Elon Musk slips down rich list as Tesla’s stock loses shine
Tesla founder Elon Musk has lost his position as the world’s second-richest person following a 2.2% decline in the electric carmaker’s share price.
Ripple seeks to protect legal advice on XRP from disclosure to SEC
Ripple rebuts SEC’s attempt to obtain Ripple’s confidential communications with lawyers over XRP’s legal status and seeks to bolster ‘fair notice’ defense.
‘Fear’ gets the best of Bitcoin; ‘Charlie Bit Me’ is now an NFT | The Daily Forkast
FUD has taken over Bitcoin’s FOMO sentiment as iconic YouTube video ‘Charlie Bit Me’ gets immortalized as an NFT.
Audience fave ‘Charlie bit me’ video to be auctioned off as NFT
The home video that has been viewed more than 880 million times is set to be sold as NFT to highest bidder — and then deleted forevermore from YouTube.
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.
Fund managers urge caution amid crypto price swings
Fund managers have reacted swiftly to the latest price volatility in the cryptocurrency market triggered by recent Elon Musk tweets that have raised doubts over Tesla’s future relationship with Bitcoin, the Financial Times reports. Fast Facts: T Rowe Price President and Head of Investments Rob Sharps recognized the impact of cryptocurrencies across capital markets, but […]
New York artist takes work to new heights in partnering with crypto payment service
New York-based artist Brian Donnelly, also known as KAWS, is launching his latest project in Britain, “KAWS:HOLIDAY UNITED KINGDOM,” featuring a 42-meter tall hot-air balloon that people can pay cryptocurrency to take rides in. Fast facts Crypto and fiat payment processor FTX Pay has partnered with Hong Kong production company AllRightsReserved to be the official […]
Bitcoin slumps as Musk hints Tesla may drop its holdings
A single tweet by Tesla founder Elon Musk wiped more than US$55 billion off the cryptocurrency market after he implied on Sunday that the company might have sold its Bitcoin holdings. Fast Facts: Bitcoin’s price fell to below US$43,500 after Musk appeared to agree with a Twitter post that Tesla should divest its Bitcoin holdings. […]
Elon Musk Dogecoin tweet draws ire of crypto heavyweights
A tweet about Dogecoin by Tesla founder Elon Musk provoked a terse response from high-profile figures in the cryptocurrency industry on Sunday. Fast Facts: Musk responded to a tweet in which Twitter user @itsALLrisky claimed that Dogecoin was superior to Bitcoin, tweeting back: “Ideally, Doge speeds up block time 10X, increases block size 10X & drops […]
New York’s Bitcoin mining showdown sets stage for battles elsewhere
A dispute over a Bitcoin mine’s environmental impact leads to a push to ban crypto mines in New York state. Will other places follow Albany’s lead?
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.
S. Korea facing backlash for banning police from owning crypto
To improve public trust, South Korea is barring police officers from buying cryptocurrency. Could this presage a broader clampdown on crypto in the country?
Binance under fire; Internet giant Naver takes on South Korea’s CBDC | The Daily Forkast
The Asian crypto industry reacts to the US Department of Justice and Internal Revenue Service money laundering probe into Binance. In South Korea, the nation’s largest internet company plans to join Bank of Korea’s CBDC ventures. Over in Singapore, Southeast Asia’s largest lender DBS Bank expands its crypto services for its private bank clients by […]
DBS Bank rolls out crypto estate planning for the ultra-rich
What will happen to your Bitcoin keys and crypto wallets when you die? Southeast Asia’s largest bank will now take care of it all for the super wealthy.
CZ bites back at Binance probe sensationalism — ‘Anyways. Back to work’
Yet another U.S. regulatory probe of leading crypto exchange Binance is underway, but CEO Changpeng Zhao isn’t impressed with news headlines.
Up to 46M U.S. retail consumers eye crypto as means of payment
As many as 46 million U.S. consumers will consider using cryptocurrency to make retail purchases, regardless of whether or not they currently own crypto, a joint study by media outlet PYMNTS and Bitcoin payment service BitPay shows. Extrapolation indicates that purchases made using cryptocurrency could conservatively represent around 1% of all retail sales in the […]
Self-styled Bitcoin ‘creator’ files $5.6B claim in UK court
An Australian computer scientist has become the latest person to claim to have developed Bitcoin, an assertion he hopes might bring him a £4 billion (US$5.6 billion) windfall. Craig Wright, who claims to have invented Bitcoin, and the identity behind the Satoshi Nakamoto pseudonym, has filed a lawsuit in a UK court to retrieve a […]
Coinsource wins Alaska Bitcoin ATM license
Bitcoin ATM provider Coinsource is expanding in Alaska after receiving the state’s first and only Alaska Money Transmitter License. Coinsource joins four other operators of Bitcoin ATMs — known as BTMs — in Alaska, none of which have such a license. The Alaska Division of Banking and Securities license provides a guarantee that money transmitters […]
DBS Private Bank launches crypto trust offering
Singapore’s DBS Private Bank has announced the launch of Asia’s first bank-backed trust offering for cryptocurrencies. The service, operated via the lender’s wholly-owned licensed trust subsidiary, DBS Trustee, allows clients to invest, custodize and manage their digital assets. The service will handle only those cryptocurrencies hosted on the DBS Digital Exchange — Bitcoin, Ether, Bitcoin […]
Binance faces U.S. probe amid money-laundering, tax suspicions
Binance, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange, is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice and Internal Revenue Service over alleged illegal activities. Officials responsible for investigating money laundering and tax breaches have interviewed individuals familiar with Binance’s activities, according to a report by Bloomberg. In March, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission said it […]
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.
NFT player Animoca hits unicorn status with $89 million capital raise
Animoca Brands’ valuation tops US$1 billion as it charges forward in the NFT and blockchain gaming space with $88,888,888 in new funding.
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.
Huobi Group launches US$100M early-stage DeFi venture arm
China-founded cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Group has launched a US$100 million investment arm to focus on early-stage blockchain and decentralized finance projects over three years. The new operation, named Huobi Ventures, will make strategic acquisitions to diversify and expand Huobi’s offerings and establish a US$10 million non-fungible token fund, the company said in a statement sent […]
Gibraltar’s DLT rules hailed as key to BITSO US$255M capital raise
Gibraltar’s distributed ledger technology regulations have been credited with the success of Latin American crypto platform BITSO’s latest US$255 million fundraising. The series-C equity round was led by hedge funds Tiger Global and Coatue Management, and boosted BITSO’s value to US$2.2 billion. Gibraltar’s DLT legislation is the world’s first purpose-built regulatory framework for businesses using […]
How FTX crypto exchange won over 1 million investors and grew 25-fold
FTX crypto derivatives exchange pioneered TRUMP crypto futures and now dwarfs Coinbase in trading volume. Is going public in FTX’s near future?
Facebook reins in crypto ambitions with Diem stablecoin plan
Facebook’s much-anticipated foray into cryptocurrency has got off to a modest start, with the project it is backing confirming that it will launch a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar. The social media giant had announced ambitious plans to launch a global digital currency named Libra in partnership with Visa and PayPal in 2019, but […]
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?
Tesla pulls U-turn on Bitcoin payments amid founder’s environmental concerns
US carmaker Tesla has backed away from accepting Bitcoin as payment for its electric vehicles, citing the enormous environmental cost of mining and processing cryptocurrency transactions. In a Tweet posted on Wednesday, Tesla founder Elon Musk said the company would suspend vehicle purchases using Bitcoin. He said, “We are concerned about rapidly increasing use of […]
ICP takes crypto world by storm. Will Ethereum be the next Bitcoin? Goldman Sachs launches crypto trading desk.
Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: How Dogecoin copycat SHIB coin vaulted into crypto’s top 20. China unveils fingerprint ID for digital yuan.
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.
U.S. SEC takes crypto regulator crown with enforcement action tally
The United States’ Securities and Exchange Commission has emerged as a top cryptocurrency regulator, bringing 75 enforcement actions and 19 trading suspension orders between July 2013 and 2020, according to a study by Cornerstone Research. “In the last seven years or so, the SEC has established itself as one of the main regulators policing the […]
Ethereum market cap now half trillion dollars as Ether price hits ATH of $4,360
Ethereum prices rally to new all-time high as Bitcoin’s dominance keeps sliding. Is Ethereum’s upcoming EIP 1559 upgrade boosting its value proposition?
What is the real value of joke coins like Dogecoin and SHIB?
Crypto veterans are appalled by the sudden popularity of $hitcoins like DOGE and SHIB. But others say memecoins are making investing more accessible.
Indonesia eyes crypto trade tax as sector heats up
Indonesia’s tax authority is studying a proposal to tax cryptocurrency trading as interest in digital currencies gains momentum among local investors. Directorate General of Taxes spokesman Neilmaldrin Noor was quoted by Reuters as saying, “If there is a profit or capital gain generated from a transaction, the profit is an object of income tax. So […]
China’s new digital yuan wallet with fingerprint ID causes privacy worries
Chutian Dragon and IDEX Biometrics offer DCEP digital currency wallets with fingerprint recognition. The companies say the feature enhances security.
Indian crypto standoff takes toll on investment despite hopes for solution
Cryptocurrency investment in India has reportedly slowed to a trickle as both investors and cryptocurrency exchanges grapple with banks’ refusal to accept digital currency transactions. Despite the face-off, industry executives are hopeful that banking support will resume soon, according to a report by Moneycontrol. As reported by BloombergQuint, most crypto exchanges, including WazirX, CoinDCX, Zebpay, […]
Thailand’s Brooker Group bets US$48 million on DeFi, decentralized apps
Bangkok-headquartered financial consultancy and capital manager The Brooker Group is set to invest US$48 million in a portfolio of decentralized applications and decentralized finance tokens, a move that will see the company commit around half of its assets to the sector. The firm has identified what it describes in a press release as “huge” growth […]
Block.one raises US$10B to launch Bullish Global, set up new crypto exchange
Software company Block.one today announced the launch of new subsidiary Bullish Global. An independent entity that will operate under Block.one’s parentage, Bullish Global is focused on the rollout this year of Bullish, a blockchain-based cryptocurrency exchange, according to a press release sent to Forkast.News. Bullish aims to combine the performance, user privacy and compliance offered […]
FTX CEO on tokenized stocks; South Korean police officers want crypto | The Daily Forkast
FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried joins Forkast.News to share how the exchange is able to provide new financial products while still satisfying regulators.
How S. Korea and Singapore are grappling with crypto investor protection
As retail interest in crypto grows, countries around the world are grappling with consumer protection. Asia offers a window into the array of policy responses.
Alpha Finance Lab launches oracle aggregator to boost scalability, flexibility
Alpha Finance Lab has developed an oracle aggregator with data from oracle providers Band Protocol and Chainlink to address challenges related to scalability, flexibility and security as the decentralized finance landscape continues its rapid evolution. A data oracle is a platform that combines and integrates real-world data and application programming interfaces that control smart contracts. […]
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.
UK finance sector’s paper problem in line for fix as docStribute ledger launches
London-based regulatory technology startup ALT/AVE today launched its docStribute distributed ledger product, which aims to tackle the paper waste problem generated by companies in the financial services industry. Built on the Hedera Hashgraph network, docStribute enables financial institutions to distribute mandatory and highly regulated documents to customers, offering a secure and more sustainable digital alternative […]
SEC demands Ripple reveal legal advice Ripple received on XRP
In the latest volley in SEC v. Ripple Labs, the SEC contends that Ripple has waived its attorney-client privilege over legal advice on XRP’s status.
Philippine power firm looks to regulators to drive blockchain electricity trade
The head of a Philippine electricity generator and distributor says that blockchain-enabled trading of electricity can thrive in the country, so long as the right regulatory environment exists. Emmanuel Rubio, president and CEO of Aboitiz Power, told the Manila Bulletin blockchain offered an opportunity in the electricity market, particularly in unleashing the potential of […]
Investment manager Ninepoint to offset Bitcoin ETF’s carbon footprint
Canada-based alternative investment manager Ninepoint is to set aside a portion of its management fees to offset the carbon footprint of the Bitcoin held in an exchange-traded fund it operates. Its aim to provide investors prioritizing environmental, social and governance investment opportunities with carbon-neutral exposure to the world’s biggest cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrencies have attracted considerable criticism […]
Cambodia’s SBI LY HOUR Bank launches first cross-border blockchain transfers via Ripple
Cambodian lender SBI LY HOUR Bank has launched the first blockchain-based remittance services between Cambodia and Vietnam. SBI LY HOUR Bank is providing the new services with Vietnamese lender TP Bank, in which its parent, SBI Holdings, has a stake, according to a report by the Phnom Penh Post. The lender is the first […]
Ethereum prices break $4,000 for first time—what’s driving ETH’s surge?
Is it all those new Ethereum ETFs, rising demand for Ethereum from DeFi and NFTs, or lower gas fees fueling ETH’s price jump to yet another all-time high?
Dfinity to unveil challenger to Ethereum, cloud services
Cryptocurrency startup Dfinity is set to unveil an “internet computer,” which it says can provide a faster, cheaper alternative to Ethereum and can rival Amazon Web Services and other cloud computing companies, according to a report by the Financial Times. The company’s self-described internet computer is a group of technologies designed to support next-generation decentralized […]
Barking at the moon: SpaceX lunar launch to be funded by Dogecoin
Canadian manufacturing and logistics firm Geometric Energy Corporation has announced that its Doge-1 Mission to the Moon — the first commercial lunar payload in history — will be paid for in its entirety with the meme-inspired cryptocurrency Dogecoin. The moonshot will involve a collaboration between Geometric Space Corporation mission management and SpaceX that will carry […]
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.
Philippine bank, fintech XLOG to offer blockchain-based logistics financing
Union Bank’s financial supply chain platform to be integrated with XLOG’s logistics platform. Union Bank of the Philippines and fintech firm XLOG have teamed up to offer the Philippines’ first blockchain-powered supply chain financing solution embedded in a logistics platform. “We are firm believers in how blockchain technology can bridge gaps in different industries. We […]
Crypto gets AI treatment as BlockBank rolls out robots
Financial artificial intelligence firm seeks to use technology to mitigate risks in complex, volatile trading environment. BlockBank, which develops artificial intelligence for both decentralized and traditional, centralized finance, is using its technology to bring AI-enabled analytics and risk management practices to the crypto space. The company is working to offer a built-in fiat currency gateway […]
BCH gets the nod from Japan; Digital yuan travels to the countryside | The Daily Forkast
While Bitcoin Cash surges, we visit a Japanese coffee shop owner who just started accepting BCH as payment.
Ripple’s XRP sales increased over 90% in 1Q 2021
XRP sales by Ripple accounted for 0.07% of global XRP volume. Ripple says its sales were to support on-demand liquidity customers.
Citi mulls crypto services launch as clients embrace Bitcoin
Currency-trading giant says crypto trading, custody and financing all under consideration amid growing demand from asset managers, hedge funds. Citigroup is considering launching cryptocurrency services following a surge in interest in digital currencies among its clients, according to a report by the Financial Times. The report cited Citi’s global head of foreign exchange, Itay Tuchman, […]
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?
High-end Miami condos to be city’s first flats with crypto price tag
Developer of Arte by Antonio Citterio partners with blockchain platform to allow buyers to pay with cryptocurrency. Sapir Corp, the developer of the Surfside district condominium, has teamed up with blockchain and securities trading platform SolidBlock to allow buyers of the luxury residences to purchase them using cryptocurrency. The partnership between Sapir Corp and SolidBlock […]
Tajikistan teams up with Fantom for e-government blockchain launch
Central Asian nation follows Pakistan and Afghanistan with blockchain-powered digitization initiative. Tajikistan is partnering with the Fantom Foundation to develop e-government infrastructure using Fantom’s blockchain-based IT products. Under the deal, the Ministry of Industry of New Technologies will provide Fantom with access to its data flows and documentation to develop a customized customer relationship management/management […]
Indian crypto plan moots rules to harness growth potential
Startup association presents recommendations for regulatory framework as it pushes boost for business instead of blanket ban. IndiaTech.org, an industry association representing startup founders and investors, has called for the registration of homegrown, locally registered cryptocurrency exchanges in a five-point policy framework aimed at crypto regulation. It proposes that cryptocurrencies should be given the status […]
Bitcoin vs. Bitcoin Cash: Everything an investor needs to know
With Bitcoin Cash prices rising in advance of its May 15 network upgrade, investors want to know: What’s the difference between Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin?
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.
Kraken crypto investors in spotlight as US court approves IRS probe
Win for tax enforcer as California federal court gives it green light to seek information on Kraken exchange cryptocurrency deals. The U.S District Court for the Northern District of California has given the Internal Revenue Service approval to issue a “John Doe” summons seeking information on customers of San Francisco-based cryptocurrency exchange Kraken. A John […]
Uniswap v3 volume surges despite users’ cost gripes
New iteration outperforms predecessor amid concerns over costs, complexity. Uniswap founder Hayden Adams has declared Uniswap’s v3 launch day a greater success by volume than that of its v2 iteration, despite a slew of complaints from users about its costs. Adams wrote in a tweet dated May 7 that during its first 24 hours live, […]
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.
Seoul crypto exchange raided over alleged multimillion-dollar fraud
More than $200 million of assets seized from firm identified as VGlobal. South Korean police have raided a Seoul-based cryptocurrency exchange over an alleged multi-level marketing fraud. The exchange, identified as VGlobal, according to a report by Bitcoin.com, stands accused of stealing millions of dollars from investors. According to the Yonhap news agency, police raided […]
“Everyone has been bitten by the Chia bug”; Indian banks puzzle crypto | The Daily Forkast
The Chia craze keeps on going while the Indian crypto industry speaks out against banks blocking crypto transactions.
Polkadot, Kusama parachain anticipation builds amid uncertainty over launch date
Appetite for auction remains robust despite delays, pressure on Polkadot token. Since the Polkadot mainnet launch in 2020, the planned launch of the network’s eponymous and Kusama parachains has generated much eager anticipation. Yet delays to the auction of slots that have put pressure on Polkadot’s native token appear not to have dampened enthusiasm for […]
Indian payments authority leaves banks to weigh crypto-trading bans
National Payments Corporation of India refuses to ban cryptocurrency trading, putting decision on whether to block trades in hands of lenders. India’s national payments authority has handed banks the responsibility for deciding whether or not to ban cryptocurrency trading. The National Payments Corporation of India has advised lenders across the country to impose bans on […]
Report: 1.7 million DeFi users now on Ethereum, 50% more since Jan. 1
ConsenSys Codefi’s Q1 report on decentralized finance (DeFi) trends also saw 7x growth in stablecoins and predicts flashbots dominating the Ethereum network.