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Speaking at the WebX Asia conference in Tokyo, Circle’s Singapore-based vice president of strategy and policy discusses U.S. regulation, growing pains in the crypto industry and Asia’s burgeoning role as a Web3 innovator.

Bitcoin and Ether fell in early Tuesday afternoon trading in Asia, with Bitcoin slipping below support at US$29,000. Ether fell more than 2%.

Tether Holdings Limited, the issuer of stablecoin USDT, released its consolidated reserves report for the second quarter of 2023 on Monday, showing consolidated assets of at least US$86.5 billion against total liabilities of US$83.2 billion. Tether reported an increase of approximately US$850 million in its excess reserves, totaling around US$3.3 billion as of June 30, the close of the quarter. 

Bitcoin and Ether slipped during Monday afternoon trading in Hong Kong along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, except the BNB token, with crypto markets poised for an uneventful month ahead, industry experts told Forkast.

As artificial intelligence becomes more human-like, it’s critical to distinguish real people from code and prevent Web3 from turning into a bot zoo, writes Khori Whittaker, executive director of Ethereum Name Service.

Bitcoin and Ether prices dropped on Monday morning in Asia, but remained above key support levels. Altcoins fell on Curve Finance hack.

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.

Bitcoin and Ether dropped in afternoon Asia trading. Dogecoin, Polygon led losses while Tron and Litecoin gained.

Blockchain technology has the potential to slash transaction fees, speed up money transfers and lift up the world’s poor. Why aren’t we doing that yet?

Bitcoin and Ether prices were largely mixed but running into the red on Friday morning in Asia, looking to end the week with losses after a period of directionless trading.

Bitcoin and Ether slipped during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization rose, except Dogecoin.

The U.S. House Financial Services Committee passed a bill Wednesday aimed at defining whether cryptocurrencies are securities or commodities.

Bitcoin gained Thursday morning in Asia, but not enough to breach US$29,500 after the Fed raised interest rates by the expected quarter point.

The Tokyo WebX Asia conference, which claimed to be the largest of its kind in Asia, wrapped on Wednesday after two days of exhibitions, crypto-themed side events, and debate on what Japan needs to do to be a central part of the future of the digital asset industry.

Cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com and Line Xenesis — the crypto asset and blockchain-related business developer of Japanese messenger app Line — have signed a memorandum of understanding to boost crypto innovation in Asia-Pacific and the global industry. See related article: Singapore-based Crypto.com gets preparatory license to expand services in Dubai Fast facts

Bitcoin and Ether slipped during Wednesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization rose, led by Dogecoin.

CyberKongz plans a shift to the Ronin blockchain alongside Axie Infinity as Sky Mavis gears up for its first PFP collection and third-party NFT mint.

Across Asia, projects dedicated to asset tokenization have become a cornerstone of the new digital economy, showing the world the technology’s possibilities.

Bitcoin traded flat on Wednesday morning in Asia as risk-aversion remained the market theme, though the token managed to hold above US$29,000.

Sky Mavis announced on Tuesday a partnership with the CyberKongz NFT project to introduce a PFP collection to the Ronin blockchain for the first time.

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Tuesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization except Dogecoin.

Arkham Intel Exchange on Monday said two blockchain sleuths had won the bounty for new evidence of wallets owned by Terraform Labs and its imprisoned co-founder Kwon Do-hyeong.

$1 trillion in capital is needed to fight climate change, but investment money is sitting on the sidelines, going unused. How can we close this funding gap?

Bitcoin fell on Tuesday morning in Asia along with most major cryptocurrencies on speculation the U.S. regulator will appeal a decision in the Ripple case and enthusiasm waned for a Bitcoin ETF.

Delio halted interest payments for all users on Monday, after announcing difficulties in providing services as usual.

Bitcoin will have to remain above US$29,500 to prevent further bearish momentum, industry experts told Forkast.

Already home to most of the world’s gamers, Asia has a rich pedigree in seeding and embracing new technologies, writes Robbie Ferguson of Immutable.

The SEC has hinted it may be set to appeal a recent court ruling against the agency in its case against Ripple Labs and the XRP token.

Bitcoin rose on Monday morning in Asia to reclaim the US$30,000 support level. Ether moved higher, while most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens also gained.

Bitcoin fell under US$30,000, despite the SEC accepting eight spot Bitcoin ETF applications for review this week. A weekly close under that psychological level could lead to more panic selling, industry experts told Forkast.

Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Angie Lau, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions. Coming up on today’s show:

Bitcoin and Ether both remained below key support levels, as investor sentiment failed to pick up even after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accepted eight spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications for review.

Mainland tourists can now shop in Hong Kong with Chinese CBDC, as part of a digital yuan shopping festival launched this week by the Bank of China (Hong Kong).

McDonald’s Hong Kong has joined the likes of Adidas, Coca-Cola, Gucci and other global brands with Thursday’s launch of its own metaverse.

The value of crypto is typically tied to its correlation with fiat money. What if tokens can be earned only through good deeds and helping others?

Bitcoin fell on Friday morning in Asia as other top 10 cryptocurrencies traded mixed. Bitcoin again slipped below support at US$30,000.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Ripple not clear of hurdles | NFTs in historically slow period | Hong Kong banks dither

Bitcoin and Ether both recaptured key support levels. Institutional interest remains upbeat following a slew of Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications, industry experts told Forkast.

Bitcoin edged higher on Thursday morning, along with most other top 10 cryptocurrencies, but the token looks to have lost support at the US$30,000 line.

P0x Labs, the developer behind layer-1 zero-knowledge blockchain Manta Network, has secured US$25 million for the Network’s expansion in Asia.

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Wednesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

Police in China’s Shanxi Province made 21 arrests in relation to an alleged USDT money laundering scheme amounting to over US$54 million.

Change won’t happen overnight, but tokenization is a trend that will trigger seismic shifts in the financial landscape, writes Hamilton Keats of Krayon Digital.

Bitcoin slipped under US$30,000 on the back of profit-taking and long liquidations as the recent run up on optimism about exchange-traded funds seemed to run out of steam.

Despite ample Ethereum holdings, traders appear less willing to invest in NFTs. Ethereum wallet growth data in 2023 suggests low NFT sales, while Ether used for NFT sales has dropped to 2021 levels.

Shinhan Bank, the second largest bank in South Korea, and SCB TechX, the technology unit of Siam Commercial Bank, the oldest bank in Thailand, announced on Tuesday that they completed a second stablecoin transaction trial on the Hedera, a public distributed ledger network. 

Bitcoin and Ether both fell below key price levels earlier but returned above as investors remained optimistic after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accepted the second Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) application for review, from asset manager Valkyrie.

Stablecoins play a pivotal role as a safe-haven medium of exchange in times of high inflation, writes James Glasscock. But they’re not without risks.

Bitcoin dipped under US$30,000 in early Asia trade before recovering. Ether and other top 10 cryptocurrencies fell, while NFT trading slumped.

XRP continued its rally after XRP issuer Ripple’s favorable ruling last week in its lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

As the US is engulfed in regulatory strife, Asian countries are rolling out legal frameworks that attract crypto investment, protect consumers and encourage innovation.

The U.S. SEC has accepted BlackRock’s application for a spot Bitcoin ETF, a major step for the potential launch of the country’s first spot Bitcoin ETF.

Bitcoin rose to trade at over US$30,300 on Monday morning in Asia, but the price fell over the weekend to around the pre-Ripple ruling level.

Scrutiny on the stablecoin’s reserves has intensified since USDT’s latest depegging scare. Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Tether and Bitfinex, delves into the composition of USDT reserves, explaining how the firm ensures dollar redemptions, irrespective of secondary market prices.

Bitcoin rose to US$31,736 on Friday, bolstering Ethereum to above US$2,000, after the court ruled that the sale of XRP did not constitute a security. Bitcoin needs a close above US$31,000 to pave the way for US$32,500, market experts told Forkast.

A favorable U.S. court ruling for Ripple boosted Bitcoin prices. All top 10 non-stablecoin cryptos rallied with XRP prices gaining 62% in the past 24 hours.

Alex Mashinsky, founder and CEO of Celsius Network, pleaded not guilty after being arrested in the U.S. Thursday on several fraud-related criminal charges.

Global warming and rising sea levels are threatening to submerge countries like Maldives and Kiribati. Can blockchain technology help avert disaster?

Bitcoin, all other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens logged gains Friday morning. That followed a favorable SEC ruling for Ripple, whose XRP token led the gains.

Europe’s first spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) is expected to be publicly listed this month, following a 12-month delay from the initially planned date

Top blockchain and crypto news: Standard Chartered eyes US$120,000 per Bitcoin | Another week of declines in NFT market | Sega and Line team up.

Bitcoin prices fell below US$30,500 in the past 24 hours while its trading volume has gained over 20%. Ether also fell. Cardano and BNB were the day’s biggest losers.

Stablecoin issuer Circle has reduced its workforce and investment in non-core activities.

Bitcoin dropped on Thursday morning in Asia to below US$30,500. Ether and most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens also logged losses.

As stores of our identity, customs and creativity, NFTs will drive Web3 adoption and become central to the new digital economy, writes Yat Siu, executive chairman of Animoca Brands.

Bitcoin trade volumes dropped in the last 24 hours but the token is holding steady above US$30,500. Binance’s BNB token posted the biggest gain while most other top 10 cryptocurrencies traded mixed.

South Korea’s FSC is requiring companies that issue or own cryptocurrencies to provide detailed crypto disclosures from 2024.

Bitcoin rose on Wednesday morning in Asia to trade above US$30,500. Ether traded flat while most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens gained. SOL led winners.

Blur has been adding demand for specific collections by incentivizing floor NFT trading, which may have mitigated aggressive price undercutting for liquidty.

Bitcoin breached US$31,000 level in the past 24 hours after falling back to hold above US$30,000. Ether and all other top 10 cryptos gained.

The Japanese gaming giant is currently somewhere in the Web 2.3 to 2.7 range, says co-Chief Operating Officer Shuji Utsumi.

The key to making crypto easier to use while less prone to skulduggery lies in centralizing some security and UX features, writes Hsuan Lee of Blocto.