Forkast.News is now Forkast Labs

Investors get ready, India crypto tax in the works

The Indian ministry of finance has formed a panel to examine how income from crypto investments can be taxed, according to a report by Inc42. Fast facts The panel will evaluate whether crypto income can be taxed as capital gains or if it requires the formation of a new category. The committee is required to […]

Bhutan to adopt Ripple’s XRP technology for CBDC pilot

Ripple’s win in Bhutan comes as it suffers a setback in a US court as judge rebuffs Ripple’s request for SEC’s internal trading decisions over XRP.

Crypto investors brush off Evergrande

The cryptocurrency market has rebounded in the past 24 hours as news broke that China Evergrande Group, the second largest property developer in the world’s most populous nation, has taken a step back from falling off a potential debt cliff today. Fast facts While the overall cryptocurrency market is still down for the week, all […]

Crypto platform Cobo raises $40M to expand one-stop DeFi shop for institutions

Cobo, a Singapore-based crypto custody and asset management platform, today announced the completion of its US$40 million Series B fundraise to accelerate the rollout of its decentralized finance (DeFi) as a service (DaaS) product. Fast facts In an interview, Cobo Chief Operating Officer Lily Zhuo told Forkast.News that Cobo’s DeFi as a service (DaaS) product, […]

Crypto markets plunge as roof falls in on Evergrande

Top blockchain and crypto news: Evergrande end-game roils crypto markets. SEC takes aim at stablecoins. How close is China’s digital yuan to the finish line?

What is Audius and could it be the next Spotify?

Audius is enjoying outsized buzz. Should Spotify be scared? In this Forkast.News explainer, learn how this blockchain startup could threaten music industry money — and power.

Over 90% of the world’s poor are not insured, but blockchain could soon change that

Blockchain and parametric insurance offer a bigger safety net for the world’s most vulnerable, writes Jan Stockhausen of Etherisc. Here’s how it works.

Evergrande debt woes hit crypto; Mooncakes in the metaverse

Evergrande debt woes hit crypto meanwhile Mooncakes are in the metaverse

S. Korean crypto exchanges at crossroads on cash-to-crypto service suspension

With only a few days left until Korea’s regulatory deadline for virtual asset exchanges, all have accepted the government mandate in service suspension except for one exchange, Gopax. Fast facts Twenty-four virtual asset exchanges in South Korea are in limbo — they have only met one of two new requirements, and were subsequently asked by […]

Chinese rig maker Canaan to buy back shares up to $20M to bring up valuation

Chinese crypto mining rig maker Canaan Inc. announced Monday that its board of directors has authorized a share repurchase program, in a signal of confidence in crypto mining’s future and a belief that its own stock is undervalued. Fast facts Nasdaq-listed Canaan said it may repurchase up to US$20 million worth of its outstanding American […]

Bitcoin miners expected to face tougher digging but demand continues growing

As total hashrate recovers, adjustment would follow four increases after as many declines since China intensified crypto mining clampdown.

How crypto enthusiasts in Asia are celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival this year

From crypto-embossed mooncakes to mooncake NFTs to gatherings in the metaverse, how Asia’s crypto fans are celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Banks blocking transactions? No problem. Indians find ways to continue trading crypto

As major banks distance themselves from crypto business, alternative trading methods like peer-to-peer transfers are gaining popularity among investors

Evergrande’s uncertainty rocks crypto market

Crypto investors and industry watchers are following closely the potential collapse of Chinese property giant Evergrande.

Solana funds see institutional investment inflows despite recent network outage

Despite suffering a network outage due to a denial-of-service attack that took the Solana network offline for 17 hours on Sept. 14, Solana funds continued to see inflows of US$4.8 million last week, according to digital asset manager CoinShares. Fast facts “This suggests investors were happy to shrug-off the attack, seeing it as teething problems […]

Bitcoin mining rigs generate as much e-waste as the Netherlands

The amount of electronic waste generated by the Bitcoin network is comparable to the amount of discarded electronic equipment in a small country like the Netherlands, a study published by the academic journal Resource, Conservation and Recycling states. Fast facts According to the paper, a Bitcoin mining machine can lose 35% of its profit potential […]

Upbit becomes South Korea’s first newly registered crypto exchange

Upbit can operate as a virtual monopoly as it becomes the country’s first licensed business to handle cryptocurrencies.

Upbit passes Korea crypto race post; P2P transactions surge in India

Upbit passes Korea crypto race post meanwhile P2P transactions surge in India

Conflux, Shanghai Maritime partner on offshore RMB stablecoin in free trade zone

A focus of China’s free trade and shipping, Shanghai will explore in pilot project cross border trading with offshore renminbi stablecoin.

Kyrgyzstan cracks down on illegal crypto mining

Kyrgyzstan is cracking down on cryptocurrency mining farms that are using power illegally, local media outlet 24.kg reported Saturday, citing a release from the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan. Fast facts Authorities have spotted over 500 crypto mining farms that were illegally connected to power grids, leading to power shortages, as one set of […]

Boba network announces mainnet launch of layer 2 optimistic rollup

ETH 2.0 is expected to address transaction speeds and gas fees on the world’s number two blockchain, but a growing number of layer-2 protocols are looking to solve those issues today.

Binance faces US probe for possible insider trading and market manipulation

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, is reportedly now under investigation for possible insider trading and market manipulation by the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Fast facts According to a Bloomberg report that cited unnamed sources, investigators from the CFTC — the agency that regulates the U.S. derivatives markets — […]

Black Friday for Korean exchanges; E-CNY launch in final stretch

Black Friday for Korean exchanges while E-CNY launch in final stretch

Black Friday in South Korea as crypto exchanges announce shutdown

All but four platforms in South Korea obligated to announce the suspension of their services by today.

India’s largest public bank bars payments to crypto exchanges

Most banks distance themselves from virtual asset platforms as the country’s central bank lobbies for a ban.

China’s Inner Mongolia seeks out stealth crypto mining operations

China’s Inner Mongolia region — once a thriving cryptocurrency mining hub that has enacted a series of measures to rein in the sector — is tightening its crackdown by hiring a contractor to monitor and ferret out mining operations. Fast facts The Inner Mongolia Development and Reform Commission announced on Wednesday a bidding result for […]

U.S. Treasury prepares to recommend stricter regulation on stablecoins

The U.S. Treasury is preparing a raft of recommendations for stricter oversight of Tether and other stablecoins, as unnamed insiders say the department has identified the greatest risks posed by the tokens, according to a recent Bloomberg report. Fast facts Making sure investors are able to transfer money in and out of tokens is a […]

Institutional DeFi poised to become a $1 trillion industry, Blockdata says

Blockchain research firm sees explosive growth in smart contract-based products that can replace existing financial services.

Why Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson says DeFi is ‘up for grabs’

As Cardano’s Alonzo upgrade goes live, founder Charles Hoskinson of IOHK calls DeFi a ‘bubble.’ How does he think the regulation that is sure to come will reshape DeFi in the future?

How quadratic funding promotes projects for the common good

What is quadratic funding, and why is this mathematical method ideal for allocating capital for a community? Pranav Sharma of Woodstock Fund explains.

Canaan reports record revenues; Korea says no to crypto tax delay

Canaan reports record revenues meanwhile Korea says no to crypto tax delay

Canaan sees strongest ever quarterly sales results

Leading Chinese crypto mining hardware manufacturer attributes robust revenue to ‘substantial increase in total computing power sold.’

China’s blockchain infrastructure project goes live in Hong Kong, Macau

Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) soft launch is the first attempt to roll out the state-backed ‘internet for blockchain’ outside of the Chinese mainland.

Insider trading scandal rocks world’s biggest NFT platform OpenSea

As the trading volume in non-fungible tokens begins to slow down from recent record heights, leading NFT marketplace OpenSea has been rocked by an insider trading scandal involving a senior team member. Fast facts The company, dubbed “the eBay of NFTs,” issued a statement yesterday acknowledging it became aware on Tuesday that an employee had […]

How you can own a (tiny) part of a Thai beachfront villa for US$150

Blockchain and tokenization are transforming how real estate can be bought and sold. Here is how one fintech startup in Asia is using digital fractionalization to raise capital.

Solana validators complete restart; Laos ends crypto ban

Solana validators complete restart also Laos ends crypto ban

Litecoin unloved at Walmart. Cardano’s Alonzo upgrade. China takes aim at NFTs.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Walmart dispels Litecoin hoax. Cardano’s real work begins. Beijing bears down on NFTs.

2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou to sell torch NFTs supported by Alipay

Despite widespread criticism of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that has emerged in Chinese state-owned media, the 2022 Asian Games has announced the sale of its first NFT collection. Fast facts Organizers of the games, set to take place in September 2022 in Hangzhou, the capital city of the eastern province of Zhejiang, announced in a social […]

Solana crashes, SOL prices tumble as network scrambles to restart

SOL had been on a tear but is now losing ground. Is Solana a victim of its own success — or does the network have deeper problems?

Bank of China, DBS and HSBC partner with GSBN on digitizing trade finance

Three banks — the Bank of China, Singapore’s DBS and HSBC — have partnered with the Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN), a Hong Kong-based non-profit consortium that recently launched a blockchain-based trade platform, to form a trade finance advisory group, according to a media release shared with Forkast.News today. Fast facts Trade finance — the […]

Reserve Bank of Australia posts CBDC job position

Amid the country’s ongoing Senate inquiry into crypto regulation, the Reserve Bank of Australia has posted a job advertisement for a position within its central bank digital currency research team. Fast facts A successful applicant would join a new cross-disciplinary team to research “whether there is a case for a CBDC in Australia, and if […]

South Korean exchanges close cash-to-crypto trading services as new rules loom

Mid-sized crypto exchange Foblgate announced the closure of its Korean won (KRW) trading functions in advance of a government mandate banning digital asset platforms from operating cash-to-crypto services without a local bank partnership. Fast facts Foblgate announced it is temporarily suspending its KRW withdrawal, deposit and trading market between cryptocurrencies and the Korean won. Instead, […]

The world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder goes even bigger

Software firm MicroStrategy, the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder, purchased an additional 5,050 Bitcoins for US$242.9 million at an average price of US$48,099 per Bitcoin.  Fast facts Bitcoin was trading 3% lower on Monday, the day of the purchase, at around US$44, 800. The purchase puts MicroStrategy’s total Bitcoin holdings at 114,042 Bitcoins acquired for around […]

FTX hit by hack rumor; Korea updates crypto death note

FTX hit by hack rumor meanwhile Korea updates crypto death note

South Korea’s crypto ‘death note’ updated; 7 more exchanges to survive

Financial authorities reveal an updated list of virtual asset platforms that have complied with new regulations.

China’s largest brokerage says the metaverse will be popularized in two decades

China’s largest brokerage firm, CITIC Securities, said in a research report the metaverse will enter an exploration stage in the next three to five years and could become a way of life in 20 years. Fast facts The report said the development of the metaverse can be divided into three stages. The first stage will be completed […]

China’s Hebei and Gansu provinces to phase out crypto mining

More provinces in China are putting new limits on the cryptocurrency mining sector, as the country works toward its carbon neutrality goals and concerns over cryptocurrency trading loom. Fast facts Authorities in North China’s Hebei province today issued a notice to crack down on cryptocurrency mining and trading activities, saying that crypto mining consumes huge […]

Mets owner, hedge fund mogul Steve Cohen backs NFT platform Recur

Florida-based non-fungible token (NFT) platform Recur announced it has received backing from Steve Cohen, owner of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets, in its US$50 million series A funding round. Fast facts The financing round, which valued Recur at a US$333 million post-money valuation, was led by Digital, a metaverse investment platform backed by Cohen’s […]

China-run media outlet criticizes NFT platform as a payment risk

In the latest response to a growing interest in non-fungible tokens, Beijing Business Today faults an art marketplace.

Ernst & Young teams up with Polygon on Ethereum scaling

Ernst & Young, one of the Big Four consulting multinationals, announced today it has integrated India-based Polygon, a Layer 2 Ethereum scaling solution, to allow its corporate clients to process blockchain-based transactions on the Ethereum mainnet. Fast facts EY has connected the public Polygon commit chain with EY’s blockchain services including EY OpsChain and EY […]

Solana funds attract strong inflows of $50M despite crypto market correction last week

Institutional investors continued to buy into Solana investment products despite the market correction last week, according to a report by digital asset manager CoinShares. Fast facts Solana prices, which have soared by over 13,000% this year, reached an all-time high of US$213.47 on Sept. 9, according to CoinGecko data. Solana briefly overtook XRP to become […]

CrossTower says it wants to collaborate, not compete, with Indian exchanges

CrossTower became the second international crypto exchange to enter the Indian market last week after Binance made its entry by acquiring WazirX in 2019.

China state mouthpiece criticizes NFT mania

A sister paper of the People’s Daily, Securities Times, published an opinion piece to criticize non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as hype and suggested the digital assets should serve the real economy by tokenizing actual assets. Fast facts The article offers as an example Justin Sun’s NFT purchase of a digital avatar for US$10.5 million and the […]

E-CNY problems to be solved; China sees warning over NFT hype

E-CNY problems to be solved, also China sees warning over NFT hype

What are smart contracts and what are they used for?

In this Forkast.News explainer, learn why blockchains with smart contract capability are surging in popularity and the new darlings of investors.

China’s central bank reports progress, challenges on e-CNY adoption

PBOC still working out regulatory rules, acceptance environments and payment systems.

CoinSwitch Kuber says it’s now the largest Indian exchange with over 10 million customers

The platform reports more users than WazirX and CoinDCX, and aims to make crypto trading as easy as ordering food online.

What crypto can learn from Apple’s smooth interface to computing

Crypto in 2021 is like the early days of the internet, writes Hisham Khan of Aldrin. Here’s why the quality of user experience will decide the industry’s future.

Searching for Asia’s ‘hidden treasures’ in NFTs and GameFi

Why is Axie Infinity so popular, and what is the potential of play-to-earn gaming? Two venture capitalists share insights on Asia’s special place as GameFi’s hub.

Cardano smart contracts set for Sunday: CrossTower launches in India

Cardano smart contracts set for Sunday also CrossTower launches in India

Cardano set for Alonzo launch, smart contracts and NFTs to come

Cardano’s Alonzo hard fork will bring smart contracts and NFT support to the world’s third-largest blockchain. What will it mean for the crypto market?

Australian banks defend decision to shun business with crypto providers

Two of Australia’s “Big Four” banks — National Australia Bank and Westpac — have hit back at criticism they are suppressing competition by refusing to do business with cryptocurrency providers in the country, according to a report. Fast facts While neither of the banks have formal policies excluding crypto businesses, NAB chief executive Ross McEwan […]

Crypto.com inks another sports sponsorship deal with football club Paris Saint-Germain

Football giant Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) today announced a multi-year partnership agreement with Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com that will see the exchange become the Parisian club’s official cryptocurrency platform partner. Fast facts PSG competes in Ligue 1, the top division of French football, and its star-studded team includes forwards Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar. […]

Singapore’s cult-favorite premium collectibles maker XM Studios finances expansion plans through tokenization

Design studio that makes hand-crafted statues for global brands such as Marvel, DC Comics and Hasbro plans to expand into new product categories, markets and NFTs.

What does El Salvador’s new Bitcoin law mean for crypto markets?

El Salvador’s Bitcoin embrace may be a domino for some emerging markets, but a fierce rival to the BTC is also coming to the fore.

Why Algorand’s price is on a two-year high right now

Algorand’s ALGO cryptocurrency prices have surged by 90% over the past seven days, crossing the US$2 mark and hit a two-year high of US$2.44 today, according to CoinGecko data. ALGO, ranked the 17th largest cryptocurrency by market value, has not seen such price heights since its launch in 2019. Fast facts Algorand is an open-source, […]

Global shipping network’s new blockchain platform for international trade goes live

Hong Kong-based Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN), a nonprofit consortium whose members handle one-third of all the shipping containers in the world, announced yesterday that its new blockchain platform for global trade has officially gone live. The platform, built in partnership with Oracle, Microsoft, AntChain and Alibaba Cloud, aims to accelerate digital transformation in the […]

South Korean exchanges facing closure may seek legal action to halt new regulations

At the risk of losing billions, crypto industry officials weigh options to oppose authorities.

Crypto mining rig giant Bitmain to supply 56K miners to U.S. partners

China-based Bitmain, one of the world’s biggest producers of cryptocurrency mining rigs, has sealed a deal with its United States partners — ISW Holdings and Bit5ive — to expand its operation in America. Fast facts ISW Holdings, a Nevada-based portfolio company with extensive crypto mining operations, will host 56,000 Bitmain mining rigs and pair them […]

Solana launches into sixth place as price tear continues

As most of the market saw a 10% to 15% dip in the past 48 hours, Solana (SOL) has defied that trend, crossing the US$200 mark for the first time and becoming the new sixth-largest coin by market cap a few hours ago, according to data from CoinMarketCap.com. Fast facts SOL was trading at US$205.27 […]

El Salvador wowed the world by adopting Bitcoin as legal tender. Other countries are taking note

Following crypto’s adoption in one struggling economy, nations in Latin America and elsewhere are now weighing the pros and cons of digital currency

Polkadot’s decentralized identity project KILT wins Kusama parachain auction

KILT Protocol, an open-source blockchain protocol for issuing self-sovereign, anonymous and verifiable credentials, has won the sixth Kusama parachain auction and has launched its mainnet, the project announced yesterday. Kusama is Polkadot’s canary network for blockchain developers to build and test out their code as well as products and services. Fast facts KILT Protocol had […]