Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin hovers around US$28,000 as banking concerns return. Will it hit US$30,000?
As banking contagion worries reignited, Bitcoin traded firmly above US$28,000 for most of the week. Considering that Bitcoin was made for a potential banking crisis, industry experts are eyeing the US$30,000 mark for BTC.
Cryptocurrencies bounce back despite fed rate hike
Most cryptocurrencies saw a huge increase in price over the past week.
Bitcoin, Ether, Forkast 500 NFT index rise; gold nears year-high over banking sector concerns
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Friday, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Litecoin posting the biggest gains.
Hong Kong blockchain initiatives natural evolution for finance hub, says Signum Digital CEO
Hong Kong’s new crypto licensing regime isn’t the only bullish sign for the city’s digital asset industry, says Signum Digital, the first company to win a preliminary license to handle securitized tokens in the city.
Bitcoin mining difficulty rises 7.6% to set new all-time high as hashrate jumps
Bitcoin’s mining difficulty level rose 7.56% on Friday, hitting an all-time high along with the network’s hashrate, showing miners are applying more computing power.
Bitcoin rebounds above US$28,000 as equities gain in U.S. on Treasury easing bank worries
Bitcoin bounced back above US$28,000 on Friday morning in Asia amid a rebound in all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies and gains in equities overnight.
Bitcoin breaks above US$28,000 as Do Kwon detained in Montenegro
Welcome to The Daily Forkast – March 24, 2023 – presented by Joel Flynn for the latest in the crypto markets. Most major cryptocurrencies have seen a increase in their prices amid the Federal Reserve’s decision to raise the Fed rate by another 25-basis points. Terra Luna founder Do Kwon has been arrested by Montenegrin […]
Death and crypto taxes: Which one inspires greater dread?
Filing taxes on crypto assets is a ‘massive pain in the proverbial butt,’ writes Don Gossen of Nevermined. As IRS deadlines loom large, how can responsible investors avoid underreporting or overpaying?
Hong Kong may face backlog in virtual asset license applications as demand grows, former SFC regulator says
Angelina Kwan, who helped shape early Hong Kong automated trading services and internet trading regulation, told Forkast the upcoming virtual asset licensing regime is almost identical to that for traditional financial institutions.
South Korea confirms identity of man arrested in Europe as Terra-Luna fugitive Do Kwon, seeks extradition
South Korea’s police said they confirmed the identity of a man arrested in Montenegro, Europe, as the Terraform Labs co-founder Kwon Do-hyung, who is wanted on charges of fraud related to the collapse of the stablecoin and cryptocurrency project he led.
Hong Kong poised for ambitious changes
Hong Kong has opened its doors to the world once more, and it spared no time hosting blockchain and web3 focused summits.
Bitcoin, Ether, Forkast 500 NFT index fall, gold rises, as Janet Yellen rules out broad bank deposit insurance
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Binance’s BNB sustaining the biggest loss in the top 10.
Bitcoin, other cryptos drop as Fed raises interest rates
The Fed’s decision to hike rates by 25 basis points was along expected lines. So, why are the markets sulking?
South Korea arrests former Coinone exchange official for alleged crypto-listing bribery
A former employee of the Coinone exchange was arrested Tuesday on charges of accepting bribes in exchange for listing certain cryptocurrencies.
SEC warns Coinbase of potential legal action over staking, separately targets Tron founder Sun
The Securities and Exchange Commission has warned Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., it may face legal charges related to staking services and digital asset listings.
How DAOs can be remade to be more efficient and successful
DAOs are exploding in popularity but still hampered by weak governance and treasury mismanagement. What can help these novel organizations become more effective?
Bitcoin tracks equities lower on downbeat Fed, Treasury comments on banks
Bitcoin fell on Thursday morning in Asia, tracking equities lower after the U.S. Fed indicated interest rates could stay higher for longer.
Bitget invests US$30 mln in BitKeep wallet, becomes controlling shareholder
Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitget said it has invested US$30 million in decentralized multi-chain wallet BitKeep to become its controlling shareholder.
Could decentralization bring back trust in crypto?
Decentralization’s the talk of the town after the collapses of several centralized institutions.
Magic Eden introduces Bitcoin Ordinals for NFT traders
Magic Eden, the largest Solana-based non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, has launched its “audited” Bitcoin Ordinals for NFT traders.
Bitcoin buoyed as bank busts spook investors
Top blockchain and crypto news: Banking woes boost Bitcoin. Arbitrum counts down to launch. Chinese billionaire faces US crypto scam charges.
Bitcoin rises above US$28,000; XRP biggest gainer in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin continued to trade above US$28,000 on Wednesday afternoon in Asia. Ether also rose, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies with XRP and Cardano leading gains.
Internal Revenue Service in U.S. solicits public opinions on proposed NFT taxes
The IRS intends to tax NFTs as collectibles in the U.S. and is soliciting public opinions on the proposal through June.
Texas legislature introduces bill to attract Bitcoin-related businesses, protect interests of same
The Texas legislature introduced a bill on Tuesday to attract more Bitcoin-related businesses and protect the rights of Bitcoin holders, miners, and developers.
K-pop star G-Dragon launches NFT on OpenSea with Fandom Studio, BNB Chain
South Korean singer G-Dragon has launched an NFT collection on OpenSea in collaboration with Fandom Studio.
Bitcoin moves above US$28,000, Ether gains, XRP surges, U.S. equities rally
Bitcoin held above US$28,000 on Wednesday morning in Asia amid a rebound in most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. XRP led the winners.
Bitcoin Fear & Greed index rises to 16-month high as investors seek safe-haven assets
The Bitcoin Fear & Greed index rose to a 16-month high of 68 points today, signaling that investors are becoming more greedy than fearful.
Indian crypto exchange WazirX blocks over 2,400 accounts in 6 months
WazirX, India’s largest crypto exchange by trade volume, has blacklisted over 2,431 accounts between October 2022 and March 2023, based on its internal monitoring process as well as under the direction of law enforcement agencies (LEA).
Bitcoin, Ether extend losses; all eyes on U.S. interest rates
Bitcoin and Ether fell in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia after rallying through the past week, while financial authorities injected cash into markets to ease liquidity pressures and took other steps to address concerns over a banking sector crisis in the U.S. and Europe.
Terraform Labs founder Daniel Shin again questioned by South Korea prosecutors over stablecoin collapse
Terraform Labs co-founder Shin Hyun-seung, also known as Daniel Shin, was again called in for questioning by South Korea’s prosecutors on Monday.
Crypto needs to look abroad as US exchanges go unbanked
The fall of Silvergate, SVB and Signature has left crypto firms scrambling for new banks. Will crypto banking head offshore for the long term?
Bitcoin treads water, other crypto retreat ahead of U.S. Fed’s decision on interest rates
Bitcoin traded flat below US$28,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia. Most other top cryptocurrencies retreated ahead of a U.S. decision on interest rates.
Singapore to publish crypto, stablecoin consultation feedback by mid-2023
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) aims to publish cryptocurrency and stablecoin consultations feedback by the middle of this year, it said Monday.
Crypto Layoffs
Thousands of people have lost jobs in the tech industry, how is crypto faring?
Over 80 Web3 firms in line to set up shop in HK, ahead of crypto regulations taking effect in June
Over 80 foreign and Mainland China companies have expressed their interest in establishing a Web3 company in Hong Kong, ahead of new crypto regulations that will take effect from June
Bitcoin rises past US$28,000, most other top 10 cryptos gain
Bitcoin traded above US$28,000 on Monday afternoon in Asia, a gain of 25% over last week, as a banking crisis in the U.S. and Europe prompted traders to see Bitcoin as a safe haven.
Singapore-based Crypto.com gets preparatory license to expand services in Dubai
Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com will soon be able to extend its services in Dubai, after it received a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) Preparatory License from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).
How NFTs can protect creators and fortify their legal rights
The digital era has made piracy rampant and copyright enforcement difficult, but blockchain technology is shifting power back to creators, writes Wes Levitt of Theta Labs.
Taiwan’s financial supervisory commission will oversee crypto, chair says
Crypto in Taiwan remains largely unregulated, but lawmakers have requested the cabinet to appoint a regulator by May 16 to oversee all things crypto.
Crypto data provider Kaiko to move Asia HQ to Hong Kong from Singapore: Bloomberg
Paris-based Kaiko will move its Asian headquarters to Hong Kong as it sees growing crypto-related opportunities in the city.
Bithumb executive faces investigation over alleged bribery in South Korean crypto listing
South Korean prosecutors are investigating Lee Sang-jun, the CEO of Bithumb’s holding company, for alleged bribery in listing certain tokens on the platform.
New York Community Bancorp unit to assume Signature Bank deposits, FDIC says
New York Community Bancorp will assume all deposits and certain loan portfolios of the failed Signature Bank, the FDIC said on Sunday.
Bitcoin leads crypto rally as central banks promise liquidity to stem rising bank risk
Bitcoin briefly breached US$28,000 at the weekend in a bullish run extending into Monday morning in Asia amid worries about bank risk.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin rises above US$26,000, as ‘store of value’ narrative strengthens amid bank failures
As the U.S. banking system stared into the pit of bank runs and collapsing share prices, the authorities acted swiftly to try and pull everything back from the edge. However, Bitcoin seemed unperturbed. Is this what a safe haven looks like?
Another Crazy Week For Bitcoin
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies bounce back after a turbulent week for banks in the US and Switzerland.
Bitcoin, Ether rise; relief for investors as major banks get liquidity lifeline
Bitcoin and Ether rallied by the end of Asian trading hours on Friday afternoon, together with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Enterprise software giant Salesforce partners with Polygon for NFT-based loyalty programs
Salesforce has partnered with Polygon Labs to help its clients develop non-fungible token (NFT) based loyalty programs on the Polygon blockchain.
Signum Digital says it won first approval to offer security tokens in Hong Kong
Signum Digital said it’s the first company to win preliminary approval in Hong Kong to operate a platform to trade security tokens.
Bitcoin, Ether, other crypto gain with equities amid global fund injections to support banks
Bitcoin neared the US$25,000 mark on Friday morning in Asia. Cryptocurrencies gained as the U.S. and Europe moved to backstop troubled banks with cash.
Who should be held responsible for the Silvergate Bank and SVB crises?
As bank after bank topples, fingers are pointing everywhere. But crypto is not to be blamed for this unfolding crisis, writes Winston Hsiao of XREX.
US, Germany shut ChipMixer for alleged ties to US$3 bln crypto laundering
US, and German shuttered ChipMixer, a cryptocurrency service that allegedly laundered more than US$3 billion in crypto since 2017.
Thailand Turns to Crypto
Thailand’s recent crypto tax waiver announcement could be a gamechanger in boosting Thailand’s economy.
India, UAE to collaborate on cross-border central bank digital currencies
The Indian central bank and the UAE will jointly run pilot programs on their central bank digital currencies, according to the Reserve Bank of India.
Bitcoin, Ether, Forkast 500 NFT index fall; euros rises amid Credit Suisse’s loan
Bitcoin and Ether declined by the end of Asian trading hours on Thursday afternoon, with all the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also falling, apart from Binance’s BNB.
Ripple executives say XRP lawsuit ruling will have little impact on global business operations
The court ruling in a lawsuit brought by the SEC against Ripple will have minimal impact on the company’s business, APAC policy director Rahul Advani said.
South Korea cranks up pressure to extradite Do Kwon, founder of failed Terra-Luna stablecoin
South Korean prosecutors said they will expand cooperation with overseas legal agencies to facilitate the arrest and extradition of Do Kwon.
US accuses exiled Chinese tycoon Guo Wengui of $1 billion crypto-linked fraud
Guo Wengui, an exiled Chinese billionaire, was arrested in New York on Wednesday for allegedly orchestrating a more than US$1 billion fraud conspiracy that included cryptocurrency, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). See related article: U.S. banking regulators warn against cryptocurrency fraud, contagion risks Fast facts […]
Bitcoin, Ether drop, other top cryptocurrencies retreat as bank liquidity concerns rise
Bitcoin and Ether dropped in Thursday morning trading in Asia along with most other leading tokens amid broader concerns about bank liquidity.
What the crypto industry should do to rebuild public trust
Many crypto users see losses as the cost of doing business. In fact, we can and must improve the sector’s deficiencies, writes Pelle Brændgaard of Notabene.
Japan’s Web3 Era
Japan’s been a little behind in the Web3 space, but their new Metaverse Economic Zone could be a game changer.
Web3 crowdfunding launchpad Poolz Finance hacked for US$390,000 on BSC, Polygon
Poolz Finance, a cross-chain crowdfunding launchpad for Web3 projects, has been exploited for US$390,000 worth of digital assets
Circle’s USDC bounces back after Silicon Valley Bank bust
Top blockchain and crypto news: USDC stabilizes after SVB collapse. Silvergate closes shop. China tightens financial supervision.
Voyager-Binance.US’ $1 bln deal should be put on hold, says U.S. Department of Justice
A deal valued at over US$1 billion between Binance.US and Voyager should be put on hold while key legal objections are worked out, says U.S. government.
Bitcoin, Ether, Forkast 500 NFT index extend gains; U.S. banking crisis concerns ease as inflation slows to 6%
Bitcoin and Ether rose on Wednesday afternoon in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana and Polygon were the biggest gainers, both rising above 5% in the last 24 hours.
Anchorage Digital lays off 20% of staff amid low NFT demand, says bank unit not affected
Digital asset platform Anchorage Digital will lay off 75 employees as it restructures to meet regulation challenges.
New York regulator says Signature Bank closure ‘nothing to do’ with cryptocurrencies: Reuters
The decision to shut down Signature Bank at the weekend was not related to cryptocurrencies, the New York regulator told Reuters on Tuesday.
Bitcoin, Ether continue run up; Solana, Dogecoin lead gainers; U.S. equities rebound
Bitcoin and Ether continued strong price gains, with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies logging advances for the past seven days.
Binance suspends pound sterling services for U.K. customers as payment provider backs out
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, announced that it is halting its British pound deposits and withdrawals.
Bitcoin breaks US$26,000 as inflation cools in February
Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, rallied past the US$26,000 mark at 09:15 p.m. in Hong Kong, shortly after the release of the United States Consumer Price Index (CPI)
India imposes money laundering regulations on crypto industry
India’s crime fighting agencies have been investigating crypto exchanges and individuals on money laundering charges and have now put the onus on exchanges to report suspicious transactions.
Circle’s Disparte speaks on de-risking crypto from banking risks
The recent U.S. banks fallout is a stress test for both traditional finance and digital assets but to weather the storm side by side is a powerful opportunity, says Circle Chief Strategy Officer Dante Disparte.