Search results: UST

Despite Ethereum being the blockchain of choice for smart-contract capabilities, there has been a recent push to bring decentralized finance to the Bitcoin network. Fast facts One such project looking to do so is layer-one protocol Stacks (STX), whose introduction of its programming language Clarity has allowed the development of smart contracts on the Bitcoin […]

India plans to implement the country’s digital currency in phases, Reserve Bank of India’s deputy governor Shri T Rabi Sankar said at a webinar organized by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, New Delhi.  Fast facts “CBDC (central bank digital currency) will be in the arsenal of most if not all central banks in the […]

Indonesia has seen red-hot growth in the crypto asset market, but the country’s regulators are just beginning to get to grips with burgeoning industry and formulate policy responses.

Despite growing global interest, CBDCs are not all at the same stage of development. Amit Ghosh of R3 explains how countries in Asia are paving the way.

Ping An trials e-CNY while Core Scientific is the next to get on the SPAC train.

Mintable — a Singapore-based, Mark Cuban-backed non-fungible token platform — today announced the launch of a limited-edition NFT collection featuring comic book legend Stan Lee. Fast facts The collection, which includes three paintings by artist Rob Prior and a selection of photographs and videos of Lee taken by his friend and later caretaker, will be […]

At EthCC in Paris, Ethereum’s boyish creator lays out a vision for the blockchain’s non-finance uses — like ridding social media of bots and fake news.

OpenSea, the world’s second-biggest non-fungible token marketplace by trading volume, has raised US$100 million in a series B funding round led by venture capital firm A16z, the company has announced.  Fast facts The new funding raises the company’s value to US$1.5 billion, making it a unicorn — a start-up with a valuation of more than […]

Trade platform the Global Shipping Business Network has launched its first blockchain-based application in China to reduce paper usage and enhance efficiency and transparency in the shipping industry. Fast facts Named Cargo Release, the new blockchain-based app will connect the whole shipping supply chain, including shipping lines, consignees, their agents and terminals.  The app promises […]

U.S. cryptocurrency miner Core Scientific Holding is set to list on the Nasdaq exchange through a merger with a special-purpose acquisitions company, boosting the value of the combined business to around US$4.3 billion. Fast facts Core Scientific, one of the biggest crypto mining companies in the U.S., announced yesterday that it had entered into merger […]

China’s trial of e-CNY, the digital version of the national currency, the yuan, has extended to the insurance industry, with conglomerate Ping An encouraging medical staff in the southern city of Shenzhen to pay premiums for a Covid-19 insurance plan using the new currency. Fast facts One Ping An branch in Shenzhen is offering insurance […]

Hinting at a potential future crackdown on stablecoins, Gary Gensler — the chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — told the American Bar Association this week that cryptocurrencies whose prices are based on traditional assets could be subject to securities law enforcement. Fast facts Gensler’s remarks followed those of U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet […]

The prospect of a ban on cryptocurrencies has haunted the industry for years, but it appears to be receding as delayed rules give policymakers time to think before they act.

In a special Q&A, Mukaya ‘Tai’ Panich of SCB 10X, the venture arm of Siam Commercial Bank, marvels at decentralized finance innovations. ‘Whatever traditional finance has, there’s a parallel version in DeFi.’

FTX closes record fundraise. Additionally, China Mobile gets hot wallet patent.

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.

Optimum Mining Host-Black Rock Petroleum plan comes as Canaan seeks greener operations through Czech partnership.

The European Commission intends to tighten anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism rules by banning anonymous crypto asset wallets as it seeks to align European Union law with Financial Action Task Force standards, according to legislative proposals presented yesterday. Fast facts A key change is a proposed amendment to the 2015 EU regulation on transfers […]

Fee-free trading app Robinhood is seeking a market valuation of US$35 billion in its upcoming initial public offering, according to a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Although the amount is significant, it is lower than the US$40 billion initially estimated, due in part to slow crypto trading in recent months. Fast facts […]

China’s largest telecommunications company, China Mobile, has disclosed a patent on a virtual currency management system that can prevent the theft of hot-wallet keys. Fast facts The system achieves theft-prevention by separating the hot-wallet server interacting directly with a public data server via a system wallet server. The patent disclosure shows that China Mobile filed […]

The Bank of Canada has presented a positive case for issuing a central bank digital currency, saying it could be an effective competition policy tool and necessary to support innovation in the digital economy, as outlined in a recent report. Fast facts Current problems in Canada’s economy related to competition and wealth distribution were likely […]

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?

As Bitcoin’s carbon footprint continues to make ESG investors uneasy, a new clean-energy crypto mining ETF aims to allay their environmental concerns.

US Senators urge E-CNY ban while Russia woos crypto-miners

Demand for non-fungible tokens appears insatiable as industry distances itself from crypto sector to avoid crackdown.

Plentiful electricity, cold climate are among drawcards as Chinese mine operators flee crackdown at home.

Privacy concerns prompt call for Americans to avoid e-CNY as lawmakers point to use of WeChat app to ‘surveil, threaten and arrest Chinese citizens.’

Retailers reluctant to accept currency they are said not to trust even as large finance sector players offer crypto products and beef up their holdings.

Chinese fireworks artist Cai Guoqiang has entered the world of non-fungible tokens, recently auctioning off his first NFT work for US$2.5 million. Fast facts Cai’s work “Transient Eternity — 101 Ignitions of Gunpowder Paintings,” commissioned by the Rockbund Art Museum in Shanghai, was auctioned on TR Lab for US$2.5 million after a 48-hour bidding period […]

The European Securities and Markets Authority should regulate digital currencies in the European Union, according to a proposal by the Autorité des marchés financiers, France’s securities regulator. Fast facts The AMF said it made sense for a single body to take charge of regulation across the bloc to ensure a Europe-wide framework could be applied, […]

AXS, the governance token of blockchain-based game Axie Infinity, is down almost 50% from its all-time high of US$28.61 last Thursday, according to data from CoinMarketCap. It was trading at US$15.28 at press time. Fast facts Despite the slide, the gains AXS had made over the previous few weeks mean it is still trading more […]

Buskers and street performers who accept electronic or digital currency often receive larger sums than they do accepting only cash, according to a recent survey by RMIT, a university in the Australian city of Melbourne. The trend has accelerated following global lockdowns amid Covid-19 as familiarity with QR codes and other technologies grows. Fast facts […]

The Korea Institute of Virtual Asset Valuation has released its first report evaluating the investment outlook for seven South Korean cryptocurrencies. KiVAV founder Park Jae-kyung said some domestic token issuers may be looking for quick money instead of developing their tokens long term. Fast facts KiVAV’s report, released yesterday, gave only the Mass Vehicle Ledger […]

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says that the United States needs “to act quickly to ensure there is an appropriate U.S. regulatory framework in place” for stablecoins. Fast facts Yellen made her comments at a Meeting of the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets, held on July 19. According to a readout of the meeting, […]

Turkey’s deputy finance minister says a draft bill to create a cryptocurrency regulatory framework will be submitted to parliament in October, according to a report by CNN Türk. Fast facts The bill will define different types of virtual currencies and principles for their issuance and distribution. The country’s Capital Markets Commission will supervise companies handling […]

Cryptocurrency investment manager Grayscale has started a fund focused on decentralized finance tokens and based on CoinDesk’s new DeFi-specific index, the company has said in an announcement.  Fast facts The fund offers investors a selection of leading DeFi protocols through a market capitalization-weighted portfolio designed to track the index. It allows investors to allocate funds […]

The cryptocurrency market remains quiet, with net inflows of just US$2.9 million last week, according to digital asset investment firm CoinShares’ weekly digital asset fund flows report. Fast facts “The summer doldrums are here, but in line with seasonal expectations,” wrote James Butterfill, a CoinShares’ investment strategist. Bitcoin investment products saw net outflows of US$10.4 […]

In a special Q&A, Yale-NUS College professor Andrew Bailey says the world’s oldest cryptocurrency has untapped potential to promote liberty, equality and justice around the world.

E-CNY white paper explains how it will work with physical RMB while Malaysia steamrolls mining rigs.

Central bank in apparent push for adoption ahead of Olympics as it doubles up on warning over non-state cryptocurrencies.

Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the CEO of Binance — the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume — today said it was “never easy” running a crypto exchange in a series of tweets about key products Binance has launched over the past four years. Fast facts “Never easy,” Zhao tweeted, referring to an extract from the […]

Decentralized lending platform Aave will build “Twitter on Ethereum,” its founder, Stani Kulechov, tweeted during the weekend. His message came seemingly in response to an announcement that Twitter founder Jack Dorsey was developing a Bitcoin-oriented fintech platform resembling Aave. Fast facts Dorsey, who is also CEO of payments company Square, tweeted that the firm was […]

As the world grapples with crypto mining’s carbon footprint, Nischal Shetty of WazirX examines the technical and regulatory solutions.

The difficulty of mining Bitcoin has dropped a further 4.81% in its latest fortnightly adjustment, according to data from BTC.com, bringing it to the lowest point since January last year. Fast facts The decline marks the fourth consecutive drop in the difficulty rate for the world’s leading cryptocurrency — the longest slide in its history. […]

In viral video, Borneo police use a giant steamroller to destroy 1,069 crypto mining rigs that had been caught running on stolen electricity.

While the West has first mover advantage in traditional banking, Asia — not wedded to ol infrastructure — now has an edge in the crypto era, says Michael Shaulov of Fireblocks.

Bitcoin interest declines while Rolling Stone gets into NFTs.

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb announced today that Bithumb Global and Bithumb Singapore will no longer be licensed to use its name after their contracts expire on July 30. Industry experts say the South Korean business’s severing of links with eponymous operations outside the country is designed to prevent any association with possible future money […]

The price of gold is rising with inflation. Then why is ‘digital gold’ Bitcoin’s price stagnant — and public interest in BTC falling to a new low?

Bishijie’s suspension deprives users of industry news and community forum as Beijing continues campaign targeting cryptocurrency sector.

Hong Kong’s Financial Services Development Council — a cross-sector advisory body established by the government to engage the city’s financial services industry — is putting together industry feedback on the government’s legislative proposals related to virtual assets and virtual asset service providers. Fast facts In May, Hong Kong’s Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau released […]

Italy has become the latest jurisdiction to clamp down on Binance amid regulatory pressure around the world centered on the biggest crypto exchange by trading volume. Fast facts Binance Group companies are “are not authorized to provide investment services and activities” in Italy, not even through the exchange’s website, “whose sections called ‘derivatives’ and ‘Stock […]

Play-to-earn game Axie Infinity has caught the blockchain community’s attention in the past few months as the price of its governance token has kept rising. Now it’s hit an all-time high, players are earning some serious money.

Ripple scores major discovery win as judge rules ex-SEC official William Hinman must answer ‘central question’ on Ethereum in the globally-watched case about XRP.

Music magazine Rolling Stone Australia is releasing a cover as a non-fungible token to coincide with the release of the debut album by pop star Tones and I, according to a company blog post. The album is out today. Fast facts The cover on offer, which features the singer-songwriter, is Rolling Stone Australia’s debut cover […]

CEO Jack Dorsey announced that his mobile payments company Square has created a new division dedicated to decentralized finance (DeFi) on Bitcoin. For now, Dorsey is referring to the new Square Bitcoin DeFi platform as TBD, having not yet decided on an official name.  Fast facts The DeFi space, which has grown exponentially over last […]

Axie Infinity, Meebits and Bored Ape Yacht Club are some of those keeping the market for non-fungible tokens alive.

India seeks crypto advice meanwhile K-drama joins NFT bandwagon

Tether stablecoins linked to funds funneled to banks in Singapore and elsewhere amid worldwide cryptocurrency crime increase.

The Delhi High Court has sent a notice to government agencies and crypto exchanges to seek guidelines on crypto-related advertising on national television. Fast facts The division bench of Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh sought responses from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Securities and Exchange Board of India and crypto exchanges […]

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

ICICI blocks crypto transfers as South Korean banks are to report crypto crime.

The9 and BIT Mining — non-crypto firms that pivoted to crypto mining during Bitcoin’s boom — now seek to ‘expand’ overseas.

Proliferation of copycat non-fungible tokens based on media image sparks fresh concerns over authenticity, creators’ rights.

Turkey’s tax authorities have told companies with cryptocurrency-related business to report information on their ultimate controllers as a part of their tax filings. Fast facts An official document states that the requirement is part of meeting Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development guidelines on tax transparency. Crypto companies must submit their first filings by Aug. 31 […]

C.R.E.A.M. Finance’s Iron Bank today announced that it has facilitated a US$3.5 million loan with cypto art collective PleasrDAO using high-value non-fungible tokens as collateral, according to an announcement shared with Forkast.News. Fast facts Taipei-based C.R.E.A.M. Finance, part of the Yearn finance ecosystem, is a decentralized lending protocol for individuals, institutions and protocols to access […]

ICICI bank, one of India’s largest lenders, has warned its customers against using its international remittance services for transferring any form of cryptocurrency, the Bharat Express reports. Fast facts The Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India recently made an amendment to an international remittance form compelling customers to declare: “The above remittance is NOT […]

Singapore state-owned investment firm Temasek has announced record returns of S$381 billion (US$283 billion) for the financial year ending March 2021, up 24.5% from the year before. Fast facts According to its latest annual review, Temasek is “increasingly shaping” its portfolio in line with four trends: digitization, sustainable living, future of consumption, and longer lifespans. […]

The Ontario Securities Commission in Canada and Bybit, a cryptocurrency derivatives exchange headquartered in Singapore, have come to an agreement on the schedule for Bybit’s upcoming enforcement proceeding, according to the OSC. Fast facts The first hearing between Bybit and the OSC — the agency that oversees securities legislation in Canada’s largest province by population […]

London police announced on Tuesday they have seized a record £294 million (US $408 million) in cryptocurrency in less than a month, as part of an ongoing investigation into money laundering. Fast facts According to London police, their recent £180-million (US＄248.8 million) seizure in cryptocurrency comes less than three weeks after a £114-million (US＄157.5 million) […]

As issuer Circle prepares to list and China sounds the alarm over speculation, the mood among regulators is mixed, despite stablecoins’ clear appeal to investors.

In the second installment of a 2-part report, Lucas Schweiger of Blockdata examines the most notable current trends in blockchain and capital markets.