November 2021
How Singapore is looking at Web 3.0 and DeFi as it prepares for a digital Singapore dollar
Speaking at the Singapore FinTech Festival, Singapore central bank chief Ravi Menon announces the launch of Project Orchid, a digital dollar project.
Will El Salvador’s lead on Bitcoin inspire others to follow suit?
The Central American nation is the first to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. As many countries face similar issues of large unbanked population and high remittance fees, will others follow suit?
BlockFi files for Bitcoin spot ETF with SEC amid regulatory heat
New Jersey-based crypto banking services provider BlockFi and investment management firm Neuberger Berman jointly filed for a Bitcoin spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday. Fast facts In September, the U.S. got its first Bitcoin-linked ETF with the launch of ProShares Bitcoin Strategy Fund. But ProShares’ ETF was backed […]
Crypto funds see record $8.9B investment inflows so far this year
Signaling increased confidence in the future of digital assets, cryptocurrency investment products saw institutional investment inflows of US$174 million last week — the 12th consecutive week of inflows — bringing year-to-date inflows to a record US$8.9 billion, according to digital assets manager CoinShares. Fast facts Institutional investment into crypto products have surged this year with […]
Bitcoin and Ethereum prices soar to new all-time highs, crypto market now worth $3 trillion
BTC and ETH are surging to dizzying new heights today as part of a broader crypto market rally. What’s going on?
CityCoins announces debut of NYCCoin
Before the crypto-enthusiastic mayor-elect has been sworn in, a grassroots effort announces it will launch a Bitcoin-backed token to support the city.
Ethereum hits new all-time high; S Korea says NFTs not virtual assets
Ethereum hits new all-time high meanwhile South Korea says NFTs not virtual assets
Ethereum sets new all-time price high as crypto market cap nears $3 trillion
Ethereum reached a new all-time price high of US$4,766 earlier today, flying past its previous all-time high record of US$4,634 set five days ago, according to CoinGecko data. Fast facts The world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market value has been on a record run since late last month. On Oct. 28, Ethereum’s price climbed to US$4,416 for the first time. The […]
Solana Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners and FTX partner to invest $100M in Web3 gaming
Solana Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners and cryptocurrency exchange FTX today announced that they are partnering to invest US$100 million on gaming studios and projects building on the Solana blockchain. Fast facts “Gaming has a massive opportunity to bring the next billion users to Web3,” said Amy Wu, partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, in a statement. […]
Canaan sues over patent infringement; PayTM considers crypto services
Canaan sues over patent infringement also, PayTM considers crypto services
What Solana prices will be at the end of 2021 and beyond
As Solana surges to new all-time highs, 50 fintech experts surveyed by Finder offer predictions on SOL’s price outlook for the end of the year and longer-term.
Is 2021 the year of crypto’s coming of age?
Blockdata co-founder Jonathan Knegtel thinks so. Almost a teenager, Bitcoin is reaching a level of maturity that’s defying the predictions of its critics.
Asia-Middle East multiple CBDC bridge builds out business use cases for international payments
22 private sector finance heavyweights together with the BIS and central banks of China, Hong Kong, Thailand, and UAE aim to achieve a production-ready international trade settlement platform using CBDCs.
The Bitcoin-energy connection intensifies
Equities and Bitcoin have a clearly demonstrated bond, but now oil is strengthening its relationship to crypto, too
What is the Solana ecosystem and how is it fueling SOL’s stratospheric rise?
Solana prices keep cresting to new heights, making SOL a top-five cryptocurrency by size. What makes Solana and its ecosystem stand out? Forkast.News explains.
Aleph.im launches Serum Markets to provide DeFi trading data on Solana
Project Serum, a decentralized exchange on the Solana blockchain, has seen its total value locked (TVL) more than double over the past month to US$2.468 billion, according to data from a new Serum Markets Analytics dashboard launched today. Fast facts Solana — a high performance blockchain and alternative to Ethereum — has been gaining ground […]
e-CNY scam investigated; S Korea gets metaverse bug
e-CNY scam investigated meanwhile S Korea gets metaverse bug
Chinese police raid what may be the nation’s first e-CNY money-laundering case
Police crack a tele-fraud case related to digital yuan money laundering, potentially thanks to the CBDC’s ‘managed anonymity’ feature.
Solana hits new ATH, briefly overtakes Tether as 4th-largest cryptocurrency
The price of Solana (SOL), the native cryptocurrency of the high-performance proof-of-stake Solana blockchain, hit a new all-time high US$245.69 this morning Asia time and briefly overtook Tether as the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market value, according to CoinGecko data. Fast facts Solana’s price surge comes ahead of the inaugural Breakpoint conference organized by the Solana Foundation, which will […]
Federal Reserve to taper bond purchases, prompting concerns over BTC impact
As the U.S. economy shows signs of recovery from the pandemic-related recession, the Federal Reserve has announced it will begin tapering the US$120 billion a month it spends on bond purchases, hoping to address concerns of rising inflation. This has caused unease in the crypto industry as Bitcoin adoption over the past 18 months has […]
Eric Adams wants New York to have a cryptocurrency
NYC Mayor-elect Eric Adams said he wanted to ‘look at what’s preventing the growth of Bitcoins and cryptocurrency in our city.’
ETH and SOL hit all-time highs; CBA to offer crypto services
ETH and SOL hit all-time highs as well as CBA offers crypto services
Stablecoin toss to US Congress as regulators circle
Top blockchain and crypto news: Stablecoins at regulatory crossroads. Squid Game crypto players suffer shocking fate. Are metaverses China’s new national insecurity?
Dogecoin, Shiba Inu are becoming crypto alpha dogs in India
Dogecoin and Shiba Inu are gaining massive traction and ranking among the top five traded cryptocurrencies on Indian exchanges. Fast facts Dogecoin contributed 13.76% to the overall trading volume of CoinSwitch Kuber, which claims to be the largest Indian crypto exchange with over 10 million customers, over the last six months, according to a report […]
Wrapped XRP coming to Ethereum in December
Wrapped XRP (wXRP) will be supported on the Ethereum blockchain from December, according to an Oct. 31 announcement by Wrapped.com, a cross-chain wrapped assets provider. Fast facts Wrapped XRP will be backed 1:1 with XRP — the native cryptocurrency of the XRP Ledger (XRPL) — and held in custody with Hong Kong-based licensed digital asset […]
Ethereum, Solana, Polkadot climb to new all-time price highs in altcoin rally
Ethereum crosses the $4,600 mark for the first time and Solana overtakes Cardano as the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by market value.
Commonwealth Bank first in Australia to offer crypto trading
Amid debate in Australia surrounding the banking sector’s relationship with cryptocurrency, the country’s largest bank, Commonwealth Bank, will soon be allowing customers to buy, sell and hold crypto assets directly through its app — making it the first bank in the country to do so. Fast facts Partnering with leading global crypto exchange and custodian […]
CME expands crypto derivatives offerings with Micro Ether futures
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange is going to expand its crypto derivatives offerings and launch Micro Ether futures on Dec. 6, pending regulatory review. Fast facts Micro Ether futures will be sized at 1/10th of one Ether, allowing access to a wide range of investors amid surging Ether prices, according to a press release. Ether reached […]
US$66 billion at stake but only mild interest in Bitcoin trial
The outcome of a Miami civil trial may uncover who Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto really was, and who owns his rumored US$66 billion in Bitcoin.
Squid Game crypto rug pull: investors meet deadly ending
It’s a red light for those who bought the controversial token inspired by the Netflix mega-series Squid Game, as its developers appear to have cashed out their investments, leaving SQUID’s price to plunge 99.99%.
Biden administration report on stablecoins calls for laws to mitigate risks
The highly awaited report outlines recommendations for stablecoin regulation and asks regulatory bodies to combat risks until Congress introduces new laws.
Bitcoin mining difficulty recovers to May level
Bitcoin miners saw another mining difficulty adjustment on Monday, with an increase of 7.85%, recovering to the level recorded in May, according to data from BTC.com. Fast facts The mining difficulty level is now at 21.66 trillion at block height 707,616, reflecting the most difficult level since a previous adjustment on May 13, the data show. The latest […]
Institutional inflows into crypto year-to-date 30% higher than 2020 total
Cryptocurrency investment products saw inflows of US$288 million last week, with total inflows year-to-date at a record of US$8.7 billion — 30% higher than the total for 2020, according to digital asset manager CoinShares. Fast facts Bitcoin continued to lead with institutional inflows of US$269 million last week, albeit at a significantly lower level compared […]
DOT hits new all-time high with Polkadot parachain auctions imminent
DOT, the native cryptocurrency of the Polkadot blockchain network, crossed the US$50 mark for the first time on Nov. 1 and reached a new all-time high (ATH) of US$50.87, surpassing its previous peak of US$48.73 in May, according to CoinGecko data. DOT, currently the 8th-largest cryptocurrency by market value, was trading at US$48.69 as of […]
Tech giants vow to resist NFT hype; Squid token under scrutiny
China’s tech cut ties to NFTs as Squid Game token leaves users questioning its legitimacy.
Shanghai plans to further popularize the digital yuan in the next five years
Shanghai outlined its plan to expand digital yuan pilot programs into the city’s five-year plan, in a recently released policy statement, “Shanghai’s Five-Year Plan of Comprehensive Promotion of Urban Digital Transformation.” Fast facts The plan said the city will expand pilot program for online and offline payments, transportation and government services. Shanghai is among the […]
Report: Stablecoins, CBDCs may not resolve financial inclusion, international remittance challenges
Stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) may not live up to their promise of increasing financial inclusion and improving cross-border payments in emerging markets, according to a new report by the Bank for International Settlements. Fast facts According to the report, the most important contribution of stablecoins is that they have drawn attention to […]
October 2021
Warning issued over K-pop crypto; Dog fight hits crypto market
Warning issued over K-pop crypto meanwhile Dog fight hits crypto market
Thailand retail giant is testing its own digital currency C-Coin
Central Retail Corp., one of Thailand’s biggest department store chains, has developed a blockchain-based digital currency called C-Coin and is now testing it among employees, Bloomberg reported yesterday. Fast facts The company is currently distributing C-Coin to its 80,000 employees as bonus to their usual salary. Employees can use the crypto coin to shop at […]
Squid Game and BTS tokens emerge amid K-culture boom — and warnings to consumers
The wild popularity of South Korean Netflix TV series Squid Game and K-pop boy band BTS prompt parody tokens in the crypto space under circumstances that are being called into question.
Back to the future: Why Bitcoin is still a game-changer
Bitcoin is awakening humanity to its own sovereign capacities, says Ben Caselin of AAX. Here’s why the world’s first cryptocurrency is still at the cutting edge of finance and culture.
Wharton business school to accept crypto for new blockchain education program
In the latest sign of the American business establishment’s warming embrace of cryptocurrency, the University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Wharton business school will accept crypto for tuition payment for an online program. Fast facts The Wharton School’s new executive education program “Economics of Blockchain and Digital Assets” plans to accept cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin for tuition […]
13 years after Bitcoin’s whitepaper, what would Satoshi say?
Bitcoin is growing up in ways not imagined in Satoshi Nakamoto’s 2008 writings that gave birth to it. How will Bitcoin’s future unfold?
Dogecoin and Shiba Inu fight it out for top dog in crypto top 10
A dog fight has broken out in the crypto top 10 in the past 24 hours as memecoin Dogecoin and its pup Shiba Inu token battle it out for the position of top dog. Fast facts The price of the once-derided Shiba Inu coin has been on a tear this past week, gaining over 200% […]
Tales from the Crypt, 2021: 10 crypto horror stories
Behind this year’s giddy markets, evil and tragedies abound. Just in time for Halloween, Forkast.News shakes out the skeletons in crypto’s closet.
Unraveling the mystery behind why Bitcoin prices are all over the place
Even the most reliable media can report wildly different crypto numbers. Forkast.News dives into DeFi math and crypto exchange economics to find out who’s right.
South Korea crypto debate heats up; Bitcoin mining ETF starts trading
South Korea crypto debate heats up, also Bitcoin mining ETF starts trading
European Central Bank appoints 30 members to digital euro market advisory group
The European Central Bank (ECB) has appointed 30 senior business professionals from a range of financial institutions and related organizations to its market advisory group for the digital euro project, according to a media statement. Fast facts The appointment of industry members to the advisory group follows the ECB’s launch of its digital euro project […]
Polkadot founder Gavin Wood: Decentralization and security are not optional in the search for scalability
More decentralization is being planned for Polkadot as its much-anticipated rollout draws close with the first batch of parachain slot auctions starting on Nov. 11.
New Australian ETF grants exposure to Bitcoin mining sector
Only two weeks after the Australia Securities Exchange approved a similar product, the Cosmos Global Digital Miners Access exchange-traded fund (ETF) launched on rival exchange Chi-X Australia today, granting exposure to globally listed digital asset mining and infrastructure companies. Fast facts Trading under the name “DIGA,” the fund tracks the Global Digital Miners Index, designed […]
Bitcoin’s (Con)Tango
The success of the first U.S. Bitcoin futures ETF presents a challenge to investors when futures trade too far ahead of actual prices.
Altair upgrade goes live; Hybe and Dunamu consider NFT venture
Altair upgrade goes live, also Hybe and Dunamu consider NFT venture.
India’s long-awaited crypto regulation coming in February, finance ministry officials say
Recent developments indicate the government is looking to regulate the sector instead of quashing it, and industry experts remain optimistic.
Tesla’s trillion-dollar triumph — and its bond with Bitcoin
Top blockchain and crypto news: Is Tesla’s turbocharge a boost for Bitcoin? Mastercard’s Bakkt with a new crypto deal. Chinese NFTs on knife-edge.
Robinhood posts 78% decline in Q3 crypto profits
Fee-free trading platform Robinhood’s crypto revenue declined 78% in the third quarter this year, earning only US$51 million during that time according to the company’s Q3 report released Tuesday. This is compared to the US$233 million the company earned in the previous quarter in which the market hit the height of the bull run, from […]
Dog off the leash: Shiba Inu price breaks all-time high for 3rd time in 4 days
Shiba Inu (SHIB) has soared to another all-time high, setting its new record at US$0.00005486 today, according to CoinMarketCap data. It is now the 11th largest cryptocurrency with a market cap of US$21.5 billion. Fast facts In the last 24 hours, SHIB’s price has surged over 32%. SHIB’s price has been surging since the weekend […]
What will Ethereum prices be as 2021 ends?
As Ethereum surges to a new all-time high, 50 fintech experts surveyed by Finder offer predictions on ETH’s year-end and longer-term price outlook.
Beijing to launch second e-CNY pilot zone
The Municipal Administrative Center of Beijing officially announced the launch of an e-CNY enterprise zone to “explore the digital renminbi financial system.” The plan includes support for experimental digital currency projects including by increasing 5G infrastructure to enable faster transactions. Fast facts E-CNY is China’s central bank digital currency (CBDC). It is anticipated to be […]
Tether to test anti-money laundering product
Tether Operations, the company behind Tether (USDT) — the largest stablecoin by market capitalization — today announced that it will be trialing Notabene’s crypto travel rule compliance product for cross-border stablecoin transfers. Fast facts USDT has a market capitalization of over US$70 billion and over US$64 billion in 24-hour trading volume, according to CoinGecko data. […]
Vitalik Buterin: Layer 2 is the future of Ethereum scaling
Ethereum’s creator explains why rollups can help scale Ethereum while preserving decentralization.
Philippines trials blockchain voting; Byron Bay to host crypto mining
Philippines trials blockchain voting meanwhile Byron Bay to host crypto mining
Byron Bay to host Australia’s largest Bitcoin mining operation — using green energy
While it may be known locally and domestically as a tourist hotspot and home to many Hollywood A-list celebrities, Australia’s coastal town of Byron Bay is set to become host to Australia’s biggest Bitcoin mining site— and it’s going to be powered by 100% renewable energy. Fast facts According to a company press release, local […]
Mastercard partners with Bakkt to offer crypto payments
Payments giant Mastercard and cryptocurrencies firm Bakkt Holdings Inc. announced on Monday they have partnered to facilitate cryptocurrency debit and credit card payments. The partnership will make it easier for merchants, banks and fintechs in the U.S. to offer a broad set of cryptocurrency services and enable consumers to buy and sell digital assets through […]
Solana price hits new all-time high amid rising crypto market
As the crypto market lit up with green across the board this morning, the price of Solana (SOL) jumped 6% in a few hours overnight to reach a new all-time high of US$218.73, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Solana’s price has since lost some of this ground, however, and was trading at US$208.57 at press […]
Bitcoin propels crypto institutional inflows to record $1.5B
Crypto investment products saw record inflows last week of US$1.47 billion, with Bitcoin accounting for 99% of the inflows, according to digital assets fund manager CoinShares. Total crypto assets under management also reached a new peak of US$79.2 billion. Fast facts Bitcoin investment products saw record inflows of US$1.45 billion last week. “The record inflows […]
Proshares files for exemption; Shiba Inu hits all-time high
Proshares files for exemption meanwhile Shiba Inu hits all-time high
Nigeria to become 1st African country to launch a central bank digital currency
Nigeria, a country with one of the world’s highest cryptocurrency adoption rates, is set to become the first African nation to launch its own central bank digital currency (CBDC) today as President Muhammadu Buhari formally launches the eNaira. Fast facts Nigeria’s CBDC, the eNaira, was initially scheduled to be launched on Oct. 1. The launch […]
ProShares seeks to alter BTC ETF after less than a week
Less than a week out from its historic launch, ProShares is already seeking to amend its Bitcoin futures exchange-traded fund — the first in the U.S. — by filing for an exemption from trading limits at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, where the fund purchases its futures contracts, according to an article in Barron’s. Fast facts […]
SHIB reaches new all-time high, as DOGE surges as well
Dogecoin copycat token SHIB jumped almost 60% in less than 24 hours on Sunday to reach a new all-time high of US$0.00004442, as DOGE also surged over the weekend. SHIB was trading at US$0.00003937 at press time, and is now the 13th largest token by market cap, according to data from CoinMarketCap.com. Fast facts This […]
Australia looks to regulate crypto; Ethereum hits all-time high
Australia’s Senate report into fintech regulations includes 12 recommendations for a clear digital assets framework.
Walmart quietly installs 200 Bitcoin ATMs with Coinstar, Coinme
In another sign of increased adoption of the world’s leading cryptocurrency, Walmart has installed 200 Bitcoin ATMs in stores across the U.S. in a partnership between Coinstar and Coinme, according to reporting from Reuters. Fast facts The pilot program involves Coinstar, best known for its machines that allow customers to exchange U.S. coins for paper […]
2nd U.S. Bitcoin futures ETF starts trading today, and a 3rd will launch next week
Valkyrie Bitcoin Strategy Fund, the second Bitcoin futures exchange traded fund (ETF) in the U.S., is set to start trading today, while VanEck’s Bitcoin futures ETF, which also received approval this week, is expected to launch early next week. Fast facts ProShares Bitcoin Strategy Fund, the first U.S. Bitcoin futures ETF, started trading on the […]