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Binance converts US$1 bln fund; eyes India comeback after obtaining Dubai license

Cryptocurrency giant Binance converts $1B safety fund to USDC, signaling a strategic move to enhance transparency and re-enter the Indian market.

EY debuts blockchain tool for private contracts

Ernst & Young launches a blockchain service to improve contract management for private companies, aiming for enhanced privacy and efficiency.

STEPN launches $30 mln airdrop ahead of brand partnership

Web3 fitness app STEPN rewards users with a $30 million airdrop as it prepares for a major brand collaboration.

Binance exec refutes Nigeria laundering claims

Binance’s Tigran Gambaryan pleads not guilty to money laundering in Nigeria, faces remand.

Hacker nearly nets US$50K in Wormhole airdrop

Wormhole team prevents hacker from claiming airdrop tokens.

ERC-404 pioneer Pandora leads NFT market with US$1.6 mln daily sales

The Bored Ape Yacht Club collection tops daily NFT sales, marking a notable increase in transactions and buyers.

No blockchain tops US$10 mln in NFT sales on Wednesday, Bitcoin leads with US$8.25 mln

Bitcoin tops NFT market despite a minor decrease in sales, with Ethereum and Solana following.

Thai exchange Bitkub plans 2025 IPO

Thailand’s Bitkub aims for a 2025 IPO on SET to expand and compete in the global crypto market.

DMarket NFT sales surge, tops daily trade chart

DMarket leads with a significant uptick in NFT transactions, signaling a vibrant market.

Ethereum enters the weekend on top of NFT market with over US$11 million in daily sales

Ethereum tops the NFT market as Bitcoin crawls to the US$3 billion mark.

JIGO leads NFTs for the second straight day with $1.64 million in sales

Bitcoin’s JIGO BRC-20 NFTs see a slight uptick in transactions amid market dip.

KuCoin launches US$10 mln airdrop campaign amid legal woes

KuCoin’s $10 million airdrop aims to retain users despite DOJ and CFTC charges.

Dune Analytics expands blockchain data with Tron integration

Dune Analytics partners with TRON, enhancing data access and offering a $650,000 prize for HackaTRON developers.

Bitcoin snatches daily NFT throne from Ethereum

Bitcoin maintains market stability, while Ethereum and Solana see significant changes in non-fungible token sales over the past day.

JIGO BRC-20 NFTs surge in daily sales

Bitcoin’s $JIGO BRC-20 NFTs see a significant to lead Thursday’s sales chart.

Ethereum reclaims NFT throne with US$17.02 mln in daily sales

Ethereum tops daily NFT sales, Bitcoin and Solana see mixed results, with notable changes in wash sales.

Cardano’s USDM stablecoin set for April retail launch

Cardano’s new USDM stablecoin, developed by Mehen Finance, is slated for a retail rollout in April.

UK court rules against Craig Wright’s Satoshi Nakamoto claim

Craig Wright is not Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, accourding to the High Court’s ruling.

Terraform Labs retains Dentons as legal counsel amid bankruptcy

Bankrupt Terraform Labs secures court approval to hire Dentons for legal representation, despite SEC objections.

Wall Street giants test blockchain for capital markets

Major financial institutions complete large-scale blockchain pilot on Canton Network.

Ethereum ETF approval odds drop as SEC remains silent

Analysts lower expectations for a spot Ethereum ETF approval by May.

ChainGPT launches US$1 mln grant for Web3-AI startups

ChainGPT’s new grant program aims to foster AI and blockchain innovation, offering up to US$1 million for startups.

Fed Chair Powell: No immediate plans for US CBDC

Jerome Powell assures Senate Committee that a U.S. central bank digital currency is not forthcoming, prioritizing privacy and banking system integrity.

Wormhole launches 617 mln token airdrop to boost decentralization

Wormhole’s airdrop of 617 million W tokens aims to decentralize governance and reward community engagement across multiple blockchains.

SEC Chair Gensler remains silent on Ethereum’s status amid ETF reviews

Gary Gensler, SEC Chair, avoids commenting on Ethereum’s security status as the agency reviews spot ETF applications.

Spain hits pause on Worldcoin’s data collection over privacy concerns

Spanish regulator orders Worldcoin to stop processing personal data, citing privacy violations.

Court rules ‘certain’ crypto as securities in Coinbase insider trading case

A U.S. judge’s ruling classifies crypto assets traded in secondary markets as securities.

FTX cautions against unauthorized asset sales

FTX warns public about unauthorized parties soliciting bids for its digital assets, reaffirming Galaxy Asset Management’s exclusive role.

SEC scrutinizes Terraform Labs’ US$166 mln legal retainer

The financial watchdog contends the payment may be intended to avoid future judgments and should instead aid investors and creditors.

PEPE gains 120% in a week, Bitcoin breaks US$57,000

Meme token PEPE leads top cryptocurrencies as Bitcoin continues to surge.

Polygon-founded Avail secures $27M in seed funding

Avail, a Web3 infrastructure project, has raised US$27 million to develop its core products aimed at enhancing blockchain interoperability and scalability.

Stolen DeGods NFT funds recovered by blockchain sleuth ZachXBT

A chunk of funds lost in the theft of a rare NFT has been returned to the owner, thanks to investigator ZachXBT.

MetaMask boosts security with Blockaid’s privacy module

MetaMask partners with Blockaid to enhance security for over 30 million users.

STRK trading begins amidst massive airdrop event

Starknet distributes 728 million STRK tokens, with initial trading volatility.

Revolut to list Bonk alongside US$1.2 mln learning campaign: report

Bonk will join Ethereum-based memecoins such as Dogecoin and Shiba Inu on the platform.

Yuga Labs’ payout from Ripps and Cahen raised to nearly US$9 mln

Ryder Ripps and Jeremy Cahen must pay almost US$7 million in Yuga Labs’ attorneys’ fees, court documents show.

BNB Chain highlights DeFi, gaming and AI in 2024 roadmap

The “One BNB Paradigm” aims to streamline BNB Chain’s ecosystem, focusing on DeFi, gaming, and AI.

Solana-based GameStop meme coin gains traction after retailer pulls plug on crypto

A GME-themed meme coin, not affiliated with the video game retailer GameStop, is replicating the company’s meme stock frenzy on the Solana blockchain.

Solana’s Jupiter trading volume skyrockets ahead of JUP airdrop

Jupiter Exchange experiences a trading boom as the Solana community awaits the upcoming JUP airdrop.

Investors lost 54.3% less crypto in 2023, Chainalysis says

The total value of stolen crypto decreased last year but the number of individual hacking incidents grew.

Bitcoin mining’s green mile: 54.5% sustainable energy use

Bitcoin mining now more eco-friendly than ever, reaching a 54.5% sustainable energy usage.

HashKey joins unicorn club after US$100 mln raise

HashKey Group achieves unicorn status following a US$100 million funding round, reaching a US$1.2 billion valuation.

Ethereum ETFs gain support from BlackRock’s CEO

Support from BlackRock CEO Larry Fink boosts prospects for Ethereum ETFs.

USDC issuer Circle attempts public listing again: report

With the filing for an IPO, Circle aims to capitalize on the growing interest in crypto assets, despite recent industry setbacks.

Restey immortalizes Gensler’s tweet on the Bitcoin blockchain

Billy Restey inscribes SEC’s Gensler tweet on Bitcoin blockchain, ensuring clarity after a false ETF approval claim rattles the crypto market.

BNB Chain Fusion may unify BEP-2 and BEP-20 by 2024

BNB Chain’s merger plans aims for a seamless and secure blockchain by April 2024

MakerDAO’s Christensen wants to make DAOs fun again. He’s not alone.

Projects are rethinking how to make DAOs more fun and less disappointing.

From Silicon Valley to Sand Dunes: Why Indian crypto firms eye Dubai expansion

Indian crypto companies flock to Dubai, escaping high local taxes and finding solace in the emirate’s favorable regulatory environment.

Creator economy, AI & the move to half a trillion dollars

Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Forkast’s Megha Chaddah, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions. In this special edition, Forkast News spoke to one of the leaders of the Web3 industry, Yat Siu, co-founder and chairman of Animoca Brands.

Blockchain can transform the real estate business — if we remove the roadblocks in its way

From reducing paperwork to verifying title quickly, blockchain technology promises to overhaul the age-old industry. But it faces regulatory hurdles and resistance by those who profit from inefficiency.

Is Ethereum once again a victim of its own success?

A year after the Merge made Ethereum even more popular, the network now faces the perils of a staking-fueled liquidity crunch. What are the alternatives?

UK & EU push ahead on stablecoins, HK approves another crypto exchange & Apefest marred by complaints

The UK’s crypto hub dream is coming to life while some attendees of Apefest 2023 in Hong Kong complaint on severe eye pain post-event.

Taiwan identifies new suspects in alleged JPEX fraud case: report

Prosecutors have reportedly identified new suspects after searching nine locations related to JPEX.

Grassroots crypto adoption to follow real-world use cases, says Chainalysis APAC policy lead

Blockchain-based gaming and remittances among top drivers toward adoption in central and South Asia.

NFTs are mainstream again?

The Simpsons dedicates its annual Halloween special to NFTs, as data signals continued uptrend in the NFT market.

Dubai calls on crypto firms to finalize applications by Nov. 17

Over 1,000 crypto firms will have to complete their applications by Nov. 17 to avoid regulatory consequences.

Dubai’s ascent to fintech, Web3 and AI dominance

While Hong Kong and Singapore compete for the top spot, Dubai is already shaping the future of fintech and Web3, writes Mohammad Alblooshi, chief executive officer of the DIFC Innovation Hub.

Moody’s unveils AI that predicts stablecoin depegging

The artificial intelligence service is designed to predict the depegging of stablecoins in 24-hours.

XRP approved by Dubai’s Financial Services Authority

The XRP token now stands to benefit from legal and regulatory clarity in the DIFC, according to the announcement.

SBF trial drama fails to dampen Bitcoin’s meteoric October

Top blockchain and crypto news: Bankman-Fried’s memory lapses, betting on the return of NFTs, ETF dreams and Bitcoin’s Uptober

Nomura-backed Komainu partners Crypto Garage for institutional crypto services

The collaboration aims to build institutional crypto services in Japan.

Circle to cease USDC minting for retail customers

Circle said the account closures do not apply to businesses or institutional Circle Mint accounts.

SBF examined over “cozy relationship” with Bahamian government in fraud trail

This marked Bankman-Fried’s fourth and final day of testimony before Wednesday’s closing arguments.

How blockchain can fortify children’s online safety

Colossal failures in online age verification have opened the floodgates for kids to access harmful content and become ‘friends’ with adult strangers. Can encrypted decentralized IDs put a stop to all that?

Mad Lads creator Backpack to launch licensed crypto exchange in Dubai

Backpack said it also secured operational licenses in other jurisdictions.

Thailand’s Kasikorn Bank buys majority stake in Satang crypto exchange

The lender, known as K-bank, said it will also open three additional crypto subsidiaries.

Bitcoin ETF fever sends crypto prices up, SBF trial testimony, Nepal’s blockchain future

Bitcoin soars to its highest price in a year and a half as Grayscale’s legal victory against the U.S. SEC gets finalized.

Neo sets sights on DeFi, unveils EVM-compatible sidechain

Neo’s new sidechain hopes to counter MEV attacks to mitigate exploits and manipulations.

Taiwan introduces crypto regulation proposal

Taiwan’s new bill mandates crypto platform permits, addressing self-regulation gaps.

Bitcoin soars amid buzz of potential ETF approval: Is a crypto renaissance on the horizon?

Top blockchain and crypto news: Bitcoin ETF potential pumps life in markets. Ethereum NFTs back on rise. Major industry layoffs continue.

Parity Technologies, Polkadot blockchain developer, lays off 30% of staff

Parity CEO Björn Wagner said that despite the need for layoffs, the company’s financial health “remains robust.”

North America retains crypto crown even as US regulatory clouds loom: Chainalysis

The United States is the region’s top driver of crypto activity.