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NFT sales more than doubled this week, with NFT marketplace Blur remaining the talk of the town.

World governments should not grant cryptocurrency legal tender status, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) executive board said in its new nine-point action plan on how countries should approach crypto assets published Thursday. See related article: India working with IMF, FSB on crypto regulations, says economic affairs secretary Fast facts See related article: India’s finance minister […]

The blockchain sector’s gender divide is narrowing. Its newness and founding ideals also allow for more flexible workplaces, writes Anastasia Kor of Choise.com.

Bitcoin was down and Ether was up on Friday morning in Asia, while most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization fell.

Hong Kong’s economy is shrinking, but a recent budget draft published by the government lists some changes that could help the city recover – and crypto is at the center of it all.

Cryptocurrency companies in Canada have 30 days to meet updated crypto registration guidelines released on Wednesday or risk losing their users.

A Taiwanese lawmaker has reiterated that the cabinet will have to mandate an acting central authority to shape regulatory frameworks and development roadmap for the cryptocurrency industry by May 16, a move that would push Taiwan closer to adequate crypto regulation.

NBA will partner Ant Group – Chinese tech giant Alibaba’s fintech affiliate – to issue NBA-themed NFTs and create content on Alipay.

Gate Group announced on Wednesday that it is applying for a new cryptocurrency license in Hong Kong, joining a growing list of Web3 firms entering the city.

Amid the rubble of FTX and other centralized exchanges, cross-chain technology and on-chain trading offer more trustworthy alternatives, writes Simon Harman of Chainflip.

Hong Kong’s proposed crypto licensing regime received Huobi Global’s pledge to return to the city, and more companies may follow, industry experts told Forkast.

Crypto scammers are deploying fraudulent tokens that appear affiliated with the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, taking advantage of the tech’s investment hype.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Blur’s success spurs changes at OpenSea. Is Binance eyeing US exit? Taiwan asset disclosure rules may include crypto.

Hong Kong is allocating HK$50 million (US$6.37 million) to develop its Web3 sector, the Financial Secretary Paul Chan announced Wednesday.

Coinbase reported an increase in its Q4 earnings on Tuesday, even as overall users declined throughout the period.

Multi-billion dollar bankruptcies, fraud allegations, scandal, and plunging cryptocurrency prices in 2022 all characterized why investors came to distrust centralized exchanges. Yet, some commentators expect platforms to become ever more centralized … and regulated.

Lenders in the crypto sector are optimistic about DeFi’s recovery this year – but why is that?

Cryptocurrency-focused hedge fund Galois Capital will close and return the remaining funds to investors after losing US$40 million worth of assets in the collapse of crypto exchange FTX.com

Cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global is seeking to relocate its Asia headquarters from Singapore to Hong Kong.

What makes Web3 compelling to many is its promise to shift power from centralized players to individual users, but China is doing the opposite, writes Lily King.

The Philippines’ Bataan province wants to streamline systems and procedures of government services through blockchain technology and tokenization, Bataan Governor Joet Garcia told Forkast.

Blockchain can be utilized in numerous ways to benefit the public sector, Philippine province Bataan is getting a head start.

Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency, gained 15% in the past week to trade at US$24,885 and 7 p.m. in Hong Kong, surpassing payments giant Visa in market capitalization for the third time in history. See related article: Industry reacts: US cracks down on crypto, India calls for regulatory collaboration Fast facts See related article: Bitcoin […]

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission is calling for public feedback on its new proposals to regulate the crypto industry set to take effect in June.

Greater transparency and confidence in who you are transacting with could go a long way toward alleviating public mistrust, writes Travis Nelson of Quadrata.

Nishad Singh, a former executive at bankrupt Bahamas-based cryptocurrency exchange FTX.com, may be leaning towards pleading guilty to fraud charges for his involvement in the company’s last November

Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice said on Wednesday that it may be adding cryptocurrencies to the list of properties for public servants to declare. 

The digital asset space is ripe for regulation, and tokenized real estate is no exception. But views differ when it comes to finding a framework that fits.

The cryptocurrency industry this week reacted to the recent moves by U.S. authorities against Kraken and Paxos. Meanwhile, India has been calling for a collaborative approach to crypto regulations.

Bitcoin briefly climbed above US$25,000 for the first time since August 2021, before declining to US$23,764 after its first weekly “death cross.” Investors liquidated over US$70 million worth of Bitcoin short positions in the past 24 hours, according to data aggregator GlassNode, contributing to BTC’s rally.

Japan will start a pilot programme to test the use of a digital yen in April, joining a growing number of countries seeking to launch their own CBDCs.

There might be “probable cause” to believe that Sam Bankman-Fried engaged in witness tampering and other activities that could revoke his bail, says judge.

Many gamers still oppose NFTs and blockchain gaming, overlooking the myriad benefits of the latest technology, writes Ramona Ciocea of Protokol.

Bitcoin and Ether fell Friday morning in Asia, curtailing a strong run up in the week, after the U.S. January PPI rose much faster than expected.

Binance expects to pay to settle U.S. authorities’ investigations into its business and past crypto offerings, according to its chief strategy officer.

Bitcoin posted the biggest gains during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with increases in the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies

El Salvador, the first country in the world to make Bitcoin legal tender, is planning on opening a “Bitcoin embassy” in Texas.

Academics from Stanford Law School and Stanford University are the previously two unknown individuals who signed bonds that allowed the release of FTX crypto exchange founder Sam Bankman-Fried from prison on bail, according to court filings released Wednesday. 

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

The European Commission (EC), has started a regulatory sandbox to test use cases of blockchain technologies and provide legal clarity for the industry.

Blockchain protocol Conflux Network and China’s second-largest wireless carrier China Telecom have partnered to build a “blockchain-enabled SIM card” (BSIM).

Sam Bankman-Fried, the co-founder of the now-bankrupt FTX exchange, has been banned from using virtual private networks (VPNs) while out on bail, as the judge cited similar concerns to the co-founder’s use of encrypted messaging apps, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. See related article: Bankrupt FTX threatens legal action to claw back donations to politicians, charities […]

Jingtan, one of China’s major NFT marketplace, has relaxed its rules on NFT transfer between users.

DBS Digital Exchange (DDEx), one of Asia’s first bank-backed digital exchanges, has reported a year-on-year increase of 80% in Bitcoin traded in financial year 2022, while the number of Bitcoin custodized with the bank doubled from 2021. 

The cryptocurrency industry faced criticism during a Senate committee meeting on Tuesday entitled “Crypto Crash: Why Financial System Safeguards are Needed for Digital Assets.”

S.Korean regulators are planning to review crypto staking services on local exchanges following recent regulatory enforcements from the SEC.

The intensifying regulatory oversight in the U.S. is highlighting the increasing need for non-U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoins in the cryptocurrency industry, Binance Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao said on Tuesday.  See related article: Be careful what you wish for? Regulators pick up pace in the crypto industry crackdown Fast facts See related article: SEC may make […]

The Hong Kong government is looking to raise US$102 million through the pilot issuance of its digital green bonds, according to a Monday report from Bloomberg. 

As financial regulators around the world continue to crackdown on stablecoins, some are asking if they are overreaching their jurisdiction.

Bitcoin and Ether dropped in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Binance’s native token BNB led the day’s decline across the top 10 cryptos.

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?

Bitcoin was the only top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrency to gain in Tuesday morning trading in Asia in a market unsettled by regulators in the U.S. targeting digital asset companies.

Singapore’s DBS Group plans to apply for a license to offer crypto to Hong Kong customers as the city pushes to become a hub for digital assets.

Mastermind of the EminiFX fraud has pleaded guilty to soliciting investments worth more than US$248 million from tens of thousands of investors, says US DOJ.

Bitcoin continued to trade below US$22,000 in Monday afternoon trading in Asia. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies dropped except Dogecoin.

The United Arab Emirates plans to launch a central bank digital currency (CBDC), among other initiatives, to become a financial and digital payment hub.

Paxos Trust Company has been ordered by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) to stop issuing the U.S. dollar-pegged Binance USD (BUSD) stablecoin

Tokenization, stablecoins and DeFi will be growth areas, but regulatory uncertainty is still holding back adoption, writes John Avery of FIS.

Bitcoin’s mining difficulty level edged down 0.5% in the two weeks through Sunday after hitting an all-time high in the previous adjustment, according to data from BTC.com.

Huobi Global plans to expand its operations in Hong Kong, anticipating that Mainland China will soon follow the city’s recent pro-crypto shift, says Justin Sun.

Paxos Trust, the issuer of Binance’s BUSD stablecoin, is reportedly being investigated by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS).

After the strongest January price increase since 2013, Bitcoin gave up some of its gains this week to dip below the US$22,000 support line on Friday. The crypto market was buffeted by bearish comments on interest rates by U.S. Federal Reserve officials this week, along with concerns about a regulatory crackdown. Is this the start of a downtrend, a healthy correction, or the beginning of a so-called “crab” market moving sideways?

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, along with the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana’s native token notched the biggest loss, following rumors of a potential ban on crypto staking for retail investors in the U.S.

China has given the go-ahead to set up the National Blockchain Technology Innovation Centre in Beijing to run blockchain research and development, according to local media.

The recent spate of crypto exchanges freezing customer accounts should be a wake-up call to investors everywhere. What can you do to better protect yourself?

Blockchain data storage could be a game-changer in defining the future of cloud storage. Should you also be using blockchain to store your data?

Blockchain developers want a piece of the multi-billion dollar cloud computing pie. Do current heavyweights in the industry – Amazon, Google and Microsoft – have cause for concern?

Robinhood Markets Inc., the U.S.-based financial services company, aims to purchase the 55 million of its shares that FTX-linked Emergent Fidelity Technologies bought in May 2022, according to its earnings report released Wednesday.

Wallets linked to Alameda Research became active over the past week, transferring millions worth of FTX’s native token, FTT, according to Arkham Intelligence. 

Top blockchain and crypto news: GOPAX deal sees Binance return to South Korea. Inflation fight spooks crypto markets. Chinese liquor giant gives cheers to NFTs.

Beijing’s market regulator warned that projects marketed in the country as non-fungible tokens or with metaverse-related concepts risk being involved in illegal fundraising or fraudulent activities.

Bitcoin traded back above US$23,000 on Wednesday morning in Asia after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell overnight said the “disinflationary process” has started in the economy.