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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Go ahead and ban staking. Crypto investors will just go elsewhere

The SEC’s latest heavy-handed approach toward crypto will leave investors less protected while benefitting dodgy offshore companies, writes Danny Talwar of Koinly.

Paxos ordered to stop minting Binance stablecoin as SEC mulls legal action

Top blockchain and crypto news: Paxos halts BUSD issuance. Kraken faces disclosure charges. Beijing backs new blockchain research center.

Be careful what you wish for? Regulators pick up pace in the crypto industry crackdown

Last year was memorable in the emerging world of digital assets for the sheer number of corporate failures. The industry itself has been asking for clearer legal guidelines to help development. Is that what’s happening now?
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Why the crypto sector needs radical transparency in the post-FTX world

Self-custody is cumbersome and carries risks of seed phrases getting lost, but how can we ensure if a third-party custodian can be trusted?

What is the outlook for crypto in 2023 and beyond?

Tokenization, stablecoins and DeFi will be growth areas, but regulatory uncertainty is still holding back adoption, writes John Avery of FIS.

Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin retreats below US$22,000 after a record January. Is the strong start to 2023 reversing?

After the strongest January price increase since 2013, Bitcoin gave up some of its gains this week to dip below the US$22,000 support line on Friday. The crypto market was buffeted by bearish comments on interest rates by U.S. Federal Reserve officials this week, along with concerns about a regulatory crackdown. Is this the start of a downtrend, a healthy correction, or the beginning of a so-called “crab” market moving sideways?

A house divided? SEC Commissioner Peirce attacks agency’s fines against Kraken exchange

Hester Peirce said using enforcement action to dictate law in an emerging industry is the act of a “lazy” regulator, after the SEC fined the U.S.-based Kraken crypto exchange for failing to register staking programs.

Lessons from FTX: crypto investment risks and how to avoid them

The recent spate of crypto exchanges freezing customer accounts should be a wake-up call to investors everywhere. What can you do to better protect yourself?

Blockchain developers have taken a decentralized interest in cloud storage – will it shake up the industry?

Blockchain developers want a piece of the multi-billion dollar cloud computing pie. Do current heavyweights in the industry – Amazon, Google and Microsoft – have cause for concern?

FastForkast headlines

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried hit with four more criminal charges

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with all top 10 cryptos as investors await consumption index

IMF releases crypto action plan, advises against legal tender status

SEC accused of ‘back door’ labeling of crypto as securities in Coinbase insider trading case

Canada gives crypto companies 30 days to meet updated registration guidelines

Taiwan must mandate a central authority to oversee crypto by May 16, says lawmaker

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise along with top 10 cryptos despite Fed signals to raise interest rates

SEC has to clarify what’s permissible for staking, former CFTC chair says

Gate Group set to enter Hong Kong

Bitcoin back above US$24,000, Fed releases February minutes

Binance, Ingenico begin crypto payments in France

Crypto scammers seize on AI frenzy as fraudulent ChatGPT tokens flood markets

Coinbase reports growth in Q4 earnings despite decline in users

Crypto miner Hive Blockchain posts wider losses, cites Ethereum Merge

Ankr token surges 60%, partners Microsoft for enterprise-grade node service

FTX Japan resumes withdrawals through Liquid Japan web platform

Crypto hedge fund Galois Capital to close after losing US$40 mln in FTX

Huobi plans to move headquarters to Hong Kong from Singapore

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether up, Solana, Helium rise after merge announcement

Bitcoin surpasses Visa’s market cap to be 11th largest asset in the world

Hong Kong begins public consultation on crypto licensing regime

Markets: Bitcoin rises above US$24,000; Solana gains most in top 10 cryptos

Former FTX executive Nishad Singh negotiating guilty plea on fraud charges: Bloomberg

Taiwan may mandate public servants to declare crypto holdings

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most top 10 cryptos following hawkish U.S. Fed remarks

Wemade’s WEMIX token surges after relisting on South Korea’s Coinone exchange

Do Kwon, founder of collapsed Terra stablecoin, charged with fraud by U.S. securities regulator

Markets: Bitcoin slips back below US$24,000 as inflation worries resurface in U.S., equities slide

Binance expects to pay penalties to settle U.S. probes: Wall Street Journal

Markets: Bitcoin rallies over 11% as top 10 cryptos gain, memecoin Floki surges 82%

El Salvador to establish ‘Bitcoin Embassy’ in Texas to promote adoption of digital assets

Japan’s Square Enix to launch Web3 game on Polygon blockchain, cites ‘sustainability’ benefits

Singapore’s DBS Digital Exchange’s Bitcoin trade volume grows 80% in 2022

Digital asset industry comes under fire at hearing by U.S. Senate on ‘Crypto Crash’

S. Korean regulators to probe local crypto staking services following U.S. crackdown: News1

Binance CEO says more non-USD stablecoins may emerge

SEC may make it harder for hedge funds to work with crypto firms: Bloomberg

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether, other major tokens rise despite hotter-than-expected CPI reading

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether drop; BNB biggest loser in top 10 cryptos

Markets: Bitcoin rises amid market jitters as Paxos stablecoin issuer next regulator target after Kraken clampdown

India discussing crypto, regulation with G20, says finance minister

Head of crypto, FX trading platform EminiFX pleads guilty to US$248 million fraud charges

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices extend losses; Dogecoin sole gainer among top 10 cryptos

Paxos ordered to stop issuing Binance USD stablecoin: report

China’s international blockchain BSN Spartan gets new push in Middle East, Africa

Coinbase CEO says he will “happily defend” crypto staking service against claim it’s a securities product

Securities and Exchange Commission may sue BUSD stablecoin issuer Paxos, WSJ reports

Huobi to expand in Hong Kong as it bets on China

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with top 10 cryptos; SOL biggest loser

Markets: Bitcoin slumps in broad sell off amid SEC charges against Kraken, regulation worries

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall; Matic sees biggest gain as top 10 cryptos decline

China tech giant Baidu reveals AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT