Montenegro to hold Terra-Luna fugitive Do Kwon for 30 days, says Yonhap News
Kwon Do-hyung will be held in Montenegro for a month on charges of using forged travel documents, South Korea’s Yonhap News reported.
Is our banking system obsolete?
For long, people could only put cash into a bank account or under the mattress, writes Eric Johnson. Will blockchain technology offer a viable alternative?
Bitcoin, other crypto fall as U.S. sues Binance; U.S. equities gain as banks stabilize
Bitcoin fell Tuesday morning in Asia along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies after the U.S. filed a lawsuit against Binance.
Binance, Zhao sued by CFTC for alleged regulatory violations
Binance and founder Changpeng Zhao have been sued by the CFTC for allegedly violating derivative rules
What impact will Ethereum’s Shanghai upgrade have on ETH and crypto markets?
Despite the potential sell pressures after Ethereum’s upcoming hard fork, it’s more likely that ETH stakers will hold for the longer term, writes Bill Xing of Bybit.
China state-owned banks turn crypto-friendly in Hong Kong: Bloomberg
China banks in Hong Kong are offering services to crypto businesses, Bloomberg reported on Monday, as more digital asset firms operate in the city.
G7 nations set to push for stricter cryptocurrency regulations at Japan summit in May
The Group of Seven industrial countries will discuss tougher rules on cryptocurrencies to improve transparency, protect investors.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Centralized intermediaries were cause of crypto failures in 2022, says Voorhees
If there was a lesson from the crypto implosions of 2022, it is the demonstration of the superiority of open code and decentralization over central intermediaries, argues Voorhees at DC Blockchain Summit.
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.
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.
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, 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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bitcoin, Ether extend gains as U.S. regulators take charge of banking industry turmoil
Bitcoin and Ether rose the most in the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization on Tuesday afternoon in Asia. Cryptocurrencies have been on a rebound since U.S. regulators took charge of the failures in the banking industry and moved to protect deposits across crypto-linked banks.
China regulator says NFT-related complaints skyrocketed in 2022
Amid the NFT hype in 2022, Chinese buyers’ complaints about NFT scams and price manipulations surged 30,000% to 59,700 from 198 in the year before.
FBI investigating the collapse of Do Kwon’s Terra-Luna, WSJ reports
Former employees of Do Kwon’s Terraform Labs are being questioned by the FBI and U.S. prosecutors in New York.
Bitcoin jumps above US$24,000, leading crypto gains as U.S. acts to backstop banks
Bitcoin continued to gain in morning trading in Asia, as regulators acted to backstop the U.S. banking industry. Most of the top 10 cryptocurrencies gained.
Banks are bringing systemic risks to crypto, says Circle’s Disparte
The recent U.S. bank failures are proof that the banking system is introducing systemic risks to the crypto industry, not vice versa, says Circle chief strategy officer Dante Disparte.
Euler Finance loses nearly US$200 mln in exploit
Euler Finance, a decentralized finance lending protocol has lost approximately US$197 million in an exploit, according to online crypto security analysts.
Bitcoin, Ether gain after U.S. regulators take charge to shield deposits across crypto-related banks
Bitcoin and Ether gained in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, after U.S. regulators took charge of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, both with exposure to crypto industry, protecting deposits and confirming that no losses will be borne by the taxpayer.
Beware the perils of one-size-fits-all approach to crypto investing
The collapse of Voyager and Celsius highlights the risks of crypto investing apps and underscores the need for tailored user education, writes Jackson Zeng of Caleb & Brown.
Circle says US$3.3 bln USDC reserve at SVB available Monday, announces partnership with Cross River
Circle said the USDC reserve deposits held at the failed Silicon Valley Bank will be recovered when banks open on Monday.
Circle’s USDC stablecoin regains parity as regulators act to stop bank run risk
Circle said its $3.3 billion of USDC cash reserves at the collapsed Silicon Valley Bank will be available Monday after regulators stepped in to backstop deposits.
Bitcoin jumps more than 9% as U.S. acts to protect deposits at crypto-linked banks
Bitcoin and Ether led a rebound in cryptocurrencies in Asia morning trading as U.S. regulators backstopped banks with ties to the crypto industry.
U.S. regulators shutter Signature Bank, lender to Paxos, Coinbase, citing systemic risk
U.S. regulators closed New York-based Signature Bank, one of the biggest lenders in the crypto industry, due to risks of a systemic failure.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin falls below US$20,000 as Silvergate collapse, rate hike concerns rise
Bitcoin fell below US$20,000 for the first time since Jan. 13 on the back of crypto bank Silvergate’s collapse and the U.S. Fed signaling higher than expected interest rate hikes.
Solana NFT sales surge as traders farm for Tensor rewards
The Forkast SOL NFT Composite dropped 6.13% over the past week while sales increased. Industry expert suspects casino-like behavior of traders moving funds to new projects.