February 2023
Yuga Labs to launch its first Bitcoin-based NFTs TwelveFold
Yuga Labs announced that it will launch TwelveFold later this week, its first NFT collection on the Bitcoin network.
Bitcoin, Ether prices fall; Solana biggest loser in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether fell in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, despite U.S. equities rising on Monday after last week’s selloff. Asian stock markets mostly rose on Tuesday as investors absorbed key economic indicators across the region.
Coinbase exchange to delist Binance USD, says stablecoin ‘no longer met our listing standards’
Coinbase, the world’s second largest cryptocurrency exchange, said Monday it is suspending trade in the Binance USD (BUSD) as of March 13.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether little changed; Polygon’s Matic token leads losers in top ten crypto
Bitcoin and Ether traded little-changed on Tuesday morning in Asia, while most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies fell, with Polygon leading the losers
Crypto Crimes Surge
2022 saw a lot of cryptocurrencies traded illicitly through various crypto exchanges – but that figure only represents less than 1% of all crypto transactions performed. Could things be looking up?
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether gain; Polygon, XRP biggest losers
Bitcoin and Ethereum rose in Monday afternoon trade in Asia along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Asian markets dropped on Monday, following last Friday’s Wall Street selloff, as investors brace for more interest rate hikes in the U.S. due to persistently high inflation.
Crypto is experiencing growing pains. What’s coming next?
Now a teenager, crypto is wrestling with its identity and purpose. But it’s learning from its mistakes and on its way to maturity, writes Zach Bronstein of Endaoment.
Asia’s Opportunity to Lead Crypto Regulations
Crypto industry’s interaction with regulators is important and quite common in Asia but missing in the US, says Brooks Entwistle of Ripple Labs.
South Korea’s Lotte Group partners with Polygon for global NFT drive
Lotte Group plans to expand its non-fungible token (NFT) business onto the global market through a partnership with the Polygon blockchain.
Bitcoin, Ether gain, shrug off fall in U.S. equity markets; Solana bounces back
The top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies rose on Monday morning in Asia, despite the declines in equities on Wall Street on Friday.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin lingers at US$24,000 level after Wall Street’s worst day in 2023 so far
Bitcoin remained resilient around the US$24,000 level on Tuesday despite Wall Street’s worst day of the year so far. Industry experts are eyeing a potential retest of the US$25,000 psychological level, as a failure to reclaim it may result in a downtrend to around US$21,500.
Crypto’s Weird Prices
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have remained stable while Wall Street reported its biggest loss of the year. How has crypto remained unimpacted by problems seen by the stock market?
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with all top 10 cryptos as investors await consumption index
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, along with all the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Most Asian equities were down, despite Wall Street’s overnight performance.
IMF releases crypto action plan, advises against legal tender status
World governments should not grant cryptocurrency legal tender status, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) executive board said in its new nine-point action plan on how countries should approach crypto assets published Thursday. See related article: India working with IMF, FSB on crypto regulations, says economic affairs secretary Fast facts See related article: India’s finance minister […]
Why crypto offers great career opportunities for talented women
The blockchain sector’s gender divide is narrowing. Its newness and founding ideals also allow for more flexible workplaces, writes Anastasia Kor of Choise.com.
Markets: Bitcoin down, Ether up; US equities rise as unemployment benefit claims slide
Bitcoin was down and Ether was up on Friday morning in Asia, while most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization fell.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether rise along with top 10 cryptos despite Fed signals to raise interest rates
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Asian equities were down
Bitcoin back above US$24,000, Fed releases February minutes
Bitcoin fell in a mixed morning for the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies, with XRP posting the biggest gains in the list and Solana leading losses.
Binance, Ingenico begin crypto payments in France
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has partnered France-based global payments giant Ingenico to offer in-store crypto payments in France using Binance Pay.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether extend losses; Polygon, Solana biggest losers
Bitcoin and Ether fell in Wednesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall as 2-year bond nears 15-year high
Bitcoin and Ether fell on Wednesday morning trading in Asia along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market cap.
Polygon Labs cut 20% of workforce
Polygon Labs is firing 20% of its workforce, or about 100 positions, as part of its business consolidation.
Bitcoin exceeds 154,000 inscriptions in a month as Litecoin Ordinals launches
The Bitcoin Network has recorded over 154,554 inscriptions since the launch of Bitcoin Ordinals on Jan. 21, a fork that enables digital assets to be inscribed on satoshis (sats)
Markets: Bitcoin gains, returns to US$25,000; XRP biggest winner in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether prices rose in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, while all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies were mixed. XRP led gains at 2.37%, while Solana and Polygon dropped saw the largest declines.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether up, Solana, Helium rise after merge announcement
Bitcoin and Ether rose in a mixed morning for the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. Solana posted the biggest gains while Polygon’s Matic led losses Tuesday morning in Asia.
Bitcoin surpasses Visa’s market cap to be 11th largest asset in the world
Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency, gained 15% in the past week to trade at US$24,885 and 7 p.m. in Hong Kong, surpassing payments giant Visa in market capitalization for the third time in history. See related article: Industry reacts: US cracks down on crypto, India calls for regulatory collaboration Fast facts See related article: Bitcoin […]
Markets: Bitcoin rises above US$24,000; Solana gains most in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin rose above US$24,000 in Monday afternoon trade in Asia while all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies were mixed. Ether gained 0.18%, while Solana strengthened the most across the top 10 cryptos.
Trust in crypto is in shambles. How can we rebuild it?
Greater transparency and confidence in who you are transacting with could go a long way toward alleviating public mistrust, writes Travis Nelson of Quadrata.
Markets: Bitcoin dips below US$24,000 to start the trading week in Asia
Bitcoin fell below US$24,000 in a mixed morning for the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization on Monday in Asia.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin rises above US$23,000 after its first weekly ‘death cross’
Bitcoin briefly climbed above US$25,000 for the first time since August 2021, before declining to US$23,764 after its first weekly “death cross.” Investors liquidated over US$70 million worth of Bitcoin short positions in the past 24 hours, according to data aggregator GlassNode, contributing to BTC’s rally.
Japan to launch digital yen pilot programme in April
Japan will start a pilot programme to test the use of a digital yen in April, joining a growing number of countries seeking to launch their own CBDCs.
Bitcoin Breaches US$24,000
Bitcoin experienced its first ‘death cross’ ever, but what does this mean for the coin’s trajectory?
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most top 10 cryptos following hawkish U.S. Fed remarks
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, following hawkish remarks from U.S. Federal Reserve officials on more upcoming interest rate hikes.
Weekly NFT sales spike after Blur’s Valentines airdrop
Blur.io, the NFT marketplace that beat OpenSea’s trading volume in the past month, airdropped its platform tokens on Valentine’s Day, contributing to the global NFT sales increase this week.
Do Kwon, founder of collapsed Terra stablecoin, charged with fraud by U.S. securities regulator
The U.S. SEC charged Singapore-based Terraform Labs and its chief Kwon Do-hyung for defrauding investors.
Markets: Bitcoin slips back below US$24,000 as inflation worries resurface in U.S., equities slide
Bitcoin and Ether fell Friday morning in Asia, curtailing a strong run up in the week, after the U.S. January PPI rose much faster than expected.
CeFi, DeFi, CoFi?
CeFi and Defi are terms you’ve probably heard of before. But what exactly is CoFi, and how could it fulfil crypto’s promise of helping investors take back control of their finances?
Markets: Bitcoin rallies over 11% as top 10 cryptos gain, memecoin Floki surges 82%
Bitcoin posted the biggest gains during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with increases in the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies
El Salvador to establish ‘Bitcoin Embassy’ in Texas to promote adoption of digital assets
El Salvador, the first country in the world to make Bitcoin legal tender, is planning on opening a “Bitcoin embassy” in Texas.
Go ahead and ban staking. Crypto investors will just go elsewhere
The SEC’s latest heavy-handed approach toward crypto will leave investors less protected while benefitting dodgy offshore companies, writes Danny Talwar of Koinly.
Markets: Bitcoin breaches US$24,000 to highest price since August as short sellers liquidated
Bitcoin broke through the US$24,000 price ceiling for the first time in two weeks to reach its highest price since mid-August in Thursday morning trading in Asia, as investors liquidated almost US$70 million of mostly short-position bets.
Paxos ordered to stop minting Binance stablecoin as SEC mulls legal action
Top blockchain and crypto news: Paxos halts BUSD issuance. Kraken faces disclosure charges. Beijing backs new blockchain research center.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether extend gains; Cardano rises most among top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether prices strengthened in Wednesday afternoon trade, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Cardano led gains at 6.91%, followed by Dogecoin at 5.21%, though prices of top 10 tokens remain subdued on the week.
Singapore’s DBS Digital Exchange’s Bitcoin trade volume grows 80% in 2022
DBS Digital Exchange (DDEx), one of Asia’s first bank-backed digital exchanges, has reported a year-on-year increase of 80% in Bitcoin traded in financial year 2022, while the number of Bitcoin custodized with the bank doubled from 2021.
Binance CEO says more non-USD stablecoins may emerge
The intensifying regulatory oversight in the U.S. is highlighting the increasing need for non-U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoins in the cryptocurrency industry, Binance Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao said on Tuesday. See related article: Be careful what you wish for? Regulators pick up pace in the crypto industry crackdown Fast facts See related article: SEC may make […]
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether, other major tokens rise despite hotter-than-expected CPI reading
Bitcoin rose in Wednesday morning trading in Asia to move back above US$22,000 as investors shrugged off a seeming U.S. regulatory crackdown on digital assets and data showing U.S. inflation for January was above forecasts.
Crypto Clampdown Begins
As financial regulators around the world continue to crackdown on stablecoins, some are asking if they are overreaching their jurisdiction.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether drop; BNB biggest loser in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether dropped in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Binance’s native token BNB led the day’s decline across the top 10 cryptos.
Be careful what you wish for? Regulators pick up pace in the crypto industry crackdown
Last year was memorable in the emerging world of digital assets for the sheer number of corporate failures. The industry itself has been asking for clearer legal guidelines to help development. Is that what’s happening now?
Why the crypto sector needs radical transparency in the post-FTX world
Self-custody is cumbersome and carries risks of seed phrases getting lost, but how can we ensure if a third-party custodian can be trusted?
Markets: Bitcoin rises amid market jitters as Paxos stablecoin issuer next regulator target after Kraken clampdown
Bitcoin was the only top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrency to gain in Tuesday morning trading in Asia in a market unsettled by regulators in the U.S. targeting digital asset companies.
India discussing crypto, regulation with G20, says finance minister
As India moves forward with its one-year presidency of the Group of 20 (G20), it is discussing cryptocurrency and regulation with the group’s members, India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.
Crypto Clarity Coming?
The UK and Europe are following suit in trying to regulate crypto. Just how far along have they come and what more do they have in store?
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether prices extend losses; Dogecoin sole gainer among top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin continued to trade below US$22,000 in Monday afternoon trading in Asia. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies dropped except Dogecoin.
UAE central bank to issue CBDC, promote digital asset growth
The United Arab Emirates plans to launch a central bank digital currency (CBDC), among other initiatives, to become a financial and digital payment hub.
Paxos ordered to stop issuing Binance USD stablecoin: report
Paxos Trust Company has been ordered by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) to stop issuing the U.S. dollar-pegged Binance USD (BUSD) stablecoin
What is the outlook for crypto in 2023 and beyond?
Tokenization, stablecoins and DeFi will be growth areas, but regulatory uncertainty is still holding back adoption, writes John Avery of FIS.
Bitcoin mining difficulty dips 0.5% over two weeks after hitting record high
Bitcoin’s mining difficulty level edged down 0.5% in the two weeks through Sunday after hitting an all-time high in the previous adjustment, according to data from BTC.com.
Securities and Exchange Commission may sue BUSD stablecoin issuer Paxos, WSJ reports
The U.S. SEC may sue the Paxos Trust Company for allegedly violating investor protection laws in its issue of the Binance USD (BUSD) stablecoin.
Markets: Bitcoin treads water under US$22,000 following SEC action on Kraken, Ether falls
Bitcoin was little changed in Monday morning trading in Asia in a mixed morning for the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Stablecoin issuer Paxos probed by New York regulator
Paxos Trust, the issuer of Binance’s BUSD stablecoin, is reportedly being investigated by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS).
Bitcoin Price Dips
Bitcoin has fallen 4.5% since last week, but could this be seen as the coin trading sideways, or could we see even more drops in Bitcoin’s price?
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin retreats below US$22,000 after a record January. Is the strong start to 2023 reversing?
After the strongest January price increase since 2013, Bitcoin gave up some of its gains this week to dip below the US$22,000 support line on Friday. The crypto market was buffeted by bearish comments on interest rates by U.S. Federal Reserve officials this week, along with concerns about a regulatory crackdown. Is this the start of a downtrend, a healthy correction, or the beginning of a so-called “crab” market moving sideways?
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall along with top 10 cryptos; SOL biggest loser
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, along with the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana’s native token notched the biggest loss, following rumors of a potential ban on crypto staking for retail investors in the U.S.
Lessons from FTX: crypto investment risks and how to avoid them
The recent spate of crypto exchanges freezing customer accounts should be a wake-up call to investors everywhere. What can you do to better protect yourself?
Markets: Bitcoin slumps in broad sell off amid SEC charges against Kraken, regulation worries
Bitcoin sank below US$22,000 on Thursday morning in Asia after the U.S. SEC slapped a fine on the Kraken exchange, sparking concerns that regulators are set to take a tougher line on crypto trading.
Upgrading The Cloud
Blockchain data storage could be a game-changer in defining the future of cloud storage. Should you also be using blockchain to store your data?
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether fall; Matic sees biggest gain as top 10 cryptos decline
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with the rest of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Polygon’s Matic posting the biggest gains.
CBDCs are coming. Here’s why you should worry
Governments are pushing central bank digital currencies to exert more control over macro policy, writes Josef Tětek of Trezor. But your money and privacy are also at stake.
Markets: Bitcoin falls under US$23,000 as Fed says inflation remains stubborn. Most top 10 crypto decline
Bitcoin slipped back below US$23,000 on Thursday morning in Asia, tracking the fall in U.S. equity markets overnight amid comments from Federal Reserve officials that the fight to curb inflation is far from over.
Markets: Bitcoin, Ether extend gains; Polygon leads top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ethereum extended gains on Wednesday afternoon in Asia along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
South Korea prosecutors say Serbia ready to help fraud investigation into Terra’s Do Kwon
Prosecutors flew to Serbia earlier this month as part of an investigation into Terraform Labs chief Do Kwon, who faces fraud accusations related to the US$40 billion collapse of his Terra-Luna cryptocurrency project in May last year.