May 2023
Hong Kong? Singapore? Tokyo? Seoul? Dubai? The race is on for the Web3 hub of Asia | Part 1
As U.S. regulators file lawsuits against cryptocurrency platforms, prompting some digital asset companies to seek more favorable jurisdictions, a fleet of cities in Asia are putting out the welcome mat, seeking to attract the jobs and investment that Web3 technologies promise. Right now, Hong Kong seems to be grabbing the limelight, but it has competition.
Bitcoin, top 10 cryptos fall except Tron; U.S. futures slightly up; Asian equities rise
Bitcoin traded below US$27,000 in Monday afternoon trade in Asia.
Are deposit tokens the new stablecoins — or a wolf in sheep’s clothing?
Stablecoins are a key part of the crypto ecosystem, but banks like JPMorgan are now exploring deposit tokens as an alternative. Which is better, and why?
S.Korean lawmakers propose public officials disclose crypto holdings
A South Korean ruling party lawmaker proposed all public officials and candidates disclose their crypto holdings in a new bill unveiled last Friday.
Circle: US regulation can help create the ‘most stable stablecoin’
Circle Vice President of Global Policy Corey Then says he is optimistic that U.S. regulatory developments can eventually benefit local players despite ongoing scrutiny.
Bitcoin, Ether fall; Tron trades higher; Investors digest G7, U.S. debt ceiling implications
Bitcoin fell below US$27,000 on Sunday, dipping further Monday morning in Asia as wider macro developments continue to weigh.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin trades below US$27,000 amid U.S. debt ceiling negotiations
Bitcoin traded below the US$27,000 mark for most of the week, as investor sentiment was weighed down by the prospect of the U.S. government’s potential default. Investors will be closely monitoring the ongoing debt ceiling negotiations.
Big buys fail to lift NFT markets as regulatory uncertainty weighs heavy on crypto
Investors remain cautious as U.S. debt talks continue despite slowing inflation and large NFT purchases.
XRP lone gainer among top 10 cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin and Ether fell during afternoon trading in Asia, along all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, excluding XRP.
Ripple joins Hong Kong CBDC pilot, partners with Fubon Bank
Ripple Labs has launched a new payment platform for a central bank digital currency in Hong Kong.
XRP gains; Lift-off for Space Pepe NFTs; US investor sentiment up on positive debt talks
Bitcoin and Ether prices fell on Friday morning in Asia. XRP gained after Hong Kong CBDC announcement by issuer Ripple.
Is Tether unmoored — or just dandy?
Top blockchain and crypto news: Fighting words over USDT erupt on Twitter. Litecoin surges amid memecoin fever. Chinese city bids for blockchain business.
Hong Kong’s e-HKD pilot puts the world on notice
Rollout of the central bank digital currency in Hong Kong is a potential game-changer and a move that others may soon look to follow.
Matic leads crypto rise despite Ledger security concerns
Cryptocurrencies rebounded on Thursday but wallet service provider Ledger’s latest update raised new security concerns.
Crypto and NFT Market Updates – May 18th
Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 18, 2023, presented by Megha Chaddah for the latest in the crypto markets. The US debt ceiling could be raised after hopes of reaching an agreement to avoid a default triggered gains across the board. As the Asian equities markets trade green by noon Hong Kong time, the crypto […]
Montenegro prosecutors appeal court ruling to allow bail for Terraform Labs CEO Do Kwon
Montenegro prosecutors have filed an appeal against a local court decision to approve bail for the detained Terraform Labs CEO Do Kwon.
Bitcoin, Ether mixed; Polygon leads gainers; Equity futures flat as U.S. debt default worries recede
Bitcoin prices rose on Thursday morning in Asia. Ether edged down, while other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization gained.
Bitget crypto exchange doubles down on expansion, to hire 300 more
Bitget is looking to hire 300 more people across operations, compliance, research and development, and customer support, the cryptocurrency exchange said.
Ripple Labs acquires digital asset custody provider Metaco for US$250 mln
San Francisco-based Ripple Labs, a technology and financial services firm built around the XRP cryptocurrency, said it will acquire Metaco, a Swiss-based tokenization and digital asset custody provider, for US$250 million.
Bitcoin slips below US$27,000, XRP leads gains in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin prices dropped below US$27,000 on Wednesday afternoon in Asia, while XRP gained the most after positive news for Ripple Labs on its lawsuit against U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 17th
Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 17, 2023, presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Ripple’s victory over the SEC in court has jumped XRP prices as Litecoin continues its bullish run overnight. The NFT markets are also looking good as the Forkast 500 index and the ETH composite are both […]
XRP lawsuit: Judge denies SEC motion to seal documents in win for Ripple
A U.S. federal judge has denied a motion by the SEC to seal internal documents related to a speech given by the SEC’s former director on whether cryptocurrencies are securities.
Web3 needs to engage with local communities. Its future depends on it
Web3’s terrible user experience, scams and lack of diversity could be solved if its leaders take a cue from environmentalists and ‘act locally,’ writes Tim Williamson of NieuxCo.
XRP gains as SEC motion denied; NFT index down; US investors anticipate debt ceiling deal
Bitcoin prices fell on Wednesday morning in Asia but remained above the US$27,000 line. Ether gained but still posted a weekly drop. XRP led gainers among other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin history shows first financial transaction was almost an NFT
Internet sleuths unearth the first financial transaction on Bitcoin, showcasing the potential of NFTs.
Bitcoin, Ether fall, Solana leads declines; U.S. stock futures trade flat; Asian equities mixed
Bitcoin fell 0.58% while Ether dropped 0.36%. Solana was the biggest loser of the day, dropping 1.67%.
Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 16th
Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 16, 2023, presented by Megha Chaddah for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies return to sideways trading apart from Litecoin, which has continued its bull run in the last 24 hours. In the NFT markets, a Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT sold for US$1 million […]
How DeFi can keep out bad apples while upholding crypto’s core ideals
Crypto users need not fear the increasing KYC/AML requirements around the world and loss of privacy, writes Kurt Hemecker of the Mina Foundation. Here’s why.
Bitcoin, Ether gains; Litecoin continues bull run; optimism a solution to US debt crisis can be reached
Bitcoin prices rose along with Ether, while Litecoin continues to lead gainers among other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin, Ether push higher, Litecoin biggest gainer in top 10 cryptos; U.S. stock futures, Asian equities gain
Bitcoin rose 2.07% to US$27,409 in 24 hours while Ether gained 1.27% to US$1,829. Litecoin was the biggest gainer of the day, rising 7.65%.
Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 15th
Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 9, 2023, presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin and Ethereum prices are on the up to start the week off, and Litecoin has skyrocketed in the last 24 hours. The NFT markets are also starting the week off positively, with the Polygon NFT […]
China’s Jiangsu Province to expand digital yuan adoption in education sector
China’s Jiangsu Province plans to expand the use of digital yuan to its public education system, as the province seeks to spearhead the country’s CBDC pilot.
Bank of Korea and financial regulator in turf war over who supervises crypto industry
Bank of Korea, the central bank, seems uncomfortable with the Financial Services Commission, the country’s regulator, having the mandate over the cryptocurrency industry. The bank is pushing for more say, arguing crypto can influence the stability of the overall financial market and that involves the central bank.
Bitcoin, Ether edge higher; Litecoin leads gainers; investors weigh impact of US debt crisis
Bitcoin prices rose on Monday morning in Asia to above US$27,000. Ether managed to rise above the US$1,800 support level as Litecoin leads gainers.
It’s a fight for the future of money in the US, says Christopher Giancarlo
The U.S. is resisting digitization of the dollar due to it being a threat to the country’s dominance over traditional financial system, said Christopher Giancarlo, former chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and author of “Crypto Dad: Fight for the Future of Money.”
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin dips to US$26,166 as memecoins flood the blockchain
Bitcoin briefly fell to US$26,166 this week, as BRC-20 memecoins flooded the blockchain, raising network congestion issues. Market analysts told Forkast that a weekly close under US$26,111 signals more bearish momentum
Memecoin frenzy fuels network congestion; China makes a surprise crypto move
Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Megha Chaddah, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions. Coming up on today’s show:
Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most top 10 cryptos; U.S. futures rise ahead of debt ceiling negotiations
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Friday afternoon trading in Asia, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, apart from the XRP token.
Bitcoin, Ether fall to month lows; Polygon leads losers; U.S. equity futures up as inflation cools
Bitcoin prices slid under US$27,000 on Friday morning in Asia. Ether fell below support at US$1,800 as all top 10 non-stablecoin tokens retreated.
Terraform’s Do Kwon pleads not guilty to passport forgery; lawyers propose US$437,000 bail
Terraform Labs chief Do Kwon denied charges of attempting to travel with fake travel documents during a court hearing Thursday in Montenegro.
Bitcoin network buckles under weight of BRC-20’s runaway success
Top blockchain and crypto news: Memecoin fever strains BTC network. Binance slams brakes on Bitcoin withdrawals. Chinese court allows crypto for repaying debt.
Bitcoin congestion issues continue amid BRC-20 memecoin, Ordinals surge
Bitcoin network faces heightened congestion with over 5 million inscriptions, exacerbating block space demand as BRC-20 tokens achieve a market cap milestone of $1 billion, contributing to increased activity on the network.
Bitcoin, Ether fall along with most cryptos; U.S. futures strengthen as inflation in April slowed
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Thursday afternoon trading in Asia, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Polygon’s Matic leading losses for a second consecutive session.
Japan looks to regain its place in the cryptocurrency world pecking order
The three-day NexTech Week trade show kicked off Wednesday in Tokyo, celebrating all things technology, including blockchain and Artificial Intelligence.
Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 11th
Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 11, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin saw a minor spike in it’s price after the U.S. consumer price index for April was released, but dipped again as crypto exchanges Jane Street Group and Jump Crypto announced it would cease […]
Tether more than doubles net profit in Q1, says holds most assets in U.S. Treasury bills
The issuer of the world’s most traded stablecoin raked in US$1.48 billion in net profit for the first quarter of this year, more than double the previous quarter, according to the company’s reserves report on Wednesday.
South Korea sets May 26 trial date for Terraform Labs co-founder Daniel Shin, others
Terraform Labs co-founder Shin Hyun-seung and seven others will face trial on May 26 on charges of fraud related to the Terra-Luna crypto collapse.
Bitcoin drops on liquidity concerns, Ether dips; Polkadot leads winners; U.S. equity futures gain
Bitcoin fell on Thursday morning in Asia to trade around the US$27,500 mark. Ether led the losers in the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.
How ChatGPT is propelling memecoins to a new stratosphere
Thanks to generative AI, a struggling artist with no coding skills created tokens now worth $70 million. What does this mean for the rest of the crypto world?
Bitcoin busts through US$28,000 as U.S. inflation falls to 4.9%
Bitcoin and major cryptocurrencies reacted positively to the latest CPI report that stated annual inflation in the U.S. rose 4.9% in April, beating market expectations.
Bitcoin, Ether prices fall; Asian equities, U.S. stock futures drop ahead of key inflation data
Bitcoin lost 0.43% while Ether dipped 0.60% in 24 hours. Polygon’s Matic token was the biggest loser and dropped 2.16%.
Hong Kong will have ‘tight’ crypto regulation, says HKMA chief Eddie Yue
Cryptocurrency firms moving to Hong Kong should expect tight regulations as part of the city-state’s new regulatory regime, said Eddie Yue.
South Korea freezes US$176 mln of Terraform CEO Do Kwon’s domestic assets
A South Korean court has approved prosecutors’ request to freeze assets and properties worth 233.3 billion Korean won that belong to Kwon.
Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 10th
Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 10th, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin has seen a slight increase in its price tag as congestion in the Bitcoin networks eases, dropping transaction fees at the same time. However, the NFT markets are still looking a little gloomy […]
Litecoin transactions jump amid Bitcoin blockchain congestion, higher fees
Daily transactions on the Litecoin blockchain hit all-time highs over the past two days amid the Bitcoin network’s congestion and higher transaction fees, Glassnode data showed.
Bitcoin, Ether edge up; Litecoin leads winners, Matic the losers; U.S. equity futures flat
Bitcoin edged higher on Wednesday morning in Asia to hold above the US$27,500 mark. Ether also gained. Other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens traded mixed.
Bitcoin, Ether fall; Polygon, Solana lead losers; Asian equities, U.S. stock futures drop
Bitcoin dropped 1.25% and Ether fell 0.25% in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also dropped.
Bitcoin transaction fees surge, El Salvador users suffer consequences
Skyrocketing activity has led to a surge in average Bitcoin transaction fees — which rose to US$31.15 as of March 8 — exerting increasing pressure on users in low- and middle- income economies including Bitcoin-reliant communities in El Salvador, the first country to implement mass adoption of the digital currency.
Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 9th
Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 9, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bittrex U.S. has filed for bankruptcy after the Securities and Exchange Commission accused it of operating an unlicensed exchange a few weeks ago. Bitcoin and Ethereum, have continued to drop in prices as a […]
Bitcoin falls below US$28,000, Ether declines, Litecoin slips further, US equity futures stall
Bitcoin fell below US$28,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia as memecoin hype clogged the network and drove up transaction fees. Ether and all other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens dropped.
Bitcoin, Ether drop; Polkadot, XRP biggest losers; Asian equities gain
Bitcoin, Ether fell in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Polkadot and XRP led the losers in that list.
Crypto and NFT Market Update – May 8th
Welcome to The Daily Forkast, May 8, 2023, presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Binance halted Bitcoin withdrawals twice today as a result of an influx of pending transactions and sky-rocketing fees. The Ethereum Foundation sold US$30 million worth of Ethereum to Kraken as well, leading to slight dips in […]
India not against blockchain tech, but cryptocurrency should be monitored, says FM
India is not against the blockchain technology, but currencies have to be monitored by either the government or the central bank, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday.
Prosecutor says Terra-Luna fugitive Do Kwon should face trial in South Korea: WSJ
The prosecutor leading Korea’s investigation into the Terra-Luna project said its founder Do Kwon should be extradited to Seoul to face trial.
Binance resumes Bitcoin withdrawals after halting transactions twice in 12 hours
Binance resumed withdrawals of Bitcoin around Monday noon in Hong Kong after temporarily halting the service twice within 12 hours due to what the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange said was a “large volume of pending transactions.”
Bitcoin, Ether fall; XRP leads losers as top 10 tokens lose steam; US equity futures flat
Bitcoin fell in Monday morning trading in Asia after failing to breach the US$30,000 ceiling over the weekend. Ether dropped below the US$1,900 mark.
Central bank digital assets can legitimize risk in the crypto space, says Standard Chartered’s Geoff Kendrick
In the second installment of a three-part interview series, Geoff Kendrick, head of crypto research and EM FX West at Standard Chartered Bank, talks altcoins, stablecoins and the legitimization of crypto risk through central bank digital assets.
Pepe, Floki to list on Binance exchange
PEPE and FLOKI, the two top trending memecoins that saw the biggest gains on Friday, will be listed on Binance at 12 a.m. Hong Kong time Saturday
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin rises above US$29,000, Ether recaptures US$1,900
Bitcoin inched above US$29,000 on Friday, as concerns over the health of the banking system have been reignited. Industry experts tell Forkast that banking troubles could fuel Bitcoin values, which face significant resistance above US$29,500.
Central Banks’ actions move Crypto; Standard Chartered eyes $100K Bitcoin
Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Forkast Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions. Coming up on today’s show: JPMorgan Chase set to rescue First Republic Bank. CITI cuts Coinbase stock Weekly crypto market wrap; “US$100K for Bitcoin” – Standard Chartered report; Weekly NFT market […]
Bitcoin rises, Solana leads losses across top 10 cryptos, U.S. dollar slides amid banking sector concerns
Bitcoin rose while Ether fell in Thursday afternoon trade in Asia, with declines across most of the other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana’s SOL token was the biggest loser of the day.
Bitcoin rediscovers its mojo as banks stumble, says Standard Chartered’s Geoff Kendrick
Against a backdrop of increasing turmoil in traditional banking, Bitcoin is on a four-month winning run that could, tailwinds permitting, soon turn into a surge.