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SEC ‘crypto mom’ Hester Peirce attacks U.S. regulator’s new exchange definition on DeFi

SEC member Hester Peirce has criticized the regulatory agency for its proposal that seeks to expand the definition of an “exchange” to DeFi platforms.

Bitcoin dips under US$30,000; Ether takes a breather; Binance, Solana lead gainers

Bitcoin dipped below US$30,000 in early Monday morning trading in Asia. Ether stalled after strong gains that followed last week’s blockchain upgrade.

AI has taken over crypto’s share of VC funding, says Mysten Labs founder

Crypto’s share of venture capital money is now going to artificial intelligence, says Mysten Labs founder, Evan Cheng.

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin tests upper US$30,000, Ether rises past US$2,000 after Shanghai upgrade

Bitcoin moved within a couple of hundred dollars of the US$31,000 ceiling in trading later in the week as market sentiment improved after Ethereum’s successful upgrade to unlock staked Ether. The Ethereum token broke above US$2,000 on Friday. Weaker inflation readings out of the U.S. later in the week pushed recession worries off center stage and generated some demand for “risk-on” assets, including Bitcoin, with some crypto enthusiasts seeing US$32,000 as the next barrier to break.

Bitcoin tops $30,000; ETH upgrade lifts market.

Welcome to Market Movers – April 14, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah for your weekly market wrap up. Bitcoin has stood it’s ground over the past week, holding firm above the US$30,000 mark for the most part. However, the completion of Ethereum’s Shapella upgrade has played a huge part in lifting the spirits of […]

Bitcoin rises to near US$31,000, Ether leads gains across top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin continued its rally to near the US$31,000 mark in Friday afternoon trading in Asia. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptos gained, led by Ethereum.

Kraken to withdraw US$1.17 bln of staked Ether in line with SEC ruling, settlement

As part of its February settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S.-based Kraken crypto exchange has submitted the largest Ether withdrawal request since Wednesday’s upgrade to the Ethereum blockchain. The SEC ordered Kraken to shut down what it called unregistered staking programs.

Ethereum ups the ante post Shapella upgrade

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 14, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. Ethereum’s feeling the hype as the Shapella upgrade is out in full force, showing a near 11% increase over the last 24 hours. Dogecoin also saw a spike as Twitter announced a partnership with E-Toro which would allow users to buy […]

Bitcoin heads higher, Ether breaches US$2,000, U.S. equities rally on weak inflation readings

Bitcoin rose higher in the US$30,000 band on Friday morning in Asia amid strong gains among the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. Ether led the winners.

Can crypto wallets be both accessible and hacker-proof?

Securing keys is an issue that has bedeviled the crypto world, as the $600M Ronin and $300M Wormhole heists have painfully shown. Is there a better way?

Cardano NFTs slump as users trade top-tier projects in favor of newer ones

Cardano NFT ecosystem sees a significant decline as users sell off top-tier projects for newer ones, according to Forkast CAR NFT Composite.

Forkast NFT indexes reveal the hidden costs of y00ts, DeGods’ moves across blockchains

Forkast Labs’ NFT indexes reveal Polygon’s US$3 million incentive to move y00ts over to its blockchain may have cost its users.

Hacker exploits old Yearn Finance contract, steals $11.6 mln in stablecoins

A hacker took advantage of an old contract from Yearn Finance on Thursday to steal US$11.6 million in stablecoins.

Musk’s Twitter partners with eToro to offer crypto and stocks to users

Twitter users will soon have access to stocks and cryptocurrency through a new partnership with eToro, a trading platform. 

Bitcoin inches up, remains above US$30,000; Ether gains after Shapella upgrade

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with all of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Ether rose the most, following the successful completion of the Shapella upgrade.

Binance chief says unclear crypto regulation ‘the worst’

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said regulators need to come up with clear crypto regulations and should understand that the crypto industry is different from the traditional financial industry.

Ethereum stands firm as Shapella upgrade rolls out

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 13, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung. Ethereum’s Shapella upgrade is finally here, and despite worries of selling pressure now that staked ETH withdrawals have been made easier, it has held its ground above the US$1,900 level. Other currencies have seen a slight dip overnight though, as the […]

Hong Kong’s ZA Bank starts offering crypto-fiat conversion services: Bloomberg

ZA Bank, the largest virtual bank in Hong Kong, has started offering cryptocurrency conversion services through licensed crypto exchanges.

Bankrupt FTX recovers US$7.3 billion in assets, considers resurrection of operations

The failed FTX cryptocurrency exchange has recovered around US$7.3 billion in assets and is considering the option of restarting its business.

Bitcoin fluctuates at US$30,000; Ether gains; Litecoin, XRP drop; U.S. equities fall on recession concern

Bitcoin dipped but held above US$30,000 in Thursday morning trading in Asia that saw mixed performances among the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.

How decentralized limit orders can transform crypto trading

On-chain limit orders offer an alternative to centralized exchanges by improving transparency and security, writes Ramani Ramachandran of Dfyn. What are the drawbacks?

G7 plans to help developing countries introduce CBDCs

Japan’s top finance diplomat, Masato Kanda, announced on Tuesday that the G7 nations will work together to help developing countries introduce CBDCs in line with international standards. 

Crypto firms hardpressed to find U.S. bank partners as industry blames ‘Operation Choke Point 2.0’

NYDFS superintendent Harris called the idea of Operation Choke Point 2.0 “ludicrous,” but industry participants largely disagree. Was the shutdown of the three largest crypto-friendly institutions a coordinated effort to unbank crypto?

Ethereum rolls out Shapella upgrade amid worries over price pressures

Top blockchain and crypto news: Ethereum fork prompts price fall fears. Satoshi is found — in Apple software. Hong Kong ramps up Web3 plans.

Bitcoin slips but remains above US$30,000 ahead of U.S. inflation data

Bitcoin slipped in Wednesday afternoon trade in Asia but remained above the US$30,000 mark. Ether prices sank, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Cardano and Dogecoin as the biggest losers.
and

China fines crypto mining rig giant Bitmain US$3.6 million for tax violations

China has fined Bitmain, one of the world’s biggest producers of cryptocurrency mining rigs, nearly US$3.6 million for alleged tax violations, according to the Beijing tax authorities.

Crypto miner Bitdeer to go public on Nasdaq via SPAC deal

Singapore-headquartered crypto mining firm Bitdeer Technologies is set to go public on Nasdaq on April 14 via a SPAC merger following multiple delays in closing the US$4 billion deal.

Bitcoin rally continues, Solana jumps as ‘Saga’ release anticipated

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 12, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. Bitcoin continues to trade upwards, gaining around 1.5% overnight and is trading at a 10-month high. Ethereum on the other hand has lost a bit of it’s weekly gains as traders are beginning to factor in possible liquidation in anticipation of […]

Binance.US to delist TRX, price drops 5.4%

Binance.US, a unit cryptocurrency exchange Binance set up to serve U.S. customers, will delist the native token of the Tron blockchain, TRX, on April 18.

France to develop local metaverses against global giants

The French government announced a public consultation on “virtual immersive universes,” or the metaverse.

US crypto miner Core Scientific appoints new president amid bankruptcy

Adam Sullivan, whose most recent role was managing director of XMS Capital Partners, will will work on financial and strategic matters while assisting with the negotiation of a reorganization plan.

Bitcoin maintains US$30,000, Solana jumps, U.S. equities trade mixed

Bitcoin held above US$30,000 in Wednesday morning trading in Asia, while most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies moved higher.

NFT.NYC is back to deliver the Woodstock of NFTs

The NFT industry is gathering at New York for NFT.NYC, but the overloading frequency of events could be causing “event fatigue.”

Equinix, Astra in pact to advance Indonesia’s digital infrastructure needs

Nasdaq-listed Equinix and Indonesian conglomerate Astra International have set up a joint venture to help local businesses and multinationals capitalize on emerging technologies.

Common regulatory framework for crypto to come during India’s G20 presidency, finance minister says

A common regulatory framework for all countries is underway, India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday.

Bitcoin rises above US$30,000, Solana leads gains across top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin continued to rally past US$30,000, with Ether and all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies gaining in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia. Solana was the biggest gainer at 11.09%.
and

South Korean prosecutors to freeze US$5.36 million of Do Kwon’s assets, some in Switzerland

Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office is in the process of freezing 7.1 billion won worth of assets that belong to Terraform Labs CEO Do Kwon.

Bitcoin breaks US$30,000 barrier for the first time since June 2022

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 11, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. Exciting news as Bitcoin finally breaks the US$30,000 mark since June last year, having risen more than 5% in the last 24 hours. Ethereum is also looking good in the markets. As the Shapella upgrade is due for completion this week, […]

U.S. SEC committee urges ‘aggressive enforcement’ on crypto, says most tokens are securities

The U.S. SEC Investor Advisory Committee urged the federal agency to continue its aggressive enforcement on crypto players that offer unregistered securities.

Ex-chief of HKMA heads Hong Kong’s new Web3 institute

Hong Kong has established the Institute of Web 3.0 to facilitate the development of the crypto ecosystem in the city, directed by a former head of HKMA.

Ethereum blockchain upgrade unlocks US$34 billion in Ether, what does it mean for crypto prices?

The upcoming upgrade to the Ethereum blockchain will allow users to withdraw millions of “staked” Ether, the native cryptocurrency, for potential sale. That would typically indicate a flood of selling pressure awaits the token, but not everyone is buying that.

Bitcoin pops above US$30,000, Ether jumps, Solana gains, U.S. equities trade mixed

Bitcoin surged above US$30,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia to the highest in about 11 months, leading a rally of all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.

The Web3 dilemma of data transparency vs. the need for user privacy — and a way to solve it

Storing personal information in a centralized place has been a honeypot for hackers, while decentralized identity allows for greater trust and data security, writes Caria Wei of Nuvo.

Bitcoin surpasses 1 mln Ordinals inscriptions

The Bitcoin Network has recorded over 1.05 million Ordinals inscriptions within the first three months since launch.

S. Korean exchange GDAC hacked, loses around 23% of its assets

South Korean exchange GDAC has suspended withdrawals and deposits after losing over US$13.1 million in Bitcoin, Ether, Wemix and USDT in a hack.

Bitcoin holds above US$28,000, Dogecoin rises most in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether rose in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
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DeFi has a trust gap. What can rebuild its credibility?

Traditional institutions are testing crypto waters, but given last year’s market carnage, it’s not easy to gain their confidence, writes Simon Schaber of Spool.

Hong Kong financial secretary eyes Web3 push despite market fluctuations

Paul Chan said it is the right time for the city’s Web3 push ahead of Hong Kong’s busy week of blockchain and finance gatherings.

Bitget exchange starts US$100 mln fund to support ‘next-generation’ crypto projects

Bitget on Monday said it had launched a Web3 Fund with an initial investment of US$100 million to support development of cryptocurrency projects.

FTX’s lack of financial controls complicates bankruptcy asset recovery, says legal filing

Former executives of the bankrupt crypto exchange FTX failed to install appropriate financial controls in the company, complicating the asset recovery process, the restructuring team of the failed exchange said.

Arkansas joins Montana, Texas with bills on guidelines, protection for Bitcoin miners

Arkansas has joined Montana and Texas this year in proposing legislation to offer legal protections to companies operating crypto mining sites.

Bitcoin resumes rise, Ether gains ahead of upgrade, Dogecoin makes up some lost ground

Bitcoin resumed its rise above US$28,000 in Monday morning trading in Asia, a support level it has fluctuated around for most of April.

Thai opposition pledges US$15 bln in digital tokens: Bloomberg

Thailand’s main opposition party said it would distribute US$15 billion worth of digital tokens to citizens if it wins the general election

Blur nemesis OpenSea releases OS Pro trading tools, Gemesis NFT

OpenSea has reignited the marketplace battle by introducing its own pro tool. What’s in it for NFT traders?

Solana introduces ‘state compression’ to lower NFT storage costs

Solana has introduced a solution that aims to reduce on-chain storage costs for non-fungible tokens (NFT).  See related article: Solana NFT sales surge as traders farm for Tensor rewards Fast facts See related article: DeGods begins migration to Ethereum

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin stuck at US$28,000 amid signs of slowing economies

Bitcoin bounced around the US$28,000 mark as worries about bank failures were replaced by concerns about a recession in the U.S. Just for good measure, the IMF forecast the global economy will see its slowest growth in two decades.

ECB’s Lagarde gets pranked, reveals digital euro will have ‘limited’ control

ECB President Christine Lagarde said the digital euro would have “limited control” in a prank call.

Bitcoin trades under US$28,000, Dogecoin biggest loser

Bitcoin rose as Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization dropping. XRP rose the most, while Dogecoin was the biggest loser.

Local prosecutors say Terra-Luna’s Do Kwon has no identifiable assets in South Korea

The arrested crypto fugitive Kwon Do-hyung has “zero ” identifiable assets in his native South Korea, prosecutors said on Friday.

Web3 is not all about ‘ownership’ — it’s so much more

Ownership is only one feature of Web3. The more important and defining characteristic is ‘verifiability,’ writes Jonathan Victor of Protocol Labs.

Bitcoin holds US$28,000 in choppy trading; Ether falls after US Treasury warns against DeFi risk

Bitcoin moved in a narrow range above the support line at US$28,000 in Friday morning trading in Asia, while most other top 10 crypto declined.

US Treasury warns DeFi is being used for illicit transfers

DeFi services threaten U.S. national security and need to comply with anti-money laundering and terrorist financing laws, the U.S. Treasury said on Thursday.

India prioritizes offline CBDC transfers, targets 1 mln users in three months: CoinDesk

India is reportedly aiming to have one million users of its CBDC within three months of launch, according to sources familiar with the matter cited by CoinDesk. 

Singapore developing guidelines for banks on crypto clients: Bloomberg

The Monetary Authority of Singapore is reportedly working on guidelines to help local banks vet and provide banking services to cryptocurrency clients

Chinese state-owned company launches crypto funds in Hong Kong

A major state-owned firm in China is launching two cryptocurrency funds in partnership with investment firm Waterdrip Capital. 

Ethereum’s Shapella upgrade is imminent – and investors are excited

Ethereum is set for a few upgrades which will see quality of life improvements and aproof-of-stake protocol.

Bitcoin, Ether down with top 10 cryptos, most equities fall ahead of U.S. Jobs Report

Bitcoin and Ether fell during afternoon trading hours in Asia on Thursday, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

ASIC cancels Binance Australia’s derivatives license

The Australian securities regulator has canceled Binance Australia’s derivatives license.

Bitcoin briefly loses its grip on US$28,000

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 6, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. Bitcoin lost its hold onto the uS$28,000 mark briefly Thursday morning Hong Kong time. Elsewhere in the markets, Dogecoin lost some of its hype overnight after rallying upwards of 30% Tuesday morning, losing 5% in 24 hours.

Swiss PostFinance bank to offer crypto services to 2.5 mln customers

PostFinance, a Swiss government-owned retail bank, has partnered with Sygnum Bank to provide crypto-related services.

Meta says new focus on generative AI could boost metaverse development: Nikkei

Meta is investing heavily in artificial intelligence and this will benefit its metaverse businesses, Meta’s Andrew Bosworth told Nikkei Asia.

Japan’s CoinTrade partners with Fireblocks to improve digital asset security

CoinTrade said it has partnered with crypto custody platform Fireblocks to provide institutional clients with improved security for digital assets.