Australian 2022 budget confirms digital assets will not be taxed as foreign currency
The Australian Government has clarified that cryptocurrency will continue to be taxed as an asset class instead of a foreign currency in its 2022 budget released on Tuesday.
As US midterms approach, poll says voters want policy interests to align with crypto, technology
Survey reveals popularity of crypto ownership among voters, their hopes for the industry’s growing potential and the need for regulation to protect consumers.
Crypto.com, Gate.io sign on to boost Busan’s blockchain aspirations
South Korea’s Busan signs agreements global cryptocurrency exchanges Crypto.com and Gate.io to grow the city’s blockchain ecosystem.
Markets: Bitcoin price back above US$20,000, Ether jumps as U.K. votes to regulate crypto
Bitcoin was trading above US$20,000 for the first time in almost three weeks on Wednesday morning trading in Asia.
Reddit NFT trading volume hits all-time daily high as avatars sell out
Reddit non-fungible token (NFT) avatar trade volumes hit an all-time high, with sales exceeding US$2.5 million in the past 24 hours.
Markets: Bitcoin little changed, Ether rises, top 10 cryptos mixed, XRP leads losers
Bitcoin traded flat on Tuesday afternoon in Asia hours, while Ether edged higher in a mixed day for prices among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins. XRP led the losers for the second consecutive day. Polygon’s Matic token held onto recent gains and Dogecoin also moved higher.
Taiwan singer Annie Yi taps LGBT NFTs with artist son to advocate inclusion
The singer-actress and son Harrison Yu said they launched the Theirsverse NFT brand in New York to engage marginalized groups in the early building of Web 3.0.
HNWI, family offices to drive crypto adoption across Asia: KPMG, Aspen Digital report
Family offices and high net worth individuals (HNWI) will drive the adoption of digital assets across Asia, according to a joint report by professional services firm KPMG China and Hong Kong-based crypto asset management platform Aspen Digital. See related article: Hong Kong, BIS explore CBDC-backed stablecoins in retail prototype Fast facts The report, largely based […]
Apple will not allow NFTs to unlock in-app features
Apple is allowing NFTs in applications, but will not allow them to be used to unlock in-app content or features.
BIS, Goldman Sachs, HKMA test tokenized green bond project Genesis 2.0
Genesis 2.0 aims to explore tokenized carbon credits and IoT facilities to monitor green bond issuers’ emission-reducing commitment.
Sam Bankman-Fried to refund FTX phishing victims — just this once
Cryptocurrency exchange FTX will reimburse US$6 million lost by users in a phishing attack over the weekend, according to founder Sam Bankman-Fried.
Letter to Zuck: Meta, metaverse dreams must come down to earth
Meta shareholder Altimeter Capital’s CEO Brad Gerstner wrote a letter to Mark Zuckerberg suggesting a cut in headcount and in metaverse investments.
The crypto industry needs to do more to help ordinary investors
Cryptocurrency was created to be accessible to the masses. So why are retail investors getting shut out from the best analytical and trading tools?
Markets: Bitcoin falls as mining difficulty hits record high, rest of crypto top 10 also decline
Bitcoin dipped in Tuesday morning trading in Asia, but held above the US$19,000 support line where it has been fluctuating for several weeks.
Top “UK Crypto Hub” proponent Rishi Sunak to become prime minister
Rishi Sunak, who previously spearheaded the UK’s crypto hub ambitions as finance minister, has been elected by the Conservative Party on Monday following Liz Truss’ resignation last week.
Bitcoin mining difficulty logs new high, up 3.4%
Bitcoin mining difficulty has reached a new high after a 3.44% increase in Monday’s biweekly adjustment, according to data from BTC.com.
Hong Kong, BIS explore CBDC-backed stablecoins in retail prototype
The BIS Innovation Hub Hong Kong Centre has completed its CBDC study, Project Aurum, which examined the feasibility of intermediated CBDCs and CBDC-backed stablecoins.
Markets: Bitcoin gains, Polygon leads top 10 crypto; Hong Kong stocks plunge
Bitcoin rose in Monday evening trading in Asia in a mixed day across the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins. Ether gained more than 2% and Polygon had a strong run up of more than 6%. XRP fell. Different picture for Hong Kong stocks, where the Hang Seng Index plunged to lows last […]
Is crypto dead? No, but doomsayers may profit from your panic
A lack of regulations means anyone can say bad things about crypto to stir up fear — and push you to sell. Even if they stand to make money from your losses.
SEC asks court to deny Ripple motion for summary judgment in XRP lawsuit
The U.S. SEC has filed a legal rebuttal to Ripple’s motion for summary judgment, a day after Ripple took a similar move against the SEC.
‘Chinese Netflix’ iQIYI taps smart contract ERC-3475 to resolve copyright disputes
iQIYI, one of China’s largest online video platforms with over 100 million subscribers, is tapping Ethereum smart contract standard ERC-3475 to solve copyright-related issues, according to a press release on Sunday from the standard’s inventor, decentralized bond protocol DeBond.
South Korea’s MIR4 maker Wemade launches stablecoin
WEMADE, a South Korean blockchain game developer, recently launched its stablecoin, WEMIX$, for growing its blockchain ecosystem, which houses NFTs and DeFi.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether, Polygon gain; US equities see largest gains since June
Bitcoin and Ether were both gaining in Monday morning trading in Asia, as were all other top ten cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins.
Reinventing banking: Why is Standard Chartered so drawn to Web3?
Institutional adoption of Web3 in finance means getting traditional banks involved, which will in turn reshape the way banks work, says SC Ventures’ Alex Manson.
India Web3 talent driven away by lack of regulatory clarity, industry body says
India’s lack of regulatory clarity on crypto and Web 3.0 is a driving force of critical human capital flight, according to a new report by Nasscom.
Markets: Bitcoin holds above US$19,000 support but top 10 cryptos fall
Bitcoin traded at US$19,045.18 at 4 p.m. in Hong Kong, while Ether fell 0.48% to US$1,286.01, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
Interpol’s global police beat moves to metaverse amid hunt for Terra’s Do Kwon
The international police organization Interpol has launched its own metaverse to assist law enforcement in protecting communities in virtual realms. The development comes after wanted Terraform Labs cofounder Do Kwon quietly slipped from Singapore to Dubai and possibly elsewhere. See related article: India police launch blockchain-based complaint portal on Polygon Fast facts Interpol claims theirs […]
The Lord of the Rings NFT comes with a Web3 AR movie journey in 4K
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. will launch Lord of The Rings non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on Eluvio, as part of the entertainment giant’s Web 3.0 movie experience coined “Movieverse.”
Software maker Hancom raided amid suspicions over token Arowana, slush fund
South Korean police raided local software company Hancom and home of chairman Kim Sang-cheol on Thursday amid speculation that Kim created a slush fund using crypto token Arowana, according to local media reports.
Ripple lawyer says ‘worth the fight’ as SEC hands over Hinman files in court case
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has handed over internal documents to Ripple Labs Inc. containing comments by former SEC Corporation Finance Division director William Hinman on cryptocurrencies, Ripple’s general counsel Stuart Alderoty said on his verified Twitter handle on Friday.
Jack Dorsey-founded decentralized social protocol Bluesky gets 30K signups for waiting list
Bluesky, the decentralized social media protocol founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, announced on Friday morning Hong Kong time that 30,000 people had signed up on its preview app waitlist 48 hours after it was announced.
Markets: Bitcoin dips, 30-day volatility at 2 year low; Ether falls, Dogecoin gains
Bitcoin fell, but traded back above the US$19,000 support level in Friday morning trading in Asia. Ether lost ground along with most other top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins, but leading memecoin Dogecoin rose and Tron also edged higher. See related article: Twitter user prevents 200 billion BitBTC bridge exploit, highlighting major vulnerability […]
Sachin Tendulkar joins NFT market Rario’s cricket legends roster
Sachin Tendulkar, Indian cricket legend and former captain of the national cricket team, has partnered with cricket non-fungible token (NFT) platform Rario to launch exclusive digital collectibles. See related article: 55,000 Meta Cricket League NFTs sell out in nine minutes Fast facts Rario has existing partnerships with cricket icons, like Zaheer Khan, Kevin Pietersen, Jonty […]
Crypto becomes approved financial product in South Africa
South Africa’s financial markets regulator has declared crypto assets as a financial product, setting the legal grounds to bring cryptocurrencies under regulatory purview. See related article: Nigeria to become 1st African country to launch a central bank digital currency Fast facts Crypto is not issued by a central bank but can be traded, transferred and […]
JP Morgan appoints ex-Celsius exec to head crypto regulatory policy
JP Morgan Chase has hired former Celsius executive Aaron Lovine as executive director of digital assets regulatory policy, the latest move in the bank’s oscillating regard for the crypto industry. See related article: JPMorgan Chase executive says crypto usage for payments decreasing Fast facts A JPMorgan spokesperson confirmed the appointment after Lovine, who headed policy […]
Twitter user prevents 200 billion BitBTC bridge exploit, highlighting major vulnerability
A Twitter user highlighted a vulnerability in BitBTC’s Optimism bridge and averted what could have been the latest in a string of bridge exploits this month.
South Korea mulls uploading headshots of sex offenders on 3D metaverse
South Korea is mulling the uploading of headshots of sex offenders rendered on the three-dimensional metaverse, to help the public identify offenders, said Minister of Gender Equality and Family Kim Hyun-sook on Tuesday in a local radio interview. See related article: S.Korea’s science ministry announces ethical principles for the metaverse Fast facts Kim mentioned the […]
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether slip amid muted performance of top 10 cryptos; XRP leads gains
The crypto market continued its sluggish performance during Thursday evening trading in Asia, with Bitcoin and Ether lower and XRP’s 0.63% rise marking the biggest gain among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins. See related article: Japan eases token vetting process to expand crypto offerings: report Fast facts Bitcoin fell 0.35% in […]
Fidelity Digital Assets to allow clients to trade Ether
Fidelity Digital Assets will allow clients to trade Ether from Oct. 28, according to a company email shared by Fidelity’s customers via Twitter. See related article: Fidelity considers Bitcoin trading on brokerage platform: WSJ Fast facts Institutional investors will be able to buy, sell and trade ETH, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. “With the […]
First Digital Trust says HK, Singapore can join hands on crypto initiatives
In a Q&A with Forkast, First Digital Trust Chief Executive Officer Vincent Chok shared his views on Hong Kong getting back into crypto, regulations, and how the crypto pie in Asia is big enough for rivals Singapore and Hong Kong.
Japan eases token vetting process to expand crypto offerings: report
Japan’s Virtual and Crypto assets Exchange Association (JVCEA), the self-regulatory body that oversees local crypto exchanges, will allow platforms to list cryptocurrencies without an existing lengthy screening process, according to Bloomberg. See related article: Japan pushes for tougher crypto AML regulations amid N. Korean cyberattacks Fast facts The easing is expected to take place as […]
Hong Kong digital asset firm sets up US$50 mln fund to expand mining business amid crypto winter
Hong Kong-based digital asset management firm JKL Group will set up a US$50 million fund to buy more mining machines to further expand its mining facilities, despite the current crypto winter.
Terra CEO Do Kwon, wanted in South Korea, left Singapore and flew to parts unknown via Dubai
Kwon Do-hyung, the cofounder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Terraform Labs Pte. Ltd., also known as Do Kwon, left Singapore last month and landed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, South Korean prosecutors confirmed with Forkast.
Why local language education holds the key to crypto’s future
The crypto sector operates mainly in English, but more than 6 billion people — many of whom crypto would benefit the most — use other languages, writes Wei Zhou of Coins.ph.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with rest of crypto top 10; Uniswap gains
Bitcoin and Ether both fell in Thursday morning trading in Asia and with the exception of stablecoins, all other top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization lost ground.
Horizon Worlds fails to lift Meta as users stay away
Top blockchain and crypto news: Mark Zuckerberg’s empty metaverse. South Korea to roll out blockchain IDs. Macau bets on digital money.
Bitcoin makes the Guinness World Records list as the first decentralized cryptocurrency
Bitcoin also received additional entries to the annual list, now a record holder for the “oldest cryptocurrency,” the “most valuable cryptocurrency” and the “first blockchain.”
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall with top 10 cryptos, XRP slumps
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%.
South Korea indicates fugitive Do Kwon’s passport still valid; his location unknown
Kwon has been issued with an Interpol “red notice” requesting his extradition on charges brought by South Korea related to the implosion of the Terra Luna cryptocurrency project he founded
Moola Market DeFi hacker returns US$9 mln in stolen funds for bounty
The perpetrator of the US$9.1 million Moola Market exploit returned close to the entirety of the loot in exchange for an undisclosed ransom on Wednesday, according to the project’s social media update. See related article: ‘Hacktober’ continues with US$1 mln taken from BitKeep token swap service Fast facts Decentralized finance (DeFi) project Moola Markets announced […]
Aptos rollout faulted for slow processing speeds; native token plunges
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.’
Crypto bank Nuri to shut down, asks customers to withdraw funds
German crypto bank Nuri (formerly known as Bitwala) has asked customers to withdraw their funds by Dec. 18 so that the “business can be terminated and liquidated.”
‘Hacktober’ continues with US$1 mln taken from BitKeep token swap service
An unidentified hacker stole over US$1 million in Binance Coin (BNB) tokens from decentralized multi-chain wallet BitKeep’s token swap service on Monday, according to a Tuesday statement by the company. See related article: Crypto hackers on track for bonanza year as theft surges, Chainalysis says Fast facts “Our development team managed to contain the emergency […]
New IRS tax language tweaked to include NFTs
The IRS updated its annual income tax instructions in a Monday draft that does away with the taxable category “virtual currency” and replaces it with the term “digital assets,” which explicitly includes NFTs.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall as EU considers crackdown on energy-intensive crypto mining
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, […]
Ripple devs push for Ethereum smart contract compatibility with XRPL sidechain
The first XRP Ledger (XRPL) Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible sidechain has gone live on the parallel test network, XRPL Devnet, Ripple developers announced on Monday.
Markets: Bitcoin price rises amid sweeping gains across top 10 crypto, Polygon increases 7%
Markets: Bitcoin price rises amid sweeping gains across top 10 crypto, Polygon increases 7%
One country, two systems? Hong Kong seems set to diverge from China on digital assets
Hong Kong seems set to put out a new welcome mat for the blockchain and crypto industries, but will it work after concern about regulatory restrictions convinced many cryptocurrency operators to leave?
CFTC, SEC investigate if bankrupt 3AC misled investors, failed to register business
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission of the U.S. are investigating whether bankrupt crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC) misled investors about its balance sheet and failed to register with the two agencies, according to a Bloomberg report which cites two people familiar with the matter. See related article: […]
Japan pushes for tougher crypto AML regulations amid N. Korean cyberattacks
The Japanese government approved amendments to existing financial regulations to prevent money laundering utilizing cryptocurrencies and increase penalties on those involved, according to local media reports. See related article: North Korea’s Lazarus Group attacks Japanese crypto firms, police say Fast facts The Cabinet, Japan’s executive body, approved the revisions to laws associated with the country’s […]
Japanese gaming giant Konami is recruiting for expansion into Web3, metaverse
Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-based video game company, announced a recruitment effort for 13 new positions to integrate its game titles with Web3 and metaverse technologies. See related article: NFTs may be the next killer app for video games, but some traditional players object Fast facts The game developer is planning to launch […]
The scourge of NFT wash trading — and how not to get suckered in
What are the different kinds of NFT wash trading, and what are the red flags that a prospective investor should look for? Anndy Lian explains.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise; Polygon, Solana lead gainers among the top 10 tokens
Bitcoin and Ether rose as all top 10 tokens by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins, gained in Tuesday morning trading in Asia. Polygon led the list. Solana followed on news a leading non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace will suspend transaction fees. See related article: Gold commodities market could enter the blockchain, according to new industry initiative Fast […]
Mastercard to let banks offer crypto services to clients
Global payments company Mastercard intends to enable financial institutions to offer crypto services to customers with its new Crypto Source program. See related article: Binance partners Mastercard to launch card in Argentina for bill payment, everyday purchases Fast facts The program will allow financial institutions to tap into Mastercard’s partners to buy, hold and sell […]
Gold commodities market could enter the blockchain, according to new industry initiative
A partnership between the World Gold Council (WGC) and Swiss-based DLT infrastructure and application provider aXedras Group could make gold trading more accessible and streamlined, though insiders are skeptical, according to a Bloomberg report Sunday. See related article: Diamond Standard raises US$30 mln to ramp up tokenized asset distribution Fast facts The WGC’s initiative “Gold247” […]
India wants global, tech-driven regulatory framework for crypto
As India prepares to begin its one-year presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) beginning Dec. 1, it will look to work toward a global, tech-driven regulatory framework for cryptocurrency, India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said. See related article: India’s finance minister calls on G20 to share information on crypto Fast facts “During our engagements, […]
Markets: Bitcoin inches up, most top 10 cryptos stable after rollercoaster week
Bitcoin inched up slightly Monday, with the majority of the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization remaining stable, the only considerable price change coming from XRP’s 3% drop. See related article: South Korea seeks software to track US$7.2B in illegal crypto Fast facts Bitcoin rose 0.83% in the past 24 hours to trade at US$19,296 […]
Why the crypto bear market can be a bull for innovation
The market may be in the doldrums, but there’s no better time to clean house and build for the future, writes Clayton Roche of UMA. Here are 5 areas of opportunity.
Meta’s flagship metaverse said to fall short of performance expectations
Meta Platforms Inc.’s internal documents show the company’s metaverse platform Horizon Worlds is underperforming in terms of attracting and maintaining users, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Saturday. See related article: Meta’s attempts at building a metaverse will ‘misfire’: Vitalik Buterin Fast facts Meta’s initial goal was to gather 500,000 monthly active users (MAU) on […]
Macau is betting on digital currency, CBDC as legal tender
The city of Macau, a special administrative region of China and home to a thriving casino industry, is seeking to grant digital currency status as legal tender, the Executive Council of Macau announced on Friday. See related article: Macao needs China’s heft in tech to introduce CBDC, official says Fast facts See related article: Macao […]
North Korea’s Lazarus Group attacks Japanese crypto firms, police say
North Korea-backed hacker group Lazarus has been sending phishing emails to Japanese crypto exchange employees to infect their computers with malware, causing some companies to have their systems hacked and cryptocurrencies stolen, Japan’s National Police Agency announced last week. See related article: DPRK hackers sneak US$52 mln in crypto into S.Korean exchanges: Chainalysis Fast facts […]
Markets: Bitcoin rises as Ether leads gains in crypto top 10
Bitcoin and Ether were trading higher along with top 10 tokens by market capitalization excluding stablecoins in Monday morning trading in Asia, as the world’s largest cryptocurrency remained above US$19,000. XRP was the only token on that list to fall. See related article: Ethereum supply would have grown by 350,000 tokens under PoW Fast facts […]