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Top blockchain and crypto news: Asia’s crypto hub race. Is US debt ceiling fight a boon or a bane for crypto? China’s red carpet for metaverse investment.

Hong Kong is the most crypto-ready jurisdiction in the world, based on the number of blockchain startups per 100,000 people and the number of crypto ATMs proportional to the population, according to a new study by forex education platform Forex Suggest. 

Bitcoin and Ether fell during afternoon trading in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding Polygon’s Matic token. Most Asian equities declined while most U.S. stock futures strengthened, despite Fitch Ratings placing America’s AAA rating on a negative watch, citing rising concerns that the government could default on its […]

South Korean lawmakers unanimously approved a new bill requiring public officials to disclose their crypto holdings to be implemented in December.

Analysts say the move could signal a bull run in cryptocurrencies.

The high court of Montenegro’s capital city Podgorica has revoked its decision to grant bail to Terraform Labs chief executive officer Do Kwon.

All top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies fell, as investors assess macro sentiment.

Japan will introduce strict anti-money laundering rules on cryptocurrency transactions from June 1, the Southeast Asian nation’s cabinet decided on Tuesday.

OCBC Bank will offer tokenized equity-linked structured notes to accredited investors, in a partnership with private market exchange ADDX.

Bitcoin dropped 2.33% to US$26,671. Ether lost 2.15% but traded above US$1,800.

China’s Nanjing City launched a state-backed organization on Monday to promote and enhance metaverse studies throughout the nation.

Only 4.2% of South Korean citizens have said that they regularly use metaverse services, a recent survey results show.

For crypto to grow for the long term, the industry must show greater respect for global standards that combat crime, writes Slava Demchuk of AMLBot.

Top 10 non-stablecoin cryptos traded mixed, while investors continue to assess U.S. debt talks.

VeeCon 2023 NFT conference inspires and strengthens the market with community focus and innovation. Gary Vaynerchuk’s keynote resonates with fans worldwide.

While U.S. regulators continue debating over whether cryptocurrencies are securities or commodities, the digital assets industry is being pleasantly welcomed by several Asian cities. And the competition is really hotting up now.

Seychelles-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange Bitget announced on Tuesday that it successfully registered as a virtual asset service provider in Poland.

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has been accused of blending client funds with its own corporate revenue in violation of U.S. financial regulations, according to three unnamed sources cited by Reuters.

Hong Kong will allow licensed cryptocurrency trading platforms to offer services to retail investors and will implement a slew of measures to protect individual traders, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) said on Tuesday.

Cryptocurrency wallet Ledger’s new update allows governments to access users’ seed phrases via subpoena, said Pascal Gauthier, the chief executive officer of Ledger. 

Bitcoin gained 1.71% and Ether climbed 2.35%. Polygon gained the most in 24 hours followed by Tron.

The Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission warned the public last week not to use crypto exchange Gemini’s derivatives platform.

For every PayPal or Google, countless other startups from the bubble days of yore took investor money down the toilet, writes Naveen Agnihotri. What makes this AI boom any different?

The top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ether, were up across the board as U.S. Fed rate talks and debt negotiation outcomes remain unpredictable.

As U.S. regulators file lawsuits against cryptocurrency platforms, prompting some digital asset companies to seek more favorable jurisdictions, a fleet of cities in Asia are putting out the welcome mat, seeking to attract the jobs and investment that Web3 technologies promise. Right now, Hong Kong seems to be grabbing the limelight, but it has competition.

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), the capital markets regulator, has charged cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global and its chief executive officer Leon Li for operating a digital asset exchange (DAX) without registration.

Bitcoin traded below US$27,000 in Monday afternoon trade in Asia.

Stablecoins are a key part of the crypto ecosystem, but banks like JPMorgan are now exploring deposit tokens as an alternative. Which is better, and why?

A South Korean ruling party lawmaker proposed all public officials and candidates disclose their crypto holdings in a new bill unveiled last Friday.

Circle Vice President of Global Policy Corey Then says he is optimistic that U.S. regulatory developments can eventually benefit local players despite ongoing scrutiny.

Bitcoin fell below US$27,000 on Sunday, dipping further Monday morning in Asia as wider macro developments continue to weigh.

Bitcoin traded below the US$27,000 mark for most of the week, as investor sentiment was weighed down by the prospect of the U.S. government’s potential default. Investors will be closely monitoring the ongoing debt ceiling negotiations.

Investors remain cautious as U.S. debt talks continue despite slowing inflation and large NFT purchases.

Bitcoin and Ether fell during afternoon trading in Asia, along all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding XRP.

Ripple Labs has launched a new payment platform for a central bank digital currency in Hong Kong.

Bitcoin and Ether prices fell on Friday morning in Asia. XRP gained after Hong Kong CBDC announcement by issuer Ripple.

Electric vehicles remain rare in developing countries because of high costs and ‘range anxiety,’ writes George Cox of eTukTuk. Here’s how blockchain technology can remove those barriers.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Fighting words over USDT erupt on Twitter. Litecoin surges amid memecoin fever. Chinese city bids for blockchain business.

Rollout of the central bank digital currency in Hong Kong is a potential game-changer and a move that others may soon look to follow.

World’s largest cryptocurrency exchange halts Australian dollar services after payment provider cuts off service.

Cryptocurrencies rebounded on Thursday but wallet service provider Ledger’s latest update raised new security concerns.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 18, 2023, presented by Megha Chaddah for the latest in the crypto markets. The US debt ceiling could be raised after hopes of reaching an agreement to avoid a default triggered gains across the board. As the Asian equities markets trade green by noon Hong Kong time, the crypto […]

Smart Communications, one of the Philippines’ largest telcos, is entering the Web3 space through a partnership with Web3 community enabler in Southeast Asia, BlockchainSpace.

Bitcoin’s mining difficulty level rose 3.22% on Thursday, hitting an all-time high, as the network’s hashrate also increased to a record high.

Montenegro prosecutors have filed an appeal against a local court decision to approve bail for the detained Terraform Labs CEO Do Kwon.

Conflux Network and China Telecom on Tuesday unveiled their first blockchain-based SIM card, which will be piloted in Hong Kong.

Bitcoin prices rose on Thursday morning in Asia. Ether edged down, while other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization gained.

Bitget is looking to hire 300 more people across operations, compliance, research and development, and customer support, the cryptocurrency exchange said.

Ordinals inscriptions have slowed down this week but Bitcoin continues suffering from congestion issues due to the BRC-20 craze.

San Francisco-based Ripple Labs, a technology and financial services firm built around the XRP cryptocurrency, said it will acquire Metaco, a Swiss-based tokenization and digital asset custody provider, for US$250 million. 

In a new report, U.K. lawmakers suggest treating Bitcoin and Ether like gambling due to significant consumer financial risks.

Bitcoin prices dropped below US$27,000 on Wednesday afternoon in Asia, while XRP gained the most after positive news for Ripple Labs on its lawsuit against U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 17, 2023, presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Ripple’s victory over the SEC in court has jumped XRP prices as Litecoin continues its bullish run overnight. The NFT markets are also looking good as the Forkast 500 index and the ETH composite are both […]

China’s top legal authority issued a commentary on Monday about the risks and potential in NFTs, highlighting the need for legislation.

A U.S. federal judge has denied a motion by the SEC to seal internal documents related to a speech given by the SEC’s former director on whether cryptocurrencies are securities.

Web3’s terrible user experience, scams and lack of diversity could be solved if its leaders take a cue from environmentalists and ‘act locally,’ writes Tim Williamson of NieuxCo.

Bitcoin prices fell on Wednesday morning in Asia but remained above the US$27,000 line. Ether gained but still posted a weekly drop. XRP led gainers among other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.

Internet sleuths unearth the first financial transaction on Bitcoin, showcasing the potential of NFTs.

Bitcoin fell 0.58% while Ether dropped 0.36%. Solana was the biggest loser of the day, dropping 1.67%.

European Union finance ministers unanimously approved MiCA, a set of cryptocurrency rules aiming to reshape the digital asset industry across the EU bloc.

As part of the ongoing legal dispute between the two, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said it would not be hurried into a response to Coinbase demands.

South Korean prosecutors have raided Upbit, Bithumb and the crypto wallet unit of Kakao, as part of their investigation into lawmaker Kim Nam-kuk.

Crypto users need not fear the increasing KYC/AML requirements around the world and loss of privacy, writes Kurt Hemecker of the Mina Foundation. Here’s why.

Bitcoin prices rose along with Ether, while Litecoin continues to lead gainers among other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin rose 2.07% to US$27,409 in 24 hours while Ether gained 1.27% to US$1,829. Litecoin was the biggest gainer of the day, rising 7.65%.

The U.S. Department of Justice is aiming to crack down on cryptocurrency exchanges that help criminals facilitate money laundering

Fractionalizing assets on the blockchain opens up investment opportunities for the public and the capital market’s access to liquidity, writes Bob Ras. Here’s what’s holding it back.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 9, 2023, presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin and Ethereum prices are on the up to start the week off, and Litecoin has skyrocketed in the last 24 hours. The NFT markets are also starting the week off positively, with the Polygon NFT […]

China’s Jiangsu Province plans to expand the use of digital yuan to its public education system, as the province seeks to spearhead the country’s CBDC pilot.

Bank of Korea, the central bank, seems uncomfortable with the Financial Services Commission, the country’s regulator, having the mandate over the cryptocurrency industry. The bank is pushing for more say, arguing crypto can influence the stability of the overall financial market and that involves the central bank.

China’s Fuzhou City on Friday unveiled a raft of policies to attract investment by blockchain-related companies, including rent subsidies and cash awards.

Regulatory hurdles have once again hit Binance in North America, with the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange announcing on Friday that it would cease operations in Canada due to tightened crypto rules.