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Search results: Sam Bankman-Fried

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FTX to acquire assets of bankrupt Voyager Digital with US$1.422 billion bid

Billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried’s cryptocurrency exchange FTX US will acquire all the assets of bankrupt cryptocurrency brokerage Voyager Digital, beating off rivals with a US$1.422 billion bid. See related article: Voyager gives Sam Bankman-Fried’s ‘low-ball’ bailout offer a single digit Fast facts FTX will acquire “all Voyager cryptocurrency at a to-be-determined date in the future,” which […]

FTX in talks to raise US$1B in fundraising round: CNBC report

Sam Bankman-Fried‘s FTX is in talks with potential investors about a funding round that would keep the company’s valuation in line with prior financing at the start of the year, CNBC reported Wednesday.  See related article: Binance and FTX lead bidding for bankrupt Voyager Fast facts FTX Trading Ltd.’s latest funding round in January raised […]

Binance and FTX lead bidding for bankrupt Voyager

Crypto exchanges FTX and Binance have reportedly made the highest bids on bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital Ltd. and its assets, but neither offer had been accepted as of Tuesday, according to a Wall Street Journal report.  See related article: Sam Bankman-Fried lashes out at Voyager for rejecting FTX’s proposal  Fast facts The WSJ article […]

Alameda Research to repay US$200 mln crypto loan to Voyager Digital

Sam Bankman-Fried’s trading firm Alameda Research will repay around US$200 million in cryptocurrencies to bankrupt digital assets broker Voyager Digital by Sept. 30. See related article: Voyager Digital issues notice of default to 3AC Fast facts Alameda owes Voyager about 6,553 Bitcoins, more than 51,000 Ether and smaller amounts in various tokens including USDC, DOGE […]

FTX agrees to help South Korea’s Busan build its own crypto exchange

Busan, South Korea’s second most populous city, Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with global cryptocurrency exchange FTX to help develop a digital asset exchange. See related article: Binance to help S. Korea’s Busan build first city-backed exchange Fast facts FTX will provide technical and infrastructure assistance to Busan city in establishing the digital […]

FTX CEO: no plan to buy crypto exchange Huobi

Sam Bankman-Fried, CEO of crypto exchange FTX, denied on Tuesday that he has a plan to buy out another crypto exchange, Huobi, after a rumor circulating on Chinese social media said that FTX has acquired the exchange. See related article: FTX CEO: This is the canary in China’s crypto ban coal mine Fast facts “No, […]

SBF denies FTX Ventures merger with Alameda’s crypto VC

Sam Bankman-Fried, chief executive officer of FTX exchange, denied a recent report by Bloomberg which stated that the venture capital subsidiary under FTX would merge with the VC operations under Alameda Research, a sister company of FTX. See related article: FTX revenue grew 1,000% in 2021 amid booming crypto market: SBF  Fast facts “This seems […]

FTX revenue grew 1,000% in 2021 amid booming crypto market: SBF

FTX chief executive officer Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) has confirmed media outlet CNBC’s report that FTX’s revenue grew 1,000% in 2021 on the back of a booming crypto market and a host of acquisitions.  See related article: Sam Bankman-Fried lashes out at Voyager for rejecting FTX’s proposal  Fast facts In a Twitter post, SBF said, “Fwiw […]

FTX.US among 5 companies cited by FDIC for ‘false, misleading’ claims to consumers

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), one of the two federal agencies insuring savings in American depository institutions, has sent cease-and-desist letters to five companies, including FTX.US, for making false statements about deposit insurance. See related article: FDIC clarifies that cryptocurrencies are not insured Fast facts In a press release, the FDIC said it has […]

Eqonex closes crypto exchange as market woes prompt cost-cutting

Top blockchain and crypto news: Eqonex shutters exchange operation. Huobi denies sale report. Taiwan beefs up cyber defenses.

Huobi looks to sell stake that values exchange at US$3 bln, Bloomberg reports

Leon Li, the founder of China cryptocurrency exchange Huobi, is seeking to sell a 60% stake in the company that would value the business at US$3 billion, according to a Bloomberg News report that cited people familiar with the matter. See related article: Sam Bankman-Fried’s Voyager debt emerges; Celsius reshuffles board Fast facts See related […]

Court allows Voyager Digital to return US$270 mln in custodial account to customers

A U.S. bankruptcy court in New York approved crypto platform Voyager Digital’s request to return to customers US$270 million held in a custodial account at Metropolitan Commercial Bank (MCB), the Wall Street Journal reported.  See related article: Voyager crypto refund plan unconfirmed; fiat to be returned in full Fast facts The funds at the MCB […]

Robinhood’s crypto arm fined US$30 mln for compliance failures

The New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) slapped a US$30 million fine on the crypto arm of trading app Robinhood on Tuesday for allegedly violating the bank secrecy act, anti-money laundering, and cybersecurity regulations. See related article: Sam Bankman-Fried buys 7.6% of Robinhood; stock jumps Fast facts The financial regulator also asked the firm […]

Crypto lender Voyager ordered to stop misleading claims over deposit insurance

U.S. banking regulators have ordered crypto lender Voyager Digital to stop making “false and misleading” claims that its customer’s funds were insured by the government. See related article: Three Arrows, Voyager failures raise questions of who is next in crypto fall from grace Fast facts The Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) […]

Fed nerves hit crypto; Philippines crypto tax pushed

Crypto prices fall ahead of the Fed meeting. Meanwhile, the Philippines pushes for a crypto tax.

FTX proposes buying out Voyager assets and loans except for 3AC to provide early liquidity to customers

Crypto exchange FTX launched a joint offer with West Realm Shires, which runs FTX.US, and Alameda Ventures, on Friday, which would allow bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital customers to get their hands on their bankruptcy claims in advance.  See related article: ​​Voyager crypto refund plan unconfirmed; fiat to be returned in full Fast facts Regarding […]

FTX said to be in talks to acquire S. Korea crypto exchange Bithumb

Crypto derivatives exchange FTX is reportedly in talks to purchase Bithumb, one of South Korea’s top five cryptocurrency exchanges. See related article: BlockFi’s deal with Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX will prioritize clients Fast facts The two exchanges have been discussing the deal for several months, according to an anonymous source who told Bloomberg. Neither Bithumb nor […]

Bitcoin’s real role examined; 3AC’s complex ties revealed

A report says Bitcoin users are looking beyond investment. Meanwhile, court document reveals strong ties between 3AC and TPS Capital.

Celsius files for bankruptcy after closing DeFi loans

The embattled U.S. crypto lender wants to continue certain operations during the restructuring process but customers will have to wait for the Chapter 11 proceedings to address their claims.

Voyager faces delisting from Toronto Stock Exchange after bankruptcy filing

After Voyager Digital filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Tuesday, the Toronto Stock Exchange suspended trading in Voyager shares on Wednesday, announcing an expedited delisting review.  See related article: Voyager crypto firm loaned US$377 mln to Sam Bankman-Fried’s Alameda Research Fast facts According to Voyager’s bankruptcy filing, the firm has over 100,000 creditors and US$1.1 […]

South Korea’s Uprise said to have lost US$20 mln in client funds on LUNA short

The South Korean fintech startup that operates digital asset management and trading services reportedly had over US$20 million, or 99% of its client funds, liquidated amid the Terra-LUNA collapse in May. See related article: What lessons can we learn from Terra’s LUNA/UST meltdown? Fast facts The startup’s trading unit had placed client funds on a […]

Crypto winter hits NFTs; Three Arrows Capital files for bankruptcy

Three Arrows Capital files for bankruptcy in the US. Meanwhile, SBF and FTX agrees deal with option to buy for up to US$240 million.

Wall Street seems to sense opportunity in distressed crypto markets

While critics say the bubble has burst on crypto, Wall Street is moving in to take advantage of what could be some fire-sale asset prices.

Morgan Creek said to try to counter FTX’s BlockFi bailout

Asset manager Morgan Creek Digital is trying to raise US$250 million to counter crypto exchange FTX’s bailout of beleaguered crypto lender BlockFi, according to a report by CoinDesk. See related article: Sam Bankman-Fried steps in to bail out BlockFi Fast facts Morgan Creek is attempting to raise funds to purchase a majority stake in BlockFi, […]

Amid 3AC exposure, Voyager Digital cuts daily withdrawal limit

A day after Voyager Digital disclosed its exposure to crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC), it slashed daily withdrawal limits to US$10,000 from US$25,000. See related article: Sam Bankman-Fried steps in to bail out BlockFi Fast facts On Wednesday, crypto trading platform Voyager said it had loaned over US$650 million worth of USDC and […]

FTX, OpenSea make the cut to Forbes Fintech 50

Nine cryptocurrency and blockchain companies, including crypto exchange FTX, made it to the 2022 list of the Forbes Fintech 50 released Tuesday, with all nine raising a total of US$6.5 billion in venture capital, according to the business magazine. See related article: FTX.US forays into stock trading Fast facts The latest list features private companies […]

Are we heading for a post-Terra crypto winter?

Terra’s LUNA and UST implosion is dragging down an already ailing market. What do other developments suggest about crypto’s long-term future?

FTX.US forays into stock trading

Crypto exchange FTX.US has introduced FTX Stocks for select U.S. customers to allow stock trading and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) through its app. See related article: FTX reaches US$32B valuation after closing $400M series C Fast facts FTX.US will provide commission-free stock market trading where orders will be routed to Nasdaq through its clearing firm Embed, […]

Gimme shelter: Crypto companies head offshore as they hanker for regulation

A developmental shift in the cryptocurrency industry is ushering in geographical shifts among crypto companies, with a number of businesses abandoning locations once hailed as crypto hubs in favor of jurisdictions with regulatory regimes more to their liking.  Forkast sat down with two of the crypto industry’s rainmakers who are among those spearheading this trend […]

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.

Will London be Europe’s next crypto capital?

Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Britain’s crypto gamble. WAVES crashing. China’s big digital yuan push.

Waves’ Neutrino USD loses peg amid price manipulation allegations

Since March 31, WAVES’ price has dipped more than 45% while the ecosystem’s native stablecoin USDN has been knocked off its dollar peg.

FTX heads Down Under as Australia looks to crypto industry

Bahamas-based crypto exchange FTX announced the establishment of an Australian branch on Monday Asia time as part of the company’s global expansion plans. See related article: New crypto regulation — including tax reform — coming to Australia Fast facts FTX Australia will be headquartered in the nation’s financial capital Sydney and will be fully licensed […]

Why India’s Bitcoin premium is now higher than South Korea’s

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. 

FTX to buy Asian fintech Liquid for undisclosed sum

Fresh off a US$32 billion valuation, crypto derivatives exchange FTX Trading said Wednesday it will acquire its Japanese competitor Liquid Group and all its subsidiaries. Fast facts The deal is expected to close in March, according to a Liquid release. “Following FTX’s acquisition of Liquid, Quoine will gradually integrate FTX’s products and services into its […]

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

The owner and operator of cryptocurrency exchange FTX.COM announced Monday it closed US$400 million in a Series C fundraise that now values the company at US$32 billion. Fast facts Investors participating in this round included Temasek, SoftBank Vision Fund 2 and Tiger Global, among others. The company said all of the investors have participated in […]

Kazakhstan crypto mining fortunes falter as regime unplugs internet

Top blockchain and crypto news: Bandwidth bust in Kazakhstan. Binance chief CZ tops rich list. Digital yuan app adoption grows.

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao is the richest Asian, Bloomberg data shows

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao is now the richest Asian person with an estimated net worth of US$96 billion, even without counting his crypto fortune, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Fast facts The daily index ranks the world’s 500 richest people, a list on which the 44-year-old Canadian founder would place 11th, according to the […]

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.

Top crypto CEOs face House committee grappling with regulations

Stablecoins, US dollar primacy and energy consumption were among the topics in the questioning homing in on how to regulate the crypto industry.

Investors queasy as prospect of India crypto ban returns

Top blockchain and crypto news: Are India’s CBDC plans crowding out crypto? Jack Dorsey goes full Bitcoin bro. China’s digital yuan hopes claim another victim.

Bitcoin and Beyond

Bitcoin & Beyond

Coinbase reports 75% drop in Q3 profits — despite SHIB listing

The largest U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange, Coinbase, earned just US$406 million net income in Q3 this year — a 74.7% decline over the previous quarter — according to the company’s investor earnings report released yesterday. Fast facts That figure represents a 500% increase over Q3 last year, but is significantly less than the US$1.6 billion in […]

Crypto market cap breaks US$3 trillion: APAC crypto cards to launch

Crypto market cap breaks US$3 trillion, also APAC crypto cards to launch

Back to the future: Why Bitcoin is still a game-changer

Bitcoin is awakening humanity to its own sovereign capacities, says Ben Caselin of AAX. Here’s why the world’s first cryptocurrency is still at the cutting edge of finance and culture.

FTX raises $421 million, valuation jumps $7B in 3 months

Just three months after closing a record US$1 billion series B, the two-year-old cryptocurrency exchange is now valued at US$25 billion. Fast facts The US$420,690,000 Series B-1 funding round saw the participation of 69 investors, with prominent names the lineup, including Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, via its Teachers’ Innovation Platform, Singapore’s state-owned investment firm […]

Bitcoin inches toward all-time-high; Mining difficulty on the up

Bitcoin inches toward all-time-high on the back of the first Bitcoin futures ETF in the U.S.

How Singapore is emerging as a safe harbor for the Chinese crypto industry exodus

As China intensifies its crypto crackdown, regulatory clarity is a beacon for safer shores in Southeast Asia.

How will China’s new dictates affect Hong Kong’s future as a crypto hub?

Mainland China’s recent clampdowns on crypto are reverberating beyond its borders. In a special Q&A, former regulator and crypto industry leader Angelina Kwan discusses what this means for Hong Kong.

Crypto on the beach: FTX and other players find paradise in the Caribbean

This week, FTX announced it is moving its headquarters from Hong Kong to the Bahamas, as the larger Caribbean region takes on a bigger role as host to virtual currency exchanges.

Unmade in China: Beijing’s crypto cold war turns hot

Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Beijing’s crypto crusade comes to a head. Chinese mining caves in. Mr. Goxx reaps robust returns.

China’s crypto crackdown: What it means

China’s crypto crackdown and what it means

FTX hit by hack rumor; Korea updates crypto death note

FTX hit by hack rumor meanwhile Korea updates crypto death note

Walmart, FTX and Animoca Brands hit by crypto misinformation

Scams and fake news have long dogged the crypto world. This week saw two major blockchain companies and a global retailer get swept up by hack rumors or hoaxes.

Riding the NFT trend: questions to consider before investing in these hot digital assets

As non-fungible tokens break into the mainstream, experts advise buyers to do research and watch for a correction.

Solana hits all time high: FTX’s NFT marketplace spammed

Solana hits all-time19 high as FTX’s NFT marketplace spammed

Korean exchanges offered lifeline; NFL bans crypto sponsorships

Korean exchanges offered lifeline while NFL bans crypto sponsorships

NFL flags NFTs, crypto sponsorships for teams while it huddles on a digital game plan

The American football league’s 32 teams cannot sell NFTs or accept backing from crypto trading firms — at least for now.

India crypto exchanges allow bank deposits; FTT token on a roll

India crypto exchanges allow bank deposits while FTT token on a roll

FTX FTT token hits all-time high after LedgerX acquisition

FTX’s exchange token — FTT — has reached a new all-time high following the exchange’s acquisition of crypto derivatives platform LedgerX earlier this week. Fast facts The token hit US$66.33 this morning, according to CoinMarketCap, breaking its previous high of US$61.28, which it set back on May 11, right before the market-wide crash. FTT had […]

FTX acquires LedgerX to expand into US crypto derivatives market

FTX US, the affiliate of Hong Kong-based crypto derivatives exchange FTX, on Tuesday announced that it was acquiring Ledger Holdings Inc., parent company of LedgerX, a digital currency futures and options exchange regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Fast facts LedgerX is a CFTC-regulated designated contract market (DCM), swap execution facility (SEF) and […]

Korea reveals crypto exchange ‘Death Note’: DeFi investment booms

Korea reveals crypto exchange ‘Death Note’: DeFi investment booms

Hacked crypto exchange Liquid secures $120M loan from FTX

While the funds stolen in last week’s cyberattack on Liquid are yet to be returned, the Japanese exchange has secured a US$120 million loan from fellow exchange FTX to cover losses. Fast facts Sam Bankman-Fried, the billionaire CEO of Hong-Kong based FTX, took to Twitter to make the announcement, saying he had always admired Liquid’s […]

Crypto exchange FTX.US daily trading volumes jump 150-fold in a year

FTX.US, the U.S. affiliate of Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange FTX, saw its average daily trading volumes soar 150-fold in June compared to the same month a year before, according to the company’s mid-year results. Fast facts The company reported that FTX.US had a daily volume that ranged between US$150 million and US$1 billion in the […]

Binance CEO reiterates willingness to replace self, beefs up KYC

Binance also tightens withdrawal limits and unveils new tax reporting tool, to counter recent flurry of government investigations and bad publicity.

FTX’s $900 million deal. Dogecoin in the doghouse. Digital yuan dragnet.

Top blockchain and crypto news: FTX swells to $18 billion valuation. Etherum and Dogecoin disowned by creators. US pols call for Olympics boycott of e-yuan.

FTX crypto derivatives exchange closes record $900M Series B with $18B valuation

Fast-growing FTX just pulled off the largest-ever fundraise for a crypto exchange to date. Will heightened regulatory scrutiny lie in its near future?

Grayscale’s Bitcoin bounty. Circle’s SPAC listing controversy. NFTs for thieves.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Crypto markets await Bitcoin fund release. USDC issuer opts for the back door. In China, NFT copyrights and wrongs.

Penalties for kimchi premium abusers; Digital yuan on trial again

Korea issues penalties for kimchi premium arbitrage as China holds its 15th digital yuan pilot trials.

US$1.5B South Korean ‘kimchi premium’ crypto scheme prompts 33 arrests

Customs officers use foreign exchange law to shut down cycle of foreign remittances and arbitrage.

WazirX, Binance boost compliance procedures; Forkast speaks to FTX CEO

Crypto exchanges WazirX and Binance look to implement stronger compliance measures. Forkast News speaks with FTX founder and CEO Sam Bankman-Fried about crypto regulatory measures in Asia. Chinese district rewards residents with e-Yuan for counting footsteps. We’ll have more on these stories and other news shaping the cryptocurrency and blockchain world in this episode of […]

NFL star Tom Brady, supermodel Gisele Bündchen take stakes in FTX crypto exchange

Cryptocurrency exchange FTX today announced that American football star Tom Brady and his wife, Gisele Bündchen, are taking equity stakes in it, in a multi-year partnership.