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India plans to implement the country’s digital currency in phases, Reserve Bank of India’s deputy governor Shri T Rabi Sankar said at a webinar organized by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, New Delhi.  Fast facts “CBDC (central bank digital currency) will be in the arsenal of most if not all central banks in the […]

In the latest blow to Binance — the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange — U.K. bank NatWest is now blocking its customers from making payments to Binance both in the U.K. and abroad, reports Yahoo Finance. NatWest acted after Binance has come under increasing regulatory pressures. Fast facts The move by NatWest — a Scotland-based bank […]

Indonesia has seen red-hot growth in the crypto asset market, but the country’s regulators are just beginning to get to grips with burgeoning industry and formulate policy responses.

Ping An trials e-CNY while Core Scientific is the next to get on the SPAC train.

It’s not only real-world idols that look to earn a profit from issuing non-fungible tokens. Rae — a virtual influencer in Singapore rendered through computer-generated imagery and powered by artificial intelligence — is selling “her” first NFTs on Mintable. Fast facts Rae — whose creators’ identities remain mysterious — has dropped her first NFT series […]

U.S. cryptocurrency miner Core Scientific Holding is set to list on the Nasdaq exchange through a merger with a special-purpose acquisitions company, boosting the value of the combined business to around US$4.3 billion. Fast facts Core Scientific, one of the biggest crypto mining companies in the U.S., announced yesterday that it had entered into merger […]

ASX, which operates Australia’s stock market, says the custody of cryptocurrency held on centralized exchanges presents a significant cybersecurity risk to investors, and recommends that regulatory action be taken to protect digital assets. It made the comments in a submission to the country’s Senate Select Committee on Australia as a Technology and Financial Center. Fast facts […]

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said while Bitcoin mining is steadily becoming more environmentally friendly through the use of renewable energy, he is not yet sure that it’s enough for Tesla to resume accepting the cryptocurrency as payment for purchases. Fast facts Speaking at the virtual Bitcoin event “The ₿ Word” with fellow panelists Twitter CEO […]

The prospect of a ban on cryptocurrencies has haunted the industry for years, but it appears to be receding as delayed rules give policymakers time to think before they act.

FTX closes record fundraise. Additionally, China Mobile gets hot wallet patent.

Top blockchain and crypto news: FTX swells to $18 billion valuation. Etherum and Dogecoin disowned by creators. US pols call for Olympics boycott of e-yuan.

Optimum Mining Host-Black Rock Petroleum plan comes as Canaan seeks greener operations through Czech partnership.

Fee-free trading app Robinhood is seeking a market valuation of US$35 billion in its upcoming initial public offering, according to a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Although the amount is significant, it is lower than the US$40 billion initially estimated, due in part to slow crypto trading in recent months. Fast facts […]

Mastercard has announced a pilot program in partnership with Circle’s USDC stablecoin and others to enable cardholders to pay merchants using cryptocurrency anywhere Mastercard is accepted, according to a company press release. Fast facts USDC will act as an intermediary between fiat and other cryptocurrencies in the new system, allowing all merchants to offer card […]

South Korea’s central bank has named Ground X, Kakao’s blockchain subsidiary, as its partner in the country’s central bank digital currency simulation project. Fast facts Ground X was designated as the preferred bidder, beating out Naver and SK C&C. Ground X has more experience in blockchain than the other bidders, operating public blockchain platform Klaytn […]

Fast-growing FTX just pulled off the largest-ever fundraise for a crypto exchange to date. Will heightened regulatory scrutiny lie in its near future?

As Bitcoin’s carbon footprint continues to make ESG investors uneasy, a new clean-energy crypto mining ETF aims to allay their environmental concerns.

US Senators urge E-CNY ban while Russia woos crypto-miners

Demand for non-fungible tokens appears insatiable as industry distances itself from crypto sector to avoid crackdown.

Plentiful electricity, cold climate are among drawcards as Chinese mine operators flee crackdown at home.

Turkey’s deputy finance minister says a draft bill to create a cryptocurrency regulatory framework will be submitted to parliament in October, according to a report by CNN Türk. Fast facts The bill will define different types of virtual currencies and principles for their issuance and distribution. The country’s Capital Markets Commission will supervise companies handling […]

Cryptocurrency investment manager Grayscale has started a fund focused on decentralized finance tokens and based on CoinDesk’s new DeFi-specific index, the company has said in an announcement.  Fast facts The fund offers investors a selection of leading DeFi protocols through a market capitalization-weighted portfolio designed to track the index. It allows investors to allocate funds […]

The cryptocurrency market remains quiet, with net inflows of just US$2.9 million last week, according to digital asset investment firm CoinShares’ weekly digital asset fund flows report. Fast facts “The summer doldrums are here, but in line with seasonal expectations,” wrote James Butterfill, a CoinShares’ investment strategist. Bitcoin investment products saw net outflows of US$10.4 […]

In a special Q&A, Yale-NUS College professor Andrew Bailey says the world’s oldest cryptocurrency has untapped potential to promote liberty, equality and justice around the world.

E-CNY white paper explains how it will work with physical RMB while Malaysia steamrolls mining rigs.

Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the CEO of Binance — the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume — today said it was “never easy” running a crypto exchange in a series of tweets about key products Binance has launched over the past four years. Fast facts “Never easy,” Zhao tweeted, referring to an extract from the […]

Decentralized lending platform Aave will build “Twitter on Ethereum,” its founder, Stani Kulechov, tweeted during the weekend. His message came seemingly in response to an announcement that Twitter founder Jack Dorsey was developing a Bitcoin-oriented fintech platform resembling Aave. Fast facts Dorsey, who is also CEO of payments company Square, tweeted that the firm was […]

As the world grapples with crypto mining’s carbon footprint, Nischal Shetty of WazirX examines the technical and regulatory solutions.

The difficulty of mining Bitcoin has dropped a further 4.81% in its latest fortnightly adjustment, according to data from BTC.com, bringing it to the lowest point since January last year. Fast facts The decline marks the fourth consecutive drop in the difficulty rate for the world’s leading cryptocurrency — the longest slide in its history. […]

In viral video, Borneo police use a giant steamroller to destroy 1,069 crypto mining rigs that had been caught running on stolen electricity.

While the West has first mover advantage in traditional banking, Asia — not wedded to ol infrastructure — now has an edge in the crypto era, says Michael Shaulov of Fireblocks.

Bitcoin interest declines while Rolling Stone gets into NFTs.

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission today issued a warning that Binance — the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume — was not allowed to conduct “regulated activity” in the city, specifically trading in stock tokens. Fast facts In its statement, the SFC said it was aware that Binance was offering stock tokens in […]

South Korean cryptocurrency exchanges have delisted an estimated 200 crypto coins this year, according to a lawmaker who also says the country’s financial authorities have not prepared appropriate standards for crypto listings and delistings. Fast facts People Party legislator Kwon Eun-hee made the statement in a proposed bill, asserting that 20 virtual asset exchanges in […]

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb announced today that Bithumb Global and Bithumb Singapore will no longer be licensed to use its name after their contracts expire on July 30. Industry experts say the South Korean business’s severing of links with eponymous operations outside the country is designed to prevent any association with possible future money […]

The price of gold is rising with inflation. Then why is ‘digital gold’ Bitcoin’s price stagnant — and public interest in BTC falling to a new low?

Bishijie’s suspension deprives users of industry news and community forum as Beijing continues campaign targeting cryptocurrency sector.

Hong Kong’s Financial Services Development Council — a cross-sector advisory body established by the government to engage the city’s financial services industry — is putting together industry feedback on the government’s legislative proposals related to virtual assets and virtual asset service providers. Fast facts In May, Hong Kong’s Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau released […]

Play-to-earn game Axie Infinity has caught the blockchain community’s attention in the past few months as the price of its governance token has kept rising. Now it’s hit an all-time high, players are earning some serious money.

Ripple scores major discovery win as judge rules ex-SEC official William Hinman must answer ‘central question’ on Ethereum in the globally-watched case about XRP.

Britain’s financial crimes enforcement agency is set to launch a campaign costing £11 million (US$15.2 million) to warn young people about the risks of investing in cryptocurrencies.  Fast facts Financial Conduct Authority CEO Nikhil Rathi said social media users aged 18 to 30 would be the target audience. “As with the GameStop episode, more people see investment as […]

CEO Jack Dorsey announced that his mobile payments company Square has created a new division dedicated to decentralized finance (DeFi) on Bitcoin. For now, Dorsey is referring to the new Square Bitcoin DeFi platform as TBD, having not yet decided on an official name.  Fast facts The DeFi space, which has grown exponentially over last […]

India seeks crypto advice meanwhile K-drama joins NFT bandwagon

Tether stablecoins linked to funds funneled to banks in Singapore and elsewhere amid worldwide cryptocurrency crime increase.

Singapore-based crypto derivatives exchange Bybit today announced the launch of a new cryptocurrency spot trading platform. Fast facts The spot trading platform offered BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, XRP/USDT and EOS/USDT trading pairs at its launch, and more will be introduced. Traders will be able to buy and sell crypto coins at current market prices once orders are […]

The Reserve Bank of Australia is researching the implementation of a central bank digital currency — despite not seeing a need for it.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Crypto markets await Bitcoin fund release. USDC issuer opts for the back door. In China, NFT copyrights and wrongs.

ICICI blocks crypto transfers as South Korean banks are to report crypto crime.

The9 and BIT Mining — non-crypto firms that pivoted to crypto mining during Bitcoin’s boom — now seek to ‘expand’ overseas.

Turkey’s tax authorities have told companies with cryptocurrency-related business to report information on their ultimate controllers as a part of their tax filings. Fast facts An official document states that the requirement is part of meeting Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development guidelines on tax transparency. Crypto companies must submit their first filings by Aug. 31 […]

ICICI bank, one of India’s largest lenders, has warned its customers against using its international remittance services for transferring any form of cryptocurrency, the Bharat Express reports. Fast facts The Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India recently made an amendment to an international remittance form compelling customers to declare: “The above remittance is NOT […]

Financial index provider S&P Dow Jones has launched five new cryptocurrency indices, according to a company statement, bringing its total number of crypto indices to eight. Fast facts The most significant of these new indices is the Cryptocurrency Broad Digital Market (BDM) Index, which includes more than 240 coins and can be used for a […]

The Ontario Securities Commission in Canada and Bybit, a cryptocurrency derivatives exchange headquartered in Singapore, have come to an agreement on the schedule for Bybit’s upcoming enforcement proceeding, according to the OSC. Fast facts The first hearing between Bybit and the OSC — the agency that oversees securities legislation in Canada’s largest province by population […]

As issuer Circle prepares to list and China sounds the alarm over speculation, the mood among regulators is mixed, despite stablecoins’ clear appeal to investors.

Oracle platform Band Protocol is aiming to enable data providers like Google Cloud and Bloomberg to work better with decentralized applications.

South Korean financial watchdog says the nation’s crypto laws will apply to foreign exchanges.

Police in Aichi Prefecture in central Japan have arrested four men on suspicion of crypto investment fraud, according to a report by Kyodo News.  Fast facts According to a person familiar with the matter, it was suspected that a total of at least 6 billion yen (US$54 million) was collected from more than 20,000 people […]

Soaring BTC and altcoin prices earlier this year drew in new investors, who now worry about the current slump. Will crypto prices rise again, or are modest valuations here to stay?

Grayscale Investments — the world’s largest digital asset manager — has registered its Digital Large Cap Fund with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission following the filing of a registration statement Form 10 last year. Fast facts The company has also announced it is filing three additional registration statements via the same form for the […]

Cryptocurrency investment products saw a total outflow of US$4 million last week in the “quietest trading week since October 2020,” according to digital asset investment firm CoinShares’ weekly digital asset fund flows report. Fast facts Cryptocurrency markets remained soft, with Bitcoin seeing US$6.9 million of outflows. Trading volumes in investment products totaled just US$1.58bn for […]

Korean banks extend partnerships with crypto exchanges — for now. And also in Korea, how to earn crypto during bathroom breaks.

South Korean lenders Kbank, Nonghyup Bank and Shinhan Bank have decided to extend their affiliations with cryptocurrency exchanges until a crypto exchange law compliance deadline of Sept. 24. Fast facts Kbank’s contract ended in June, and Nonghyup and Shinhan’s end in late July. Instead of renewing their contracts with the exchanges, the three banks have […]

Cosmos’s DeFi capital pulling power is set to get stronger as Gravity DEX launches, with Gravity Bridge and the Emeris DeFi portal on the way.

Ban on branded content covers range of financial services and ‘get-rich-quick’ schemes boosted by influencers with young followings.

A 101.38-carat diamond sold at auction in Hong Kong has become the most physical object ever to have been purchased using cryptocurrency, Bloomberg reports. Fast facts The HK$95.1 million (US$12.3 million) sale price nevertheless fell short of the expected US$15 million price, auctioneer Sotheby’s said. A spokesperson for Sotheby’s told Forkast.News it was unable to […]

India-based cryptocurrency exchange CoinDCX has announced the launch of its new Liqueth (LQTH) token, which will enable users to stake Ether — the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain. Fast facts Users will be able to stake ETH on Ethereum 2.0 from a minimum 0.1 ETH. LQTH, an ERC-20 token, will be generated and transferred […]

Despite opposition from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Ripple is pushing ahead with plans to question former SEC director William Hinman, the former head of the regulator’s Division of Corporation Finance, telling the judge overseeing discovery in the SEC v. Ripple Labs lawsuit that Hinman’s deposition has been rescheduled to July 19, according to a […]

Crypto industry gets the ‘overleveraged’ label and authorities are cracking down on derivatives providers. Alexander Höptner of 100x believes the pushback foreshadows the industry’s next big thing — derivatives.

Market dominance suggests that investors are flocking towards Bitcoin as Covid delta variant concerns hit markets. In Thailand, authorities remind the industry of their stance on cryptocurrency payments.

Cryptocurrency miners blamed for blackouts as government eyes excess electricity for mooted state crypto mining operation.

Closure of center comes despite — or perhaps because of — professional pedigree of crypto exchange founder board members.

Cardano leapfrogged Bitcoin as the most held cryptocurrency on social trading platform eToro in the second quarter of 2021, the platform reported this week. Fast facts Bitcoin, which led the cryptocurrency bull run at the start of the year, saw a 42% increase in demand, but slipped from first to second place behind Cardano. Cardano […]