an end.

In this Forkast.News explainer, learn why blockchains with smart contract capability are surging in popularity and the new darlings of investors.

Iran, which imposed a temporary ban on Bitcoin mining a few months ago, continues to crack down on illegal crypto mining operations, closing down thousands of unauthorized mining facilities, according to local media reports. Fast facts The Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company, also known as Tavanir, told the state-run ISNA that it had […]

The platform reports more users than WazirX and CoinDCX, and aims to make crypto trading as easy as ordering food online.

Crypto in 2021 is like the early days of the internet, writes Hisham Khan of Aldrin. Here’s why the quality of user experience will decide the industry’s future.

Why is Axie Infinity so popular, and what is the potential of play-to-earn gaming? Two venture capitalists share insights on Asia’s special place as GameFi’s hub.

Cardano smart contracts set for Sunday also CrossTower launches in India

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 […]

Cardano’s Alonzo hard fork will bring smart contracts and NFT support to the world’s third-largest blockchain. What will it mean for the crypto market?

A Canadian-American citizen, who laundered tens of millions of dollars for cybercriminals including North Korea’s military intelligence agency hackers, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison, the U.S. Department of Justice announced. Fast facts Ghaleb Alaumary, 36, pleaded guilty to money laundering in 2020 and has been asked to pay US$30 million in restitution […]

The Sandbox, Animoca Brand’s subsidiary for decentralized virtual gaming, announces partnership with animation studio in Korea.

Football giant Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) today announced a multi-year partnership agreement with Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com that will see the exchange become the Parisian club’s official cryptocurrency platform partner. Fast facts PSG competes in Ligue 1, the top division of French football, and its star-studded team includes forwards Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar. […]

El Salvador’s Bitcoin embrace may be a domino for some emerging markets, but a fierce rival to the BTC is also coming to the fore.

Algorand’s ALGO cryptocurrency prices have surged by 90% over the past seven days, crossing the US$2 mark and hit a two-year high of US$2.44 today, according to CoinGecko data. ALGO, ranked the 17th largest cryptocurrency by market value, has not seen such price heights since its launch in 2019. Fast facts Algorand is an open-source, […]

C.R.E.A.M. Finance, a Taipei-based decentralized finance (DeFi) lending platform, on Sept. 8 announced its support of six metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that will allow users to borrow and lend against the assets. Fast facts NFTs, unique digital assets whose authenticity and ownership are tracked on a blockchain, have seen exponential growth over the past […]

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban says Coinbase should “go on the offensive” against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in its feud over high-yield savings account Lend. Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple — which is itself embroiled in ongoing litigation with the SEC — quipped “Welcome to the party” in a GIF tweet. Fast facts In […]

China-based Bitmain, one of the world’s biggest producers of cryptocurrency mining rigs, has sealed a deal with its United States partners — ISW Holdings and Bit5ive — to expand its operation in America. Fast facts ISW Holdings, a Nevada-based portfolio company with extensive crypto mining operations, will host 56,000 Bitmain mining rigs and pair them […]

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 the debate over cryptocurrency’s carbon footprint rages on, leading bitcoin miner Blockstream is developing new zero-carbon Bitcoin mining facilities in partnership with Australia-based financial services giant Macquarie Group, according to a company blog post. Fast facts The first pilot site will be in the U.S. where Blockstream will leverage Macquarie’s experience in green investments […]

Following crypto’s adoption in one struggling economy, nations in Latin America and elsewhere are now weighing the pros and cons of digital currency

KILT Protocol, an open-source blockchain protocol for issuing self-sovereign, anonymous and verifiable credentials, has won the sixth Kusama parachain auction and has launched its mainnet, the project announced yesterday. Kusama is Polkadot’s canary network for blockchain developers to build and test out their code as well as products and services. Fast facts KILT Protocol had […]

A Chinese game company, Zhong Qing Bao, announced a metaverse game, and its stock rose considerably this week for two days in a row. Fast facts The game’s name is Brew Master, a game that lets players pretend to be winemakers and trade the wines that they make as NFTs. Two days after the game […]

Have DeFi exploits on BSC hindered the blockchain’s success? NFTs and gaming offer a boost.

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.

What are the different kinds of blockchain, and how do they compare? Learn all about public, private and permissioned platforms in this Forkast.News explainer.

Solana hits all-time19 high as FTX’s NFT marketplace spammed

Charles Randell, chairman of the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority and chair of the Payments Systems Regulator, singled out celebrity influencer Kim Kardashian in his latest speech for endorsing a relatively unknown and unregulated token. Fast facts In June, Kardashian endorsed EthereumMax, a project launched by unknown developers in May 2021. Kardashian, wife of rapper Kanye […]

The broader market recovery following the May crash continues with five of the top 10 coins by market cap showing double-digit growth over the past seven days, according to data from CoinMarketCap.com. Fast facts Continuing its historic run, Solana (SOL) showed the most movement, gaining over 45% this past week to hit a new all-time […]

Gajesh Naik and Laya Mathikshara, two Indian 13-year-olds, are getting global recognition — and making astronomical sums — through their ventures in crypto and NFTs.

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

Too small to fight as individuals, Binance users are now banding together to take on the world’s largest crypto exchange in arbitration. David Kay of Liti Capital explains how it’s done.

Crypto trading platforms rush to meet a Sept. 24 deadline, hoping to comply with new rules designed to protect investors.

Poolin, a major cryptocurrency mining pool with significant operations in China, on Thursday announced a partnership with Quant Satoshi to further expand its mining operation in the U.S. Fast facts Poolin has partnered with Quant Satoshi, an American quantitative trading firm that focuses on crypto high frequency trading, to expand Poolin’s U.S. presence, the company […]

As Bitcoin continues to battle the $50,000 level, Ethereum rises in dominance while smart contract platforms Solana and Cardano buck the sideways trend to reach new price levels.

OKEx, the world’s second-largest crypto derivatives exchange by trading volume, is amplifying its decentralized finance (DeFi) efforts by launching its DeFi Hub, along with a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace. Fast facts OKEx has launched DeFi Hub, a platform that offers users the ability to view and manage decentralized assets across major blockchain networks and DeFi […]

In the first eight months of 2021, the fledgling but fast-growing cryptocurrency industry saw almost as many companies come to market as 2019 and 2020 combined, according to the “The Arrival of Cryptocurrency Stocks” report published this month by CoinShares Research. Fast facts As of August 20201, there were 57 publicly listed cryptocurrency pure play […]

After only four months in the position, “Crypto Dad” Chris Giancarlo is stepping down from BlockFi’s board of directors, according to a recent press release. No reason for Giancarlo’s departure has yet been provided, though he apparently will continue to provide strategic counsel to the firm in an advisory role. Fast facts Ellen-Blair Chube, Managing […]

The founder of the now-defunct crypto exchange BitConnect is being sued for a US$2 billion “textbook Ponzi scheme” by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, according to a Reuters report. Fast facts The SEC alleges BitConnect’s founder Satish Kumbhani, an Indian citizen, lied about the exchange’s ability to earn 40% returns on investments of BitConnect’s […]