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Fetch.ai, Algbra partner to bring AI-driven DeFi services to minority communities

Fetch.ai, an artificial intelligence lab based in the British city of Cambridge, today announced its partnership with Algbra, a London-based fintech platform, to bring artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to decentralized finance (DeFi) and the banking sector to provide minority communities with greater access to financial services. Fast facts According to a statement shared […]

China fallout hits mining; Korea digital custody competition heats up

China fallout hits mining meanwhile Korea digital custody competition heats up

Ant Group and Tencent obtain the most blockchain patents in China: report

China saw a fivefold increase in blockchain patents last year despite the Covid-19 shutdown.
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China’s BSN to set up foundation in Singapore to fuel international expansion

China’s Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) — a public-private nationwide infrastructure project to spur mass adoption of blockchain technology — is moving a step closer to more international exposure, as the company behind it is working to register a foundation based in Singapore. Fast facts Red Date Technology, the company China tapped to manage its BSN, […]

How central banks are wielding blockchain in soft power competition

China’s crypto ban is part of a global battle over freedom and ideology, writes Michael B. Greenwald. How can the US lead the world in a different path?

Crypto mining players continue to flee China as latest ban kicks in

China’s earlier efforts to eradicate mining may not have been as effective as the government had hoped, but Friday’s announcement is having an impact.
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The curious timing behind China’s thunder and lightning at crypto

China assaulted crypto with a new ferocity just as Bitcoin options expired and Evergrande escaped death. Coincidence? Ben Caselin of AAX lays out the clues.

Crypto funds see 6th consecutive week of inflows led by Bitcoin: CoinShares data

Cryptocurrency investment products saw inflows of US$95 million last week, with total inflows over the past six weeks of US$320 million, according to digital assets fund manager CoinShares. Fast facts “The continued inflows suggest the recent headwinds for digital assets, such as the widened China ban, were seen as buying opportunities for investors,” wrote CoinShares […]

IOHK has big plans for Cardano, including Dish, Chainlink partnerships

At the Cardano Summit over the weekend, IOHK founder Charles Hoskinson revealed a slew of partnerships and other developments for the Cardano blockchain

Singapore securities exchange ADDX tokenizes Partners Group global private equity fund

Singapore-based digital securities exchange ADDX today announced it had tokenized an allocation to a global private equity fund by Partners Group, a private equity firm listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. Fast facts The allocation from the Partners Group Global Value SICAV Fund is the first from a major private equity firm that has been tokenized, […]

Binance to restrict Singapore users from buying crypto and spot trading on Binance.com

Amid growing regulatory heat, Binance — the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume — will restrict users in Singapore from buying cryptocurrencies using fiat, spot trading and liquid swaps on its main Binance.com platform starting Oct. 26, according to a company announcement. Fast facts Binance is advising Binance.com users in Singapore to cease all […]

Damage to South Korean crypto market limited despite mass closure, regulator says

South Korea’s virtual asset industry is expected to withstand major regulatory reconstruction

China’s crypto crackdown: What it means

China’s crypto crackdown and what it means

XinFin’s XDC Network and Tradeteq partner on NFTs for trade finance

Singapore-based blockchain protocol eXchange inFinite (XinFin) and trade finance distribution platform Tradeteq today announced their partnership to tokenize trade finance assets into non-fungible tokens (NFTs), according to a company statement shared with Forkast.News. Fast facts Atul Khekade, co-founder of XinFin, told Forkast.News in an interview that traditional trade finance assets that are typically paper-based such […]

FTX CEO: This is the canary in China’s crypto ban coal mine

Amid China’s new clampdown, why is DeFi surging and the RMB-to-crypto market important? Sam Bankman-Fried analyzes what it all means and why FTX is leaving Hong Kong for a new home.

Chinese crypto exchange Huobi looks to the world as China shuts the door on crypto

Huobi’s diversified businesses outside of China reached nearly 70% in terms of trading volumes, and have been on the rise, its co-founder tells Forkast.News.

Industry players scramble, evaluate options as China bans all crypto transactions

China’s intensified crackdown on cryptocurrency leaves service providers looking to stay compliant with Friday’s abrupt announcement.
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Ban or no ban, Indian crypto industry is thriving

India’s crypto industry will grow over 200% to reach $241M by 2030, a new study says.

China’s crypto ban: what you need to know

How is China’s latest clampdown on crypto different from its previous bans — and how do authorities plan to catch the scofflaws? Henri Arslanian of PwC breaks it down.

Crypto markets shrug off China’s latest saber-rattling

Is China’s influence over Bitcoin and the global crypto market waning? Chinese exchanges get a thrashing as decentralized exchanges get happy on clampdown news.
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What does China’s crypto ban really mean? Insights from the ground

China’s hardline stance against crypto is already rippling beyond its borders. A mainland crypto insider explains the global shakeup yet to come.

Why DeFi holds the key to metaverse success

A profound shift is underway in online culture, writes Anndy Lian of BigOne Exchange. Here’s how decentralized finance might one day power the NFT and metaverse economy.

Chinese blockchain Conflux partners with GIGXPAD to tokenize real-world assets in Africa

GIGXPAD, a decentralized finance (DeFi) project based in Africa, is partnering with public blockchain network Conflux to tokenize real-world assets, according to a company statement shared with Forkast.News. Fast facts The collaboration, which marks the Chinese blockchain Conflux’s first use case in Africa, will see GIGXPAD deploying a decentralized crowdfunding platform on Conflux. According to […]

Chinese city adopts blockchain to track carbon emissions

Huzhou City in Zhejiang, a province in eastern China, announced the launch of a blockchain to track and record carbon emissions records. Fast facts The blockchain was built by Beijing Zhongdian Puhua Information Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of State Grid. The data will be provided to third-party carbon accounting agencies, governments, and individuals for […]

The9 teams up with Polygon and Protocol Labs on new NFT platform, game projects

The9 Ltd., a Chinese gaming company that pivoted earlier this year to cryptocurrency mining — along with Polygon and Protocol Labs — are forming an ecosystem collaboration on The9’s non-fungible token (NFT) platform NFTSTAR and GameFi play-to-earn projects. Fast facts The company said in a statement released on Thursday that NFTSTAR and The9’s GameFi projects will […]

Fewer South Korean crypto exchanges remain in business under new industry regulations

Around 35 virtual asset exchanges will vanish as of midnight Friday, as the country imposes new rules designed to protect consumers.

Crypto market is shaken as China declares all crypto transactions illegal

Bitcoin and Ethereum prices fall after Beijing intensifies crackdown on crypto trading, mining.
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D-day for Korean crypto exchanges; e-CNY project speeds up

D-day for Korean crypto exchanges meanwhile e-CNY project speeds up

Former US Treasury advisor predicts no ‘real action’ from Fed on CBDC

While a US digital dollar is stuck at pole position, China’s digital yuan is nearing the finish line. Michael B. Greenwald of Tiedemann Advisors explains why it matters to the future global economy.  

BIT Mining invests in crypto site in Ohio to expand U.S. operation

The cryptocurrency mining industry is attracting more investment money. Hong Kong-headquartered crypto miner BIT Mining said it had entered into an agreement to jointly invest in a crypto mining data center in the U.S. state of Ohio, with access to power capacity of up to 85 megawatts. Fast facts The development of the Ohio mining […]

Digital yuan could come to overseas users to challenge dollar dominance: policy bank expert

China may be a small step closer to internationalizing the yuan, though its central bank says the e-CNY is now mostly tested for domestic use.
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SushiSwap developer rejects claims of billion-dollar bug

SushiSwap, a Japanese decentralized exchange, has dismissed the claims of a white hat hacker who says two contracts on the exchange have a vulnerability that puts US$1 billion worth of user assets at risk. Fast facts An anonymous white hat hacker published a report on Thursday claiming there is a loophole in the emergency withdrawal […]

How Southeast Asia flowered into a global crypto hub

Until recently, most Southeast Asians had no internet. Now the region is abloom with blockchain innovation. How did they do it?

Cardano to host storefront for developers to upload their DApps

With the Cardano blockchain now supporting smart contract capabilities, developers will soon be able to upload their decentralized applications (DApps) and make them available to others through a Plutus dAppStore, according to a blog post by Input Output HK (IOHK) ahead of the Cardano Summit taking place this weekend. Fast facts “The store will provide […]

Umbrella Network acquires platform for transparency in digital media buying

Umbrella Network, a decentralized oracle, has acquired Lucidity, a blockchain-based advertising and analytics platform, to bring more data transparency to advertisers, according to a company statement. Fast facts The acquisition was completed in August 2021 for an undisclosed amount, according to the company statement. Lucidity will be integrated with Umbrella Network as part of the […]

81 of top 100 companies use blockchain technology, Blockdata research shows

Survey shows growing consensus on adoption, investment and use cases. ‘Blockchain is here to stay.’

Crypto unicorn Amber Group eyes listing in U.S. despite lack of regulatory clarity

Amber Group, a Hong Kong-based crypto financial services company, is eyeing a direct listing in the U.S. within the next two years, Amber Group co-founder and CEO Michael Wu told the South China Morning Post in an interview. Fast facts Founded in 2017, Amber Group propelled to unicorn status this year following its US$100 million Series […]

As big investors pour $930M into 2 NFT startups, what do the tea leaves say for the rest?

Marquee investors like Softbank and Andreessen Horowitz are heaping love on Sorare and Dapper Labs. What does this mean for the future of the non-fungible tokens sector?

UAE regulators to allow crypto-assets trading

The United Arab Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA) have signed an agreement to support crypto-assets trading and related financial activities in the DWTCA free zone. Fast facts The agreement allows the DWTCA to issue approvals and licenses for financial activities related to crypto assets and the SCA […]

South Korea’s crypto crackdown: What you need to know

The country’s crypto industry has been turned upside down with stricter operating rules that take effect tomorrow.

VC names jump in on NFTs; Crypto investors brush off Evergrande

VC names jump in on NFTs meanwhile crypto investors brush off Evergrande

After Evergrande, will virtual real estate be the next alternative asset class?

The property market is increasingly expensive and out of reach for today’s younger generation. Digital land sales may hit home with some buyers.

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, […]

Why decentralization can help solve the content moderation problem | Ep. 3

Why is content moderation a cosmically huge problem, do humans need to be involved and how can the decentralized web ensure it’s a place for everyone.

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?

India may not be ready to follow El Salvador’s lead, but don’t rule out cryptocurrency, finance minister says

Nirmala Sitharaman says ‘a futuristic thing can’t be shut out’ as the country considers crypto regulation, including a possible blanket ban.

After Singapore, Binance pulls back from Australia under growing regulatory pressure

Following similar moves in Singapore, embattled crypto exchange Binance — the largest in the world by trading volume — is ending its derivatives trading in Australia by year’s end, according to a company blog post on Tuesday. Fast facts Aussie traders will have 90 days to reduce or close their positions on options, futures and […]

Second Avalanche hack hits Vee Finance for $35M in assets

Decentralized finance platform Vee Finance, which is based on the Avalanche blockchain, has suffered from a hack that saw the loss of Ether and Bitcoin tokens worth US$35 million, the lending platform announced on Tuesday. Fast facts Vee Finance suspended the platform’s contracts as well as its deposit and borrow function to protect user assets […]

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.

SEC chair Gensler doubts crypto longevity: interview

In an interview by the Washington Post on Tuesday, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler questioned the future of cryptocurrency, saying, “I don’t think there’s a long-term viability for five- or six thousand private forms of money. History tells us otherwise.” He added that “in the meantime, it’s worthwhile to have an investor […]

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.

Why community is key to blockchain and crypto project success

Blockchain communities are instrumental to shaping how projects develop and operate, writes Humpty Calderon of Ontology. What are the signs of a thriving ecosystem?

Crypto exchange Coinbase nixes plan for lending product after SEC lawsuit threat

Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States, has dropped its plans to launch its high-yield-generating “Lend” product following the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s threat to sue the exchange if they did. Fast facts Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal disclosed in a blog post earlier this month that the company had received […]

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.

Cosmos price reaches for the stars as market remains firmly on the ground

As most of the crypto market stagnates, Cosmos has been on a tear over the weekend, gaining 35% since Saturday morning Asia time to reach an all-time high of US$44.54 this morning, according to CoinMarketCap.com. Fast facts Though it dropped slightly to US$41.72 just before press time, this jump marks the first time the ATOM […]

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 — […]