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Governments could access Ledger wallet private keys, says CEO

Cryptocurrency wallet Ledger’s new update allows governments to access users’ seed phrases via subpoena, said Pascal Gauthier, the chief executive officer of Ledger. 

All top 10 cryptos rise; Hotbit crypto exchange shuts down; U.S. stock futures drop

Bitcoin gained 1.71% and Ether climbed 2.35%. Polygon gained the most in 24 hours followed by Tron.
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Bitcoin, Ether, top 10 cryptos rise; US futures climb

The top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ether, were up across the board as U.S. Fed rate talks and debt negotiation outcomes remain unpredictable.

Malaysian regulator orders Huobi crypto exchange to cease local operations

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), the capital markets regulator, has charged cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global and its chief executive officer Leon Li for operating a digital asset exchange (DAX) without registration.

Bitcoin, top 10 cryptos fall except Tron; U.S. futures slightly up; Asian equities rise

Bitcoin traded below US$27,000 in Monday afternoon trade in Asia.
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Are deposit tokens the new stablecoins — or a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

Stablecoins are a key part of the crypto ecosystem, but banks like JPMorgan are now exploring deposit tokens as an alternative. Which is better, and why?

S.Korean lawmakers propose public officials disclose crypto holdings

A South Korean ruling party lawmaker proposed all public officials and candidates disclose their crypto holdings in a new bill unveiled last Friday.

Circle: US regulation can help create the ‘most stable stablecoin’

Circle Vice President of Global Policy Corey Then says he is optimistic that U.S. regulatory developments can eventually benefit local players despite ongoing scrutiny.

Bitcoin, Ether fall; Tron trades higher; Investors digest G7, U.S. debt ceiling implications

Bitcoin fell below US$27,000 on Sunday, dipping further Monday morning in Asia as wider macro developments continue to weigh.

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin trades below US$27,000 amid U.S. debt ceiling negotiations

Bitcoin traded below the US$27,000 mark for most of the week, as investor sentiment was weighed down by the prospect of the U.S. government’s potential default. Investors will be closely monitoring the ongoing debt ceiling negotiations.

Ripple joins Hong Kong CBDC pilot, partners with Fubon Bank

Ripple Labs has launched a new payment platform for a central bank digital currency in Hong Kong.

Is Tether unmoored — or just dandy?

Top blockchain and crypto news: Fighting words over USDT erupt on Twitter. Litecoin surges amid memecoin fever. Chinese city bids for blockchain business.

Hong Kong’s e-HKD pilot puts the world on notice

Rollout of the central bank digital currency in Hong Kong is a potential game-changer and a move that others may soon look to follow.

Matic leads crypto rise despite Ledger security concerns

Cryptocurrencies rebounded on Thursday but wallet service provider Ledger’s latest update raised new security concerns.

Crypto and NFT Market Updates – May 18th

Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 18, 2023, presented by Megha Chaddah for the latest in the crypto markets. The US debt ceiling could be raised after hopes of reaching an agreement to avoid a default triggered gains across the board. As the Asian equities markets trade green by noon Hong Kong time, the crypto […]

Bitcoin mining difficulty rises to a new all-time high

Bitcoin’s mining difficulty level rose 3.22% on Thursday, hitting an all-time high, as the network’s hashrate also increased to a record high.

Bitget crypto exchange doubles down on expansion, to hire 300 more

Bitget is looking to hire 300 more people across operations, compliance, research and development, and customer support, the cryptocurrency exchange said.

Ordinals inscriptions slow down but Bitcoin congestion lingers

Ordinals inscriptions have slowed down this week but Bitcoin continues suffering from congestion issues due to the BRC-20 craze.

Ripple Labs acquires digital asset custody provider Metaco for US$250 mln

San Francisco-based Ripple Labs, a technology and financial services firm built around the XRP cryptocurrency, said it will acquire Metaco, a Swiss-based tokenization and digital asset custody provider, for US$250 million. 

UK lawmakers propose cryptocurrency regulation as gambling

In a new report, U.K. lawmakers suggest treating Bitcoin and Ether like gambling due to significant consumer financial risks.

Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 17th

Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 17, 2023, presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Ripple’s victory over the SEC in court has jumped XRP prices as Litecoin continues its bullish run overnight. The NFT markets are also looking good as the Forkast 500 index and the ETH composite are both […]

China’s top prosecuting body issues warnings, guidance about country’s NFT market

China’s top legal authority issued a commentary on Monday about the risks and potential in NFTs, highlighting the need for legislation.

XRP lawsuit: Judge denies SEC motion to seal documents in win for Ripple

A U.S. federal judge has denied a motion by the SEC to seal internal documents related to a speech given by the SEC’s former director on whether cryptocurrencies are securities.

Web3 needs to engage with local communities. Its future depends on it

Web3’s terrible user experience, scams and lack of diversity could be solved if its leaders take a cue from environmentalists and ‘act locally,’ writes Tim Williamson of NieuxCo.

Bitcoin history shows first financial transaction was almost an NFT

Internet sleuths unearth the first financial transaction on Bitcoin, showcasing the potential of NFTs.

Bitcoin, Ether fall, Solana leads declines; U.S. stock futures trade flat; Asian equities mixed

Bitcoin fell 0.58% while Ether dropped 0.36%. Solana was the biggest loser of the day, dropping 1.67%.
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EU’s MiCA gets unanimous nod from European Council

European Union finance ministers unanimously approved MiCA, a set of cryptocurrency rules aiming to reshape the digital asset industry across the EU bloc.

SEC in no rush to respond to Coinbase calls for regulatory clarity

As part of the ongoing legal dispute between the two, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said it would not be hurried into a response to Coinbase demands.

Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 16th

Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 16, 2023, presented by Megha Chaddah for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies return to sideways trading apart from Litecoin, which has continued its bull run in the last 24 hours. In the NFT markets, a Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT sold for US$1 million […]

How DeFi can keep out bad apples while upholding crypto’s core ideals

Crypto users need not fear the increasing KYC/AML requirements around the world and loss of privacy, writes Kurt Hemecker of the Mina Foundation. Here’s why.

Head of U.S. DOJ crypto enforcement eyes crackdown on non-compliant crypto exchanges: FT

The U.S. Department of Justice is aiming to crack down on cryptocurrency exchanges that help criminals facilitate money laundering

Tokenization is changing the world, from finance to art

Fractionalizing assets on the blockchain opens up investment opportunities for the public and the capital market’s access to liquidity, writes Bob Ras. Here’s what’s holding it back.

Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 15th

Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 9, 2023, presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin and Ethereum prices are on the up to start the week off, and Litecoin has skyrocketed in the last 24 hours. The NFT markets are also starting the week off positively, with the Polygon NFT […]

China’s Jiangsu Province to expand digital yuan adoption in education sector

China’s Jiangsu Province plans to expand the use of digital yuan to its public education system, as the province seeks to spearhead the country’s CBDC pilot.

Bank of Korea and financial regulator in turf war over who supervises crypto industry

Bank of Korea, the central bank, seems uncomfortable with the Financial Services Commission, the country’s regulator, having the mandate over the cryptocurrency industry. The bank is pushing for more say, arguing crypto can influence the stability of the overall financial market and that involves the central bank.

Binance exits Canada amid increased regulation in North America

Regulatory hurdles have once again hit Binance in North America, with the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange announcing on Friday that it would cease operations in Canada due to tightened crypto rules.

 It’s a fight for the future of money in the US, says Christopher Giancarlo

The U.S. is resisting digitization of the dollar due to it being a threat to the country’s dominance over traditional financial system, said Christopher Giancarlo, former chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and author of “Crypto Dad: Fight for the Future of Money.”

Looking to expand Web3 activities into Japan? Watch the biggest firms for clues, says gaming protocol founder.

While the community might be small, there’s a growing buzz around Web3 in Japan, with overseas companies now taking note. For clues on how to make it big in the land of the rising sun, follow the lead of the nation’s largest firms, says Sebastien Guillemot, co-founder of Paima Studios.

Elon Musk’s NFT rocket launch. What has he done to Milady?

NFTs were ready for takeoff this week and Elon Musk’s tweet blasted it off.

Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most top 10 cryptos; U.S. futures rise ahead of debt ceiling negotiations

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Friday afternoon trading in Asia, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, apart from the XRP token.
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Binance.US may reduce founder Changpeng Zhao’s ownership stake: The Information

Binance.US is reportedly exploring ways to cut founder Changpeng Zhao’s ownership stake in the company, The Information reported on Thursday, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

Japan government’s crypto czar touts nation’s Web3 capabilities

Japan was an early believer in blockchain and cryptocurrencies until exchange hacks brought a crackdown. But that was then. Now the government has become a crypto cheerleader.

Bitcoin, Ether fall to month lows; Polygon leads losers; U.S. equity futures up as inflation cools

Bitcoin prices slid under US$27,000 on Friday morning in Asia. Ether fell below support at US$1,800 as all top 10 non-stablecoin tokens retreated.

Animoca Brands says it holds US$3.4 bln in assets

Animoca Brands revealed US$2.7 billion in off-balance sheet token reserves in its latest unaudited financial update.

Bitcoin network buckles under weight of BRC-20’s runaway success

Top blockchain and crypto news: Memecoin fever strains BTC network. Binance slams brakes on Bitcoin withdrawals. Chinese court allows crypto for repaying debt.

Bitcoin congestion issues continue amid BRC-20 memecoin, Ordinals surge

Bitcoin network faces heightened congestion with over 5 million inscriptions, exacerbating block space demand as BRC-20 tokens achieve a market cap milestone of $1 billion, contributing to increased activity on the network.

Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most cryptos; U.S. futures strengthen as inflation in April slowed

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Thursday afternoon trading in Asia, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Polygon’s Matic leading losses for a second consecutive session.

Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 11th

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 11, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin saw a minor spike in it’s price after the U.S. consumer price index for April was released, but dipped again as crypto exchanges Jane Street Group and Jump Crypto announced it would cease […]

Tether more than doubles net profit in Q1, says holds most assets in U.S. Treasury bills

The issuer of the world’s most traded stablecoin raked in US$1.48 billion in net profit for the first quarter of this year, more than double the previous quarter, according to the company’s reserves report on Wednesday.

South Korea sets May 26 trial date for Terraform Labs co-founder Daniel Shin, others

Terraform Labs co-founder Shin Hyun-seung and seven others will face trial on May 26 on charges of fraud related to the Terra-Luna crypto collapse.

How ChatGPT is propelling memecoins to a new stratosphere

Thanks to generative AI, a struggling artist with no coding skills created tokens now worth $70 million. What does this mean for the rest of the crypto world?

Bitcoin busts through US$28,000 as U.S. inflation falls to 4.9%

Bitcoin and major cryptocurrencies reacted positively to the latest CPI report that stated annual inflation in the U.S. rose 4.9% in April, beating market expectations.

Bitcoin, Ether prices fall; Asian equities, U.S. stock futures drop ahead of key inflation data

Bitcoin lost 0.43% while Ether dipped 0.60% in 24 hours. Polygon’s Matic token was the biggest loser and dropped 2.16%.
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Hong Kong will have ‘tight’ crypto regulation, says HKMA chief Eddie Yue

Cryptocurrency firms moving to Hong Kong should expect tight regulations as part of the city-state’s new regulatory regime, said Eddie Yue.

South Korea freezes US$176 mln of Terraform CEO Do Kwon’s domestic assets

A South Korean court has approved prosecutors’ request to freeze assets and properties worth 233.3 billion Korean won that belong to Kwon.

Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 10th

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 10th, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin has seen a slight increase in its price tag as congestion in the Bitcoin networks eases, dropping transaction fees at the same time. However, the NFT markets are still looking a little gloomy […]

Bitcoin, Ether edge up; Litecoin leads winners, Matic the losers; U.S. equity futures flat

Bitcoin edged higher on Wednesday morning in Asia to hold above the US$27,500 mark. Ether also gained. Other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens traded mixed.

Gamers stand to win big with NFTs, they just don’t know it yet

NFTs are changing in-game item ownership and value, yet the gaming industry remains skeptical. With microtransactions set to exceed $76 billion this year, it’s time for gamers to understand the benefits of NFT technology.

Bitcoin, Ether fall; Polygon, Solana lead losers; Asian equities, U.S. stock futures drop

Bitcoin dropped 1.25% and Ether fell 0.25% in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also dropped.
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Bitcoin transaction fees surge, El Salvador users suffer consequences

Skyrocketing activity has led to a surge in average Bitcoin transaction fees — which rose to US$31.15 as of March 8 — exerting increasing pressure on users in low- and middle- income economies including Bitcoin-reliant communities in El Salvador, the first country to implement mass adoption of the digital currency.

Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 9th

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 9, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bittrex U.S. has filed for bankruptcy after the Securities and Exchange Commission accused it of operating an unlicensed exchange a few weeks ago. Bitcoin and Ethereum, have continued to drop in prices as a […]

Bitcoin falls below US$28,000, Ether declines, Litecoin slips further, US equity futures stall

Bitcoin fell below US$28,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia as memecoin hype clogged the network and drove up transaction fees. Ether and all other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens dropped.

Bittrex’s U.S. crypto exchange unit files for bankruptcy following closure, SEC lawsuit

U.S. crypto exchange Bittrex Inc. has filed for bankruptcy just days after closing operations following an SEC lawsuit and citing unclear crypto laws.

Why DAOs and collective collaboration are key for Web3 to realize its potential

Free of the hierarchies and power dynamics in traditional companies, DAOs can allow Web3 organizations to do better, writes Arjun Kalsy of Mantle.

Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 8th

Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 8, 2023, presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Binance halted Bitcoin withdrawals twice today as a result of an influx of pending transactions and sky-rocketing fees. The Ethereum Foundation sold US$30 million worth of Ethereum to Kraken as well, leading to slight dips in […]

Cryptocurrencies can be used for debt settlement in China: Supreme Court

Cryptocurrencies in China can be legally used to settle basic relations debts such as exchange and labor, according to the Supreme People’s Court of China.

The metaverse is here. When will the party begin?

The metaverse is still a clunky world that makes users feel like they’re in a cartoon, writes Darin Myman of DatChat. How can we make it more inviting and useful?

Prosecutor says Terra-Luna fugitive Do Kwon should face trial in South Korea: WSJ

The prosecutor leading Korea’s investigation into the Terra-Luna project said its founder Do Kwon should be extradited to Seoul to face trial.

Binance resumes Bitcoin withdrawals after halting transactions twice in 12 hours

Binance resumed withdrawals of Bitcoin around Monday noon in Hong Kong after temporarily halting the service twice within 12 hours due to what the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange said was a “large volume of pending transactions.”

Bitcoin, Ether fall; XRP leads losers as top 10 tokens lose steam; US equity futures flat

Bitcoin fell in Monday morning trading in Asia after failing to breach the US$30,000 ceiling over the weekend. Ether dropped below the US$1,900 mark.

Central bank digital assets can legitimize risk in the crypto space, says Standard Chartered’s Geoff Kendrick

In the second installment of a three-part interview series, Geoff Kendrick, head of crypto research and EM FX West at Standard Chartered Bank, talks altcoins, stablecoins and the legitimization of crypto risk through central bank digital assets.
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A tidal wave of wash sales makes up most NFT volume

CryptoSlam introduces new wash trade metrics to help traders and professionals uncover the truth behind NFT sales volumes across major blockchains.