August 2022
India’s WazirX to delist EasyFi
Indian cryptocurrency exchange WazirX will delist and cease trading on all trading pairs for EasyFi (EZ) on Aug. 11. It will continue to support withdrawals of these tokens from WazirX until Nov. 12. See related article: Binance to stop off-chain transfers with India’s WazirX Fast facts WazirX periodically reviews each digital asset it lists and […]
Business as usual at India’s WazirX as Binance distances itself
Indian crypto exchange WazirX said its operations are being conducted as usual, even after Binance denied owning equity in Zanmai Labs, the entity operating WazirX. The spat over ownership — Binance had reportedly acquired WazirX in 2019 — surfaced after Indian authorities reportedly froze US$8 million in WazirX assets, alleging possible violation of foreign exchange laws. […]
Indian startup tries to solve country’s crypto tax nightmare
An Indian firm providing crypto tax calculation services is introducing a software as a service (SAAS)-based solution to tackle India’s myriad crypto taxation regime. See related article: India’s latest tax assault on crypto exchanges starts Friday Fast facts SAAS-based TaxCryp software aims to simplify tax computation, compliance and reporting requirements, India-based TaxCryp Technologies said on […]
Chiliz CHZ jumps 25% on Socios, FC Barcelona partnership
Chiliz (CHZ) cryptocurrency jumped as much as 25% on Monday evening in Asia after announcing a US$100 million investment in FC Barcelona’s Barça Studios for a 24.5% stake in the soccer club’s digital content and distribution hub. See related article: South Korea’s Ifland metaverse dives into play-to-earn Fast facts Under the partnership, Socios.com and Chiliz […]
Digital Treasures Center latest to win Singapore’s crypto license
Digital Treasures Center (DTC) became the latest firm to receive the Major Payment Institution (MPI) license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to become a regulated Digital Payment Token (DPT) services provider, the company announced on Monday. See related article: Singapore’s central bank says cryptocurrencies have ‘no fundamental value’ Fast facts A full license […]
July 2022
Komainu latest to get Dubai’s approval to operate
Digital assets company Komainu has received a provisional license from the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to offer cryptocurrency products and services to institutional clients in Dubai, CoinDesk said in a report. See related article: Dubai could be crypto’s promised land, Citi says Fast facts Komainu is the latest to receive approval from Dubai […]
Crypto exchange Bullish’s 2Q average daily volume rises 3-fold on the quarter
Average daily volumes (ADV) at Bullish cryptocurrency exchange in the second quarter of the year rose by about 212% to US$522 million, up from US$167 million in the first quarter, according to a business update released on July 26. The exchange is operated by Bullish (GI) Limited and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission. […]
Philippine central bank governor says no plan to ban crypto
New Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla is no fan of crypto, but in an exclusive interview with Forkast, he said there’s no plan to outlaw the digital asset.
Taiwan says credit cards can’t be used to buy crypto
Taiwan’s financial regulator is asking banks and credit card companies not to allow credit cards as a means of payment for virtual assets services, local media reported Thursday. See related article: Taiwan has a chance to develop crypto amid China’s clampdown, Filecoin Foundation director says Fast facts Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission Friday told Forkast that […]
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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.
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 […]
Most Indian traders impacted by India’s crypto tax: survey
India’s 30% tax on cryptocurrencies, which met with a public outcry, has deterred the trading frequency of 83% traders, according to a survey conducted by crypto exchanges WazirX and ZebPay. See related article: Only the big fish will survive as India cracks the whip on crypto: Binance-backed WazirX Fast facts The survey included 9,500 respondents […]
Vauld halts withdrawals, trading, deposits; explores restructuring
Vauld has suspended all withdrawals, trading and deposits on its platform, the Singapore-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange said on Monday. See related article: Three Arrows Capital files for Chapter 15 bankruptcy Fast facts The firm, backed by PayPal founder Peter Thiel’s Valar Ventures, Pantera Capital and Coinbase Ventures, said it is exploring “potential restructuring options.” Vauld said […]
Singapore may limit retail participation in crypto
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is mulling additional consumer protection safeguards on crypto, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the minister in charge of the central bank, told Parliament. See related article: Singapore’s central bank says cryptocurrencies have ‘no fundamental value’ Fast facts MAS is considering introducing rules on the use of leverage and limits on retail participation […]
Indian crypto trading volume drops as much as 63% after new tax
Trading volume in Indian cryptocurrency exchanges dropped by as much as 63% since July 1, when a 1% tax deducted at source (TDS) was imposed. See related article: India’s latest tax assault on crypto exchanges starts Friday Fast facts Daily trading volume at cryptocurrency exchange WazirX fell more than 63% on July 1 to US$5.36 […]
June 2022
Why tougher crypto regulations are urgently needed
Lack of public trust remain a big barrier to crypto adoption, writes Tristan Roozendaal. Here’s why regulators should ‘move fast and break things.’
India tax authorities to discuss 28% GST on crypto trading next week
Indian tax authorities will meet for two days starting June 28 to discuss a goods and services tax (GST) on cryptocurrency transactions, according to a Bloomberg report that cited unidentified sources. See related article: India’s tax bogeyman is scaring off young crypto investors Fast facts A panel comprising federal and state finance ministers will meet […]
May 2022
Indian crypto traders may pay tax for using foreign exchanges: report
The Indian government may impose a reverse charge goods and services tax (GST) on cryptocurrency investors using foreign exchanges, according to a local media report. See related article: India GST Council weighs 28% tax on crypto transactions Fast facts The reverse charge would levy a goods and services tax on the investor instead of the […]
Coinbase shares extend free fall on drop in crypto trading, loss
Coinbase shares are down some 80% from their 52-week high of US$368.90 a share on Nov. 9 through Monday, closing at US$72.99. The stock dropped 19.5% overnight after the U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange reported a Q1 net loss of US$430 million as trading volume declined 44%. See related article: Coinbase NFT marketplace is now open to […]
The Mooch is back, and batting for crypto!
Anthony Scaramucci, founder of investment firm SkyBridge Capital and former White House communications director, says governments such as those in China and the US will inevitably allow for people to own and trade cryptocurrencies.
The problems with retail crypto trading — and how to solve them
Young investors demand more accessibility, transparency and accountability than traders of yore, writes Joe Jowett of StrikeX. What are the solutions?
April 2022
India’s crypto exchanges switch to P2P, bank transfers
Crypto exchanges in India are switching to facilitating user-to-user bank transfers and inward remittances to work around a withdrawal of support from the developer of the country’s ubiquitous UPI payments system, local media report. See related article: Coinbase snafu sets the cat among the crypto pigeons in India Fast facts Indian cryptocurrency exchanges are trying […]
DBS Bank slams brakes on retail crypto trading
Singapore’s largest lender won’t expand cryptocurrency trading on its exchange to retail investors any time soon due to “regulatory restrictions” in the island state. See related article: How Singapore is reimagining its ‘Asian crypto hub’ image Fast facts CEO Piyush Gupta said that regulatory agencies are “rightfully concerned” about holding back cryptocurrency trading for retail […]
February 2022
Pakistan’s crypto warning; Indian banks’ crypto reluctance
Pakistan’s State Bank governor warns crypto’s risks, also in India, banks show crypto reluctancy.
Binance US under probe for ties with trading affiliates: report
The U.S. securities watchdog has launched a probe into crypto exchange Binance’s relationship with two trading firms with ties to founder Changpeng Zhao, the Wall Street Journal reported. Fast facts The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is examining whether Binance’s U.S. arm properly discloses to users its links to two trading firms — Sigma Chain […]
Bitcoin outperforms tech stocks by 12% average in last 30 days
Bitcoin has continued to outperform traditional investment vehicles with the digital asset leading over major tech stocks in the last 30 days, according to Finbold. Fast facts Bitcoin outperformed the top six tech stocks by an average return on investment (ROI) of 12.24% as of Feb. 13. Bitcoin significantly outpaced Meta by 46.74%, followed by […]
India to place 30% tax on crypto income
Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her budget speech on Tuesday that a 30% tax will be levied on income from all cryptocurrency or digital assets transfers. Fast facts The levy on cryptocurrency will also apply to non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and gifts, where the recipient will be taxed. In case of losses from crypto […]
January 2022
Are crypto e-red packets a thing for the Lunar New Year?
Digital payments are commonplace in Asia, but gifting crypto as lucky money remains niche.
BTFD is more than a meme — it’s a revolution
Savvy cryptocurrency investors now know what the biggest players have long done, writes Michal Cymbalisty of Domination Finance — ‘buying the f* dip!’
Besides crypto, what other digital assets can you invest in?
Have you already made your first Bitcoin trade? Perhaps you already have and would like to know more about other digital assets. This Forkast.News video explainer explores what investors can hold in their portfolios as alternatives to cryptocurrency. What you’ll learn: What digital assets can you invest in other than Bitcoin and altcoins? What are […]
November 2021
Norway considers banning Bitcoin mining while Laos embraces it
The Scandinavian country is concerned with potential environmental harm, while the debt-laden SE Asia nation seeks to regulate.
Indonesia’s top Islamic council says crypto use is forbidden for Muslims: report
The religious body’s decision comes after the country saw crypto transaction growth earlier this year.
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
October 2021
Taxing crypto, but not BTS NFTs? Virtual asset tax debate continues in South Korea
The South Korean government pushes forward its plan to tax crypto income beginning in January while investors and lawmakers criticize the pending tax law for its loopholes, with one lawmaker mentioning NFT goods of K-pop mega-group BTS. Fast facts The National Tax Service (NTS) of Korea met with 28 domestic cryptocurrency exchanges earlier this week […]
Proshares files for exemption; Shiba Inu hits all-time high
Proshares files for exemption meanwhile Shiba Inu hits all-time high
Trick of the trade: Is SEC helping or reining in Bitcoin with ETF?
Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Bitcoin grows up. Facebook’s metaverse journey. China’s crypto investors find a workaround.
Crypto trading platform Bakkt goes public
U.S.-based Bakkt, a cryptocurrency custodian and trading platform, went public Monday on the New York Stock Exchange after an announcement by Intercontinental Exchange, or ICE, which owns Bakkt and the NYSE. Fast facts Unlike its competitor Coinbase, which chose a direct listing on Nasdaq, Bakkt is going public by merging with a special-purpose acquisition company, […]
20% crypto tax is critical issue in next South Korea presidential election
Candidates and possible contenders in South Korea’s next presidential election call for delaying a plan to tax virtual assets — currently scheduled to begin in January — in a bid to appeal to millennial and Generation Z voters. Fast facts Lawmakers from both the ruling democratic party and the opposition party have spoken out against […]
September 2021
A crypto-trading hamster is outrunning Warren Buffett
Although scarcely the size of a human palm, Mr. Goxx is earning big returns in the virtual currency market, raking in a 16% return as of Tuesday.
Unmade in China: Beijing’s crypto cold war turns hot
Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Beijing’s crypto crusade comes to a head. Chinese mining caves in. Mr. Goxx reaps robust returns.
CFTC slaps $1.25M fine on crypto exchange Kraken for illegal offerings
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has slapped a US$1.25 million fine on Kraken, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the U.S., for Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) violations, the CFTC announced yesterday. Fast facts The CFTC, in its settlement with Payward Ventures Inc., the San Francisco-based company doing business under the name Kraken, said […]
Ban or no ban, Indian crypto industry is thriving
India’s crypto industry will grow over 200% to reach $241M by 2030, a new study says.
Banks blocking transactions? No problem. Indians find ways to continue trading crypto
As major banks distance themselves from crypto business, alternative trading methods like peer-to-peer transfers are gaining popularity among investors
The cryptocurrency industry’s liquidity issues — and an effort to solve them
Broctagon Fintech Group is launching what it hopes will become a new global standard for cryptocurrency exchanges to reduce price discrepancies. Will it work?
Korea crypto damage assessed; Initium’s news based NFTs sell out
Korea crypto damage assessed meanwhile Initium’s news based NFTs sell out
August 2021
More teens in South Korea buy crypto despite strict pending regulations
New data shows increasing deposits made by teens in virtual currency despite new rules that may close down many platforms in less than a month.
Crypto bank in South Korea says it aims to comply with strict but unclear new law
Sandbank, a South Korean bank for virtual assets, says it is in the process of acquiring the necessary certification needed to legally operate in the country. However, the financial authorities have yet to decide whether their requirements apply to crypto banks. Fast facts In an announcement, Sandbank told its customers it has put acquiring the […]
Court in China says trading in cryptocurrency ‘not protected by law’
The ruling by Shandong’s High Court backs up China’s official stance against trading in cryptocurrencies. What does this mean for investors?