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Bitcoin falls to near US$28,000, Ether flat, U.S. equities slide on rate hike worries

Bitcoin fell to near US$28,000 on Friday morning in Asia, with Ether trading flat and most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens losing steam.

From billionaire to Montenegro jail: The rapid rise and fall of Terra chief Do Kwon

South Korea’s Do Kwon went from a poster boy of digital finance as a co-founder of the US$40 billion Singapore-based Terraform Labs to a fugitive on Interpol’s wanted list, all in a matter of several rollercoaster years. He’s now in a Montenegro jail where he may face more time in detention as the U.S. and South Korea demand his extradition to face a long list of charges, including securities fraud – allegations he has repeatedly denied. The following is a timeline of how we got here.

Bittrex in SEC’s crosshairs as compliance lawsuits keep coming

Top blockchain and crypto news: Bittrex in SEC line of fire. Bored Apes fall after whale sale. Chinese banks court crypto clients.

Bitcoin trades below US$29,000, Ether slips, as market eyes Europe’s MiCA vote

Bitcoin and Ether fell during afternoon trading hours in Asia on Thursday, while most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization strengthened. Crypto investors were cautious ahead of Europe’s vote on the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) bill.

Crypto miner Bitdeer falls 35% since Nasdaq debut, reports net loss in 2022

Shares of Singapore-based cryptocurrency miner Bitdeer have slid more than 35% since their Nasdaq debut on April 14, and were trading at US$6.41 at closing on Wednesday.

Bitcoin falls below US$29,000, Ether slumps, U.S. equities stall on inflation concerns

Bitcoin slid below the US$29,000 mark on Thursday morning in Asia. Ether lost hold of US$2,000 in a sell-off across all top 10 non-stablecoin tokens.

Hong Kong court deems crypto as property, in ruling on defunct exchange Gatecoin

Hong Kong’s High Court has recognized cryptocurrency as property in a March 31 landmark ruling in a legal tussle involving defunct crypto exchange Gatecoin

US chip giant Intel abandons Bitcoin ASIC production

Intel has announced it would shut down its Bitcoin mining chip production a year after launch.

Bitcoin gains, holds above US$30,000; Solana, BNB biggest losers in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin rose and traded above US$30,000 on Wednesday afternoon in Asia, while Ether fell along with most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana lost the most, followed by Binance’s BNB token.
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U.K. could push out crypto regulation within a year: lawmaker Andrew Griffith

The U.K. could see digital asset regulation in the next 12 months as part of a push to turn the nation into a hub for digital assets, said economic secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Griffith

Bitcoin to peak at US$42,000 in 2023, end the year above US$35,000: Finder survey

Bitcoin is expected to hit a high of US$42,225 in 2023 and close the year around US$35,485, according to a survey by Finder.

Bitcoin reclaims US$30,000, Ether heads higher after grilling of SEC’s Gensler; Polkadot leads winners

Bitcoin rebounded above US$30,000 on Wednesday morning in Asia. All top 10 tokens rose after SEC chair Gary Gensler was criticized at a congressional hearing for his approach to digital assets.

The true cost of zero-fee crypto trading is anything but zero

Nothing in life is free. Be wary of crypto exchanges that offer ‘free trading,’ and ask hard questions about how they make money, writes Ben Caselin of MaskEX.

SEC’s Gary Gensler dodges question on whether Ethereum is a security

SEC Chair Gary Gensler did not give a direct answer when asked whether Ether is a security or a commodity at a congressional oversight hearing on Tuesday. 

Bitcoin slips, Ether inches above US$2,100

Bitcoin dropped on Tuesday afternoon in Asia but remained above US$29,000, while Ether and most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies gained. Dogecoin and Solana fell on the day and rose on the week.
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Bitcoin hovers under US$29,500 level; Dogecoin gains

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 18, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies slipped in early morning Asia time. Meanwhile, Dogecoin shrugged off the overall down market, gaining almost 3% as sentiment around the memecoin got a lift after Twitter – led by Dogecoin fan Elon Musk – officially […]

Ethereum inflows slow following Shanghai upgrade, exchanges see Ether influx

CoinShares data showed Ethereum-linked products saw little investment interest with inflows of around US$300,000 in the week ending April 14, accounting for a tiny portion of the total US$114 million weekly inflow into digital assets and despite the blockchain’s milestone upgrade last week.

Bitcoin, Ether, other crypto fall as SEC waves big stick; Dogecoin gains; U.S. equity futures flat 

Bitcoin, Ether and most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies dipped Tuesday morning in Asia after the SEC sued crypto exchange Bittrex on Monday.

Why trustless oracles are vital to Web3’s future

What are ‘trustless oracles,’ and how will they shape the development of the metaverse and Web3? Markus Levin of XYO and XY Labs explains.

Bitcoin, Ether extend losses; Solana gains most in mixed market

Bitcoin dropped on Monday afternoon in Asia and continued to trade below US$30,000. Cardano led losers among top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies in a mixed market. Solana led gains, followed by Binance’s BNB token and memecoin Dogecoin.

SEC ‘crypto mom’ Hester Peirce attacks U.S. regulator’s new exchange definition on DeFi

SEC member Hester Peirce has criticized the regulatory agency for its proposal that seeks to expand the definition of an “exchange” to DeFi platforms.

AI has taken over crypto’s share of VC funding, says Mysten Labs founder

Crypto’s share of venture capital money is now going to artificial intelligence, says Mysten Labs founder, Evan Cheng.

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin tests upper US$30,000, Ether rises past US$2,000 after Shanghai upgrade

Bitcoin moved within a couple of hundred dollars of the US$31,000 ceiling in trading later in the week as market sentiment improved after Ethereum’s successful upgrade to unlock staked Ether. The Ethereum token broke above US$2,000 on Friday. Weaker inflation readings out of the U.S. later in the week pushed recession worries off center stage and generated some demand for “risk-on” assets, including Bitcoin, with some crypto enthusiasts seeing US$32,000 as the next barrier to break.

Bitcoin rises to near US$31,000, Ether leads gains across top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin continued its rally to near the US$31,000 mark in Friday afternoon trading in Asia. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptos gained, led by Ethereum.

Bitcoin heads higher, Ether breaches US$2,000, U.S. equities rally on weak inflation readings

Bitcoin rose higher in the US$30,000 band on Friday morning in Asia amid strong gains among the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. Ether led the winners.

Can crypto wallets be both accessible and hacker-proof?

Securing keys is an issue that has bedeviled the crypto world, as the $600M Ronin and $300M Wormhole heists have painfully shown. Is there a better way?

Hacker exploits old Yearn Finance contract, steals $11.6 mln in stablecoins

A hacker took advantage of an old contract from Yearn Finance on Thursday to steal US$11.6 million in stablecoins.

Musk’s Twitter partners with eToro to offer crypto and stocks to users

Twitter users will soon have access to stocks and cryptocurrency through a new partnership with eToro, a trading platform. 

Bitcoin inches up, remains above US$30,000; Ether gains after Shapella upgrade

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with all of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Ether rose the most, following the successful completion of the Shapella upgrade.

Binance chief says unclear crypto regulation ‘the worst’

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said regulators need to come up with clear crypto regulations and should understand that the crypto industry is different from the traditional financial industry.

Ethereum Shanghai upgrade prompts Ether withdrawals, but no stampede for exits

Ether holders withdrew more than US$102 million worth of Ether in the first six hours after the Shanghai upgrade opened the door to cash out the staked token, though analysts see the amount as within expectations.

Hong Kong’s ZA Bank starts offering crypto-fiat conversion services: Bloomberg

ZA Bank, the largest virtual bank in Hong Kong, has started offering cryptocurrency conversion services through licensed crypto exchanges.

Bankrupt FTX recovers US$7.3 billion in assets, considers resurrection of operations

The failed FTX cryptocurrency exchange has recovered around US$7.3 billion in assets and is considering the option of restarting its business.

Bitcoin fluctuates at US$30,000; Ether gains; Litecoin, XRP drop; U.S. equities fall on recession concern

Bitcoin dipped but held above US$30,000 in Thursday morning trading in Asia that saw mixed performances among the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.

G7 plans to help developing countries introduce CBDCs

Japan’s top finance diplomat, Masato Kanda, announced on Tuesday that the G7 nations will work together to help developing countries introduce CBDCs in line with international standards. 

Crypto firms hardpressed to find U.S. bank partners as industry blames ‘Operation Choke Point 2.0’

NYDFS superintendent Harris called the idea of Operation Choke Point 2.0 “ludicrous,” but industry participants largely disagree. Was the shutdown of the three largest crypto-friendly institutions a coordinated effort to unbank crypto?

Ethereum rolls out Shapella upgrade amid worries over price pressures

Top blockchain and crypto news: Ethereum fork prompts price fall fears. Satoshi is found — in Apple software. Hong Kong ramps up Web3 plans.

Bitcoin slips but remains above US$30,000 ahead of U.S. inflation data

Bitcoin slipped in Wednesday afternoon trade in Asia but remained above the US$30,000 mark. Ether prices sank, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Cardano and Dogecoin as the biggest losers.
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China fines crypto mining rig giant Bitmain US$3.6 million for tax violations

China has fined Bitmain, one of the world’s biggest producers of cryptocurrency mining rigs, nearly US$3.6 million for alleged tax violations, according to the Beijing tax authorities.

Crypto miner Bitdeer to go public on Nasdaq via SPAC deal

Singapore-headquartered crypto mining firm Bitdeer Technologies is set to go public on Nasdaq on April 14 via a SPAC merger following multiple delays in closing the US$4 billion deal.

Binance.US to delist TRX, price drops 5.4%

Binance.US, a unit cryptocurrency exchange Binance set up to serve U.S. customers, will delist the native token of the Tron blockchain, TRX, on April 18.

US crypto miner Core Scientific appoints new president amid bankruptcy

Adam Sullivan, whose most recent role was managing director of XMS Capital Partners, will will work on financial and strategic matters while assisting with the negotiation of a reorganization plan.

Bitcoin maintains US$30,000, Solana jumps, U.S. equities trade mixed

Bitcoin held above US$30,000 in Wednesday morning trading in Asia, while most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies moved higher.

Common regulatory framework for crypto to come during India’s G20 presidency, finance minister says

A common regulatory framework for all countries is underway, India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday.

Bitcoin rises above US$30,000, Solana leads gains across top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin continued to rally past US$30,000, with Ether and all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies gaining in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia. Solana was the biggest gainer at 11.09%.
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U.S. SEC committee urges ‘aggressive enforcement’ on crypto, says most tokens are securities

The U.S. SEC Investor Advisory Committee urged the federal agency to continue its aggressive enforcement on crypto players that offer unregistered securities.

Ex-chief of HKMA heads Hong Kong’s new Web3 institute

Hong Kong has established the Institute of Web 3.0 to facilitate the development of the crypto ecosystem in the city, directed by a former head of HKMA.

Ethereum blockchain upgrade unlocks US$34 billion in Ether, what does it mean for crypto prices?

The upcoming upgrade to the Ethereum blockchain will allow users to withdraw millions of “staked” Ether, the native cryptocurrency, for potential sale. That would typically indicate a flood of selling pressure awaits the token, but not everyone is buying that.

Bitcoin pops above US$30,000, Ether jumps, Solana gains, U.S. equities trade mixed

Bitcoin surged above US$30,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia to the highest in about 11 months, leading a rally of all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.

S. Korean exchange GDAC hacked, loses around 23% of its assets

South Korean exchange GDAC has suspended withdrawals and deposits after losing over US$13.1 million in Bitcoin, Ether, Wemix and USDT in a hack.

Bitcoin holds above US$28,000, Dogecoin rises most in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin and Ether rose in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
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Hong Kong financial secretary eyes Web3 push despite market fluctuations

Paul Chan said it is the right time for the city’s Web3 push ahead of Hong Kong’s busy week of blockchain and finance gatherings.

Bitget exchange starts US$100 mln fund to support ‘next-generation’ crypto projects

Bitget on Monday said it had launched a Web3 Fund with an initial investment of US$100 million to support development of cryptocurrency projects.

FTX’s lack of financial controls complicates bankruptcy asset recovery, says legal filing

Former executives of the bankrupt crypto exchange FTX failed to install appropriate financial controls in the company, complicating the asset recovery process, the restructuring team of the failed exchange said.

Arkansas joins Montana, Texas with bills on guidelines, protection for Bitcoin miners

Arkansas has joined Montana and Texas this year in proposing legislation to offer legal protections to companies operating crypto mining sites.

Bitcoin resumes rise, Ether gains ahead of upgrade, Dogecoin makes up some lost ground

Bitcoin resumed its rise above US$28,000 in Monday morning trading in Asia, a support level it has fluctuated around for most of April.

Solana introduces ‘state compression’ to lower NFT storage costs

Solana has introduced a solution that aims to reduce on-chain storage costs for non-fungible tokens (NFT).  See related article: Solana NFT sales surge as traders farm for Tensor rewards Fast facts See related article: DeGods begins migration to Ethereum

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin stuck at US$28,000 amid signs of slowing economies

Bitcoin bounced around the US$28,000 mark as worries about bank failures were replaced by concerns about a recession in the U.S. Just for good measure, the IMF forecast the global economy will see its slowest growth in two decades.

Bitcoin trades under US$28,000, Dogecoin biggest loser

Bitcoin rose as Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization dropping. XRP rose the most, while Dogecoin was the biggest loser.

Local prosecutors say Terra-Luna’s Do Kwon has no identifiable assets in South Korea

The arrested crypto fugitive Kwon Do-hyung has “zero ” identifiable assets in his native South Korea, prosecutors said on Friday.

US Treasury warns DeFi is being used for illicit transfers

DeFi services threaten U.S. national security and need to comply with anti-money laundering and terrorist financing laws, the U.S. Treasury said on Thursday.

Singapore developing guidelines for banks on crypto clients: Bloomberg

The Monetary Authority of Singapore is reportedly working on guidelines to help local banks vet and provide banking services to cryptocurrency clients

Chinese state-owned company launches crypto funds in Hong Kong

A major state-owned firm in China is launching two cryptocurrency funds in partnership with investment firm Waterdrip Capital. 

Bitcoin, Ether down with top 10 cryptos, most equities fall ahead of U.S. Jobs Report

Bitcoin and Ether fell during afternoon trading hours in Asia on Thursday, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

ASIC cancels Binance Australia’s derivatives license

The Australian securities regulator has canceled Binance Australia’s derivatives license.

Swiss PostFinance bank to offer crypto services to 2.5 mln customers

PostFinance, a Swiss government-owned retail bank, has partnered with Sygnum Bank to provide crypto-related services.

Japan’s CoinTrade partners with Fireblocks to improve digital asset security

CoinTrade said it has partnered with crypto custody platform Fireblocks to provide institutional clients with improved security for digital assets.

The TradFi vs. DeFi rivalry is hitting a new peak — and that’s bad for everyone

Amid the current banking crisis, each side is exhibiting disdain for the other when neither holds the moral high ground, writes Rachel Lin of SynFutures.

Bitcoin, Ether dip; Dogecoin loses Twitter tailwind; U.S. equities drop on recession concerns

Bitcoin dipped below US$28,000 in Thursday morning trading in Asia as most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies lost steam. Dogecoin led the losers.

Arbitrum’s AIP-1 proposal to be split after community backlash

Top blockchain and crypto news: Arbitrum to segment AIP-1. DeGods NFT collection moves to Ethereum. Crypto on the agenda at ‘China’s Davos.’

Bitcoin holds above US$28,000, Ether rises most in top 10 cryptos

Bitcoin remained above US$28,000 in Wednesday trade in Asia. Ether made the most gains as the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization increased, except Dogecoin.
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Bitcoin pushes beyond US$28,000; Polygon’s Matic leads gainers, same chain sees surge in NFT trades

Bitcoin rose on Wednesday, moving above US$28,000. Ether, Matic and most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens gained.