Cross-chain NFTs coming with Polkadot’s Unique Network and RMRK
Unique Network, an NFT chain for Polkadot, and NFT protocol RMRK announced today that they are partnering on expanding the functionalities of NFTs across blockchains.
Bitcoin hot in Singapore; China crypto mining bans widen | The Daily Forkast
El Salvador’s adoption of Bitcoin has the world buzzing. Can Singapore be next? China mining crackdown continues.
Hashrate drops as Chinese crypto mining ban extended to more provinces
Cryptocurrency mining prohibition in Xinjiang and Qinghai follows Inner Mongolia ban.
Jump Trading partners with Solana-based DeFi protocol Oxygen
Jump Trading, a high-frequency trading firm, is joining Oxygen, a decentralized finance prime brokerage protocol, as a strategic partner and market-maker to provide liquidity on the Oxygen platform.
Coinbase partners with 401(k) provider ForUsAll on crypto retirement plans
Retirement investment platform ForUsAll is partnering with Coinbase to expand access to cryptocurrencies through the U.S. 401(k) pension scheme.
Singapore central bank says blockchain can boost Asia’s low-carbon future
Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, says technologies such as blockchain will help Asian nations to reduce carbon emissions.
Saudis lead $30M Series A for China nationwide blockchain network manager
Beijing-based Red Date Technology — the face of China’s ambitious nationwide blockchain service network — receives a big investment boost.
U.S. millennial crypto fans want to spend their coins like cash, study shows
Ninety-three percent of millennial current or former cryptocurrency holders in the U.S. would consider using their digital coins for everyday purchases, according to a recent survey.
Asian crypto exchange Kikitrade wins funds from UK billionaire Alan Howard
Kikitrade today announced a US$12 million fund raise with investment from British hedge fund billionaire Alan Howard to accelerate its growth.
China’s biggest crypto exchanges blocked from internet searches, social media
Huobi, OKEx and Binance have been blocked by the country’s most popular internet search engines and social media platforms.
Ripple: Delaying SEC lawsuit would pose ‘existential threat’ to XRP
In a new court filing, Ripple describes the damage the SEC lawsuit has already done to XRP and the payment company’s now-frozen US business.
Moonstake ties up with Uzbekistan exchange in blockchain push
Staking service provider Moonstake has partnered with UzNEX to provide blockchain consulting services in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Vitalik Buterin: Why Eth2 will propel Ethereum’s use in enterprise
In a talk this week, Vitalik Buterin explains Ethereum’s growing use in enterprise and the importance of building diverse, open-source communities.
China’s Xinjiang and Qinghai regions ban cryptocurrency mining
Xinjiang and Qinghai regions in China are now banning cryptocurrency mining, after Inner Mongolia tightened its crypto mining ban last month.
New York State passes bill restricting Bitcoin mining
A bill restricting the granting of crypto mining permits on environmental ground has passed the New York State Senate.
Hong Kong eyes CBDC; Aussie Millennials favor crypto vs. real estate | The Daily Forkast
Hong Kong looks to explore CBDC feasibility as Australian millennials favor investing in crypto over traditional assets.
El Salvador’s Bitcoin experiment. Ethereum’s steady rise. Free money in China.
Top blockchain and crypto news: El Salvador bets on Bitcoin as national currency. ETH gains ground on BTC. Beijing dishes out digital yuan in latest trials.
Cardano to roll out smart-contract tools in new product suite
Cardano is set to provide tools for developers, end users and businesses to execute smart contracts in financial agreements through a new suite of products.
El Salvador’s Bitcoin law wins vote, set to shake up BTC investments everywhere
Now that Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s Bitcoin-as-legal-tender bill is almost reality, what will it mean for BTC investors around the world?
Beijing Winter Olympics vendors begin to accept digital yuan
Shijingshan, a site for the upcoming Winter Olympics, has started supporting payments made using the state digital money, known as e-CNY.
Miami property deal breaks crypto real estate record
A Miami property has set a record for the highest price paid in cryptocurrency in a real estate transaction — US$22.5 million.
Chinese Bitcoin investors among most profitable globally
Bitcoin investors in China saw greater returns in 2020 than almost any other nation — second only to the US.
Australian crypto exchange Bitunivex plans to go green
Australian crypto exchange Bitunivex.com has announced plans to offset its carbon footprint by investing in green crypto initiatives.
UNICEF invests in blockchain startups for financial inclusion
UNICEF Venture Fund is awarding up to $100,000 to blockchain startups, including India’s GovBlocks, in its latest funding round. Here are the other projects.
Hong Kong eyes digital currency as part of new fintech plan
Hong Kong will be initiating a study on a digital Hong Kong dollar as part of its plans to “future proof” the city for central bank digital currencies.
India crypto feud continues; Korea mining thief busted | The Daily Forkast
Regulatory uncertainty pushes India’s crypto industry towards self regulation as a secret Ethereum miner gets busted in Seoul Arts Center.
KuCoin exchange in Ontario regulator’s sights after law breaches
The Ontario Securities Commission is set to take enforcement action against two companies behind the cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin for violating the province’s securities laws.
How NFTs are redrawing Asia’s art scene from artists to galleries
From Phillips auction house in Hong Kong to Art Fair Philippines, non-fungible tokens are redefining how Asia appreciates, buys and profits from art.
World Economic Forum offers DeFi ‘toolkit’ for policymakers
In collaboration with Wharton business school, WEF releases a toolkit for governments to consider the opportunities and risks of decentralized finance.
Taiwan boy band star Van Ness Wu praises NFTs, prepares for charity selfie sale
California-born singer looks to rekindle relationship with his fans as he pledges to donate the proceeds from his NFT sale to a Taiwan-based NGO.
Ripple asks court to ignore 70+ SEC actions against cryptos before XRP
Did Ripple have ‘fair notice’ that SEC might deem the XRP a security? Ripple calls report on SEC’s prior anti-crypto enforcement actions ‘misleading.’
Indian crypto exchanges form self-regulatory body
Crypto exchanges in India have partnered with the Internet and Mobile Association of India to form a self-regulatory body.
Bitcoin worth millions recovered from Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack
Millions of dollars worth of Bitcoin paid to ransomware hackers who shut down the main fuel pipeline on the U.S. East Coast last month has been recovered.
Beijing looks to boost blockchain, create industry champions
China has released guidelines aimed at boosting the country’s blockchain development.
Take that, Miami: Hong Kong hosts its own Bitcoin meet-up
As 50,000 Bitcoiners and crypto superstars whoop it up at Miami’s Bitcoin 2021 fest, a smaller group of BTC fans hold their own at the Fringe in Hong Kong.
Four in 10 Australian millennials would buy crypto over real estate
Nearly 40% of Australians born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s would rather invest in cryptocurrencies than real estate, according to a nesurvey.
Crypto exchange Fasset expands to Southeast Asia
Cryptocurrency exchange Fasset has received three licenses from the Labuan Financial Services Authority in Malaysia for business operations in the country.
XRP sees robust institutional inflows; Ethereum ‘altcoin of choice,’ report says
XRP last week saw inflows of US$7 million into investment products, the most since April, according to CoinShares.
Bitcoin mining rig maker Canaan to open service center in Kazakhstan
Canaan, one of the largest crypto mining rig makers in the world, is opening its first-ever service center outside China—in Kazakhstan.
Chinese crypto social media crackdown; Seoul tightens rules on crypto | The Daily Forkast
Chinese social media Weibo bans crypto accounts as employees of South Korean crypto exchanges can no longer trade on their own platforms.
Ripple accuses SEC of ‘noncompliance’ in sharing XRP, Bitcoin and Ether communications
Ripple is also asking court to order SEC to reveal the agency’s internal employee policies on trading cryptocurrencies and other digital assets.
CoinShares lists Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin ETPs on Germany’s Börse Xetra
CoinShares has announced that its Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin physically-backed exchange traded products have cross-listed on Germany’s Börse Xetra exchange.
Binance launching NFT platform with ‘100 Creators’ campaign
Binance today announced a “100 creators” campaign featuring creative talents from around the world as part of the launch of its non-fungible token marketplace on June 24.
NortonLifeLock bids to turn users into home Ethereum miners
Users of cybersecurity product NortonLifeLock will soon be able to mine Ethereum on their home computers through a new feature named Norton Crypto.
Shanghai in US$3M e-CNY windfall ahead of Dragon Boat holiday
Following a digital yuan giveaway announced for Beijing last week, Shanghai will distribute 350,000 red envelopes to people across the city during next week’s Dragon Boat Festival.
Weibo blocks crypto accounts as Chinese clampdown continues
Microblog platform Weibo has blocked more than 30 influential Chinese cryptocurrency-related accounts amid a series of actions by Beijing against crypto mining and trading.
Australia’s first Bitcoin capital growth fund gaining interest
Australia’s first capital growth fund to offer institutional exposure to BTC has announced its received inquiries from some of the country’s largest companies.
What blockchain games like Alien Worlds say about life outside metaverses
In a special Q&A, Sarojini McKenna of Alien Worlds discusses play-to-earn gaming, digital assets like Trilium, and lives increasingly lived inside virtual worlds.
How serious is the threat of Bitcoin mining to the environment?
Is Bitcoin’s carbon footprint a growing risk to Earth, or is it a red herring? On this year’s United Nations World Environment Day, crypto mining is a hot topic.
HK’s Bitcoin Meetup ahead of Bitcoin 2021; Banksy work offered for crypto | The Daily Forkast
Hong Kong arranged a Bitcoin gathering ahead of Bitcoin 2021 Conference in Miami as Phillips auction house offers Banksy’s work for crypto.
Criticisms of Tether’s reserves are unfounded, says Bitfinex CTO
After Tether’s legal settlement with New York, USDT’s growth is exploding—dispelling concerns over Tether’s reserves, says Bitfinex CTO Paolo Ardoino.
Prominent Chinese economist urges public to ‘avoid confusion’ between digital currency and cryptocurrencies
It is important to distinguish between developing a digital currency for currency digitalization and digitalization of assets or cryptocurrencies so that China can be more focused on preventing risks in the financial sector, said Fan Gang, a Peking University professor and a prominent advocate in China for economic reform. Fast Facts: In a keynote speech […]
Regulators in Hainan warn of illegal crypto fundraising schemes
Regulators Hainan province have issued a warning against illegal fundraising schemes using crypto or blockchain..
UK watchdog: Crypto firms fall short on anti-money laundering rules
Many of Britain’s crypto firms are failing to meet required anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws, says the country’s watchdog.
BitFlyer to launch Bitcoin-Japanese yen pair for U.S. traders
BitFlyer announced today that it is launching a Bitcoin-to-Japanese yen pair for currency traders in the U.S.
Governments meet crypto industry; Hope for Bitcoin miners in Sichuan | The Daily Forkast
Governments meet up with the crypto industry to discuss how to regulate the booming industry as BC Group’s OSL ties up with SC Ventures.
Ripple execs seek info to defend XRP trades from 16 foreign crypto exchanges
To defend themselves against SEC lawsuit, Ripple’s CEO and chairman ask court for help getting XRP info from a who’s who list of offshore crypto exchanges.
DBS Bank tapping on tokenized bonds as a new way to invest
From digital bonds to real estate, blockchain-enabled security token offerings and tokenization are redefining corporate fundraising and investing.
South Korean crypto exchange Upbit in the dock over botched transfers
Eleven users of Upbit have filed a class action lawsuit against its owner, Dunamu Inc., seeking damages over a suspected technical failure.
Ethereum is rocketing out of this world with SpaceX and SpaceChain
Can Ethereum, also known as the ‘World Computer,’ function outside this world — in space? A SpaceX rocket launch today will put that to the test.
Standard Chartered, BC Group to launch digital asset trading platform
Standard Chartered and BC Group to launch digital asset trading platform for corporate and institutional clients in Europe and the UK.
Bitcoin mining rig maker Canaan reports huge jump in overseas sales
Chinese Bitcoin mining hardware maker Canaan says overseas sales accounted for almost four-fifths of its revenue during the first quarter of 2021.
‘Green’ crypto mining should be spared crackdown, Canaan chief says
Green crypto mining operations should be spared China’s recent crackdown on the sector, according to the CEO of Canaan Inc.
SpaceChain shoots blockchain to space; Cardano’s bridge to China | The Daily Forkast
SpaceChain shoots blockchain to tech to the International Space Station aboard Falcon 9 as Cardano announces first cross-chain bridge with Nervos.
Cardano and Nervos to launch cross-chain bridge
Input Output Hong Kong and Nervos announced today that they will be launching a cross-chain bridge to connect the two networks.
Is India’s central bank greenlighting crypto? Bitcoin fees fall to new lows. Cardano rolls out Alonzo upgrade for DeFi.
Other top blockchain and crypto news: Thailand’s SEC tries to rein in DeFi via regulation. Will China’s future DCEP digital yuan offer smart contracts?
WazirX launches India’s first NFT marketplace
WazirX launched the country’s first NFT marketplace on Tuesday, featuring artists from India and other South Asian nations.
Dogecoin to list on Coinbase Pro
Dogecoin has gained an additional measure of credibility, with crypto exchange Coinbase announcing that it will add DOGE to its professional trading platform.
Ethereum investment products hit market-share high of 27%, report says
Ethereum has hit a market-share high of 27% of all digital asset investment fund products following recent price corrections.
Australian Tax Office issues reminder of cryptocurrency tax obligations
ATO will contact 400,000 Australian crypto holders over concerns that they may not be fully aware of their crypto tax obligations. Tax cheats beware!
Thailand warns over DeFi; India green lights cryptos | The Daily Forkast
Thailand becomes one of the first governments to attempt DeFi regulation as India’s RBI clarifies that banking ban no longer exists.
What’s up with Taproot, the biggest proposed change to Bitcoin since 2017?
Bitcoin’s proposed Taproot update for smart contracts and privacy has wide verbal support from miners, but will they put their crypto where their mouth is?