Ripple opposes SEC request to seal expert witness identities in XRP lawsuit
Cryptocurrency firm Ripple Labs filed a letter of response on Monday to oppose the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s request to seal portions of legal filings that contain information identifying the SEC’s proposed expert witnesses, as the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple Labs drags on. See related article: SEC seeks to seal information exposing expert witness […]
Why Ethereum Merge won’t be able to overcome the ‘Scalability Paradox’
Ethereum’s completion of its much anticipated ‘Merge’ this week will unlikely improve the network’s long-term speed or scalability, writes Mark Lurie of Shipyard Software. Why is this so, and why will it still be good for innovation?
Fidelity considers Bitcoin trading on brokerage platform: WSJ
The financial services giant Fidelity Investments is considering a move that would allow its individual brokerage customers to trade Bitcoin (BTC), according to a Wall Street Journal report. See related article: Fidelity’s crypto arm wants to add Ethereum trading, plans hiring spree Fast facts The WSJ cited “people familiar with the matter” and a statement […]
Markets: Bitcoin, Solana lead gains in crypto top ten, Ether slips ahead of Merge
Bitcoin rose to hold its gains above US$22,000 in Tuesday morning trading in Asia, a price it crossed on Monday for the first time in three and half weeks. Ether slipped, while Solana posted the largest gains among the top ten tokens by market capitalization. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin sole gainer in crypto top […]
WazirX resumes banking operations after account freeze lifted
India’s financial crime fighting agency has allowed WazirX to resume banking operations after unfreezing its bank accounts, the crypto exchange said on Monday. See related stories: India’s WazirX says it has no-tolerance policy on illegal activities Fast facts WazirX, one of India’s largest crypto exchanges by trading volume, said in a statement that its active […]
Central banks of France, Nigeria latest to join Hyperledger Foundation
Banque de France and the Central Bank of Nigeria will headline the newest batch of eight members joining the Linux Foundation’s enterprise blockchain ecosystem, the Hyperledger Foundation. See related article: Back to the future: Blockchain returns to the real world Fast facts See related article: How enterprises are fueling blockchain adoption among SMEs
Hacks, losses in cryptocurrency offer vast opportunity for insurers
Cryptocurrency-related insurance is a vast untapped market, with less than 1% of crypto investments covered amid hacks and losses in the industry running into the billions of dollars, Cointelegraph reported, citing an executive from decentralized insurance protocol InsurAce. See related article: DeFi insurance: Why buy coverage for your digital assets? Fast facts Dan Thomson, the […]
Markets: Bitcoin trades above US$22,000, Ether slips back, Solana rises
Bitcoin rose back above US$22,000 in Monday afternoon trading in Asia, while Ether slipped. Solana saw the second-biggest gain among the 10 largest coins by market capitalization after Bitcoin, while the rest of the top 10 were little changed. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin sole gainer in crypto top ten, Ether dips, Polkadot leads losers […]
Ethereum has had problems since its inception. Will the ‘Merge’ solve them?
Ethereum has long grappled with centralization, which the Merge will unlikely address in a meaningful way, writes Daniel Dizon of Swell Network.
How will crypto exchanges handle Ether post-Merge? Alphalab has a chart for that
Singapore-based crypto trader Alphalab Capital put together charts to show investors how different exchanges plan to handle Ether after the Merge. Note, some exchanges declined to comment.
SEC seeks to seal information exposing expert witness identities in XRP lawsuit
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a motion seeking to seal portions of the filings that contain information identifying the SEC’s expert witnesses in its lawsuit against Ripple Labs. See related article: SEC, Ripple take XRP lawsuit battle to media as well Fast facts The SEC wrote in the motion on Friday that […]
China wants unified QR code systems for digital yuan, central bank official says
China’s central bank is pushing for interconnectivity between its digital yuan and other traditional digital electronic payment tools through universal QR code payments, as the country expands the pilots for its digital currency. See related article: China to speed up, expand digital yuan smart contracts, PBOC official says Fast facts Fan Yifei, a deputy governor […]
S.Korean man sentenced to four years for sexual abuse in metaverse
A South Korean man in his 30s was recently sentenced to four years in prison after producing and storing sexually exploitative content involving minors he lured on the metaverse. See related article: South Korea struggles to prevent sexual harassment of minors in the metaverse Fast facts The man, whose identity was not made public, had […]
SEC to open digital asset office as it cranks up regulatory scrutiny of cryptocurrencies
Amid an increased focus on cryptocurrency among global regulators and lawmakers, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is launching a new office dedicated to reviewing filings related to digital assets. See related article: MicroStrategy and Michael Saylor sued by District of Columbia for evading taxes Fast facts The SEC is adding the Office of […]
Markets: Bitcoin sole gainer in crypto top ten, Ether dips, Polkadot leads losers
Bitcoin held weekend gains to move toward US$22,000 in Monday morning trading in Asia, while other tokens in the top 10 by market capitalization were flat to lower. Ether slipped, along with Polkadot and XRP. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin, Ether little changed; Polkadot leaps Dogecoin into crypto top ten Fast facts Bitcoin rose 0.3% […]
The metaverse is already here. What’s holding back the party?
Interoperability is a key characteristic for the metaverse to be useful, writes Dr. Dimitry Mihaylov of National Univ. of Singapore. But the technology and laws are still lacking.
Markets: Bitcoin back above US$20,000, Ether rallies, Solana leads gains in Top 10
Bitcoin and Ether rallied in late Friday afternoon trading in Asia, helping drive up the global cryptocurrency market capitalization more than 5% to back above the US$1 trillion mark. Solana led the gains among tokens in CoinMarketCap’s top 10 by market capitalization. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin, Ether little changed; Polkadot leaps Dogecoin into crypto […]
US$30 mln seized from North Korea hacking group: report
Over US$30 million worth of cryptocurrency stolen by North Korea-linked hackers has been seized by law enforcement, with the help of crypto organizations like the Chainalysis Crypto Incident Response Team. See related article: North Korea behind Ronin hack: US Fast facts This marks the first time that digital assets stolen from North Korean hacking groups […]
US raises red flag on crypto mining with concerns over carbon emissions
White House says carbon footprint of crypto industry does not align with goals to decarbonize the economy.
Asia banking giant DBS jumps into The Sandbox metaverse
The Singapore-based bank said it will buy land in the metaverse to create the ‘DBS BetterWorld’ and build a virtual community.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether little changed; Polkadot leaps Dogecoin into crypto top ten
Bitcoin and Ethereum were largely unchanged in Friday morning trading in Asia. Polkadot rose to leapfrog Dogecoin into the top 10 list by market capitalization, while Solana posted the biggest percentage gain on the list. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin climbs above $19,000, Ether bounces back, BNB gains on staking Fast facts Bitcoin rose less […]
Indian finance minister urges IMF to lead crypto regulation
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) should lead the way in global regulation of crypto assets, India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva at their meeting in New Delhi. See related article: Crypto regulation has to ‘take its time’: India FM Nirmala Sitharaman Fast facts At their meeting on Wednesday, they […]
WazirX launches coin reports with data from crypto research firms Crebaco, IntoTheBlock
WazirX, India’s largest crypto exchange by volume, has begun to publish data-driven reports for over 200 coins listed on its exchange, with data from crypto intelligence firms Crebaco and IntoTheBlock. See related article: TZ APAC, NUS join for blockchain, computing education Fast facts Research reports by Crebaco published on WazirX aim to help readers understand […]
Markets: Bitcoin, Ethereum hold gains, Terra Classic soars on Luna airdrop
Bitcoin held onto gains above US$19,000 in late afternoon trading in Asia. Ethereum also rallied to post the biggest gain among tokens in CoinMarketCap’s top 10 by market capitalization. Terra Luna Classic surged more than 50%. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin climbs above $19,000, Ether bounces back, BNB gains on staking Fast facts Bitcoin rose […]
Elon Musk Dogecoin lawsuit heats up with new parties joining
The US$258 billion lawsuit filed against Tesla CEO Elon Musk by an American Dogecoin investor accusing him of running a Dogecoin cryptocurrency pyramid scheme is heating up as new players are summoned in the case. See related article: Markets: Dogecoin still in the dog house; Bitcoin, Ether make up some ground Fast facts First filed […]
Fed officials call for stablecoin regulations amid concerns over financial stability
Two U.S. Federal Reserve officials have called for new regulations specifically for stablecoins and reiterated the new asset class holds risks similar to traditional finance. See related article: Financial Stability Board calls for high regulatory standards for stablecoins Fast facts Michael Barr, the Fed’s vice chair for supervision, said on Wednesday at a Brookings Institution […]
Crypto lender Nexo introduces spot, futures trading
Cryptocurrency lender Nexo has launched a spot, margin and futures trading platform for retail clients with the launch of Nexo Pro. See related article: Nexo and Fidelity Digital Assets expand institutional lending services Fast facts The London-based crypto platform aims to offer retail clients access to institutional-grade aggregated liquidity with no minimum funding requirements, the […]
Thai regulator files police complaint against Zipmex for non-compliance
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand (Thai SEC) has filed a police complaint against cryptocurrency exchange Zipmex and Akalarp Yimwilai, cofounder of the company and CEO of its Thai unit, for non-compliance. See related article: Thailand mandates warnings on crypto ads Fast facts In a statement, Thai SEC said it had ordered Zipmex to […]
Regulator alleges Celsius resembled Ponzi scheme in new filing
A financial regulator in Vermont has all but said that bankrupted Celsius Network LLC resembled a Ponzi scheme at times, alleging the crypto lender had used new investor funds to repay previous investors, as well as misled investors about its financial health and bolstered its balance sheets by using its CEL token. See related article: […]
FTX partnership boosts GameStop despite mixed quarterly results
GameStop shares jumped over 11% in after-market trading on Wednesday following an announced partnership with the cryptocurrency exchange giant FTX US, which will focus on “new e-commerce and online marketing initiatives.” See related article: FTX agrees to help South Korea’s Busan build its own crypto exchange Fast facts The announcement came in tandem with GameStop’s […]
Why the real Ethereum killer might just be Bitcoin
Bitcoin is the most secure blockchain, and Ethereum’s proof-of-stake move will expose it to more security risks, writes Jagdeep Sidhu of Syscoin Network.
Markets: Bitcoin climbs above $19,000, Ether bounces back, BNB gains on staking
Bitcoin rose above US$19,000 on Thursday morning in Asia, recovering along with other tokens in the top 10 by market capitalization after a sharp sell off on Wednesday. Ether moved higher after the Binance exchange, the world’s biggest, said it would offer Ether staking, a move that boosted its own BNB token. See related article: […]
SEBA Bank launches Ethereum staking services as ‘Merge’ nears
Switzerland-based SEBA Bank, a global cryptocurrency lender, has introduced Ethereum staking services aimed at enabling clients to earn staking rewards on Ethereum. See related article: Ethereum’s Bellatrix upgrade now live despite concerns Fast facts Ethereum staking services would enable clients to earn rewards on a monthly basis, with adjustable lock-up periods available post-Merge, SEBA Bank […]
Binance pushes out USDC in aggressive move to boost its own stablecoin
Top blockchain and crypto news: USDC gets the boot from Binance. MicroStrategy looks for Lightning strikes. STEPN heads to Hong Kong.
Markets: Bitcoin stays under US$19,000, Ether biggest loser among top 10 crypto
Bitcoin fell further in Wednesday afternoon trading in Asia, while Ether lost the most ground among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Ethereum Classic fell more than 15%. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin slumps below US$19,000, Ether drops despite Merge progress Fast facts Bitcoin dropped 5.6% in the past 24 hours to US$18,801.4 at […]
China has seen blockchain’s future and it doesn’t include cryptocurrencies
China’s Blockchain-based Service Network wears two hats in building blockchains: one for business in China and one for everywhere else, but it doesn’t see a role for crypto in either.
Crypto could pose ‘major’ risk to S.Korea’s financial stability, think tank says
The country’s growing ties to crypto could expose its financial sector to volatility and ‘damage its credibility,’ a researcher says.
S.Korea to set up securities market for crypto tokens
South Korea’s top financial regulator announced Tuesday a plan to open a separate digital securities market similar to the KOSPI (Korea Composite Stock Price Index), in a move to institutionalize and promote cryptocurrencies. See related article: South Korea’s taxman keeps circling crypto – airdrops look to be the next target Fast facts The planned digital […]
RBI asks 4 state-run banks to test digital rupee, in talks with fintech: report
India’s Reserve Bank of India has asked four state-run banks to test its central bank digital currency (CBDC), due for launch this financial year, even as the central bank seeks a ban on cryptocurrency trading in the country. See related article: RBI is causing crypto hesitancy among Indian banks Fast facts RBI has chosen the […]
New UK PM, finance minister have previously supported crypto, blockchain
Britain’s new Prime Minister Liz Truss has appointed Kwasi Kwarteng, former head of the U.K.’s department for business, energy and industrial strategy, as the new finance minister, charging him with decisions that will impact British and global crypto markets. See related article: Bank of England calls for greater crypto regulation Fast facts Former Finance Minister […]
Slowdown in crypto interest to continue for rest of the year: KPMG
A slowdown in crypto investment — particularly in firms offering coins, tokens and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) — will continue in the second half of the current year, according to a new report by global audit and consulting firm KPMG. See related article: Siloed regulatory efforts unlikely to help bring oversight to highly decentralized crypto industry […]
Crypto influencer collects, then returns, US$100K from investors in fake scheme
Crypto influencer Fatman Terra pitched his own fake investment scheme on Twitter — and found willing investors instantly — in an attempt to educate people about scams in the industry. See related article: Terra’s Mirror Protocol fixes exploit that drained more than US$2 million Fast facts “In two hours, I received over one hundred DMs,” […]
Markets: Bitcoin slumps below US$19,000, Ether drops despite Merge progress
Bitcoin dipped under US$19,000 to the lowest price since mid-June in an across-the-market slump for the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization in Wednesday morning trading in Asia. Ether also lost ground even though it began one of its last required upgrades on Tuesday before the network Merge expected later this month. See related article: […]
‘Doctor Bitcoin’ claims to be heading to prison for P2P BTC sale
Crypto entrepreneur Mark Hopkins, also known as Doctor Bitcoin” or “Rizzn”, claimed on Twitter that he has been sentenced to six to 15 months in federal prison for allegedly participating in peer-to-peer Bitcoin sales without a federal license. See related article: Tornado Cash arrest heralds storm season for crypto mixers Fast facts P2P sale of […]
Crypto exchange Bybit barred from brokering securities in Brazil
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Brazil (CVM) has banned Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange Bybit from brokering “securities” within the country. See related article: Thailand mandates warnings on crypto ads Fast facts The CVM released a declaratory act, in an announcement on Monday, that ordered the suspension of Bybit’s security offerings and intermediation services directly or […]
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether, Solana, Cardano, XRP extend gains on the day
Prices of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, XRP and Solana rose on Tuesday afternoon in Asia. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin rises slightly, Ether and Ethereum Classic gain amid price run for alternatives Fast facts Bitcoin rose 0.77% in the past 24 hours as of 4 p.m. in Hong Kong to US$19,906.86. Ethereum saw bigger gains today […]
Binance move to remove USDC and others raise questions about market conduct
The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange said the move was designed to “enhance liquidity and capital-efficiency for users.”
Indian police arrest alleged crypto trickster in US$31 mln scam: report
Indian police in the state of Maharashtra have arrested a man on charges of cheating 1,441 investors in a fake cryptocurrency scam, according to a local media report. See related article: Tax authorities recover US$9M from India’s biggest crypto exchanges Fast facts The scam may be in excess of 2.5 billion rupees (US$31.2 million) and […]
Australia establishes federal crypto police unit
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have set up a crypto crime unit that will trace and seize illicit cryptocurrency linked to money laundering and other criminal activity, the Australian Financial Review (AFR) reported Monday. See related article: Ukraine National Police takes down crypto fraud cybercrime group Fast facts Launched in August, the unit will help […]
SK Telecom’s Ifland metaverse adds cashable in-app economy
The Ifland metaverse, run by South Korean telecommunications giant SK Telecom (SKT), is allowing users to earn money by hosting meetups in the virtual world, the company announced Monday. See related article: South Korea’s Ifland metaverse dives into play-to-earn Fast facts SKT has adopted an “ifland point” system to usher in its metaverse economy — […]
Singapore’s DBS commits to crypto offerings despite slump: report
Singapore’s largest bank, DBS, aims to expand its cryptocurrency and digital assets offerings to 300,000 new clients in the face of the crypto bear market, according to a Financial Times report on Tuesday. See related article: Why DBS’ move into the digital asset space is more than a token gesture Fast facts In an interview, […]
Why play-to-earn gaming is losing steam and where GameFi must go next
Axie Infinity’s decline shows that earning can’t be everything, writes Riaz Lalani of Gambit Games. What went wrong with P2E and what can we learn from it?
Ethereum Classic surges over 24%, hashrate hits record high
ETC, the token of Ethereum Classic, logged a double-digit gain in the past 24 hours as of Tuesday morning in Asia, while its hashrate hit a record high on Monday as miners look for alternatives in anticipation of the “Merge.” See related article: Markets: Bitcoin rises slightly, Ether and Ethereum Classic gain amid price run […]
Markets: Bitcoin rises slightly, Ether and Ethereum Classic gain amid price run for alternatives
Bitcoin rose slightly in Tuesday morning trading in Asia after falling below the key resistance line of US$20,000 on Monday morning. Ether posted the greatest gains in the crypto top ten by market cap as the rest of that list rose or fell by less than 1%. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin, Ether edge up; […]
Poolin pauses withdrawals from Pool Accounts, admits liquidity issues
Poolin has paused withdrawals from its wallets known as “Pool Accounts”, the major Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining pool said in a statement on Monday. See related article: Poolin partners with crypto trading firm Quant Satoshi to expand US business Fast facts A recent surge in withdrawal demand is the primary root of the mining pool’s […]
Markets: Bitcoin stuck under US$20,000, Ether edges up, Cardano slides
Bitcoin edged up in Monday afternoon trading in Asia, but it still traded below the US$20,000 resistance line, a level it has now fluctuated around since late August. Ether rose, along with Solana and Polkadot. Cardano reversed morning gains to trade lower. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin, Ether edge up; Cardano, Solana lead gains in […]
Where will DeFi be after crypto winter ends?
The collapse of Celsius and Anchor wasn’t a failure of DeFi, writes Kaaran Kalantari of WingRiders. They failed to assess risk, and crypto Darwinism took shape.
New hire in Saudi Central Bank to work on crypto regulations: report
Saudi Arabia’s central bank has appointed Mohsen AlZahrani, a former managing director at consultancy firm Accenture, to head its virtual assets and central bank digital currency (CBDC) initiative, Bloomberg reported. See related article: Governments pushing for CBDCs smell blood in Terra Classic’s struggles Fast facts With the United Arab Emirates aiming to be a global […]
Anti-crypto U.S. congressman says too much power, money prevent all-out ban
U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman, who chairs a House subcommittee on investor protection and a leading crypto skeptic in Washington, is seeking more stringent cryptocurrency regulation, if not all-out bans, according to a report by the LA Times. See related article: CFTC, SEC seek input on hedge fund crypto reporting rules Fast facts In an interview […]
S.Korea TV network partners with metaverse gaming platform The Sandbox
MBC (Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation), one of South Korea’s four national television and radio networks, has signed a business partnership with Hong Kong-based metaverse gaming platform The Sandbox, according to its announcement on Friday. See related article: Netflix Sweet Home producer to build K-drama metaverse in the Sandbox Fast facts MBC will create its emblematic Sangam […]
India crypto exchanges plan long-term future as day traders flee
In facing a government hostile to cryptocurrency trading, Indian exchanges are trying to attract new business with suites of different investment products.
Cardano’s Vasil hard fork upgrade confirmed for Sept. 22
The Cardano blockchain’s hard fork upgrade, Vasil, is scheduled for mainnet on Sept. 22, according to Cardano developer and operator Input Output Global’s (IOG) Twitter announcement over the weekend. See related article: Cardano delays Vasil blockchain upgrade, citing bugs and ‘abundance of caution’ Fast facts “Vasil is the most significant Cardano upgrade to date, bringing […]
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether edge up; Cardano, Solana lead gains in crypto top 10
Bitcoin rose slightly in Monday morning trading in Asia, but the world’s largest cryptocurrency was trading below the key resistance line of US$20,000 after falling below that mark on Saturday. Ether edged up, along with Cardano and Solana, while most other tokens in the top 10 by market capitalization were little changed. See related article: […]
Blockchain unchained: How crypto can empower women
How can blockchain help women gain financial independence? And how can female participation be boosted? Social entrepreneur Wendy Diamond explains
Bitcoin gains as US unemployment rate rises to 3.7%, indicates inflation slowing
Bitcoin gained almost 2% on Friday evening in Asia after the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate in August rose to 3.7% from 3.5% in July. The figures suggest the U.S. economy is slowing, which may influence the Federal Reserve when it meets this month to decide on raising interest rates. […]
Thailand mandates warnings on crypto ads
Cryptocurrency advertisements in Thailand must indicate potential risks of investing in the nascent asset class, the nation’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said in a statement on Thursday. See related article: Singapore central bank warns against crypto marketing, promotion Fast facts Crypto businesses in the Southeast Asian nation must report all details of advertisements and […]
ENS provider reports third-highest monthly revenue, ahead of “The Merge”
Ethereum Name Service (ENS) reported its third-highest month of revenue in August, with 301,000 new “.eth” registrations, totaling 2.17 million names, according to a post on its verified Twitter handle. See related article: ENS domain name expires as developer is in prison, becomes up for grabs in Sept. Fast facts ENS generated 2,744 ETH, currently […]
IMF looks to build platform for cross-border CBDC transactions
The director and division chief of IMF’s Monetary and Capital Markets Department will soon publish a paper laying out a blueprint for a platform to support CBDC clearing and settlement transactions between multiple countries. See related article: Inter-country use key for CBDCs to reach potential: report Fast facts See related article: US Digital Dollar Project […]
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether, Cardano, Doge gain; Celsius token jumps amid refund reports
Bitcoin edged above the US$20,000 mark, the price it fluctuated around all week, while Ether rose more than 3% in late afternoon trading in Asia on Friday. Cardano, Dogecoin and Solana all added more than 2%. Celsius rallied over 34% in the past 24 hours. See related article: Bitcoin fluctuates, Ether gains, MATIC jumps on […]
CFTC, SEC seek input on hedge fund crypto reporting rules
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have jointly sought public comments to amend crypto rules for large hedge funds advisers. See related article: New US crypto bill seeks to make CFTC top Bitcoin, Ethereum watchdog Fast facts The CFTC and SEC are jointly proposing to amend the rules […]
Do I really need another picture of an ape? NFT market slumps in August
The NFT hype from earlier in the year is dying off as the market continues its downward path into the final third of the year. Fire sale coming for apes and cats?
Hong Kong hosts Digital Asset Series seminars for mass literacy
Hong Kong is hosting the Digital Asset Series (DAS) educational seminars, which started in August to continue into November this year. See related article: Why children around the world need crypto education Fast facts The free educational seminars will be delivered by industry experts, legal professionals, regulators and scholars from the finance-technology (fintech) sector, according […]