July 2023
Bitcoin, Ether slip, top cryptos mixed, XRP biggest gainer after last week’s court win
XRP continued its rally after XRP issuer Ripple’s favorable ruling last week in its lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
SEC accepts BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF application for review
The U.S. SEC has accepted BlackRock’s application for a spot Bitcoin ETF, a major step for the potential launch of the country’s first spot Bitcoin ETF.
Bitcoin dips over weekend, other top 10 cryptos mixed; US stock futures edge down
Bitcoin rose to trade at over US$30,300 on Monday morning in Asia, but the price fell over the weekend to around the pre-Ripple ruling level.
USDT’s goal is to be the dollar, not beat it, says Tether CTO
Scrutiny on the stablecoin’s reserves has intensified since USDT’s latest depegging scare. Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Tether and Bitfinex, delves into the composition of USDT reserves, explaining how the firm ensures dollar redemptions, irrespective of secondary market prices.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin rises past US$31,000, cryptos rally after Ripple’s win against U.S. SEC
Bitcoin rose to US$31,736 on Friday, bolstering Ethereum to above US$2,000, after the court ruled that the sale of XRP did not constitute a security. Bitcoin needs a close above US$31,000 to pave the way for US$32,500, market experts told Forkast.
XRP’s partial victory as Russia inches toward CBDC; Arkham draws flak
Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Angie Lau, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions. Coming up on today’s show:
Celsius founder Alex Mashinsky arrested, pleads not guilty to fraud
Alex Mashinsky, founder and CEO of Celsius Network, pleaded not guilty after being arrested in the U.S. Thursday on several fraud-related criminal charges.
Bitcoin, Ether fall; all other top 10 cryptos mixed
Bitcoin prices fell below US$30,500 in the past 24 hours while its trading volume has gained over 20%. Ether also fell. Cardano and BNB were the day’s biggest losers.
USDC issuer Circle trims workforce
Stablecoin issuer Circle has reduced its workforce and investment in non-core activities.
Why culture and ownership are critical to the metaverse: Opinion
As stores of our identity, customs and creativity, NFTs will drive Web3 adoption and become central to the new digital economy, writes Yat Siu, executive chairman of Animoca Brands.
Bitcoin inches up, holds above US$30,500; all other top 10 cryptos mixed
Bitcoin trade volumes dropped in the last 24 hours but the token is holding steady above US$30,500. Binance’s BNB token posted the biggest gain while most other top 10 cryptocurrencies traded mixed.
Crypto ‘extremely speculative’ investment, not money, says Bank of England Governor Bailey
Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies don’t meet standards to be recognized as money.
Global crypto industry worth US$180 billion, says K33 Research report
The global cryptocurrency industry is valued at US$180 billion, with over 10,000 companies employing a total of 190,000 employees, according to a July 5 report from crypto intelligence firm K33 Research. See related article: Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto rules; NFTs become new cultural frontier Fast facts See related article: South Korea, Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto […]
South Korea holds first court hearing for Terra co-founder Daniel Shin on crypto fraud charges
South Korea on Monday held the first preliminary hearing for Terraform Labs co-founder Daniel Shin and seven other former employees on charges related to the collapse of the Terra-Luna crypto project.
Singapore, Thailand clarify crypto rules; NFTs become new cultural frontier
Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Angie Lau, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions. Coming up on today’s show:
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin holds above US$30,000; SEC officially silent over spot Bitcoin ETF applications
Bitcoin held above US$30,000 for most of the week but lost momentum as the SEC left investors guessing on how it will treat spot Bitcoin ETF applications.
Binance executives Hillman, Christie say they are leaving, cite personal reasons
Binance Chief Strategy Officer Patrick Hillmann and Vice President for Compliance Steven Christie both confirmed they are leaving the firm.
How did Do Kwon move US$18 mln in stablecoins to ‘unfreezable’ tokens while in Montenegro jail?
A South Korean academic tracking on-chain data says Do Kwon, the imprisoned founder of the now collapsed Terra-Luna crypto project, seems to have outside help in moving stablecoins from his digital wallets into other cryptocurrencies.
Cardano ‘ghost chain’ outperforms top blockchains in NFT market
Despite a plunge in unique NFT buyers on Cardano, which earned it the nickname “ghost chain,” data reveals that the blockchain’s NFT market outperformed leading competitors such as Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon in June.
Bitcoin, Ether rise, top cryptos mixed, as investors await SEC response to Bitcoin ETF applications
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top altcoins were mixed, as investors await the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) response to spot Bitcoin ETF applications. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin breaches US$31,195 following Fidelity’s spot Bitcoin ETF application Bitcoin, Ether rise, top 10 […]
Singapore’s DBS starts e-CNY bank services for China clients
Singapore-based DBS bank has introduced a “merchant collection solution” using e-CNY – China’s central bank digital currency – to allow corporate clients of DBS China to collect payments from their customers in e-CNY, and avail the automated settlement of e-CNY directly into their bank deposit account.
Australian regulator searches Binance’s local offices: Bloomberg
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the country’s financial services regulator, searched the local offices of Binance on Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation of the exchange’s derivatives business, a Bloomberg report said.
Bitcoin, Ether slip but remain above key levels; top 10 cryptos mixed
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Tuesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization were mixed.
Bitcoin slips, Ether inches up, top 10 cryptos gain as investors remain upbeat
Bitcoin fell and Ether rose during Monday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization strengthened.
June 2023
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin breaches US$31,195 following Fidelity’s spot Bitcoin ETF application
Bitcoin briefly rose to US$31,195 after Fidelity filed its spot Bitcoin ETF application. Can the wave of institutional interest keep Bitcoin above US$30,500?
Bitcoin ETFs, Azuki NFTs take off; India presses for crypto rules
Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Angie Lau, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions. Coming up on today’s show:
Blockchain Association joins Coinbase in pushing back against SEC over crypto crackdown
The Blockchain Association said the U.S. SEC chair Gary Gensler should remove himself from enforcing rules on the crypto sector.
Binance to change euro banking partner from September
Binance’s euro banking partner, Paysafe Payment Solutions, will stop offering its services for the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange from Sept. 25.
Bitcoin remains above US$30,000, despite hawkish remarks from Powell
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Thursday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, while the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization were mixed.
China Mobile launches metaverse industry alliance
China Mobile, a leading telecommunication company of China, launched a metaverse alliance on Wednesday, whose members include Huawei, Xiaomi and Unity China.
Ledger wallet launches institutional crypto trading platform
Ledger announced the launch of Ledger Enterprise Tradelink, a secure and regulation-friendly trading system for institutional investors.
Bitcoin holds above US$30,000, most other top 10 cryptos mixed
Bitcoin slipped 0.04% but remained above US$30,000. Ether fell 0.97% to US$1,875.
Singapore outlines design framework for interoperable networks in collaboration with financial firms
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the city state’s central bank, has proposed a framework for designing open, interoperable networks for digital assets, developed jointly with the Bank for International Settlements and other financial institutions.
Bitcoin loses ground, but holds above US$30,000; most other top 10 crypto decline
Bitcoin slipped in directionless trading while Ether retreated, but both held gains for the past seven days. Most other top 10 tokens lost ground, led by Solana, while Tron was in the green as markets entered the last trading week of June.
Bitcoin slips but remains above US$30,000; Asian, European, U.S. stock futures stay down
Bitcoin prices drop 1.04% to US$30,416 in 24 hours, while Ether fell 0.98% to US$1,893.
Switzerland freezes US$26 million in crypto held by Terraform Labs and Do Kwon
Swiss prosecutors have reportedly frozen about US$26 million in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies that belong to Terraform Labs and its chief executive officer Kwon Do-hyeong.
Binance Abu Dhabi’s Longman discusses UAE’s crypto boom
Binance Abu Dhabi’s chief Dominic Longman discusses the UAE’s approach to cryptocurrencies and the state’s support for innovation.
JPMorgan begins euro payments on its blockchain platform: Bloomberg
New York-headquartered investment bank JPMorgan Chase & Co. has launched euro-denominated transactions on its blockchain-based payment system, JPM Coin, Bloomberg reported on Friday.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin remains above US$30,000 as market shrugs off Prime Trust’s cease order
Bitcoin shrugged off Prime Trust’s cease order, as risk appetite was bolstered by several TradFi alumni entering the crypto space this week. Could we see more spot Bitcoin ETF applications next week?
UAE welcomes digital assets as Ripple wins in Singapore
As Ripple receives an in-principle approval for Singapore’s digital payment license, institutional investors continue to look toward Bitcoin ETFs.
Wall Street-backed crypto exchange a sign of lingering interest despite SEC’s crackdown
Top blockchain and crypto news: Wall Street backs new crypto exchange. NFT traders remain cautious. Alibaba’s incoming chairman is a crypto fan.
Ripple gets in-principle approval for Singapore digital payment license
The Asia-Pacific arm of San Francisco-based technology firm Ripple Labs saidThursday it received in-principle approval to start offering digital payment services in Singapore.
Bitcoin rises, remains above US$28,000; Ether, top 10 cryptos strengthen
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Wednesday afternoon trading in Hong Kong, along with all the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Bitcoin rose above US$28,000 as signs of institutional crypto adoption bolstered investor sentiment.
Ordinals inspire a new type of Ethereum collectible called Ethscriptions
Ethereum developers inspired by Bitcoin’s ordinals launch ‘Ethscriptions’, a new on-chain collectible.
Citadel, Fidelity, Schwab-backed crypto exchange launches amid U.S. crackdown
EDX Markets, a cryptocurrency exchange with backing from major Wall Street players such as Citadel Securities, Fidelity and Charles Schwab, officially launched on Tuesday.
IMF says common global CBDC platform, rules needed for international transactions: Reuters
Central banks need to agree on a common global platform and rules to ensure international use of CBDCs, IMF’s Kristalina Georgieva said.
Montenegro sentences Terraform Labs founder Do Kwon to four months’ jail for passport forgery
A Montenegro district court on Monday sentenced Terraform Labs chief executive officer Kwon Do-hyeong to four months’ jail for forging travel documents.
Crypto in the time of cockroaches
An account of a holiday from hell draws parallel to the dark world of cybercrime and how anyone can fall victim to sophisticated crypto thefts.
Binance France under investigation for money laundering: CoinDesk
Binance France is reportedly under investigation for “aggravated” money laundering and the illegal provision of digital asset services.
Weekly Market Wrap: Crypto lawsuits, Hinman and a rare rate hike pause
Bitcoin dipped below US$25,000 for the first time in three months, as the SEC’s lawsuits continued to erode crypto investor appetite. Bitcoin needs to hold above US$24,000 to avoid more bearish momentum, industry experts told Forkast.
SEC’s crypto battle continues as Asia marches ahead with metaverse
In this week’s Forkast IQ with Megha Chaddah, we dive into the U.S. SEC’s crypto crackdown and the state of the East Asian metaverses.
Bitcoin remains above US$25,000; NFT sales down; Asian, European markets gain with U.S. futures mixed
Bitcoin, Ether and most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptos rose in Friday afternoon trading in Asia after weeklong slump.
BlackRock files for spot Bitcoin ETF, taps Coinbase as custodian
The ETF, if approved, would be the first publicly traded crypto product of its kind in the U.S., but the SEC just sued crypto exchanges for alleged securities violations and has rejected similar ETF applications in the past.
SEC lawsuit sees Binance.US wobble, trading platforms delist cryptos
Top blockchain and crypto news: Binance.US at risk. Ex-SEC official’s comments complicate Ripple suit. Hong Kong lawmaker aims to entice exchanges.
Bitcoin, Ether extend losses; XRP drops most among top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether continued to slide amid lawsuits against top crypto exchanges in the U.S.
XRP reverses gains after document release in SEC lawsuit vs Ripple
Prices of XRP, which powers some of Ripple Labs’ payment services, reversed gains that followed the release of internal SEC documents related to the lawsuit against Ripple.
How American courts have become central to crypto law
To date, none of the 30-plus crypto bills in Congress have become law, so judges are stepping up to fill the void. What does this mean for crypto in America?
Bitcoin, Ether retreat; BNB leads gainers on U.S. court ruling, top 10 crypto mixed
Bitcoin trading remains stuck under the US$26,000 resistance line. Ether dips while other top 10 crypto were mixed.
Binance.US says SEC’s motion to freeze exchange’s assets may end its operations
The operations of cryptocurrency trading platform Binance.US, “would quickly grind to a halt” if a court rules in favor of an SEC request last week to freeze the firm’s assets, the company said Monday in a court filing.
Recursive inscriptions update to unlock games, more generative art on Bitcoin
Recursive inscriptions, an update that allows Ordinals inscriptions to reference another inscription, is set for deployment later this week.
Bitcoin stays below US$26,000 in mixed market, Binance’s BNB biggest loser in 24 hours
BNB token of crypto exchange Binance dropped 5.5% in 24 hours amid lawsuits against the exchange by the U.S. SEC.
Bitcoin NFTs raise unique legal issues. Here’s what you need to know
Bitcoin Ordinals are also called NFTs, but intellectual property laws may not treat them the same as Ethereum- and Solana-minted NFTs, writes Cameron Pick.
Hong Kong legislator encourages Coinbase to set up shop in city under new crypto rules
Local legislator suggests global cryptocurrency exchanges such as U.S.-based Coinbase set up operations in Hong Kong as the city’s new licensing regime for crypto retail trading took effect on June 1.
Inside The Sandbox: A glimpse into the metaverse with co-founder Sebastien Borget
Sebastien Borget of The Sandbox and Yehudah Petscher of Forkast Labs discuss the promise of the metaverse, the role of NFTs and the potential impact of Apple’s Vision Pro.
Weekly Market Wrap: SEC crackdown on Binance, Coinbase ‘can’t stop’ Bitcoin as it trades above US$26,000
Bitcoin recovered above the US$26,000 psychological level after a brief dip, as investors seemingly shrugged at the SEC’s crackdown on Binance and Coinbase. The quick crypto recovery could be a sign of a maturing asset class, industry experts told Forkast.
US SEC sues major exchanges; Circle gets Singapore license
Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Forkast’s Megha Chaddah, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions.
Bitcoin rises, Ether slips, most top 10 cryptos begin to pick up after SEC crackdown
Bitcoin rose and Ether fell, while most top 10 cryptos inched up following the U.S. SEC’s lawsuits against Binance and Coinbase.
Binance.US suspends U.S. dollar deposits, to pause fiat withdrawal channels
Binance.US, a cryptocurrency trading platform set up by Binance chief Changpeng Zhao to serve U.S. clients, said on Friday that it has suspended U.S. dollar deposits to protect customers amid intensifying regulatory pressure.
The Moment3 to launch NFTs with Alibaba’s e-commerce platform AliExpress
AliExpress, the global online platform of China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, will launch NFTs on June 25 working with NFT project “the Moment3!”.
The grand experiment in crypto compliance: What will the future look like?
From US crackdowns on Binance and Coinbase to new business-friendlier frameworks in Hong Kong and Europe, seismic shifts in crypto regulations are under way.
Bitcoin, Ether rise amid ‘swoon-soar’ trading after SEC lawsuits against Binance, Coinbase
Bitcoin fails to break US$27,000 ceiling. Binance’s BNB gained 2%, even as latest SEC filing alleges customer funds were moved to private accounts, a charge Binance rejected.
SEC Chair Gary Gensler offered to advise Binance in 2019: CNBC
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler allegedly offered to serve as an advisor to Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, in 2019, according to a CNBC report on Wednesday that cited documents filed by the regulator.