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HK’s Bitcoin Meetup ahead of Bitcoin 2021; Banksy work offered for crypto | The Daily Forkast

Hong Kong arranged a Bitcoin gathering ahead of Bitcoin 2021 Conference in Miami as Phillips auction house offers Banksy’s work for crypto.

Criticisms of Tether’s reserves are unfounded, says Bitfinex CTO

After Tether’s legal settlement with New York, USDT’s growth is exploding—dispelling concerns over Tether’s reserves, says Bitfinex CTO Paolo Ardoino.

DBS Bank tapping on tokenized bonds as a new way to invest

From digital bonds to real estate, blockchain-enabled security token offerings and tokenization are redefining corporate fundraising and investing.

Cardano and Nervos to launch cross-chain bridge

Input Output Hong Kong and Nervos announced today that they will be launching a cross-chain bridge to connect the two networks.

Is India’s central bank greenlighting crypto? Bitcoin fees fall to new lows. Cardano rolls out Alonzo upgrade for DeFi.

Other top blockchain and crypto news: Thailand’s SEC tries to rein in DeFi via regulation. Will China’s future DCEP digital yuan offer smart contracts?

WazirX launches India’s first NFT marketplace

WazirX launched the country’s first NFT marketplace on Tuesday, featuring artists from India and other South Asian nations.

Financial Stability Board seeks faster, cheaper cross-border payments

The Financial Stability Board has launched a public consultation on global targets for cross-border payments.

Privacy coin Monero surges as US and Australia target crypto gains

Privacy-centric coins like Monero, ZCash and Dash are seeing big price rises as the IRS and ATO issue warnings on taxable crypto transactions.

Cardano rebounds 15% as Alonzo smart contact testnet launches

Following the launch of Cardano’s first testnet for its smart contract platform, Alonzo, ADA’s price rebounded by 15% on Monday morning to reach US$1.65.

Crypto crimes surge in Asia; Bitcoin cause for divorce in S. Korea | The Daily Forkast

Crypto crime is surging in Asia while Bitcoin is being blamed for splitting up married couples in South Korea.

How FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried navigates crypto trading’s new normal

From mass liquidations to meme trading, the characteristics unique to the crypto market can now be seen in traditional markets, says FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.

Are 73 SEC actions against crypto enough warning to Ripple about XRP?

SEC says Ripple had plenty of ‘notice’ that XRP transactions could be violating the law via its many enforcement actions against other crypto companies.

Bridging the DeFi data gap with indexing blockchain data

Blockchain technology has massive data requirements, but the data can be difficult and costly to access. What are some of the solutions?

Almost four in ten consumers have bought cryptocurrencies, study finds

Consumer adoption of cryptocurrencies has grown, with 38% of respondents to a survey saying they have either invested in or bought a cryptocurrency, according to digital wallet provider Skrill, part of payments provider Paysafe.

How Ripple found new ways to grow XRP business despite SEC lawsuit

Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse says Ripple was hit hard financially after SEC filed its lawsuit, but the company is now expanding uses for XRP’s technology.

Crypto miner BitDeer blocks China users as Beijing gets tough on sector

BitDeer, one of China’s biggest crypto mining operators, blocked access to anyone using a mainland Chinese IP address last night.

Can Elon Musk shrink Bitcoin mining’s carbon footprint? PancakeBunny’s $200 million hack. Ray Dalio admits to owning crypto.

Other top blockchain and crypto news: Australia signals progressive approach to crypto as Hong Kong moves closer to banning retail crypto trading.

Crypto market rebound as investors go green; Indonesia plans CBDC | The Daily Forkast

Investors are turning to green alternatives to tackle Bitcoin’s impact on the environment as Indonesia gears up for a CBDC.

Polygon and Aleph.im partner to protect NFTs from disappearing

Fast-growing Ethereum scaling platform Polygon and decentralized storage network Aleph.im join forces to ‘supercharge’ Polygon’s NFT ecosystem.

Tether’s market cap tops US$60B despite crypto outflows

Despite recent outflows from crypto, U.S. dollar-linked stablecoin Tether (USDT) has surpassed US$60 billion for the first time this week.

DeFi has boosted challenger banks. Now it’s their customers’ turn

New and innovative lenders are taking advantage of DeFi’s low costs to offer savings account interest rates that Main Street banks simply can’t match.

China crypto crackdown fallout; Politician turns influencer in Korea | The Daily Forkast

China’s miners prepare for migration and Hong Kong reacts to possible retail ban. Meanwhile a South Korean governor becomes a crypto influencer.

Cardano sees US$10M inflows as big investors switch to proof-of-stake coins

Amid declines in Bitcoin and Ethereum, Cardano and its native cryptocurrency ADA saw US$10 million inflows as institutional investors switch to proof-of-stake coins.

Hong Kong split on retail crypto ban; Korean conglomerate on custody | The Daily Forkast

Hong Kong reacts to the region’s pending legislation on limiting crypto investment to professional investors while a conglomerate enters South Korea’s crypto custody scene.

Bitcoin dominance rises to 45% as altcoins crash over China crypto crackdown

As the crypto sell-off continued over the weekend, Bitcoin once again proved its resilience relative to other cryptocurrencies in not bleeding as much.

Half of hedge funds are now investing in crypto, says PwC report

PwC and Elwood Asset Management have published their third annual report on the global crypto hedge fund landscape. Here are its findings.

Bitcoin price plunges and altcoins sell-off as crypto market decline intensifies

Bitcoin and altcoin prices take heavy hits and sell-off deepens as more bad news, including a blatant DeFi exit scam, continue battering crypto markets.

Bybit crypto derivatives exchange launches cloud mining for Ether

Crypto exchange Bybit is launching cloud mining to provide exposure to Ether. What happens when Ethereum moves from proof of work to proof of stake?

Crypto market rebound; Sotheby’s next NFT auction eyes millennials | The Daily Forkast

The crypto market has rebounded after one of its biggest crashes. Bitcoin is a ‘safe haven’ for many investors.

Solana gets Coinbase listing after SOL prices surge amid crypto market crash

Coinbase Pro adds Solana’s native token, opening the doors for US investors after SOL outperforms Bitcoin and most other cryptos amid market crash.

Bank on change: DeFi’s challenge to traditional finance and fintech

As mainstream finance embraces decentralized finance, neither it nor its younger challengers are likely to escape the evolutionary forces at work.

Thailand’s The Brooker Group still bullish on crypto, planning US$3M investment in DeFi

The Booker Group announced that it now holds approximately US$35 million in crypto and plans to invest US$3 million into DeFi in Q2.

What’s really behind the Bitcoin market crash? Tether USDT lifts veil on reserves. Facebook-backed Diem going to California.

Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: BlockFi’s accidental BTC millionaires. China’s Inner Mongolia asks citizens to report illegal crypto mining.

Crypto chaos continues; mass BTC liquidations in exchanges across Asia | The Daily Forkast

Mass liquidations are observed across exchanges as the crypto market continues to struggle. Meanwhile, institutions explore DeFi.

Rejecting traditional finance, some firms now turn to DeFi for growth capital

DeFi project Maple Finance is launching a $17 million lending pool to provide crypto startups with capital. Is this the start of a DeFi credit underwriting trend?

Bitcoin drops below US$40,000; China sends another crypto warning | The Daily Forkast

China’s newest warning against crypto sends market into nosedive and Bitcoin dips below US$40,000 for the first time since February.

Bitcoin long positions worth $1.5 billion liquidated amid crypto crash

Around US$1.5 billion of Bitcoin long positions were liquidated today across some of the world’s top crypto exchanges, including Binance and FTX, according to Bybt data.

China-based SOS announces activation of 6,039 mining rigs for ETH, BTC

Qingdao-headquartered tech company SOS Ltd. has announced the launch of more than 6,000 ETH and BCT mining rigs, claiming 90% renewable energy sources.

Will Singapore launch a people’s digital currency — and support DeFi?

As Singapore builds Project Dunbar, a cross-border multiple-CBDC platform, its government dives into DeFi learning and ponders a CBDC for the masses.

China Merchants Bank launches US$50M DeFi, dApp fund with Nervos

Privately owned Chinese lender continues to target blockchain opportunities as it remains shut out of Beijing’s digital yuan project.

What is Polkadot and why is it one of the hottest blockchains right now?

The final phase of Polkadot’s rollout — with parachains — just kicked off. Here’s what you need to know about Polkadot and parachains, and why it matters.

Led by Cardano ADA, green cryptos rise as Bitcoin, wider market sinks

ADA price holds strong as investors shift to greener cryptocurrencies and Cardano smart contracts get set to launch blockchain into DeFi and NFTs.

India’s demand for crypto ‘growing like crazy’ since ban attempt

It’s only a matter of time that digital currency ‘is going to overshadow all the other forms of money,’ says Neeraj Khandelwal of CoinDCX.

China’s miners on Tesla’s Bitcoin 180; Animoca Brands — a star is born | The Daily Forkast

Asia’s crypto industry reacts to Tesla backtracking Bitcoin payments, while Animoca Brands raises US$88,888,888 in a new funding round.

Crypto markets crash as Tesla stops taking Bitcoin for payments

Elon Musk drops ‘fossil fuel’ Twitter bomb on Bitcoin, triggering a BTC price crash and dragging down Ethereum, Dogecoin and Shiba Inu.

US dollar dominance waning as CBDCs enter global spotlight

Global US dollar reserves touched a 25-year low in Q4 2020, according to a new IMF report. Will a digital euro and e-RMB muscle in?

SHIBA INU trends in Chinese social media; Indonesia mulls crypto tax | The Daily Forkast

Shiba Inu is the new “Doge killer” and Chinese investors “can’t get enough” of it, says Gate.io, as #SHIB trends in Weibo.

SNL lights too bright for Dogecoin; ESG investments join crypto | The Daily Forkast

Dogecoin is on its weekend hangover as trading volumes in India’s WazirX for DOGE reaches new heights. Meanwhile, ESG investments tackle crypto.

New Asian investment portfolio offers exposure to Canada’s Bitcoin ETFs

Aqumon’s SmartGlobalC aims to meet the rapidly growing demand for Bitcoin exposure for traditional investment portfolios in Asia.

How R3 is growing Corda’s reach with China’s Blockchain Services Network

R3’s Corda — one of the most widely used blockchains of Corporate America — is coming to China. What does it mean for the US and Europe?

Chia mining craze is causing massive hard drive shortages in China

The new self-proclaimed eco-friendly crypto leverages unused disk space — but Chia miners are buying out new hard drives and equipment instead.

Court orders SEC to give Ripple internal documents on XRP, Bitcoin, Ether

Ripple scores another in legal wrangling over SEC lawsuit as SEC now must disclose its confidential internal communications over XRP, Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Open DeFi launches DAO: ‘Multi-chain DeFi is here to stay’

Since its launch by Conflux Network, a Shanghai-endorsed public chain, the East-West alliance has added over 30 members. Open DeFi now forms a DAO.

Crypto demand grows in Australia as rich families seek investment edge

Institutional interest propels cryptocurrencies into mainstream for wealthy investors looking to diversify portfolios. High net worth Australians are committing increasing sums in cryptocurrencies as digital assets move from the fringes of investment markets and become steadily more mainstream. Leigh Travers, executive director of technology investment firm DigitalX, says he has observed a growing trend toward […]

How Uniswap V3 and smartBCH seek to streamline DeFi, save on gas

The days of ‘DeFi’ being an insider buzzword are over. But gas fees remain high and the road bumpy. Will Uniswap V3 and smartBCH change anything?

Dogecoin price jumps to new ATH with Gemini support for DOGE

Dogecoin’s price is now at an all-time high of 69 cents, and the joke crypto is now bigger than Ford and Nintendo. Are DOGE investors high on Gemini?

INX completes $125M SEC- approved token IPO

The cryptocurrency exchange INX has completed the first-ever security token offering registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The initial public offering (IPO) closed with $85 million in proceeds from over 7,200 investors. In addition to the previous private token sales and the cash in private placement equity, INX has raised a total of […]

Binance Coin market cap hits new ATH, surpasses $100B

Binance Coin, or BNB, has set another record after posting a new all-time high above $660. The altcoin’s market cap first crossed the $50 billion benchmark in the first few days of April. However, the market cap jumped more than 100% in less than a month. As of this writing, BNB is trading around $661, […]

Argentina looks to crypto shelter amidst inflation turmoil

Struggling Argentines are looking to cryptocurrency for opportunities to stave off rising prices, a devaluing currency and US dollar shortage.

As DeFi swells past US$140 billion, FATF stokes worries over KYC/AML

Fast-growing DeFi — still a largely unregulated industry — gives FATF an earful over its proposed ‘travel rule’ and expanded anti-money laundering rules.

Dogecoin price flies to moon on eToro listing and Elon Musk for rocket fuel

DOGE fans push Dogecoin price to all-time high (ATH) after eToro lists the joke coin for 20 million users, days before ‘Dogefather’ Musk appears on SNL.

Turkey’s Thodex exchange fraud case yields six new suspects

Turkish authorities arrested six individuals in connection with the Thodex exchange fraud case.

Singapore’s DBS Bank reports US$60 million crypto under custody

DBS Bank says it has over US$60 million in crypto under custody and plans to expand trading hours to 24/7.

Why more big investors are now seeking interest and yields in DeFi

As corporations plow billions into Bitcoin, a new business model involving decentralized finance is emerging for investors, says Alessio Quaglini of Hex Trust.

China’s crypto miners make hard choices to meet climate goals

With Inner Mongolia banning crypto-mining and Xinjiang expected to soon follow, China’s crypto miners are turning to green energy or moving overseas.

JPMorgan, DBS Bank and Temasek partner on ‘game-changer’ blockchain for payments

JPMorgan, DBS Bank and Temasek jointly form a new company, Partior, to develop a blockchain platform for cross-border payments and settlements.

Ripple demands SEC to stop obtaining info on XRP dealings abroad

Ripple asks court to stop SEC from using MOU requests to get info on XRP from overseas regulators and pushes for access to SEC’s internal communications.

Japan sees record crypto deposits, nearly 7 times more than last year

Japan’s regulated crypto trading breaks new records in a land known to be the world’s most crypto-averse. Is the tide turning for crypto adoption in Japan?

The NFT revolution is underway, and here’s what our future will look like

More than selling art and basketball mementos in a new way, NFTs can also transform copyright enforcement, royalties, real estate and financial markets.

Binance dives into NFT; S.Korea’s FSC checks staff for crypto trading | The Daily Forkast

Binance announces its upcoming launch of an NFT marketplace while South Korean regulator asks staff to disclose personal crypto investments.

World’s largest crypto exchange Binance to launch NFT market in June

Binance, the crypto exchange with more than 50 million users around the world, wants a piece of the fast-growing NFT minting, trading and auction business.

How blockchain technology can improve trust in democratic elections

Loss of faith in elections may be at an all-time high around the world. Here is how blockchain voting and decentralization can restore public trust.