PBOC pushes E-CNY standardization; CoinDCX hits 10 million users

PBoC pushes for e-CNY standardization, meanwhile Indian crypto unicorn CoinDCX hits 10 million users

AssangeDAO strikes crypto gold

WikiLeaks founder’s legal defense fundraising bonanza. Shiba Inu’s big new leap. NFT fever rises in China.

What is Web 3.0 and how will it shape the crypto future?

By returning data ownership and reshaping human-machine interactions, the third generation of the internet promises an interconnected future.

Memecoins prove their staying power, despite industry skepticism

Last weekend’s rally shows there is still life left in memecoins. Industry insiders weigh in on where they stand in the long run.

How DeFi can kickstart a sustainable post-pandemic economy

Decentralized finance has not yet done much real-world good, writes Ben Sheppard. But putting it to work on small infrastructure projects can do just that.

Bithumb goes for Olympic gold; India crypto tax questions

South Korean crypto exchange Bithumb goes for Olympic gold, meanwhile in India clouds cast over crypto tax questions

North Korea gains from cyberattacks; Russia crypto mining tax?

North Korea is benefits financially from the crypto cyberattacks. Also, is Russia looking to tax crypto mining soon?

Year’s biggest rally pushes crypto market cap above $2 trillion

After a poor start to the year, the market needed some good news. Industry watchers urge caution.

Wash trading in NFT marketplace LooksRare can inflate prices: analysts

While sales volumes on NFT marketplaces thrive, new data show much of this comes from manipulating sales — painting the whole industry in a different light.

What I learned from my role in digitizing the yuan

CBDCs are vulnerable to hacking and the powers of quantum computing, cybersecurity expert Amnon Samid writes. Central banks must heed the warning.

Will blockchain’s future be cross-chain or multi-chain?

Vitalik Buterin caused an uproar over his recent criticisms of blockchain bridges. Here is a rebuttal in support of this nascent technology.

India crypto tax: Exchanges cheer, investors jeer

A 30% tax doesn’t legalize cryptocurrencies but exchanges no longer worry about a ban, while investors would pay taxes at twice the rate of other asset gains.

Indian crypto tax ends fears of ban as investors brace for impact

Top blockchain and crypto news: New Delhi’s crypto give and take. Malice in Wonderland? Hong Kong’s selective spot ETF rules.

Australian Aboriginal sovereign CBDC up and running

In a first for the country, the Sovereign Yidindji Government in Australia has issued a CBDC with its first transaction occurring this week.

Crypto adoption may rise as industry self-regulates

Crypto regulations are lagging the market’s needs, and the industry should help create order to gain greater public trust, writes Imgesu Cetin of Defy Trends.

Non-US XRP investors petition for congressional investigation of SEC

Lawyer for 63,000 XRP investors invites non-US investors to demand a congressional investigation of the SEC for impropriety.

Five questions about the digital yuan at the Winter Olympics

All eyes will be on Beijing for the upcoming games — will China use the spotlight to officially launch its CBDC?
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Warner Music partners with The Sandbox; Crypto Lunar New Year gifts

Warner Music partners with The Sandbox for metaverse, meanwhile crypto still a niche gift for lunar new year

When the going gets tough, the tough get their wallets out

The recent crypto price plunge has done little to rattle new investors. Are they just buying the dip, or is there more to it? Q9 Capital’s James Quinn explains.

Are crypto e-red packets a thing for the Lunar New Year?

Digital payments are commonplace in Asia, but gifting crypto as lucky money remains niche.

What is OpenSea and why is everyone talking about it?

OpenSea is the world’s largest open marketplace for NFTs. Find out what’s driving everyone there in this Forkast explainer.

Russian ministry against crypto ban; Korea plans metaverse protection

Russian Ministry of Finance against the latest crypto ban, meanwhile in Korea, there are plans to protect metaverse users.

Why governments have powerful incentives to develop digital currencies

CBDCs can increase financial inclusion and prevent crime, according to blockchain expert Tiana Laurence. What’s not to like about state-backed digital money?

Regulatory uncertainty has not slowed down India’s crypto sector

With new products and services being launched and international exchanges setting up camp, crypto startups thrive despite the shadow of a crypto ban.

Crypto mining’s Great Migration continues — out of Kazakhstan

Political chaos and power shortages are causing miners to flee a nation that only recently became the world’s second-largest Bitcoin producer.

Thailand plans crypto regulation; Market concerns over Ukraine

Crypto market concerns over invasion on Ukraine;, while Thailand plans for crypto regulation.

Crypto market suffers mauling as bears go berserk

Top blockchain and crypto news: Market chills make investors shiver. Hacking storm at OpenSea. Has Beijing tamed NFTs?

‘We’re in a crypto super cycle,’ says CoinFLEX CEO

Mark Lamb of CoinFLEX takes a 20-year view of crypto and predicts ‘infinitely bigger’ growth than imagined today, with stablecoins leading the transformation.

FastForkast headlines

Crypto helps fund Ukraine defense against Russia

Indian crypto exchange CoinDCX crosses 10 million user mark

Kakao Games rebrands subsidiary to focus on crypto, blockchain, Web 3.0

Bybit teams up with Cabital for more fiat-to-crypto options

Web 3.0 developer Alchemy reaches $10B valuation

Hong Kong to propose bill to license crypto exchanges

3D NFT marketplace coming to Polygon via Smart MFG

Exchange to drop NFTs for each S.Korean medal at Beijing Olympics

China state-backed paper’s NFTs surge in price on second-hand market

Binance, BLACKPINK’s K-pop agency to develop NFTs, other projects

Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ to issue yen-pegged stablecoin: report

Dogecoin, Shiba lead memecoin pack in market rally

India’s digital rupee to run on state-backed e-wallets

North Korea funds missiles with cyberattacks on crypto exchanges: Reuters

Russian lawmaker suggests minimum 15% tax for crypto miners

Number of unique NFT buyers soars to all-time high in January

Crypto donations rise by 1,558% on The Giving Block in 2021

Indian investors want government to reconsider crypto tax rate

‘Baby Shark’ to bite into P2E pie with planned mobile game

$10M in NFT money laundering, fraud likely to grow in 2022: report

Solana DeFi avoids meltdown as Wormhole loss replaced

FTX to buy Asian fintech Liquid for undisclosed sum

Aussie mining billionaire files suit against Meta over crypto ads

Indian crypto exchanges trading volumes surge since tax news

Another NFT marketplace launches ‘vampire attack’ against OpenSea

India to place 30% tax on crypto income

India FM: RBI to issue blockchain-based digital rupee

Thailand scraps proposed 15% crypto withholding tax after backlash

Solana wallet Phantom brings valuation to $1.2B after $109M Series B

Meta sells stablecoin Diem project for $182M

FTX reaches US$32B valuation after closing $400M series C

Territory in northeastern Australia launches own CBDC

Hong Kong retail investors blocked from Bitcoin spot ETFs

Japan must cooperate with Europe, US on CBDC, BOJ says

Warner Music is ready to play in The Sandbox metaverse

S.Korean gaming giant Netmarble to issue own cryptocurrency

Hong Kong to pilot international trade settlement for mBridge this year

SEC scrutinizing crypto lending by Celsius, Gemini, Voyager: reports

Russia’s finance ministry calls for crypto regulation, not ban

Kakao’s Klaytn latest to join China’s BSN International

Amid SEC lawsuit, Ripple buys back stock and raises value to US$15B

Crypto market briefly up, then falls as US Fed leaves interest rates unchanged

Cybercriminals launder $8.6B in 2021, up 30%: Chainalysis

S.Korea crypto market growing but needs promotion, not just regulation: BCG