Forkast.News is now Forkast Labs

PayPal confirms exploring USD-backed stablecoin for payments

Payments giant PayPal confirmed it is exploring its own stablecoin after evidence of such a project was found in its iPhone app’s code. Fast facts “We are exploring a stablecoin; if and when we seek to move forward we will of course, work closely with relevant regulators,” PayPal’s Senior Vice President of Crypto and Digital […]

Hyundai plans Meta-Factory; Crypto divergence ahead

Hyundai plans to open a “Meta-Factory”, meanwhile crypto divergence ahead for the year 2022.

Blood, sweat and tiers: Why layer 2 remains the bedrock of Bitcoin development

How has layer-2 innovation saved Bitcoin from becoming a victim of its own success? Blockstream chief Adam Back explains.

Race to be crypto hotspot heats up in Miami, New York

What’s behind the crypto cheerleading by U.S. mayors? Are their city coins savvy moves — or will the bespoke crypto end up worthless?

Bitcoin’s biggest test may come at next TradFi sell-off

Traditional equities and global markets are due for a correction. Valkyrie CEO Leah Wald wonders whether Bitcoin would hold strong in a global sell-off.

Kazakh riots hit miners; Fed hits crypto market

Kazakh riots hit miners, meanwhile Fed hits crypto market

Kazakh riots hit crypto miners amid internet blackout

Bitcoin hashrates tumble as miners unprepared for an outage, experts say.

Besides crypto, what other digital assets can you invest in?

Have you already made your first Bitcoin trade? Perhaps you already have and would like to know more about other digital assets. This Forkast.News video explainer explores what investors can hold in their portfolios as alternatives to cryptocurrency. What you’ll learn: What digital assets can you invest in other than Bitcoin and altcoins? What are […]

Flash crash hits crypto market, but prices steady throughout Asia trading day

Bearish concerns over Federal Reserve rate hikes show a continued correlation with traditional markets, but industry watchers see changing dynamics at play.

LG to follow Samsung adding NFT features to flagship TVs

The ability to display, buy and even mint NFTs is seeping into mainstream products from South Korea’s largest corporations.

Tax authorities recover US$9M from India’s biggest crypto exchanges

Some of India’s largest crypto exchanges, including WazirX, blame ambiguity in the regulation of cryptocurrencies for missed tax payments.

Bored Ape NFT frenzy; Play-to-earn sustainability questioned

China’s e-CNY pilot app is ready for download as Bored Apes headline NFT frenzy.

CBDCs and the year that may reshape crypto markets

Top blockchain and crypto news: CBDCs at the crossroads. A token gesture from Samsung. NFTs survive in China.

Chinese mining rig maker Canaan deploys 10K machines in Kazakhstan

Chinese cryptocurrency mining rig maker Canaan announced Tuesday that it has entered into multiple partnerships in Kazakhstan and deployed over 10,000 mining machines in the country, as the company steps up efforts to expand globally. Fast facts Canaan said in a statement it has successfully launched the last batch of mining machines online under its […]

Bitcoin, Ethereum price level sluggish while NFT sales volume surges

The crypto market leaders are trading sideways so far in the new year. But NFT trading volume has exploded, with strong Q1 performance expected.

What are the 3 key trends in cybersecurity in 2022?

Cryptocurrency is fueling crimes like malicious mining and ransomware attacks, writes Andrew Brandt of Sophos. What can a company do to protect itself?

Crypto is presidential election campaign issue for South Korea

In South Korea, a new presidential administration will be chosen in March. Here’s where the four major candidates stand on Korea’s booming virtual asset space.
and

China CryptoPunk sale; Use cases key to DeFi

A CryptoPunk is sold in a Shanghai auction house despite an existing crypto ban in China.

CryptoPunk NFT sells for $820K, reflecting Chinese investor interest

A CryptoPunk non-fungible token (NFT) — CryptoPunk #8690 — was sold at an auction in Shanghai organized by Shanghai Jiahe Auction earlier this week for 5,232,500 yuan (US$823,300), with a starting price of 1.5 million yuan (US$236,000), reflecting growing investor interest in NFTs in China despite criticism from state-controlled media. Fast facts V.V Yu, general manager […]
and

Top 5 NFT trends to watch in 2022

NFTs are finding novel uses across many sectors, from fashion to real estate. What industries stand to benefit most from this technology in the year ahead?

Bitcoin at 13; Raising capital on the blockchain.

Bitcoin is now a teenager but it’s not a celebration for some as Indian tax authorities raid crypto businesses.

South Koreans required to report overseas crypto accounts

In South Korea, virtual asset investors with more than 500 million Korean won, or approximately US$418,935, worth of crypto assets in overseas accounts must report to their regional tax authorities beginning in 2023. Fast facts According to a new year guidebook by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, any resident or domestic corporation with overseas […]

China moves to ban internet marketing services for crypto

The Chinese government published a draft regulation on Dec. 31 stating that no organization or individual is allowed to provide internet marketing for illegal financial activities, which include cryptocurrency transactions. Fast facts The regulation, drafted by the People’s Bank of China — China’s central bank — and other Chinese government institutions stipulates that any organization or […]

Binance faces regulatory rebuke in Ontario, obtains preliminary approval in Bahrain

The world’s largest crypto exchange continues struggling to stay compliant, but it has seen some luck in the Middle East.

Happy birthday, Bitcoin! You’re still killing it

Love it or hate it, Bitcoin can be a powerful force for good — and it’s here to stay, writes Peter Vessenes, co-founder of The Bitcoin Foundation.

After a stellar year for Bitcoin and record crypto prices, what to expect in 2022

2021 was a big year for crypto. As we enter a new year, Forkast.News asks market watchers what might be in store for the next 12 months.

Bitcoin at 13: The new age of crypto

With wider acceptance as a financial asset, a teenage Bitcoin may not see the explosive 200% average annual returns of the past, but also may experience less price volatility.

Top 5 blockchain trends for 2022 and beyond

Looking beyond this year’s headlines like El Salvador’s Bitcoin adoption, here are the key developments in blockchain technology that will have lasting impact in the new year and beyond.

South Korea crypto exchange underdogs: Where are they now?

A regulatory hurricane swept away half of South Korea’s crypto exchanges in 2021. Who are the survivors — and are there larger lessons for the rest of the world?

Crypto in Asia: 5 top fintech regulatory stories of 2021

Countries acted to encourage — or discourage — cryptocurrency and other blockchain-based assets, sending markets wildly up and down.

The top 5 ‘Ethereum killers’ of 2021

Ethereum was game-chaging at its 2015 launch, but today it’s showing its age. As Eth2 upgrades slowly unfold, who are the top rivals trying elbow out the #2 blockchain?

What lies ahead for crypto regulations in 2022

From China’s ban to FATF’s travel rule, crypto regulations have been top of mind this year. How might regulatory impulses and current trends play out?

Will 2022 be the year of crypto regulation?

Global shifts are underway in crypto regulations, writes Huong Hauduc of Bequant. How might the political and market forces play out next year?

Countries will jump aboard the crypto bus in 2022 or get left in its dust, says WazirX founder

Despite the looming parliamentary debate over banning private digital currency in India, the founder of Mumbai-based crypto exchange WazirX predicts thousands of new crypto startups.

Crypto Santa’s naughty and nice list for Christmas 2021

Who in the crypto world deserves Santa love this year, and whose chimney should be snubbed? The elves at Forkast.News help the big man with his list.

Year in review: Top China blockchain news in 2021

China tries to stamp out Bitcoin mining while increasing its influence over blockchain technology and preparing the digital yuan for launch. What lies in store for 2022?
and

Why I got a Bitcoin wallet, and how it can be used for crypto gift-giving and receiving

Curious to use Bitcoin but don’t know where to start? Forkast.News explains how.

What Sam Bankman-Fried thinks will happen with NFTs and crypto exchanges in 2022

Which blockchain sector will flourish, and what’s not yet ripe for mass adoption just yet? FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried offers his crystal ball in a special Forkast.News video.

Court overturns Korean Bitcoin ruling; Days numbered for SWIFT?

Court overturns Korean Bitcoin ruling, also are the days numbered for SWIFT?

Bitcoin sent by mistake, recipient will not be punished for keeping it: South Korea ruling

An investor who received $1.25M in Bitcoin by accident will not be criminally penalized, raising questions on the legal status of cryptocurrencies.

xSpend allows GameFi tokens, stablecoins to pay for real-world goods and services

Crypto finance platform XLD Finance wants to enable users to spend GameFi tokens and stablecoins to pay for real-world goods and services. Fast facts The company has launched its first project, xSpend, which allows users from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to purchase mobile prepaid credits on the platform using GameFi tokens and stablecoins. Users may also pay Philippine-based […]

Bitcoin’s price is a lie, says Morgan Creek Capital chief

Bitcoin’s current price is not indicative of the crypto’s future prospects, says Mark Yusko, who looks forward to the tokenization of everything.

New Cosmos, Mastercard projects to boost Ethereum scalability

With Ethereum usage at all-time high, a Cosmos ‘bridge’ to other blockchains and Mastercard rollups aim to solve a major problem plaguing the Eth network.

Regulators and the problem of unstable stablecoins

Federal regulators have turned their sights on stablecoins. But is the attempt to tame this digital currency too late?

The Forkast.News guide to last-minute blockchain and crypto gift ideas

Not yet done with your holiday shopping? Here are ideas for all the loved ones on your list, whether they are tech-savvy or merely crypto-curious.

Delay likely for India’s crypto bill; Crypto’s landmark year

Delay likely for India’s crypto bill, none the less 2021 becomes crypto’s landmark year.

Game company Nexon America now accepts crypto for in-game payments

Asia’s gaming giant Nexon’s US subsidiary supports cryptocurrencies for players in buying items inside its popular online games.

Court in Beijing says losses caused by crypto mining deals not protected by law

In a contract dispute case, a Beijing court in Chaoyang district on Wednesday ruled a legal arrangement for Bitcoin mining to be invalid, signaling how China’s legal system may view future crypto-related disputes. Fast facts In May 2019, the plaintiff, Fengfu Jiuxin company, signed purchases and services contracts with blockchain technology company Zhongyan Zhichuang, with the latter […]

Venture capitalists are falling for play-to-earn gaming startups

Games like Axie Infinity are now the darlings of big investors. Does it matter that revenue is falling and many players earn less than the minimum wage?

Chinese mining rig maker Canaan secures purchase order from Genesis for 30K units

While China continues to stamp out cryptocurrency mining, the mining rig producers continue raking in the deals. The latest: Canaan, a Chinese crypto mining rig maker, has secured a follow-on contract from Genesis Digital Assets for 30,000 units of Avalon Bitcoin mining machines, with another 150,000 units to be executed. Fast facts Back in August, […]

NBA is taking the lead with blockchain, crypto

The National Basketball Association has been ahead of the game in crypto adoption, but after a week of major developments, the league is now way out in front.

Astro Boy NFTs sell out; Virtual land market heats up

Astro Boy NFTs sell out within the hour. Also, Virtual land market heats up in the metaverse

Myanmar’s resistance routes funding through Tether

Top blockchain and crypto news: Can stablecoins bankroll democracy? Nike swooshes into the metaverse. Animoca and Bored Apes venture deeper into the gaming jungle.

Binance to set up digital asset exchange in Indonesia with local telecom giant

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, today announced that it has set up a joint venture with the venture capital arm of Telkom Indonesia, the country’s largest telecommunication company, to develop a new digital asset exchange there. Fast facts Binance said in a statement that it has teamed up with MDI Ventures — a US$830 […]

Australia on track for a crypto boom by 2030, EY report says

The report says the country’s crypto industry could swell by up to 30 times its current size in the coming decade.

China’s Zhejiang province busts dozens of state-owned entities for mining crypto

An internet authority in East China’s Zhejiang province has identified in July 4,699 IP addresses in the province that were involved with cryptocurrency mining, and among them 183 addresses were related to 78 state-owned entities, according to a Tuesday article published on the website of China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the country’s anti-corruption […]
and

Myanmar’s shadow government uses Tether in its fight against military rule

The National Unity Government recognizes Tether as an official currency, defying the cryptocurrency ban imposed last year.

Latest Elon Musk plug sends Dogecoin price soaring — briefly

Dogecoin rallied 31% when Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla will accept it for payment of “merch.”

US SPAC’s refusal to merge with Hong Kong crypto firms raises questions

Crypto 1 will consider acquisition targets worldwide but steer clear of digital assets companies in China and Hong Kong. Are the lights dimming on a major crypto hub?

Crypto fall continues; Is DeFi really decentralized?

Crypto fall continues meanwhile, is DeFi really decentralized?

How sports and crypto are knocking it out of the park

The billion-dollar intersection of sports and crypto is a big win for all, writes Ben Armstrong, aka BitBoy Crypto. Here’s how to make sense of this seismic cultural shift.

South Korea’s Danal to allow crypto as payment for BMWs

Fast facts Blockchain-based payment platform Danal Fintech announced a new service plan that will allow BMW vehicles to be purchased with Paycoin (PCI) in its new partnership with Samchully Motors, the domestic dealer of the luxury automobile line. The recent announcement makes the first case in South Korea where an automobile can be paid in […]

Elon Musk named Time Person of the Year

One of the most influential cheerleaders for cryptocurrency is named Time’s 2021 Person of the Year for his work on electric cars and space rockets.

Binance withdraws Singapore application; Security tokens on the rise

Binance withdraws Singapore application meanwhile, Security tokens are on the rise.

US SPAC Crypto 1 closes IPO, says won’t pursue ‘business combinations’ with any Hong Kong crypto firms

Crypto 1 Acquisition Corp., a U.S.-incorporated blank check company, has completed its initial public offering (IPO) with gross proceeds of US$230 million, according to a company statement released Friday. Fast facts The company’s units commenced trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol “DAOOU” on Dec. 7. Acting as a special purpose acquisition […]

India PM Twitter account hacked, fake tweet claims Bitcoin is legal tender

India prime minister Narendra Modi’s Twitter account was hacked on Sunday morning, with the attacker posting a false tweet about India officially adopting Bitcoin as legal tender. Fast facts The tweet also said the government has bought 500 Bitcoin which will be distributed among citizens. This was the second instance of Modi’s Twitter account getting […]

China’s Yunnan province eradicates illegal power supply for Bitcoin mining

The energy authority in Southwest China’s Yunnan province said it has eliminated the illegal power supply from small and midsize hydropower stations to Bitcoin mining, as China continues to intensify its clampdown on crypto mining. Fast facts In a Friday post on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like microblogging platform, the Yunnan authority said as of the end […]

SafeMoon sees price surge following update to V2

The price of the native token of the SafeMoon blockchain momentarily surged over 8% in price this morning Asia time, as the developer behind the token announced that it had successfully transitioned to the second iteration of the network. SafeMoon’s price retreated throughout the day, however, and was trading at US$0.0000016 at press time, 2% […]

Shiba Inu now accepted at GameStop, Lowe’s and Nordstrom via Gemini-backed Flexa

It’s come full circle: Shiba Inu holders can now spend their SHIB at GameStop — the company that helped trigger the memecoin trend.

Shibu Inu coin struggles; Blockchain an inflation hedge solution?

Shibu Inu coin struggles, meanwhile could blockchain an inflation hedge solution?

INX exec says crypto CEOs should talk to the SEC

Chief business officer of the first SEC-registered digital security says crypto companies got caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Meet the DAO chief who wants artificial intelligence to take his job

Decentralized autonomous organizations are ripe for robot takeovers, says SingularityDAO’s Marcello Mari. After all, why do decentralized entities need leaders?