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Top blockchain and crypto news: Miners dodge tax bullet. Blur, Binance heat up NFT lending. Chinese cities’ plans reveal nationwide Web3 ambition.

Virtual assets will receive the same regulatory clarity in Hong Kong as their real-world counterparts, says former Hong Kong SFC regulator Angelina Kwan.

A proposed tax on electricity used by cryptocurrency miners in the U.S. has been scrapped in the deal to raise the country’s debt ceiling, according to Republican congressman Warren Davidson.

NFT-backed lending and borrowing can unlock liquidity and expand investment opportunities. Here are the best practices — and risks.

Bitcoin and Ether rose during afternoon trading in Asia on Friday, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding the Solana and Tron tokens.

The stock price boost for tech giant Nvidia on the back of an AI chip boom has sent AI-related cryptocurrencies on a surge.

Surge of interest in AI chipmaker Nvidia extends to crypto, Binance and Blur vie for top NFT lender spot, while uncertainty abounds over U.S. debt talks.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Asia’s crypto hub race. Is US debt ceiling fight a boon or a bane for crypto? China’s red carpet for metaverse investment.

Bitcoin and Ether fell during afternoon trading in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding Polygon’s Matic token. Most Asian equities declined while most U.S. stock futures strengthened, despite Fitch Ratings placing America’s AAA rating on a negative watch, citing rising concerns that the government could default on its […]

South Korean lawmakers unanimously approved a new bill requiring public officials to disclose their crypto holdings to be implemented in December.

Analysts say the move could signal a bull run in cryptocurrencies.

VeeCon 2023 NFT conference inspires and strengthens the market with community focus and innovation. Gary Vaynerchuk’s keynote resonates with fans worldwide.

While U.S. regulators continue debating over whether cryptocurrencies are securities or commodities, the digital assets industry is being pleasantly welcomed by several Asian cities. And the competition is really hotting up now.

Bitcoin gained 1.71% and Ether climbed 2.35%. Polygon gained the most in 24 hours followed by Tron.

Stablecoins are a key part of the crypto ecosystem, but banks like JPMorgan are now exploring deposit tokens as an alternative. Which is better, and why?

A South Korean ruling party lawmaker proposed all public officials and candidates disclose their crypto holdings in a new bill unveiled last Friday.

Bitcoin and Ether fell during afternoon trading in Asia, along all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding XRP.

Bitcoin and Ether prices fell on Friday morning in Asia. XRP gained after Hong Kong CBDC announcement by issuer Ripple.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Fighting words over USDT erupt on Twitter. Litecoin surges amid memecoin fever. Chinese city bids for blockchain business.

World’s largest cryptocurrency exchange halts Australian dollar services after payment provider cuts off service.

Cryptocurrencies rebounded on Thursday but wallet service provider Ledger’s latest update raised new security concerns.

Bitget is looking to hire 300 more people across operations, compliance, research and development, and customer support, the cryptocurrency exchange said.

San Francisco-based Ripple Labs, a technology and financial services firm built around the XRP cryptocurrency, said it will acquire Metaco, a Swiss-based tokenization and digital asset custody provider, for US$250 million. 

In a new report, U.K. lawmakers suggest treating Bitcoin and Ether like gambling due to significant consumer financial risks.

Bitcoin prices fell on Wednesday morning in Asia but remained above the US$27,000 line. Ether gained but still posted a weekly drop. XRP led gainers among other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 16, 2023, presented by Megha Chaddah for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies return to sideways trading apart from Litecoin, which has continued its bull run in the last 24 hours. In the NFT markets, a Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT sold for US$1 million […]

The U.S. Department of Justice is aiming to crack down on cryptocurrency exchanges that help criminals facilitate money laundering

Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 9, 2023, presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin and Ethereum prices are on the up to start the week off, and Litecoin has skyrocketed in the last 24 hours. The NFT markets are also starting the week off positively, with the Polygon NFT […]

Bank of Korea, the central bank, seems uncomfortable with the Financial Services Commission, the country’s regulator, having the mandate over the cryptocurrency industry. The bank is pushing for more say, arguing crypto can influence the stability of the overall financial market and that involves the central bank.

The U.S. is resisting digitization of the dollar due to it being a threat to the country’s dominance over traditional financial system, said Christopher Giancarlo, former chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and author of “Crypto Dad: Fight for the Future of Money.”

NFTs were ready for takeoff this week and Elon Musk’s tweet blasted it off.

Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Megha Chaddah, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions. Coming up on today’s show:

The three-day NexTech Week trade show kicked off Wednesday in Tokyo, celebrating all things technology, including blockchain and Artificial Intelligence.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 11, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin saw a minor spike in it’s price after the U.S. consumer price index for April was released, but dipped again as crypto exchanges Jane Street Group and Jump Crypto announced it would cease […]

The issuer of the world’s most traded stablecoin raked in US$1.48 billion in net profit for the first quarter of this year, more than double the previous quarter, according to the company’s reserves report on Wednesday.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 10th, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin has seen a slight increase in its price tag as congestion in the Bitcoin networks eases, dropping transaction fees at the same time. However, the NFT markets are still looking a little gloomy […]

Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, Deloitte, Moody’s and other institutions are partnering with Digital Asset for the launch of the Canton blockchain.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 9, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bittrex U.S. has filed for bankruptcy after the Securities and Exchange Commission accused it of operating an unlicensed exchange a few weeks ago. Bitcoin and Ethereum, have continued to drop in prices as a […]

Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 8, 2023, presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Binance halted Bitcoin withdrawals twice today as a result of an influx of pending transactions and sky-rocketing fees. The Ethereum Foundation sold US$30 million worth of Ethereum to Kraken as well, leading to slight dips in […]

Cryptocurrencies in China can be legally used to settle basic relations debts such as exchange and labor, according to the Supreme People’s Court of China.

In the final installment of a three-part interview series, Geoff Kendrick, head of crypto research at Standard Chartered Bank, outlines the lender’s approach to crypto and why he thinks exploration of blockchain use cases is just beginning.

In the second installment of a three-part interview series, Geoff Kendrick, head of crypto research and EM FX West at Standard Chartered Bank, talks altcoins, stablecoins and the legitimization of crypto risk through central bank digital assets.

PEPE and FLOKI, the two top trending memecoins that saw the biggest gains on Friday, will be listed on Binance at 12 a.m. Hong Kong time Saturday

Many tokenized platforms have grave shortcomings, but if better standards could be adopted, the improved transparency can avert future crises, writes Ralf Kubli of the Casper Assn.

Top blockchain and crypto news: JPMorgan swoops as another bank falls. NFT market rivalry heats up. Bitget seeks Hong Kong exchange license.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 4, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung. The Federal Reserve has increased interest rates by another 25 basis points again, leaving it at its highest levels since 2007. The crypto markets have been faring well despite this, with Bitcoin back to the US$29,000 levels and most other major […]

Singapore-headquartered cryptocurrency miner Bitdeer Technologies is planning to expand its mining operations to Bhutan and raise up to US$500 million for a fund through a new partnership with the Himalayan kingdom’s state-owned investment company Druk Holding and Investments.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 3, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. Crypto markets are holding on to gains despite the sell-off in equities ahead of the US Fed decision. Bitcoin was trading at $28,500 dollars up a solid 2% and Ethereum was up a similar percentage at about $1,860.

Coinbase, the publicly listed largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., opened its offshore derivatives exchange in Bermuda on Tuesday.

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is campaigning for a tax on cryptocurrency miners equal to 30% of the cost of the power they use, citing what it calls “negative spillovers” from the industry.

Temasek, Singapore’s state-owned investment firm, has denied that it had invested in Array, an algorithmic cryptocurrency developer.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 2, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. The crypto markets fell with Bitcoin dropping as much as 5% at one point in the last 24 hours but has recovered a bit since then, trading now just under the 28,000 dollar mark, down over 2%. Meanwhile, the NFT markets […]

CFTC and SEC disagree over whether cryptocurrencies are securities, and two big lawsuits clouding the industry’s future invoke laws that long predate the digital era.

Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitget expects more clarity on Hong Kong’s licensing regime from June as the city pushes ahead with plans to attract blockchain and cryptocurrency entrepreneurs.

How would layer 3 improve upon what layer-2 protocols do, and what barriers does this emerging technology still need to overcome? Tony Cheng of Foresight Ventures explains.

NFT IP allows traders to multiply their brands and grow. The Nakamigos collection has leveraged this advantage of the technology.

Mad Lads has been the best selling NFT collection in the world since its launch that was delayed last week due to a DDOS attack.

Coinbase said the Securities and Exchange Commission seems to be undermining its own role as the monitor of companies registering to sell shares to the public

Top blockchain and crypto news: Coinbase in court to force SEC’s hand. PEPE surge lifts memecoin mood. China paves CBDC path with payroll.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 27, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung. The crypto markets suffered from a minor heart attack earlier today when unsubstantiated rumors surfaced, claiming Mt Gox and US Government wallets had allegedly moved large amounts of Bitcoin.

New York-based investment bank H.C. Wainwright has initiated a “buy” rating on publicly traded Coinbase Global Inc., the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., saying the company is poised to benefit from growth in the global digital asset economy as the so-called “crypto winter” of falling prices is over.

Franklin Templeton said Wednesday that its OnChain U.S. Government Money Fund is now supported on the Polygon network.

Ethereum-linked digital asset investment products saw inflows of around US$17 million in the week ending April 21, up from US$300,000 in the previous week, appearing to show investor confidence following the blockchain’s milestone upgrade, Coinshares report shows.

People won’t want to bother with a new technology if it’s painful to use, even if they’re aware of the potential benefits, writes Toby Rush of Redeem.

PEPE, a memecoin launched on April 14, fell 18.81% to US$0.0000002626 in the 24 hours to 7 p.m. on Monday in Hong Kong. The coin is still up over 392% on the weekly chart and has a market capitalization of US$116 million, according to DEXTools.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 24, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung. It’s been a bad weekend for the major cryptocurrencies, with most of them trading in the red over the last seven days. Bitcoin lost its footing with the US$30,000 mark and Ethereum lost all of its gains from the Shapella upgrade.

A new memecoin craze is raising Ethereum transaction fees, but it’s also bringing new liquidity in for non-fungible tokens.

Do Kwon has been charged by Montenegrin authorities for attempting to travel with forged documents as the US and South Korea race to extradite him.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 21, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. The European Union has approved the passage of their Markets in Cryptoassets (MiCA) law, making it the first major jurisdiction in the world to introduce a comprehensive law for the crypto sphere. Meanwhile, the crypto markets have sailed on steadily for […]

The European Parliament has approved the Markets in Crypto-Assets Act (MiCA), a legislation aimed at standardizing regulations and establishing harmonized rules for crypto assets across the European Union

South Korea’s Do Kwon went from a poster boy of digital finance as a co-founder of the US$40 billion Singapore-based Terraform Labs to a fugitive on Interpol’s wanted list, all in a matter of several rollercoaster years. He’s now in a Montenegro jail where he may face more time in detention as the U.S. and South Korea demand his extradition to face a long list of charges, including securities fraud – allegations he has repeatedly denied. The following is a timeline of how we got here.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Bittrex in SEC line of fire. Bored Apes fall after whale sale. Chinese banks court crypto clients.