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Bridging the DeFi data gap with indexing blockchain data

Blockchain technology has massive data requirements, but the data can be difficult and costly to access. What are some of the solutions?

U.S. securities watchdog looks to regulate crypto trading like stock exchanges

Gary Gensler, chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, has said he wants to see regulation to protect consumers built into the operations of cryptocurrency exchanges.

Ethereum 2 to set green future; Koreans demand regulator steps down | The Daily Forkast

Vitalik Buterin sets a green future for the Ethereum network while Bitdeer becomes the latest to block Chinese miners.

Will China become the new digital currency superpower?

The U.S. dollar reigns supreme as the current world reserve currency. Could the USD’s status change with the rise of CBDCs like China’s DCEP digital yuan?

Tokenization to transform financial system, DBS Bank CEO says

The power of tokenization can fundamentally transform the fabric of the financial system, Singapore’s DBS Bank CEO Piyush Gupta told the Consensus by CoinDesk 2021 conference taking place this week.

How Ripple found new ways to grow XRP business despite SEC lawsuit

Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse says Ripple was hit hard financially after SEC filed its lawsuit, but the company is now expanding uses for XRP’s technology.

Hong Kong treasury chief says new rules will boost crypto despite investment threshold

A proper regulatory system for cryptocurrencies and virtual assets can facilitate development, protect investors, and adhere to international regulatory standards, says treasury chief Christopher Hui

Crypto miner BitDeer blocks China users as Beijing gets tough on sector

BitDeer, one of China’s biggest crypto mining operators, blocked access to anyone using a mainland Chinese IP address last night.

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.

Crypto exchange Poloniex faces sanctions over alleged securities breaches

Ontario Securities Commission is taking enforcement action on crypto exchange Poloniex for its alleged violation of Ontario securities law.

BIT Mining to invest US$9M in crypto mining in Kazakhstan

Chinese crypto mining firm BIT Mining is investing US$9.33 million to construct and operate a mining data center in Kazakhstan.

SpaceChain to send blockchain technology into orbit in Ethereum first

SpaceChain, a Singapore-based startup that focuses on the integration of blockchain with space technology, will be launching two missions to space next month to deploy decentralized satellite infrastructure and multi-signature services for its corporate customers.

DeFi has boosted challenger banks. Now it’s their customers’ turn

New and innovative lenders are taking advantage of DeFi’s low costs to offer savings account interest rates that Main Street banks simply can’t match.

China crypto crackdown fallout; Politician turns influencer in Korea | The Daily Forkast

China’s miners prepare for migration and Hong Kong reacts to possible retail ban. Meanwhile a South Korean governor becomes a crypto influencer.

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.

What will happen if Hong Kong bans retail investors from trading crypto?

Hong Kong is poised to ban small investors from buying cryptocurrencies, while making exchanges get licences. Industry experts discuss how this might play out. 
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Hong Kong split on retail crypto ban; Korean conglomerate on custody | The Daily Forkast

Hong Kong reacts to the region’s pending legislation on limiting crypto investment to professional investors while a conglomerate enters South Korea’s crypto custody scene.

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.

Bybit crypto derivatives exchange launches cloud mining for Ether

Crypto exchange Bybit is launching cloud mining to provide exposure to Ether. What happens when Ethereum moves from proof of work to proof of stake?

China announces plan to crack down on Bitcoin mining

The price of Bitcoin fell by over 10% following an announcement by China’s State Council today that it is planning to crack down on Bitcoin mining and trading and “resolutely prevent the transmission of individual risks to society.” Fast Facts: The 51st meeting of the State Council Financial Stability and Development Committee called for the […]

Hong Kong to close crypto exchanges to all but ‘professional investors’

Cryptocurrency exchanges in Hong Kong will have to obtain licenses from the territory’s markets regulator and limit their service offerings to “professional investors”, according to the results of a consultation published today.

How NFTs could trigger lawsuits and anti-money laundering regulation

Non-fungible tokens may be a boon for art and sports collectibles, but the technology is also spawning a host of thorny regulatory and legal issues.
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Singapore’s DBS Bank says no investment discussion can omit Bitcoin

Diversification to allocate funds to Bitcoin is an “opportunity that (fiat) money cannot buy”, says DBS Bank’s chief investment officer.

US Treasury calls on firms to report to IRS on crypto transactions over US$10K

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is calling for business to report cryptocurrency transactions worth more than US$10,000 to the Internal Revenue Service.

Bank on change: DeFi’s challenge to traditional finance and fintech

As mainstream finance embraces decentralized finance, neither it nor its younger challengers are likely to escape the evolutionary forces at work.

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.

Chainlink joins Hedera council in push to link DeFi with traditional finance

Chainlink, a data oracle, has joined the Hedera Governing Council, which oversees the distributed governance of the Hedera network, an enterprise-grade public network for the decentralized economy.

South Korea switches course on crypto amid backlash over regulator’s remarks

Newly elected South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum appears to be leading an embrace of the cryptocurrency sector among lawmakers.

Judge denies Ripple’s bid to bar SEC from seeking foreign info on XRP

In a win for the SEC, a judge knocks back Ripple’s request to stop the SEC from asking foreign regulators for info on Ripple and XRP transactions overseas.

Rejecting traditional finance, some firms now turn to DeFi for growth capital

DeFi project Maple Finance is launching a $17 million lending pool to provide crypto startups with capital. Is this the start of a DeFi credit underwriting trend?

Digital dollar’s values to fortify USD hegemony, says ex-CFTC chair

Former CFTC chairman Chris Giancarlo and Accenture’s David Treat are not in a CBDC race, but a ‘contest’ to develop money that reflects societal values.

Bitcoin drops below US$40,000; China sends another crypto warning | The Daily Forkast

China’s newest warning against crypto sends market into nosedive and Bitcoin dips below US$40,000 for the first time since February.

RippleNet ties up with Egyptian bank, UAE payment firm for funds transfers

RippleNet has partnered with National Bank of Egypt and UAE-based payment services firm LuLu International Exchange for the processing of cross-border funds transfers from the United Arab Emirates to Egypt.

China-based SOS announces activation of 6,039 mining rigs for ETH, BTC

Qingdao-headquartered tech company SOS Ltd. has announced the launch of more than 6,000 ETH and BCT mining rigs, claiming 90% renewable energy sources.

China shuts banks, finance firms out of cryptocurrency business

China has slapped a ban on finance sector businesses, including payment firms, from offering cryptocurrency services.

Will Singapore launch a people’s digital currency — and support DeFi?

As Singapore builds Project Dunbar, a cross-border multiple-CBDC platform, its government dives into DeFi learning and ponders a CBDC for the masses.

China Merchants Bank launches US$50M DeFi, dApp fund with Nervos

Privately owned Chinese lender continues to target blockchain opportunities as it remains shut out of Beijing’s digital yuan project.

Banks take on enterprise blockchain; WeMade entrust crypto to KODA | The Daily Forkast

Banks in Singapore are leading blockchain and DLT developments while South Korean game developer WeMade entrusts its US$130 million crypto holdings to KODA.

Deutsche, STACS wrap up Singapore DLT test project for tokenized securities

Deutsche Bank Securities Services in Singapore and Singapore fintech firm Hashstacs, or STACS, today announced the completion of a tokenized securities proof-of-commercialization test named Project Benja.

UAE study shows growing appetite for cryptocurrencies

The appetite in the United Arab Emirates for cryptocurrency investment is growing, with younger Emiratis more bullish about digital assets than their Western counterparts, according to a study by financial services firm Holborn Assets.

SEC and XRP holders face off anew over SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple

In a new court filing, SEC tries to keep out 6 representatives of 17,100 XRP holders from joining as 3rd party defendants in the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple.

Led by Cardano ADA, green cryptos rise as Bitcoin, wider market sinks

ADA price holds strong as investors shift to greener cryptocurrencies and Cardano smart contracts get set to launch blockchain into DeFi and NFTs.

New York’s Bitcoin mining showdown sets stage for battles elsewhere

A dispute over a Bitcoin mine’s environmental impact leads to a push to ban crypto mines in New York state. Will other places follow Albany’s lead?

India’s demand for crypto ‘growing like crazy’ since ban attempt

It’s only a matter of time that digital currency ‘is going to overshadow all the other forms of money,’ says Neeraj Khandelwal of CoinDCX.

S. Korea facing backlash for banning police from owning crypto

To improve public trust, South Korea is barring police officers from buying cryptocurrency. Could this presage a broader clampdown on crypto in the country?

Binance under fire; Internet giant Naver takes on South Korea’s CBDC | The Daily Forkast

The Asian crypto industry reacts to the US Department of Justice and Internal Revenue Service money laundering probe into Binance. In South Korea, the nation’s largest internet company plans to join Bank of Korea’s CBDC ventures. Over in Singapore, Southeast Asia’s largest lender DBS Bank expands its crypto services for its private bank clients by […]

DBS Bank rolls out crypto estate planning for the ultra-rich

What will happen to your Bitcoin keys and crypto wallets when you die? Southeast Asia’s largest bank will now take care of it all for the super wealthy.

CZ bites back at Binance probe sensationalism — ‘Anyways. Back to work’

Yet another U.S. regulatory probe of leading crypto exchange Binance is underway, but CEO Changpeng Zhao isn’t impressed with news headlines.

Up to 46M U.S. retail consumers eye crypto as means of payment

As many as 46 million U.S. consumers will consider using cryptocurrency to make retail purchases, regardless of whether or not they currently own crypto, a joint study by media outlet PYMNTS and Bitcoin payment service BitPay shows. Extrapolation indicates that purchases made using cryptocurrency could conservatively represent around 1% of all retail sales in the […]

DBS Private Bank launches crypto trust offering

Singapore’s DBS Private Bank has announced the launch of Asia’s first bank-backed trust offering for cryptocurrencies. The service, operated via the lender’s wholly-owned licensed trust subsidiary, DBS Trustee, allows clients to invest, custodize and manage their digital assets. The service will handle only those cryptocurrencies hosted on the DBS Digital Exchange — Bitcoin, Ether, Bitcoin […]

Binance faces U.S. probe amid money-laundering, tax suspicions

Binance, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange, is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice and Internal Revenue Service over alleged illegal activities. Officials responsible for investigating money laundering and tax breaches have interviewed individuals familiar with Binance’s activities, according to a report by Bloomberg. In March, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission said it […]

Huobi Group launches US$100M early-stage DeFi venture arm

China-founded cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Group has launched a US$100 million investment arm to focus on early-stage blockchain and decentralized finance projects over three years. The new operation, named Huobi Ventures, will make strategic acquisitions to diversify and expand Huobi’s offerings and establish a US$10 million non-fungible token fund, the company said in a statement sent […]

Gibraltar’s DLT rules hailed as key to BITSO US$255M capital raise

Gibraltar’s distributed ledger technology regulations have been credited with the success of Latin American crypto platform BITSO’s latest US$255 million fundraising. The series-C equity round was led by hedge funds Tiger Global and Coatue Management, and boosted BITSO’s value to US$2.2 billion. Gibraltar’s DLT legislation is the world’s first purpose-built regulatory framework for businesses using […]

ICP takes crypto world by storm. Will Ethereum be the next Bitcoin? Goldman Sachs launches crypto trading desk.

Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: How Dogecoin copycat SHIB coin vaulted into crypto’s top 20. China unveils fingerprint ID for digital yuan.

U.S. SEC takes crypto regulator crown with enforcement action tally

The United States’ Securities and Exchange Commission has emerged as a top cryptocurrency regulator, bringing 75 enforcement actions and 19 trading suspension orders between July 2013 and 2020, according to a study by Cornerstone Research. “In the last seven years or so, the SEC has established itself as one of the main regulators policing the […]

What is the real value of joke coins like Dogecoin and SHIB?

Crypto veterans are appalled by the sudden popularity of $hitcoins like DOGE and SHIB. But others say memecoins are making investing more accessible.

China’s new digital yuan wallet with fingerprint ID causes privacy worries

Chutian Dragon and IDEX Biometrics offer DCEP digital currency wallets with fingerprint recognition. The companies say the feature enhances security.

Thailand’s Brooker Group bets US$48 million on DeFi, decentralized apps

Bangkok-headquartered financial consultancy and capital manager The Brooker Group is set to invest US$48 million in a portfolio of decentralized applications and decentralized finance tokens, a move that will see the company commit around half of its assets to the sector. The firm has identified what it describes in a press release as “huge” growth […]

How S. Korea and Singapore are grappling with crypto investor protection

As retail interest in crypto grows, countries around the world are grappling with consumer protection. Asia offers a window into the array of policy responses.
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UK finance sector’s paper problem in line for fix as docStribute ledger launches

London-based regulatory technology startup ALT/AVE today launched its docStribute distributed ledger product, which aims to tackle the paper waste problem generated by companies in the financial services industry. Built on the Hedera Hashgraph network, docStribute enables financial institutions to distribute mandatory and highly regulated documents to customers, offering a secure and more sustainable digital alternative […]

Philippine power firm looks to regulators to drive blockchain electricity trade

The head of a Philippine electricity generator and distributor says that blockchain-enabled trading of electricity can thrive in the country, so long as the right regulatory environment exists.   Emmanuel Rubio, president and CEO of Aboitiz Power, told the Manila Bulletin blockchain offered an opportunity in the electricity market, particularly in unleashing the potential of […]

Investment manager Ninepoint to offset Bitcoin ETF’s carbon footprint

Canada-based alternative investment manager Ninepoint is to set aside a portion of its management fees to offset the carbon footprint of the Bitcoin held in an exchange-traded fund it operates. Its aim to provide investors prioritizing environmental, social and governance investment opportunities with carbon-neutral exposure to the world’s biggest cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrencies have attracted considerable criticism […]

Cambodia’s SBI LY HOUR Bank launches first cross-border blockchain transfers via Ripple

Cambodian lender SBI LY HOUR Bank has launched the first blockchain-based remittance services between Cambodia and Vietnam.   SBI LY HOUR Bank is providing the new services with Vietnamese lender TP Bank, in which its parent, SBI Holdings, has a stake, according to a report by the Phnom Penh Post. The lender is the first […]

Philippine bank, fintech XLOG to offer blockchain-based logistics financing

Union Bank’s financial supply chain platform to be integrated with XLOG’s logistics platform. Union Bank of the Philippines and fintech firm XLOG have teamed up to offer the Philippines’ first blockchain-powered supply chain financing solution embedded in a logistics platform. “We are firm believers in how blockchain technology can bridge gaps in different industries. We […]

Crypto gets AI treatment as BlockBank rolls out robots

Financial artificial intelligence firm seeks to use technology to mitigate risks in complex, volatile trading environment. BlockBank, which develops artificial intelligence for both decentralized and traditional, centralized finance, is using its technology to bring AI-enabled analytics and risk management practices to the crypto space. The company is working to offer a built-in fiat currency gateway […]

BCH gets the nod from Japan; Digital yuan travels to the countryside | The Daily Forkast

While Bitcoin Cash surges, we visit a Japanese coffee shop owner who just started accepting BCH as payment.

Ripple’s XRP sales increased over 90% in 1Q 2021

XRP sales by Ripple accounted for 0.07% of global XRP volume. Ripple says its sales were to support on-demand liquidity customers.

Indian crypto plan moots rules to harness growth potential

Startup association presents recommendations for regulatory framework as it pushes boost for business instead of blanket ban. IndiaTech.org, an industry association representing startup founders and investors, has called for the registration of homegrown, locally registered cryptocurrency exchanges in a five-point policy framework aimed at crypto regulation. It proposes that cryptocurrencies should be given the status […]

Bitcoin vs. Bitcoin Cash: Everything an investor needs to know

With Bitcoin Cash prices rising in advance of its May 15 network upgrade, investors want to know: What’s the difference between Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin?

Chia mining craze is causing massive hard drive shortages in China

The new self-proclaimed eco-friendly crypto leverages unused disk space — but Chia miners are buying out new hard drives and equipment instead.