Companies

Animoca Brands KK, the Japanese unit of Hong Kong blockchain investment firm Animoca Brands, Friday said it raised US$45 million from the world’s second-largest financial group Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), and parent Animoca Brands. See related article: Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ to issue yen-pegged stablecoin: report Fast facts MUFG and Animoca Brands each invested US$22.5 […]

Sam Bankman-Fried, chief executive officer of FTX exchange, denied a recent report by Bloomberg which stated that the venture capital subsidiary under FTX would merge with the VC operations under Alameda Research, a sister company of FTX. See related article: FTX revenue grew 1,000% in 2021 amid booming crypto market: SBF  Fast facts “This seems […]

Its operations in mainland China are continuing as normal.

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, said it will suspend deposits and withdrawals for ETH and ERC-20 during “The Merge,” in support of Ethereum’s migration to the proof-of-stake (PoS) model. See related article: Ethereum finalizes start date for Bellatrix upgrade Fast facts Binance said on Thursday that it will do so on […]

Alleged Tornado Cash developer, Alexey Pertsev, was accused of facilitating money laundering through the now-sanctioned crypto mixer. Pertsev will stay in jail for at least another 90 days, a judge in the Netherlands ruled on Wednesday. The developer has not been officially charged with any crime. See related article: Tornado Cash arrest heralds storm season […]

Crypto trader Cobie has donated US$100,000 to YouTuber Erling Mengshoel “Atozy” to fight a lawsuit filed against him by Ben Armstrong “BitBoy Crypto”. See related article: Crypto ‘finfluencers’ are attracting a new following — of regulators Fast facts In a Twitter post, Atozy said he was being sued by BitBoy Crypto for a video Atozy […]

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is requesting to file a lengthy reply to its motion that seeks to exclude the testimony of Ripple Labs’ witnesses, as the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple drags on. See related article: Judge grants Ripple’s request to review videos of SEC officials Fast facts The SEC filed the request on […]

Ant Group, Chinese tech giant Alibaba’s fintech affiliate, has partnered with Malaysian investment bank Kenanga to launch a wealth management app with features to trade cryptocurrencies. See related article: Tencent gets patent nod to use blockchain for missing persons’ notices Fast facts Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad announced on Wednesday that it signed a memorandum of […]

Tether Holdings Ltd.,the issuer of USDT, the world’s largest stablecoin by market capitalisation, Wednesday said freezing the sanctioned addresses might interfere with ongoing investigations despite no clear instruction to do so by law enforcement. See related article: Bad actors in North Korea, Russia send record-high funds to crypto mixers Fast facts The U.S. Treasury Department’s […]

Huobi in hot water after being put on investor alert list. Meanwhile, we take a closer look into crypto regulation in Asia.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Tornado Cash, mixer crash. Cardano’s Vasil vulnerabilities. Canaan earnings buoy expansion plans.

Financial instruments sold and traded on a public blockchain could be the next big thing, so Forkast caught up with OSL to hear about what’s planned.

Footwear giant Nike’s non-fungible token (NFT) projects have brought the company’s revenue to US$185.34 million, more than seven times that of luxury fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana, which ranks second in NFT profits, according to the data published on crypto analysis platform Dune. See related article: Touchdown: How ex-NFL players are helping college athletes score […]

iFinex Financial Technologies Limited, which operates the Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange, has announced Ethereum chain split tokens (CSTs) to help prepare for all eventualities as the Ethereum merge nears.  See related article: ‘The Merge’ can make crypto payments mainstream again: Vitalik Buterin Fast facts “The Merge” upgrade involves the Ethereum blockchain’s transition from the proof-of-work (PoW) […]

Huobi Global told Forkast it is working towards being in compliance with Malaysia after its securities regulator put the Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange on its investor alert list for operating the digital asset business without proper registration. See related article: Huobi to end crypto derivatives trading in New Zealand Fast facts “We are currently in discussions […]

U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has been hit with a class action lawsuit last week over claims the firm allegedly failed to properly secure customers’ accounts, leaving them vulnerable to unauthorized activity. See related article: Coinbase under investigation by SEC, quarterly report reveals Fast facts Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of […]

A total of six digital banks are now allowed to operate in the Philippines after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) issued Certificates of Authority to UnionDigital Bank, Inc. (UDB) and GoTyme Bank Corporation (GTYME). Read more: Philippine central bank governor says no plan to ban crypto BSP earlier authorized four digital banks namely Tonik […]

Bitcoin custodied by Singapore-based DBS Digital Exchange (DDEx) grew by 30% from April 30 to June 30 this year while Ethereum under custody grew by 3% during the same period.  See related article: DBS Bank slams brakes on retail crypto trading Fast facts Bitcoin bought on DDEx in June was nearly four times that of […]

The Tornado Cash bans have stirred the pot in the crypto markets. Meanwhile, Australia looks for new ways to regulate crypto.

Chinese tech giant Tencent has received a patent for blockchain-based notices for missing persons, as the tech firm continues to explore blockchain applications despite shutting one of its non-fungible token (NFT) platforms recently. See related article: Tencent’s Huanhe allows NFT refunds, halts further sales Fast facts Tencent’s design could enhance the efficiency of publishing such […]

Another group of claimants against bankrupt crypto lender Celsius Network LLC is banding together to retain legal representation and seek to form an ad hoc group in bankruptcy hearings to get their money back. See related article: Celsius says it owes its users US$4.72B amid a US$1.19B balance sheet deficit Fast facts See related article: […]

Decentralized exchange Uniswap has appeared to block 253 wallet addresses linked to illicit financial activities on its front end after the U.S. government imposed sanctions on Tornado Cash earlier this month. See related article: Largest Ether mining pool Ethermine stops processing Tornado Cash transactions Fast facts DeFi platform Yearn developer Banteg tweeted on Saturday that […]

The hackers responsible for stealing US$610 million worth of crypto from Axie Infinity’s Ronin bridge back in March have since transferred most funds from ETH into BTC using renBTC and privacy tools like Blender, ChipMixer, and TornadoCash, according to a report. See related article: Axie Infinity blockchain Ronin hacked for over $600M Fast facts The […]

The largest Ethereum mining pool, Ethermine, stopped processing transactions from crypto mixer Tornado Cash-related addresses around Aug. 11, according to crypto analyst @takenstheorem. See related article:  U.S. Treasury overstepping authority in Tornado Cash sanction, says advocacy group Coin Center Fast facts See related article: Ronin hack proceeds seen headed to Tornado Cash

The percentage of stablecoin USD Coin (USDC) supply held by the top 1% addresses dropped to a 22-month low on Monday, while USDC average trading volume in seven days surged to an all-time high on the same day, according to crypto data dashboard Glassnode. See related article: Vitalik Buterin says he used Tornado Cash to […]

FTX chief executive officer Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) has confirmed media outlet CNBC’s report that FTX’s revenue grew 1,000% in 2021 on the back of a booming crypto market and a host of acquisitions.  See related article: Sam Bankman-Fried lashes out at Voyager for rejecting FTX’s proposal  Fast facts In a Twitter post, SBF said, “Fwiw […]

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), one of the two federal agencies insuring savings in American depository institutions, has sent cease-and-desist letters to five companies, including FTX.US, for making false statements about deposit insurance. See related article: FDIC clarifies that cryptocurrencies are not insured Fast facts In a press release, the FDIC said it has […]

Creditors of cryptocurrency lender Voyager Digital Holdings are objecting to the company’s request for funds to payout bonuses to staff, saying the employees are already “well-compensated.” See related article: Court allows Voyager Digital to return US$270 mln in custodial account to customers Fast facts The creditors’ objection came after Voyager, which filed for Chapter 11 […]

CME prepares to launch ETH options as the merge gets closer, Meanwhile, a Chainalysis says crypto scams are down.

The Singapore and Hong Kong-based crypto lender said it was exploring options to allow users to withdraw deposits at an undisclosed discount rate, while seeking Singapore court approval to appoint a judicial manager for the company, according to a post on its blog on Friday. See related article: How a market slump may be helping […]

Bitcoin fell below US$22,000 in Friday afternoon trading in Asia as investors after a nervous week seemed to be trimming portfolios ahead of the weekend. Ethereum fell back despite the buzz around its upcoming blockchain Merge. Cardano, Solana, Dogecoin and Polkadot dropped over 10% in the past 24 hours. See related article: Bitcoin, Ether fall […]

The New York-based crypto exchange said its staking service will allow customers to stake their cryptocurrencies and receive rewards within their Gemini account.  See related article: Gemini sued over US$36 mln Bitcoin and Ethereum hack Fast facts Gemini Staking will be available for users across the U.S. (excluding New York), Singapore, and Hong Kong, the […]

With all the excitement surrounding the Ethereum merge scheduled for next month, the number of Ethereum Name Service (ENS) addresses created have surpassed the 2 million mark, according to a Twitter post by ENS Domains.  See related article: Ethereum will soon turn 7 — and its upcoming ‘Merge’ will be well worth the wait Fast […]

Shares of cryptocurrency mining rig maker Canaan traded up 0.77% in U.S. trading on Thursday after the company said net income expanded in the second quarter from a year earlier despite the fallout from Covid-19 lockdowns in China and challenging market conditions. See related article: Chinese mining rig maker Canaan says global expansion on track […]

CME Group – the world’s biggest operator of financial derivative markets, including the Chicago Mercantile Exchange –  on Wednesday said it will offer options on Ether futures starting Sept. 12, pending regulatory review. See related article: New US crypto bill seeks to make CFTC top Bitcoin, Ethereum watchdog Fast facts See related article: ETH futures […]

dWallet Labs, a cybersecurity company specializing in blockchain technology, has raised US$5 million in pre-seed funding led by Node Capital and Digital Currency Group (DCG), the company said in a statement. See related article: Why DeFi remains attractive to institutions in a bear market Fast facts The funding round also included investors Amplify Partners, Lightshift […]

Forkast x CryptoSlam! are proud to present Moments in NFT History — an explainer video series hosted by Forkast’s Joel Flynn that gives you a front-row seat to history-in-the-making. When it comes to technology, few things in history could claim to be as significant as the automobile. It redefined the idea of movement and opened […]

The FDIC tries to deter banks from doing business with crypto firms. Meanwhile. Genesis CEO steps down amidst reshuffle.

Responding to a hypothetical scenario on Twitter, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said that the company would shut down its Ethereum staking services to preserve the blockchain network’s integrity, in the event of a regulatory crackdown. See related article: BlackRock, Coinbase partner to extend crypto trading to institutional investors Fast facts The hypothetical question was posted […]

Digital FMI Consortium, a group of private-sector companies, plans to examine cross-border payments and make recommendations to the Bank of England using its own sterling-backed coin, dSterling. See related article: Next step for spot Bitcoin ETF in the US may be a courtroom battle Fast facts The consortium announced Project New Era, which will deploy […]

Australian consumers can use cryptocurrency to pay for gasoline and other goods — including Krispy Kreme donuts — at 175 OTR service stations through a partnership with Crypto.com and payment terminal provider DataMesh Group Pty Ltd. See related article: Crypto.com inks AU$27M deal with the Australian Football League Fast facts The service stations allow Crypto.com […]

Venture capital for two new investment funds from CoinFund and Shima Capital were announced, with amounts reaching US$300 million and US$200 million, respectively. See related article: New Investors and Investments Fast facts The Ventures I fund, announced Thursday by CoinFund, will focus on backing blockchain startups, including both existing portfolios and new startup teams. The […]

Cryptocurrency brokerage Genesis announced its CEO Michael Moro will step down as it reshuffles its executive team, while a 20% layoff of its 260-person workforce is being widely reported. See related article: BIS, HKMA partner on Project Genesis to tokenize green bonds Fast facts Chief operating officer Derar Islim will take over as CEO on […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Eqonex shutters exchange operation. Huobi denies sale report. Taiwan beefs up cyber defenses.

The Federal Reserve issues new crypto banking guidelines. Meanwhile, Singaporean crypto exchange Coinhako plans an expansion.

Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global will cease crypto derivatives trading services in New Zealand from Tuesday next week — only months after launching in the country – according to a company blog post. See related article: Huobi closes Thai crypto unit, regulator revokes license Fast facts From Aug. 23, Huobi will classify New Zealand as […]

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has fought back in its lawsuit against Ripple Labs with a reply brief in support of its objections to orders that asked the SEC to disclose drafts of a 2018 speech made by former SEC director William Hinman. See related article: Judge grants Ripple’s request to review videos of […]

Tencent’s non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Huanhe says it will allow buyers to refund purchased NFTs but will no longer issue the digital assets, citing a “focus on the company’s core strategic considerations.” See related article: Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com offers NFTs despite state media criticisms Fast facts The marketplace’s app will remain, but it will […]

Nasdaq-listed Eqonex’s decision to shutter its low-fee crypto exchange business to focus on asset management and custodial services may prompt similar moves in the highly commoditized industry.

The U.S. Treasury may have overstepped its legal authority by sanctioning cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash, said crypto advocacy group Coin Center. See related article: Circle freezes smart contract addresses linked to blacklisted Tornado Cash Fast facts See related article: Ronin hack proceeds seen headed to Tornado Cash

Recent court filings from law firm Kirkland & Ellis show that crypto lending platform Celsius has US$2.8 billion in crypto liabilities. The documents suggest that the crypto lender might run out of operational cash by October. See related article: Celsius on thin ice well before its bankruptcy: CNBC report Fast facts Celsius filed for Chapter […]

The chief executive officer of troubled crypto exchange Zipmex is being asked to resign by shareholders and potential investors, citing Marcus Lim’s management decisions that led to a severe cash crunch, while the company was granted a three-month moratorium to try to restructure. See related article: Why Singapore may be the ideal place for companies […]

The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, has received in-principal approval to operate a digital asset trading facility and provide custody services in Kazakhstan from the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA), the company announced on Monday. See related article: Crypto mining’s Great Migration continues — out of Kazakhstan Fast facts Binance is still required to complete […]

U.S. judge Sarah Netburn on Sunday granted Ripple Labs’ motion to serve two subpoenas to authenticate seven video recordings in which U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissions officials made public remarks. See related article: XRP trades down 3.5% after Ripple unlocks 1 billion tokens from escrow Fast facts The judge’s order comes in response to Ripple’s […]

Ethereum futures contracts open interest reached an eight-month high of over US$3.1 billion on Binance on Sunday, Glassnode said on Twitter. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin little changed, Ether dips below $2,000, Memecoins surge Fast facts See related article: Privacy protocol Monero completes upgrade to make transactions more private

The crypto winter may have chilled many in Web3, but metaverses are an increasingly hot prospect in traditional finance, says DBS Bank’s legal chief

Crypto’s institutional boost is on the rise, meanwhile, Australia is proving to attract the crypto sector.

Leon Li, the founder of China cryptocurrency exchange Huobi, is seeking to sell a 60% stake in the company that would value the business at US$3 billion, according to a Bloomberg News report that cited people familiar with the matter. See related article: Sam Bankman-Fried’s Voyager debt emerges; Celsius reshuffles board Fast facts See related […]

Bitcoin fell while Ethereum traded little changed on Friday afternoon in Asia. Huobi Token, the native coin of China crypto exchange Huobi, jumped 18.9% in the last 24 hours after Bloomberg reported its founder was seeking to sell a majority stake in the business. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin, Ether retreat as investors digest inflation, […]

Something of a sea change? Financial institutions that once turned up their noses at cryptocurrencies are now figuring out ways to get access for their clients.

India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED), the country’s economic crime unit, on Thursday froze 3.70 billion rupees (US$46.5 million) in assets at the struggling cryptocurrency exchange Vauld, local media reported citing unnamed sources. See related article: India crypto traders try to dodge fallout from WazirX woes, spat with Binance Fast facts The move comes days after the […]

India’s Enforcement Directorate is investigating at least 10 cryptocurrency exchanges for alleged money laundering, according to The Economic Times

Forkast x CryptoSlam! are proud to present Moments in NFT History — an explainer video series hosted by Forkast’s Joel Flynn that gives you a front-row seat to history-in-the-making. Bored Ape Yacht Club, and the NFTs they refer to, Bored Apes, may well be the most popular token ever, so much so that they might […]

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has urged limits on cryptocurrencies across developing nations, in a series of policy briefs released on Wednesday. See related article: IMF says crypto crash hasn’t quite harmed broader financial system Fast facts The UNCTAD, part of the UN Secretariat, said cryptocurrencies could curb the effectiveness of […]

Pantera Capital-backed Injective Labs has raised US$40 million to be used to create blockchain optimized for financial applications, it said in a statement.  See related article: Singapore DeFi derivatives exchange SynFutures closes US$14M fund raise Fast facts The funding round was led by Jump Crypto and BH Digital, the crypto arm of hedge fund manager […]

After high-profile cyberattacks on decentralized apps, the blockchain industry is in a hurry to ramp up security. Sam Sangmin Seo, head of Klaytn, tells Forkast that minimizing human error may be the key.

Binance will support Ethereum’s “Merge,” expected in September, and will evaluate if it would list any newly forked tokens, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume said on Wednesday. See related article: USDC, Tether announce support for Ethereum proof-of-stake Fast facts Binance said it is closely monitoring the development of the merge, which could […]

Nasdaq-listed Coinbase Global is under investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its token listing processes and its staking programs and yield-generating products, according to the company’s most recent quarterly report. See related article: Former Coinbase manager arrested on insider trading charges Fast facts “[Coinbase] has received investigative subpoenas and requests from […]

Top blockchain and crypto news: Binance spurns WazirX amid India probe. BlackRock bets on Coinbase. Crypto influencers in China’s crosshairs.

WazirX users head for exits amid a dispute between Binance. Meanwhile, Circle and Tether announce support for the new ETH P-O-S.

What’s a crypto trader to do when the government freezes exchange assets, sparking a war of words between supposedly ‘merged’ exchanges?

Indian crypto exchange CoinSwitch has introduced a Web3 Discovery Fund with initial capital of US$10 million to back early stage startups. See related article:  CoinSwitch Kuber launches rupee index for Indian crypto market Fast facts The Web3 Discovery Fund will curate portfolio startups and provide single-window access to marquee investor partners, such as Tiger Global, […]