Cryptocurrencies

In a special report for AAX, we examine the new generation of exchanges, custodians, regulations and asset classes now leveling the investment playing field.

Eth2 will run in parallel with Ethereum 1 for now. For how much longer, and will this affect ether inflation and block rewards? Konstantin Richter of Blockdaemon explains.

Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Fine art goes digital with NFTs. Hong Kong in talks to pilot test China’s DCEP digital yuan.

In this edition of Forkast Forecasts, the founder of ConsenSys shares his views on Ethereum 2.0, the dialogue with regulators and trends on DeFi adoption in the new year.

Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin and blockchain investor Alex Tapscott tell Forkast.News that the stablecoin bill aimed at Libra/Diem and Tether could have broader repercussions on the blockchain industry.

Ethereum 2.0 has transformed to proof of stake via its new Beacon Chain. When will Eth2 have sharding, smart contracts and more features?

Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: S&P Dow Jones to launch crypto index. Walmart invests big in India’s PhonePe.

In biggest test yet of China’s CBDC, 100,000 Suzhou residents will use e-RMB for holiday shopping. Hong Kong is also now laying groundwork for future.

Are American lawmakers going after Facebook’s Libra, now called Diem? Controversial Tether may be the real target of new stablecoin-restraining bill.

Days after bitcoin broke its all-time high price, S&P Dow Jones announces that it will offer new cryptocurrency index products starting next year.

Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Bank of International Settlements considers stablecoins. China sends PlusToken scam ringleaders to prison.

As bitcoin breaks new records, will its bull run end soon? Here’s why investment pros like Trent Barnes of Zerocap believe there’s still more wind in BTC’s sail.

Coinbase and Huobi now support Eth2 staking as the ‘Beacon Chain’ heart of the new platform goes live. What will happens to users of Ethereum 1.0?

AWS is down again? Protocol Labs’ Filecoin — an ‘Airbnb for cloud storage’ — is a response to the risks inherent in centralized data storage and cloud giants

Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: After BitMEX, are more CFTC crackdowns coming soon? China frees OKEx founder, exchange to resume services.

ETH 2.0 raises over $300 million from over 16,300 participants, putting it on track for release next week after whales make big investments in the last minute.

An all-star panel of top cryptocurrency policymakers and other blockchain experts explain the US regulatory system for digital assets and what lies ahead.

Decentralized digital access to financial services like cryptocurrency trading, lending and borrowing is the wave of the future, writes James Wo of ETC Labs

After crackdowns on crypto exchanges, China is now freezing bank accounts. Why is the world’s largest bitcoin producer tightening the vise over its miners?

Forkast.News and Decrypt Media host an exclusive live video discussion with the Filecoin team to explore the next frontier in cloud storage

Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Ethereum 2.0’s pre-launch hits turbulence. China taps Lakala for DCEP digital yuan’s payment system.

A push past $18,000 means bitcoin prices could reach all-time highs — but this time, without shady ICOs driving demand. Forkast.News analyzes why.

What is BTC’s price forecast, and will ‘Ethereum killers’ succeed? A brain trust of 30 experts mines the biggest cryptocurrency questions for answers.

Cryptocurrency exchanges flying flags of convenience is sure to annoy China’s regulators and may no longer be a viable business strategy.

DeFi’s explosive gains in 2020 may look like the 2017 ICO craze all over again. But Chyna Qu of DeFiner explains why the two are very different.

Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Will TRUMP crypto losers get second chance? Hong Kong to regulate cryptocurrency exchanges.

DeFi’s explosive growth may be the cryptocurrency world’s biggest story in 2020. But is the industry ignoring risks and cybersecurity gaps?

A big trend now: Central banks exploring digital currencies that are ‘programmable money,’ says Charles d’Haussy of ConsenSys. Should users be concerned?

Trading volume on decentralized exchanges has slowed, but BTC prices and cryptocurrency market cap are at all-time highs. Is this 2017 all over again?

Other top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Bitcoin paper’s 12th anniversary. New Huawei phone has DCEP wallet. FDA on blockchain and food safety.

China’s DCEP digital yuan and new US interest in digital dollar are fueling sense of urgency on CBDCs — as blockchain firm ConsenSys paves the way.

Bitcoin and crypto mining now use more energy than some nations. To help lead fintech into a greener future, Ripple pledges to be carbon net-zero by 2030.

After some early turbulence, Filecoin is now opening up applications like video streaming and social networks that used to exist only in centralized Web 2.0.

Gather ’round for this special blood-curdling crypto news flashback that will have you HODLing a blanket. Beware the death grip on bitcoin wallets!

Other top crypto and blockchain news: USDC stablecoin coming to Solana blockchain. Investing in KYC/AML in India.

Poised for historic IPO, Ant Group reveals via patent filings its business strategies for China’s new DCEP digital yuan — including how it would help enforce government regulations

Other top news: OKEx cryptocurrency exchange freezes services amid police investigation. Investors bet $100 million on ‘neobank’ Razorpay in India

Regulatory finesse toward cryptocurrency and DeFi will spur investment while not stifling innovation, says Alex Tapscott of Blockchain Research Institute

Miners’ complaints with economic model are resulting in early rewards release and falling FIL prices. What happened to 800,000 coins?

Kraken, Huobi and Gemini have all confirmed that they will list the token days after Filecoin rival EOS confirms its deal with Google

The ‘Time for Trust’ report downplays the growing impact that blockchain is having on China’s economy. Here’s what’s really going on with this technology.

Other top news: China accelerates digital currency testing with 50,000 e-RMB ‘red packets.’ Hong Kong as DCEP’s future sandbox. VC in India.

China advances its new e-RMB closer to launch after distributing to Shenzhen residents 10 million yuan in digital ‘red packets’ that will expire next week

Digital currency efforts now mirror global economic rivalries, with China’s DCEP leading the pack. Central banks would be wise to avoid these pitfalls.

2020 is banner year for DeFi as industry balloons by over $100 billion in volume from Q2 to Q3 — most of it riding on Ethereum, according to a new report

A recent flurry of US regulatory activity is helping legitimize the digital assets space. Here’s the latest on SEC, FINRA, CFTC and OCC’s new level of coordination.

The risk of getting scammed is real, but DeFi also offers investors opportunities to earn yields in this pandemic economy, says Two Prime CEO Marc Fleury.

Other top news: Filecoin’s mainnet set to launch. Chinese banks help DCEP digital currency get market-ready. NetEase to preserve email forevermore.

Space Race miners accumulate 230 PiB of storage as independent miners show why they’re the day-to-day heroes.

Massive public spending, supply chain disruptions and ballooning debt are a volatile mix for investors. Here’s why bitcoin should be part of a balanced portfolio in this pandemic economy.

Other top news: Ant Group launches blockchain platform for cross-border trade. China makes Beijing, Hunan and Anhui into special free trade zones.

In the first of a special two-part series, Forkast.News examines how blockchain — from smart contracts to crowdfunding missions — could transform public and private ventures in outer space.

More top news: Wounded Unikr settles with SEC for $6.1 million. China’s nationwide blockchain service network launches ‘public permissioned’ chain.

More top news: OKLink offers free cryptocurrency tracker. Trade fair in China introduces blockchain ideas to 20,000 companies.

In a special interview, Alchemy CEO Nikil Viswanathan discusses blockchain as the next internet, keen interest from investors like Charles Schwab, and the hottest cryptocurrency trend since ICOs.

Miners have accumulated over 215 PiB of storage power in Filecoin’s Space Race, but daily updates have been slowing them down.

Ethereum Classic Labs CEO Terry Culver calls the hash rental market shady “like under a rock somewhere…. They’re basically money laundering operations.”

As China muscles DCEP to market and the U.S. enlists MIT for a future digital dollar, South Korea struggles to find its place in the crypto economy.

In other news: Public gets sneak peek at China’s digital currency DCEP in flash testing. US-China trade war threatens SMIC and bitcoin mining.

The end of HackFS signals the start of Space Race as developers prep for the global decentralization of storage nodes in the era of Web 3.0.

Caught in the US-China trade war crossfire, the semiconductor manufacturer’s shares tumbled alongside Beijing’s fading dreams of a domestic silicon supply.

ETC’s recent hacks may be an occupational hazard of ‘proof-of-work’ blockchains, including BTC and ETH. Is going ‘proof of stake’ the answer?

Web 2.0 gave users the power to engage with other users and contribute content to the network, but data is still stored in centralized databases. Web 3.0 wants to end all of that.

From CryptoKitty pets to metaverses like Minecraft and Decentraland, blockchain video games are redefining what it means to own virtual property.

Also: Japan’s deputy PM Taro Aso urges greater blockchain cooperation. Inner Mongolia raises bitcoin mining costs. Fintech investments in S. Korea.

Released this week after much anticipation, Eth2 could finally become “the world’s computer” that the original Ethereum aspired to be. What challenges lie ahead?

Many blockchain protocols claim to be decentralized, but industry practices show the opposite. Even Bitcoin is largely controlled by a few.

In a special Forkast.News interview, the CEO who co-founded Ethereum discusses the deal with JPMorgan, DeFi’s rise, and expectations for Ethereum 2.0.

Other top news: $50 billion in cryptocurrency leaves China. Severe flooding in Sichuan destroys bitcoin mining farms. DeFi in India.

Could blockchain technology and decentralized ID verification have prevented all those VIP Twitter accounts from being commandeered for a bitcoin scam?

Other top news: USPS explores blockchain for voting. Coinbase offers crypto loans. Huobi launches Global DeFi Alliance.

As Ethereum moves toward its 2.0 upgrade, here is a reflection on the open-source platform’s transformational impact on the blockchain ecosystem.