Bitcoin network buckles under weight of BRC-20’s runaway success
Top blockchain and crypto news: Memecoin fever strains BTC network. Binance slams brakes on Bitcoin withdrawals. Chinese court allows crypto for repaying debt.
Bitcoin congestion issues continue amid BRC-20 memecoin, Ordinals surge
Bitcoin network faces heightened congestion with over 5 million inscriptions, exacerbating block space demand as BRC-20 tokens achieve a market cap milestone of $1 billion, contributing to increased activity on the network.
Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most cryptos; U.S. futures strengthen as inflation in April slowed
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Thursday afternoon trading in Asia, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Polygon’s Matic leading losses for a second consecutive session.
Japan looks to regain its place in the cryptocurrency world pecking order
The three-day NexTech Week trade show kicked off Wednesday in Tokyo, celebrating all things technology, including blockchain and Artificial Intelligence.
Tether more than doubles net profit in Q1, says holds most assets in U.S. Treasury bills
The issuer of the world’s most traded stablecoin raked in US$1.48 billion in net profit for the first quarter of this year, more than double the previous quarter, according to the company’s reserves report on Wednesday.
South Korea sets May 26 trial date for Terraform Labs co-founder Daniel Shin, others
Terraform Labs co-founder Shin Hyun-seung and seven others will face trial on May 26 on charges of fraud related to the Terra-Luna crypto collapse.
Bitcoin drops on liquidity concerns, Ether dips; Polkadot leads winners; U.S. equity futures gain
Bitcoin fell on Thursday morning in Asia to trade around the US$27,500 mark. Ether led the losers in the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.
How ChatGPT is propelling memecoins to a new stratosphere
Thanks to generative AI, a struggling artist with no coding skills created tokens now worth $70 million. What does this mean for the rest of the crypto world?
Bitcoin busts through US$28,000 as U.S. inflation falls to 4.9%
Bitcoin and major cryptocurrencies reacted positively to the latest CPI report that stated annual inflation in the U.S. rose 4.9% in April, beating market expectations.
Bitcoin, Ether prices fall; Asian equities, U.S. stock futures drop ahead of key inflation data
Bitcoin lost 0.43% while Ether dipped 0.60% in 24 hours. Polygon’s Matic token was the biggest loser and dropped 2.16%.
Hong Kong will have ‘tight’ crypto regulation, says HKMA chief Eddie Yue
Cryptocurrency firms moving to Hong Kong should expect tight regulations as part of the city-state’s new regulatory regime, said Eddie Yue.
South Korea freezes US$176 mln of Terraform CEO Do Kwon’s domestic assets
A South Korean court has approved prosecutors’ request to freeze assets and properties worth 233.3 billion Korean won that belong to Kwon.
Hong Kong’s OSL Asset Management wins license to offer blockchain, AI, Web3 investment products
Hong Kong-based OSL Asset Management Ltd said it won a local license to offer investment products in blockchain, Web3 and AI companies.
Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, Moody’s, others to join new financial industry blockchain
Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, Deloitte, Moody’s and other institutions are partnering with Digital Asset for the launch of the Canton blockchain.
Litecoin transactions jump amid Bitcoin blockchain congestion, higher fees
Daily transactions on the Litecoin blockchain hit all-time highs over the past two days amid the Bitcoin network’s congestion and higher transaction fees, Glassnode data showed.
How blockchain gaming can break out of its niche and win over more people
It’s currently fashionable to publicly knock blockchain gaming, but behind closed doors, a growing number of developers are realizing its potential, writes Tim Dierckxsens of Venly.
Bitcoin, Ether edge up; Litecoin leads winners, Matic the losers; U.S. equity futures flat
Bitcoin edged higher on Wednesday morning in Asia to hold above the US$27,500 mark. Ether also gained. Other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens traded mixed.
Gamers stand to win big with NFTs, they just don’t know it yet
NFTs are changing in-game item ownership and value, yet the gaming industry remains skeptical. With microtransactions set to exceed $76 billion this year, it’s time for gamers to understand the benefits of NFT technology.
Bitcoin, Ether fall; Polygon, Solana lead losers; Asian equities, U.S. stock futures drop
Bitcoin dropped 1.25% and Ether fell 0.25% in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also dropped.
Bitcoin transaction fees surge, El Salvador users suffer consequences
Skyrocketing activity has led to a surge in average Bitcoin transaction fees — which rose to US$31.15 as of March 8 — exerting increasing pressure on users in low- and middle- income economies including Bitcoin-reliant communities in El Salvador, the first country to implement mass adoption of the digital currency.
Bitcoin falls below US$28,000, Ether declines, Litecoin slips further, US equity futures stall
Bitcoin fell below US$28,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia as memecoin hype clogged the network and drove up transaction fees. Ether and all other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens dropped.
Bittrex’s U.S. crypto exchange unit files for bankruptcy following closure, SEC lawsuit
U.S. crypto exchange Bittrex Inc. has filed for bankruptcy just days after closing operations following an SEC lawsuit and citing unclear crypto laws.
Bitcoin, Ether drop; Polkadot, XRP biggest losers; Asian equities gain
Bitcoin, Ether fell in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Polkadot and XRP led the losers in that list.
India not against blockchain tech, but cryptocurrency should be monitored, says FM
India is not against the blockchain technology, but currencies have to be monitored by either the government or the central bank, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday.
Cryptocurrencies can be used for debt settlement in China: Supreme Court
Cryptocurrencies in China can be legally used to settle basic relations debts such as exchange and labor, according to the Supreme People’s Court of China.
Prosecutor says Terra-Luna fugitive Do Kwon should face trial in South Korea: WSJ
The prosecutor leading Korea’s investigation into the Terra-Luna project said its founder Do Kwon should be extradited to Seoul to face trial.
Binance resumes Bitcoin withdrawals after halting transactions twice in 12 hours
Binance resumed withdrawals of Bitcoin around Monday noon in Hong Kong after temporarily halting the service twice within 12 hours due to what the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange said was a “large volume of pending transactions.”
Bitcoin, Ether fall; XRP leads losers as top 10 tokens lose steam; US equity futures flat
Bitcoin fell in Monday morning trading in Asia after failing to breach the US$30,000 ceiling over the weekend. Ether dropped below the US$1,900 mark.
A tidal wave of wash sales makes up most NFT volume
CryptoSlam introduces new wash trade metrics to help traders and professionals uncover the truth behind NFT sales volumes across major blockchains.
Pepe, Floki to list on Binance exchange
PEPE and FLOKI, the two top trending memecoins that saw the biggest gains on Friday, will be listed on Binance at 12 a.m. Hong Kong time Saturday
Kenya eyes 3% tax on digital asset transfers
Kenya plans to impose a 3% tax on the transfer of digital assets for the coming budget year
China’s Henan state-owned investment group sets up US$22 mln metaverse fund
Henan Cultural Tourism Investment Group, a state-owned investment enterprise in Central China’s Henan province, has set up a 150 million yuan private equity investment fund to finance metaverse ventures.
Bitcoin, Ether dip following Europe’s rate hikes; US equity futures edge up despite banking woes
Bitcoin dipped below US$29,000 in Friday morning trading in Asia as rate hikes in Europe sent uncertainty to investors. Ether fell below US$1,900.
Israel confiscates suspicious Binance accounts allegedly linked to Islamic State: Reuters
Binance says it works closely with law enforcement to freeze funds and the news agency’s report left out “critical facts.”
Ethereum had over US$635 mln in NFT wash trades in April, CryptoSlam reveals
Nearly 60% of April NFT sales on Ethereum have been flagged as wash trades, with Blur marketplace’s token farming incentivizing the activity, CryptoSlam data shows.
What JPMorgan’s First Republic takeover means for the crypto industry
Top blockchain and crypto news: JPMorgan swoops as another bank falls. NFT market rivalry heats up. Bitget seeks Hong Kong exchange license.
Could Bitcoin mining make renewable energy more profitable?
Andrew Webber of Digital Power Optimization says more renewable energy would get built “if it was more profitable” and that’s where Bitcoin mining can help.
Bitcoin, Ether rise; ADA is day’s biggest gainer; investors await European Central Bank’s interest rate decision
Bitcoin and Ether rose in Thursday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Cardano’s ADA token saw the day’s biggest gains.
Bitcoin back above $29,000, Ether gains; Matic leads winners on Polygon tools update
Bitcoin and Ether rose in early Thursday morning trading in Asia, with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies mixed.
Bitcoin, Ether gain most among top 10 cryptos; U.S. stock futures mixed ahead of Fed’s rate decision
Bitcoin gained 2.18% in 24 hours while Ether rose 1.67%.
Coinbase opens Bermuda-based crypto derivatives exchange amid conflict with U.S. regulators
Coinbase, the publicly listed largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., opened its offshore derivatives exchange in Bermuda on Tuesday.
Biden administration pushes for 30% electricity tax in swipe at crypto miners
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is campaigning for a tax on cryptocurrency miners equal to 30% of the cost of the power they use, citing what it calls “negative spillovers” from the industry.
Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin rise, BNB stumbles; US equity futures flat ahead of Fed interest rate decision
Bitcoin and Ether gained ground in Wednesday morning trading in Asia, with most other top 10 tokens mixed. Litecoin gained, BNB was the biggest loser.
Trading, talent and tech leveling up in NFTs
NFT prices and trading volume are dropping but this could be an indicator of a maturing market.
Bitcoin, Ether drop; BNB, Polkadot biggest losers in top 10 cryptos; U.S. stock futures weaken
Bitcoin dropped 2.09% in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia while Ether lost 0.81%. BNB fell 2.93% and Polkadot declined 2.66%.
Bitcoin, Ether lose ground; Polkadot leads losers among top 10; U.S. equity futures slip
Bitcoin dipped to US$28,000 in Tuesday morning trading in Asia and then fell through that support line later in the morning. Ether and other top 10 cryptocurrencies also fell.
Bitget crypto exchange still hiring, eyes Hong Kong license, to rebrand BitKeep wallet
Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitget expects more clarity on Hong Kong’s licensing regime from June as the city pushes ahead with plans to attract blockchain and cryptocurrency entrepreneurs.
Bitcoin, Ether fall amid renewed banking sector concerns; BNB is sole gainer in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin dropped below US$29,000, while Ether fell below US$1,900 on Monday afternoon in Asia. Binance’s BNB was the only token in the top 10 cryptocurrencies to rise.
Why layer 3 is critical to innovation and blockchain’s future
How would layer 3 improve upon what layer-2 protocols do, and what barriers does this emerging technology still need to overcome? Tony Cheng of Foresight Ventures explains.
Bitcoin up on bank jitters, price forecasts; Ether dips, U.S. equity futures flat
Bitcoin edged up on Monday morning in Asia to hold above US$29,000. Ether fell below US$1,900. Most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens traded lower except BNB.
Why I’m excited about commercial IP NFTs
NFT IP allows traders to multiply their brands and grow. The Nakamigos collection has leveraged this advantage of the technology.
Mad Lads tops weekly NFT sales in first week since launch
Mad Lads has been the best selling NFT collection in the world since its launch that was delayed last week due to a DDOS attack.
Bitcoin, Ethereum gain amid banking woes
Welcome to Market Movers – April 28, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. It’s been a wild week in the world of crypto. From fears of collapsing banks to unsubstantiated rumors crashing the price of Bitcoin briefly, the crypto market has somehow found its footing and recovered by the end of the working week. On […]
HKMA urges local banks to provide services to regulated digital asset firms
Arthur Yuen, Deputy Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, urged local lenders to provide banking services to regulated crypto firms.
NFTs run out of steam as Cryptos clock weekly gains
Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 28, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. The crypto markets end the week on a strong note after a difficult start, with most of the major cryptocurrencies trading in the green once again. The NFT markets had a tougher time today though, as most of the Forkast Indexes […]
Binance says it built 700-member compliance team to handle crypto crime, legal enquiries
Binance said it has more than 700 employees in its compliance team, which includes 170 staff working to combat crypto fraud.
Bitcoin gains after week of bank turbulence, Ether dips, U.S. equity futures lose steam
Bitcoin rose on Friday morning in Asia amid worries about U.S. banks and a possible recession. Ether edged lower. along with most other top 10 tokens.
What the US stands to lose if it keeps heaping scorn on crypto
The current US approach to regulating crypto flies against its history of supporting tech innovation and undermines its own national interest, writes Hamilton Keats of Krayon Digital.
Polygon developers get access to Google Cloud’s node service
Google Cloud has announced that its node hosting service, the Blockchain Node Engine, will be available for developers on the Polygon blockchain.
Bitcoin, Ether inch up; equities strengthen after phone call between China’s Xi Jinping, Ukraine’s Zelensky
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Thursday, while most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization declined. Cardano’s ADA token saw the biggest gain.
Hong Kong’s SFC to release crypto exchange licensing guidelines in May: Bloomberg
Hong Kong’s Web3 industry can look forward to more regulatory clarity, with the city set to release its cryptocurrency exchange licensing framework in May
Investment bank H.C. Wainwright says ‘crypto winter over,’ rates Coinbase a ‘buy’
New York-based investment bank H.C. Wainwright has initiated a “buy” rating on publicly traded Coinbase Global Inc., the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., saying the company is poised to benefit from growth in the global digital asset economy as the so-called “crypto winter” of falling prices is over.
Investment giant Franklin Templeton connects US$270 million fund to Polygon network
Franklin Templeton said Wednesday that its OnChain U.S. Government Money Fund is now supported on the Polygon network.
Meta’s Zuckerberg says he is keeping focus on metaverse development despite losses
Meta Platforms Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said the social media giant is not moving away from its metaverse focus despite reporting repeated losses in the billions of dollars at its division dedicated to developing the virtual reality online world.
Mythical Games CEO says U.S. regulatory uncertainty accounted for firm’s conservative stance on crypto
The lack of clarity in crypto rules in the U.S. not only affects exchanges but also this U.S.-based blockchain gaming company, John Linden said.
Mad Lads briefly boosts Tensor’s NFT trading volume past Magic Eden
Tensor topped Magic Eden’s sales volume on Wednesday afternoon in Hong Kong, giving it a brief stint as Solana’s top NFT marketplace.
US response to crypto is like ‘deer caught in headlights,’ says ex-CFTC chair
Christopher Giancarlo, the former chair of the CFTC, said the U.S. is resisting cryptocurrency innovation due to its threat to vested interests in the financial system.
Binance.US cites ‘hostile’ regulator, yanks US$1.3 billion deal to buy Voyager Digital
Binance.US, a cryptocurrency exchange set up by Binance chief Changpeng Zhao to serve U.S. clients, has pulled out of a US$1.3 billion deal to buy bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital, the company said Tuesday, citing a lack of clear regulations in the country for the crypto industry.
Crypto sell off continues; Coinbase asks SEC for answers
Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 25, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung. In an unexpected twist of events, Coinbase is suing the United States Securities and Exchanges Commission after receiving a Wells notice from them just last month. The crypto markets haven’t reacted to this news well, and after a rough start to […]
South Korea indicts Terra co-founder Daniel Shin; Shin rejects accusations
South Korean prosecutors on Tuesday indicted Terraform Labs co-founder Daniel Shin for alleged fraudulent transactions related to the collapse of the Terra-Luna crypto project.
Bitcoin loses ground, Ether dips even as inflows rise; Litecoin edges up, with halving cited
Bitcoin fell below US$27,500 support on Tuesday morning in Asia. Ether and most other top 10 tokens traded lower amid a broader correction.
Until Web3 offers a better user experience, the masses will stay away
People won’t want to bother with a new technology if it’s painful to use, even if they’re aware of the potential benefits, writes Toby Rush of Redeem.