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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.

Shares of Singapore-based cryptocurrency miner Bitdeer have slid more than 35% since their Nasdaq debut on April 14, and were trading at US$6.41 at closing on Wednesday.

Nothing in life is free. Be wary of crypto exchanges that offer ‘free trading,’ and ask hard questions about how they make money, writes Ben Caselin of MaskEX.

SEC Chair Gary Gensler did not give a direct answer when asked whether Ether is a security or a commodity at a congressional oversight hearing on Tuesday. 

CoinShares data showed Ethereum-linked products saw little investment interest with inflows of around US$300,000 in the week ending April 14, accounting for a tiny portion of the total US$114 million weekly inflow into digital assets and despite the blockchain’s milestone upgrade last week.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Ethereum fork prompts price fall fears. Satoshi is found — in Apple software. Hong Kong ramps up Web3 plans.

China has fined Bitmain, one of the world’s biggest producers of cryptocurrency mining rigs, nearly US$3.6 million for alleged tax violations, according to the Beijing tax authorities.

Singapore-headquartered crypto mining firm Bitdeer Technologies is set to go public on Nasdaq on April 14 via a SPAC merger following multiple delays in closing the US$4 billion deal.

Adam Sullivan, whose most recent role was managing director of XMS Capital Partners, will will work on financial and strategic matters while assisting with the negotiation of a reorganization plan.

The U.S. SEC Investor Advisory Committee urged the federal agency to continue its aggressive enforcement on crypto players that offer unregistered securities.

South Korean exchange GDAC has suspended withdrawals and deposits after losing over US$13.1 million in Bitcoin, Ether, Wemix and USDT in a hack.

OpenSea has reignited the marketplace battle by introducing its own pro tool. What’s in it for NFT traders?

ECB President Christine Lagarde said the digital euro would have “limited control” in a prank call.

PostFinance, a Swiss government-owned retail bank, has partnered with Sygnum Bank to provide crypto-related services.

Amid the current banking crisis, each side is exhibiting disdain for the other when neither holds the moral high ground, writes Rachel Lin of SynFutures.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Arbitrum to segment AIP-1. DeGods NFT collection moves to Ethereum. Crypto on the agenda at ‘China’s Davos.’

Americans spend more than US$12 billion in remittance fees each year when sending money to family and friends living overseas using the traditional financial system. However, overseas remittances using Bitcoin and Ethereum cost 96.7% less, according to research by Coinbase.

Polygon blockchain is gaining traction among traders with fast transactions, low gas fees and Ethereum’s provenance. From hosting popular games to partnering with major brands, Polygon’s versatility is one to watch.

The Philippines has licensing requirements and proactively monitors crypto firms, while the US regulates by enforcement only after consumers are already badly hurt, writes Robert De Guzman of Coins.ph.

Most cryptocurrencies remained calm in spite of the CFTC-Binance lawsuit.

Hong Kong-based asset management firm Plutus VC plans to raise US$100 million by the end of 2023 to fund investments in the cryptocurrency market, according to a Bloomberg report. The fundraising comes as the city moves to regain its status as an international finance and crypto hub.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Binance targeted in CFTC lawsuit. Law catches up with Do Kwon. Chinese banks bet on Hong Kong crypto.

Binance saw about US$627 million in net Ethereum-related withdrawals in the 24 hours through Tuesday morning, data from blockchain analytics platform Nansen showed.

For long, people could only put cash into a bank account or under the mattress, writes Eric Johnson. Will blockchain technology offer a viable alternative?

Despite the potential sell pressures after Ethereum’s upcoming hard fork, it’s more likely that ETH stakers will hold for the longer term, writes Bill Xing of Bybit.

The Group of Seven industrial countries will discuss tougher rules on cryptocurrencies to improve transparency, protect investors.

If there was a lesson from the crypto implosions of 2022, it is the demonstration of the superiority of open code and decentralization over central intermediaries, argues Voorhees at DC Blockchain Summit.

Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitget said it has invested US$30 million in decentralized multi-chain wallet BitKeep to become its controlling shareholder. 

Japan’s been a little behind in the Web3 space, but their new Metaverse Economic Zone could be a game changer.

Poolz Finance, a cross-chain crowdfunding launchpad for Web3 projects, has been exploited for US$390,000 worth of digital assets

Top blockchain and crypto news: USDC stabilizes after SVB collapse. Silvergate closes shop. China tightens financial supervision.

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, announced that it is halting its British pound deposits and withdrawals.

The recent U.S. banks fallout is a stress test for both traditional finance and digital assets but to weather the storm side by side is a powerful opportunity, says Circle Chief Strategy Officer Dante Disparte.

The recent U.S. bank failures are proof that the banking system is introducing systemic risks to the crypto industry, not vice versa, says Circle chief strategy officer Dante Disparte.

As the U.S. tries to head off a bank run, crypto is quickly running out of places to bank with.

Euler Finance, a decentralized finance lending protocol has lost approximately US$197 million in an exploit, according to online crypto security analysts.

The collapse of Voyager and Celsius highlights the risks of crypto investing apps and underscores the need for tailored user education, writes Jackson Zeng of Caleb & Brown.

Circle said its $3.3 billion of USDC cash reserves at the collapsed Silicon Valley Bank will be available Monday after regulators stepped in to backstop deposits.

Crypto markets slammed by Fed, Silvergate, lawsuits.

The Forkast SOL NFT Composite dropped 6.13% over the past week while sales increased. Industry expert suspects casino-like behavior of traders moving funds to new projects.

Savvy traders are quick to extract liquidity to reinvest into the “slot machines” of the NFT casino, according to CryptoSlam’s NFT strategist.

The NY State Attorney General is suing crypto exchange Kucoin for not registering as a securities and commodities broker-dealer and calling itself an exchange.

NFT sales and market capitalization show rising investor activities, but recycled liquidity and wash trading may tell a different story, Forkast Labs co-CEO says.

CFTC chair Rostin Behnam has called Ethereum a commodity and not a security, in apparent contrast to past statements from SEC Chairman Gary Gensler.

Canaan’s shares on Nasdaq closed 3.83% lower at US$2.51 on Wednesday after the cryptocurrency mining rig maker reported an 82% year-on-year drop in revenue on Tuesday for the fourth quarter of last year, citing “lackluster market demand” for mining machines as the price of Bitcoin fell.

Silvergate Capital said Wednesday it will cease operations and liquidate its bank unit.

The Forkast 500 NFT Index dipped 1.25% to 4,235.97 in the 24 hours through 10:00 a.m. in Hong Kong on Thursday.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Silvergate woes spark bankruptcy talk. LDO dips on false enforcement rumors. Chinese leaders push digital development.

Stablecoins could have a place in the U.S. financial services sector if appropriate regulation is put in place, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said on Tuesday at a hearing before Congress.

As multi-chain NFTs take off, Forkast Labs launches a vital new way to measure value on the blockchain.

Alameda Research has filed a law suit against crypto conglomerate Digital Currency Group and its asset management business Grayscale over trust investments.

Web3 is growing more rapidly than the early internet, writes Ken Timsit of Cronos Labs. But to achieve mainstream success, the following issues must be addressed.

DBS bank’s digital exchange, which serves institutional clients, said macroeconomic conditions last year were not suitable for security token offerings (STO), but it will explore opportunities for such listings in 2023 and plans to add more crypto tokens.

A U.S. central bank digital currency would “crowd out” the cryptocurrency ecosystem and protect national security, according to an ex-top presidential adviser.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Blur wash trading explodes. Coinbase extends developer foray with Base test. Hong Kong crypto embrace gets Beijing’s nod.

American payments giant Visa is not slowing down its cryptocurrency plans despite last year’s bear market, according to the firm’s crypto head Cuy Sheffield.

Yuzo Kano, co-founder of Japan’s largest cryptocurrency exchange bitFlyer Inc., said he plans to return as CEO, sell shares to public.

Now a teenager, crypto is wrestling with its identity and purpose. But it’s learning from its mistakes and on its way to maturity, writes Zach Bronstein of Endaoment.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have remained stable while Wall Street reported its biggest loss of the year. How has crypto remained unimpacted by problems seen by the stock market?

World governments should not grant cryptocurrency legal tender status, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) executive board said in its new nine-point action plan on how countries should approach crypto assets published Thursday. See related article: India working with IMF, FSB on crypto regulations, says economic affairs secretary Fast facts See related article: India’s finance minister […]

The blockchain sector’s gender divide is narrowing. Its newness and founding ideals also allow for more flexible workplaces, writes Anastasia Kor of Choise.com.

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has partnered France-based global payments giant Ingenico to offer in-store crypto payments in France using Binance Pay.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Blur’s success spurs changes at OpenSea. Is Binance eyeing US exit? Taiwan asset disclosure rules may include crypto.

Vancouver-based cryptocurrency mining firm Hive Blockchain Technologies Ltd. reported bigger losses in its latest quarterly earnings report published Tuesday, mainly due to Ethereum’s Merge and lower Bitcoin prices.  See related article: Bitcoin mining difficulty dips 0.5% over two weeks after hitting record high Fast facts See related article: Bitcoin miner Greenidge Generation cuts NYDIG debt […]

Multi-billion dollar bankruptcies, fraud allegations, scandal, and plunging cryptocurrency prices in 2022 all characterized why investors came to distrust centralized exchanges. Yet, some commentators expect platforms to become ever more centralized … and regulated.

Cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global is seeking to relocate its Asia headquarters from Singapore to Hong Kong.

Greater transparency and confidence in who you are transacting with could go a long way toward alleviating public mistrust, writes Travis Nelson of Quadrata.

The cryptocurrency industry this week reacted to the recent moves by U.S. authorities against Kraken and Paxos. Meanwhile, India has been calling for a collaborative approach to crypto regulations.