Australian crypto exchange Swyftx cuts 40% of jobs amid fallout from FTX collapse
Australian cryptocurrency exchange Swyftx cut 90 staff members — or 40% of its workforce — to prepare for a “worst-case scenario” in the market from the collapse of FTX.com.
Coinbase CEO Armstrong says Bankman-Fried’s US$8 bln ‘accounting error’ doesn’t stand up
Coinbase Global Inc. Chief Executive Brian Armstrong said Sam Bankman-Fried’s explanation of sloppy accounting as the reason US$8 billion moved from his crypto exchange FTX to brokerage arm Alameda Research doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
Sam Bankman-Fried ‘not sure’ if he will testify before Congress on Dec. 13
Sam Bankman-Fried, founder and former chief executive officer of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, tweeted on Monday morning Hong Kong time that he may not testify before the U.S. Congress on Dec. 13.
Crypto exchange Bybit to cut 30% of staff to ‘navigate market slowdown’
Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit plans to cut 30% of its staff as part of a company reorganization, cofounder and chief executive officer Ben Zhou said in a statement shared with Forkast on Sunday.
Cold comfort: Is Crypto Winter the right time to invest in Web3?
Amid the current crypto market carnage, Web3’s appeal for investors remains solid — and perhaps even stronger — says CVP NoLimit Holdings founder Gin Chao.
Hong Kong crypto exchange AAX has lost most staff, unlikely to reopen, says former executive
The exchange has gone silent since pausing withdrawals and liquidating all futures positions, with users fearing a repeat of the FTX collapse.
DeFi protocol Ankr to buy US$5 mln of BNB to cover funds lost in exploit
Decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol Ankr will buy US$5 million worth of BNB – the token of cryptocurrency exchange Binance – to compensate liquidity providers affected by Friday’s exploit
NFT sales rise for first time in 7 months in November despite crypto price slump
NFT investors seemingly see opportunities in a month full of surprises and headwinds for the broader cryptocurrency market.
MetaComp becomes the latest crypto exchange to receive Singapore license
Singapore-based crypto exchange MetaComp has been granted Singapore’s license, enabling it to offer digital asset exchange and custody services to institutional investors.
S.Korea court to settle MIR4 maker Wemade, WEMIX legal battle
Following a hearing on Friday, the court is expected to finalize its decision on an injunction Wemade filed against four exchanges.
Coinbase disables NFT transfer on iOS app, citing hefty in-app fees
Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has disabled its non-fungible token transfer feature for iOS users, citing a dispute over Apple’s in-app purchase policy.
Terra cofounder Daniel Shin makes court appearance for arrest warrant review
Terra cofounder Daniel Shin attended a court hearing on Friday morning in South Korea that will decide on local prosecutors’ request to issue an arrest warrant.
Sam Bankman-Fried says not aware of any improper use of funds in FTX downfall
Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, said he did not know of any improper use of customer funds at his company, in an interview with ABC News.
Sam Bankman-Fried points blame for FTX collapse to Alameda, says he was blindsided
Bankman-Fried beamed into New York from the Bahamas to give his version of what happened at FTX, mentioning his own failure of oversight and being “frankly surprised” by what was going on at his company’s sister brokerage.
FTX collapse will blunt activities of North Korea hackers, analyst says
The collapse of FTX.com and its far-reaching impacts will hinder North Korea’s ability to profit from cryptocurrency hacks, says one analyst.
Troubled Hong Kong crypto exchange AAX unlikely to reopen, says former executive
Hong Kong-based crypto exchange AAX is likely to end operations and restructure, former head of communications, Ben Caselin, told CoinDesk TV on Wednesday.
South Korea’s Shinhan Bank starts ‘metaverse’ services, according to local media
Shinhan has opened a metaverse to provide financial and non-financial services, claiming to be the first bank in the country to provide such a platform.
U.S. crypto exchange Kraken to lay off 30% of its workforce, cites ‘market conditions’
U.S.-based crypto exchange Kraken said it will lay off 30% of its global workforce, or approximately 1,100 people, to “adapt to current market conditions.”
Telegram plans decentralized crypto exchange, wallets following FTX collapse
Telegram plans to build non-custodial wallets and decentralized exchanges for cryptocurrencies following the collapse of the FTX exchange says CEO Pavel Durov.
It’s time for more institutions to adopt blockchain and crypto: Opinion
Despite the myriad benefits of blockchain and cryptocurrency, institutional interest remains mixed in Asia Pacific. What lessons should the industry learn from 2022 to overcome the barriers to adoption?
Binance re-enters Japan with acquisition of regulated Sakura Exchange BitCoin
Binance returned to the Japanese market with the acquisition of regulated crypto exchange Sakura Exchange BitCoin (SEBC), according to a blog post on Wednesday. See related article: Binance to help S. Korea’s Busan build first city-backed exchange Fast facts See related article: Crypto exchange Binance in regulators’ crosshairs as scrutiny mounts
Grayscale holdings questioned amid crypto investment giant’s silence
Top blockchain and crypto news: Grayscale’s cryptic reserves. Binance rides to the rescue? China hit by protests and digital dissent.
S.Korea requests warrant to bring Terra-Luna cofounder Daniel Shin into custody
A court in South Korea will review if prosecutors are allowed to arrest and bring Terraform cofounder Daniel Shin and seven others into custody, for charges including fraud.
Markets: Bitcoin rises, Ether leads gains across most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether strengthened in Asian trading on Wednesday afternoon, with Ether the biggest gainer among top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies that also generally increased. See related article: Diverging paths of two CEOs running FTX’s Alameda Research may meet again in court Fast facts See related article: Dominica releases ‘world’s first national’ crypto token with Huobi, […]
Diverging paths of two CEOs running FTX’s Alameda Research may meet again in court
Employee accounts of life at Sam Bankman-Fried’s flagship cryptocurrency trading arm Alameda Research paint a picture of overworked and inexperienced millennials running a ship headed for the rocks: one seemingly escaped.
FTX’s LedgerX prepping US$175 mln for bankrupt parent firm
FTX subsidiary LedgerX is reportedly preparing US$175 million for its parent company’s bankruptcy proceedings, according to unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg on Wednesday.
Dominica releases ‘world’s first’ national crypto token with Huobi, Tron
The Commonwealth of Dominica in the Caribbean reportedly issued its national crypto token, DMC, on Tuesday, in partnership with crypto exchange Huobi Global, TronDAO and DMC Labs.
Digital Currency Group receives offers to buy CoinDesk: report
CoinDesk, an online crypto news site, has attracted potential buyers to take over the media outlet from Digital Currency Group amid market turmoil, Semafor reported.
S. Korea’s Wemade files injunction against country’s top 4 crypto exchanges
The blockchain game maker fights delisting of its symbolic WEMIX crypto token.
Coinbase wallet ends support for ETC, BCH, XRP, XLM
The largest U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Global Inc. announced that its wallet will no longer be supporting Ethereum Classic (ETC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), XRP and Stellar (XLM).
CeFi must adopt DeFi’s transparency following FTX collapse, Justin Sun says
Justin Sun says CeFi must adopt DeFi’s transparency to regain public trust as 1inch Network cofounder Sergej Kunz sees crypto’s struggles as an opportunity for DeFi.
FTX to resume paying wages
FTX Trading and its affiliates will resume paying wages to employees globally and to some non-U.S. contractors and service providers
BlockFi files for bankruptcy protection, set to sue Sam Bankman-Fried over collateral
The cryptocurrency lender was hit by the earthquake set off across the industry by the collapse and bankruptcy of the FTX crypto exchange this month, and other companies are looking vulnerable.
ECB’s Christine Lagarde: Further crypto regulation ‘absolute necessity’ following FTX collapse
Christine Lagarde of the European Central Bank said regulating cryptocurrency in the EU is an “absolute necessity” following the collapse of Bahamas-based exchange FTX.com.
Kraken pays over US$360K to US Treasury to settle Iran sanctions allegations
U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has agreed to pay over US$362,000 to settle claims that it violated sanctions against Iran, the Treasury said Monday.
Markets: Top 10 crypto fall as BlockFi enters bankruptcy, macroeconomic concerns spread
Bitcoin and Ether fell in Tuesday morning trading in Asia as U.S.-based crypto lender Blockfi filed for bankruptcy overnight in what is seen as another casualty of the collapse of the FTX exchange this month.
LINE’s crypto exchange BITFRONT announces closure, to suspend trading by 2023
LINE’s cryptocurrency exchange based in the U.S., BITFRONT, has announced closure on Monday to shift its focus to developing LINE’s blockchain ecosystem.
Nigeria seeks distinction between digital assets and crypto
Nigeria seeks to advance digital asset trading in the country but is drawing a distinction between digital assets and cryptocurrencies.
Changpeng Zhao says Binance has ‘no negative balances involved’ in proof of reserves
Changpeng Zhao tweeted that Binance’s proof of reserves have “absolutely no negative balances involved” after the exchange released its PoR on Friday.
Bitcoin price follows slide in Asia equity markets amid growing China protests against Covid-19 lockdowns
Reports of civil disobedience, protests and clashes with the police in cities and universities in China are unnerving financial markets in Asia
Australian fintech firm launches new AUD stablecoin, AUDE
Australian blockchain fintech startup Ettle Pty Ltd. has completed the first transaction on its recently launched Australian dollar-pegged stablecoin, AUDE.
Binance releases proof of reserves
The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange Binance released its proof of reserves (PoR) on Friday to provide transparency on user funds.
Sam Bankman-Fried could face decades in jail if convicted of law violations in FTX collapse, lawyers say
The former CEO of the collapsed crypto exchange “needs to keep his mouth shut” and stop making public comments that could be used against him in future court cases, lawyers tell Forkast.
S.Korean Wemade’s stock falls 30% after exchanges announce WEMIX token delisting; CEO blames Upbit exchange
The delisting poses a great obstacle to the game maker’s growing blockchain empire, while Wemade’s CEO blames the crypto exchange
MetaMask says “we changed nothing” in response to criticism update collects more user data
ConsenSys, which operates the popular cryptocurrency wallet MetaMask, said an update to the wallet has made no change to the data the platform collects from its users, only the wording had changed.
Singapore police say they are investigating crypto lender Hodlnaut on fraud allegations
Singapore’s white-collar crime unit is investigating Hodlnaut on allegations of fraud, according to a statement on the website of the Singapore police dated Nov. 23.
Binance says it will set up US$1 billion ‘recovery’ fund for distressed crypto businesses
Binance said it will establish a US$1 billion fund for its “Industry Recovery Initiative” to mitigate the damage from the collapse of the FTX exchange.
Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao says he should have tweeted sooner about FTX woes
The chief executive officer of Binance, Changpeng Zhao, regrets sending ‘too late’ a tweet that contributed to the collapse of FTX.com.
Crypto exchange Bybit establishes US$100 million fund to aid institutional clients
Crypto exchange Bybit has established a US$100 million fund to support its institutional clients
Russia plans launch of national crypto exchange
Russian lawmakers aim to launch a national cryptocurrency exchange, supported by the country’s Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Russia.
India’s CoinDCX crypto exchange publishes proof of reserves
Cryptocurrency exchange CoinDCX, India’s first crypto unicorn, published its proof of reserves on Thursday
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether extend gains; Solana leads rise across most top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether increased in Asia trade on Thursday afternoon. The top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization also mostly rose, with Solana leading gains
Question: How do financial rules work when rogue individuals run companies? Answer: Not very well.
Calls for tougher rules on cryptocurrency have been echoing ever louder through the offices of global financial regulators since the collapse of the FTX exchange. But the firm did not invent dodgy business practices, so what can regulators and the industry do?
Chinese mafia forcing Filipinos to work for crypto scams, says Philippine Senator
The organized crime gangs victimize both the trafficked and those that get scammed, according to the official
Disgraced FTX founder SBF to speak at New York Times Dealbook Summit despite controversy
Sam Bankman-Fried will speak at a time when he’s reportedly facing investigations with FTX undergoing bankruptcy protection proceedings.
The crash and burn of FTX: What lessons does it teach us?
As FTX victims and creditors sift through the pieces, how much of this blowup should regulators have seen coming — and could it happen again?
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise as Fed minutes suggest an easing in interest rate hikes
Bitcoin and Ether were both trading up as the U.S. Federal Reserve released meeting minutes suggesting it is looking to slow the rate of interest rate rises.
Genesis jitters keep investors on edge as contagion risks grow
Top blockchain and crypto news: Fear stalks crypto as Genesis wobbles. FTX cleanup begins. China’s NFT scene shrinks.
At FTX’s first bankruptcy hearing, lawyer calls out ‘substantial amount’ of missing, stolen assets
In the first day of FTX’s bankruptcy hearing, FTX counsel says the organization was run as ‘personal fiefdom’ of Sam Bankman-Fried.
S.Korea’s top regulator says digital assets, virtual assets are different
While the crypto industry grapples with the definition of blockchain-based digital tokens, South Korea wants to nail down the terminology.
Coinbase CEO reaffirms exchange’s BTC holdings after CZ’s tweet
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is reassuring users about the financial health of the Nasdaq-listed crypto exchange, following a tweet — since deleted — from CZ of Binance.
Crypto mining firm Foundry to buy mining sites from embattled Compute North
Crypto mining firm Foundry Digital LLC plans to acquire two turnkey crypto mining facilities in the U.S. from troubled Compute North.
New York State passes two-year moratorium on some crypto mining facilities
New York became the first U.S. state to enact a temporary ban on new cryptocurrency mining permits at fossil fuel plants, despite lobbying against the measure.
Markets: Bitcoin, crypto rise as FTX contagion fears ease
Bitcoin recovered above US$16,000 in Wednesday morning trading as it rose along with Ether and the rest of the crypto top 10 by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins.
Crypto exchange Bitget to expand workforce by 50%, registers in Seychelles
Cryptocurrency exchange Bitget plans to hire about 400 more staff, taking its total workforce to 1,200 by the first quarter of 2023, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.
Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway warns of scam crypto site with same name
Berkshire Hathaway, the investment conglomerate run by billionaire Warren Buffet, has issued a warning about a fake cryptocurrency website that uses the Berkshire Hathway name.
Huobi plans Southeast Asia, Europe, Caribbean expansion
Huobi Global, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, plans to ramp up its investments in Southeast Asia and Europe as part of its global expansion, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.
China’s foreign exchange bureau urges stronger legislation to regulate crypto trade
China should integrate legislation on cryptocurrencies in order to better regulate crypto tradings, said Huang Hui, a deputy director of the Supervision and Inspection Department of State Administration of Foreign Exchange.
Thai crypto exchange eyes Hong Kong for possible public share sale in 2024: report
Bitkub, one of the largest crypto exchanges in Thailand, is aiming to list in Hong Kong as early as 2024 when it goes public.
US senators urge Fidelity to drop BTC retirement plan after FTX collapse
U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren, Dick Durbin and Tina Smith asked Fidelity Investments to rethink its decision to grant retirement plan exposure to Bitcoin.
FTX alleged hacker is moving funds to dodge authorities: analysts
The alleged hacker behind the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars from the cryptocurrency exchange FTX is moving the funds around to separate wallets.
Bitcoin price falls to more than two-year low amid growing concerns about FTX fallout
Investors are unnerved by the possibility of more failures among companies linked to the now bankrupt FTX exchange, fearing a repeat of the Terra-Luna stablecoin collapse in May that also brought down other businesses.