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What Powell’s ‘No intention to ban’ means for crypto

  Jerome Powell’s remarks on Sept. 30 following his testimony about the financial hardships of the pandemic caught the attention of crypto enthusiasts. Taking questions from the House Committee on Financial Services, Chairman Powell said the Federal Reserve would not seek a ban on crypto but reiterated that stablecoins should be regulated.  Bitcoin jumped by […]

Crypto travel rule transactions tested between Abu Dhabi, Singapore

Notabene, a travel rule solution provider, this week announced that it has successfully completed travel rule test transactions between four Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM)-licensed firms and three crypto companies in Singapore. Fast facts In July, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) — the global anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-financing of terrorism (CTF) standards-setter — […]

2021 is a banner year for NFTs. Here’s what you need to know

The NFT boom is transforming the art world, writes Laura Ballman and Michael Greenwald. Collectors would be wise to learn all they can about this new technology.
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South Korea will tax crypto but not NFTs

South Korea’s finance minister says that while income from virtual asset transactions will be taxed starting Jan. 1, 2022, NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are not to be taxed yet. Fast facts At the National Assembly’s annual review on Wednesday, Minister of Economy and Finance Hong Nam-ki said the government plans to start taxing virtual asset gains […]

SHIB price surges, biggest gains since May

Outstripping the explosive growth of Dogecoin in the past week, copycat memecoin SHIB was up over 300% over the past four days this morning, briefly reaching a five-month high of US$0.00003436, according to CoinGecko. Fast facts Trading at US$0.00003079 at press time, this marks the second massive jump in the Shiba Inu coin’s price since […]

Australian Tax Office warns: taxpayers on the hook for crypto tax earnings

Officials are concerned that many investors may not be aware crypto trading is taxed in a similar way to share trading.

How to protect digital privacy and freedom of expression | Ep. 4

The importance of digital privacy, freedom of expression and civil liberties and how Web 3 can protect them.

Crypto miners blamed for Kazakhstan’s power shortages; Bitcoin on the up

Kazakhstan blames its newly settled crypto miners for power shortages as South Korea’s largest exchange is accused of listing faulty tokens for profits.

How should the world tackle crypto criminals and digital dangers?

Top blockchain and crypto news: US leads charge in ramping up cybersecurity. Crypto fans crow as Facebook flops. China bears down on metaverses.

Top South Korean exchange accused of listing faulty tokens for fees

A lawmaker claims Upbit earned hundreds of millions by listing sketchy cryptocurrencies, while the exchange rebuts that it follows fair and strict standards.

Bitcoin price crosses $50K, but market dominance continues falling

This is the second time the world’s largest cryptocurrency has hit the mark in recent months. Does that mean this price point is here to stay?

MetaMask Institutional partners with crypto custodians BitGo, Qredo, Cactus Custody

MetaMask Institutional (MMI), the version of the MetaMask decentralized finance (DeFi) wallet for institutions, today announced its partnership with digital assets custodians U.S.-based BitGo, British Virgin Islands-headquartered Qredo, and Hong Kong-based Cactus Custody to facilitate companies seeking access to DeFi. Fast facts The partnership comes amid growing institutional interest in DeFi and aims to address […]

What are the biggest challenges for institutions that adopt crypto?

What does it mean to provide ‘institutional’ crypto services, and what role does blockchain technology play? Robert Cooper of Digivault explains.

Korea crypto tax pause called for; TikTok jumps into NFTs

Korea crypto tax pause called for meanwhile Tiktok jumps into NFTs

Axie Infinity revenue plunges, while AXS price breaks new ground

It’s been quite a run for the world’s leading play-to-earn game, but as its monthly revenue takes a hit, what’s in store for the future of the game?

What is Hong Kong’s future as a crypto hub?

Hong Kong, a hotbed for crypto startups and exchanges, is at a crossroads, writes Jeremy Ng of Gemini. Here’s how the industry can better secure its future.

Hong Kong issues technical white paper on e-HKD

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on Monday released a white paper proposing potential technical architecture and design for the infrastructure of a digital Hong Kong dollar. The paper is one of the deliverables described in Project e-HKD, a feasibility study the HKMA announced in June 2021. Fast facts Hong Kong began its exploration of […]

Why domestic and overseas Chinese should worry about China’s crypto ban

In a special Q&A, a Canadian law advisor who works with Chinese clients breaks down the ban’s potential legal boundaries and concerns held by overseas Chinese.

What are stablecoins, and why are some governments so afraid of them?

Stablecoins combine the portability of crypto with the price stability of fiat currencies. But are they all that stable?

How will China’s new dictates affect Hong Kong’s future as a crypto hub?

Mainland China’s recent clampdowns on crypto are reverberating beyond its borders. In a special Q&A, former regulator and crypto industry leader Angelina Kwan discusses what this means for Hong Kong.

Crypto on the beach: FTX and other players find paradise in the Caribbean

This week, FTX announced it is moving its headquarters from Hong Kong to the Bahamas, as the larger Caribbean region takes on a bigger role as host to virtual currency exchanges.

Singapore grants crypto licenses to DBS and Australian exchange Independent Reserve

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) today granted licenses to DBS Vickers (DBSV), the brokerage arm of DBS Bank, and Independent Reserve, an Australian cryptocurrency exchange, to provide digital payment token services under the Payment Services Act (PS Act). Fast facts Formal approval from MAS, which follows its earlier “in-principal approval” granted to both companies […]

South Korean game developer, crypto exchange team up for next level gaming

Mobile game company Gamevil buys a large share of crypto platform Coinone, planning to develop blockchain-based gaming.

DeFi benefits from China ban; Gamevil increases Coinone stake

DeFi benefits from China ban while Gamevil increases Coinone stake

A crypto-trading hamster is outrunning Warren Buffett

Although scarcely the size of a human palm, Mr. Goxx is earning big returns in the virtual currency market, raking in a 16% return as of Tuesday.

After the crackdown: go underground, go along, or buy the dip?

Chinese social media has been abuzz since authorities lowered the boom on crypto. Forkast.News has been following the chatter. Here’s what they’re saying on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter.

dYdX price surges 80% in a week to all-time high

dYdX, the governance token for the dYdX exchange protocol, surged to a new all-time high of US$27.86 today, according to CoinGecko data. Fast facts dYdX is a decentralized exchange (DEX) built on Ethereum that currently supports perpetual contracts, margin trading and spot cryptocurrency trading, as well as lending and borrowing. It is a non-custodial exchange […]

Why China’s latest stomp on crypto is turbo-charging DeFi growth

DeFi tokens like dYdX soared after China’s latest move to throttle crypto. Is this a short-term spurt or decentralized finance shifting into high gear?

Who in the world should worry about China’s new crypto ban?

As Chinese authorities take aim at crypto violations outside mainland borders, Forkast.News asks lawyers in the know: Who is in China’s line of fire?

How China’s crypto clampdowns could reshape the rest of the world

Against the global tide of digital asset adoption, China’s harshest crypto ban yet heralds golden opportunities, writes Richard Byworth of EQONEX. Other governments should take note.

Cabs in Chinese city Xi’an pilot digital RMB as fare

The Xi’an taxi industry and the Bank of Xi’an launched an e-CNY pilot program to accept e-CNY as fare, becoming the first city in China to accept digital renminbi as a taxi fare, a local newspaper reported. Fast facts Ten cabs selected as pilot vehicles have QR codes posted, and passengers can scan the QR […]

China crackdown legal concerns; Korea discusses virtual asset law

China crackdown legal concerns as Korea also discusses virtual asset law

Unmade in China: Beijing’s crypto cold war turns hot

Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Beijing’s crypto crusade comes to a head. Chinese mining caves in. Mr. Goxx reaps robust returns.

BeePool, Tiger Brokers among the latest to respond to China’s crypto ban

China’s stepped-up cryptocurrency ban continues to send shockwaves through the industry, as more crypto service providers are shutting their doors to users in China. BeePool and Tiger Brokers are among the latest to announce service suspensions. Fast facts China-based BeePool, the fourth-largest Ethereum mining pool in hashrate, said Tuesday that it has stopped registering new […]

CFTC slaps $1.25M fine on crypto exchange Kraken for illegal offerings

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has slapped a US$1.25 million fine on Kraken, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the U.S., for Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) violations, the CFTC announced yesterday. Fast facts The CFTC, in its settlement with Payward Ventures Inc., the San Francisco-based company doing business under the name Kraken, said […]

China fallout hits mining; Korea digital custody competition heats up

China fallout hits mining meanwhile Korea digital custody competition heats up

Ant Group and Tencent obtain the most blockchain patents in China: report

China saw a fivefold increase in blockchain patents last year despite the Covid-19 shutdown.
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Crypto mining players continue to flee China as latest ban kicks in

China’s earlier efforts to eradicate mining may not have been as effective as the government had hoped, but Friday’s announcement is having an impact.
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The curious timing behind China’s thunder and lightning at crypto

China assaulted crypto with a new ferocity just as Bitcoin options expired and Evergrande escaped death. Coincidence? Ben Caselin of AAX lays out the clues.

Damage to South Korean crypto market limited despite mass closure, regulator says

South Korea’s virtual asset industry is expected to withstand major regulatory reconstruction

China’s crypto crackdown: What it means

China’s crypto crackdown and what it means

XinFin’s XDC Network and Tradeteq partner on NFTs for trade finance

Singapore-based blockchain protocol eXchange inFinite (XinFin) and trade finance distribution platform Tradeteq today announced their partnership to tokenize trade finance assets into non-fungible tokens (NFTs), according to a company statement shared with Forkast.News. Fast facts Atul Khekade, co-founder of XinFin, told Forkast.News in an interview that traditional trade finance assets that are typically paper-based such […]

FTX CEO: This is the canary in China’s crypto ban coal mine

Amid China’s new clampdown, why is DeFi surging and the RMB-to-crypto market important? Sam Bankman-Fried analyzes what it all means and why FTX is leaving Hong Kong for a new home.

China’s crypto ban: what you need to know

How is China’s latest clampdown on crypto different from its previous bans — and how do authorities plan to catch the scofflaws? Henri Arslanian of PwC breaks it down.

What does China’s crypto ban really mean? Insights from the ground

China’s hardline stance against crypto is already rippling beyond its borders. A mainland crypto insider explains the global shakeup yet to come.

D-day for Korean crypto exchanges; e-CNY project speeds up

D-day for Korean crypto exchanges meanwhile e-CNY project speeds up

Former US Treasury advisor predicts no ‘real action’ from Fed on CBDC

While a US digital dollar is stuck at pole position, China’s digital yuan is nearing the finish line. Michael B. Greenwald of Tiedemann Advisors explains why it matters to the future global economy.  

BIT Mining invests in crypto site in Ohio to expand U.S. operation

The cryptocurrency mining industry is attracting more investment money. Hong Kong-headquartered crypto miner BIT Mining said it had entered into an agreement to jointly invest in a crypto mining data center in the U.S. state of Ohio, with access to power capacity of up to 85 megawatts. Fast facts The development of the Ohio mining […]

How Southeast Asia flowered into a global crypto hub

Until recently, most Southeast Asians had no internet. Now the region is abloom with blockchain innovation. How did they do it?

81 of top 100 companies use blockchain technology, Blockdata research shows

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

As big investors pour $930M into 2 NFT startups, what do the tea leaves say for the rest?

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?

UAE regulators to allow crypto-assets trading

The United Arab Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA) have signed an agreement to support crypto-assets trading and related financial activities in the DWTCA free zone. Fast facts The agreement allows the DWTCA to issue approvals and licenses for financial activities related to crypto assets and the SCA […]

South Korea’s crypto crackdown: What you need to know

The country’s crypto industry has been turned upside down with stricter operating rules that take effect tomorrow.

VC names jump in on NFTs; Crypto investors brush off Evergrande

VC names jump in on NFTs meanwhile crypto investors brush off Evergrande

After Evergrande, will virtual real estate be the next alternative asset class?

The property market is increasingly expensive and out of reach for today’s younger generation. Digital land sales may hit home with some buyers.

Crypto platform Cobo raises $40M to expand one-stop DeFi shop for institutions

Cobo, a Singapore-based crypto custody and asset management platform, today announced the completion of its US$40 million Series B fundraise to accelerate the rollout of its decentralized finance (DeFi) as a service (DaaS) product. Fast facts In an interview, Cobo Chief Operating Officer Lily Zhuo told Forkast.News that Cobo’s DeFi as a service (DaaS) product, […]

Why decentralization can help solve the content moderation problem | Ep. 3

Why is content moderation a cosmically huge problem, do humans need to be involved and how can the decentralized web ensure it’s a place for everyone.

After Singapore, Binance pulls back from Australia under growing regulatory pressure

Following similar moves in Singapore, embattled crypto exchange Binance — the largest in the world by trading volume — is ending its derivatives trading in Australia by year’s end, according to a company blog post on Tuesday. Fast facts Aussie traders will have 90 days to reduce or close their positions on options, futures and […]

What is Audius and could it be the next Spotify?

Audius is enjoying outsized buzz. Should Spotify be scared? In this Forkast.News explainer, learn how this blockchain startup could threaten music industry money — and power.

Over 90% of the world’s poor are not insured, but blockchain could soon change that

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.

Evergrande’s uncertainty rocks crypto market

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

Why community is key to blockchain and crypto project success

Blockchain communities are instrumental to shaping how projects develop and operate, writes Humpty Calderon of Ontology. What are the signs of a thriving ecosystem?

Upbit passes Korea crypto race post; P2P transactions surge in India

Upbit passes Korea crypto race post meanwhile P2P transactions surge in India

Boba network announces mainnet launch of layer 2 optimistic rollup

ETH 2.0 is expected to address transaction speeds and gas fees on the world’s number two blockchain, but a growing number of layer-2 protocols are looking to solve those issues today.

Binance faces US probe for possible insider trading and market manipulation

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 — […]

4 Chinese cities to compete for inclusion in e-CNY pilot programs

Four Chinese cities announced they will compete for inclusion in the next batch of digital renminbi pilot projects. They are Guangzhou, Tianjin, Yiwu and Fuzhou. Fast facts Guangzhou and Tianjin have written their goals into their city’s “14th Five-Year Financial Industry Reform Plan,” and Yiwu’s plan has been reported to the State Council. Guangzhou is […]

Black Friday for Korean exchanges; E-CNY launch in final stretch

Black Friday for Korean exchanges while E-CNY launch in final stretch

Black Friday in South Korea as crypto exchanges announce shutdown

All but four platforms in South Korea obligated to announce the suspension of their services by today.

India’s largest public bank bars payments to crypto exchanges

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

U.S. Treasury prepares to recommend stricter regulation on stablecoins

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 […]

El Salvador’s Bitcoin adoption, one week on

It’s hot on Bitcoin Beach and the Twitterverse, but the new legal tender doesn’t have uptake elsewhere in the Central American country.

Why Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson says DeFi is ‘up for grabs’

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?