Archives

Online image gallery Getty Images announced it will launch a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace and debut digital collectibles on the Ethereum Virtual Machine-based Palm sidechain. See related article: Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post to make NFTs to preserve history Fast facts See related article: From in-print to online to on-chain: How will Web 3.0 […]

The Bitcoin community got a lift last year when it was reported Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund had bought Bitcoin. The company told Forkast in an interview that they do not own BTC, but they are keen on blockchain investments.

A developmental shift in the cryptocurrency industry is ushering in geographical shifts among crypto companies, with a number of businesses abandoning locations once hailed as crypto hubs in favor of jurisdictions with regulatory regimes more to their liking.  Forkast sat down with two of the crypto industry’s rainmakers who are among those spearheading this trend […]

LUNA, the collateral used by Terraform Labs to back its TerraUSD (UST), has been in a freefall. But experts tell Forkast the crisis is likely to make the pioneering stablecoin stronger, and the community behind stablecoins better.

The wife of the CEO of Terraform Labs sought protection after an unidentified individual visited their home in South Korea, local police told Forkast.

Top blockchain and crypto news: UST knocked out of Luna orbit. Making NFTs Instagrammable. China’s black market ‘digital collectibles’ trade.

Despite Beijing’s rhetoric against speculation in non-fungible tokens, some in mainland China are trading on WeChat groups, spawning an industry that caters to the fervor over the asset class.

Untamed Planet has closed a Series A funding round led by Animoca Brands and built a partnership with Animoca’s video game arm nWay to create a natural world in the metaverse, Animoca said in a press release. See related article: Need for Speed gets Hong Kong’s Animoca in driver’s seat Fast facts The project, the […]

Pantera Capital, a U.S. hedge fund specialized in cryptocurrency investment, has closed about 10 deals in India, including one with crypto unicorn CoinDCX, Paul Veradittakit, a partner at Pantera, told The Economic Times. See related article: Temasek leads $200M funding round in crypto firm Amber Fast facts “We plan on doing a lot more (investments) […]

Blockchain unicorn Animoca Brands said it has signed a licensing deal to include the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg racetrack in its REVV Motorsport ecosystem of play-to-earn racing games. See related article: Need for Speed gets Hong Kong’s Animoca in driver’s seat Fast facts Animoca Brands will mint and sell non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that represent partial ownership of […]

There’s never a dull moment in the news business. Now, as media outlets explore blockchain, the Associated Press’s Dwayne Desaulniers says more change is coming.

Another crypto exchanges moves out of Singapore into Dubai. Meanwhile, two South Koreans have been charged for treason.

As many as 600 NFTs featuring a montage of audio calls and complaints made by Shanghai residents as they interacted with medical staff and neighborhood compound managers have appeared on OpenSea.

Tokenizing an asset allows its trading to be faster and cheaper, writes Oi-Yee Choo of ADDX. It can also broaden opportunities for small investors.

Li Ning, a leading Chinese sportswear and equipment company headquartered in Beijing, is set to release a line of clothing featuring images of the Bored Ape Yacht Club #4102, as the brand looks to take advantage of the growing popularity of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). See related article: Chinese Communist Party paper to “develop” NFTs Fast […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Crisis response brings crypto relief. North Korea’s Lazarus Group named in Ronin hack. NFTs face new risks in China.

Zhou Xiaochuan, the former governor of the People’s Bank of China, said in a speech on Saturday that the digital yuan is designed to focus on transactions for people and merchants and not to replace SWIFT or weaponize the currency. See related article: The digital yuan’s de-dollarization Fast facts See related article: Hong Kong makes […]

Xinhua News Agency’s affiliate newspaper, Economic Information Daily, Thursday published an op ed suggesting measures for the further adoption of the digital yuan. See related article: The digital yuan’s de-dollarization Fast facts See related article:Hong Kong makes apt testbed for e-CNY cross-border use

Providing access to global customers and higher income, NFTs are changing lives in some of the poorest places in the world, writes Katherine Ng.

News of Sky Mavis raising US$150 million to compensate users following the around US$600 million hack on its Ronin Bridge led to a surge in Axie non-fungible tokens (NFT) sales. See related article: Axie Infinity blockchain Ronin hacked for over $600M Fast facts Binance leads the round along with Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands, a16z, Dialectic, […]

Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Britain’s crypto gamble. WAVES crashing. China’s big digital yuan push.

Our virtual and in-person events bring people together to join conversations that matter. Previous Events Crypto Rising CBDCS & Stablecoins: The Asia Perspective We are in a history defining moment where money is evolving. It’s not easy to replicate cash, and central bankers around the world face unique challenges. The U.S. is softening up to […]

Singapore’s approach may seem increasingly anti-crypto to some, but not to those tracking its policies closely. Danny Chong of Tranchess explains what’s going on.

Alibaba makes a $60M metaverse bet on AR glasses maker Nreal. Meanwhile, Axie’s Ronin blockchain gets hacked.

Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Dubai’s crypto caravan. Mt. Gox unlocked. Digital yuan in play again.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Bitcoin buzz in Malaysia. Yuga Labs teases Otherside. Blockchain verdict in China.

Conflict in Ukraine takes a toll on Malaysian exchange’s $10 million IPO just a week before planned listing.

As NFT adoption grows, massive amounts of capital are pouring into the industry.  January 2022 saw the close of investment rounds in several high-profile companies, including NFT marketplace OpenSea, which raised US$300 million in Series C funding from investors led by Paradigm and Coatue. The new investment valued OpenSea at US$13.3 billion. Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands, […]

As NFTs continue to draw new users, hacks and scams have begun to surface in the nascent industry. According to blockchain analytics company Chainalysis, the two most popular NFT-related crimes are money laundering and wash trading. The amounts involved are, however, relatively small with Chainalysis estimating that such criminal activities generated illicit profits of US$10 […]

Asia looks set to become the next big market for NFTs, with some experts predicting the region may surpass the West as early as this year. Global Google search interest for the term “NFT” surged past “crypto” in January, with the search engine’s data showing growth originating in the East. Data from Taiwan, Japan and […]

Inspired by the success of Beeple, Miguel Wang created CryptoTigers to generate pixelated tiger images for the Year of the Tiger.

The People’s Bank of China and four state departments confirmed their support for bidding regions in the southeastern province Zhejiang to carry out the next batch of digital yuan pilots. See related article: PBOC branch chief seeks clarity on digital yuan as legal tender Fast facts See related article: Hong Kong makes apt testbed for […]

Capital control limiting outflows may be less of an issue in the future with e-CNY being a ‘controllable currency,’ experts say.

Europe’s first metaverse-themed exchange-traded fund (ETF), the ETC Group Global Metaverse UCITS ETF (METR), listed on the London Stock Exchange Thursday, available for sale across Europe. See related article: Hong Kong gears up for its first metaverse ETF Fast facts The ETF will track the Solactive ETC Group Global Metaverse Index, which currently offers exposure […]

The Lion City has been the place to be for crypto firms, but retail activity is slowing down while the central bank continues to build a haven for institutional investors.

Nine U.S. senators are backing a bill that aims to crack down on China’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), the e-CNY or digital yuan, which they claim could allow Russia to bypass financial sanctions imposed on its banks and entities.  See related article: Digital yuan pilot attracts Chinese province bordering Russia Fast facts “If left […]

President Joe Biden on Wednesday urged the federal government to research and develop a digital dollar in an executive order describing broader directives for a coordinated and comprehensive U.S. approach to digital assets. See related article: CBDC tracker shows U.S. falling further behind Fast facts “My Administration places the highest urgency on research and development […]

US crypto exchange Coinbase has blacklisted 25,000 Russian wallet address in response to the ongoing Russian-Ukraine conflict. Meanwhile in Asia, English-language newspaper South China Morning Post announces the launch of its metaverse experience.

Bitcoin and other cryptos are being used on both sides of the fight, raising ethical issues that cut to the core of decentralization, says AAX’s Ben Caselin

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Gopax announced on Wednesday that it has frozen and blocked Russian accounts and IP addresses from its platform. See related article: Russian ruble plunges; Ukraine DAO aids civilians Fast facts According to local media, the exchange has blocked around 20 accounts belonging to Russian users. Gopax said its restrictions align with […]

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 […]

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

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.

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

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 […]

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 […]

BIT Mining, a Hong Kong-headquartered cryptocurrency miner, has terminated its data center construction in Kazakhstan due to an unstable local power supply, the company said in its quarterly report. See related article: Crypto mining’s Great Migration continues — out of Kazakhstan Fast facts BIT Mining now abandons a US$9.3 million pledge to a Kazakh data […]

As businesses wake up to the potential of the metaverse, we ask The Sandbox’s Sebastien Borget whether its creator-driven promise will persevere.

Animoca Brand’s nWayPlay sold out second batch of Bing Dwen Dwen mascot NFTs on Thursday as prices of first set fetched 900% in average resale value.

Bitcoin led a market-wide sell-off Thursday night Asia time by losing almost 8% coming into business hours Friday Asia time, and was trading at US$40,578 at press time. See related article: Is Bitcoin’s rocky start to 2022 a sign of things to come? Fast facts All other major tokens were down around the same amount, […]

Hong Kong-based blockchain unicorn Animoca Brands’ Japanese strategic subsidiary started operations on Tuesday to bridge the nation’s exclusive intellectual property (IP) with the Web 3.0 ecosystem. See related article: Animoca Brands valued at US$5B after latest fundraise Fast facts The subsidiary, Animoca Brands KK, is building a blockchain-powered platform for Japanese IP holders to launch […]

The Chinese State Council approved on Wednesday a plan to build computing and data hubs that use blockchain technology to secure data in four regions including the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Fast facts See related article: China writes blockchain and digital currency into nation’s future The four hubs are set to join four more approved […]

The rapidly growing crypto market could pose a threat to global financial stability, according to a Financial Stability Board (FSB) report published on Wednesday. Fast facts The FSB, an international body that monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system, identified vulnerabilities related to unbacked assets such as Bitcoin, stablecoins such as USDT and […]

HK watchdog’s sends out warning calling NFT a threat, meanwhile in Singapore DBS plans a crypto expansion

Phillips, a global auction house, launched a nine-day non-fungible token (NFT) auction on Monday, Valentine’s Day, in Hong Kong. Fast facts Six artworks are being auctioned as NFTs. One NFT for bidding is an auction data-generated NFT “Drowning in Love” made by MonoC, a virtual artist developed by Gusto Collective. MonoC is a virtual metahuman […]

Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has teamed up with Cabital, a Hong Kong-based crypto wealth management platform, to offer users more fiat on-ramp pathways to buy crypto. Fast facts Bybit said Tuesday in a statement that through the partnership, its users can use EUR and GBP to buy crypto on the Bybit platform and transfer crypto […]

Singapore-based medical service firm Zuellig Pharma is using its blockchain-based medical tracking tool eZTracker to enhance vaccine transparency by flagging expired or mismanaged Covid-19 shots. Fast facts The eZTracker system verifies the authenticity of vaccines and other medical products to improve supply chain transparency and prevent black market distribution of supplies. QR codes on product […]

The recent crypto price plunge has done little to rattle new investors. Are they just buying the dip, or is there more to it? Q9 Capital’s James Quinn explains.

Digital payments are commonplace in Asia, but gifting crypto as lucky money remains niche.

Mark Lamb of CoinFLEX takes a 20-year view of crypto and predicts ‘infinitely bigger’ growth than imagined today, with stablecoins leading the transformation.

Global NFT sales are exploding in 2022, but experts predict this is only the beginning of a bigger surge in Asia.

Guangdong Province’s 2022 Government Report says its capital city Guangzhou will become a digital yuan testbed and a blockchain innovation application pilot center in 2022.  Fast facts Guangzhou applied to become a new digital yuan pilot city in September 2021.  Guangzhou is one of the major cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). […]

BIT Mining’s Ohio mining site has achieved about 50 megawatts of power capacity in the midst of its U.S. expansion, the crypto miner announced on Tuesday. Fast facts BIT Mining’s Ohio data center will continue scaling for a planned capacity of up to 150 MW. The site currently conducts self-mining operations while hosting third-party miners. […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Asian governments target crypto. Managing MATIC. China’s expanding metaverse.

Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands announced a US$358,888,888 capital raise Tuesday that values the blockchain gaming and open metaverse company at US$5 billion. Fast facts The round was led by New York-based Liberty City Ventures, with more than 18 other investors around the world, including Kingsway Capital, Sequoia China, Smile Group, Soros Fund Management and Winklevoss […]

Polygon’s upgrade, which piggybacks off Ethereum’s EIP-1559, makes MATIC deflationary while allowing users to estimate gas fees more accurately.

Binance’s CEO is now the richest Asian man, but the crypto exchange giant’s presence in Asia—where Binance got its start—is withering under regulatory heat.

Korean prosecutors demand life, as HK plans new crypto regulation.

Internet blackouts are partially restored but access remains unpredictable to support full crypto mining, industry players say.