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When is a cryptocurrency a security and when is it not? Financial regulators around the world are raising that question. The answer that comes out of the U.S. may set the tone, but South Korea is also ahead in tackling it.

Two of the largest stablecoin issuers — Tether and USDC — announced Tuesday that they will support Ethereum’s proof-of-stake (PoS) chain, as Ethereum’s “Merge” looms and crypto miners are banding together against the abandonment of mining.  See related article: Prominent Chinese ETH miner plans proof-of-work fork amid The Merge Fast facts See related article: Ethereum […]

Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake promises to dramatically lower energy consumption, curbing greenhouse gas emissions that would require an annual offset by a forest roughly the size of Belgium.

Ethereum’s merge on the Kiln testnet on Wednesday was a success, as the blockchain passed the final public test before its highly anticipated transition from a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism to proof-of-stake (PoS), which is expected to happen by the end of Q2, 2022. See related article: The best of Ethereum 2.0 is yet to […]

Amid declines in Bitcoin and Ethereum, Cardano and its native cryptocurrency ADA saw US$10 million inflows as institutional investors switch to proof-of-stake coins.

Casper Network goes big on its ‘first of many’ expansion ambitions in Asia by receiving the nod to join both BSN China and BSN International.

Bitcoin, Ether and other cryptos dropped on Friday afternoon in Asia. Toncoin and Tron gained.

Bitcoin, Ether and most other top 10 cryptos dropped on Thursday after a Wednesday rally on news of Grayscale receiving a favorable ruling against the SEC.

Prices of all cryptocurrencies rose on Wednesday after a U.S. court backed Grayscale on its Bitcoin ETF application, compelling the SEC to review its rejection of the application.

A U.S. court’s landmark decision to side with Grayscale on its Bitcoin ETF application to the SEC sent crypto prices upward Wednesday morning in Asia.

The Shiba Inu token’s price dropped over 7% Thursday after the bumpy launch of “Shibarium,” a layer 2 scaling solution on the Ethereum blockchain.

Bitcoin fell below US$30,000 this week, as market optimism over ETFs began to ebb. Bitcoin has to hold above US$28,000 next week to avoid further bearish momentum, industry experts told Forkast.

In the second installment of a three-part interview series, Geoff Kendrick, head of crypto research and EM FX West at Standard Chartered Bank, talks altcoins, stablecoins and the legitimization of crypto risk through central bank digital assets.

Bitcoin inched above US$29,000 on Friday, as concerns over the health of the banking system have been reignited. Industry experts tell Forkast that banking troubles could fuel Bitcoin values, which face significant resistance above US$29,500.

Bitcoin fell to US$28,000 in the same week the European Parliament passed its landmark crypto framework. Industry analysts told Forkast that holding US$27,500 will be crucial for Bitcoin in order to spark an upward momentum.

SEC Chair Gary Gensler did not give a direct answer when asked whether Ether is a security or a commodity at a congressional oversight hearing on Tuesday. 

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

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

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

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

CFTC chair Rostin Behnam has called Ethereum a commodity and not a security, in apparent contrast to past statements from SEC Chairman Gary Gensler.

Ethereum validators are benefiting from the increasingly heated competition between the two largest NFT marketplaces that is driving up gas fees, but the windfall may not last much longer.

The metaverse has the potential to make the real world more just and inclusive, writes Sébastien Borget of The Sandbox. Here are the key ingredients for its future success.

Now a teenager, crypto is wrestling with its identity and purpose. But it’s learning from its mistakes and on its way to maturity, writes Zach Bronstein of Endaoment.

Bitcoin remained resilient around the US$24,000 level on Tuesday despite Wall Street’s worst day of the year so far. Industry experts are eyeing a potential retest of the US$25,000 psychological level, as a failure to reclaim it may result in a downtrend to around US$21,500.

A US district court judge on Wednesday denied Dapper Labs’ request to dismiss a lawsuit that alleges that the NBA Top Shots NFT collection is an unregistered security. 

Vancouver-based cryptocurrency mining firm Hive Blockchain Technologies Ltd. reported bigger losses in its latest quarterly earnings report published Tuesday, mainly due to Ethereum’s Merge and lower Bitcoin prices.  See related article: Bitcoin mining difficulty dips 0.5% over two weeks after hitting record high Fast facts See related article: Bitcoin miner Greenidge Generation cuts NYDIG debt […]

The SEC’s latest heavy-handed approach toward crypto will leave investors less protected while benefitting dodgy offshore companies, writes Danny Talwar of Koinly.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Paxos halts BUSD issuance. Kraken faces disclosure charges. Beijing backs new blockchain research center.

Last year was memorable in the emerging world of digital assets for the sheer number of corporate failures. The industry itself has been asking for clearer legal guidelines to help development. Is that what’s happening now?

Hester Peirce said using enforcement action to dictate law in an emerging industry is the act of a “lazy” regulator, after the SEC fined the U.S.-based Kraken crypto exchange for failing to register staking programs.

Bitcoin sank below US$22,000 on Thursday morning in Asia after the U.S. SEC slapped a fine on the Kraken exchange, sparking concerns that regulators are set to take a tougher line on crypto trading.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is considering a ban on cryptocurrency staking for retail customers in the country, said Brian Armstrong, the chief executive of Coinbase Global Inc.

Top blockchain and crypto news: BTC mining ETF outperforms. SBF under pressure as accusations mount. ‘China’s Instagram’ embraces NFTs.

Software developers for Ethereum, the world’s second-largest blockchain, on Monday said they successfully deployed a copy of the blockchain — or “shadow fork” — to run tests of the upcoming Shanghai hardfork upgrade scheduled for March.

Small details can make a big difference on performance, and one careless error can lead to calamity. How should those in crypto drivers’ seats navigate their path?

Top blockchain and crypto news: SEC frowns on Genesis, Gemini. Solana soars. Will China tighten its embrace of WeChat Pay and Alipay to push its CBDC?

Bitcoin held above US$21,000 in Tuesday morning trading in Asia with the total cryptocurrency market capitalization also briefly breaching the US$1 trillion-dollar mark in the last 24 hours for the first time since mid-November.

Although investors fear the Shanghai upgrade brings selling pressure to Ethereum, Amber’s Justin D’Anethan shares why this can be a bull case for Ethereum.

A Bitcoin transaction produced close to a metric ton of carbon emissions, while XRP was the most energy-efficient among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization last year.

LDO surged as Ethereum’s upcoming March upgrade is expected to resolve current risks in ETH staking. BitDAO also gained with its buyback plan.

Bitcoin and Ether traded little changed Friday morning in Asia, with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies losing ground.

Cryptocurrencies had a turbulent 2022 to say the least. Blockchain technology made progress but that failed to offset the multiple bankruptcies and hacks that plagued the industry through the year.

From Terra and FTX crises to Ethereum’s triumphant Merge and China’s inventive NFT industry, Forkast reviews a rollercoaster year and its consequences.

Like an awkward teen, Bitcoin is facing a crisis of confidence, writes Eddie Hui of MetaComp. What lies in store for the original cryptocurrency in 2023?

Despite blockchain’s potential, barriers to use still stand in the way, writes Andrew Vranjes of Blockdaemon. Solving security issues and reducing risk will be key.

Bitcoin fell below US$17,000 in Thursday morning trading in Asia. The other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also retreated.

Bitcoin traded little changed Friday morning in Asia, while Ether rose amid a mixed performance by the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

Proof-of-stake blockchain platform Cardano and blockchain payment platform Coti will launch an algorithmic stablecoin Djed in January 2023

Cryptocurrencies are getting in the way of the mass adoption of blockchain technology, especially by tech businesses, says Red Date Technology chief Yifan He.

Core Ethereum contributor ConsenSys co-launched the Ethereum Climate Platform (ECP) at the COP27 climate change conference in Egypt.

FTX has invested in many projects through its FTX Ventures arm, contributing to two of the 10 biggest blockchain and crypto funding rounds in the industry. Here are the top five investments FTX has been involved in.

In a period of toxic divide between the Democrats and Republicans, the need to figure out how to regulate the growing cryptocurrency industry is one of the few issues both parties seem to agree on.

Bitcoin fell in Wednesday afternoon trading in Asia along with the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins, with XRP holders suffering the steepest losses at 3.93%.

The blockchain network was built by former members of the Meta stablecoin project, with well-known investors and considerable buzz as the new ‘Solana killer.’

This isn’t the first time the bloc has examined cracking down on Bitcoin mining, and it comes amid a growing push from regulators to examine the industry’s carbon footprint.

Bitcoin and Ether both fell in Wednesday morning trading in Asia amid news the European Union is considering a bill to restrict the mining of energy-intensive cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin. Most of the rest of the cryptocurrency top 10 by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins, also declined, with the exception of Polygon. See related article: Bitcoin, […]

A recent token launch on Ethereum pushed the network into a deflationary state and the blockchain’s shift to PoS may lower supply even further.

Nearly half of 55 fintech and crypto experts believe Ethereum has been underpriced since the network became a proof-of-stake blockchain through “The Merge” upgrade last month, according to a recent report from financial service firm Finder. See related article: Why YOU should back Ethereum’s Fork Fast facts While 46% of the surveyed panelists said Ether […]

The crypto world has been watching how one of the world’s largest blockchains responds to a hack last week and the questions it raises about the state of decentralization in the industry.

Ethereum’s supply growth entered a deflationary state on Saturday, a first for the blockchain since The Merge upgrade that shifted the network to a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism in September.  See related article: Scalability is Ethereum’s post-Merge focus: Vitalik Buterin Fast facts Ether’s (ETH) burn rate has gone up along with gas fees (transaction fees) since […]

Bitcoin mining difficulty climbed to a record high on Monday, a large part of which is attributed to Ethereum’s “Merge” upgrade freeing up more room for Bitcoin miners, according to Bloomberg. See related article: Brazil police bust crypto group led by ‘Bitcoin Sheikh’ Fast facts Bitcoin mining difficulty, a measure of the amount of work […]

Terraform Labs Pte. Ltd. cofounder Daniel Shin, or Shin Hyun-sung, has submitted a statement to South Korea’s National Assembly with reasons not to appear before lawmakers on Thursday as a witness in the Terra-LUNA meltdown, according to local news agency News1. See related article: Terraform cofounder Daniel Shin to testify in South Korean parliament Fast […]

South Korea’s National Assembly intends to get to the bottom of the Terra-LUNA debacle in its next audit in October along with several other issues surrounding the local crypto industry.

The SEC has filed charges against Hydrogen Technology Corporation and former chief executive Michael Ross Kane for alleged sales of unregistered “crypto asset securities” in the form of Hydro tokens. See related article: SEC’s Gensler says proof-of-stake cryptocurrencies may be securities Fast facts Moonwalkers Trading Limited CEO, Tyler Ostern, is also being charged for allegedly […]

A bill that proposed a regulatory and licensing framework for crypto companies was rejected by Gov. Gavin Newsom amid a broader national debate concerning the policing of digital assets.

Bitcoin traded below the US$19,000 mark in early Monday trading in Asia after fluctuating around the resistance level all week. Ethereum and most other tokens in the cryptocurrency top 10 by market capitalization lost ground. XRP once again defied broader market forces and was up on the day. See related article: Markets: XRP soars 23%, […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Where is Do Kwon hiding out? Ethereum Merge mood fading fast. China’s digital yuan draws scrutiny Down Under.

Bitcoin fell below the US$19,000 resistance level for the second time in a week in early Wednesday trading in Asia. Ether and most other tokens in the cryptocurrency top 10 by market capitalization lost ground. XRP was the exception, gaining on news the token’s issuer, Ripple Labs Inc, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission […]

Bitcoin rose above US$19,000 in early Tuesday morning trading in Asia after falling below that resistance level overnight for the first time in almost two weeks. Ethereum showed signs of shaking off the post-Merge slump as it gained along with the rest of the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. See related article: Ethereum’s PoW […]

The global crypto market cap for cryptocurrency dropped over 7% in Monday evening trade in Asia, nearing US$900 billion. Bitcoin fell to a 24-hour low of US$18,390.32 at 5 pm Hong Kong time, while Cardano led losses within the crypto top 10 by market capitalization, followed by Ethereum.  See related article: Markets: Bitcoin back below […]

These PoW forks were created to keep revenue flowing for Ethereum’s miners, but plummeting prices put that plan at risk.