November 2022
FTX assets frozen by Bahamas securities regulator
The Securities Commission of the Bahamas has frozen assets of FTX and related parties, and has suspended its registration.
FTX Japan ordered to suspend operations by the country’s regulators
FTX Japan was ordered by the country’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) to suspend operations until Dec. 9 and put together a “business improvement plan.”
Industry reacts: FTX bankruptcy fears rise after Binance scraps rescue
There are not many white knight investors that are large enough to bail out the embattled crypto exchange, industry insiders say.
Bitcoin gains 5% as U.S. inflation slows down in October
Bitcoin gained 5% after the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the consumer price index (CPI), a key inflation indicator, rose 0.4% in October from September. CPI was up 7.7% from a year earlier, less than the expected 7.9%, and down from 8.2% in September. October’s CPI recorded the smallest 12-month increase since January.
FTX allegedly used customer assets in Alameda bailout: report
A portion of the bailout package worth at least US$4 billion that FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried sent to Alameda Research was allegedly comprised of customer funds.
Crypto exchange outflows rise amid FTX fiasco
Over 5.2 billion stablecoins left crypto exchanges on Wednesday, the most in five months, on-chain data showed.
FTX debacle has crypto industry pointing finger at regulators in call for clear rules of the road
The FTX.com unraveling has prompted crypto industry leaders to demand clearer rules of the road for trading digital assets.
Will Contagion Spread?
Binance backs out of its initial offer to buy FTX. What could happen to FTX next?
Binance the winner in FTX saga, set to gain more customers
Binance may have nixed the deal to bailout rival exchange FTX.com, but it could still gain a big chunk of FTX’s business as investors flee the platform.
US regulators DoJ, SEC, CFTC probe crypto platform FTX
US regulators the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are probing beleaguered crypto exchange FTX.
What a difference a day makes: Options for FTX after Binance ditches buyout?
Binance cites due diligence on FTX books for pulling out of a deal to buy FTX.com, sending markets into a tailspin and leaving Bankman-Fried in need of another buyer… fast.
Ark Invest swoops in to buy US$21.4 mln in Coinbase shares
Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest seized the opportunity provided by Wednesday’s market downturn to snatch a considerable chunk of Coinbase stock.
Bitcoin hits lowest price in two years as Binance cancels FTX acquisition
Just over 24 hours after news of Binance’s planned acquisition of FTX shook the crypto market, a reversal of that decision sent prices even lower.
Binance pulls out of FTX buyout; latest updates and commentary
The following is a running compilation of views and comments on Binance’s announcement that it will not go ahead with the acquisition of FTX.com.
Binance likely to back out of FTX deal: report
Binance may scrap its proposal to acquire cryptocurrency exchange FTX, after examining FTX’s “internal data and loan commitments,” according to an unnamed source “familiar with the matter” cited by CoinDesk on Wednesday.
The fall of FTX “not good for anyone,” CZ says
The sudden downfall of top cryptocurrency exchange FTX will bring in more regulatory scrutiny and raise the difficulty of obtaining licenses around the world, Binance founder and chief executive Changpeng Zhao said in an internal note, which he shared with the public via Twitter on Wednesday.
FTX provided US$4.1 billion bailout to Alameda Research: data
FTX exchange sent Alameda Research 173 million FTT tokens on Sept. 28, worth US$4.1 billion at the time.
Binance’s Changpeng Zhao emerges as ‘winner on all fronts’ of FTX acquisition
Commonly known as “CZ,” the Chinese-Canadian founder of Binance appears to have stolen Sam Bankman-Fried’s shine, coming out of the FTX acquisition with the most to gain.
Binance boosts emergency insurance fund to US$1 billion on market volatility
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has raised its emergency insurance fund “SAFU” to US$1 billion equivalent in cryptocurrencies, founder Changpeng Zhao said in a Tweet on Wednesday.
Binance and FTX – Should you be worried?
Binance has announced its intentions to buy rival exchange FTX. Should you be worried?
Binance set to swallow FTX as run on exchange allows CZ to swoop
Top blockchain and crypto news: FTX concedes defeat in long battle with Binance. Crypto eyes Congress races. Hong Kong U-turns on digital assets.
‘Pharma bro’ Martin Shkreli to Do Kwon: jail isn’t that bad
“Pharma bro” Martin Shkreli has tried to reassure Terra chief Do Kwon that life in jail is “not the worst”, while they discussed the Binance-FTX deal on the UpOnlyTV podcast.
Binance’s pending acquisition of FTX may attract attention of antitrust regulators
Binance chief executive officer Changpeng Zhao already runs the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange so just what are his ambitions?
Binance becomes white knight for fallen FTX: How did we get here?
Binance steps in with deal to buy FTX.com, but with so many moving parts to consider how messy could this pending acquisition get?
Coinbase says it has minimal exposure to FTX, downplays risk
Coinbase said new users have registered on the exchange, while the crypto exchange claimed it has limited exposure to the underwater crypto exchange FTX.
Binance buys FTX: Updates on what it means for the crypto industry
The following is a running compilation of views and comments on Binance’s takeover of the FTX exchange amid speculation of solvency problems at FTX.
Markets: Bitcoin hits year low, Ether slumps as Binance rescue of FTX unnerves investors
Bitcoin fell to a year’s low of US$17,603 in Tuesday morning trading in Asia as Binance Global Inc.’s takeover of the FTX exchange unnerved investors.
Binance agrees to acquire FTX following liquidity crunch
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has agreed to acquire rival exchange FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried announced on Tuesday.
Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX token falls more than 20% amid Binance feud
Crypto exchange FTX’s native token, FTT, fell more than 20% in afternoon trading in Asia amid speculation rival exchange Binance is selling off the FTX token.
Alameda says ‘wasn’t us’ amid speculation about BitDAO’s 20% plunge
BitDAO, or BIT, the token supported by crypto exchange Bybit, dropped more than 20% within an hour at one stage around noon on Tuesday in Asia.
CZ vs. SBF tweet exchange is no ‘fight,’ Binance CEO claims
Binance chief executive officer Changpeng Zhao (CZ) said in a Twitter thread that he had no intention of picking a fight with FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.
Zuckerberg’s Meta plans to lay off thousands of employees: WSJ report
Meta Platforms Inc. is planning its first significant mass layoff later this week that may affect many thousands of employees.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices fall with most of crypto top 10, Polygon flips Solana
Bitcoin dipped below US$21,000 in Tuesday morning trading in Asia as Ether and most other tokens in the cryptocurrency top ten by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins, lost ground.
SEC gets more time to file reply briefs in XRP lawsuit against Ripple
The U.S. SEC has received approval from the court to extend the time for all parties to submit reply briefs, in the ongoing lawsuit the SEC filed in 2020 against Ripple.
Indian crypto exchange WazirX introduces profit, loss function
WazirX, India’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trade volume, has introduced a profit and loss function for users to analyze and calculate their investments.
LG Electronics seeks Web3 talent for blockchain, NFT efforts
LG Electronics is recruiting chief technical officers (CTOs) to lead the company’s growing Web3 business.
Half a million users move to decentralized alternative Mastodon following Elon Musk Twitter grab
Amid uncertainty and criticism following Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, nearly half a million users have flocked to Mastodon, a decentralized alternative.
Binance to sell FTX token holdings amid questions over trading arm Alameda finances
Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said Binance will liquidate its remaining FTT tokens issued by the second-largest crypto exchange FTX amid questions over Alameda Research.
South Korea’s online KakaoBank to open accounts for Coinone exchange users this month
KakaoBank, one of South Korea’s online-only banks with nearly 20 million users, said it will start providing accounts for users of Coinone exchange in November.
Blockchain without cryptocurrencies: How might China’s BSN change Web3?
By excising cryptocurrencies from the ecosystem, crypto-hostile China could steal a march in enterprise blockchain, says Red Date Technology chief Yifan He.
Goldman Sachs launches crypto explainer, trend tool for institutional clients
After dabbling in cryptocurrency product offerings, Goldman Sachs is now offering a service to clients to help analyze tokens and market trends.
Crypto fugitive Do Kwon said to be hiding in Europe, mocks ‘cops from world over’ in series of tweets
The South Korean founder of the collapsed Terra stablecoin faces multiple allegations of wrongdoing, the latest being price manipulation.
Bitcoin, Ether prices rise, Polygon leads top 10 in gains, Doge, Shib retreat
Bitcoin and Ether rose in Friday morning trading in Asia. Polygon’s Matic led gains in the top 10 tokens after Instagram said it would use Polygon to integrate NFTs into its platform.
Standard Chartered invests in Partior blockchain payments platform
London-headquartered banking giant Standard Chartered announced on Thursday that it had invested in the blockchain-based interbank settlement platform Partior, a joint venture of JP Morgan, DBS bank and Temasek.
Digital wallet Cryptillian seeks to back Ripple against SEC in XRP lawsuit
Digital wallet service provider Cryptillian Payment Systems has requested to file an amicus brief to support Ripple Labs Inc. in the latter’s ongoing court battle against the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).
Crypto leaders differ over Do Kwon blame in May’s market crash
‘Bad actor’ or a ‘sliding market’? Blockchain industry leaders at Hong Kong FinTech Week offer insights into the Terra-LUNA crash.
Binance will re-enter South Korea’s crypto market, CZ says
Binance is preparing to operate in South Korea’s crypto market, said CEO Changpeng Zhao at the Web Summit 2022 held in Lisbon.
Binance considers buying banks, bridging gap between crypto, TradFi
The world’s largest crypto exchange seeks to become a bridge between traditional finance and cryptocurrencies.
Instagram to allow creators to mint and sell NFTs through the platform
Instagram will soon allow creators to mint and sell NFTs through the platform to buyers both on and off Instagram using an ‘end-to-end toolkit.’
India’s finance minister urges G20 nations to come on board to regulate crypto
Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged all Group of 20 (G20) nations, as well as international bodies like the International Monetary Fund and Financial Stability Board, to come together to help regulate crypto assets. See related article: India’s finance minister sees 46% growth in blockchain technology use in next few years Fast facts Sitharaman […]
BIS’ ‘Project Mariana’ to explore CBDC integration with DeFi
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has launched a new project with the central banks of Singapore, France and Switzerland to study the possibility of integrating some decentralized finance (DeFi) features with central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). See related article: mBridge participants to end domestic payments of foreign CBDCs Fast facts The BIS announced on […]
Payments platform StraitsX to show real-world stablecoin use at Singapore Fintech Festival
Singapore-based StraitsX, a payments infrastructure for digital assets, will pilot stablecoin applications at the ongoing Singapore Fintech Festival.
Huobi plans to move HQ to the Caribbean, Justin Sun says
Huobi Global, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, plans to move its headquarters to the Caribbean, its new advisory board member Justin Sun said.
Singapore lender DBS explains its DeFi experiments, plans
DBS, the largest bank in Southeast Asia, said it tested trading of foreign exchange and government bonds using permissioned decentralized finance (DeFi) liquidity pools on a public blockchain as part of the city-state’s Project Guardian exploration of blockchain in finance.
DBS bank says it tested blockchain DeFi protocols for forex, bond transactions
The bank is in the center of developments shepherded by the Monetary Authority of Singapore to explore digital financial technologies emerging around blockchain.
USDC stablecoin issuer Circle wins Singapore digital payment license
The issuer of the world’s second-largest stablecoin is joining a fleet of companies in the digital asset industry moving into Singapore. What’s the attraction?
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices flat; Dogecoin, SHIB lead gains in crypto top 10
Bitcoin and Ether were little changed in Wednesday morning trading in Asia along with most of the cryptocurrency top 10 by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins.
India seeks info from crypto exchanges as it mulls GST on asset class: report
India’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), responsible for policy formulation and collection of indirect taxes like the goods and services tax (GST), has asked major cryptocurrency exchanges to provide details on the type of digital coins and tokens being traded and their valuation.
JP Morgan, Standard Chartered execs disagree over Bitcoin’s significance
JPMorgan Chase and Standard Chartered execs were in disagreement at Hong Kong Fintech Week over how significant Bitcoin and the wider crypto industry are.
Singapore’s Tokenize crypto exchange opens platform for institutional investors
Cryptocurrency exchanges in Singapore are shifting focus to heavy-hitter investors, such as family offices and financial institutions, in line with the central bank’s warnings about the risks in retail crypto trading.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices fall; Dogecoin, Shiba Inu bull run continues; BNB gains
Bitcoin and Ether prices fell in Tuesday morning trading time in Asia, while memecoin Dogecoin and Shiba Inu had the biggest gains among the top 10.
October 2022
India shortlists nine banks to start CBDC trial from Nov. 1
India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), will pilot the country’s first digital rupee in the wholesale segment (e₹-W) from Nov. 1 and has identified nine banks for participation in the trial.
Singapore’s DBS Bank trials use of digital SingDollar with vouchers
DBS Bank, the largest lender in Southeast Asia, has partnered the Singapore government’s Open Government Products (OGP) to pilot purpose-bound money-based vouchers (PBM) using tokenized Singapore dollars to facilitate live transactions with selected merchants.
South Korea’s Wemade to remedy WEMIX token after ‘investment warning’ by crypto exchanges
South Korea-based blockchain game developer Wemade is working on a fix for WEMIX after four major crypto exchanges in the country added the cryptocurrency to an “investment warning” list for inaccurately reporting circulation numbers.
Terra CEO Do Kwon faces lawsuit in Singapore, next hearing on Wednesday
A hearing is scheduled in Singapore on a lawsuit filed against Terraform Labs’ Do Kwon on behalf of investors who lost about US$57 million in the collapse of Terra-LUNA.
Fortune favors the brave? One year on from Crypto.com’s ad with Matt Damon
Trading volume on cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com has slumped about 90% in the 12 months since the company’s “fortune favors the brave” ad.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether, Cardano, XRP fall; BNB gains on Binance Twitter investment
Bitcoin and Ether fell in Monday morning trading in Asia, along with most other top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins.
Visa’s trademark filings hint at launch of crypto wallet
Visa International Service Association on Oct. 22 filed two trademark applications that hinted at plans of launching a crypto wallet.
Meta’s one-year anniversary: Virtual reality meets tough reality
It is the one-year anniversary of Facebook’s rebrand as Meta, a major step in the company’s foray into virtual reality and Web3. However, in actual reality, not everything has gone to plan for the platform’s new parent company.
Binance confirms equity in Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition
Binance has confirmed its participation in Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition as an equity investor.
Binance says will help Busan city grow blockchain industry from bottom up
Busan, S. Korea’s designated blockchain city, plans to make itself a global center for the technology. Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, plans to help.