Forkast.News is now Forkast Labs

China’s crypto miners eye Kazakhstan in exodus; e-HKD study on track | The Daily Forkast

Kazakhstan is quickly becoming a mining hotspot as China’s mining exodus settles down. In Hong Kong, and update on the e-HKD.

Britain bans Binance UK, but users continue business on crypto exchange

FCA says Binance is not permitted to offer regulated activities in the UK, but users of the world’s largest crypto exchange remain unaffected — for now.

FATF: Most countries have yet to implement anti-terrorism crypto ‘travel rule’

Why are so few adopting FATF guidance for VASPs? Money laundering watchdog decries ‘continued misuse of virtual assets through jurisdictional arbitrage.’

South Korean crypto exchange fee revelations deal blow to sector’s credibility

Payment for listings raises questions over integrity of cryptocurrencies’ credit scores as compliance deadline nears.

Kazakhstan’s Bitcoin gold rush gathers pace as Chinese miners keep piling in

As China shuts down crypto mining over environmental concerns, miners are moving next door to Kazakhstan, one of the most coal-rich countries in the world.

Shiba Inu price jumps 25% after Elon Musk throws new Twitter bone on dog

Elon Musk set off a new SHIB price rally after tweeting that he would name his Shiba Inu—the dog breed that the joke meme coin is named after—’Floki.’

Bitcoin not ideal for cyber crime, says Filecoin Foundation chair

Bitcoin was recovered by the FBI from the Colonial Pipeline ransomware cyber criminals DarkSide, sparking privacy concerns around cryptocurrencies.

China Blockchain Report

Blockchain Is Not China’s Future — It Is The Present Blockchain technology is a national priority for China, and it’s being integrated in both enterprise and government. Nowhere else in the world has a country approached the development of a technology with such a sense of urgency. Forkast.Insights sat down with top China-based insiders, academics, protocols, […]

Building construction meets blockchain, Binance launches NFT platform | The Daily Forkast

Construction meets blockchain in Australian and Binance’s NFT marketplace is open for business.

Mining rig maker Bitmain halts sales amid flood of second-hand machines

Chinese crypto mining rig maker Bitmain has decided to suspend global spot sales of its Antminer machines, as some of its clients are reselling their rigs.

About us

Stories of emerging technology at the intersection of business, economy, and politics. From Asia, to the world. Technology is by its very nature, disruptive. But understanding it also helps us navigate this age of disruption better. Forkast was started in 2018 with a simple premise: Technology should be understood by the people it will impact […]

Blockchain data cruncher Chainalysis raises $100M to expand in Asia Pacific

Chainalysis, the blockchain and cryptocurrency data analytics firm, announced today that it has raised US$100 million in a Series E funding round with a US$4.2 billion valuation. Fast facts: Headquartered in New York, Chainalysis provides blockchain-based software that enables governments and businesses to detect and prevent cryptocurrency crime and money laundering. Chainalysis’ series E round […]

Tesla, Facebook and Netflix stock tokens launch on Solana blockchain

Swiss-based Digital Assets AG, a firm focused on the design of tokenized stock infrastructure, has launched over 50 tokenized stocks on the Solana public blockchain.

Suspects arrested in US$500M ransomware crypto laundering case

Law enforcement agencies in several countries have arrested suspected members of a crypto-linked cybercrime group believed to be responsible for laundering more than US$500 million from ransomware attacks.

Blue House responds to petition; Bitmain offers relocation assistance | The Daily Forkast

South Korea’s Blue House responds to a national petition calling for the financial watchdog head’s resignation.

Paraguay university to accept crypto for tuition fees

A university in Paraguay has announced that it will begin accepting cryptocurrency as payment for tuition starting from August.

Bitcoin ETFs start trading on Brazil, Dubai stock exchanges

QR Capital’s Bitcoin exchange-traded fund — the first Bitcoin ETF in Latin America — has been listed on Brazil’s stock exchange.

Survey: 32% of novice traders only invested in crypto in past year

Nearly one in three novice traders reported making no traditional investments outside crypto over the past year, according to a survey published today by Overbit, a Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange. In contrast, 85.3% of professional traders reported diversifying their investment portfolios to stock, real estate or other traditional assets. Fast facts: The survey of 3,000 traders […]

South Korea points to crypto regulation efforts after calls for watchdog to quit

South Korea’s presidential office has reacted defensively to a petition calling for the chief of the country’s main finance sector regulator to step down over comments he made about cryptocurrencies.

Australian auction house begins accepting crypto for all items

Auction house Lloyds Auctions Australia has begun accepting cryptocurrency for all purchases on its marketplace.

Rig maker Bitmain offers help to Chinese miners looking to relocate abroad

Chinese mining rig maker Bitmain is offering assistance to clients that want to relocate their cryptocurrency mining operations from China to other countries.

John McAfee dead by suicide in Spanish jail before extradition to US

John McAfee has died by suicide in a prison cell in Barcelona after a Spanish court authorized his extradition to the US where he faced tax evasion charges.

Bitcoin: Follow the money. Titan goes Titan-ic. China’s footloose miners.

Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Bitcoin’s still winning. Titan’s troubles as a teachable moment. Beijing creates a crypto mining diaspora.

Chinese crypto mining rig maker Bitmain suspends sales as prices drop

Chinese mining rig maker Bitmain has stopped selling in-stock cryptocurrency mining equipment amid a plunge in the prices following a shutdown of major mining pools in China.

South Korea’s Upbit sued for patent violation, Alipay launches NFT platform | The Daily Forkast

Another legal challenge faces cryptocurrency exchange Upbit. In China, Ant Group is getting into the NFT game — through Alipay.

South Korean crypto exchange Upbit in dock in trading tech case

South Korean crypto exchange Upbit — the country’s biggest — is facing a lawsuit filed by a university foundation alleging patent infringement.

Indian crypto investors could be stung by 2% foreign operator levy

Indian cryptocurrency investors could face a 2% levy on transactions made through foreign-owned crypto exchanges operating in the country.

Iran seizes record haul of 7,000 crypto mining machines

Iranian police have confiscated 7,000 cryptocurrency mining machines from an abandoned factory in western Tehran, the largest batch discovered in recent days.

U.S. Treasury nominees pledge beefed-up crypto AML enforcement

Two nominees to the U.S. Treasury Department have promised, if they are confirmed in their posts, to implement new regulations relating to cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin price rebounds after falling below $30K for first time in 6 months

After a spate of bad news, Bitcoin’s price tumbled to its lowest level this year before climbing back up to $34,000. Where are BTC prices likely to go next?

What is Ethereum, and could it become the future of blockchain?

Ethereum is much more than a cryptocurrency, and it has already attracted huge interest among investors. What’s all the fuss about? Forkast.News explains.

New crypto mining hot spots emerge; Korea crypto controversy escalates | The Daily Forkast

The next generation of mining hot spots are shaping out in the aftermath of China’s mining exodus as Upbit’s delisting generates new enemies.

Chinese crypto miners head west as Beijing’s crackdown gains pace

Kazakhstan offers nearby bolthole as North America and Europe beckon.
and

South Korean crypto exchange Upbit to sue Pica Project after delisting coin

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit is preparing legal action against crypto coin issuer Pica Project, whose tokens it has delisted from its platform.

Bearish crypto sentiment focused on Bitcoin, CoinShares says

Bitcoin is in its sixth consecutive week of institutional outflows, with US$89 million exiting the coin, according to a weekly fund flows report.

Bybit joins growing list of crypto exchanges in Canadian regulator’s crosshairs

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is seeking to bring enforcement action against Singapore-based crypto derivatives exchange Bybit for allegedly violating the Canadian province’s securities laws, according to a statement. Fast facts: “Bybit, incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, is operating an unregistered crypto asset trading platform, encouraging Ontarians to use the platform, and allowing Ontario […]

Sotheby’s will accept Bitcoin and Ether for 101-carat diamond auction

Sotheby’s has announced it will be accepting cryptocurrency as payment in an upcoming auction for a 101.38-carat diamond with flawless clarity.

Cash for CBDCs at Beijing ATMs; Asia sees new unicorn in Amber Group | The Daily Forkast

CBDC ATMs appear around Beijing and Hong Kong-based Amber Group is Asia’s billion dollar unicorn after raising US$100 million in its Series B.

Chinese central bank orders lenders to cut cryptos’ financial lifelines

The People’s Bank of China has told the country’s big banks and other finance sector heavyweights to cut off financing sources for cryptocurrency transactions.

Bitcoin and Ethereum prices fall: Is the crypto market in an over-leveraged bubble?

Against a backdrop of El Salvador’s BTC boosts, famed investor Michael Burry warns about a crypto price bubble and China intensifies its crypto clampdown.

Iran bans blockchain association, citing regulatory breaches

Iran’s interior ministry has suspended the Iran Blockchain Association over alleged breaches of government regulations.

S. Korean banks start crypto exchange reviews as contract renewals loom

South Korean lenders have started money laundering risk assessments of the country’s “big four” cryptocurrency exchanges, with which they have contracts to provide real-name accounts.

Bitcoin hashrate plunges as Chinese crypto mining crackdown hits Sichuan

The Bitcoin hashrate plunged over the weekend following a clampdown on cryptocurrency mining by the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan.

Paraguay may adopt Bitcoin as lawmaker seeks to follow El Salvador

Following El Salvador’s move to become the first country in the world to recognize Bitcoin as legal tender, a Paraguayan congressman has announced plans to do the same in the South American nation next month.

Asia’s newest unicorn, crypto trading firm Amber Group, raises $100 million

Forkast.News speaks with Michael Wu, Amber Group’s co-founder and CEO, on how the crypto firm is going from $100 million to $1 billion in valuation.

Survey: Crypto investing gender gap is narrowing in Australia

The number of Australian women investing in cryptocurrency has grown this year from 7% in January to 11% in June.

WazirX CEO: India’s crypto industry trying to keep ‘clean’ for regulators

Crypto literacy of Indian regulators is evolving and crypto players are trying to keep industry clean via self-regulations, says Nischal Shetty of WazirX.

Crypto clampdown hits Sichuan; Dtravel launches Airbnb rival | The Daily Forkast

China’s crypto clampdown reaches Sichuan. A sneak preview into how China’s digital yuan works.

Miami woos crypto miners fleeing China

The city’s mayor says it welcomes an exodus of miners from China amid a generalized clampdown on the industry.

Chinese crypto mining ban coming to Sichuan — reports

Miners face imminent shutdown as power companies told to cut electricity, according to multiple reports.

U.S. securities watchdog’s regulatory agenda turns blind eye to crypto

Dashing hopes of greater regulatory clarity for the cryptocurrency industry, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s recently released annual regulatory agenda does not mention Bitcoin or cryptocurrency regulations.

‘China’s Robinhood’ halts CME crypto futures services amid sector clampdown

Chinese stock trading app Futu Niuniu has suspended Chicago Mercantile Exchange cryptocurrency futures services and stopped supplying crypto market information.

Angry Aussie crypto investors eye Binance class action

Australian investors adversely impacted by repeated system failures on Binance are considering taking a class action lawsuit to recoup their losses.

How DeFi exchanges like SynFutures may challenge TradFi and CeFi

Singapore-based decentralized exchange SynFutures has closed a $14 million series A round to bring crypto derivatives to new users around the world.

More regulation for SK crypto exchanges; NFTs kick-start K-pop comeback | The Daily Forkast

Self-published tokens get barred from South Korean exchanges as Hong Kong’s air quality recording meets blockchain technology.

South Korean crypto exchanges face ban on listing own tokens

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission today revealed plans to ban cryptocurrency exchanges in the country from listing their own coins.

Bitcoin price dips but BTC dominance rises with US inflation fears

Bitcoin sheds 4% but BTC’s share of the total crypto market grows after US Fed projects higher inflation and plans interest hikes earlier than expected.

Singapore’s PSB Academy launches Ethereum-hosted blockchain diploma

PSB Academy, a private education institution in Singapore, ACCESS, a crypto non-profit, and learning platform Skilltree today announced the launch of a blockchain diploma program.

Airbnb to face decentralized rival as Dtravel launches

Former executives from online travel platforms have partnered with Binance-backed Travala.com to launch an Airbnb-like decentralized home-sharing platform.

El Salvador feels confused over salary payments in Bitcoin

The El Salvadorean Department of Labor and Social Welfare has had to clarify it is not within its purview to determine whether salaries can be paid in Bitcoin.

Survival race of SK exchanges; Ethereum powers digital passports in HK | The Daily Forkast

50 crypto exchanges apply for ISMS in South Korea while Hong Kong sees the birth of a blockchain passport for Covid vaccinations.

Bitcoin bounces back. Criminals choose crypto. Chinese mining redoubt faces scrutiny.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Bitcoin finds fresh favor in Global South. Why would hackers demand a Bitcoin ransom? Chinese miners eye Yunnan probe.

The internet paradigm shift is here: Are you prepared for Web 3.0?

Permissionless, open source and decentralized, Web 3.0 will transform computing and data storage. Maria Paula Fernandez of Golem Network explains how.

BitDAO raises US$230M with Peter Thiel, VCs to drive DeFi adoption

BitDAO — a new decentralized autonomous organization that aims to promote and propel the mass adoption of open finance and the decentralized tokenized economy — has announced the completion of a US$230 million private sale.

Diginex and crypto exchange EQUOS rebrand as EQONEX

Nasdaq-listed Diginex, a Singapore-based digital asset financial services company, today announced a rebranding of its businesses, including the EQUOS cryptocurrency exchange, as EQONEX.

South Korean crypto exchanges race to comply with strict new rules

Fifty South Korean crypto exchanges have applied for certification under the country’s Information Security Management System — the first step in meeting stringent new crypto exchange regulations.

Coinbase Pro adds Shiba Inu, Chiliz and Keep, causing prices to spike

Coinbase will add Shiba Inu, Chiliz and Keep Network to its professional trading platform with full trading beginning at 9am PT if liquidity conditions are met.

Court denies SEC request for info on Ripple’s recent XRP transactions

A judge has denied the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s request for documents related to Ripple’s XRP transactions and lobbying efforts that took place after the SEC filed its lawsuit last December, according to a new legal filing. Fast facts: “As discussed in the Court’s earlier Opinion and Order denying access to Ripple’s privileged communications, […]

Yunnan mining ban clarified; Korean exchanges start ‘coin thinning’ | The Daily Forkast

Chinese authorities provide more details on its notice issued to the local mining industry while South Korean exchange start ‘coin thinning’.

Chinese province of Yunnan puts crypto mining under the microscope

Following rumors of a possible ban on cryptocurrency mining in the province last week, its energy regulator has clarified an approach to the industry that looks set to rein in rogue operators.

Beyond the NFT hype: Why NFT technology is flawed and buyers must beware

What does it mean to own an NFT, and why are some NFTs vanishing? Alexander Hobbs of Zenotta explains the weaknesses in NFTs’ underlying technology.

Thailand tightens rules for crypto exchanges and bans meme, fan, NFT tokens

Thailand’s securities regulator has announced new rules for cryptocurrency exchanges in the country, including a ban on utility tokens and meme tokens.