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Bitcoin edged higher on Wednesday morning in Asia to hold above the US$27,500 mark. Ether also gained. Other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens traded mixed.

Bitcoin dropped 1.25% and Ether fell 0.25% in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also dropped.

Skyrocketing activity has led to a surge in average Bitcoin transaction fees — which rose to US$31.15 as of March 8 — exerting increasing pressure on users in low- and middle- income economies including Bitcoin-reliant communities in El Salvador, the first country to implement mass adoption of the digital currency.

Bitcoin fell below US$28,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia as memecoin hype clogged the network and drove up transaction fees. Ether and all other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens dropped.

U.S. crypto exchange Bittrex Inc. has filed for bankruptcy just days after closing operations following an SEC lawsuit and citing unclear crypto laws.

Bitcoin, Ether fell in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Polkadot and XRP led the losers in that list.

Cryptocurrencies in China can be legally used to settle basic relations debts such as exchange and labor, according to the Supreme People’s Court of China.

The prosecutor leading Korea’s investigation into the Terra-Luna project said its founder Do Kwon should be extradited to Seoul to face trial.

Binance resumed withdrawals of Bitcoin around Monday noon in Hong Kong after temporarily halting the service twice within 12 hours due to what the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange said was a “large volume of pending transactions.”

Bitcoin fell in Monday morning trading in Asia after failing to breach the US$30,000 ceiling over the weekend. Ether dropped below the US$1,900 mark.

Bitcoin inched above US$29,000 on Friday, as concerns over the health of the banking system have been reignited. Industry experts tell Forkast that banking troubles could fuel Bitcoin values, which face significant resistance above US$29,500.

Bitcoin rose while Ether fell in Thursday afternoon trade in Asia, with declines across most of the other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana’s SOL token was the biggest loser of the day.

Kenya plans to impose a 3% tax on the transfer of digital assets for the coming budget year

Henan Cultural Tourism Investment Group, a state-owned investment enterprise in Central China’s Henan province, has set up a 150 million yuan private equity investment fund to finance metaverse ventures.

Many tokenized platforms have grave shortcomings, but if better standards could be adopted, the improved transparency can avert future crises, writes Ralf Kubli of the Casper Assn.

Bitcoin dipped below US$29,000 in Friday morning trading in Asia as rate hikes in Europe sent uncertainty to investors. Ether fell below US$1,900.

Binance says it works closely with law enforcement to freeze funds and the news agency’s report left out “critical facts.”

Top blockchain and crypto news: JPMorgan swoops as another bank falls. NFT market rivalry heats up. Bitget seeks Hong Kong exchange license.

Bitcoin and Ether rose in Thursday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Cardano’s ADA token saw the day’s biggest gains.

Bitcoin and Ether rose in early Thursday morning trading in Asia, with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies mixed.

Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, dropped 0.48% on Thursday, Hong Kong time, after the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee said it would raise interest rates by 25 basis points, as widely expected. The latest rate bump brings the target range to 5%-5.25%, the highest since September 2007. See related story: Bitcoin, Ether, […]

Bitcoin gained 2.18% in 24 hours while Ether rose 1.67%.

Singapore-headquartered cryptocurrency miner Bitdeer Technologies is planning to expand its mining operations to Bhutan and raise up to US$500 million for a fund through a new partnership with the Himalayan kingdom’s state-owned investment company Druk Holding and Investments.

Coinbase, the publicly listed largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., opened its offshore derivatives exchange in Bermuda on Tuesday.

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is campaigning for a tax on cryptocurrency miners equal to 30% of the cost of the power they use, citing what it calls “negative spillovers” from the industry.

Bitcoin and Ether gained ground in Wednesday morning trading in Asia, with most other top 10 tokens mixed. Litecoin gained, BNB was the biggest loser.

Now that the Bitcoin Ordinals genie is out of the bottle, a debate is raging about whether they’re good for the original blockchain and their long-term consequences.

Temasek, Singapore’s state-owned investment firm, has denied that it had invested in Array, an algorithmic cryptocurrency developer.

Bitcoin dropped 2.09% in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia while Ether lost 0.81%. BNB fell 2.93% and Polkadot declined 2.66%.

Sotheby’s, which accounts for 24% of global art auction sales, has launched an online secondary marketplace for its curated NFTs as the 279-year-old auction house for fine art expands its push into digital assets.

Bitcoin dipped to US$28,000 in Tuesday morning trading in Asia and then fell through that support line later in the morning. Ether and other top 10 cryptocurrencies also fell.

CFTC and SEC disagree over whether cryptocurrencies are securities, and two big lawsuits clouding the industry’s future invoke laws that long predate the digital era.

Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitget expects more clarity on Hong Kong’s licensing regime from June as the city pushes ahead with plans to attract blockchain and cryptocurrency entrepreneurs.

Bitcoin dropped below US$29,000, while Ether fell below US$1,900 on Monday afternoon in Asia. Binance’s BNB was the only token in the top 10 cryptocurrencies to rise.

How would layer 3 improve upon what layer-2 protocols do, and what barriers does this emerging technology still need to overcome? Tony Cheng of Foresight Ventures explains.

Bitcoin edged up on Monday morning in Asia to hold above US$29,000. Ether fell below US$1,900. Most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens traded lower except BNB.

Coinbase said the Securities and Exchange Commission seems to be undermining its own role as the monitor of companies registering to sell shares to the public

Bitcoin rebounded from US$27,000 multiple times this week. Uncertainty over U.S. regulation and geopolitical tensions may continue weighing on the crypto market, industry experts told Forkast.

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Friday, while the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization closed mixed. The SOL token saw the biggest gain. Asian equity markets strengthened after the Chinese central bank boosted short-term cash injections for the 11th day.

Arthur Yuen, Deputy Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, urged local lenders to provide banking services to regulated crypto firms.

Binance said it has more than 700 employees in its compliance team, which includes 170 staff working to combat crypto fraud.

Bitcoin rose on Friday morning in Asia amid worries about U.S. banks and a possible recession. Ether edged lower. along with most other top 10 tokens.

The current US approach to regulating crypto flies against its history of supporting tech innovation and undermines its own national interest, writes Hamilton Keats of Krayon Digital.

Google Cloud has announced that its node hosting service, the Blockchain Node Engine, will be available for developers on the Polygon blockchain. 

Top blockchain and crypto news: Coinbase in court to force SEC’s hand. PEPE surge lifts memecoin mood. China paves CBDC path with payroll.

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Thursday, while most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization declined. Cardano’s ADA token saw the biggest gain.

Hong Kong’s Web3 industry can look forward to more regulatory clarity, with the city set to release its cryptocurrency exchange licensing framework in May

New York-based investment bank H.C. Wainwright has initiated a “buy” rating on publicly traded Coinbase Global Inc., the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S., saying the company is poised to benefit from growth in the global digital asset economy as the so-called “crypto winter” of falling prices is over.

Bitcoin rose above US$29,000 on Thursday morning in Asia, rebounding from an earlier drop. Ether gained. Other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens traded mixed.

The lack of clarity in crypto rules in the U.S. not only affects exchanges but also this U.S.-based blockchain gaming company, John Linden said.

Christopher Giancarlo, the former chair of the CFTC, said the U.S. is resisting cryptocurrency innovation due to its threat to vested interests in the financial system.

Bitcoin and Ether rose on Wednesday trade in Asia, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies, with Solana and Cardano leading the way.

Binance.US, a cryptocurrency exchange set up by Binance chief Changpeng Zhao to serve U.S. clients, has pulled out of a US$1.3 billion deal to buy bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital, the company said Tuesday, citing a lack of clear regulations in the country for the crypto industry.

Bitcoin rose in Wednesday morning trading in Asia to reclaim the US$28,000 mark, with Ether and all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies moving higher.

‘Proof of reserve’ is the new catchphrase and promise by crypto leaders eager to allay investor fears. But loopholes remain and audits might not mean what you think, writes Anndy Lian.

Bitcoin fell in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. Polygon was the biggest loser followed by Solana.

South Korean prosecutors on Tuesday indicted Terraform Labs co-founder Daniel Shin for alleged fraudulent transactions related to the collapse of the Terra-Luna crypto project.

Ethereum-linked digital asset investment products saw inflows of around US$17 million in the week ending April 21, up from US$300,000 in the previous week, appearing to show investor confidence following the blockchain’s milestone upgrade, Coinshares report shows.

Coinbase sued the U.S. SEC on Monday, asking that a court require the regulator to publicly respond to the Coinbase July 2022 petition asking for clearer crypto regulation guidelines. 

Bitcoin fell below US$27,500 support on Tuesday morning in Asia. Ether and most other top 10 tokens traded lower amid a broader correction.

People won’t want to bother with a new technology if it’s painful to use, even if they’re aware of the potential benefits, writes Toby Rush of Redeem.

Japan’s welcome mat for Web3 is shifting the tone from “buzzword” to opportunity, but success will hinge on the authorities adopting a global, flexible view toward this new technology, says Yudai Suzuki, co-founder of Fracton Ventures.

Russia is now the second largest Bitcoin miner after the U.S., according to a report by Russian media Kommersant. 

Bitcoin extended losses in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Solana and Polygon as the biggest losers.

A clear and balanced legal framework will encourage more crypto investment, while the industry can promote best practices, writes Mahin Gupta of Liminal.

Kwon Do-hyeong will have a court hearing on May 11 in Montenegro on charges of allegedly attempting to travel using a false passport.

Bitcoin rose on Monday morning in Asia but was boxed in below US$28,000. Ether and most other top 10 tokens gained, but not by enough to erase losses for the past week.

Bitcoin fell to US$28,000 in the same week the European Parliament passed its landmark crypto framework. Industry analysts told Forkast that holding US$27,500 will be crucial for Bitcoin in order to spark an upward momentum.

The UAE’s registration authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market is seeking feedback on its proposed legislative framework for distributed ledger technology, which will focus on disclosures, liquidation, and governance structures, according to a report by CoinDesk

Do Kwon has been charged by Montenegrin authorities for attempting to travel with forged documents as the US and South Korea race to extradite him.

Bitcoin and Ether fell by the end of Asian trading hours on Friday afternoon, together with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization apart from the BNB token. Asian equities declined along with U.S. futures, amid mounting political pressure between China and the U.S. Fast facts See related article: EU green lights MICA but […]

Leading auction house Sotheby’s said it will sell NFT artworks owned by the bankrupt crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital.