NFT startup Immutable valued at $2.5 billion in Temasek-led financing
Australian non-fungible tokens (NFTs) startup Immutable has raised fresh funding in a round led by Singapore’s Temasek, bringing its valuation to US$2.5 billion, the company said in a statement on Monday. See related article: Jump in NFT demand reflects crypto prices, right? Wrong Fast facts Immutable raised US$200 million in a Series C funding led […]
Conflict currency: How crypto has become enmeshed in the war in Ukraine
Bitcoin and other cryptos are being used on both sides of the fight, raising ethical issues that cut to the core of decentralization, says AAX’s Ben Caselin
Anchor boosts Terra DeFi amid minor crypto market dip
The crypto market slightly dipped on Friday but the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem in Terra continues to grow with Anchor Protocol leading the way. See related article: Terra bullish trend continues; rest of crypto top 10 in red Fast facts Bitcoin and Ethereum have fallen by 4.7% and 6.2% respectively in the past 24 hours, […]
The future is decentralized: How Web3 can reshape the world
As the public tires of Big Tech’s privacy abuses, Web3’s premise of decentralization has never looked better, writes Edward Chen of Huobi.
NFTs enter ‘mini-bear market’ as buyers drop to three-month low
The number of unique non-fungible token (NFT) buyers in February dropped to 843,000, in what data aggregator CryptoSlam calls a “mini-bear market.” See related article: Wash trading in NFT marketplace LooksRare can inflate prices: analysts Fast facts February’s NFT market had a 7% month-over-month drop in buyers from the all-time high set in January. February […]
Ukraine fundraising gathers pace; Korea’s crypto election?
Support for Ukraine in the crypto world grows as Russia’s attack continues. Meanwhile, hackers gives American tech giant an ultimatum.
Bitcoin shores up Ukraine fighters amid Moscow’s money meltdown
Top blockchain and crypto news: Digital currency battling Russian invasion. Ethereum remains NFT projects’ chain of choice. China to lock up crypto traders.
Over half of S.Korea crypto traders are in their 30s and 40s
South Korea’s financial regulator revealed Tuesday that 58% of the country’s 5.58 million cryptocurrency traders are in their 30s and 40s. See related article: S.Korea crypto market growing but needs promotion, not just regulation: BCG Fast facts South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit released its first report on the local US$45.8 billion crypto market. South Korea […]
Metaverse NFT projects boom as Meta ignores blockchain
It’s been a booming time for the NFT market, and as data from CryptoSlam shows, there has been particular interest in metaverse projects recently.
How the market is evolving from GameFi to SocialFi — and what comes next
A blockchain is a database that can record all transactions and transfers for the entire world. All users can use public blockchain explorers to verify all data is correct. Blockchain facilitates transactions of virtual currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Transactions that take place are fast, cheap, tamper-proof and irreversible. But blockchain technology is not limited […]
Who are the biggest players in the metaverse today?
The multi-faceted metaverse provides new channels for gaming, socialization, art exhibitions and more. Who’s leading the race and how?
Dogecoin price prediction for 2022 set lower than February peak
Dogecoin is expected to close this year at US$0.163, a fraction of a penny less than the memecoin’s February peak of US$0.168, according to Finder’s panel of 33 cryptocurrency and fintech experts. See related article: Ethereum price expected to hit $7,609 in 2022: report Fast facts The panel predicted Dogecoin’s price to double to US$0.32 […]
Bitcoin, crypto market tank as Putin declares war on Ukraine
The cryptocurrency market took a nosedive in what was already seeming like a day in the red zone after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a “special military operation” for the “demilitarization and de-Nazification of Ukraine.” See related article: Crypto market tumbles amid uncertainty over Russia and Ukraine Fast facts The global cryptocurrency market cap dipped […]
Hedera gears up for smart contract upgrade, leads market rebound
Hedera’s HBAR is leading a crypto market bounce with a 14% surge over the last 24 hours to trade at US$0.2306 on the back of the HederaStarter launch announcement as the ecosystem preps for its smart contract era. See related article: Hedera Hashgraph provides provenance for data from Syrian war Fast facts HederaStarter is slated […]
Axie Infinity becomes first NFT series to break $4B in sales
Play-to-earn superstar Axie Infinity became the first non-fungible token (NFT) series to cross the US$4 billion mark in historic sales early Tuesday morning Asia time, according to CryptoSlam data. See related article: Axie Infinity fans play their way to payday as game token prices soar Fast facts Running on the Ethereum sidechain Ronin, Axie Infinity’s […]
LooksRare trails OpenSea in sales volume as developers cash out $30M
Trading volumes on non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace LooksRare dropped by more than half its daily volume since developers withdrew roughly US$30 million of its native LOOKS token and cashed out in wrapped Ether (wETH) Fast facts LooksRare was averaging daily sales volumes of around US$550 million but fell more than 50% overnight in early February […]
Cardano to close 2022 at $2.79, experts predict
Cardano is projected to skyrocket to US$58.04 by the start of the next decade, while closing 2022 at more than double its current value at US$2.79, according to Finder’s panel of 17 crypto experts. See related article: Ethereum price expected to hit $7,609 in 2022: report Fast facts Cardano, which was trading at US$0.96 at […]
Circle’s growth outpaces Tether as it doubles valuation
Circle’s USDC, the world’s second-largest stablecoin, is gunning for the title of the world’s top stablecoin as it closes in on Tether’s market capitalization after doubling its valuation to US$9 billion in a revised merger deal. See related article: Stablecoin issuer Circle to go public in US$4.5B SPAC deal Fast facts USDC’s market cap has […]
Azuki, CryptoPunks battle it out for week’s top NFT title
Azuki, an anime avatars NFT collection, is in a tight race with the CryptoPunks for the weekly sales volume title, building on its successful debut month in January, according to CryptoSlam data. See related article: ‘All eyes are on it:’ CryptoPunks at center of copyright legal dispute Fast facts Azuki traded the top spot with […]
Crypto market rebound is short-lived as Russia tensions loom
Investor relief at last week’s slight market rebound gave way to concerns over military tensions in Ukraine, sending crypto and traditional markets reeling.
Bitcoin leads market-wide downturn as Russia fears rise
Bitcoin led a market-wide sell-off Thursday night Asia time by losing almost 8% coming into business hours Friday Asia time, and was trading at US$40,578 at press time. See related article: Is Bitcoin’s rocky start to 2022 a sign of things to come? Fast facts All other major tokens were down around the same amount, […]
How DeFi’s user interface problems are deterring widespread adoption
DeFi can put investors at risk if they don’t understand how it works, writes Korapat Arunanondchai. Here’s how to improve user experience.
Prime time for crypto as Super Bowl ads make splash
Top blockchain and crypto news: Super Bowl score for digital asset exchanges. CryptoPunks holders face copyright conundrum. Hong Kong warns of NFT risks.
Binance rebrands blockchains for metaverse, DeFi expansions
Binance has rebranded its two blockchains as one BNB Chain on Tuesday, in a push toward the metaverse and decentralized finance (DeFi), an ecosystem the company calls “MetaFi.” Fast facts Binance has taken its name out of its two blockchains, the Binance Chain and Binance Smart Chain, which are now respectively called BNB Beacon Chain […]
Will the new multi-chain world ignite another ‘DeFi summer’?
2022 will see a flowering ecosystem of blockchains working together, writes Will Harborne of DeversiFi. Here’s what the multi-chain future will look like.
Forget synthetic wombs. Give women more opportunities in DeFi and Web3
Vitalik Buterin’s advocacy of synthetic wombs misses the point, writes Izzy Howell of Cypher. Here’s why crypto can do more for gender equality.
Phillips to auction metahuman-made NFTs for Valentine’s Day
Phillips, a global auction house, launched a nine-day non-fungible token (NFT) auction on Monday, Valentine’s Day, in Hong Kong. Fast facts Six artworks are being auctioned as NFTs. One NFT for bidding is an auction data-generated NFT “Drowning in Love” made by MonoC, a virtual artist developed by Gusto Collective. MonoC is a virtual metahuman […]
Will the growing regulatory heat on stablecoins stifle innovation?
As stablecoins face pressure to adopt traditional safeguards, the industry’s efforts to self-regulate should not be overlooked, writes Charlie Martin of Gro.
Fan friction: What’s keeping influencers and artist communities from Web3?
The new token economy offers unparalleled opportunities for content creators, writes Weiwei Geng of Unite.io. Improving user experience will be key.
AssangeDAO strikes crypto gold
WikiLeaks founder’s legal defense fundraising bonanza. Shiba Inu’s big new leap. NFT fever rises in China.
What is Web 3.0 and how will it shape the crypto future?
By returning data ownership and reshaping human-machine interactions, the third generation of the internet promises an interconnected future.
Memecoins prove their staying power, despite industry skepticism
Last weekend’s rally shows there is still life left in memecoins. Industry insiders weigh in on where they stand in the long run.
Web 3.0 developer Alchemy reaches $10B valuation
Web 3.0 blockchain developer Alchemy announced on Tuesday that it has raised an additional US$200 million, bringing its valuation to US$10.2 billion. Fast facts Led by venture capital firms Lightspeed and Silver Lake, the funding is a continuation of its Series C round launched in October where it raised US$250 million at a US$3.5 billion […]
3D NFT marketplace coming to Polygon via Smart MFG
Smart MFG, a blockchain-based supply chain decentralized finance firm, has integrated with Polygon to launch Phigital, a 3D marketplace for non-fungible tokens (NFT). Fast facts Phigital will focus on interoperability of 3D assets across metaverses, and NFTs with real-world use cases. The movement of different assets and NFTs across metaverses has been one of the […]
Polygon raises $450M led by Sequoia Capital India
Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution Polygon has raised US$450 million from several big name investors including Sequoia Capital India, SoftBank, Galaxy Digital and Tiger Global, boosting its war chest as demand for its services grow. Fast facts Polygon is one of the most prominent Ethereum scalers whose tools allow developers to create decentralized apps (dApps) and […]
Year’s biggest rally pushes crypto market cap above $2 trillion
After a poor start to the year, the market needed some good news. Industry watchers urge caution.
Number of unique NFT buyers soars to all-time high in January
Unique non-fungible token (NFT) buyers hit an all-time high (ATH) in January with more than 895,000 shoppers, according to data tracker CryptoSlam. Fast facts The new ATH recorded an almost 3,000% year-over-year increase and a 6.5% month-over-month growth. The number of unique sellers grew by almost 14% from December to January with 741,865 vendors, just […]
Solana DeFi avoids meltdown as Wormhole loss replaced
Jump Crypto announced that it replaced 120,000 ETH Friday morning Asia time to its cross-chain bridge Wormhole after a US$325 million exploit left wrapped Ether (wETH) in the Solana ecosystem unbacked. Fast facts The hacker was able to exploit Solana’s verification system to mint 120,000 wETH, and use it to funnel at least 93,750 ETH […]
Will blockchain’s future be cross-chain or multi-chain?
Vitalik Buterin caused an uproar over his recent criticisms of blockchain bridges. Here is a rebuttal in support of this nascent technology.
Indian crypto tax ends fears of ban as investors brace for impact
Top blockchain and crypto news: New Delhi’s crypto give and take. Malice in Wonderland? Hong Kong’s selective spot ETF rules.
Another NFT marketplace launches ‘vampire attack’ against OpenSea
Mark Cuban-backed non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Mintable launched a self-described vampire attack against top marketplace OpenSea by selling popular collectibles at a loss. Fast facts Singapore-based Mintable conducted a fire sale of nine Mutant Ape Yacht Club NFTs by selling them 1 to 2 ETH below their floor price on Jan. 26, while another was […]
Non-US XRP investors petition for congressional investigation of SEC
Lawyer for 63,000 XRP investors invites non-US investors to demand a congressional investigation of the SEC for impropriety.
When the going gets tough, the tough get their wallets out
The recent crypto price plunge has done little to rattle new investors. Are they just buying the dip, or is there more to it? Q9 Capital’s James Quinn explains.
Are crypto e-red packets a thing for the Lunar New Year?
Digital payments are commonplace in Asia, but gifting crypto as lucky money remains niche.
What is OpenSea and why is everyone talking about it?
OpenSea is the world’s largest open marketplace for NFTs. Find out what’s driving everyone there in this Forkast explainer.
Regulatory uncertainty has not slowed down India’s crypto sector
With new products and services being launched and international exchanges setting up camp, crypto startups thrive despite the shadow of a crypto ban.
Kakao’s Klaytn latest to join China’s BSN International
Klaytn, a public blockchain platform under South Korean internet giant Kakao, has joined China’s Blockchain-based Service Network’s (BSN) international infrastructure. Fast facts Klaytn’s joins fellow public blockchains Ethereum, Solana, Tezos and Polkadot in BSN International, to become accessible to the 25,000 developers in the ecosystem. The BSN is a Chinese state-backed project that is split […]
Crypto market suffers mauling as bears go berserk
Top blockchain and crypto news: Market chills make investors shiver. Hacking storm at OpenSea. Has Beijing tamed NFTs?
‘We’re in a crypto super cycle,’ says CoinFLEX CEO
Mark Lamb of CoinFLEX takes a 20-year view of crypto and predicts ‘infinitely bigger’ growth than imagined today, with stablecoins leading the transformation.
SEC wins time to resist crucial document handover to Ripple in XRP lawsuit
A federal judge on Monday has given the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) until Feb. 17 to fight her earlier order to turn over to the defendant Ripple Labs certain sensitive government documents in the agency’s lawsuit alleging the XRP token is an unregistered security. Fast facts Ripple and XRP investors initially believed they […]
China’s BSN names eight partners for its non-crypto NFT platform
China’s state-backed blockchain network disclosed eight platform partners today in line with the soft launch of its non-fungible token (NFT) platform, the BSN-DDC network. Fast facts The auction house Rong Bao Zhai, Hainan International Culture and Artworks Exchange Center — an essential part of China’s free trade port — and EY Blockchain are among the […]
OpenSea NFT marketplace hacked for 332 ETH
OpenSea NFT marketplace has suffered a front-end attack with the exploiter withdrawing 332 ETH (US$800,000), as reported by security and data tracker PeckShield. Fast facts PeckShield noted the issue overnight Asia time, revealing the attacker received 10 ETH from Ethereum mixer TornadoCash, which was then wrapped to wETH to carry out the attack. The non-fungible […]
Crypto market tumbles amid uncertainty over Russia and Ukraine
Bitcoin and Ethereum fall below psychologically important levels as rising uncertainty clouds markets. Is the Fed also depressing crypto’s prospects?
Fantom overtakes Binance Smart Chain in DeFi TVL
Fantom has overtaken Binance Smart Chain (BSC) to become the third-largest blockchain in decentralized finance (DeFi) as measured by total value locked (TVL), according to DeFiLlama. Fast facts Fantom’s TVL bucked the global crypto market downtrend and increased more than 60% to US$12.2 billion over the past week, as of publishing time. Fantom is an […]
NFTs and music: Is the fan outcry over NFTs’ environmental impact warranted? | Part 4
K-pop fans are waging online campaigns against their favorite artists over NFTs, denouncing the technology’s carbon footprint. How polluting are NFTs?
Facebook, Instagram explore NFT integration, marketplace: report
Meta’s Facebook and Instagram are exploring plans that would allow non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to be used as profile pictures, according to a report. Fast facts The plans include the showcasing, minting and selling of NFTs, several insiders told Financial Times. Meta staff members are also reportedly discussing the launch of a marketplace to buy and […]
Bitcoin price falls below $40K for second time in two weeks
The price of Bitcoin dropped below US$40,000 on Friday for the second time in two weeks, in the face of headwinds from the Russian central bank’s call to ban crypto trading. Fast facts Bitcoin lost up to 11% on Friday morning Asia time and was trading at US$38,599 at press time, according to CoinMarketCap. The […]
Straight shot: How sports stars are sidestepping middlemen in Web 3.0
A pro basketball player and an ex-banker are aiming for a slam-dunk with a ‘creator first’ content platform. Calaxy co-founder Solo Ceesay explains how.
Google hires former PayPal exec in crypto push
Google has hired former PayPal executive Arnold Goldberg to run its payments division as the company eyes offering a broader range of financial services including cryptocurrencies. Fast facts “Crypto is something we pay a lot of attention to,” Google’s president of commerce Bill Ready told Bloomberg. PayPal has already incorporated cryptocurrency into its business, recently […]
The rising tide of decentralization in mass movements
Alternative approaches to governance have never been more important, writes Alexander Filatov of TON Labs. Here is how DAOs can change the world.
Crypto clampdowns mount in Asia as authorities ponder bans
Top blockchain and crypto news: Asian governments target crypto. Managing MATIC. China’s expanding metaverse.
Crypto-related crimes in China still high despite ban on transactions
The total number of legal judgments involving crypto-related crime in China slightly dipped in 2021 to 5,137 cases, as the nationwide clampdown continues, according to a research report. Fast facts China’s legal system published 5,170 judgments in 2020, a significant leap from 3,474 in 2019, Chinese blockchain data tracker Zhongke Lianan found in its report. […]
Fusang receives green light for US$10M equity-token IPO
Malaysian exchange will offer equity tokens representing direct shares on the blockchain, claiming it will be the world’s first fully regulated equity-token IPO.
Polygon upgrade ignites token burn to make MATIC more valuable
Polygon’s upgrade, which piggybacks off Ethereum’s EIP-1559, makes MATIC deflationary while allowing users to estimate gas fees more accurately.
S. Korean lawmaker takes Bitcoin donations, issues receipts in NFTs
South Korean lawmaker Lee Kwang-jae announced on Sunday that he has started accepting political donations in cryptocurrencies. Fast facts Donors can use Bitcoin, Ethereum, Kakao’s KLAY, media industry-focused NEWS, and payments-focused Paycoin, while receipts can be issued as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), according to Lee’s website. The first donor was an anonymous professional from the blockchain […]
How to invest in cryptocurrency
If you’re intrigued about Bitcoin’s price history or Ethereum’s all-time highs, you might be wondering if you’re missing out on financial gains. To explore how to get started in investing in cryptocurrency, Forkast has created a quick explainer video on what to do and the options. What you’ll learn: What are the two types of […]
Upstart NFT marketplace LooksRare challenges OpenSea’s dominance
The NFT platform crosses $1B in sales volume within a week after launch, but with a controversial incentive structure and so-called ‘vampire’ attack.
North Korea hacked US$400M of crypto in 2021, says Chainalysis
State-backed hackers from North Korea stole cryptocurrencies worth about US$395 million last year across at least seven cyber attacks, according to Chainalysis, a blockchain data company. Fast facts Several of the attacks were likely led by Lazarus, a group of hackers believed to be backed by North Korea’s primary intelligence agency, the Reconnaissance General Bureau, […]
Kim Kardashian sued for alleged crypto pump-and-dump
An investor is suing Kim Kardashian; boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr.; Hall of Fame basketball player Paul Pierce, and the cofounders of Ethereum Max for allegedly colluding to promote the cryptocurrency last spring in a pump-and-dump scheme, according to papers filed on Jan 7. Fast facts The investor, Ryan Huegerich, brought the federal suit in the […]
New NFT marketplace challenges OpenSea’s dominance
New non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace LooksRare has outsold market leader OpenSea just a day after launch, reaching US$275.5 million in sales volume in the past 24 hours. Fast facts This compares with almost US$120 million in sales volume for OpenSea over the same period, according to DappRadar. Like its main competitor, LooksRare, which launched on […]
Indian authorities seize assets in alleged $162M crypto scam
The Enforcement Directorate in India seized assets of a businessman worth around US$4.9 million in a money laundering case involving a crypto scam, according to a press release on Monday. Fast facts Nishad K and his associates allegedly perpetrated a crypto scam in which some 900 investors were cheated out of approximately US$162.4 million. The […]
Is Bitcoin’s rocky start to 2022 a sign of things to come?
The 2022 crypto market has had a tough start as Bitcoin and Ethereum dipped below significant price points. But crypto experts say it’s not all doom and gloom.