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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.

Bitcoin transactions in El Salvador during May increased by more than four times compared to a year ago, yet fiat remittances still represent the vast majority of transactions in the country.

GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, is investing in BC Group—the parent company of OSL, Hong Kong’s first licensed cryptocurrency exchange.

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.

From mass liquidations to meme trading, the characteristics unique to the crypto market can now be seen in traditional markets, says FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.

The U.S. dollar reigns supreme as the current world reserve currency. Could the USD’s status change with the rise of CBDCs like China’s DCEP digital yuan?

Hong Kong is poised to ban small investors from buying cryptocurrencies, while making exchanges get licences. Industry experts discuss how this might play out. 

FTX crypto derivatives exchange pioneered TRUMP crypto futures and now dwarfs Coinbase in trading volume. Is going public in FTX’s near future?

Ethereum prices rally to new all-time high as Bitcoin’s dominance keeps sliding. Is Ethereum’s upcoming EIP 1559 upgrade boosting its value proposition?

Is it all those new Ethereum ETFs, rising demand for Ethereum from DeFi and NFTs, or lower gas fees fueling ETH’s price jump to yet another all-time high?

The private sector-led Digital Dollar Project is planning CBDC pilots for the US. How are central bank digital currency efforts and progress different in Asia?

DOGE fans push Dogecoin price to all-time high (ATH) after eToro lists the joke coin for 20 million users, days before ‘Dogefather’ Musk appears on SNL.

More than selling art and basketball mementos in a new way, NFTs can also transform copyright enforcement, royalties, real estate and financial markets.

Solana blockchain — a rising alternative to Ethereum for DeFi and NFTs — hit an all-time high this week while other cryptocurrencies stagnated. How come?

Coinbase’s estimated $100 billion direct listing debut could be the tipping point for crypto going mainstream. But is Coinbase really worth that much?

Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Hong Kong is new test bed for China’s e-CNY digital currency. Decentraland’s token bridge to Polygon.

HashKey Group’s Angelina Kwan, a former regulator who helped write laws relevant to the crypto industry, also explains why Hong Kong leads the world in fintech regulations.

Hong Kong Monetary Authority intensifies its CBDC efforts with a new study into ‘hybrid’ digital currencies and private CBDC-backed stablecoins.

As XRP holders step closer to intervening in SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple, the payment platform gears up to grow its CBDC business with a new white paper.

Founded by BitTorrent creator Bram Cohen, Chia Network’s new ‘proof of space and time’ blockchain aims to be a more sustainable alternative to bitcoin.

As central banks in China, Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand ramp up CBDC efforts, Bank of Japan is now planning a proof of concept for a digital currency.

Intensifying its legal warfare against XRP, SEC takes aims at the heart of Ripple’s defense. But Ripple scores wins in Tetragon and YouTube lawsuits.

Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Ethereum takes up with Amazon, plans gas fee changes. China likely to increase blockchain spending.

What do tokenized securities and Jack Dorsey’s NFT tweet have in common? In this Forkast.News explainer, learn how crypto tokens are changing the world.

In its latest court filing, Ripple also says SEC led market to believe that XRP was not an investment contract. Outside court, Ripple pursues the CBDC business.

Cardano blockchain, a so-called ‘Ethereum killer,’ completes its Mary hard fork upgrade as ADA becomes 3rd largest cryptocurrency behind bitcoin and ether.

Despite recent bitcoin and ether price drops, crypto giants Coinbase and CoinShares are betting that investment in digital assets will continue to grow.

From Beeple’s digital art to LeBron James video trading cards, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are transforming the way we create, own and profit from content.

CEO of CasperLabs, part of the Blockchain Service Network’s China and international versions, gives an insider’s view of blockchain’s future on the mainland.

Red packets are going digital, and e-hongbaos for cryptocurrency are on the rise across Asia this Lunar New Year of the Ox.

The Blockchain Research Institute-led report for Biden’s administration also outlines recommendations for crypto regulations and a national blockchain strategy.

Plasm Network, a leading DApps hub on Polkadot and first parachain on its Rococo testnet, secures $2.4 million to build out the growing Polkadot ecosystem.

In its response to SEC’s lawsuit, Ripple denies that XRP is a security, points out the clash with FinCEN and questions why SEC is not going after Ethereum.

Small investors drove up Dogecoin’s price by 1,000% after the GameStop saga, but money quickly left—and then Ripple’s XRP and Stellar prices went up.

About half of cryptocurrency users are hobbyists while 15% consider crypto their primary source of income, according to a survey of 61,000 crypto users.

ConsenSys Codefi’s 4Q 2020 report on DeFi trends also predicts more ‘wrapped’ tokens, tranche lending products and Ethereum 2.0 derivatives in 2021.

Signal, which exploded in popularity after WhatsApp’s privacy stumbles, may be exploring a business strategy pursued by Big Tech. What are the risks?

In written testimony, the US Treasury Secretary-nominee calls digital assets ‘fintech innovations’ and pledges to ‘encourage their use for legitimate activities.’

In her first public remarks since the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple and exclusive interview with Forkast.News Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau, SEC commissioner and “Crypto Mom” Hester Peirce says the SEC can do better on clarity and that enforcement isn’t always the best way to provide guidance

Who in blockchain is making the world a better place this year, and who deserves nothing under the tree? Santa’s helpers at Forkast.News tell all.

In interviews, the Ripple CEO told Fortune and the Wall Street Journal that the SEC plans to sue the company in the near future for offering unlicensed securities.

As 2020’s bitcoin bull run surges ever higher, Coinbase — America’s largest crypto company — files for an IPO with the SEC.

Are American lawmakers going after Facebook’s Libra, now called Diem? Controversial Tether may be the real target of new stablecoin-restraining bill.

What to buy for loved ones who already have it all? Here’s the Forkast.News guide to blockchain-inspired gifts that will please even the most discerning.

Coinbase and Huobi now support Eth2 staking as the ‘Beacon Chain’ heart of the new platform goes live. What will happens to users of Ethereum 1.0?

AWS is down again? Protocol Labs’ Filecoin — an ‘Airbnb for cloud storage’ — is a response to the risks inherent in centralized data storage and cloud giants

ETH 2.0 raises over $300 million from over 16,300 participants, putting it on track for release next week after whales make big investments in the last minute.

China’s DCEP digital yuan and new US interest in digital dollar are fueling sense of urgency on CBDCs — as blockchain firm ConsenSys paves the way.

Poised for historic IPO, Ant Group reveals via patent filings its business strategies for China’s new DCEP digital yuan — including how it would help enforce government regulations

Miners’ complaints with economic model are resulting in early rewards release and falling FIL prices. What happened to 800,000 coins?

As nations and private firms venture farther into the galaxy, blockchain and distributed ledger technology could help enforce rules and resolve conflicts.

China advances its new e-RMB closer to launch after distributing to Shenzhen residents 10 million yuan in digital ‘red packets’ that will expire next week

2020 is banner year for DeFi as industry balloons by over $100 billion in volume from Q2 to Q3 — most of it riding on Ethereum, according to a new report

The risk of getting scammed is real, but DeFi also offers investors opportunities to earn yields in this pandemic economy, says Two Prime CEO Marc Fleury.

Are US presidential candidate futures an accurate gauge of public opinion? Cryptocurrency exchange FTX’s TRUMP and BIDEN prices offer clues.

FTX cryptocurrency traders are dumping TRUMP after the first US presidential debate, a raucous affair punctuated by insults and interruptions.

In the first of a special two-part series, Forkast.News examines how blockchain — from smart contracts to crowdfunding missions — could transform public and private ventures in outer space.

Ethereum Classic Labs CEO Terry Culver calls the hash rental market shady “like under a rock somewhere…. They’re basically money laundering operations.”

In a special Forkast.News interview, the CEO who co-founded Ethereum discusses the deal with JPMorgan, DeFi’s rise, and expectations for Ethereum 2.0.

DeFi crypto lending — a loosely regulated industry that grew by 700% last year — is catching investor attention. What do the IRS and SEC think?

Other top news: US still dominates blockchain patents globally. First court case in China litigated with blockchain. VC in Indonesia and Singapore.

Other top news: Chainlink embraced by China’s blockchain network. Could Justin Sun’s infamy outshine TRON 4.0? Fintech in Thailand and Singapore.

Blockchain and cryptocurrency companies are rapidly expanding, and there’s a shortage of talented hires. That makes it a great time to consider a career in crypto.

Game of Thrones at the world’s largest bitcoin mining rig maker culminates, in this week’s episode, with a once-exiled company founder storming and seizing back the corporate castle.

More top news: China pours billions into blockchain and other infrastructure. Ant Financial’s new smart contracts. VC in Singapore and India.

China is trying to grow its blockchain industry, but are all these startups for real? Forkast.News dives into the data to find the truth behind the numbers.

What’s up with South Korea’s new blockchain regulations? And where is bitcoin now legal tender? (Mai oui!) Other headlines around the world: a storm over STEEM, the new Baseline protocol for privacy, HTC’s Exodus 5G Hub, and how the coronavirus has affected blockchain firms in China.

Gold bars are unwieldy. Gold futures and ETFs carry risks. Can gold-backed crypto, or tokenized gold, be a safer hedge during the current market tumult?

Coronavirus fears are sending markets tumbling. Could tokenized gold, or gold-backed crypto, be the next-generation investment in times of economic trouble?

The crypto exchange has a presence in China, but not an official registration.

Ron Tucker, Founder and Chair of the Australian Digital Commerce Association, describes his long-running involvement in the industry and the reasoning behind his faith in the technology. As the head of a crypto exchange, Tucker has been involved in navigating and advising the regulatory steps that institutions such as FATF are taking. Contrary to concern about these new policies stymying the growth of the industry, Tucker asserts that the regulation is necessary in providing a safe environment for cryptocurrency to grow.

In this last week, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney made waves in the crypto industry by espousing, as a pillar of traditional banking, an alternative to the very system he heads. At a speech in the U.S., Carney put forward the idea of a “synthetic hegemony currency” – in other words, a central bank-banked […]