April 2023
US response to crypto is like ‘deer caught in headlights,’ says ex-CFTC chair
Christopher Giancarlo, the former chair of the CFTC, said the U.S. is resisting cryptocurrency innovation due to its threat to vested interests in the financial system.
Bitcoin, Ether, top 10 cryptos rise; Asian equity markets mixed
Bitcoin and Ether rose on Wednesday trade in Asia, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies, with Solana and Cardano leading the way.
Crypto sell off continues; Coinbase asks SEC for answers
Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 25, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung. In an unexpected twist of events, Coinbase is suing the United States Securities and Exchanges Commission after receiving a Wells notice from them just last month. The crypto markets haven’t reacted to this news well, and after a rough start to […]
Coinbase ups the ante with SEC, asking court to require crypto clarity from regulator
Coinbase sued the U.S. SEC on Monday, asking that a court require the regulator to publicly respond to the Coinbase July 2022 petition asking for clearer crypto regulation guidelines.
Crypto leaders need to collaborate with regulators more — for the industry’s own good
A clear and balanced legal framework will encourage more crypto investment, while the industry can promote best practices, writes Mahin Gupta of Liminal.
Bitcoin falls to near US$28,000, Ether flat, U.S. equities slide on rate hike worries
Bitcoin fell to near US$28,000 on Friday morning in Asia, with Ether trading flat and most other top 10 non-stablecoin tokens losing steam.
Bittrex in SEC’s crosshairs as compliance lawsuits keep coming
Top blockchain and crypto news: Bittrex in SEC line of fire. Bored Apes fall after whale sale. Chinese banks court crypto clients.
Bitcoin gains, holds above US$30,000; Solana, BNB biggest losers in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin rose and traded above US$30,000 on Wednesday afternoon in Asia, while Ether fell along with most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana lost the most, followed by Binance’s BNB token.
Bitcoin reclaims US$30,000, Ether heads higher after grilling of SEC’s Gensler; Polkadot leads winners
Bitcoin rebounded above US$30,000 on Wednesday morning in Asia. All top 10 tokens rose after SEC chair Gary Gensler was criticized at a congressional hearing for his approach to digital assets.
SEC’s Gary Gensler dodges question on whether Ethereum is a security
SEC Chair Gary Gensler did not give a direct answer when asked whether Ether is a security or a commodity at a congressional oversight hearing on Tuesday.
Bitcoin slips, Ether inches above US$2,100
Bitcoin dropped on Tuesday afternoon in Asia but remained above US$29,000, while Ether and most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies gained. Dogecoin and Solana fell on the day and rose on the week.
Bitcoin, Ether, other crypto fall as SEC waves big stick; Dogecoin gains; U.S. equity futures flat
Bitcoin, Ether and most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies dipped Tuesday morning in Asia after the SEC sued crypto exchange Bittrex on Monday.
Bittrex cryptocurrency exchange rejects U.S. SEC charges it offered unregistered securities
Seattle-based crypto exchange Bittrex Inc. has rejected charges by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it and co-founder Bill Shihara operated an unregistered national securities exchange, broker and clearing agency. The SEC filed the charges on Monday. See related article: U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex lays off 83 employees Fast facts See related article: U.S. SEC […]
SEC ‘crypto mom’ Hester Peirce attacks U.S. regulator’s new exchange definition on DeFi
SEC member Hester Peirce has criticized the regulatory agency for its proposal that seeks to expand the definition of an “exchange” to DeFi platforms.
Kraken to withdraw US$1.17 bln of staked Ether in line with SEC ruling, settlement
As part of its February settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S.-based Kraken crypto exchange has submitted the largest Ether withdrawal request since Wednesday’s upgrade to the Ethereum blockchain. The SEC ordered Kraken to shut down what it called unregistered staking programs.
Crypto firms hardpressed to find U.S. bank partners as industry blames ‘Operation Choke Point 2.0’
NYDFS superintendent Harris called the idea of Operation Choke Point 2.0 “ludicrous,” but industry participants largely disagree. Was the shutdown of the three largest crypto-friendly institutions a coordinated effort to unbank crypto?
Bitcoin slips but remains above US$30,000 ahead of U.S. inflation data
Bitcoin slipped in Wednesday afternoon trade in Asia but remained above the US$30,000 mark. Ether prices sank, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Cardano and Dogecoin as the biggest losers.
U.S. SEC committee urges ‘aggressive enforcement’ on crypto, says most tokens are securities
The U.S. SEC Investor Advisory Committee urged the federal agency to continue its aggressive enforcement on crypto players that offer unregistered securities.
Bitcoin holds above US$28,000, Dogecoin rises most in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin and Ether rose in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Singapore developing guidelines for banks on crypto clients: Bloomberg
The Monetary Authority of Singapore is reportedly working on guidelines to help local banks vet and provide banking services to cryptocurrency clients
Bitcoin holds above US$28,000, Ether rises most in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin remained above US$28,000 in Wednesday trade in Asia. Ether made the most gains as the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization increased, except Dogecoin.
Bittrex crypto exchange to shutter U.S. operations due to regulatory uncertainty
Seattle-based crypto exchange Bittrex, Inc. will wind down its U.S. operations from April 30, citing continued regulatory uncertainty in the region.
March 2023
Crypto platforms need regulation as form of investor protection: HK’s SFC chief
Government officials from Hong Kong and mainland China talked about cryptocurrencies at the Boao Forum in China, as both chase Web3 ambitions.
Bitcoin fluctuates to hold US$28,000, Binance BNB token rises despite regulatory threat
Bitcoin dipped in Friday morning trading in Asia but held above US$28,000. The top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies traded mixed. Binance’s BNB led the winners.
Bitcoin climbs above US$28,000, XRP leads winners for the week, U.S. equities jump
Bitcoin edged above US$28,000 in Thursday morning in Asia amid a broad rally in most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.
SEC Chair urges more resources to regulate crypto and technology at House Subcommittee hearing
SEC Chair urges for increased funding to address challenges posed by crypto markets and rapid technological innovation during House Subcommittee testimony.
Ripple exec says innovation is leaving the US.
As US authorities continue to police crypto regulations, we take a look at the direction the country’s crypto innovation is headed.
Binance faces legal battle as US regulator gets ready to rumble
Top blockchain and crypto news: Binance targeted in CFTC lawsuit. Law catches up with Do Kwon. Chinese banks bet on Hong Kong crypto.
Bitcoin rebounds above US$28,000, XRP leads gains among top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin rallied above US$28,000 in Wednesday afternoon trade in Asia after losing ground earlier in the week when U.S. regulators filed a lawsuit against Binance, the world’s biggest crypto exchange, for allegedly breaching trading rules.
Binance sees US$627 mln in net Ethereum outflow following CFTC lawsuit
Binance saw about US$627 million in net Ethereum-related withdrawals in the 24 hours through Tuesday morning, data from blockchain analytics platform Nansen showed.
Asia leads crypto regulations, innovation may leave the US, says Ripple’s Long
Asia-Pacific nation are leading the way in developing global cryptocurrency regulations that favor innovation, which is something that U.S. regulators should also take note of, said Ripple Labs Inc. President Monica Long
Binance rejects U.S. charges of violating trading rules, manipulating markets
Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said the charges are “an unexpected and disappointing civil complaint” in response to the CFTC lawsuit filed on Monday against him and the world’s largest crypto exchange.
Bitcoin, other crypto fall as U.S. sues Binance; U.S. equities gain as banks stabilize
Bitcoin fell Tuesday morning in Asia along with most other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies after the U.S. filed a lawsuit against Binance.
Bitcoin rises, most top 10 cryptos drop, amid mixed signals on state of banking sector
Bitcoin rose while Ether and most of the other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies fell during afternoon trading in Asia on Monday.
Bitcoin gains as investors diversify amid worries about banking system; U.S. equity futures rise
Bitcoin and the other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies rose on Monday morning in Asia, as investors diversify amid the ongoing banking turmoil.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin hovers around US$28,000 as banking concerns return. Will it hit US$30,000?
As banking contagion worries reignited, Bitcoin traded firmly above US$28,000 for most of the week. Considering that Bitcoin was made for a potential banking crisis, industry experts are eyeing the US$30,000 mark for BTC.
Cryptocurrencies bounce back despite fed rate hike
Most cryptocurrencies saw a huge increase in price over the past week.
Bitcoin, Ether, Forkast 500 NFT index rise; gold nears year-high over banking sector concerns
Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Friday, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Litecoin posting the biggest gains.
Bitcoin rebounds above US$28,000 as equities gain in U.S. on Treasury easing bank worries
Bitcoin bounced back above US$28,000 on Friday morning in Asia amid a rebound in all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies and gains in equities overnight.
Bitcoin, Ether, Forkast 500 NFT index fall, gold rises, as Janet Yellen rules out broad bank deposit insurance
Bitcoin and Ether fell during Asian trading hours on Friday, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Binance’s BNB sustaining the biggest loss in the top 10.
Bitcoin, other cryptos drop as Fed raises interest rates
The Fed’s decision to hike rates by 25 basis points was along expected lines. So, why are the markets sulking?
Bitcoin tracks equities lower on downbeat Fed, Treasury comments on banks
Bitcoin fell on Thursday morning in Asia, tracking equities lower after the U.S. Fed indicated interest rates could stay higher for longer.
Bitcoin rises above US$28,000; XRP biggest gainer in top 10 cryptos
Bitcoin continued to trade above US$28,000 on Wednesday afternoon in Asia. Ether also rose, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies with XRP and Cardano leading gains.
Internal Revenue Service in U.S. solicits public opinions on proposed NFT taxes
The IRS intends to tax NFTs as collectibles in the U.S. and is soliciting public opinions on the proposal through June.
Bitcoin moves above US$28,000, Ether gains, XRP surges, U.S. equities rally
Bitcoin held above US$28,000 on Wednesday morning in Asia amid a rebound in most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. XRP led the winners.
Indian crypto exchange WazirX blocks over 2,400 accounts in 6 months
WazirX, India’s largest crypto exchange by trade volume, has blacklisted over 2,431 accounts between October 2022 and March 2023, based on its internal monitoring process as well as under the direction of law enforcement agencies (LEA).
Bitcoin, Ether extend losses; all eyes on U.S. interest rates
Bitcoin and Ether fell in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia after rallying through the past week, while financial authorities injected cash into markets to ease liquidity pressures and took other steps to address concerns over a banking sector crisis in the U.S. and Europe.
Bitcoin treads water, other crypto retreat ahead of U.S. Fed’s decision on interest rates
Bitcoin traded flat below US$28,000 on Tuesday morning in Asia. Most other top cryptocurrencies retreated ahead of a U.S. decision on interest rates.
Singapore to publish crypto, stablecoin consultation feedback by mid-2023
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) aims to publish cryptocurrency and stablecoin consultations feedback by the middle of this year, it said Monday.
Bitcoin rises past US$28,000, most other top 10 cryptos gain
Bitcoin traded above US$28,000 on Monday afternoon in Asia, a gain of 25% over last week, as a banking crisis in the U.S. and Europe prompted traders to see Bitcoin as a safe haven.
Bitcoin leads crypto rally as central banks promise liquidity to stem rising bank risk
Bitcoin briefly breached US$28,000 at the weekend in a bullish run extending into Monday morning in Asia amid worries about bank risk.
Signum Digital says it won first approval to offer security tokens in Hong Kong
Signum Digital said it’s the first company to win preliminary approval in Hong Kong to operate a platform to trade security tokens.
Who should be held responsible for the Silvergate Bank and SVB crises?
As bank after bank topples, fingers are pointing everywhere. But crypto is not to be blamed for this unfolding crisis, writes Winston Hsiao of XREX.
Ripple executives say XRP lawsuit ruling will have little impact on global business operations
The court ruling in a lawsuit brought by the SEC against Ripple will have minimal impact on the company’s business, APAC policy director Rahul Advani said.
US accuses exiled Chinese tycoon Guo Wengui of $1 billion crypto-linked fraud
Guo Wengui, an exiled Chinese billionaire, was arrested in New York on Wednesday for allegedly orchestrating a more than US$1 billion fraud conspiracy that included cryptocurrency, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). See related article: U.S. banking regulators warn against cryptocurrency fraud, contagion risks Fast facts […]
Voyager-Binance.US’ $1 bln deal should be put on hold, says U.S. Department of Justice
A deal valued at over US$1 billion between Binance.US and Voyager should be put on hold while key legal objections are worked out, says U.S. government.
Bitcoin, Ether, Forkast 500 NFT index extend gains; U.S. banking crisis concerns ease as inflation slows to 6%
Bitcoin and Ether rose on Wednesday afternoon in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana and Polygon were the biggest gainers, both rising above 5% in the last 24 hours.
India imposes money laundering regulations on crypto industry
India’s crime fighting agencies have been investigating crypto exchanges and individuals on money laundering charges and have now put the onus on exchanges to report suspicious transactions.
Bitcoin, Ether extend gains as U.S. regulators take charge of banking industry turmoil
Bitcoin and Ether rose the most in the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization on Tuesday afternoon in Asia. Cryptocurrencies have been on a rebound since U.S. regulators took charge of the failures in the banking industry and moved to protect deposits across crypto-linked banks.
Bitcoin, Ether gain after U.S. regulators take charge to shield deposits across crypto-related banks
Bitcoin and Ether gained in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, after U.S. regulators took charge of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, both with exposure to crypto industry, protecting deposits and confirming that no losses will be borne by the taxpayer.
Weekly Market Wrap: Bitcoin falls below US$20,000 as Silvergate collapse, rate hike concerns rise
Bitcoin fell below US$20,000 for the first time since Jan. 13 on the back of crypto bank Silvergate’s collapse and the U.S. Fed signaling higher than expected interest rate hikes.
Bitcoin, Ether, Forkast 500 NFT index close lower on the day
Bitcoin and Ether tumbled during Asia trading hours on Friday afternoon, with Dogecoin leading losses among the top 10 largest non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, pressured by crypto bank Silvergate’s liquidation
New York attorney general sues KuCoin for ‘falsely representing itself as an exchange’
The NY State Attorney General is suing crypto exchange Kucoin for not registering as a securities and commodities broker-dealer and calling itself an exchange.
Bitcoin, Ether slump in broad sell-off amid Fed red flags on rates, Silvergate Bank failure
Bitcoin and other leading cryptocurrencies slid Friday morning in Asia, tracking equities amid red flags on interest rates and concern about fallout from the Silvergate collapse.
CFTC chair calls Ethereum a commodity, in contrast to SEC chair Gensler’s position
CFTC chair Rostin Behnam has called Ethereum a commodity and not a security, in apparent contrast to past statements from SEC Chairman Gary Gensler.
Bitcoin, Ether fall amid interest rate hike fears, Silvergate liquidation; Forkast NFT 500 index slips 0.79%
Bitcoin and Ether fell in evening trading in Asia Thursday, with XRP the sole gainer in 24 hours among the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market cap.
Voyager gains court approval to sell assets to Binance U.S. in US$1.3 bln deal
Bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital received court approval from bankruptcy Judge Michael Wiles on Tuesday to sell its assets and transfer its customers to Binance’s U.S. arm, in a US$1.3 billion deal.
Bitcoin, Ether fall amid U.S. Fed chair warning of more interest rate hikes; Forkast NFT 500 index slips 0.65%
Bitcoin and Ether fell in afternoon trading in Asia on Wednesday, with XRP the sole gainer among the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market cap.
Fed’s Powell says stablecoins could have role in financial sector if properly regulated
Stablecoins could have a place in the U.S. financial services sector if appropriate regulation is put in place, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said on Tuesday at a hearing before Congress.
Bitcoin dips, Ether little changed, with top 10 crypto mixed following U.S. equity slump
Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies traded mixed on Wednesday morning in Asia, largely shrugging off the slump in U.S. equities overnight.