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FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried jailed for witness interference

Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the collapsed crypto exchange FTX, was jailed Friday and his bail revoked ahead of his trial for fraud scheduled for October 2.

Why smart money is pushing the big idea of ‘purpose-bound money’: Opinion

Recently proposed by Singapore in collaboration with fintech heavy hitters, PBM can be a powerful tool for promoting accountability and efficiency, writes Anndy Lian. But it’s not without risks.

Back to the future? Why a new wave of blockchain games is a blast from the past: Opinion

The latest in blockchain gaming has shades of game tech and development from the Web2 era. Is this a regression — or sign of a maturing industry?

How AI, with blockchain, can transform everyday life: Opinion

Combining blockchain with AI, two of the greatest innovations of this era, will unlock myriad benefits for consumers and businesses alike, writes Eugen Kuzin.

Blockchain is fast, direct and all too cryptic — can it reshape international aid?

As explored in the first installment of this two-part series, crypto funding is being used to provide small but important items to troops on the frontline. But beyond the battlelines, how can crypto help get aid to civilians in times of crisis?

Crypto’s fear and loathing: Will TradFi take over?

Moves by big financial institutions into digital assets are worrisome to crypto purists, but it could be just what crypto needs to shake off its doldrums, writes Konstantin Horejsi of Blocktrade.

First aid kits, boots and batteries — how small but significant crypto funds are used in global conflicts

As war rages in eastern Europe, this first installment in a two-part series looks at the growing use of crypto funding in global conflicts, focusing on the small but significant provision of supplies to pro-Russian mercenary groups in Ukraine.
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Binance could face fraud charge from US Department of Justice

Officials at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) are considering fraud charges against Binance, according to news site Semafor.

Kenya suspends Worldcoin over security concerns

The Republic of Kenya has suspended Worldcoin, a cryptocurrency project co-founded in 2019 by OpenAI chief Sam Altman, while the country’s security and data protection services look into the authenticity and legality of the project, the Ministry of the Interior and National Administration said on its Facebook page on Wednesday.

Shanghai plans blockchain infrastructure hub to link with Hong Kong, Singapore by 2025

Shanghai plans to build a blockchain infrastructure by the end of 2025 and establish links with Hong Kong and Singapore.

Tokenization could bring mass adoption to crypto — or trigger disaster: Opinion

Tokenization is having a breakout year, but providers must learn from the past to prevent another FTX or Celsius-level crisis, writes Philipp Pieper of Swarm.

Binance Japan launches with 34 tokens, BNB debuts in the country

Binance announced the launch of Binance Japan on Tuesday, offering 34 cryptocurrencies.

Crypto’s latest inflection point an opportunity for Asia to lead, says Circle’s Yam Ki Chan

Speaking at the WebX Asia conference in Tokyo, Circle’s Singapore-based vice president of strategy and policy discusses U.S. regulation, growing pains in the crypto industry and Asia’s burgeoning role as a Web3 innovator.

Web3 has a big security problem, and the industry is not doing enough to protect users: Opinion

If Web3 wants to be an alternative to traditional finance, the industry must make itself less vulnerable to hacks and security breaches, writes Richard Meissner.

Bitcoin, Ether slip, top 10 cryptos fall led by Tron

Bitcoin and Ether slipped during Monday afternoon trading in Hong Kong along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, except the BNB token, with crypto markets poised for an uneventful month ahead, industry experts told Forkast.

Proving our humanity in an AI world is not an option — it’s a necessity: Opinion

As artificial intelligence becomes more human-like, it’s critical to distinguish real people from code and prevent Web3 from turning into a bot zoo, writes Khori Whittaker, executive director of Ethereum Name Service.

Crypto isn’t fixing the remittance travesty — but it could: Opinion

Blockchain technology has the potential to slash transaction fees, speed up money transfers and lift up the world’s poor. Why aren’t we doing that yet?

Bitcoin, Ether end week in interest rate, summer doldrums; Binance’s BNB token leads winners

Bitcoin and Ether prices were largely mixed but running into the red on Friday morning in Asia, looking to end the week with losses after a period of directionless trading.

Is Worldcoin’s free crypto more than just a freebie?

Concerns arise over Worldcoin’s free crypto. NFT market does a crabwalk. Japan’s next big thing for the metaverse.

US congressional committee passes crypto bill, steps closer to regulatory clarity

The U.S. House Financial Services Committee passed a bill Wednesday aimed at defining whether cryptocurrencies are securities or commodities.

Tokyo governor joins prime minister in promoting Japan as open for Web3 business

The Tokyo WebX Asia conference, which claimed to be the largest of its kind in Asia, wrapped on Wednesday after two days of exhibitions, crypto-themed side events, and debate on what Japan needs to do to be a central part of the future of the digital asset industry.

Crypto.com, messaging app Line to collaborate on crypto solutions in Asia

Cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com and Line Xenesis — the crypto asset and blockchain-related business developer of Japanese messenger app Line — have signed a memorandum of understanding to boost crypto innovation in Asia-Pacific and the global industry. See related article: Singapore-based Crypto.com gets preparatory license to expand services in Dubai Fast facts

Tokenization is driving new value, and Asia is leading the way: Opinion

Across Asia, projects dedicated to asset tokenization have become a cornerstone of the new digital economy, showing the world the technology’s possibilities.

Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most top 10 cryptos, except Dogecoin

Bitcoin will have to remain above US$29,500 to prevent further bearish momentum, industry experts told Forkast.

Why Asia will emerge as the global hub for Web3 gaming: Opinion

Already home to most of the world’s gamers, Asia has a rich pedigree in seeding and embracing new technologies, writes Robbie Ferguson of Immutable.

Bitcoin reclaims US$30,000, Ether gains, Cardano leads winners as top 10 crypto rise

Bitcoin rose on Monday morning in Asia to reclaim the US$30,000 support level. Ether moved higher, while most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens also gained.

McDonald’s Hong Kong launches McNuggets-themed metaverse

McDonald’s Hong Kong has joined the likes of Adidas, Coca-Cola, Gucci and other global brands with Thursday’s launch of its own metaverse.

Can Web3 bring morality and social good to the metaverse?

The value of crypto is typically tied to its correlation with fiat money. What if tokens can be earned only through good deeds and helping others?

Bitcoin price falls, heads for weekly loss; Ether flat, Matic leads gainers, Solana the losers

Bitcoin fell on Friday morning in Asia as other top 10 cryptocurrencies traded mixed. Bitcoin again slipped below support at US$30,000.

Shanghai sets guidelines to revamp industry, supply chains with blockchain, digital yuan

Shanghai on Tuesday published a set of guidelines to promote use of blockchain, the digital yuan, and the metaverse in the city’s legacy industries.

Bitcoin, Ether trade flat as buzz around Bitcoin ETFs and Ripple court ruling fades

Bitcoin edged higher on Thursday morning, along with most other top 10 cryptocurrencies, but the token looks to have lost support at the US$30,000 line.

Manta Network developer p0x Labs raises US$25 million for Asia expansion

P0x Labs, the developer behind layer-1 zero-knowledge blockchain Manta Network, has secured US$25 million for the Network’s expansion in Asia.

National Australia Bank to block some crypto exchanges

NAB, one of Australia’s “big four” banks, announced it is taking action to block some payments to “high-risk” cryptocurrency exchanges, as part of its new measures aimed at protecting customers from scams.

The future of finance is tokenized. Get on board or get left behind: Opinion

Change won’t happen overnight, but tokenization is a trend that will trigger seismic shifts in the financial landscape, writes Hamilton Keats of Krayon Digital.

S. Korea’s Shinhan Bank, SCB TechX, complete second stablecoin trial on Hedera

Shinhan Bank, the second largest bank in South Korea, and SCB TechX, the technology unit of Siam Commercial Bank, the oldest bank in Thailand, announced on Tuesday that they completed a second stablecoin transaction trial on the Hedera, a public distributed ledger network. 

Alibaba’s home province of Zhejiang sets up metaverse industrial association

China’s Zhejiang province, the home province of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group,has established a metaverse industrial association.

Stablecoins can make banking safe again: Opinion

Stablecoins play a pivotal role as a safe-haven medium of exchange in times of high inflation, writes James Glasscock. But they’re not without risks.

Bitcoin dips but recovers back above US$30,000; Ether, most other top 10 crypto lose ground

Bitcoin dipped under US$30,000 in early Asia trade before recovering. Ether and other top 10 cryptocurrencies fell, while NFT trading slumped.

How Asia is emerging as a safe haven for digital assets: Opinion

As the US is engulfed in regulatory strife, Asian countries are rolling out legal frameworks that attract crypto investment, protect consumers and encourage innovation.

Beijing to train 10,000 engineers in digital technologies, including blockchain, each year

Beijing municipal government plans to train 10,000 engineering talents each year in emerging technologies including blockchain, AI and big data.

Bitcoin dips over weekend, other top 10 cryptos mixed; US stock futures edge down

Bitcoin rose to trade at over US$30,300 on Monday morning in Asia, but the price fell over the weekend to around the pre-Ripple ruling level.

USDT’s goal is to be the dollar, not beat it, says Tether CTO

Scrutiny on the stablecoin’s reserves has intensified since USDT’s latest depegging scare. Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Tether and Bitfinex, delves into the composition of USDT reserves, explaining how the firm ensures dollar redemptions, irrespective of secondary market prices.

XRP leads gains as Bitcoin, top 10 cryptos rally after Ripple’s win against U.S. SEC

A favorable U.S. court ruling for Ripple boosted Bitcoin prices. All top 10 non-stablecoin cryptos rallied with XRP prices gaining 62% in the past 24 hours.

How Web3 can help island nations fight climate change: Opinion

Global warming and rising sea levels are threatening to submerge countries like Maldives and Kiribati. Can blockchain technology help avert disaster?

Bitcoin, Ether surge after Ripple notched partial win against SEC; Ripple’s XRP leads crypto rally 

Bitcoin, all other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens logged gains Friday morning. That followed a favorable SEC ruling for Ripple, whose XRP token led the gains.

Standard Chartered’s great expectations for Bitcoin in 2024

Top blockchain and crypto news: Standard Chartered eyes US$120,000 per Bitcoin | Another week of declines in NFT market | Sega and Line team up.

Bitcoin, Ether fall, Polygon leads losers; U.S. equities gain as inflation slows

Bitcoin dropped on Thursday morning in Asia to below US$30,500. Ether and most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens also logged losses.

Why culture and ownership are critical to the metaverse: Opinion

As stores of our identity, customs and creativity, NFTs will drive Web3 adoption and become central to the new digital economy, writes Yat Siu, executive chairman of Animoca Brands.

Bitcoin inches up, holds above US$30,500; all other top 10 cryptos mixed

Bitcoin trade volumes dropped in the last 24 hours but the token is holding steady above US$30,500. Binance’s BNB token posted the biggest gain while most other top 10 cryptocurrencies traded mixed.

Bitcoin above US$30,500, Ether flat, SOL leads the winners

Bitcoin rose on Wednesday morning in Asia to trade above US$30,500. Ether traded flat while most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens gained. SOL led winners.

Gamers can now earn Bitcoin rewards on Minecraft via Zebedee

Zebedee, a New Jersey-based payments technology firm, will allow Minecraft players to earn Bitcoin by completing in-game quests.

Bitcoin steady above US$30,000, all top 10 cryptos rise on market optimism

Bitcoin breached US$31,000 level in the past 24 hours after falling back to hold above US$30,000. Ether and all other top 10 cryptos gained.

Sega says still exploring Web3 game initiatives despite reports of withdrawal

The Japanese gaming giant is currently somewhere in the Web 2.3 to 2.7 range, says co-Chief Operating Officer Shuji Utsumi.

Crypto ‘extremely speculative’ investment, not money, says Bank of England Governor Bailey

Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies don’t meet standards to be recognized as money.

Improving crypto user experience is an imperative and need not come at the cost of security: Opinion

The key to making crypto easier to use while less prone to skulduggery lies in centralizing some security and UX features, writes Hsuan Lee of Blocto.

Bitcoin gains on StanChart price predictions, fund inflows; Ether rises, Matic leads winners

Bitcoin rose on Tuesday morning in Asia, after Standard Chartered predicted the token could reach US$120,000 by the end of 2024. Ether and most other top 10 tokens rose.

Bitcoin stays above US$30,000; ETF optimism dampens; further rate hikes expected

Bitcoin dipped on Monday morning in Asia but held above the US$30,000 support level. Ether edged lower along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens.

South Korea, Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto rules as U.S. in state of regulatory ‘warfare’

While Asia nations such as Singapore and Thailand seem to be following the U.S. regulator in frowning upon certain products offered by crypto exchanges, the approach in Asia so far seems to be clarity instead of court battles, in contrast with North America
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Japanese gaming firm Sega backs out of blockchain: Bloomberg

Japanese multinational gaming firm Sega Corp. is withdrawing from blockchain-based games as play-to-earn games are “boring,” according to Shuji Utsumi, the company’s co-chief operating officer cited by Bloomberg on Friday. 

Tokenization makes the world a better place, and Asia is paving the way: Opinion

Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Thailand have regulations supporting the growth of tokenization, showing the world the benefits of fractionalizing assets.
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Singapore’s DBS starts e-CNY bank services for China clients

Singapore-based DBS bank has introduced a “merchant collection solution” using e-CNY – China’s central bank digital currency – to allow corporate clients of DBS China to collect payments from their customers in e-CNY, and avail the automated settlement of e-CNY directly into their bank deposit account.

Airchains to record land ownership with NFTs for Indian city

Indian Web3 firm Airchains has announced a partnership with the New Town Kolkata Development Authority of West Bengal, to release 500,000 NFTs in hopes to enhance registration and transfer of land ownership. 

How Web3 is disrupting gaming business models and player economics: Opinion

From pay-to-play arcade video games to sales of home consoles, gaming’s evolution into peer-to-peer marketplaces is posing a new challenge to the status quo, writes Jackson Poon.

Global shifts in crypto capital are underway. Here’s where the money is going

Digital assets funds have been flowing in waves all over the world since crypto’s inception, writes Amy Yu, CEO of SEBA Bank. Where is crypto capital going now?

Hong Kong launches task force to promote blockchain initiatives, developments

Hong Kong’s local government on Friday set up the Task Force on Promoting Web3 Development to promote the benefits of blockchain to real-world industries.

Bitcoin flat, Ether gains in mixed crypto market; Solana rebounds, Litecoin leads winners

Bitcoin traded flat above US$30,000 while most other leading tokens were mixed. Litecoin and Solana saw the biggest gains among the top 10.

FXHASH NFT upgrade to allow users to mint on both Tezos and Eth

FXHASH, the largest non-fungible token (NFT) platform by sales volume on the Tezos blockchain, has announced an upgrade that allows users to choose between Tezos and Ethereum, along with on-chain minting for both networks. 

Ripple executive spells out Asia future after license success in Singapore

Ripple Labs’ Asia-Pacific branch is offering digital payment services in Singapore after receiving in-principle approval of its license application from the MAS on June 22. What does that mean for the company’s Asia business?

The bane of crypto today is quantity over quality: Opinion

The market now has 26,000 different cryptocurrencies and the total number of coins in circulation approaches infinity. How do those tokenomics make any sense?

Bitcoin gains with all top 10 crypto, Fidelity confirms Bitcoin ETF bid, U.S. economy rebounds

All top 10 cryptocurrencies rose, led by Solana, as another financial heavyweight applied to offer a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund and data showed the U.S. economy in good health. Stocks rose.

Crypto gets a boost following reports of Fidelity’s imminent Bitcoin spot ETF filing

Top blockchain and crypto news: Fidelity Investment is reportedly close to filing its own Bitcoin ETF. NFT traders seek liquidity. Singapore eyes asset tokenization.

China Mobile launches metaverse industry alliance

China Mobile, a leading telecommunication company of China, launched a metaverse alliance on Wednesday, whose members include Huawei, Xiaomi and Unity China.