Search results: SEC

Top blockchain and crypto news: Moscow faces crypto winter. DeFi doyen quits Fantom. China mulls metaverse moves.

Alibaba’s non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Jingtan issued one-year suspensions to more than 680 accounts for using computer programs and massage guns to make instant purchases as soon as items hit the market. See related article: Ant Group’s NFT arm punishes users for digital collectible resales Fast facts See related article: Why Asia is poised to […]

Local authorities have seized 1,106 mining rigs from two cities in China’s southeastern province of Guangdong.  See related article: China customs seizes 49 second-hand crypto mining rigs for export Fast facts The Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission announced on Tuesday that it had uncovered a mining farm in Guangzhou disguised as electric vehicle (EV) […]

Blockchain technology is rapidly transforming the finance sector. DBS Bank CEO Piyush Gupta offers an insider’s look at what’s coming next.

CoinDCX has partnered with the Birla Institute of Technology & Science Pilani for crypto research, development and innovation among students, the crypto exchange said in a statement on Tuesday. See related article: India’s blockchain courses ramp up to meet demand for learning Fast facts Over 100 students are expected to be trained in blockchain technology […]

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) has announced the launch of Hong Kong’s landmark Star Ferry Pier in The Sandbox metaverse, where visitors can experience historic moments through in-game quests. See related article: Covid shuts cinema but Hong Kong gets backup from the metaverse Fast facts The Star Ferry Pier in The Sandbox presents Hong […]

Binance has launched its own fiat-to-crypto service provider Bifinity to improve on-ramps and encourage more merchants to take crypto payments. See related article: Israel added to Binance’s list of global regulatory trouble spots Fast facts Bifinity offers over 50 cryptocurrencies and supports major payment methods, including Visa and Mastercard. Crypto business aggregator Coinmap has tracked […]

‘Lazy minting’ may seem affordable but heightens the risk of NFT theft, writes Anthem Blanchard of Herasoft. Is storing NFTs on-chain the solution?

Stranded away from home, Web 3.0 company Everstake founder Sergey Vasylchuck realized he could still help his war-torn homeland Ukraine by raising funds through a DAO.

Regulation is urgently needed to govern data security and curb speculation as the metaverse industry develops, delegates say.

People’s Bank of China (PBOC) Nanjing branch president Guo Xinming proposed amendments to the administrative law to clarify the digital yuan’s status as legal tender at China’s annual plenary session on Saturday.   See related article: Digital yuan scams emerge across China as central bank readies e-CNY Fast facts See related article: Zhejiang urges its cities […]

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has prohibited transactions involving digital assets such as cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in its sanctions against Russian banks and entities, the central bank said in a statement.  See related article: USDT-RUB volume outpaces Bitcoin pair as Russia sanctions pile Fast facts Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, MAS will […]

Bitcoin and other cryptos are being used on both sides of the fight, raising ethical issues that cut to the core of decentralization, says AAX’s Ben Caselin

As the war in Ukraine enters it’s second week, we take a look at how cyptocurrencies and digital assets can play a role in a conflict.

The crypto market slightly dipped on Friday but the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem in Terra continues to grow with Anchor Protocol leading the way.  See related article: Terra bullish trend continues; rest of crypto top 10 in red Fast facts Bitcoin and Ethereum have fallen by 4.7% and 6.2% respectively in the past 24 hours, […]

As the public tires of Big Tech’s privacy abuses, Web3’s premise of decentralization has never looked better, writes Edward Chen of Huobi.

Australia estimates at least three million Aussies, or 11% of its people, own some form of crypto asset, according to a government-backed report published on Wednesday. See related article: Australia announces biggest overhaul to payments in 25 years — eyes now set on crypto Fast facts Crypto has been on Australia’s radar, with the Senate […]

War-mongering Russia is finding itself increasingly isolated. What if the rogue state tries to regain its financial footing via cryptocurrency?

Look for progress reports on e-CNY, blockchain technology, new digital infrastructure, and subtle mentions of the international sanctions against Russia.

Recruiters from the public and private sectors are on the hunt for top blockchain talent. Educational institutions are catching up with customized courses.

Nomura Holdings will restructure its Future Innovation Company into a newly established company to leverage the rise of digital assets, effective April 1.  Fast facts See related article: IBM, Nomura to use blockchain for plastics recycling in new consortium The Japanese financial services giant revealed in a statement its plans to expand its private markets […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Digital currency battling Russian invasion. Ethereum remains NFT projects’ chain of choice. China to lock up crypto traders.

The ransomware outfit behind Nvidia’s data breach last week is looking to sell what it claims to be a driver that unlocks Ethereum mining limitations on the chipmaker’s graphic cards. See related article: China customs seizes 49 second-hand crypto mining rigs for export Fast facts The hacker group Lapsus$ allegedly stole 1TB of data from […]

It’s been a booming time for the NFT market, and as data from CryptoSlam shows, there has been particular interest in metaverse projects recently.

The trading volume of the USDT-RUB pair spiked to a 10-month high and outpaced the ruble’s Bitcoin pair as international sanctions against Russia shake local financial stability.  See related article: US asks crypto exchanges to comply with Russian sanctions: report Fast facts The daily trading volume of the BTC-RUB pair surged to over 3 billion […]

A blockchain is a database that can record all transactions and transfers for the entire world. All users can use public blockchain explorers to verify all data is correct.  Blockchain facilitates transactions of virtual currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Transactions that take place are fast, cheap, tamper-proof and irreversible.  But blockchain technology is not limited […]

Russia’s war on Ukraine is battering crypto prices, but what does the more distant future hold for BTC and ETH? Fintech experts offer predictions.

South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT announced Sunday a KRW 223.7 billion (US$185 million) investment to build the nation’s metaverse ecosystem. See related article: South Korea wants to be the physical home of the metaverse Fast facts The ministry will use its war chest to develop the decentralized creator economy, nurture talents, and support […]

Bitcoin’s recent slumps have been coupled with macroeconomic activities, bringing its status as an inflation hedge into question.

Measures to detect sanctioned entities’ crypto transactions can come into play, experts say.

More people in the region are in thrall to play-to-earn gaming as it adapts to offer real-world uses, says Infinity Ventures Crypto founding partner Brian Lu.

BitMEX founders Arthur Hayes and Benjamin Delo pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act’s anti-money-laundering provisions, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan said on Thursday. See related article: BitMEX pays US$100M to settle AML, KYC compliance breach charges Fast facts Under the terms of the plea agreement, Hayes and Delo will each pay US$10 […]

China’s Supreme Court specified cryptocurrency trading as a means of illegal fundraising in its latest judicial interpretation of criminal law released on Thursday, the first time in the country’s history.  See related article: Court in China says trading in cryptocurrency ‘not protected by law’ Fast facts A judicial interpretation is the Supreme People’s Court’s official […]

Sunny skies and wide open spaces may seem the perfect place to mine Bitcoin using cheap solar power, but one industry insider tells Forkast there’s much more to it than that.

Government indecision on crypto regulation prompted some businesses to move abroad. Investors and crypto professionals may follow if uncertainty prolongs.

A new electricity rate hike for crypto miners in China’s southeastern province Zhejiang is a penalty, not a green light, province capital Hangzhou authorities said, the China Times reported on Wednesday.  See related article: China’s Zhejiang province busts dozens of state-owned entities for mining crypto Fast facts Zhejiang Province announced this month that it would […]

When the world’s biggest crypto exchange acquires a major stake in the business publication it once sued for defamation, should we worry?

CasperLabs, a smart contracts protocol, is set to power part of China’s state-backed non-fungible token (NFT) network, to support the legal issuance of NFTs in mainland China. See related article: BSN to integrate Neo’s chain to bolster NFT issuance in China Fast facts The Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) will add Casper Network-powered Fuzhou Chain to […]

All cryptocurrency ads in India will carry standard disclaimers to warn investors of risks associated with crypto beginning April 1, as per guidelines released by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) on Wednesday.  See related article: Indian court seeks standardized disclaimers on crypto ads Fast facts The disclaimer must read: “Crypto products and NFTs […]

Moscow moves to regulate crypto. OpenSea’s security struggle. Will China cool its metaverse mania?

The RBI is casting a cloud of regulatory uncertainty over the local digital assets industry, but the nation’s Bitcoin premium shows India wants crypto. 

China’s legal system is looking into blockchain technology to improve its online smart court system and enhance information sharing and evidence submission. See related article: How blockchain technology is shaking up courtrooms in Asia Fast facts China’s supreme court released on Tuesday a set of rules allowing courts to verify and recognize evidence submitted through […]

The high court of China’s southeastern Guangdong province has ruled cryptocurrency investment activities are not protected by law, further clarifying that crypto is not a legitimate currency in the mainland.  See related article: China customs seizes 49 second-hand crypto mining rigs for export Fast facts The Guangdong high court on Tuesday listed a crypto-related virtual […]

Jingtan, Alibaba affiliate Ant Group’s non-fungible token (NFT) platform, has placed limitations on at least 56 accounts for participating in the resale of digital collectibles, after various collections surged in popularity in online second-hand markets.  See related article: CCTV NFTs hit resale market before transfer permitted Fast facts Jingtan, developed by AntChain, said it has […]

Amber Group has secured US$200 million in a funding round led by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund Temasek, raising the cryptocurrency platform’s valuation to US$3 billion.  See related story: Temasek-founded Affinidi launches new business unit to bring Web 3.0 to financial services to Southeast Asia Fast facts Existing investors including Sequoia China, Pantera Capital, Tiger Global […]

A former owner of a rare Bored Ape Yacht Club non-fungible token (NFT) is suing marketplace OpenSea for US$1 million or the token’s return after an exploit on the platform saw the NFT sold for a fraction of its market value. See related article: OpenSea NFT marketplace hacked for 332 ETH Fast facts Texas man […]

NH-Amundi Asset Management listed its second metaverse exchange-traded fund (ETF) Tuesday that will specifically invest in metaverse-related companies in the U.S. See related article: Hong Kong gears up for its first metaverse ETF Fast facts The HANARO U.S. Metaverse iSelect ETF follows 20 key players in the U.S. metaverse, virtual and augmented reality, and the […]

Kazakhstan’s energy authority has identified and disconnected 13 unauthorized crypto mining farms in the country, as the government continues to ramp up efforts to regulate the sector. See related article: Crypto mining’s Great Migration continues — out of Kazakhstan Fast facts The Ministry of Energy said on Monday that an inspection team has shut down […]

Charitable giving in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is growing by leaps and bounds. Michael B. Greenwald and Logan Weber explain the risks and benefits.

Play-to-earn superstar Axie Infinity became the first non-fungible token (NFT) series to cross the US$4 billion mark in historic sales early Tuesday morning Asia time, according to CryptoSlam data. See related article: Axie Infinity fans play their way to payday as game token prices soar Fast facts Running on the Ethereum sidechain Ronin, Axie Infinity’s […]

Blockchain technology allows musicians to sell songs directly and earn more per song, writes Adi Ben-Ari of Applied Blockchain.

Although India hoped that taxation would be a step toward regulation rather than a ban, the high tax rates and proposed rules seem to be geared toward dissuading crypto trading.

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), or digital collectibles, issued by China Central Television (CCTV), the nation’s largest state-owned broadcast media, are appearing in China’s largest online second-hand market for at least 10 times the original price in a pre-sale bid, even before trade embargoes on the assets have lifted.  See related article: China’s mouthpiece newspaper is giving […]

BIT Mining, a Hong Kong-headquartered cryptocurrency miner, has terminated its data center construction in Kazakhstan due to an unstable local power supply, the company said in its quarterly report. See related article: Crypto mining’s Great Migration continues — out of Kazakhstan Fast facts BIT Mining now abandons a US$9.3 million pledge to a Kazakh data […]

As businesses wake up to the potential of the metaverse, we ask The Sandbox’s Sebastien Borget whether its creator-driven promise will persevere.

Circle’s USDC, the world’s second-largest stablecoin, is gunning for the title of the world’s top stablecoin as it closes in on Tether’s market capitalization after doubling its valuation to US$9 billion in a revised merger deal.  See related article: Stablecoin issuer Circle to go public in US$4.5B SPAC deal Fast facts USDC’s market cap has […]

While the government cultivates the booming metaverse industry, experts say laws fail to protect youth from abuse within virtual and digital realms.

Animoca Brand’s nWayPlay sold out second batch of Bing Dwen Dwen mascot NFTs on Thursday as prices of first set fetched 900% in average resale value.

Hong Kong’s first metaverse-themed exchange-traded fund (ETF), the CSOP Metaverse Concept ETF, is scheduled to be listed on Feb. 21 on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, according to a CSOP Asset Management disclosure document.  See related article: NFTs, metaverse listed as top ‘must watch’ security risks in Hong Kong Fast facts The metaverse ETF […]

Investor relief at last week’s slight market rebound gave way to concerns over military tensions in Ukraine, sending crypto and traditional markets reeling.

Israel’s capital market watchdog is asking major cryptocurrency exchange Binance for clarifications on its services in the country and licenses under which it operates, local media reported Thursday. See related article: Binance US under probe for ties with trading affiliates: report Fast facts Binance has stopped all Israel-focused activities and marketing, the Globes reported, citing […]

Bitcoin led a market-wide sell-off Thursday night Asia time by losing almost 8% coming into business hours Friday Asia time, and was trading at US$40,578 at press time. See related article: Is Bitcoin’s rocky start to 2022 a sign of things to come? Fast facts All other major tokens were down around the same amount, […]

President Biden’s executive order directing agencies to devise a comprehensive strategy to regulate cryptocurrencies and other digital assets and examine a digital dollar may be issued next week, according to Yahoo! Finance. Fast facts The order, expected weeks ago, was delayed by a disagreement between the White House and the Treasury over its scope, Bloomberg […]

Korea’s crypto sector spawns two unicorns, meanwhile Hong Kong is set to be an idea cross-border e-CNY test city.

The city’s global reach, Hong Kong dollar and mainland ties make it a good fit for Chinese authorities to trial e-CNY international payments.

The Chinese State Council approved on Wednesday a plan to build computing and data hubs that use blockchain technology to secure data in four regions including the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Fast facts See related article: China writes blockchain and digital currency into nation’s future The four hubs are set to join four more approved […]

DeFi can put investors at risk if they don’t understand how it works, writes Korapat Arunanondchai. Here’s how to improve user experience.

Over 1,200 non-fungible token (NFT)-related trademarks were registered in the U.S. in 2021, a 420-fold increase from the previous year, according to data acquired by Finbold. Fast facts More than 400 trademarks were filed in the month of December 2021 while none were filed in January 2021. There were 450 filings in January 2022, a […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Super Bowl score for digital asset exchanges. CryptoPunks holders face copyright conundrum. Hong Kong warns of NFT risks.

India’s crypto tax plan was expected to bolster adoption, but the central bank’s hold on the banking sector puts a check on crypto-related services.

The U.S. securities watchdog has launched a probe into crypto exchange Binance’s relationship with two trading firms with ties to founder Changpeng Zhao, the Wall Street Journal reported. Fast facts The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is examining whether Binance’s U.S. arm properly discloses to users its links to two trading firms — Sigma Chain […]

South Korean crypto exchange GOPAX revealed Tuesday it has partnered with Jeonbuk Bank to provide clients with real-name withdrawal and deposit accounts, qualifying the exchange to offer cash-to-crypto services. Fast facts After registering its new partnership with Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), GOPAX is set to become the fifth digital asset exchange that offers Korean […]