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The cryptocurrency industry’s liquidity issues — and an effort to solve them

Broctagon Fintech Group is launching what it hopes will become a new global standard for cryptocurrency exchanges to reduce price discrepancies. Will it work?

CrossTower says it wants to collaborate, not compete, with Indian exchanges

CrossTower became the second international crypto exchange to enter the Indian market last week after Binance made its entry by acquiring WazirX in 2019.

China state mouthpiece criticizes NFT mania

A sister paper of the People’s Daily, Securities Times, published an opinion piece to criticize non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as hype and suggested the digital assets should serve the real economy by tokenizing actual assets. Fast facts The article offers as an example Justin Sun’s NFT purchase of a digital avatar for US$10.5 million and the […]

E-CNY problems to be solved; China sees warning over NFT hype

E-CNY problems to be solved, also China sees warning over NFT hype

Altcoins have their day in the sun as market pulls back

A few altcoins managed to stand out coming into the working week as Solana’s tear comes to an end.

What are smart contracts and what are they used for?

In this Forkast.News explainer, learn why blockchains with smart contract capability are surging in popularity and the new darlings of investors.

Iran closes down more unauthorized crypto mining farms: reports

Iran, which imposed a temporary ban on Bitcoin mining a few months ago, continues to crack down on illegal crypto mining operations, closing down thousands of unauthorized mining facilities, according to local media reports. Fast facts The Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company, also known as Tavanir, told the state-run ISNA that it had […]

Searching for Asia’s ‘hidden treasures’ in NFTs and GameFi

Why is Axie Infinity so popular, and what is the potential of play-to-earn gaming? Two venture capitalists share insights on Asia’s special place as GameFi’s hub.

Cardano smart contracts set for Sunday: CrossTower launches in India

Cardano smart contracts set for Sunday also CrossTower launches in India

Mastercard acquires crypto investigation firm to boost security

Payments giant Mastercard announced it is extending its reach into the realm of cryptocurrency with the acquisition of CipherTrace, a blockchain analytics startup, for “greater security, transparency and trust to digital assets across the ecosystem.” Fast facts CipherTrace, which calls itself the world’s first blockchain forensics team, provides cryptocurrency tracking and investigation services. It launched an […]

Cardano set for Alonzo launch, smart contracts and NFTs to come

Cardano’s Alonzo hard fork will bring smart contracts and NFT support to the world’s third-largest blockchain. What will it mean for the crypto market?

Australian banks defend decision to shun business with crypto providers

Two of Australia’s “Big Four” banks — National Australia Bank and Westpac — have hit back at criticism they are suppressing competition by refusing to do business with cryptocurrency providers in the country, according to a report. Fast facts While neither of the banks have formal policies excluding crypto businesses, NAB chief executive Ross McEwan […]

‘Pororo the Little Penguin’ NFTs and metaverse theme park underway

The Sandbox, Animoca Brand’s subsidiary for decentralized virtual gaming, announces partnership with animation studio in Korea.

Crypto mining rig giant Bitmain to supply 56K miners to U.S. partners

China-based Bitmain, one of the world’s biggest producers of cryptocurrency mining rigs, has sealed a deal with its United States partners — ISW Holdings and Bit5ive — to expand its operation in America. Fast facts ISW Holdings, a Nevada-based portfolio company with extensive crypto mining operations, will host 56,000 Bitmain mining rigs and pair them […]

SEC pushes back on Ripple’s legal questions over XRP

Ripple wants to know how SEC regards Bitcoin, Ether and XRP, but SEC says Ripple is repeating the same questions as ‘they do not like the answers they received.’

Former Hong Kong news site issues NFTs to preserve history

Initium Media, also known as 端傳媒, is turning to blockchain technology to grow revenue and to ensure controversial news does not get forgotten — or tampered with.

Markets shed 10-15%; experts say not to worry

Despite significant losses across the board, industry experts are not too concerned, seeing the plunge as normal market behavior.

What are public, private and permissioned blockchains?

What are the different kinds of blockchain, and how do they compare? Learn all about public, private and permissioned platforms in this Forkast.News explainer.

Solana hits all time high: FTX’s NFT marketplace spammed

Solana hits all-time19 high as FTX’s NFT marketplace spammed

FTX’s NFT platform spammed by fish; SBF’s test NFT sells for $270,000

FTX is the latest crypto exchange to join the NFT bandwagon. “Make your own NFTs,” CEO Sam Bankman-Fried tweeted. 

UK regulator slams Kim Kardashian for endorsing speculative token

Charles Randell, chairman of the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority and chair of the Payments Systems Regulator, singled out celebrity influencer Kim Kardashian in his latest speech for endorsing a relatively unknown and unregulated token. Fast facts In June, Kardashian endorsed EthereumMax, a project launched by unknown developers in May 2021. Kardashian, wife of rapper Kanye […]

Solana price reaches new ATH; historic run goes on

Solana (SOL) is continuing to break new ground, gaining 22% in the past 24 hours to reach a new all-time high of US$177.95 at press time, according to data from CoinMarketCap.com. Fast facts It has been a historic run for the network, which rose 45% over the previous week to reach its previous all-time high […]

What is the outlook for a US central bank digital currency?

It’s hard to move forward on a CBDC when those in charge can’t agree. Is time running out for an American digital dollar?

SOL, DOT, ETH are the biggest movers in a week of continued price growth

The broader market recovery following the May crash continues with five of the top 10 coins by market cap showing double-digit growth over the past seven days, according to data from CoinMarketCap.com. Fast facts Continuing its historic run, Solana (SOL) showed the most movement, gaining over 45% this past week to hit a new all-time […]

The world of crypto opens up life-changing earning opportunities for Indian tweens and teens

Gajesh Naik and Laya Mathikshara, two Indian 13-year-olds, are getting global recognition — and making astronomical sums — through their ventures in crypto and NFTs.

How aggrieved traders are uniting against Binance after the crypto crash

Too small to fight as individuals, Binance users are now banding together to take on the world’s largest crypto exchange in arbitration. David Kay of Liti Capital explains how it’s done.

Imagining a global digital wallet and the future it can hold

As governments and citizens embrace digital currencies of all kinds, from Bitcoin to CBDCs, here’s what the world and daily life could look like.

So, no ban? India’s crypto bill will treat virtual currencies as commodities in the asset class

The veil of uncertainty that has shrouded crypto regulatory discussions seems to be lifting, but how the government will regulate and tax digital money remains to be seen.

Deadline looms for Korean exchanges; Doge meme tokenization explodes

Deadline looms for Korean exchanges as Doge meme valuation explodes

Japan’s SBI Holdings announces plans to launch crypto fund by November

In another positive move for Japan’s crypto industry, financial services group SBI Holdings Inc. plans to launch a crypto fund in the country before the end of November, according to a report by Bloomberg. Fast facts Citing Tomoya Asakura, president of SBI affiliate Morningstar Japan K.K., Bloomberg reported the fund could grow to several hundred […]

Fractional ownership of the Doge meme hits $400M valuation

What does it mean to own an NFT? Furthermore, what does it mean to own a billionth of an NFT? For Doge lovers, it might be a good investment, or barking mad.

Poolin partners with crypto trading firm Quant Satoshi to expand US business

Poolin, a major cryptocurrency mining pool with significant operations in China, on Thursday announced a partnership with Quant Satoshi to further expand its mining operation in the U.S. Fast facts Poolin has partnered with Quant Satoshi, an American quantitative trading firm that focuses on crypto high frequency trading, to expand Poolin’s U.S. presence, the company […]

Ethereum dominance trends up while rivals Cardano and Solana hit all-time price highs

As Bitcoin continues to battle the $50,000 level, Ethereum rises in dominance while smart contract platforms Solana and Cardano buck the sideways trend to reach new price levels.

Market cap of crypto mining firms surged 121% this year: CoinShares Research

In the first eight months of 2021, the fledgling but fast-growing cryptocurrency industry saw almost as many companies come to market as 2019 and 2020 combined, according to the “The Arrival of Cryptocurrency Stocks” report published this month by CoinShares Research. Fast facts As of August 20201, there were 57 publicly listed cryptocurrency pure play […]

SEC wins access to Ripple’s Slack message for XRP lawsuit

Overruling Ripple’s objections over cost, a judge gives the SEC a green light to review more XRP-related Slack communications.

India crypto exchanges allow bank deposits; FTT token on a roll

India crypto exchanges allow bank deposits while FTT token on a roll

Eastern Europe is emerging as a hub for crypto scams: report

Eastern Europe is fast emerging as a crypto scamming hub. According to a Chainalysis report, crypto addresses based in Eastern Europe have the second-highest rate of links to illicit addresses, and the region ranks second in terms of the value of cryptocurrencies sent to illicit addresses. Fast facts Eastern Europe has a large cryptocurrency market […]

Hacked DeFi platform pledges to replace stolen crypto to users

C.R.E.A.M. Finance suffered a flash loan exploit that was much larger than earlier estimates

Securities exchange ADDX inks $200M deal to bring digital assets to Chinese investors

Singapore-based digital securities exchange ADDX today announced it had reached a US$200 million agreement that will give accredited investors in China access to digital securities covering various asset types, the company said. Fast facts According to a company statement, ADDX has reached an agreement with ICHAM, a Singapore-regulated wealth and fund management company, to be […]

BSN to launch South Korea portal; Canaan secures huge rig order

China’s BSN to launch in South Korea portal as Chinese Canaan secures huge mining rig orders

Genesis Digital Assets signs deal for 20K mining machines to fuel growth in North America, Nordic region

The order follows a June purchase by Genesis of 10K machines from China-based Canaan, one of the world’s biggest Bitcoin mining rig makers

Australian consumer protection body issues warning to crypto investors

The Securities and Investments Commission warned against investing in digital-asset financial products. Some say the warning lacks specifics.

El Salvador creates $150M fund to assist with BTC adoption

A week out from El Salvador’s adoption of BTC as legal tender, the country’s legislative assembly has approved a US$150 million trust to help facilitate exchange between BTC and the U.S. dollar – the nation’s current official currency, according to a report by local newspaper El Diario de Hoy. Fast facts Last week, Forkast.News reported […]

Dogecoin spawns more pups with Doge NFT split into tokens for resale

Dogecoin keeps spawning pups, and this time, it could be quite a litter. In yet another spinoff of the crypto industry’s biggest meme, fractionalized ownership of the non-fungible token (NFT) of the original Shiba Inu image that launched Dogecoin is up for sale today in the form of $DOGE tokens, Bloomberg reports. Fast facts Ownership […]

How blockchain technology is shaking up courtrooms in Asia

Blockchain is helping with cross-examinations in China while bolstering chain of custody for evidence in Taiwan. Is Asia ahead of the technological legal curve?
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SEC wants to watch videos of Ripple’s company meetings

The battle over discovery escalates between SEC and Ripple over what might have been said about the XRP at Ripple’s all-hands meetings since 2014. Will there be popcorn?

C.R.E.A.M. Finance suffers $28M flash loan hack

C.R.E.A.M. Finance, a Taipei-based decentralized lending platform for individuals, institutions and protocols to access financial services, has suffered a flash loan exploit that led to a loss of about US$28 million, underlining the potential vulnerabilities of decentralized finance mechanisms. Fast facts C.R.E.A.M. tweeted on Monday that its market on Ethereum suffered an exploit, “resulting in […]

Crypto is going mainstream—and the likes of Paypal and Snoop Dogg are leading the way

Though crypto is not yet part of daily life, it may be a matter of time, writes Simon Yu of StormX. Here are the keys to the industry’s long-term success.

Chinese gaming company The9 expands into NFT business

The9 Ltd., a Chinese gaming company that pivoted earlier this year to cryptocurrency mining, unveils plans to get into non-fungible token business, reflecting the company’s ambition to ramp up its blockchain-based operation. Fast facts Nasdaq-listed The9 has announced that its Singapore-based subsidiary NFTSTAR Singapore Pte. Ltd. will launch a NFT trading and community platform NFTSTAR […]

Ethereum, Cardano, Solana lead institutional crypto inflows: CoinShares

Cryptocurrency investment products saw a second consecutive week of inflows of US$24 million last week, despite the eighth consecutive week of outflows from Bitcoin of US$3.8 million, according to CoinShares, Europe’s largest digital assets fund manager. Fast facts Total digital assets under management (AUM) across all digital asset fund providers last week stood at US$56.86 […]

Billionaire investor John Paulson calls crypto “worthless bubble,” backs gold

John Paulson, the billionaire who famously shorted the U.S. subprime mortgage bubble in 2008, has called crypto a bubble that will “eventually prove to be worthless” in an interview with Bloomberg TV. Fast facts “I wouldn’t advise anyone to invest in cryptocurrencies,” said the 65-year-old, who has consistently backed gold as a store of value. […]

More teens in South Korea buy crypto despite strict pending regulations

New data shows increasing deposits made by teens in virtual currency despite new rules that may close down many platforms in less than a month.

Solana crosses $100 price level

As Bitcoin and Ethereum drop after a quick ascent, the surge of Solana (SOL) continues. SOL hit a new all-time high of US$102.07 today, with its market cap reaching over US$29 billion. The world’s eighth largest cryptocurrency has been consecutively hitting new all-time highs in the past four days. Fast facts The market cap of […]

Ethereum network splits into two; update is urged

A network patch designed to fix a bug on the Geth network has led to the world’s second-largest blockchain splitting in two.

Why some big investors are diving into DeFi but others are holding back

Decentralized finance (DeFi) is attracting a lot of attention from traditional banks and venture capital, but many institutions remain firmly on the sidelines. Forkast.News explores why.

Korea’s new FSC chair speaks; Axie Infinity to work with governments

Korea’s new FSC chair speaks meanwhile Axie Infinity to work with governments

Crypto mining rig giant Bitmain confirms TSMC chip price jump

China-based Bitmain, one of the world’s biggest producers of cryptocurrency mining rigs, confirmed in a social media post a 20% price hike in the chips it buys from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Fast facts Bitmain said on Thursday in a WeChat post that TSMC had informed all clients, including the mining rig maker, that […]

Former India central bank chief says cryptocurrencies have a ‘potential future’

While India’s parliament considers a potential nationwide ban on all private virtual currencies, a former governor of India’s central bank says some cryptocurrencies have a “potential future” in the global economy. Raghuram Rajan, ex-governor of India’s central bank and former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, made his comments at a Reuters Global Markets […]

Forkast.News exclusive: Antinalysis is out, proud and ready to tell (almost) all

In a special Q&A, an Antinalysis spokesperson reveals the source of the company’s controversial data and disputes that it’s for criminals. ‘Privacy is a human right.’

Korea reveals crypto exchange ‘Death Note’: DeFi investment booms

Korea reveals crypto exchange ‘Death Note’: DeFi investment booms

Taiwan Semiconductor chip price increase on the way

Amid global supply shortage, the move could impact clients such as mining rig maker Bitmain, which sources TSMC’s wafers for its Antminer S19 series.

DeFi TVL hits all-time high, breaking past correlation with Ethereum price

While DeFi has historically moved with the Ethereum price, the latest all-time high in total value locked in can largely be attributed to new blockchains purpose-built for the sector and institutional interest.

Hacked crypto exchange Liquid secures $120M loan from FTX

While the funds stolen in last week’s cyberattack on Liquid are yet to be returned, the Japanese exchange has secured a US$120 million loan from fellow exchange FTX to cover losses. Fast facts Sam Bankman-Fried, the billionaire CEO of Hong-Kong based FTX, took to Twitter to make the announcement, saying he had always admired Liquid’s […]

UK’s Financial Conduct Authority: Binance has complied with requirements

Binance Markets Limited, the British affiliate of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, is now compliant with the requirements that the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority imposed on the company in June, the FCA said Wednesday. Fast facts The FCA had, back in June, issued a warning to Binance Markets Limited and the Binance Group and imposed […]

How regulators should consider the future of DeFi | Ep. 1

What is DeFi, why it’s poised to enable financial inclusion, and how the showdown between decentralized finance and regulators is taking shape.

HK football team launches NFTs; Food concept offers crypto mooncakes

HK football team launches NFTs; Food concept offers crypto mooncakes

Dark web tool Antinalysis is back and openly available on the internet

The previous version of Antinalysis, which was based on the AMLBot API, was shut down but within a week it has respawned not just on the darknet but also on the clearnet.

Thai SEC proposes new rules for digital asset custodians

Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday launched a public consultation on its proposed amendments to regulations for the custody of crypto holdings in digital asset businesses. Fast facts The additional regulations — which the SEC said are intended to enhance investor protection — include requiring digital asset businesses to comply with “the principles […]

Celsius Network grows 1,900% this year, US$20B AUM

In another sign of decentralized finance’s continued growth, Celsius Network has just announced it now has more than US$20 billion in assets under management – making it one of the largest DeFi platforms in the world. Fast facts These figures came from Celsius’ most recent quarterly internal audit, according to a company press release, which […]
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Dogecoin is going to the dogs, including real-world canines

Just as Dogecoin prices are once again going to the dogs, a Chicago animal shelter is asking for DOGE donations to help real-life dogs in the dumps. Fast facts PAWS Chicago has launched a “Dogenation” campaign, which allows animal lovers to donate to the charity in cryptocurrencies — not just Dogecoin — via QR codes […]

Court in China says trading in cryptocurrency ‘not protected by law’

The ruling by Shandong’s High Court backs up China’s official stance against trading in cryptocurrencies. What does this mean for investors?

Why institutional investors cannot afford to ignore DeFi

Much of traditional finance still believes DeFi is too risky and not worth the bother, writes Ilia Maksimenka of PlasmaFinance. Are these perceptions accurate?