Hong Kong’s crypto scam losses in 2022 more than double from 2021: SCMP
Crypto scams accounted for over half of Hong Kong’s losses from computer-related crimes in 2022.
South Korea reports US$4.3 billion in illegal foreign transactions involving cryptocurrencies
The Korea Customs Service has identified US$4.3 billion worth of illegal foreign currency transactions last year involving cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin, Ether little-changed in downtrend day; Forkast NFT 500 index dips
Bitcoin and Ether traded mostly flat in a downtrend move for most of the top 10 cryptocurrencies in Tuesday morning in Asia. The new Forkast NFT 500 index slipped.
Kraken to launch U.S. crypto bank amid regulatory headwinds
U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Kraken is working on establishing its own bank, despite the recent regulatory headwinds
Singapore police begin probe linked to Do Kwon’s Terraform Labs: Bloomberg
Singapore’s police have begun investigations linked to Terraform Labs that was co-founded by fugitive Do Kwon, according to a Bloomberg report.
Bitcoin ATM firm accused of profiting from crypto scams via unlicensed machines: U.S. Secret Service
A crypto tech firm and three of its executives have been indicted for allegedly operating unlicensed Bitcoin ATMs in the U.S. that profited from scams.
Bitcoin gains, all other top 10 cryptos in the red amid Silvergate fallout
Bitcoin gained in Monday afternoon trade in Asia while all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization posted losses.
Binance documents show ties to U.S. unit unknown to regulators, WSJ reports
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, reportedly didn’t disclose the extent of its ties and control over Binance.US, WSJ reported.
Bybit suspends U.S. dollar bank transfers, possible link to Silvergate shuttering crypto banking network
Bybit suspended U.S. dollar deposits and withdrawals via wire and bank transfers due to “service outages from a partner.”
Weekly Market Wrap: Bulls fight to keep Bitcoin above US$22,300, as industry experts predict ‘crab walk’
With 69% of Bitcoin supply in profit, BTC is struggling to stay above the US$22,300 support level. A daily close below US$22,300 could see Bitcoin retest the US$21,450 support level. Industry experts share their end-of-March Bitcoin price predictions with Forkast.
Bitcoin, Ether fall; Litecoin is biggest loser of day
Bitcoin and Ether fell by the end of Asian trading hours on Friday afternoon, together with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, weighed by the financial woes of crypto-focused bank Silvergate.
Weekly NFT sales drop, unique buyers surge amid Coinbase’s new NFT airdrop
The number of unique buyers rose to an all-time high this week after crypto exchange Coinbase dropped free NFTs to celebrate the launch of its new Layer 2 network Base.
Where is China’s digital economy heading? The ‘Two Sessions’ may give some pointers
Look for blockchain, self-reliance in technology discussions in China’s biggest political meetings of the year as China’s President Xi Jinping’s aims to build a digital economy.
Circle joins Crypto.com, Coinbase in cutting ties with embattled crypto bank Silvergate
USDC issuer Circle said Friday that it is withdrawing from “certain services that involve” California-based cryptocurrency bank Silvergate.
Why DAO governance is riddled with problems and voting is a farce
DAOs are supposed to be democratic, egalitarian and inclusive, but those ideals are far from the current reality, writes Awa Sun Yin of Namada.
Bitcoin falls below US$23,000, Ether slides in crypto price slump across the board
Bitcoin and Ether prices slumped in Friday morning trading in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most top 10 cryptos amid potential for larger interest rate hikes
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Bitcoin, Ether rise; Polygon leads rebound in top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin and Ether rose in Thursday morning trading in Asia, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. Polygon led the gains.
Singapore’s DDEx eyes security token offerings, mulls adding more cryptocurrencies
DBS bank’s digital exchange, which serves institutional clients, said macroeconomic conditions last year were not suitable for security token offerings (STO), but it will explore opportunities for such listings in 2023 and plans to add more crypto tokens.
Creation of U.S. digital dollar would ‘crowd out’ crypto: ex-Biden adviser
A U.S. central bank digital currency would “crowd out” the cryptocurrency ecosystem and protect national security, according to an ex-top presidential adviser.
Blur NFT wash trading soars, fueling market distortions
Top blockchain and crypto news: Blur wash trading explodes. Coinbase extends developer foray with Base test. Hong Kong crypto embrace gets Beijing’s nod.
Visa not slowing down with crypto plans, says its crypto chief
American payments giant Visa is not slowing down its cryptocurrency plans despite last year’s bear market, according to the firm’s crypto head Cuy Sheffield.
Bitcoin, Ether rise along with most top 10 cryptos, amid ‘bull trap’ warning
Bitcoin and Ether gained in Wednesday afternoon trading in Asia, along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Asian equities mostly rose on Wednesday as investors digested economic recovery indications as Hong Kong ended its mask mandate.
Former executive Nishad Singh pleads guilty to criminal charges in FTX collapse
Nishad Singh, former engineering chief of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, pleaded guilty to fraud and several other criminal charges at a hearing on Tuesday related to the collapse of the company, Bloomberg reported.
Bitcoin’s price gains this year bring needed relief to cash-strapped crypto mining industry
Officials at Bitcoin mining companies say the rebound in prices so far this year for the world’s biggest cryptocurrency has thrown a lifeline to the industry after some miners sought protection from creditors last year amid the slump in the token’s price.
Yuga Labs to launch its first Bitcoin-based NFTs TwelveFold
Yuga Labs announced that it will launch TwelveFold later this week, its first NFT collection on the Bitcoin network.
Bitcoin, Ether prices fall; Solana biggest loser in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether fell in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, despite U.S. equities rising on Monday after last week’s selloff. Asian stock markets mostly rose on Tuesday as investors absorbed key economic indicators across the region.
Coinbase exchange to delist Binance USD, says stablecoin ‘no longer met our listing standards’
Coinbase, the world’s second largest cryptocurrency exchange, said Monday it is suspending trade in the Binance USD (BUSD) as of March 13.
BitFlyer founder eyes CEO comeback, share sale amid boardroom conflicts: Bloomberg
Yuzo Kano, co-founder of Japan’s largest cryptocurrency exchange bitFlyer Inc., said he plans to return as CEO, sell shares to public.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether gain; Polygon, XRP biggest losers
Bitcoin and Ethereum rose in Monday afternoon trade in Asia along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Asian markets dropped on Monday, following last Friday’s Wall Street selloff, as investors brace for more interest rate hikes in the U.S. due to persistently high inflation.
Janet Yellen urges strong regulatory framework for crypto as India leads G20 push for regulation
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Reuters after the G20 meeting in India on Saturday that while the U.S. has not indicated any outright bans, it is critical to put in place a strong regulatory framework for the cryptocurrency industry.
Asia’s Opportunity to Lead Crypto Regulations
Crypto industry’s interaction with regulators is important and quite common in Asia but missing in the US, says Brooks Entwistle of Ripple Labs.
At least US$577 million of Blur-linked NFT sales are wash trades, CryptoSlam says
NFT data aggregator Cryptoslam has flagged more than half a billion dollars worth of NFT wash trades related to Blur since the marketplace’s Valentines airdrops started
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin lingers at US$24,000 level after Wall Street’s worst day in 2023 so far
Bitcoin remained resilient around the US$24,000 level on Tuesday despite Wall Street’s worst day of the year so far. Industry experts are eyeing a potential retest of the US$25,000 psychological level, as a failure to reclaim it may result in a downtrend to around US$21,500.
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried hit with four more criminal charges
The founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency firm FTX.com Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) has received another four criminal charges in a superseding indictment on Thursday.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with all top 10 cryptos as investors await consumption index
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, along with all the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Most Asian equities were down, despite Wall Street’s overnight performance.
Weekly NFT sales surge amid marketplace Blur’s new round of token airdrop
NFT sales more than doubled this week, with NFT marketplace Blur remaining the talk of the town.
IMF releases crypto action plan, advises against legal tender status
World governments should not grant cryptocurrency legal tender status, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) executive board said in its new nine-point action plan on how countries should approach crypto assets published Thursday. See related article: India working with IMF, FSB on crypto regulations, says economic affairs secretary Fast facts See related article: India’s finance minister […]
Why crypto offers great career opportunities for talented women
The blockchain sector’s gender divide is narrowing. Its newness and founding ideals also allow for more flexible workplaces, writes Anastasia Kor of Choise.com.
SEC accused of ‘back door’ labeling of crypto as securities in Coinbase insider trading case
A U.S.-based blockchain advocacy group has urged a federal court to dismiss SEC charges against an ex-Coinbase employee accused of insider trading.
Canada gives crypto companies 30 days to meet updated registration guidelines
Cryptocurrency companies in Canada have 30 days to meet updated crypto registration guidelines released on Wednesday or risk losing their users.
Taiwan must mandate a central authority to oversee crypto by May 16, says lawmaker
A Taiwanese lawmaker has reiterated that the cabinet will have to mandate an acting central authority to shape regulatory frameworks and development roadmap for the cryptocurrency industry by May 16, a move that would push Taiwan closer to adequate crypto regulation.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise along with top 10 cryptos despite Fed signals to raise interest rates
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Asian equities were down
SEC has to clarify what’s permissible for staking, former CFTC chair says
It remains unclear whether the U.S. SEC’s enforcement action against cryptocurrency exchange Kraken represents a broader crackdown on staking, according to Timothy Massad, former Commodity Futures Trading Commission chairman.
Gate Group set to enter Hong Kong
Gate Group announced on Wednesday that it is applying for a new cryptocurrency license in Hong Kong, joining a growing list of Web3 firms entering the city.
Bitcoin back above US$24,000, Fed releases February minutes
Bitcoin fell in a mixed morning for the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies, with XRP posting the biggest gains in the list and Solana leading losses.
Hong Kong’s new crypto regulation may lure Web3 firms back, experts say
Hong Kong’s proposed crypto licensing regime received Huobi Global’s pledge to return to the city, and more companies may follow, industry experts told Forkast.
Binance, Ingenico begin crypto payments in France
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has partnered France-based global payments giant Ingenico to offer in-store crypto payments in France using Binance Pay.
Crypto scammers seize on AI frenzy as fraudulent ChatGPT tokens flood markets
Crypto scammers are deploying fraudulent tokens that appear affiliated with the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, taking advantage of the tech’s investment hype.
Blur lives up to name as its trading volume surpasses OpenSea
Top blockchain and crypto news: Blur’s success spurs changes at OpenSea. Is Binance eyeing US exit? Taiwan asset disclosure rules may include crypto.
Coinbase reports growth in Q4 earnings despite decline in users
Coinbase reported an increase in its Q4 earnings on Tuesday, even as overall users declined throughout the period.
Crypto miner Hive Blockchain posts wider losses, cites Ethereum Merge
Vancouver-based cryptocurrency mining firm Hive Blockchain Technologies Ltd. reported bigger losses in its latest quarterly earnings report published Tuesday, mainly due to Ethereum’s Merge and lower Bitcoin prices. See related article: Bitcoin mining difficulty dips 0.5% over two weeks after hitting record high Fast facts See related article: Bitcoin miner Greenidge Generation cuts NYDIG debt […]
Ankr token surges 60%, partners Microsoft for enterprise-grade node service
ANKR surged by more than 60% after the blockchain infrastructure startup announced a partnership on Tuesday with Microsoft.
Centralized crypto exchanges are dying, so long live centralized crypto exchanges?
Multi-billion dollar bankruptcies, fraud allegations, scandal, and plunging cryptocurrency prices in 2022 all characterized why investors came to distrust centralized exchanges. Yet, some commentators expect platforms to become ever more centralized … and regulated.
FTX Japan resumes withdrawals through Liquid Japan web platform
FTX Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of Sam Bankman-Fried’s bankrupt FTX, resumed withdrawal of customer holdings on Tuesday.
Crypto hedge fund Galois Capital to close after losing US$40 mln in FTX
Cryptocurrency-focused hedge fund Galois Capital will close and return the remaining funds to investors after losing US$40 million worth of assets in the collapse of crypto exchange FTX.com
Huobi plans to move headquarters to Hong Kong from Singapore
Cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global is seeking to relocate its Asia headquarters from Singapore to Hong Kong.
How Web3 in China is taking shape — with ‘Chinese characteristics’
What makes Web3 compelling to many is its promise to shift power from centralized players to individual users, but China is doing the opposite, writes Lily King.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether up, Solana, Helium rise after merge announcement
Bitcoin and Ether rose in a mixed morning for the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. Solana posted the biggest gains while Polygon’s Matic led losses Tuesday morning in Asia.
Bitcoin surpasses Visa’s market cap to be 11th largest asset in the world
Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency, gained 15% in the past week to trade at US$24,885 and 7 p.m. in Hong Kong, surpassing payments giant Visa in market capitalization for the third time in history. See related article: Industry reacts: US cracks down on crypto, India calls for regulatory collaboration Fast facts See related article: Bitcoin […]
Hong Kong begins public consultation on crypto licensing regime
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission is calling for public feedback on its new proposals to regulate the crypto industry set to take effect in June.
Markets: Bitcoin rises above US$24,000; Solana gains most in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin rose above US$24,000 in Monday afternoon trade in Asia while all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies were mixed. Ether gained 0.18%, while Solana strengthened the most across the top 10 cryptos.
Trust in crypto is in shambles. How can we rebuild it?
Greater transparency and confidence in who you are transacting with could go a long way toward alleviating public mistrust, writes Travis Nelson of Quadrata.
Former FTX executive Nishad Singh negotiating guilty plea on fraud charges: Bloomberg
Nishad Singh, a former executive at bankrupt Bahamas-based cryptocurrency exchange FTX.com, may be leaning towards pleading guilty to fraud charges for his involvement in the company’s last November
Taiwan may mandate public servants to declare crypto holdings
Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice said on Wednesday that it may be adding cryptocurrencies to the list of properties for public servants to declare.
How tokenizing real estate can turn the ‘rules’ on their head – by mastering them first
The digital asset space is ripe for regulation, and tokenized real estate is no exception. But views differ when it comes to finding a framework that fits.
Industry reacts: US cracks down on crypto, India calls for regulatory collaboration
The cryptocurrency industry this week reacted to the recent moves by U.S. authorities against Kraken and Paxos. Meanwhile, India has been calling for a collaborative approach to crypto regulations.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin rises above US$23,000 after its first weekly ‘death cross’
Bitcoin briefly climbed above US$25,000 for the first time since August 2021, before declining to US$23,764 after its first weekly “death cross.” Investors liquidated over US$70 million worth of Bitcoin short positions in the past 24 hours, according to data aggregator GlassNode, contributing to BTC’s rally.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most top 10 cryptos following hawkish U.S. Fed remarks
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, following hawkish remarks from U.S. Federal Reserve officials on more upcoming interest rate hikes.
Weekly NFT sales spike after Blur’s Valentines airdrop
Blur.io, the NFT marketplace that beat OpenSea’s trading volume in the past month, airdropped its platform tokens on Valentine’s Day, contributing to the global NFT sales increase this week.
Wemade’s WEMIX token surges after relisting on South Korea’s Coinone exchange
South Korean blockchain game developer Wemade’s WEMIX token surged after it was relisted on local crypto exchange Coinone on Thursday.
Do Kwon, founder of collapsed Terra stablecoin, charged with fraud by U.S. securities regulator
The U.S. SEC charged Singapore-based Terraform Labs and its chief Kwon Do-hyung for defrauding investors.