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Quantum computing is coming out of the shadows. Web3 should be scared

Quantum computers may one day crack the cryptographic algorithms that underpin everything from Bitcoin to digital IDs. What can be done to secure Web3’s future?

‘There’s no doubt we picked a side here’ — Chainalysis founder Michael Gronager talks analytics, Ukraine and crypto adoption in Asia

In the second in a series of 1-on-1 interviews from the Token 2049 crypto conference in Singapore held Sept. 13-14, Michael Gronager, founder of blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, spoke to Forkast about crypto use in the Ukraine conflict, tracking illicit on-chain activity and digital asset adoption in Asia.

SEC Chair Gensler faces bipartisan backlash over strict crypto regulations

Top blockchain and crypto news: U.S. lawmakers berate SEC over ETF applications. NFTs down but not dead. Hong Kong sees year’s biggest crypto heist so far.

Bitcoin, Ether gain; Wall Street on edge amid government shutdown fears

Bitcoin traded above US$26,300 Thursday morning in Asia after briefly breaching US$26,800. Ether also rose above US$1,600 before falling back.

Top 10 cryptos mixed, SEC again delays decision on Ark Invest ETF filing

Toncoin led losses among top 10 cryptos. Bitcoin dropped while Ether rose marginally.

South Korea sentences ex-Coinone crypto exchange executives for bribery

Two former employees at Coinone were sentenced Tuesday for accepting bribes in exchange for listing certain cryptocurrencies on the platform.

JPMorgan’s U.K. bank Chase bans payments linked to crypto

Chase, the U.K.-based digital bank, told customers Tuesday in an email that it will ban U.K. clients from making crypto-related payments.

Have we learned anything from Curve Finance and DeFi’s susceptibility to attacks?

The DeFi giant may have escaped a death spiral, but exploits and code problems like what it recently suffered are more commonplace — and preventable — than what the industry acknowledges.

NFTs are 94% worthless and also up over 52,000%

Amidst the cycles of blossoming and withering in the NFT marketplace, a significant majority of NFTs find themselves succumbing to worthlessness, leaving the persistent 5% to defy the fleeting trends.

Bitcoin, Ether tread water; U.S. equities slide with mega-cap tech giants leading the declines

Bitcoin dipped on Wednesday morning in Asia to trade range-bound below US$26,300. Ether edged higher but failed to reclaim the US$1,600 mark.

Bitcoin, Ether rise; BNB leads gains among top 10 cryptos

Binance’s BNB token gained the most after Binance Japan and Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation jointly announced they are collaborating on the issuance of fiat-pegged stablecoins.

Binance Japan partners with mega bank MUFJ on stablecoin project

Mitsubishi UFJ and Binance Japan will collaborate on the issuance of fiat-pegged stablecoins.

PayPal’s stablecoin is a big step forward for crypto’s legitimacy but not much yet for the cause

PYUSD’s launch is injecting much-needed trust into crypto’s turbulent landscape, but its current form does not come with any of the benefits of real crypto, writes Danny Chong, co-founder of Tranchess.

Bitcoin, Ether flat; MicroStrategy adds to Bitcoin holdings

Bitcoin traded flat below US$26,300 Tuesday morning in Asia. Ether edged up but remained below the US$1,600 mark.

Bitcoin, Ether fall with Toncoin leading losses in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin fell below US$26,500 while Ether dipped below US$1,600 in the past 24 hours.

South Korean entertainment firm NHN to build blockchain games on Sui despite local ban

NHN Corporation announced Friday that it has partnered with U.S.-based Mysten Labs to launch an on-chain game scheduled for 2024.

SEC has lost again. What’s next for digital assets?

With winds in its legal sails, crypto is now poised to evolve into a complete economy with its own financial products and capital markets. The question is when.

AI, Asia and analytics — an interview with Nansen’s Alex Svanevik

Blockchain analytics are key to understanding the nascent crypto industry. But the analysis sector is far from immune from the pressures of the ongoing crypto bear market. In the first of a series of 1-on-1 interviews from the Token2049 conference held in Singapore Sept. 13-14, Alex Svanevik, CEO of blockchain analytics firm Nansen, sat down with Forkast to discuss current crypto challenges, the Asia growth market and the increasing use of artificial intelligence in the industry.

Bitcoin, Ether drop; top cryptos retreat with Toncoin leading losers

Bitcoin fell Monday morning in Asia to trade below US$26,300. Ether also dipped and remained below the US$1,600 mark. All top 10 non-stablecoin tokens dropped.

Weekly Market Wrap: Nomura’s Bitcoin Fund, Citigroup blockchain move fail to lift Bitcoin above US$27,000

Bitcoin remained below the US$27,000 mark, despite significant institutional players, like Japan’s largest bank, Nomura, launching a Bitcoin adoption fund earlier this week.

Hong Kong may tighten enforcement amidst JPEX scandal, says former SFC official

The JPEX scandal sheds light on the vulnerabilities in Hong Kong’s crypto marketplace, prompting reflection on regulatory safeguards as the city aspires to be a global digital asset hub, former SFC regulator Angelina Kwan says.

NFT creators seek alternatives after OpenSea cuts royalties

Following OpenSea’s decision to cut creator royalties, artists are seeking more creator-centric alternatives, but industry experts told Forkast that the decision could impact the entire NFT space in the long term.

Matic biggest loser among top 10; Bitcoin falls, Ether dips below US$1,600 

Matic was the biggest loser in the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, falling alongside most other cryptos and with Ether falling below US$1,600. Despite Bitcoin’s sluggish price action, industry experts say that institutions continue adopting the world’s first cryptocurrency.  See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Deutsche Bank’s crypto move propels Bitcoin to US$26,750 MATIC […]

South Korea’s Kakao, Com2Us wind down metaverse units

South Korea’s top internet company Kakao and leading game developer Com2uS are sizing down their metaverse teams after large losses.

Adding AI to Web3 will spark a Cambrian explosion of innovation — but not anytime soon

Blockchain and AI’s synergistic combination will create technology beyond today’s wildest imagination. But true AI-Web3 integration remains a difficult affair.

Bitcoin, Ether and other top-10 cryptos down amid Wall Street sell-off

Bitcoin dropped on Friday morning in Asia to trade below the US$27,000 support level. Ether also retreated and lost control of the US$1,600 mark.

US SEC to tighten regulatory enforcement beyond Coinbase, Binance.US

Top blockchain and crypto news: U.S. SEC steps up regulatory enforcement. Gaming giant Zynga moves into NFTs. Woes ahead for JPEX exchange after HK arrests.

Toncoin leads declines, Bitcoin dips below US$27,000 

Toncoin was the biggest loser in the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, falling alongside most other cryptos except Dogecoin. With Bitcoin below US$27,000, FTX’s crypto liquidations could keep prices subdued for the rest of the month, market analysts told Forkast. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Deutsche Bank’s crypto move propels Bitcoin to US$26,750 […]

Bitcoin, Ether dip; Toncoin leads crypto retreat following hawkish Fed comments

Bitcoin briefly fell below US$26,900 on early Thursday morning in Asia but is now trading above US$27,000. Ether also dropped but held above US$1,600.

Toncoin leads top 10 cryptos with weekly gain of 31%, could Bitcoin rise to US$30,000 by October?

Toncoin led gainers in the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, rising over 31% since its Telegram partnership last week. Despite Bitcoin’s short-term corrections, it could return above the US$30,000 support level by October, according to market experts. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Deutsche Bank’s crypto move propels Bitcoin to US$26,750 TON leads winners, […]

It’s time to bring debt capital markets to the 21st century

Bond markets, which go back 400 years, are still bogged down by high costs, delays and a gauntlet of middlemen. Here’s how blockchain technology can reform the sector.

There’s a new game in town

Zynga’s free Sugartown Oras NFTs spotlight the power of mystery in the digital asset realm as prices surge on speculation.

Bitcoin trades above US$27,000; Toncoin extends rally

Bitcoin rose on Wednesday morning in Asia to trade above US$27,200. Ether remained flat at around US$1,640. All other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens logged gains.

Solana leads winners in top 10 cryptos; Bitcoin, Ether rise for 2nd consecutive day

Solana led gainers in the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, recovering from a two-month low. Bitcoin and Ether rose during afternoon trading in Asia along with most cryptos. Market experts said that the continued entrance of large institutions could provide the crypto industry more legitimacy and price stability. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: […]

How Singapore is redefining Web3’s public-private landscape

Now a top-ranked crypto hub, Singapore is a shiny example of the central role that government can play in nurturing industry growth while bolstering consumer protections.

Citigroup debuts digital token service for institutional clients

Citigroup announced Monday the launch of its new blockchain-based cross-border payments solution for institutional clients.

Bitcoin, Ether rise; Toncoin leads crypto rebound

Bitcoin rose on Tuesday morning in Asia to around US$26,700, after briefly breaching the US$27,000 mark. Ether also logged gains but remained below US$1,650.

JPEX crypto exchange shuts trading amid Hong Kong regulator probe

Dubai-based cryptocurrency exchange JPEX is shutting trading its platform amid a probe by the Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission that said the firm was operating as an unlicensed entity, according to media reports. 

BNB leads winners in top 10 cryptos; Bitcoin, Ether rise 0.8% in afternoon trading 

BNB led gainers in the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, despite Binance’s growing challenges. Bitcoin and Ether rose during afternoon trading in Asia, as market analysts are saying it could start picking up more bullish momentum above the US$26,000 mark. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Deutsche Bank’s crypto move propels Bitcoin to US$26,750 […]

What Europe’s new spot Bitcoin ETF means for global markets

Europe’s first spot Bitcoin ETF ushers in an era where traditional finance and crypto are converging, setting the stage for digital assets to become mainstays in the economy.

Bitcoin, Ether flat; altcoins drop amid FTX liquidation

Bitcoin dipped on Monday morning in Asia to trade at around US$26,500. Ether also moved lower but held the US$1,600 support level.

Valkyrie CIO expects US spot Bitcoin ETF approval in Q2 2024

A growing number of asset management companies are joining the race for the approval of a Bitcoin spot exchange-traded fund in the United States while the Securities and Exchange Commission keeps delaying its decision on existing applications.

Friend.tech a surprise hit among crypto investors at Token2049 as they urge ecosystem expansion

Funders see the novel social media network as emblematic of an abundance of opportunity in crypto and DeFi amid infrastructure gaps and increased integration with real-world assets

Crypto and Formula One’s honeymoon is over, can Web3 save a rocky marriage?

The third installment of Forkast’s ‘Crypto in Sport’ series comes from Singapore, which this week plays host to Formula One’s Singapore Grand Prix. Crypto companies poured hundreds of millions of sponsorship money into F1 at the height of the bull market, but might a prolonged crypto winter pull the plug on this marriage of convenience? Or can diversification and real world use cases help breathe new life into the relationship? Welcome to crypto’s very own drive to survive.

Half a world away — Gary Gensler’s SEC dominates discussion at Singapore’s Token 2049

Billed as Asia’s largest crypto event, Token 2049 took place over Sept. 13-14 in the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore. Drawing over 10,000 attendees from all parts of the world, there was excitement about blockchain adoption in the region. But repeat references to one man were a reminder of the U.S. regulatory concerns weighing heavily on the crypto industry.

Weekly Market Wrap: Deutsche Bank’s crypto move propels Bitcoin to US$26,750

Bitcoin hit a weekly high of US$26,750 after Deutsche Bank announced plans to offer crypto custody services for institutional investors, days after Standard Chartered launched its own institutional crypto wing.

Who’s who in the Sam Bankman-Fried trial?

FTX’s former CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, faces DOJ scrutiny with seven charges. Here are the six key figures in the coming crypto courtroom showdown.

Most top 10 cryptos rise; Tron, Toncoin biggest gainers

Bitcoin rises past US$26,500. All other top 10 cryptos gain, except BNB.

Binance.US CEO calls it quits amid major layoffs

Top blockchain and crypto news: Binance.US undergoes staffing shakeup. Ethereum NFTs at risk. India to take a stand on crypto.

Solana leads winners in top 10 cryptos as Bitcoin, Ether extend gains

All top 10 cryptos gained in Thursday afternoon trade in Asia, except Toncoin.

SEC fines Stoner Cats for selling unregistered securities as NFTs

NFT markets fear more enforcement action may be heading their way, while NFT offerings as securities fail to convince the SEC.

FTX gets green light to sell US$3.4 billion in crypto assets

A U.S. bankruptcy court in Delaware approved failed crypto exchange FTX’s motion to sell its crypto assets at a court hearing on Wednesday.

Bitcoin back above US$26,000 after CPI release

Bitcoin rose on Thursday morning in Asia to trade above US$26,000. Ether also rose to reclaim US$1,600. All other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens moved up.

Toncoin gains 13% on Telegram partnership; Bitcoin, Ether little changed 

Toncoin led gainers in the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, rising over 13% after the project announced its partnership with Telegram. Bitcoin and Ether were little changed during afternoon trading in Asia, but market analysts are looking at September as a period for strategic Bitcoin accumulation. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: ETF developments […]

Astar, Polygon joins power to launch zkEVM solution for wider Web3 adoption

Japan-based Astar Network announced Wednesday that it is launching its zkEVM solution powered by Polygon’s Chain Developer Kit.

Zero-knowledge technology is ready. Why isn’t it more widely used?

ZK is a complex but game-changing cryptographic technique for blockchain scalability and privacy. Here’s how the industry can make it more accessible.

Binance.US cuts one-third of workforce; CEO Brian Shroder steps down

The U.S. affiliate of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange Binance has laid off one-third of its staff, or more than 100 employees.

Bitcoin, Ether bounce back; altcoins recover after FTX panic

Bitcoin rose on Wednesday morning in Asia to near US$26,000. Ether also bounced back to near US$1,600. All other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens logged gains.

Bitcoin collectibles: a diamond in the rough

Bitcoin’s NFT sales dip mirrors early challenges of Ethereum; is the pioneer blockchain set for a comeback in the collectibles market?

Bitcoin, Ether continue to slide; altcoins under pressure

Bitcoin remained under US$26,000 and Ether dropped below US$1,600 in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia.

Nepal central bank plans CBDC within two years, crypto and stablecoin still excluded, says spokesperson

It has been more than a year since Nepal’s central bank, the Nepal Rastra Bank, initiated amendments to the law to enable the issuance of the digital version of the Nepalese rupee. What is the status of its CBDC?

Why DAOs are choking on majority rule and failing their democratic ideals

To solve DAOs’ people problems with mismanagement and bad actors, they need to lean into automation — and take more matters out of human hands.

Bitcoin, Ether lose key support levels; altcoins slide amid FTX liquidation woes

Bitcoin fell on Tuesday morning in Asia to hover above US$25,000 after briefly losing the key support level. Ether also slid to lose control of US$1,600.

Bitcoin, Ether extend losses; G20 eyes global crypto regulation

Bitcoin started the week below US$26,000 while Ether dropped to US$1,611. Toncoin and XRP lead losers in the last 24 hours.

Advice for Web3 projects: Your reputation is as important as your runway

Web3 companies often focus on building their tech above all else, but poor public communications can undermine all the work they do.

U.S. SEC moves to appeal Ripple court decision

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) submitted a filing last Friday that pushed the court of the Southern District of New York to appeal its ruling on the agency’s lawsuit against Ripple Labs.

Bitcoin starts week below US$26,000; Ether dips after hack on Vitalik Buterin’s X account; more rate hike worries on Wall Street

There was red ink across the crypto market Monday morning in Asia as Bitcoin dipped below US$26,000. Ether also fell to near the US$16,000 mark.

Korea Blockchain Week: diverging crypto paths for the US and Asia

The annual Korea Blockchain Week conference in Seoul is running from Sept. 4 to 10. Crypto industry leaders and advocates from around the world have gathered in the South Korean capital to discuss all things blockchain, including the growing regulatory gap between the U.S. and Asia.

From Fukuoka to the world? The Japanese DAO trying to shake up sports fandom

In the second installment of Forkast’s ‘Crypto in Sport’ series we head to the land of the rising sun, where J1 League football club Avispa Fukuoka have incorporated a first-of-its-kind DAO into their operations. Can the DAO provide a model for the rest of the sports world to follow? Can it change the way fans engage with their clubs?

Weekly Market Wrap: ETF developments bolsters Bitcoin above US$26,000

Bitcoin returned to US$26,000 on Friday, bolstered by Ark Invest’s Ether ETF application and Grayscale’s continued efforts for its potential Bitcoin ETF.

India’s G20 Presidency, Blockchain Week & Singapore’s new President

As the 2023 G20 Summit is set to kickoff over the weekend, we take a closer look at India’s role in kicking off its crypto regulation agenda.

Ether, most top 10 cryptos rise as Bitcoin leads gains in market recovery 

Bitcoin rose in afternoon trading in Asia, leading the gainers in the top 10 cryptocurrencies, fueling a wider market recovery as it returned to the US$26,000 support level. Despite the uptick, market experts warn of another potential drop to US$25,000. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Grayscale’s favorable court verdict, ETF hype fail to lift […]