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Sotheby’s will accept Bitcoin and Ether for 101-carat diamond auction

Sotheby’s has announced it will be accepting cryptocurrency as payment in an upcoming auction for a 101.38-carat diamond with flawless clarity.

Bitcoin and Ethereum prices fall: Is the crypto market in an over-leveraged bubble?

Against a backdrop of El Salvador’s BTC boosts, famed investor Michael Burry warns about a crypto price bubble and China intensifies its crypto clampdown.

S. Korean banks start crypto exchange reviews as contract renewals loom

South Korean lenders have started money laundering risk assessments of the country’s “big four” cryptocurrency exchanges, with which they have contracts to provide real-name accounts.

CoinShares partners with Germany’s Finanzen Zero on crypto ETPs

European digital asset manager CoinShares hasannounced a partnership with German financial news portal Finanzen.net to bring crypto exchange traded products to investors with no trading fees.

Paraguay may adopt Bitcoin as lawmaker seeks to follow El Salvador

Following El Salvador’s move to become the first country in the world to recognize Bitcoin as legal tender, a Paraguayan congressman has announced plans to do the same in the South American nation next month.

Survey: Crypto investing gender gap is narrowing in Australia

The number of Australian women investing in cryptocurrency has grown this year from 7% in January to 11% in June.

U.S. Republican Party to accept donations in cryptocurrency

The National Republican Congressional Committee in the US will begin accepting donations in cryptocurrency.

More regulation for SK crypto exchanges; NFTs kick-start K-pop comeback | The Daily Forkast

Self-published tokens get barred from South Korean exchanges as Hong Kong’s air quality recording meets blockchain technology.

Bitcoin price dips but BTC dominance rises with US inflation fears

Bitcoin sheds 4% but BTC’s share of the total crypto market grows after US Fed projects higher inflation and plans interest hikes earlier than expected.

El Salvador feels confused over salary payments in Bitcoin

The El Salvadorean Department of Labor and Social Welfare has had to clarify it is not within its purview to determine whether salaries can be paid in Bitcoin.

The internet paradigm shift is here: Are you prepared for Web 3.0?

Permissionless, open source and decentralized, Web 3.0 will transform computing and data storage. Maria Paula Fernandez of Golem Network explains how.

R3 and ASEAN network partner on CBDC sandbox for banks and fintechs

The ASEAN Financial Innovation Network (AFIN) is partnering with enterprise software firm R3 on a central bank digital currency (CBDC) sandbox.

Yunnan mining ban clarified; Korean exchanges start ‘coin thinning’ | The Daily Forkast

Chinese authorities provide more details on its notice issued to the local mining industry while South Korean exchange start ‘coin thinning’.

Beyond the NFT hype: Why NFT technology is flawed and buyers must beware

What does it mean to own an NFT, and why are some NFTs vanishing? Alexander Hobbs of Zenotta explains the weaknesses in NFTs’ underlying technology.

African P2P Bitcoin trading roars ahead of other regions

Africa has emerged as the region with the highest growth in P2P Bitcoin trading volume over the past six months.

El Salvador’s BTC remittances in May quadruple from last year

Bitcoin transactions in El Salvador during May increased by more than four times compared to a year ago, yet fiat remittances still represent the vast majority of transactions in the country.

Yunnan warns miners over power use; WazirX faces gov’t heat | The Daily Forkast

China’s crypto mining crackdown continues while Indian finance authorities probe one of the nation’s largest exchange WazirX.

What is yield farming in DeFi and how does it work?

One of DeFi’s hottest trends, yield farming can bring riches but is not for crypto beginners or those who can’t afford to lose. Forkast.News explains why.

As blockchain becomes widely used in banking, what are its security risks?

Blockchain provides greater data transparency and security than ever before, but the technology is not immune to cyber attacks and data breaches.

Algorithm-generated NFT artwork sells at Sotheby’s for US$11.8M

Auction house Sotheby’s has sold a non-fungible token of a digital artwork known as “CryptoPunk, Alien #7523” for US$11.8 million.

IMF targets El Salvador’s Bitcoin adoption, citing financial and legal concerns

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will meet with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele to finalize discussions around a pandemic relief loan to support the Central American nation. In a Thursday press briefing, IMF spokesman Garry Rice also implied that El Salvador’s decision to make Bitcoin a national currency will be a focus of the meeting for the IMF team.

Basel Committee starts public consultation on banks’ crypto asset exposures

The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has launched a public consultation on preliminary proposals for the treatment of banks’ crypto asset exposures.

Jump Trading partners with Solana-based DeFi protocol Oxygen

Jump Trading, a high-frequency trading firm, is joining Oxygen, a decentralized finance prime brokerage protocol, as a strategic partner and market-maker to provide liquidity on the Oxygen platform.

Coinbase partners with 401(k) provider ForUsAll on crypto retirement plans

Retirement investment platform ForUsAll is partnering with Coinbase to expand access to cryptocurrencies through the U.S. 401(k) pension scheme.

Singapore central bank says blockchain can boost Asia’s low-carbon future

Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, says technologies such as blockchain will help Asian nations to reduce carbon emissions.

Asian crypto exchange Kikitrade wins funds from UK billionaire Alan Howard

Kikitrade today announced a US$12 million fund raise with investment from British hedge fund billionaire Alan Howard to accelerate its growth.

China’s biggest crypto exchanges blocked from internet searches, social media

Huobi, OKEx and Binance have been blocked by the country’s most popular internet search engines and social media platforms.

Cardano to roll out smart-contract tools in new product suite

Cardano is set to provide tools for developers, end users and businesses to execute smart contracts in financial agreements through a new suite of products.

UNICEF invests in blockchain startups for financial inclusion

UNICEF Venture Fund is awarding up to $100,000 to blockchain startups, including India’s GovBlocks, in its latest funding round. Here are the other projects.

Hong Kong eyes digital currency as part of new fintech plan

Hong Kong will be initiating a study on a digital Hong Kong dollar as part of its plans to “future proof” the city for central bank digital currencies.

Ripple proposes federated sidechains for XRP Ledger smart contracts

Ripple is inviting feedback from its developer community on a plan to introduce federated sidechains on the XRP Ledger.

KuCoin exchange in Ontario regulator’s sights after law breaches

The Ontario Securities Commission is set to take enforcement action against two companies behind the cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin for violating the province’s securities laws.

How NFTs are redrawing Asia’s art scene from artists to galleries

From Phillips auction house in Hong Kong to Art Fair Philippines, non-fungible tokens are redefining how Asia appreciates, buys and profits from art.

Taiwan boy band star Van Ness Wu praises NFTs, prepares for charity selfie sale

California-born singer looks to rekindle relationship with his fans as he pledges to donate the proceeds from his NFT sale to a Taiwan-based NGO.

Bitcoin worth millions recovered from Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack

Millions of dollars worth of Bitcoin paid to ransomware hackers who shut down the main fuel pipeline on the U.S. East Coast last month has been recovered.

Ripple accuses SEC of ‘noncompliance’ in sharing XRP, Bitcoin and Ether communications

Ripple is also asking court to order SEC to reveal the agency’s internal employee policies on trading cryptocurrencies and other digital assets.

CoinShares lists Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin ETPs on Germany’s Börse Xetra

CoinShares has announced that its Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin physically-backed exchange traded products have cross-listed on Germany’s Börse Xetra exchange.

Smartphone giant Huawei doubles down on blockchain technology

Following blockchain’s mention as a next-wave technology in China’s five-year plan, Huawei unveils applications for government and in-house services.

Criticisms of Tether’s reserves are unfounded, says Bitfinex CTO

After Tether’s legal settlement with New York, USDT’s growth is exploding—dispelling concerns over Tether’s reserves, says Bitfinex CTO Paolo Ardoino.

Regulators in Hainan warn of illegal crypto fundraising schemes

Regulators Hainan province have issued a warning against illegal fundraising schemes using crypto or blockchain..

South Korea will tax overseas crypto assets starting next year

S. Korea residents with accounts in foreign crypto exchanges may have to report their crypto holdings starting in 2022. Above what amount is taxable?

Standard Chartered, BC Group to launch digital asset trading platform

Standard Chartered and BC Group to launch digital asset trading platform for corporate and institutional clients in Europe and the UK.

‘Green’ crypto mining should be spared crackdown, Canaan chief says

Green crypto mining operations should be spared China’s recent crackdown on the sector, according to the CEO of Canaan Inc.

SpaceChain shoots blockchain to space; Cardano’s bridge to China | The Daily Forkast

SpaceChain shoots blockchain to tech to the International Space Station aboard Falcon 9 as Cardano announces first cross-chain bridge with Nervos.

Cardano and Nervos to launch cross-chain bridge

Input Output Hong Kong and Nervos announced today that they will be launching a cross-chain bridge to connect the two networks.

Is India’s central bank greenlighting crypto? Bitcoin fees fall to new lows. Cardano rolls out Alonzo upgrade for DeFi.

Other top blockchain and crypto news: Thailand’s SEC tries to rein in DeFi via regulation. Will China’s future DCEP digital yuan offer smart contracts?

WazirX launches India’s first NFT marketplace

WazirX launched the country’s first NFT marketplace on Tuesday, featuring artists from India and other South Asian nations.

Ethereum investment products hit market-share high of 27%, report says

Ethereum has hit a market-share high of 27% of all digital asset investment fund products following recent price corrections.

Thailand warns over DeFi; India green lights cryptos | The Daily Forkast

Thailand becomes one of the first governments to attempt DeFi regulation as India’s RBI clarifies that banking ban no longer exists.

Financial Stability Board seeks faster, cheaper cross-border payments

The Financial Stability Board has launched a public consultation on global targets for cross-border payments.

Thailand’s DeFi sector targeted for regulation over coin offerings

Thailand’s Securities regulator has announced that digital tokens issued and offered for transactions must have its approval.

Privacy coin Monero surges as US and Australia target crypto gains

Privacy-centric coins like Monero, ZCash and Dash are seeing big price rises as the IRS and ATO issue warnings on taxable crypto transactions.

Cardano rebounds 15% as Alonzo smart contact testnet launches

Following the launch of Cardano’s first testnet for its smart contract platform, Alonzo, ADA’s price rebounded by 15% on Monday morning to reach US$1.65.

Are 73 SEC actions against crypto enough warning to Ripple about XRP?

SEC says Ripple had plenty of ‘notice’ that XRP transactions could be violating the law via its many enforcement actions against other crypto companies.

Cardano launches first Alonzo smart-contract testnet

Input Output Hong Kong, one of the companies behind the Cardano blockchain, today announced the launch of the first testnet for Cardano’s Alonzo upgrade.

Asia-Pacific fintech investment more than doubles in first quarter

Fintech companies in Asia-Pacific pulled in US$2.35 billion in investment during the first three months of 2021, more than the total amount raised in the first half of the previous year.

PayPal to let users move their crypto into third-party wallets

Global payments giant PayPal plans to let its users move the cryptocurrency they hold on its platform into third-party wallets.

Can Elon Musk shrink Bitcoin mining’s carbon footprint? PancakeBunny’s $200 million hack. Ray Dalio admits to owning crypto.

Other top blockchain and crypto news: Australia signals progressive approach to crypto as Hong Kong moves closer to banning retail crypto trading.

Crypto market rebound as investors go green; Indonesia plans CBDC | The Daily Forkast

Investors are turning to green alternatives to tackle Bitcoin’s impact on the environment as Indonesia gears up for a CBDC.

Polygon and Aleph.im partner to protect NFTs from disappearing

Fast-growing Ethereum scaling platform Polygon and decentralized storage network Aleph.im join forces to ‘supercharge’ Polygon’s NFT ecosystem.

Ripple partners with Oman’s Bank Dhofar for cross-border mobile payments

Ripple is partnering with Bank Dhofar, Oman’s second largest bank, to facilitate cross border mobile payments through RippleNet.

Indonesia to launch digital rupiah as online payments soar

Indonesia is planning to launch a digital version of its national currency, central bank Governor Perry Warjiyo said on Tuesday.

Tether’s market cap tops US$60B despite crypto outflows

Despite recent outflows from crypto, U.S. dollar-linked stablecoin Tether (USDT) has surpassed US$60 billion for the first time this week.

Cardano sees US$10M inflows as big investors switch to proof-of-stake coins

Amid declines in Bitcoin and Ethereum, Cardano and its native cryptocurrency ADA saw US$10 million inflows as institutional investors switch to proof-of-stake coins.

China’s cryptocurrency mining sector becomes target of fresh clampdown 

Chinese authorities’ latest regulatory offensive against the crypto industry may not be as bad for the sector as it appears.

Marathon to host 73,000 Bitcoin miners in Texas as Chinese exodus looms

Marathon Digital Holdings has announced a deal with Compute North to host 73,000 of Marathon’s Bitcoin miners at a new data center in Texas.

Half of hedge funds are now investing in crypto, says PwC report

PwC and Elwood Asset Management have published their third annual report on the global crypto hedge fund landscape. Here are its findings.

Bitcoin price plunges and altcoins sell-off as crypto market decline intensifies

Bitcoin and altcoin prices take heavy hits and sell-off deepens as more bad news, including a blatant DeFi exit scam, continue battering crypto markets.

Crypto market rebound; Sotheby’s next NFT auction eyes millennials | The Daily Forkast

The crypto market has rebounded after one of its biggest crashes. Bitcoin is a ‘safe haven’ for many investors.

Solana gets Coinbase listing after SOL prices surge amid crypto market crash

Coinbase Pro adds Solana’s native token, opening the doors for US investors after SOL outperforms Bitcoin and most other cryptos amid market crash.

U.S. SEC chair Gary Gensler says regulator will enforce crypto rules ‘aggressively and consistently’

U.S. SEC chair Gary Gensler says as technology and markets evolve, regulators should be ready to bring cases involving crypto.

What’s really behind the Bitcoin market crash? Tether USDT lifts veil on reserves. Facebook-backed Diem going to California.

Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: BlockFi’s accidental BTC millionaires. China’s Inner Mongolia asks citizens to report illegal crypto mining.