July 2022
How crypto trading can become a life-consuming addiction
Residential rehabilitation centers around the world are starting to see a new kind of patient with an old problem: gambling addiction focused on crypto trading.
Bitcoin falls as Tesla announces it sold 75% of BTC holdings
Bitcoin fell 5% on Thursday morning in Asia — after briefly moving above US$24,000 overnight — as Tesla Inc. said it had sold 75% of its Bitcoin holdings. The cryptocurrency was at US$22,767 in midday trading, per CoinMarketCap. See related article: Ethereum price breaks US$1,600, Ethereum Classic surges 22% Fast facts In a shareholder letter […]
India won’t offer respite from steep crypto taxes
The Indian government won’t reduce taxes on cryptocurrency transactions, a minister said, despite repeated pleas by the industry. See related article: India’s latest tax assault on crypto exchanges starts Friday Fast facts In a written reply to a query in India’s upper house of Parliament, Minister of State for finance Pankaj Chaudhary clarified that the […]
UK seeks to regulate stablecoins for payments in new markets bill
The Financial Services and Markets Bill introduced in the U.K. parliament on Wednesday seeks to regulate stablecoins as a means of payment. See related article: Financial Stability Board calls for high regulatory standards for stablecoins Fast facts The legislation was largely awaited as it aimed at strengthening the U.K. financial system post-Brexit. In April, then-Chancellor […]
Polygon’s ZK solution aims to slash current layer 1 Ethereum network costs by 90%
Polygon, the Ethereum layer 2 scaling network, Wednesday said it is launching the testnet of its highly-anticipated zero-knowledge (ZK) rollup dubbed Polygon zkEVM, in what it called “a giant leap forward for Ethereum scaling and ZK innovation.” See related article: What is Polygon (MATIC) — ‘Ethereum’s internet of blockchains’? Fast facts In a series of […]
S.Korea prosecutors raid crypto exchanges as part of Terra-LUNA investigation
South Korean prosecutors raided 15 companies, including seven cryptocurrency exchanges, on Wednesday as part of their investigation into the Terra-LUNA debacle. See related article: Terra subsidiary used as funds channel for overseas affiliates: report Fast facts “[The search and seizure] is to secure any physical evidence needed to prove the allegations,” Choi Sung-kook, prosecutor in […]
Singapore crypto lender Vauld reportedly owes retail investors US$363 million
Singapore-based Vauld owes creditors US$402 million, with 90% of the debt owed to individual investors, according to a document filed to Singapore’s High Court on July 8 by Vauld co-founder and CEO Darshan Bathija, The Block reported. See related article: Crypto trading volumes dip to 18-month low amid bear market Fast facts The troubled crypto […]
Crypto trading volumes in India recover
Trading volumes at Indian crypto exchanges are recovering on the back of a rally in digital asset prices. Volumes had dropped after the government had imposed steep taxes. See related article: Bitcoin bounces back after US reports worst inflation in 41 years Fast facts Trading volumes at crypto exchange WazirX rose about 35% to US$7.18 […]
Bitcoin’s real role examined; 3AC’s complex ties revealed
A report says Bitcoin users are looking beyond investment. Meanwhile, court document reveals strong ties between 3AC and TPS Capital.
Bitcoin education accelerates adoption, lowers volatility: Ben Caselin, AAX
The price is bouncing back for the world’s favorite cryptocurrency and one Bitcoin expert tells Forkast now’s a good time to shift focus from price volatility to use cases.
Seeking Bitcoin alpha: How I learned crypto day trading
Hoping to strike crypto riches, Joel Stein follows the footsteps of a master degen investor. Here are the secrets revealed to him.
Sam Bankman-Fried says ‘moderately bad’ deals OK during bailouts
Prioritizing customers getting back their deposits means it is OK to do a “moderately bad” deal when rescuing troubled cryptocurrency companies, FTX founder and CEO Sam Bankman-Fried said on Tuesday. See related article: What Sam Bankman-Fried thinks will happen with NFTs and crypto exchanges in 2022 Fast facts Speaking at the Bloomberg Crypto Summit, Bankman-Fried, […]
Dubai scorches crypto winter with plans to support 40,000 ‘virtual jobs’
Dubai aims to be one of the top 10 cities globally in the metaverse economy, creating 40,000 virtual jobs and adding US$4 billion to the city’s economy in five years. See related article: Dubai could be crypto’s promised land, Citi says Fast facts The launch of the Dubai Metaverse Strategy on Monday was aimed at […]
US crypto bill may not pass the Senate this year, Lummis says
The U.S. Senate is unlikely to vote on the bipartisan cryptocurrency bill this year, Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis said Tuesday at the Bloomberg Crypto Summit. See related article: US crypto bill leaves ‘open question’ on securities: Tessler Fast facts “It’s a big topic, it’s comprehensive, and it’s still new to many U.S. senators,” Lummis said […]
Celsius plans repayment options; Bitcoin breaks US$22,000
Celsius says users can settle for cash or go long on crypto. Meanwhile in the markets, Bitcoin breaks US$22,000.
More than half of Bitcoin investors in SE Asia use the crypto to preserve wealth: report
According to a report by AAX crypto exchange and Forrester Consulting, 51% of Bitcoin owners in Southeast Asia used it to save money and preserve their wealth. See related article: Crypto trading volumes dip to 18-month low amid bear market Fast facts Some 47% of Bitcoin users in Southeast Asia sought a profit while 44% […]
Singapore’s MAS to further strengthen crypto regulations
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said it will seek consultation in the next months on proposed measures toward regulating the crypto industry. See related article: Singapore’s central bank says cryptocurrencies have ‘no fundamental value’ Fast facts Singapore’s regulatory focus on crypto has been mainly toward containing money laundering and terrorist financing risks, MAS Managing […]
Ethereum price breaks US$1,600, Ethereum Classic surges 22%
Ethereum (ETH) hit a high of US$1,610 on Tuesday morning in Asia, before retracing to trade at US$1,521 at press time, according to data from CoinMarketCap. See related article: Three Arrows, Voyager failures raise questions of who is next in crypto fall from grace Fast facts The world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization was up […]
India’s crypto industry plans new liaison group
The Indian cryptocurrency industry is looking to create an independent association to liaison with the government on policies and highlight issues with relevant stakeholders. See related article: India’s latest tax assault on crypto exchanges starts Friday Fast facts Key stakeholders have engaged in preliminary talks but the association’s establishment is not expected to be immediate, […]
The Lummis-Gillibrand bill could reshape global crypto regulations
As a world leader, the US now offers a regulatory template for crypto that others are sure to follow, writes Michael Shing of XREX. Here are the key provisions.
India says a crypto ban would require international collaboration
While the Reserve Bank of India has sought to prohibit cryptocurrencies, a ban is only possible after significant international collaboration and evaluation, India’s finance minister said on Monday. See related article: India’s finance minister calls on G20 to share information on crypto Fast facts “RBI (Reserve Bank of India) is of the view that cryptocurrencies […]
How the crypto winter is laying groundwork for Web3 to reach its potential
Digital assets are powering new industries, and DeFi will be the financial system of the future internet economy, writes Alex Tapscott in his new book, ‘Digital Asset Revolution.’
Crypto trading volumes tank; India’s crypto info call to G20
Crypto trading volumes plummet as the crypto winter continues. Meanwhile, India calls on G20 to share information on crypto.
Crypto startup funding falls by 26% in H1 2022: report
Following a record first half last year, investments in startups focusing on the cryptocurrency industry are down amid the so-called crypto winter, data showed. See related article: Polkadot is top crypto held by VCs and hedge funds in Q4 2021 Fast facts Venture capital funding in crypto startups fell nearly 26% to US$9.3 billion across […]
Crypto trading volumes dip to 18-month low amid bear market
Spot and derivatives crypto trading volumes have declined by over 15% since May to around US$4.2 trillion, the lowest since January 2021, Bloomberg reported citing data from CryptoCompare. See related article: Indian crypto trading volume drops as much as 63% after new tax Fast facts In June alone, spot trading volumes dropped by 28% to […]
India’s finance minister calls on G20 to share information on crypto
Cryptocurrencies need to be brought under the purview of tax information shared by countries, India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said at a G20 Ministerial Symposium on Tax and Development in Bali. See related article: India to make life hell for crypto investors: MP Fast facts The G20 should examine the feasibility of exchanging information on […]
Celsius reveals US$1.2B financial hole; Terra subsidiary investigated
Celsius reveals it has a US$1.2 billion hole in its balance sheet. Meanwhile, a Terra subsidiary is under investigation by South Korean authorities.
Circle’s reserve breakdown shows US$13.58B cash and US$42.12B U.S. Treasurys
Circle Internet Financial, the issuer of USDC, on Thursday released a detailed but unaudited breakdown of the reserves backing the second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization. See related article: Questions over Circle’s USDC reserves linger despite assurances Fast facts The breakdown showed that Circle had US$42.12 billion in U.S. Treasurys and US$13.58 billion in cash as […]
Terra subsidiary used as funds channel for overseas affiliates: report
South Korean prosecutors have reportedly identified what is believed to be a Terraform Labs subsidiary in South Korea, FLEXE Corporation, which was allegedly used to facilitate cash flow from overseas to Terra affiliates, according to KBS News. See related article: Terra’s S.Korean office closure ‘purely coincidental’: Do Kwon Fast facts Terraform Labs chief executive officer […]
India’s industry body dissolves its crypto advocacy council
The Blockchain and Crypto Assets Council (BACC), the advocacy body representing Indian crypto industry interests, has been dissolved by its parent organization, the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), according to a statement seen by CoinDesk. See related article: Coinbase blames India’s central bank for exit Fast facts IAMAI made the decision without discussing […]
Eth2 merger closer as ninth shadow fork goes live
Ethereum’s ninth shadow fork went live overnight Wednesday in Asia, marking one of the final steps before the merge with the proof-of-stake (PoS) Beacon Chain as part of the network’s transition to Ethereum 2.0. See related article: Vitalik Buterin defends Ethereum ahead of merge; ‘not a security’ Fast facts A shadow fork is a test […]
The ‘CryptoArt’ Movement — It all started with Pepe | NFT Moments in History Ep. 7
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. NFTs are defining what an artistic piece is in the digital age by allowing artists to open brand new frontiers and pushing the boundaries to challenge […]
Celsius files for bankruptcy; Crypto unfazed by US inflation
Celsius files for bankruptcy despite having paid off millions in loans. Meanwhile, the crypto market sees green despite US inflation rates.
Questions over Circle’s USDC reserves linger despite assurances
Fresh claims that emerged over the weekend about the status of Circle’s USDC reserves cast doubts on the ability of the so-called stablecoin to maintain its peg. In a deep dive, Forkast examined the allegations and reached out to the company for its version of events.
Bitcoin hashrate slumps to lowest in over five months amid 100-degree-plus weather in Texas
Bitcoin’s hashrate dropped by more than 27% in 24 hours to 159.41 exahashes per second (EH/s) on Wednesday, the lowest since February this year, according to data from BTC.com. See related article: Bitcoin miners in Texas halt operations amid heat wave Fast facts Multiple crypto miners in Texas, a mining hub in the U.S., have […]
MATIC crypto skyrockets as Polygon joins Disney accelerator
Polygon was selected as one of the 2022 participants for Disney’s accelerator program on Wednesday, triggering the project’s cryptocurrency MATIC to rise by more than 15%. See related article: Aespa, NCT’s SM Entertainment builds metaverse studio Kwangya Fast facts The Walt Disney Company did not announce any of its own crypto projects, but the 2022 […]
Ethereum will soon turn 7 — and its upcoming ‘Merge’ will be well worth the wait
The ‘Merge’ will have a major impact on the Ethereum ecosystem and beyond, and getting it right is more important than speed, writes Kevin Loo of IDEG.
Bitcoin bounces back after US reports worst inflation in 41 years
Bitcoin recovered past US$20,000 on Thursday morning in Asia following a steep 3.4% drop within an hour following the U.S. announcing its fastest inflation growth in 41 years. See related article: Bitcoin price crosses US$22K; Fed cools recession fears Fast facts Inflation levels in the U.S. soared 9.1% in June compared to a year ago […]
Will Mt. Gox Bitcoin eruption smother hopes of rapid crypto recovery?
Top blockchain and crypto news: Payback time for Mt. Gox investors. USDC issuer strikes back as critics circle. Chinese bank fiasco hits a nerve.
Court gives liquidators green light to claim 3AC assets
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Martin Glenn gave liquidators authority to subpoena and lay claim to bankrupt crypto firm Three Arrows Capital (3AC)’s U.S-based assets on Tuesday. See related article: 3AC crypto contagion spreads to Blockchain.com: report Fast facts Liquidators can subpoena two dozen banks and crypto exchanges to obtain information about the bankrupt crypto hedge fund’s […]
Celsius pays off USDC loan on Aave, unlocks over US$41 7 mln in collateral
Crypto lender Celsius Network continued to repay its loans on Tuesday, paying off US$71.9 million USDC owed to Aave and freeing up over US$417 million worth of stETH, on-chain data showed. See related article: Celsius repays over US$113 mln in debt; recovers US$122 mln in collateral Fast facts The latest repayment has closed Celsius’ USDC […]
Lightspeed launches US$500 mln fund for India, SEA
Lightspeed India Partners (LSIP) announced on Tuesday the closing of a US$500 million early stage fund (LSIP Fund IV) for India and Southeast Asia, as part of venture capital firm Lightspeed Venture Partners’ (LSVP) US$7.1 billion commitment. See related article: Huobi Ventures bets on DeFi and gaming in $10M GameFi fund Fast facts In addition […]
Vitalik Buterin defends Ethereum ahead of merge; ‘not a security’
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin tweeted a defense of the network’s transition to proof of stake (PoS) on Tuesday, responding to arguments suggesting assets secured by such consensus mechanisms are a security. See related article: Ethereum one step closer to Eth2 with Ropsten testnet merger Fast facts “The fact that you can vote on something to […]
Bitcoin below US$20,000; Voyager refund questions
Bitcoin once again falls below the US$20,000 mark. Meanwhile, Celsius pays over US$113 million in debt and recovers more.
Financial Stability Board calls for high regulatory standards for stablecoins
The failure of a crypto market player may have spillover effects on traditional finance such as short-term funding markets, says the Basel-based international body.
Inter-country use key for CBDCs to reach potential: report
For central bank digital currencies to enhance cross-border payments, issuing institutions must take functionality into account to avoid unintended barriers, a joint report by three international financial bodies says.
Celsius repays over US$113 mln in debt; recovers US$122 mln in collateral
Celsius Network repaid around US$78 million in USDC to Aave and US$35 million in DAI to Compound on Monday, blockchain data on Etherscan shows. See related article: Celsius repays debts, cuts jobs amid bankruptcy fears Fast facts The troubled cryptocurrency lender unlocked at least US$122 million in collateral through its latest set of repayments. Celsius […]
Bitcoin miners in Texas halt operations amid heat wave
Many cryptocurrency miners in Texas, one of the largest Bitcoin mining hubs in the U.S., are halting their operations as the state’s electrical grid faces surging power demand amid a heat wave. See related article: Marathon Digital says Montana storm knocked out most Bitcoin rigs Fast facts Nasdaq-listed miner Core Scientific on Tuesday said that […]
CrossTower in pact with Ripple to offer NFTs on XRP Ledger
Crypto trading platform CrossTower has partnered with Ripple to add non-fungible tokens (NFTs) minted on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) to its marketplace. See related article: China’s ‘Instagram’ gets into virtual fashion with users strutting NFT clothes Fast facts The partnership will significantly lower the costs and entry barrier for creators who want to mint their […]
Why Singapore needs to rethink its approach to regulating crypto
Singapore wants to attract institutional capital while shielding its people from crypto — but it can’t have it both ways, writes Donovan Choy.
Bitcoin price sinks below US$20K, erases weekly progress
Bitcoin’s price fell below US$20,000 Tuesday morning in Asia, erasing last week’s gains, as both crypto and traditional markets await the latest U.S. inflation data due on Wednesday. See related article: Bitcoin price crosses US$22K; Fed cools recession fears Fast facts The world’s largest cryptocurrency fell 4.5% in the past 24 hours to trade at […]
CoinFLEX enters arbitration; Mt Gox dump fears
CoinFLEX’s deficit rises to US$84 million as it enters arbitration. Meanwhile, a report claims Celsius Network had lost over US$350 million in DeFi.
Why Bitcoin is still a good investment despite the bear market
BTC remains a safe haven for investors for the long term amid this year’s soaring inflation and market volatility, writes Josef Tětek of SatoshiLabs.
Bitcoin, Ethereum rebound pulls back amid worries of BTC dump from Mt. Gox, Celsius
Gains made by two of the world’s largest cryptocurrencies were partially eroded as speculation of a glut of Bitcoin from Mt. Gox’s customers and creditors and Celsius Network’s payback of its debt circulated over the weekend.
Crypto investments to count when determining conflict of interest: US gov’t ethics watchdog
The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) said federal employees of the executive branch owning cryptocurrencies or mutual funds investing in the sector need to recuse themselves from any matter related to the industry. See related article: CFTC Commissioner Pham suggests regulators stay tech-neutral on stablecoins Fast facts The July 5 memo clarified that the […]
DTI says no legal basis to ban Binance in the Philippines
The Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it cannot ban Binance for cryptocurrency-related sales and promotion as there are no clear regulations issued by the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the nation’s central bank. See related article: Crypto is based on the greater fool theory: Philippines’ incoming central bank chief Fast facts “Cryptocurrency […]
Stablecoins, USDC and the ‘Circle of trust’
Investor confidence in stablecoins has plummeted since the Terra fiasco. Circle’s chief of finance assesses how they’re holding up amid a barrage of “FUD”.
Bitcoin briefly above $22,000; Binance Philippines ban urged
Bitcoin briefly returns to the US$22,000 mark. Meanwhile, InfraWatch PH calls for a ban on Binance in the Philippines.
India’s Directorate of Enforcement said to question crypto exchanges
The country’s federal agency charged with investigating money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws has reportedly reached out to Indian crypto exchanges to probe possible violations of foreign exchange rules. See related article: CoinDCX double downs as the going gets tough in India Fast facts The Enforcement Directorate has sought “further details and documents” […]
US credit union lobby group says cost of developing CBDCs outweighs benefits
In a letter to the U.S. Commerce Department, the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU) warned that the cost of developing a central bank digital currency (CBDC) outweighs the “hypothesized benefits.” See related article: Hong Kong to research retail CBDC cybersecurity with Israel, BIS Fast facts The organization’s July 5 letter was in line […]
Bitcoin price crosses US$22K; Fed cools recession fears
The crypto market gained along with traditional markets overnight in Asia as investors responded to updated guidance on Thursday from U.S. Federal Reserve officials claiming recessionary concerns are overblown. See related article: Bitcoin, Ether recover as Fed guidance reduces policy uncertainty Fast facts Bitcoin gained 8% to trade above US$22,000 in the past 24 hours […]
South Korea may team up with US to investigate crypto crimes
South Korea’s Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon met with U.S. investigative agencies in New York on Tuesday amid the countries’ separate investigations into Terra and its cofounder Do Kwon. See related article: South Korean authorities cite LUNA debacle to call for speedier crypto oversight Fast facts The minister met with Andrea M. Griswold, co-chief of the […]
Voyager faces delisting from Toronto Stock Exchange after bankruptcy filing
After Voyager Digital filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Tuesday, the Toronto Stock Exchange suspended trading in Voyager shares on Wednesday, announcing an expedited delisting review. See related article: Voyager crypto firm loaned US$377 mln to Sam Bankman-Fried’s Alameda Research Fast facts According to Voyager’s bankruptcy filing, the firm has over 100,000 creditors and US$1.1 […]
China’s BSN says daily NFT transactions surpass Ethereum
Transaction volumes on the Chinese state-backed blockchain’s non-fungible token (NFT) ecosystem were higher than that of Ethereum, the most popular blockchain for such deals, China’s Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) said in a press release on Wednesday. See related article: China’s Ant Group, Tencent, Baidu, JD.com push for NFT self-regulation Fast facts With 974,517 transactions, the […]
South Korea’s Uprise said to have lost US$20 mln in client funds on LUNA short
The South Korean fintech startup that operates digital asset management and trading services reportedly had over US$20 million, or 99% of its client funds, liquidated amid the Terra-LUNA collapse in May. See related article: What lessons can we learn from Terra’s LUNA/UST meltdown? Fast facts The startup’s trading unit had placed client funds on a […]
Vauld buyout talks; Celsius fights against bankruptcy
Crypto exchange Vauld is in buyout talks with Nexo. Meanwhile, other exchanges are in a fight against bankruptcy as Celsius pushes on despite short squeeze.
‘Wolf of Wall Street’ says Bitcoin investments will be profitable in three to five years
Jordan Belfort, the man who inspired Martin Scorsese’s film “Wolf of Wall Street” and a once-avowed crypto critic, said Bitcoin is a long play while speaking on Yahoo Finance’s show The Crypto Mile. See related article: Bank of England calls for greater crypto regulation Fast facts The former convicted financial criminal turned famous consultant and […]
Nexo in talks to buy out Vauld
Nexo said it plans to not only protect Vauld’s existing customer base but also to give them access to an improved range of services. See related article: Celsius repays debts, cuts jobs amid bankruptcy fears Fast facts Nexo said it signed an indicative term sheet with Vauld that grants it a 60-day exclusive exploratory period […]
Crypto’s biggest problem is not volatility, but scalability
Notwithstanding this bear market, Web3’s more pressing issue is its inability to handle large volumes, writes Greg Gopman. Can sidechains offer a solution?
MAS mulls crypto limits; Pacquiao’s Pacman NFTs
Singapore’s monetary authority mulls on crypto limits. Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao drops his NFT collection despite the crypto winter.
Celsius repays debts, cuts jobs amid bankruptcy fears
Celsius Network has paid back US$142.8 million of its debt to Maker since July 1, data from DeFi Explore shows, as the embattled cryptocurrency lender looks to avoid a complete collapse. See related article: Goldman Sachs said to raise US$2B for Celsius assets: report Fast facts With the repayment, Celsius’ liquidation price for its Wrapped […]
Can Cardano pack a punch with Pacquiao NFTs?
The boxer-dog themed collection by Filipino boxing legend Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, scheduled for minting on July 15, will be released on the Cardano blockchain, the team behind the official non-fungible tokens (NFTs) said on Monday. See related article: Manny Pacquiao is launching NFTs in memory of dog ‘Pacman’ Fast facts The collection is named in […]