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FTX bankruptcy and fallout: Monday updates and commentary

The following is a running compilation of views and comments on the FTX bankruptcy and implications for the industry.

Crypto prices slide as investors pull funds on concerns other exchanges may follow FTX implosion

The collapse of one of the world’s biggest crypto exchanges last week has investors worried about the finances of other trading platforms. Cold wallet time?

Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary says ‘FTX still has value,’ its story still being written

While FTX’s cash crunch has rattled global markets and investors, a White Knight investor could quickly turn the tide for the company, O’Leary told Forkast in an interview.

Sam Bankman-Fried apologizes in first tweet since Binance saga: I F***** Up

Sam Bankman-Fried sent his first series of tweets since Binance announced and then scrapped an offer to buy his cash-strapped cryptocurrency exchange. He apologized, acknowledged mistakes and said he will do right by FTX users.

FTX debacle has crypto industry pointing finger at regulators in call for clear rules of the road

The FTX.com unraveling has prompted crypto industry leaders to demand clearer rules of the road for trading digital assets.

Sequoia Capital marks down US$214 mln FTX stake to zero

Venture capital firm Sequoia Capital has written down its entire US$213.5 million investment in FTX, the company revealed in a tweet on Thursday.

What a difference a day makes: Options for FTX after Binance ditches buyout?

Binance cites due diligence on FTX books for pulling out of a deal to buy FTX.com, sending markets into a tailspin and leaving Bankman-Fried in need of another buyer… fast.
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Ark Invest swoops in to buy US$21.4 mln in Coinbase shares

Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest seized the opportunity provided by Wednesday’s market downturn to snatch a considerable chunk of Coinbase stock.

Why fears of a dying NFT market are overblown

The NFT ecosystem is doing better than what selective data would have us believe, writes Long Do of Anomura. But the sector should know that people want more than just a pretty picture.

Binance pulls out of FTX buyout; latest updates and commentary

The following is a running compilation of views and comments on Binance’s announcement that it will not go ahead with the acquisition of FTX.com.

Binance likely to back out of FTX deal: report

Binance may scrap its proposal to acquire cryptocurrency exchange FTX, after examining FTX’s “internal data and loan commitments,” according to an unnamed source “familiar with the matter” cited by CoinDesk on Wednesday. 

Binance’s Changpeng Zhao emerges as ‘winner on all fronts’ of FTX acquisition

Commonly known as “CZ,” the Chinese-Canadian founder of Binance appears to have stolen Sam Bankman-Fried’s shine, coming out of the FTX acquisition with the most to gain.

Binance boosts emergency insurance fund to US$1 billion on market volatility

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has raised its emergency insurance fund “SAFU” to US$1 billion equivalent in cryptocurrencies, founder Changpeng Zhao said in a Tweet on Wednesday. 

What could Binance gain from FTX’s wider investments?

FTX has invested in many projects through its FTX Ventures arm, contributing to two of the 10 biggest blockchain and crypto funding rounds in the industry. Here are the top five investments FTX has been involved in.

Binance set to swallow FTX as run on exchange allows CZ to swoop

Top blockchain and crypto news: FTX concedes defeat in long battle with Binance. Crypto eyes Congress races. Hong Kong U-turns on digital assets.

Binance’s pending acquisition of FTX may attract attention of antitrust regulators

Binance chief executive officer Changpeng Zhao already runs the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange so just what are his ambitions?

Binance becomes white knight for fallen FTX: How did we get here?

Binance steps in with deal to buy FTX.com, but with so many moving parts to consider how messy could this pending acquisition get?
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Coinbase says it has minimal exposure to FTX, downplays risk

Coinbase said new users have registered on the exchange, while the crypto exchange claimed it has limited exposure to the underwater crypto exchange FTX.

U.S. midterms: gridlock… and progress on crypto industry regulation?

In a period of toxic divide between the Democrats and Republicans, the need to figure out how to regulate the growing cryptocurrency industry is one of the few issues both parties seem to agree on.
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DeFi still has a long way to go before mass adoption

Decentralized finance will stay niche unless the sector overcomes its myriad problems, including a lack of a credit system and regulations that inspire greater trust, writes Brian Pasfield.

Stablecoin, CBDC issues take center stage at Singapore’s Future of Finance Forum

Central bank digital currencies draw fire over inflation, privacy and threat to innovation, as questions raised over status of stablecoins in digital asset ecosystem.

Canada to examine risks from crypto, stablecoins, CBDCs in budget

The Canadian government will begin a consultation on the risks that digital assets and currencies may pose to the country’s traditional financial system.

Goldman Sachs launches crypto explainer, trend tool for institutional clients

After dabbling in cryptocurrency product offerings, Goldman Sachs is now offering a service to clients to help analyze tokens and market trends.

Curiosity ‘always’ fuels innovation, says blockchain co-creator Stuart Haber 

U.S. computer scientist Stuart Haber, recognized with Scott Stornetta as the co-inventor of blockchain, says he is excited to see the evolution of the technology, not only in the financial sector, but also in entertainment, business, and technology industries.

Standard Chartered invests in Partior blockchain payments platform

London-headquartered banking giant Standard Chartered announced on Thursday that it had invested in the blockchain-based interbank settlement platform Partior, a joint venture of JP Morgan, DBS bank and Temasek.

Crypto Winter will only get worse as industry adjusts: Tezos cofounder

The ongoing Crypto Winter is ‘only going to get worse’ as the industry is re-evaluated amongst tighter interest rates, the cofounder of Tezos predicts.

Hong Kong crypto policy turns on hopes of economic revival

Top blockchain and crypto news: Hong Kong rethinks digital assets. CBDC to debut in India. China’s e-yuan privacy problem.

NFT sales decline for sixth straight month despite tailwinds

While October saw the emergence of two very popular NFT collections, sales failed to break US$500 million in the lowest figures since July 2021.

Hong Kong announces policies to win back role as digital asset hub

Hong Kong reveals digital asset policies to distinguish itself from China, where cryptocurrency trading was banned in September last year.

Hong Kong seeks to allow crypto futures ETFs

The city is seeking to allow digital asset-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to be publicly listed and traded in the city.

Fortune favors the brave? One year on from Crypto.com’s ad with Matt Damon

Trading volume on cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com has slumped about 90% in the 12 months since the company’s “fortune favors the brave” ad.

Visa’s trademark filings hint at launch of crypto wallet

Visa International Service Association on Oct. 22 filed two trademark applications that hinted at plans of launching a crypto wallet.

Binance says will help Busan city grow blockchain industry from bottom up

Busan, S. Korea’s designated blockchain city, plans to make itself a global center for the technology. Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, plans to help.

Hong Kong set to relaunch itself as digital asset hub with revamped policies

When China banned cryptocurrency trading and mining in September 2021, it was feared that policy would make its way into Hong Kong. Seems that concern is getting a rethink.

How to manage your crypto assets beyond the grave

When the Grim Reaper comes, will he take all your Bitcoins, too? Here’s how to ensure your crypto wealth will survive and live on for your heirs.

Crypto a ‘better bet’ than gold, says Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin has called crypto “the better bet” over gold, and that “gold has less adoption than crypto.”

Google to update legal compliance following lost criminal crypto exchange data

Google agreed to improve its legal compliance process in a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice after failing to produce data on the now-defunct crypto exchange BTC-e in 2016.

How Europe’s MiCA can pave the way for crypto’s revival

Europe’s new MiCA framework for regulating crypto shows the good that can happen when government works with and not against the industry, writes Nick Saponaro of Divi Labs.

Aptos debut underwhelms amid questions over design and performance

Top blockchain and crypto news: Aptos launch falls short. Why FTX chief is calling for crypto regulations. Is Hong Kong paving way for a retail CBDC?

UK lawmakers vote to regulate digital assets as financial instruments

Lawmakers in the British Parliament’s lower house voted in favor of recognizing cryptocurrency assets as regulated financial instruments and products Tuesday.

As US midterms approach, poll says voters want policy interests to align with crypto, technology

Survey reveals popularity of crypto ownership among voters, their hopes for the industry’s growing potential and the need for regulation to protect consumers.

The crypto industry needs to do more to help ordinary investors

Cryptocurrency was created to be accessible to the masses. So why are retail investors getting shut out from the best analytical and trading tools?

Is crypto dead? No, but doomsayers may profit from your panic

A lack of regulations means anyone can say bad things about crypto to stir up fear — and push you to sell. Even if they stand to make money from your losses.

Reinventing banking: Why is Standard Chartered so drawn to Web3?

Institutional adoption of Web3 in finance means getting traditional banks involved, which will in turn reshape the way banks work, says SC Ventures’ Alex Manson.

What is XRP and what is Ripple?

Why has Ripple Labs been in the U.S. SEC’s crosshairs and what’s the difference between Ripple and XRP?

JP Morgan appoints ex-Celsius exec to head crypto regulatory policy

JP Morgan Chase has hired former Celsius executive Aaron Lovine as executive director of digital assets regulatory policy, the latest move in the bank’s oscillating regard for the crypto industry.  See related article: JPMorgan Chase executive says crypto usage for payments decreasing   Fast facts A JPMorgan spokesperson confirmed the appointment after Lovine, who headed policy […]

Fidelity Digital Assets to allow clients to trade Ether

Fidelity Digital Assets will allow clients to trade Ether from Oct. 28, according to a company email shared by Fidelity’s customers via Twitter. See related article: Fidelity considers Bitcoin trading on brokerage platform: WSJ Fast facts Institutional investors will be able to buy, sell and trade ETH, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. “With the […]

Hong Kong digital asset firm sets up US$50 mln fund to expand mining business amid crypto winter

Hong Kong-based digital asset management firm JKL Group will set up a US$50 million fund to buy more mining machines to further expand its mining facilities, despite the current crypto winter.

Why local language education holds the key to crypto’s future

The crypto sector operates mainly in English, but more than 6 billion people — many of whom crypto would benefit the most — use other languages, writes Wei Zhou of Coins.ph.

Horizon Worlds fails to lift Meta as users stay away

Top blockchain and crypto news: Mark Zuckerberg’s empty metaverse. South Korea to roll out blockchain IDs. Macau bets on digital money.

Aptos rollout faulted for slow processing speeds; native token plunges

The blockchain network was built by former members of the Meta stablecoin project, with well-known investors and considerable buzz as the new ‘Solana killer.’

Coinbase mulls lawsuit against users who made millions from pricing error

“No finders keepers’ law”: Coinbase considers legal action against some 1,000 users in east Europe’s Georgia who took advantage of a pricing glitch on the platform.

Gold commodities market could enter the blockchain, according to new industry initiative

A partnership between the World Gold Council (WGC) and Swiss-based DLT infrastructure and application provider aXedras Group could make gold trading more accessible and streamlined, though insiders are skeptical, according to a Bloomberg report Sunday.  See related article: Diamond Standard raises US$30 mln to ramp up tokenized asset distribution Fast facts The WGC’s initiative “Gold247” […]

Why the crypto bear market can be a bull for innovation

The market may be in the doldrums, but there’s no better time to clean house and build for the future, writes Clayton Roche of UMA. Here are 5 areas of opportunity.

Macau is betting on digital currency, CBDC as legal tender

The city of Macau, a special administrative region of China and home to a thriving casino industry, is seeking to grant digital currency status as legal tender, the Executive Council of Macau announced on Friday. See related article: Macao needs China’s heft in tech to introduce CBDC, official says  Fast facts See related article: Macao […]

Ethereum supply would have grown by 350,000 tokens under PoW

A recent token launch on Ethereum pushed the network into a deflationary state and the blockchain’s shift to PoS may lower supply even further.

Fintech Cooling Ahead?

Fintech’s growth in the EU has been described as “unprecedented”, but a report warns of consolidation in the years to come.

Tianjin boosts electricity rates to further punish underground crypto mining

Tianjin is the latest Chinese city to announce higher differential electricity rates in an effort to further discourage energy-intensive cryptocurrency mining, which the country banned in September 2021 but continues to exist in some pockets. See related article: Beijing banned crypto mining, so China miners went underground  Fast facts See related article: China takes aim […]

Coin Center files lawsuit over Tornado Cash sanctions, defends crypto privacy rights

Coin Center, a non-profit think tank on cryptocurrencies and public policy, announced Wednesday it was filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), alleging the agency overreached its authority when it sanctioned cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash in August. See related article: What is the future for cryptocurrency mixers after […]

Binance says BSC hard fork successful after hack

Binance Global Inc., the operator of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, says it successfully completed a hard fork of its BNB Smart Chain (BSC) network around 5 p.m. Hong Kong on Wednesday. See related article: Binance to hard fork BNB Smart Chain amid heated debate around decentralization Fast facts A hard fork is a split […]

Fed’s top bank watchdog eyes new regulation for banks doing crypto

Crypto-asset related activities may pose “novel risks” to banks and their customers, prompting the U.S. Federal Reserve to develop further regulations, Fed vice chair for supervision Michael Barr said in a speech Wednesday at D.C. Fintech Week. See related article: U.S. Fed has growing interest in CBDCs, says Jeng at Crypto Council for Innovation Fast […]

Is crypto suffering from the same ills as TradFi?

Centralized lenders like Celsius and Voyager have proven hugely problematic, but DeFi also has big issues. What if we pursue a hybrid approach?

What’s next for Binance after $100 million BNB hack?

Top blockchain and crypto news: Binance puts brakes on BNB Chain theft. Will quantum computing kill crypto? Huobi sells up.

Binance to hard fork BNB Smart Chain amid heated debate around decentralization

The crypto world has been watching how one of the world’s largest blockchains responds to a hack last week and the questions it raises about the state of decentralization in the industry.

Valkyrie to liquidate balance sheet ETF, delist from Nasdaq

Crypto asset manager Valkyrie will liquidate its Balance Sheet Opportunities exchange-traded fund (ETF) at the end of October and then delist from Nasdaq.See related article: What the Bitcoin futures ETF bonanza means for investors Fast facts See related article: Markets: Bitcoin price falls with Ether. Doge sole gainer in top 10 cryptocurrencies

What is the future for cryptocurrency mixers after U.S. sanctions on Tornado Cash?

Tornado Cash, the Ethereum coin mixer slapped with sanctions by the U.S. Treasury back in August, has returned to the software hosting website GitHub amid a flurry of lawsuits against the Treasury for its action.
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WazirX wants to integrate India’s digital rupee

Cryptocurrency exchange WazirX will look to integrate India’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) “if all goes well,” vice president Rajagopal Menon told Forkast in a video interview on Monday.  See related article: RBI to begin CBDC pilots, outlines wholesale, retail concepts Fast facts “We would love to onboard the e-rupee and you can buy your […]

China shuts 13 underground crypto trading apps, a year after ban

Regulators also targeted 23 crypto media websites and 440 bloggers.

A bear market may be painful, but it’s good for DAOs

When times are tough, a DAO must trim fat and focus on providing a better product or service to its community, writes Redmption of Harvest Finance.

EU Council approves MiCA text for crypto regulation

The European Council on Wednesday approved a proposal for cryptocurrency regulation known as the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA), in the first move towards establishing a licensing mechanism for crypto exchanges and assets in Europe.  See related article:  Bitcoin, proof-of-work ban removed from European Union’s MiCA Fast facts Lawmakers at the European Parliament are […]

Aussie laundered stolen retirement funds via Hong Kong using crypto, diamonds

A woman in Melbourne, Australia pleaded guilty on Wednesday to her role in stealing millions of dollars from superannuation (retirement) funds and stock portfolios before laundering the proceeds via Hong Kong through the purchase of cryptocurrency and diamonds, as reported by The Age newspaper. See related article: Australian superannuation and institutions await clarity to invest […]

Ripple Labs joins blockchain carbon credit partnership

Ripple Labs Inc., the firm whose payment network is powered by the self-described carbon-neutral cryptocurrency token XRP, has partnered with Web3 climate startup Thallo and various other companies to build a carbon credit market on the blockchain.  See related article: SEC opposes motions from two firms seeking to back Ripple in XRP lawsuit Fast facts […]