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TZ APAC, NUS join for blockchain, computing education

Blockchain consultancy TZ APAC has partnered with the National University of Singapore School of Computing (NUS Computing) to set up the Centre for Nurturing Computing Excellence, the company said in a statement.  See related article: CoinDCX chimes in on India’s growing blockchain education needs Fast facts The new center will enable students to learn from […]

How tokenization could transform Hong Kong’s fixed income markets

Tokenizing capital markets could offer greater efficiency and liquidity. How would that work in Hong Kong’s regulatory environment?
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El Salvador snaps up US$15 mln in Bitcoin after price plunge

El Salvador this week bought 500 Bitcoins for US$15.37 million, taking advantage of a sharp price decline to add to its holdings of the cryptocurrency, which is also legal tender in the Central American country.  See related article: El Salvador to build world’s first ‘Bitcoin City’ to be powered by volcanoes Fast facts “El Salvador […]

Why Gen Z could turn to DeFi mortgages to build real estate wealth 

Gen Z is already keen on metaverse real estate. Will using DeFi to finance property deals — in the real or virtual world — be the next frontier?

India’s oldest depository launches blockchain for bonds

India’s National Securities Depository Ltd. (NSDL) introduced a distributed ledger technology platform for the Debenture Covenant Monitoring system on Saturday to enhance monitoring of bonds. See related article: Indian market regulator asks depositories to use blockchain Fast facts The Debenture Covenant Monitoring system’s decentralized ledger will provide an immutable and verifiable audit trail of transactions […]

DeFi TVL lowest since October, Terra leads losses

The total value locked (TVL) in decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols has dropped from US$217.82 billion to US$179.5 billion in the past 30 days, reaching its lowest point since October 2021, according to DefiLlama data. See related article: DeFi wizard Cronje’s departure sends TVL sinking Fast facts Terra’s Anchor Protocol played a significant role by dropping […]

De-layered and durable: How DeFi will boost the finance sector’s resilience

As decentralized finance redefines the way money moves, a do-or-die moment is approaching for traditional finance sector businesses, says Anthony Scaramucci.

Hong Kong retail, art hub rolls out the carpet for NFTs. What would Bruce Lee think?

Hong Kong’s K11 retail and art complex is host to three events to showcase the new, wild and expensive world of non-fungible tokens as (debatable) art.

Bumper April helps NFTs break out of bear-market territory

The non-fungible token market posted a strong bounceback in April. As one industry watcher tells Forkast, the nature of the rebound points to more room for recovery.

Binance, a16z among investors backing Musk’s Twitter bid with US$7B

Three dozen investors, including Binance, Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz and Fidelity Management & Research, have provided financing commitments of US$7.14 billion in support of Elon Musk’s bid to buy Twitter, regulatory filings show.  See related article: Twitter accepts Musk’s US$44B bid, sends Dogecoin to crypto top 10 Fast facts Oracle co-founder Lawrence Ellison was the […]

Bitcoin falls with Nasdaq’s worst performance since 2020

The Nasdaq Composite had its worst drop since June 2020, closing Thursday down 4.99% the day after the U.S. Federal Reserve announced the sharpest interest rate hike since 2000. See related article: Bitcoin flirts with US$40K as Fed stamps highest rate hike in 22 years Fast facts The cryptocurrency market joined the selloff, losing over […]

NFT-backed loans gain traction, but what are the risks?

Non-fungible token financing is still at a nascent stage and comes with significant risks for lenders and borrowers.

Coinbase NFT marketplace is now open to all

Coinbase’s non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace has opened to all customers after the beta version was released to a select group of users in April, the Nasdaq-listed cryptocurrency exchange announced on Wednesday. See related article: Coinbase’s NFT market enters beta for select customers Fast facts Coinbase first announced its NFT marketplace in October 2021, and over […]

10 Bored Apes win features on Monkey Shoulder bottles for royalties

Luxury liquor non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace BlockBar has selected 10 Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) avatars to be featured on 100 Monkey Shoulder limited edition NFT bottles, earning rights to 5% of sales in royalties.  See related article: BlockBar and Monkey Shoulder partner for BAYC exclusive NFTs Fast facts The 10 BAYCs selected by BlockBar […]

Binance bags its first European license in France

Binance has received regulatory approval in France, as the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange continues its global expansion and push for regulatory compliance. See related article: Binance wants to play ball with regulators Fast facts Binance has obtained a digital asset service provider (DASP) registration with France’s Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), the finance market watchdog […]

Blockchain can transform international trade, but big hurdles remain

Blockchain can save time, money and reams of paperwork, writes Tim Bailey of Red Date Technology. But its future in global trade remains uncertain.

Pakistan takes a fresh look at cryptocurrency

Pakistan’s federal government has formed three subcommittees to explore the future of cryptocurrencies and related services, local media report.  See related article: Pakistani central bank echoes RBI’s concerns over crypto Fast facts The first panel is chaired by the law secretary with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and […]

Kazakhstan orders Bitcoin miners to file status reports

Kazakhstan is mandating that cryptocurrency miners file regular status reports in a new ministerial order, as the Central Asian nation attempts to gain a stronger grip on the sector. See related article: Ex-Kazakh president’s brother busted for illegal crypto mining Fast facts Crypto miners must submit information including locations of mining facilities, IP addresses, power […]

Bitcoin flirts with US$40K as Fed stamps highest rate hike in 22 years

Total cryptocurrency market capitalization rose by 5.4% as the U.S. Federal Reserve announced it is raising interest rates by 50 basis points, the sharpest since 2000. See related article: Has Bitcoin become a victim of its own success? Fast facts The increase creates a target range of between 0.75% and 1% following a 25 basis […]

Otherdeeds NFT sale puts Ethereum scalability in glaring spotlight

Top blockchain and crypto news: Otherdeeds debacle stings with gas fee spike. Algorand scores World Cup deal. Will China be forced to embrace Bitcoin?

Has Bitcoin become a victim of its own success?

Except for a bout of recession in March 2020, Bitcoin has been fairly resilient to the vagaries of global financial crisis. But with murmurs of another recession gaining steam, Forkast examines the cryptocurrency’s relevance as a safe haven.

My brief wondrous life as an Axie Infinity gamer

Crypto rookie Joel Stein dives into Axie Infinity and the curious economics of ‘play to earn.’ Will his teenage gaming dreams come true?

S.Korea’s incoming administration pushes to end ICO drought

South Korean president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s administration has included approval of initial coin offerings (ICOs) among its 110 national tasks announced Monday. See related article: Crypto is presidential election campaign issue for South Korea Fast facts The right-wing government will prepare a two-lane regulatory framework for ICOs by classifying digital assets as securities and non-securities. The […]

Clearpool launches US$25 mln permissioned liquidity pool with Jane Street, BlockTower Capital

Decentralized finance (DeFi) lending protocol Clearpool announced Tuesday the launch of a permissioned liquidity pool in partnership with quantitative trading firm Jane Street and crypto and blockchain investment firm BlockTower Capital. See related article: Nexo and Fidelity Digital Assets expand institutional lending services Fast facts The liquidity pool has been funded with US$25 million worth […]

S.Korean KakaoBank considers crypto exchange partnerships

South Korean digital bank KakaoBank announced on Tuesday at its quarterly business performance conference it is reviewing a partnership with a local cryptocurrency exchange. See related article: South Korean banks seek green light on crypto Fast facts “As [crypto] is considered a major asset amongst customers, we are reviewing how we can provide virtual assets […]

MakeMyTrip launches NFT collection of top Indian travel spots

Indian online travel company MakeMyTrip has launched a non-fungible-token (NFT) collection of Indian tourist destinations, becoming the first Indian travel brand to step into the NFT space.  See related article: Is there a future for the NFT beyond digital art? Fast facts The NFT collection “Virtual Vacations!” aims at bringing to life “a kaleidoscopic meta-world […]

Kraken launches gas-free NFT marketplace

Global cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has announced the launch of its non-fungible token (NFT) platform, joining exchanges such as Binance and FTX to do so. See related article: NFT Marketplace Competition Heats Up Fast facts Sellers can list their NFTs in cryptocurrencies supported by Kraken, or in fiat currencies, such as USD, EUR, CAD, GBP and […]

The Mooch is back, and batting for crypto!

Anthony Scaramucci, founder of investment firm SkyBridge Capital and former White House communications director, says governments such as those in China and the US will inevitably allow for people to own and trade cryptocurrencies.

Ethereum’s year-end price outlook lowered

A panel of 36 industry experts revised down the year-end price target set for the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by more than 11%, according to a report by Finder, an Australian fintech. See related article: Ethereum price expected to hit $7,609 in 2022: report Fast facts Ethereum’s price is expected to rise to US$5,783 by the […]

S.Korea finance minister nominee wants to delay crypto tax for two years

Choo Kyung-ho, the yet-to-be-confirmed nominee for deputy prime minister and finance minister, said Monday a planned 20% tax on capital gains from digital asset investments and stock market investment should be pushed back until January 2025. See related article: South Korea’s 20% tax on virtual asset gains is postponed Fast facts During a National Assembly […]

Square Enix sells Tomb Raider and other titles, raising cash for blockchain ventures

Japanese gaming giant Square Enix announced Monday that it is selling three of its gaming studios to Sweden-based Embracer Group for US$300 million and will use the funds for new businesses in blockchain technology, artificial intelligence and the cloud. See related article: Japan’s Square Enix reveals blockchain gaming ambitions for 2022 Fast facts Square Enix […]

How NFTs can allow everyone to benefit from robots and automation

What are ‘machine NFTs’ and how could they help democratize the ownership of capital in a future ‘machine economy’? Max Thake of peaq explains.

Bitcoin lobbyists rebut ‘misconceptions’ over environmental impact

Signed by MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor, Castle Island Ventures’ Nic Carter and Block’s Jack Dorsey, the Bitcoin Mining Council’s (BMC) letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sought to respond to legislators’ “serious concerns.” See related article: Almost 60% of Bitcoin mining now on sustainable energy: BMC Fast facts BMC’s letter was written in response to […]

Algorand becomes 2022 Qatar World Cup’s new blockchain partner

The Algorand network has signed a deal to become the official blockchain technology partner of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. See related article: What is Algorand and why is it a blockchain to watch? Fast facts Algorand will assist FIFA in developing […]

The problems with retail crypto trading — and how to solve them

Young investors demand more accessibility, transparency and accountability than traders of yore, writes Joe Jowett of StrikeX. What are the solutions?

Shiba Inu explained — diving beyond the memecoin

Following a year of explosive price gains, the SHIB token is inching closer toward becoming a top 10 cryptocurrency. Will this so-called “Dogecoin killer” succeed? Forkast.News explores what’s in store for Shiba Inu.

Wikimedia Foundation to no longer accept crypto donations

The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF), the organization that runs the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, will no longer accept donations in the form of cryptocurrency, the foundation announced Sunday. See related article: Ukraine crypto donations top $36M amid Russian invasion Fast facts The decision follows a vote concluded on April 12 where over 70% of the community voted […]

Solana loses consensus after bots flood network, SOL takes hit

Solana suffered another outage on Sunday Asia time, after the network lost consensus due to bots flooding the non-fungible token (NFT) minting tool “Candy Machine,” spamming more than six million transactions per second.  See related article: Solana DeFi avoids meltdown as Wormhole loss replaced Fast facts The network was down for about seven hours before […]

From in-print to online to on-chain: How will Web 3.0 reshape news media?

There’s never a dull moment in the news business. Now, as media outlets explore blockchain, the Associated Press’s Dwayne Desaulniers says more change is coming.

Perpetrator of South Korea’s ‘Bitcoin-gate’ untraceable

A loophole in South Korea’s recent ‘Travel Rule’ means the North Korean hacker behind the stunning espionage saga involving Bitcoin may evade authorities, Forkast learns.

John Legend’s OurSong raises US$7.5 mln to fuel music NFTs

Our Happy Company, cofounded by musician John Legend, has raised US$7.5 million in its seed round, as the company looks to expand its music non-fungible token (NFT) platform OurSong. Watch explainer: What does Music have to do with NFTs? Fast facts The financing round was led by Infinity Ventures Crypto and Animoca Brands, the company […]

Ethereum’s revenue falls by 44% as average gas fee drops 88% on quarter: Q1 report

Ethereum’s network revenue from gas fees totaled US$2.4 billion in the first quarter of 2022, down 44% from US$4.34 billion in Q4 2021, while 87% of the revenue, or around US$2.1 billion worth of ETH tokens, were burned, according to Bankless’ Q1 report of the blockchain. See related article: Amount of Ether burnt since EIP […]

Samsung Asset to list blockchain ETF in Hong Kong: report

South Korean asset manager Samsung Asset Management is reportedly set to list a blockchain exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the Hong Kong stock exchange (HKEX), local media reported on Thursday. See related article: South Korea’s largest financial group mulls crypto ETFs Fast facts The ETF set to list in Hong Kong will have the identical structure […]

Chinese streaming service Bilibili debuts NFTs for foreign buyers

Bilibili, a video streaming platform popular with China’s Generation Z, Thursday announced a batch of Ethereum-based non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for sale overseas. See related article: Resist the temptation on NFTs, Chinese state-backed developer says Fast facts Bilibili said the NFTs will be a series of auto-generated characters with different features such as faces, clothes, skin […]

Flipkart launches innovation lab to explore future of e-commerce

Flipkart, the Indian e-commerce marketplace, plans to explore Web 3.0 and metaverse use cases including non-fungible-tokens, virtual storefronts, play-to-earn and other blockchain technologies under its new initiative, Flipkart Labs, the company said.  See related article: Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com offers NFTs despite state media criticisms Fast facts Flipkart Labs, based in Bengaluru, will also serve […]

Three Arrows Capital to ditch Singapore for Dubai

Three Arrows Capital, a cryptocurrency trading and hedge fund manager, is moving its headquarters to Dubai from Singapore, becoming the latest among a growing number of firms looking to expand their presence in the Middle East. See related article: Dubai could be crypto’s promised land, Citi says Fast facts Su Zhu, cofounder of Three Arrows […]

Goldman Sachs offers first Bitcoin-backed loan

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. offered its first Bitcoin-backed loan, setting another milestone in Wall Street’s cryptocurrency adoption, Bloomberg reported on Friday. See related article: Crypto milestone on Wall St.: Goldman Sachs makes OTC Bitcoin trade  Fast facts The cash loan’s Bitcoin collateral was owned by the borrower, according to the Bloomberg report. The banking giant […]

Singapore wants to bring some adult supervision to crypto

The city-state wants to position itself as a hub for cryptocurrency service providers while holding onto its reputation as an important cog in the global AML, ATF compliance machinery.

Tax authorities in China jump onto NFT bandwagon

More state departments in China are embracing NFTs, with tax bureaus in Shanghai and Chengdu releasing tokens based on Tencent’s blockchain. See related article: ‘Voice of April’ NFTs highlight Shanghai’s struggles amid harsh lockdown Fast facts Shanghai will drop 2,000 NFTs themed on its tax office mascot on Friday. Chengdu’s tax office dropped 1,000 NFTs […]

Singapore grants in-principle license to Revolut

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has granted in-principle approval to fintech firm Revolut to offer digital payment token (DPT) services under the Payment Services Act, according to media reports. See related article: Caught between a rock and a hard place, Singapore tightens crypto oversight Fast facts Revolut Technologies Singapore Pte. Ltd. (RTS) is already […]

Bitcoin officially legal tender in Central African Republic

The Central African Republic (CAR) became the second country in the world — and the first in Africa — to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender on Wednesday. See related article: What does El Salvador’s new Bitcoin law mean for crypto markets? Fast facts President Faustin-Archange Touadera on Wednesday approved the bill regulating cryptocurrencies, which passed […]

Two charged over North Korea sanctions; Crypto market falls

U.S. Justice Department charges two Europeans for aiding North Korea. Meanwhile, Shanghai’s Covid lockdown popularizes blockchain.

Is Elon Musk’s Twitter grab good for crypto?

Top blockchain and crypto news: Tweet dreams come true for world’s richest man. Instagram scam hits Bored Apes. Bilibili tests China’s NFT boundaries.

Hong Kong flirts with e-HKD as it talks of marriage with e-CNY

The city’s de facto central bank Wednesday sought public consultations on the e-HKD, as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) chief expressed concerns on a retail digital Hong Kong dollar intensifying competition in the retail payments space. See related article: Hong Kong to press ahead with digital dollar, e-CNY plans Fast facts See related article: […]

Elon Musk is buying Twitter to colonize our headspace and send his pet DOGE to the moon

Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover isn’t really about free speech, writes Ben Armstrong, aka BitBoy Crypto. It’s an attempt to push you out of Bitcoin and sell your data.

‘Voice of April’ NFTs highlight Shanghai’s struggles amid harsh lockdown

As many as 600 NFTs featuring a montage of audio calls and complaints made by Shanghai residents as they interacted with medical staff and neighborhood compound managers have appeared on OpenSea.

New York State Assembly votes to pause crypto mining

The New York State Assembly said it passed a cryptocurrency mining moratorium bill on Tuesday, blocking new permits and expansion for proof-of-work (PoW) mining facilities using carbon-based energy sources.  See related article: New York’s Bitcoin mining showdown sets stage for battles elsewhere Fast facts The bill needs approval by the New York State Senate. Existing […]

Kraken gets Abu Dhabi nod to offer full services in MENA

The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Monday said it granted a full license to the global cryptocurrency exchange, allowing it to service customers across the Middle East and North Africa region. See related article: Dubai could be crypto’s promised land, Citi says Fast facts The license from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM […]

US charges two Europeans with helping N.Korea evade sanctions with crypto

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) says it has charged Spaniard Alejandro Cao de Benos and U.K. citizen Christopher Emms with allegedly assisting former Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith in presenting the uses of crypto to avoid U.S. sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). See related article: Former Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith gets […]

Binance may set up shop in G-7 country in Europe, says founder CZ

The world’s largest crypto exchange may soon establish a regulated entity in a G-7 nation in Europe, Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao said Tuesday at the Financial Times Crypto and Digital Assets Summit. See related article: Binance wants to play ball with regulators Fast facts Zhao said Binance already has a standard corporate structure […]

55,000 Meta Cricket League NFTs sell out in nine minutes

Jump.trade, a gaming non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace by GuardianLink, sold 55,000 Meta Cricket League (MCL) collectibles within nine minutes of launching on Friday, Economic Times reported. See related article: NFTs are leveling up gaming and not all about money Fast facts Priced at $25 each, the Super Loot NFTs marked GuardianLink’s foray into the artificial […]

Fireblocks provides institutional investors access to Terra DeFi

Fireblocks, a digital asset custody platform, says its institutional clients can now access decentralized applications supported by Terra’s decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem, the No. 2 protocol behind Ethereum. See related article: Late digitization is Asia’s edge in crypto, says Fireblocks CEO Fast facts Institutional users can now access decentralized applications built on Terra such as […]

Bitcoin, stocks fall as US dollar hits two-year high; Doge concedes top 10

Crypto and stock markets tumbled as the U.S. dollar rallied to its highest point since March 2020 amid concerns of looming interest rate hikes at the U.S. Federal Reserve. See related article: Is Bitcoin really a hedge against inflation? Fast facts The U.S. stock market fell with Nasdaq dropping by 4% on Tuesday over concerns […]

Fidelity allows retirement investments in Bitcoin

Fidelity, one of the largest providers of 401(k) retirement plans in the U.S., is allowing participants to invest a piece of their retirement portfolio into Bitcoin, provided the employers allow it. See related article: Nexo and Fidelity Digital Assets expand institutional lending services Fast facts Fidelity introduced a digital assets account to hold Bitcoin, integrating […]

S.Korean music sharing platform to use NFTs for copyright protection

Koong World has been awarded a South Korean patent that utilizes non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and sound source information to enable artists to upload and share their works on its platform without fear of copyright infringement. See related article: What does Music have to do with NFTs? Fast facts The Korean Intellectual Property Office awarded Koong […]

NFTs are leveling up gaming and not all about money

NFT in gaming is not only for play-to-earn, writes Nicholas Douzinas of Ajuna Network. It should also be fun and foster human connections.

What is Axie Infinity and how is it ushering in gaming 3.0?

Axie Infinity is a blockchain-based game that rewards players with cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Learn all about how Axie Infinity is creating a play-to-earn revolution in this Forkast explainer.

Binance makes Russia denial; CoinDCX talk future plans

Binance categorically denies sharing client data with Russia. Meanwhile, Chinese officials push for e-CNY use at the Asian Games.

Why tokenized funds are the next frontier in real estate investing

Tokenizing an asset allows its trading to be faster and cheaper, writes Oi-Yee Choo of ADDX. It can also broaden opportunities for small investors.

CoinDCX double downs as the going gets tough in India

CoinDCX cofounder Sumit Gupta tells Forkast in an exclusive interview the crypto exchange that recently raised US$135 million will look to triple its headcount by the end of the year.

OCBC Bank joins MVGX in push to help firms go carbon neutral

Singapore’s OCBC Bank has partnered with MetaVerse Green Exchange (MVGX) to develop financial solutions, including tokenized carbon credits, to help large corporations offset their carbon emissions, according to a statement. See related article: Crypto exchange Gemini buys carbon offsets, pledges carbon-neutrality Fast facts The tokenized carbon credits, due to launch later this year, will use […]

Grayscale fancies SEC green light for Bitcoin spot ETF

The cryptocurrency investment firm has stepped up its lobbying efforts with the U.S. regulator following its recent nod to a Bitcoin futures ETF. See related story: SEC comes around on Bitcoin ETFs Fast facts Grayscale’s lawyers have written to the Securities and Exchange Commission saying that its application for a Bitcoin spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) […]