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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?

Liquidity crunch may loom for Bored Ape-collateralized loans as floor price slides

Not every NFT collection is facing the same issue, but due to the collection’s outsized influence it could have a significant impact on the rest of the Ethereum NFT ecosystem.

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 […]

Crypto exchange Gemini launches MATIC, ETH, SOL and DOT staking

The New York-based crypto exchange said its staking service will allow customers to stake their cryptocurrencies and receive rewards within their Gemini account.  See related article: Gemini sued over US$36 mln Bitcoin and Ethereum hack Fast facts Gemini Staking will be available for users across the U.S. (excluding New York), Singapore, and Hong Kong, 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 […]

EU seeks to limit banks’ crypto exposure

European Union (EU) banks with exposure to highly volatile cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin should face higher capital requirements, according to a proposed amendment to a European financial services law.  See related article: Bitcoin miner Stronghold to return mining rigs to cut debt; shares plunge as losses widen Fast facts Crypto assets like Bitcoin, which are considered […]

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.

Coinbase would shut down ETH staking under regulatory threat, says CEO

Responding to a hypothetical scenario on Twitter, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said that the company would shut down its Ethereum staking services to preserve the blockchain network’s integrity, in the event of a regulatory crackdown. See related article: BlackRock, Coinbase partner to extend crypto trading to institutional investors Fast facts The hypothetical question was posted […]

U.K. consortium to test stablecoin payments

Digital FMI Consortium, a group of private-sector companies, plans to examine cross-border payments and make recommendations to the Bank of England using its own sterling-backed coin, dSterling. See related article: Next step for spot Bitcoin ETF in the US may be a courtroom battle Fast facts The consortium announced Project New Era, which will deploy […]

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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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.

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.

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 […]

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.

Why crypto firms should embrace regulations and compliance 

Regulatory compliance will be critical to improving crypto’s ‘Wild West’ image and public acceptance, writes Karen Er and Benjamin Bai of Amber Group. Here’s why.
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ETH futures contracts open interest on Binance breaks 8-month high: Glassnode

Ethereum futures contracts open interest reached an eight-month high of over US$3.1 billion on Binance on Sunday, Glassnode said on Twitter. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin little changed, Ether dips below $2,000, Memecoins surge Fast facts See related article: Privacy protocol Monero completes upgrade to make transactions more private

Crypto’s Institutional Boost

Crypto’s institutional boost is on the rise, meanwhile, Australia is proving to attract the crypto sector.

Philippine central bank halts crypto service provider applications for 3 years

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) slaps a moratorium on new virtual asset service provider (VASP) license applications starting Sept. 1.

Ethereum Merge may be ahead of schedule

Ethereum’s long-awaited transition to proof-of-stake (PoS) — known as “the Merge” — could be running ahead of schedule to occur on Sept. 15 or 16, according to Ethereum educator and cybersecurity professional Anthony Sassano. See related article: Ethereum will soon turn 7 — and its upcoming ‘Merge’ will be well worth the wait Fast facts […]

Simping in Web3 to follow the DAO of Irene

Can blockchain technology help starstruck little guys profit from being superfans of popular e-girls? Joel Stein joins Irene Zhao’s IreneDAO to find out.

Binance to support Ethereum’s PoS Merge, evaluate new forked tokens

Binance will support Ethereum’s “Merge,” expected in September, and will evaluate if it would list any newly forked tokens, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume said on Wednesday. See related article: USDC, Tether announce support for Ethereum proof-of-stake Fast facts Binance said it is closely monitoring the development of the merge, which could […]

Binance-WazirX spat heats up as investors yank funds from Indian exchange

Top blockchain and crypto news: Binance spurns WazirX amid India probe. BlackRock bets on Coinbase. Crypto influencers in China’s crosshairs.

Iran pays US$10 mln import order with crypto for 1st time: report

Iran has made the country’s first cryptocurrency payment with a US$10 million import order this week, which could be an option for the country to bypass broad trade embargoes, according to a media report. See related article: Crypto exchange Kraken reportedly under investigation for Iran sanctions breach Fast facts See related article: Is cryptocurrency a […]

USDC, Tether announce support for Ethereum proof-of-stake

Two of the largest stablecoin issuers — Tether and USDC — announced Tuesday that they will support Ethereum’s proof-of-stake (PoS) chain, as Ethereum’s “Merge” looms and crypto miners are banding together against the abandonment of mining.  See related article: Prominent Chinese ETH miner plans proof-of-work fork amid The Merge Fast facts See related article: Ethereum […]

Thailand’s central bank to get more power in crypto regulation overhaul: report

Thailand’s central bank will receive more power as the South-East Asian nation steps up regulation of digital assets, said Thai Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith. See related article: Thailand bans Bitcoin and crypto payments Fast facts Thailand plans to tighten its supervision of platforms and exchanges that offer trading in cryptocurrencies and other digital assets, Bloomberg […]

Digital dollar push; Tornado Cash blacklisted

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – August 9, 2022 – presented by Angie Lau. Coming up on today’s show: US lawmakers aim to push Fed on digital dollar. Circle freezes smart contract addresses linked to blacklisted Tornado Cash. Also, Hodlnaut freezes withdrawals, swaps and deposits. Zipmex to release specific amounts of Bitcoin and Ether. And […]

China shuts 13,000 social media accounts for promoting crypto investment

China has shut down nearly 13,000 accounts advocating cryptocurrency investments on popular Chinese social media platforms this year, deleted 51,000 related posts and closed 105 websites offering crypto-related information, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced on Tuesday. See related article: Tencent to cut domestic NFT marketplace team, look overseas: report Fast facts See related […]

Why crypto remains niche and far from the mainstream

The crypto world is plagued by products that are hard to use and have little utility, writes Roman Kashcheev of Quantfury. What can turn things around?

Bitget offers ‘protection fund’ to users as emergency insurance

Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitget says it has launched a US$200 million “protection fund” to act as an “emergency insurance reserve” to protect user funds when their losses are not a consequence of their own actions or behavior on the platform.  See related article: How the crypto winter is laying groundwork for Web3 to reach its […]

‘The Merge’ can make crypto payments mainstream again: Vitalik Buterin

Once we have scaling technology […] it actually becomes possible to really try to make crypto payments more mainstream again,” Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin said during his keynote speech at the Korea Blockchain Week 2022 conference on Monday. See related article: Prominent Chinese ETH miner plans proof-of-work fork amid The Merge Fast facts “Cryptocurrency payments […]

Affairs of the art: Why NFT creators have fallen for Tezos

Tezos has become a leading art blockchain, even in China, where NFTs are barely tolerated. Its regional chief, Katherine Ng, explains its success

New US bill to give CFTC oversight of cryptocurrencies may speed up crypto legislation in other markets   

The U.S. bill to bring cryptocurrencies under the oversight of the Commodities Futures and Trading Commission is likely to hasten legislation of such digital assets around the world.

Riot Blockchain earns millions in credits by cutting energy use during Texas heat wave

American Bitcoin mining firm Riot Blockchain earned an estimated US$9.5 million in power credits in July as it reduced energy consumption and mined fewer Bitcoins. See related article: Bitcoin miners in Texas halt operations amid heat wave Fast facts Riot produced 318 Bitcoins in July this year, about 28% less than July last year, thereby […]

Ex-PwC crypto head sets up digital asset fund in Dubai: report

Former PwC crypto arm leader Henri Arslanian said in a report the digital asset fund Nine Blocks Capital Management will receive $75 million from major supporters, including Hong Kong-based hedge fund Nine Masts Capital. See related article: Dubai scorches crypto winter with plans to support 40,000 ‘virtual jobs’ Fast facts See related article: India’s WazirX […]

What NFT.NYC missed that Coachella got right

2022’s marquee NFT event in America’s biggest city failed to capitalize on its namesake technology, while an iconic music festival in the California desert understood the possibilities, writes Mirwan Suwarso of Mola TV.

US crypto bill pile up; Philippines Binance warning

US Senate proposes the CFTC takes responsibility of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Meanwhile, Philippine authorities warn against Binance

Blockchain in India got off on wrong foot, says former finance chief 

India’s government doesn’t like cryptocurrencies and has made that clear in statements and with heavy taxes on the asset class, but what does that say about blockchain adoption?

MicroStrategy’s share price hits 2-month high following Saylor reshuffle

MicroStrategy’s share price jumped nearly 15% in early trading on Wednesday in the U.S. following Tuesday’s announcement that current CEO Michael Saylor is stepping down from that role to become executive chairman and will lead the company’s Bitcoin acquisition focus. See related article: MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor moves to chairman role to focus on Bitcoin […]

Why crypto and DeFi are key to building wealth in times of high inflation

As wages stagnate and prices spiral, crypto offers investment and growth opportunities unmatched by the traditional financial system, writes Tarik Moon, CEO of Alpine.

Solana blames Slope for exploit

The massive Solana wallet exploit that began on Wednesday Hong Kong time is believed to be related to the Slope mobile wallet app, while there is no evidence to show the blockchain’s code was compromised, Solana said. See related article:  Bitcoin, Ethereum little changed; Solana still lower after network hack Fast facts See related article: […]

Filecoin on a tear as cautious optimism returns to crypto markets

Top blockchain and crypto news: Filecoin leads in market uptick. CryptoPunks in new glow as Tiffany jewelry. Chinese firms flock to Singapore.

Nomad’s US$200 million hack; Saylor steps down

Nomad loses US$200 million after over 300 suspected of participating in the hack. Meanwhile, Michael Saylor moves from CEO to Chairman of Microstrategy.

Chinese mining rig maker Canaan says global expansion on track despite ‘crypto winter’

Beijing’s drive to stamp out crypto mining and the slump in crypto prices are headwinds that Canaan says it knows how to deal with, adding that the crypto winter may be shorter than expected.

Gucci begins accepting BAYC-tied token ApeCoin as payment

Gucci has further embraced cryptocurrencies, announcing in a tweet on Tuesday that it is accepting in-store purchases with ApeCoin through payment service provider BitPay. See related article: How high fashion is waking up to blockchain’s possibilities Fast facts ApeCoin is a cryptocurrency tied to Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), a non-fungible token (NFT) project created […]

Flippening ahead?; NFT sales fall again

Is the flippening coming soon? And NFT sales drop 25% in July as the crypto winter continues.

Solana an investor favorite as July registers strongest crypto inflows year-to-date: report

Crypto investments totaled US$474 million in July, mostly reversing outflows of US$481 million in June, even as Solana (SOL) witnessed year-to-date inflows of US$114 million, a report by Coinshares said. See related article: Ethereum needs scalability to retain market share: report Fast facts See related article: ETH crosses Bitcoin in options market for first time […]

Prominent Chinese ETH miner plans proof-of-work fork amid The Merge

Ahead of Ethereum’s upcoming “Merge,” prominent Chinese crypto miner Chandler Guo has indicated he wishes to fork Ethereum to maintain a version of the network that remains proof of work (PoW), according to a report by Decrypt. See related article: Ethereum will soon turn 7 — and its upcoming ‘Merge’ will be well worth the […]

Recovering crypto from insolvent companies may be easier than you think

A stolen painting may be lost forever, but a fraudulent Bitcoin transaction — with these legal strategies and tracing tools — can lead right to the criminal.
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ETH merge delay concerns; Buterin’s clown call

The ETH2 merge could once again be delayed. Meanwhile, Vitalik Buterin calls Michael Saylor “a total clown”.

Vitalik Buterin calls MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor a ‘total clown’

Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin has taken a shot at MicroStrategy chief executive officer Michael Saylor, calling him a “total clown” after the latter called the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency “inherently unethical.” See related article: Crypto continues tear while Vitalik Buterin says Eth2 ‘not priced in’ Fast facts “Why do maximalists keep picking heroes that turn out […]

Apple iPhone maker’s founder distances himself from crypto fraudsters using his image

Terry Gou, founder of Apple iPhone maker Foxconn, Saturday said that fraudsters have been using his images to promote cryptocurrency scams and that he has never invested in the crypto industry. See related article: Foxconn pledges to boost metaverse development this year Fast facts In a Facebook post on Saturday, the Taiwanese mogul said through […]

Back to the future: Blockchain returns to the real world

As the once febrile crypto market cools, it’s time to look again at the enterprise capabilities of blockchain, says the Hyperledger Foundation’s Daniela Barbosa

Crypto continues tear while Vitalik Buterin says Eth2 ‘not priced in’

The crypto market continued its tear overnight Thursday in Asia with Bitcoin and Ethereum trading up 4% and 6%, respectively, in the 24 hours before business hours on Friday. See related article: Crypto, traditional markets see bump as Fed raises rates Fast facts Bitcoin was changing hands at its highest point in over a week […]

Bad actors in North Korea, Russia send record-high funds to crypto mixers

A new report by Chainalysis shows that sanctioned actors, especially in North Korea and Russia, are sending record sums to crypto mixers.

Why DeFi remains attractive to institutions in a bear market

Despite the bleak macro outlook, more institutions are looking to gain exposure to the DeFi sector, writes Robert Alcorn of Clearpool. Here’s why.

Crypto, traditional markets see bump as Fed raises rates

Both crypto and traditional markets saw significant gains overnight Monday in Asia after the U.S. Federal Reserve announced a 75-basis point interest rate increase to battle the worst inflation in the country in some 40 years. See related article: Fed may increase interest rates amid rising inflation Fast facts Interest rates in the U.S. are […]

Voyager gives Sam Bankman-Fried’s ‘low-ball’ bailout offer a single digit

Top blockchain and crypto news: SBF’s Voyager rescue deal spurned. Tesla pulls U-turn with BTC sale. Tencent cuts local NFT staff as it looks abroad.

Crypto market quickly rebounds after IMF predicts increased recession risk

Bitcoin quickly rebounded above US$21,000 coming into Asian trading hours on Wednesday after falling below the mark overnight since the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its global growth outlook for this year and next, warning that the world economy may soon be on the cusp of an outright recession. See related article: IMF says crypto crash […]

MicroStrategy shares fall after Jefferies downgrade to ‘underperform’

Investment banking firm Jefferies downgraded the MicroStrategy stocks from “hold” to “underperform.” See related article: Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy buys more Bitcoin Fast facts MicroStrategy, the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, has a premium valuation for a low-growth asset, Jefferies said in a research report released on Tuesday. Jefferies kept the MicroStrategy price target unchanged at […]

HK crypto exchange OSL sells security tokens to institutional investors

Hong Kong-based digital asset trading platform OSL has started selling security tokens to institutional investors via a private placement, with the first purchasers including blockchain game company Animoca Brands, according to a press release on Tuesday. See related article: Chinese logistics network plans US fundraise via tokenized offerings Fast facts Each security token represents a […]

Crypto exchange Bullish’s 2Q average daily volume rises 3-fold on the quarter

Average daily volumes (ADV) at Bullish cryptocurrency exchange in the second quarter of the year rose by about 212% to US$522 million, up from US$167 million in the first quarter, according to a business update released on July 26. The exchange is operated by Bullish (GI) Limited and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission.  […]

Fed nerves hit crypto; Philippines crypto tax pushed

Crypto prices fall ahead of the Fed meeting. Meanwhile, the Philippines pushes for a crypto tax.

Aptos raises US$150 mln from FTX Ventures, Jump Crypto

Founded by former employees of Meta stablecoin arm Diem, blockchain company Aptos Labs announced a US$150 million Series A funding round led by FTX Ventures and Jump Crypto on Monday, according to a press release. See related article: Crypto startup funding falls by 26% in H1 2022: report Fast facts Venture capital and crypto firms […]

What is the crypto industry’s public responsibility?

The crypto world is consumed by a spiritual battle between its believers and haters, and it is in need of a rebirth and new identity, writes Prof. Yanto Chandra of Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

How cold storage can ward against this crypto winter’s freeze

As the Celsius bankruptcy shows, moving to decentralized ways to hold crypto is not only sensible, it’s what Satoshi envisioned all along, writes Ruben Merre, CEO and cofounder of NGRAVE.

Market bottom being tested?; Zipmex in buyout talks.

Silvergate issues warnings about the crypto winter. Meanwhile, Zipmex considers a buyout by FTX and Alameda Research.

FTX proposes buying out Voyager assets and loans except for 3AC to provide early liquidity to customers

Crypto exchange FTX launched a joint offer with West Realm Shires, which runs FTX.US, and Alameda Ventures, on Friday, which would allow bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital customers to get their hands on their bankruptcy claims in advance.  See related article: ​​Voyager crypto refund plan unconfirmed; fiat to be returned in full Fast facts Regarding […]

DeFi TVL plunged 67% in Q2

The total value locked (TVL) in decentralized finance (DeFi) plunged 66.9% in the second quarter of this year amid market turmoil, according to data from DefiLlama. See related article: Sinking TRON takes DeFi TVL to US$63B, lowest since April 2021 Fast facts The DeFi space recorded US$220 billion in TVL at the beginning of the […]

Mind the gap: Fixing the female deficit in Web 3.0

Despite some recent progress, the Web 3.0 industry is still coming up short on women’s participation, says NEAR Foundation chief Marieke Flament

3AC cofounders resurface after five weeks, deny allegations

Three Arrows Capital (3AC) cofounders Su Zhu and Kyle Davies denied allegations by 3AC liquidators that they moved money out of the crypto hedge fund before its collapse. See related article: 3AC founders moved money out of troubled hedge fund, allege liquidators Fast facts Zhu and Davies claimed that they were forced into hiding due […]