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Chinese tech giant Tencent is applying for a virtual concerts patent, as conglomerates race for the first-mover advantage in the metaverse industry, business tracker Qichacha’s data shows. See related article: 16,000 metaverse trademark applications filed, unlikely to pass in China Fast facts The Shenzhen-based social and gaming giant’s patent application involves a computing approach and […]

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 […]

Support for Ukraine in the crypto world grows as Russia’s attack continues. Meanwhile, hackers gives American tech giant an ultimatum.

The Ukrainian flag non-fungible token (NFT) auctioned by Ukraine DAO was sold to a pool of donors for  2,173.6 ETH (US$6.534 million) on Wednesday, as proceeds are expected to support Ukrainians affected by the invasion.  See related article: ‘We don’t have time’ for traditional fundraising, crypto is most efficient: Ukraine DAO Fast fact The NFT […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Digital currency battling Russian invasion. Ethereum remains NFT projects’ chain of choice. China to lock up crypto traders.

Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands has shuttered its services to Russian users saying it is relying on legal advice that equates Western sanctions against Russian entities to the blanket sanctions against North Korea, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. See related article: Binance may join sanctions imposed on Russian targets Fast facts “The legal advice we’ve been receiving […]

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 […]

The ransomware outfit behind Nvidia’s data breach last week is looking to sell what it claims to be a driver that unlocks Ethereum mining limitations on the chipmaker’s graphic cards. See related article: China customs seizes 49 second-hand crypto mining rigs for export Fast facts The hacker group Lapsus$ allegedly stole 1TB of data from […]

The European parliament has scrapped wording from proposed legislation that would have banned cryptocurrencies that rely on the proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism, like Bitcoin. See related article: How serious is the threat of Bitcoin mining to the environment? Fast facts The European Parliament member in charge of spearheading the bill known as the Markets in […]

Sanctions on Russia have prompted a resurgence in the Crypto market as the Russian ruble takes a nosedive. And as the attack on Ukraine continues, a decentralized autonomous organization is created to support Ukrainian civilians who have joined military efforts.

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.

With limited access to donations through traditional crowdfunding, cryptocurrencies and NFTs offer immediate help, Trippy Labs tells Forkast.

The trading volume of the USDT-RUB pair spiked to a 10-month high and outpaced the ruble’s Bitcoin pair as international sanctions against Russia shake local financial stability.  See related article: US asks crypto exchanges to comply with Russian sanctions: report Fast facts The daily trading volume of the BTC-RUB pair surged to over 3 billion […]

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 […]

Ukrainian Bitcoin ATM developer Intellogate is expanding its services to Asia through a new partnership with two South Korean firms. See related article: Singapore crypto ATMs shut down to comply with central bank rules Fast facts South Korean blockchain service provider Publish and kiosk producer Lincrux signed a memorandum of cooperation with Intellogate to leverage […]

The U.S. is asking crypto exchanges around the world to prevent Russia from skirting sanctions imposed after it invaded Ukraine last week, Bloomberg reported. See related article: Binance may join sanctions imposed on Russian targets Fast facts The Biden administration is concerned that cryptocurrencies can be used to evade heavily regulated traditional financial systems. The […]

The global cryptocurrency market cap recovered above US$2 trillion since dropping below the mark in mid-February, in a US$200 billion 12-hour run.  See related article: Bitcoin, crypto market tank as Putin declares war on Ukraine Fast facts Bitcoin’s price jumped over US$2,000 in a 10-minute window from 6:30 am HKT Tuesday to mark a ceiling […]

Are the days of playing games on Nintendo, SEGA, and other consoles and powerful desktop gaming computers gone? No.

Ukraine is offering Russian soldiers cash or crypto for their surrender in the ongoing attack on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Binance is working to comply with sanctions on Russia.

The multi-faceted metaverse provides new channels for gaming, socialization, art exhibitions and more. Who’s leading the race and how?

Russia’s war on Ukraine is battering crypto prices, but what does the more distant future hold for BTC and ETH? Fintech experts offer predictions.

Cryptocurrency donations to Ukraine through government and private channels have topped US$36 million as contributions continue to mount throughout the Russian invasion.  See related article: Binance may join sanctions imposed on Russian targets Fast facts The Ukrainian government has received 113 BTC and 2,001 ETH, totaling almost US$10 million, as of press time. Binance has […]

The total number of unique non-fungible token (NFT) buyers on the Ethereum blockchain crossed the 1 million customers milestone on Sunday as the network’s gas fees slid to its lowest since August.  See related article: Ethereum price expected to hit $7,609 in 2022: report Fast facts NFT sales on Ethereum increased by 36.06% in the […]

Russian soldiers surrendering to Ukraine will receive 5 million rubles worth of crypto or cash, according to Masha Efrosinina, local TV host and honorary ambassador of the United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine.  See related article: Ukraine’s crypto demand soars; Russian sanctions tighten Fast facts Efrosinina said in an Instagram post that surrendering soldiers of […]

South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT announced Sunday a KRW 223.7 billion (US$185 million) investment to build the nation’s metaverse ecosystem. See related article: South Korea wants to be the physical home of the metaverse Fast facts The ministry will use its war chest to develop the decentralized creator economy, nurture talents, and support […]

The Supreme Court of India has sought clarification from the government on the legality of cryptocurrencies in the country in the wake of surging Bitcoin scams, local media reported. See related article: Indian crypto scam investigated Fast facts A bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant asked additional solicitor general (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati […]

Binance is working to comply with sanctions on Russia imposed by Western governments following the invasion of Ukraine. See related article: Bitcoin donations for Ukraine military surpass $1M Fast facts “We have assembled a dedicated global compliance task force, including world-renowned sanctions experts, and are taking the steps necessary to ensure we take action against […]

Bitcoin’s recent slumps have been coupled with macroeconomic activities, bringing its status as an inflation hedge into question.

Top non-fungible token (NFT) game Axie Infinity generated US$1.3 billion in revenue over the past year, reaching a daily peak of US$17.5 million on Aug. 6, 2021, according to a new report from blockchain analytics firm Nansen. See related article: Axie Infinity becomes first NFT series to break $4B in sales Fast facts Axie Infinity […]

Trading volume on Ukrainian crypto exchanges triples as Russia continues its attack on Ukraine. Meanwhile, there is still no sign of Russia using crypto to evade sanctions yet,

Measures to detect sanctioned entities’ crypto transactions can come into play, experts say.

More people in the region are in thrall to play-to-earn gaming as it adapts to offer real-world uses, says Infinity Ventures Crypto founding partner Brian Lu.

A charitable fundraising page for the Ukrainian military shut down on Patreon, while donations to the organization’s Bitcoin wallet accelerated to surpass US$1 million on Friday.  See related article: Putin’s attack triples Ukrainian crypto exchange’s trading volume Fast facts Come Back Alive, a Kyiv-based nonprofit organization established in 2014, says funds will be used to […]

BitMEX founders Arthur Hayes and Benjamin Delo pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act’s anti-money-laundering provisions, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan said on Thursday. See related article: BitMEX pays US$100M to settle AML, KYC compliance breach charges Fast facts Under the terms of the plea agreement, Hayes and Delo will each pay US$10 […]

Trading volume in Ukrainian crypto exchange Kuna has more than tripled by Friday since Russia invaded the Eastern European nation, according to CoinGecko data.  See related article: Bitcoin, crypto market tank as Putin declares war on Ukraine Fast facts The 24-hour trading volume at Kuna was at around US$1.5 million on Thursday morning Asia time, […]

China’s Supreme Court specified cryptocurrency trading as a means of illegal fundraising in its latest judicial interpretation of criminal law released on Thursday, the first time in the country’s history.  See related article: Court in China says trading in cryptocurrency ‘not protected by law’ Fast facts A judicial interpretation is the Supreme People’s Court’s official […]

Around 30 South Korean crypto and blockchain firms have officially started partnering with CODE, a joint venture formed to meet the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) travel rule. See related article: What lies ahead for crypto regulations in 2022 Fast facts FATF’s travel rule is a global set of guidelines for virtual asset service providers […]

Sunny skies and wide open spaces may seem the perfect place to mine Bitcoin using cheap solar power, but one industry insider tells Forkast there’s much more to it than that.

The crypto market tanks after Russian President Vladimir Putin announces a military operation in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Japan’s biggest financial group closes it’s blockchain payment venture.

Government indecision on crypto regulation prompted some businesses to move abroad. Investors and crypto professionals may follow if uncertainty prolongs.

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 […]

The brand has long centered around connecting people and seems determined to carry that branding to its next stage as a metaverse company.

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 […]

Terra LUNA is continuing its bullish trend from where it left off on Wednesday, up almost 7% to trade at $59.39 on Thursday morning, Asia time. Fast facts See related article: Is Terra — whose LUNA coin is now at another all-time high — really where the smart money is? The currency has been as […]

A new electricity rate hike for crypto miners in China’s southeastern province Zhejiang is a penalty, not a green light, province capital Hangzhou authorities said, the China Times reported on Wednesday.  See related article: China’s Zhejiang province busts dozens of state-owned entities for mining crypto Fast facts Zhejiang Province announced this month that it would […]

When the world’s biggest crypto exchange acquires a major stake in the business publication it once sued for defamation, should we worry?

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) will close its blockchain payment venture due to slow profits, Japan’s largest bank announced on Tuesday.  See related article: Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ to issue yen-pegged stablecoin: report Fast facts MUFG said it is preparing to halt and liquidate Global Open Network Japan, Inc. (GO-NET Japan). GO-NET Japan, set up in […]

CasperLabs, a smart contracts protocol, is set to power part of China’s state-backed non-fungible token (NFT) network, to support the legal issuance of NFTs in mainland China. See related article: BSN to integrate Neo’s chain to bolster NFT issuance in China Fast facts The Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) will add Casper Network-powered Fuzhou Chain to […]

Chinese court reiterates its stance that the law cannot cover crypto losses. Meanwhile, Indian investors are paying double the South Korean kimchi premium.

All cryptocurrency ads in India will carry standard disclaimers to warn investors of risks associated with crypto beginning April 1, as per guidelines released by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) on Wednesday.  See related article: Indian court seeks standardized disclaimers on crypto ads Fast facts The disclaimer must read: “Crypto products and NFTs […]

Moscow moves to regulate crypto. OpenSea’s security struggle. Will China cool its metaverse mania?

Jupiter Meta on Wednesday launched a fully curated non-fungible token marketplace in India focusing on music, film and gaming.  See related article: WazirX launches India’s first NFT marketplace Fast facts The NFT marketplace is built on Jupiter Meta’s Rubix blockchain, which the company claims has zero gas fees and is sustainable.  Jupiter Meta has also […]

The RBI is casting a cloud of regulatory uncertainty over the local digital assets industry, but the nation’s Bitcoin premium shows India wants crypto. 

Heilongjiang province in northeastern China has joined the bid to compete with 10 other cities to become the next digital yuan pilot city, it announced on Monday.  See related article: E-CNY chief says digital dollar poses no threat to China Fast facts See related article: Hong Kong makes apt testbed for e-CNY cross-border use

Binance inked a partnership with an SM Entertainment subsidiary to explore non-fungible token (NFT) opportunities, the second K-pop agency to sign with Binance in February.  See related article: Animoca Brands, K-pop agency Cube form metaverse joint venture Fast facts The pair will build what they call a “play-to-create” ecosystem, which aims to let fans reproduce […]

China’s legal system is looking into blockchain technology to improve its online smart court system and enhance information sharing and evidence submission. See related article: How blockchain technology is shaking up courtrooms in Asia Fast facts China’s supreme court released on Tuesday a set of rules allowing courts to verify and recognize evidence submitted through […]

Alibaba is rewarding non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on its first blockchain game Ant Adventure, which can be played through the Alipay mobile application, one of China’s leading mobile payment providers.  See related article: Ant Group’s NFT arm punishes users for digital collectible resales Fast facts Ant Adventure is powered by Alibaba’s blockchain AntChain, and takes users […]

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 […]

The high court of China’s southeastern Guangdong province has ruled cryptocurrency investment activities are not protected by law, further clarifying that crypto is not a legitimate currency in the mainland.  See related article: China customs seizes 49 second-hand crypto mining rigs for export Fast facts The Guangdong high court on Tuesday listed a crypto-related virtual […]

Tether cut its commercial paper holdings by 21% last quarter according to the stablecoin operator’s latest quarterly assurance opinion released Monday.  See related article: Tether unveils reserves and backing for its USDT stablecoin in new report Fast facts Auditor MHA Cayman completed an attestation, finding Tether’s reserves held for its digital assets exceed the amount […]

You’re probably wondering why you need another world when the one we live in is complicated enough. Here’s what you need to know to better understand the metaverse and what all the hype is about.

How do NFTs create value? The answer is not as complex as it seems.

Axie Infinity breaks $4BN mark. Meanwhile, China’s brewing metaverse frenzy sees over 16,000 trademark applications.

Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands and K-pop agency Cube Entertainment announced on Tuesday the completion of a new joint venture named AniCube Entertainment, as Korean music labels race to cash in on their loyal fan bases through metaverse and non-fungible token (NFT) projects. See related article: K-pop agency Cube bets big on NFT and metaverse Fast […]

Dongguan customs in China’s southeast seized 49 second-hand Ant miners declared “shoe material” for export, at least the third seizure in February, state media reported on Monday.  See related article: Kazakhstan busts 13 illegal Bitcoin mining farms amid power concerns Fast facts See related article: China to ‘outdate’ crypto mining industry with more restrictions

Jingtan, Alibaba affiliate Ant Group’s non-fungible token (NFT) platform, has placed limitations on at least 56 accounts for participating in the resale of digital collectibles, after various collections surged in popularity in online second-hand markets.  See related article: CCTV NFTs hit resale market before transfer permitted Fast facts Jingtan, developed by AntChain, said it has […]

Amber Group has secured US$200 million in a funding round led by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund Temasek, raising the cryptocurrency platform’s valuation to US$3 billion.  See related story: Temasek-founded Affinidi launches new business unit to bring Web 3.0 to financial services to Southeast Asia Fast facts Existing investors including Sequoia China, Pantera Capital, Tiger Global […]

A former owner of a rare Bored Ape Yacht Club non-fungible token (NFT) is suing marketplace OpenSea for US$1 million or the token’s return after an exploit on the platform saw the NFT sold for a fraction of its market value. See related article: OpenSea NFT marketplace hacked for 332 ETH Fast facts Texas man […]

Dunamu, the operator of crypto exchange Upbit, signed a memorandum of understanding with credit card company BC Card on Monday to develop a non-fungible token (NFT) and metaverse-based credit card. See related article: South Korean crypto exchange acquires stake in major bank Fast facts Certain items purchased offline via the Dunamu BC Card will be […]

Solana joined Bitcoin’s free fall along with other cryptocurrencies on Tuesday, after being among the few cryptos standing in the green during a red day in the crypto market on Monday.  See related article: What Solana prices will be at the end of 2021 and beyond Fast facts Solana — currently at US$83.50 – is […]

When 3D artist Beeple sold a digital piece of art for a record $69 million through Christie’s, the world went NFT crazy. But what exactly is an NFT?

NH-Amundi Asset Management listed its second metaverse exchange-traded fund (ETF) Tuesday that will specifically invest in metaverse-related companies in the U.S. See related article: Hong Kong gears up for its first metaverse ETF Fast facts The HANARO U.S. Metaverse iSelect ETF follows 20 key players in the U.S. metaverse, virtual and augmented reality, and the […]