Bitcoin returns above key level, Ether inches up, XRP leads top 10 cryptos in gains
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Wednesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Chinese police uncover $54 million USDT money laundering scheme
Police in China’s Shanxi Province made 21 arrests in relation to an alleged USDT money laundering scheme amounting to over US$54 million.
The future of finance is tokenized. Get on board or get left behind: Opinion
Change won’t happen overnight, but tokenization is a trend that will trigger seismic shifts in the financial landscape, writes Hamilton Keats of Krayon Digital.
Bitcoin loses grip on US$30,000 as profit-taking kicks in; XRP gains as other top 10 crypto fall
Bitcoin slipped under US$30,000 on the back of profit-taking and long liquidations as the recent run up on optimism about exchange-traded funds seemed to run out of steam.
NFTs, Where did the buyers go?
Despite ample Ethereum holdings, traders appear less willing to invest in NFTs. Ethereum wallet growth data in 2023 suggests low NFT sales, while Ether used for NFT sales has dropped to 2021 levels.
S. Korea’s Shinhan Bank, SCB TechX, complete second stablecoin trial on Hedera
Shinhan Bank, the second largest bank in South Korea, and SCB TechX, the technology unit of Siam Commercial Bank, the oldest bank in Thailand, announced on Tuesday that they completed a second stablecoin transaction trial on the Hedera, a public distributed ledger network.
Bitcoin, Ether, top 10 cryptos fall; SEC accepts Valkyrie’s spot Bitcoin ETF for review
Bitcoin and Ether both fell below key price levels earlier but returned above as investors remained optimistic after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accepted the second Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) application for review, from asset manager Valkyrie.
Alibaba’s home province of Zhejiang sets up metaverse industrial association
China’s Zhejiang province, the home province of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group,has established a metaverse industrial association.
Stablecoins can make banking safe again: Opinion
Stablecoins play a pivotal role as a safe-haven medium of exchange in times of high inflation, writes James Glasscock. But they’re not without risks.
Bitcoin dips but recovers back above US$30,000; Ether, most other top 10 crypto lose ground
Bitcoin dipped under US$30,000 in early Asia trade before recovering. Ether and other top 10 cryptocurrencies fell, while NFT trading slumped.
Financial Stability Board recommends stricter global crypto regulation after year of industry blow-ups
The Financial Stability Board (FSB) published on Monday a global regulatory framework for crypto-asset activities to provide a global regulatory and supervisory foundation for crypto. The recommendations made to the G20 – the 20 leading economies of the world – are based upon the principle of “same activity, same risk, same regulation.”
Bitcoin, Ether slip, top cryptos mixed, XRP biggest gainer after last week’s court win
XRP continued its rally after XRP issuer Ripple’s favorable ruling last week in its lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
How Asia is emerging as a safe haven for digital assets: Opinion
As the US is engulfed in regulatory strife, Asian countries are rolling out legal frameworks that attract crypto investment, protect consumers and encourage innovation.
Beijing to train 10,000 engineers in digital technologies, including blockchain, each year
Beijing municipal government plans to train 10,000 engineering talents each year in emerging technologies including blockchain, AI and big data.
SEC accepts BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF application for review
The U.S. SEC has accepted BlackRock’s application for a spot Bitcoin ETF, a major step for the potential launch of the country’s first spot Bitcoin ETF.
USDT’s goal is to be the dollar, not beat it, says Tether CTO
Scrutiny on the stablecoin’s reserves has intensified since USDT’s latest depegging scare. Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Tether and Bitfinex, delves into the composition of USDT reserves, explaining how the firm ensures dollar redemptions, irrespective of secondary market prices.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin rises past US$31,000, cryptos rally after Ripple’s win against U.S. SEC
Bitcoin rose to US$31,736 on Friday, bolstering Ethereum to above US$2,000, after the court ruled that the sale of XRP did not constitute a security. Bitcoin needs a close above US$31,000 to pave the way for US$32,500, market experts told Forkast.
XRP leads gains as Bitcoin, top 10 cryptos rally after Ripple’s win against U.S. SEC
A favorable U.S. court ruling for Ripple boosted Bitcoin prices. All top 10 non-stablecoin cryptos rallied with XRP prices gaining 62% in the past 24 hours.
Celsius founder Alex Mashinsky arrested, pleads not guilty to fraud
Alex Mashinsky, founder and CEO of Celsius Network, pleaded not guilty after being arrested in the U.S. Thursday on several fraud-related criminal charges.
Bitcoin, Ether surge after Ripple notched partial win against SEC; Ripple’s XRP leads crypto rally
Bitcoin, all other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens logged gains Friday morning. That followed a favorable SEC ruling for Ripple, whose XRP token led the gains.
US court rules in favor of XRP in Ripple Labs case against SEC, with caveats
Judge Analisa Torres ruled on Thursday that Ripple Labs’ programmatic sales of the XRP cryptocurrency did not qualify as the offer and sale of investment contracts.
Europe’s first spot Bitcoin ETF set to launch in July: FT
Europe’s first spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) is expected to be publicly listed this month, following a 12-month delay from the initially planned date
Standard Chartered’s great expectations for Bitcoin in 2024
Top blockchain and crypto news: Standard Chartered eyes US$120,000 per Bitcoin | Another week of declines in NFT market | Sega and Line team up.
Bitcoin, Ether fall; all other top 10 cryptos mixed
Bitcoin prices fell below US$30,500 in the past 24 hours while its trading volume has gained over 20%. Ether also fell. Cardano and BNB were the day’s biggest losers.
USDC issuer Circle trims workforce
Stablecoin issuer Circle has reduced its workforce and investment in non-core activities.
Bitcoin, Ether fall, Polygon leads losers; U.S. equities gain as inflation slows
Bitcoin dropped on Thursday morning in Asia to below US$30,500. Ether and most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens also logged losses.
Why culture and ownership are critical to the metaverse: Opinion
As stores of our identity, customs and creativity, NFTs will drive Web3 adoption and become central to the new digital economy, writes Yat Siu, executive chairman of Animoca Brands.
Bitcoin inches up, holds above US$30,500; all other top 10 cryptos mixed
Bitcoin trade volumes dropped in the last 24 hours but the token is holding steady above US$30,500. Binance’s BNB token posted the biggest gain while most other top 10 cryptocurrencies traded mixed.
Seoul prosecutors chasing Do Kwon establish crypto investigations team
The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office announced that it will launch the Virtual Asset Joint Investigation Unit at the end of this month.
South Korea mandates new accounting rules for domestic crypto sector
South Korea’s FSC is requiring companies that issue or own cryptocurrencies to provide detailed crypto disclosures from 2024.
Bitcoin above US$30,500, Ether flat, SOL leads the winners
Bitcoin rose on Wednesday morning in Asia to trade above US$30,500. Ether traded flat while most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens gained. SOL led winners.
NFT recovery or new bottom discovery?
Blur has been adding demand for specific collections by incentivizing floor NFT trading, which may have mitigated aggressive price undercutting for liquidty.
Gamers can now earn Bitcoin rewards on Minecraft via Zebedee
Zebedee, a New Jersey-based payments technology firm, will allow Minecraft players to earn Bitcoin by completing in-game quests.
Bitcoin steady above US$30,000, all top 10 cryptos rise on market optimism
Bitcoin breached US$31,000 level in the past 24 hours after falling back to hold above US$30,000. Ether and all other top 10 cryptos gained.
Crypto ‘extremely speculative’ investment, not money, says Bank of England Governor Bailey
Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies don’t meet standards to be recognized as money.
Improving crypto user experience is an imperative and need not come at the cost of security: Opinion
The key to making crypto easier to use while less prone to skulduggery lies in centralizing some security and UX features, writes Hsuan Lee of Blocto.
Bitcoin gains on StanChart price predictions, fund inflows; Ether rises, Matic leads winners
Bitcoin rose on Tuesday morning in Asia, after Standard Chartered predicted the token could reach US$120,000 by the end of 2024. Ether and most other top 10 tokens rose.
Global crypto industry worth US$180 billion, says K33 Research report
The global cryptocurrency industry is valued at US$180 billion, with over 10,000 companies employing a total of 190,000 employees, according to a July 5 report from crypto intelligence firm K33 Research. See related article: Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto rules; NFTs become new cultural frontier Fast facts See related article: South Korea, Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto […]
Bitcoin dips but holds above US$30,000, all other top 10 cryptos drop
All top 10 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ether, drop over the last 24 hours while investors brace for more interest rate hikes in the U.S.
Despite the regulatory darkness in America, crypto’s dawn is nigh: Opinion
Crypto’s current turmoil in the US stands in stark contrast to other jurisdictions that are paving paths to for the industry to shine, writes Sean O’Connor.
South Korea holds first court hearing for Terra co-founder Daniel Shin on crypto fraud charges
South Korea on Monday held the first preliminary hearing for Terraform Labs co-founder Daniel Shin and seven other former employees on charges related to the collapse of the Terra-Luna crypto project.
Bitcoin stays above US$30,000; ETF optimism dampens; further rate hikes expected
Bitcoin dipped on Monday morning in Asia but held above the US$30,000 support level. Ether edged lower along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens.
South Korea, Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto rules as U.S. in state of regulatory ‘warfare’
While Asia nations such as Singapore and Thailand seem to be following the U.S. regulator in frowning upon certain products offered by crypto exchanges, the approach in Asia so far seems to be clarity instead of court battles, in contrast with North America
Japanese gaming firm Sega backs out of blockchain: Bloomberg
Japanese multinational gaming firm Sega Corp. is withdrawing from blockchain-based games as play-to-earn games are “boring,” according to Shuji Utsumi, the company’s co-chief operating officer cited by Bloomberg on Friday.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin holds above US$30,000; SEC officially silent over spot Bitcoin ETF applications
Bitcoin held above US$30,000 for most of the week but lost momentum as the SEC left investors guessing on how it will treat spot Bitcoin ETF applications.
Bitcoin rises back to US$30,000, Ether remains under US$1,900, top cryptos in the red
Crypto buying subsided as the U.S. regulator made no official comment on Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications and executives quit Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange.
Tokenization makes the world a better place, and Asia is paving the way: Opinion
Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Thailand have regulations supporting the growth of tokenization, showing the world the benefits of fractionalizing assets.
Binance executives Hillman, Christie say they are leaving, cite personal reasons
Binance Chief Strategy Officer Patrick Hillmann and Vice President for Compliance Steven Christie both confirmed they are leaving the firm.
Bitcoin loses US$30,000 peg, Ether falls as risk-off sentiment spreads to cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin fell below US$30,000 on Friday morning in Asia as traders took profits amid worries about interest rate hikes in U.S. markets.
Cardano ‘ghost chain’ outperforms top blockchains in NFT market
Despite a plunge in unique NFT buyers on Cardano, which earned it the nickname “ghost chain,” data reveals that the blockchain’s NFT market outperformed leading competitors such as Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon in June.
No surprise as Singapore, Thailand step up crypto regulation
Southeast Asia steps up regulation. No end in sight for NFT market decline. Voyager’s shrinking portfolio.
Bitcoin, Ether rise, top cryptos mixed, as investors await SEC response to Bitcoin ETF applications
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top altcoins were mixed, as investors await the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) response to spot Bitcoin ETF applications. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin breaches US$31,195 following Fidelity’s spot Bitcoin ETF application Bitcoin, Ether rise, top 10 […]
The NFT market’s historic new lows
NFT market recovers after Azuki’s Elementals mint debacle as traders report liquidity issues amidst price tumble.
Singapore’s DBS starts e-CNY bank services for China clients
Singapore-based DBS bank has introduced a “merchant collection solution” using e-CNY – China’s central bank digital currency – to allow corporate clients of DBS China to collect payments from their customers in e-CNY, and avail the automated settlement of e-CNY directly into their bank deposit account.
Australian regulator searches Binance’s local offices: Bloomberg
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the country’s financial services regulator, searched the local offices of Binance on Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation of the exchange’s derivatives business, a Bloomberg report said.
Bitcoin, Ether slip but remain above key price levels while altcoins struggle to find momentum
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Wednesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong but remained above key price levels, while most of the top altcoins were in the red.
Airchains to record land ownership with NFTs for Indian city
Indian Web3 firm Airchains has announced a partnership with the New Town Kolkata Development Authority of West Bengal, to release 500,000 NFTs in hopes to enhance registration and transfer of land ownership.
Bitcoin, Ether slip but remain above key levels; top 10 cryptos mixed
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Tuesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization were mixed.
How Web3 is disrupting gaming business models and player economics: Opinion
From pay-to-play arcade video games to sales of home consoles, gaming’s evolution into peer-to-peer marketplaces is posing a new challenge to the status quo, writes Jackson Poon.
Bitcoin breaches US$31,000 on BlackRock’s updated ETF; Ether gains, Polygon leads winners
Bitcoin climbed above US$31,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia after Blackrock refiled its Bitcoin ETF application. Ether also gained amid institutional interest.
Singapore to require crypto firms to hold customer assets in a trust; restricts lending, staking by retail users
Cryptocurrency service providers in Singapore will have to keep customer assets under a statutory trust before the end of the year, for safekeeping purposes, the city state’s central bank announced Monday.
Bitcoin slips, Ether inches up, top 10 cryptos gain as investors remain upbeat
Bitcoin fell and Ether rose during Monday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization strengthened.
Global shifts in crypto capital are underway. Here’s where the money is going
Digital assets funds have been flowing in waves all over the world since crypto’s inception, writes Amy Yu, CEO of SEBA Bank. Where is crypto capital going now?
Hong Kong launches task force to promote blockchain initiatives, developments
Hong Kong’s local government on Friday set up the Task Force on Promoting Web3 Development to promote the benefits of blockchain to real-world industries.
Bitcoin flat, Ether gains in mixed crypto market; Solana rebounds, Litecoin leads winners
Bitcoin traded flat above US$30,000 while most other leading tokens were mixed. Litecoin and Solana saw the biggest gains among the top 10.
Blockchain Alliance’s Raj Kapoor says the technology can reshape India’s governance systems
Kapoor founded the India Blockchain Alliance five years ago and gives an update on how the technology is being used in police reports to real estate transactions, as well as challenges of CBDC adoption and plans for tokenization of assets. He spoke in an interview for Forkast IQ.
South Korea approves crypto bill to protect investors, goes into effect in one year
South Korea approved a bill to protect cryptocurrency investors as part of building the country’s first legal framework devoted to digital assets.
US SEC says Bitcoin ETF applications inadequate: WSJ
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said the recent series of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications by asset managers were inadequate and not sufficiently clear, according to a report by Wall Street Journal on Friday.
FXHASH NFT upgrade to allow users to mint on both Tezos and Eth
FXHASH, the largest non-fungible token (NFT) platform by sales volume on the Tezos blockchain, has announced an upgrade that allows users to choose between Tezos and Ethereum, along with on-chain minting for both networks.
ApeCoin DAO replaces Yat Siu and Alexis Ohanian
ApeCoin DAO, the decentralized autonomous organization behind the ApeCoin cryptocurrency, has replaced Animoca Brands chairman Yat Siu and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, in its special council that oversees the Ape Foundation.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin breaches US$31,195 following Fidelity’s spot Bitcoin ETF application
Bitcoin briefly rose to US$31,195 after Fidelity filed its spot Bitcoin ETF application. Can the wave of institutional interest keep Bitcoin above US$30,500?
Ripple executive spells out Asia future after license success in Singapore
Ripple Labs’ Asia-Pacific branch is offering digital payment services in Singapore after receiving in-principle approval of its license application from the MAS on June 22. What does that mean for the company’s Asia business?