Government

The FDIC tries to deter banks from doing business with crypto firms. Meanwhile. Genesis CEO steps down amidst reshuffle.

Bitcoin and Ether fell in Thursday morning trading in Asia, along with all other cryptocurrencies on the top 10 list by capitalization, with the exception of XRP.  U.S. equities were weaker overnight as Federal Open Market Committee minutes released on Wednesday indicated interest rates in the U.S. will continue rising until inflation is brought under […]

The Federal Reserve issues new crypto banking guidelines. Meanwhile, Singaporean crypto exchange Coinhako plans an expansion.

Cross currents: BlackRock Inc, the world’s biggest money manager, is talking about Bitcoin opportunities amid a market slump. Singapore’s Coinhako looks to have similar ideas.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has fought back in its lawsuit against Ripple Labs with a reply brief in support of its objections to orders that asked the SEC to disclose drafts of a 2018 speech made by former SEC director William Hinman. See related article: Judge grants Ripple’s request to review videos of […]

The U.S  Federal Reserve published what it called “final guidelines” for how crypto banks could be granted “master accounts” that are needed to transact directly with the Fed and the broader global banking system.  See related article: Federal Reserve to taper bond purchases, prompting concerns over BTC impact  Fast facts The Fed referred to these […]

U.S. judge Sarah Netburn on Sunday granted Ripple Labs’ motion to serve two subpoenas to authenticate seven video recordings in which U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissions officials made public remarks. See related article: XRP trades down 3.5% after Ripple unlocks 1 billion tokens from escrow Fast facts The judge’s order comes in response to Ripple’s […]

Indian crypto exchange Bitbns said on Thursday that withdrawals in Indian rupees (INR) have been delayed as law enforcement officers have blocked its bank account.  See related article: India authorities freeze Vauld exchange’s assets worth $46.5 mln Fast facts “If a cybercrime case is raised for say even an amount of 10,000 Indian rupees (US$125), […]

India’s Enforcement Directorate is investigating at least 10 cryptocurrency exchanges for alleged money laundering, according to The Economic Times

Nasdaq-listed Coinbase Global is under investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its token listing processes and its staking programs and yield-generating products, according to the company’s most recent quarterly report. See related article: Former Coinbase manager arrested on insider trading charges Fast facts “[Coinbase] has received investigative subpoenas and requests from […]

What’s a crypto trader to do when the government freezes exchange assets, sparking a war of words between supposedly ‘merged’ exchanges?

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – August 9, 2022 – presented by Angie Lau. Coming up on today’s show: US lawmakers aim to push Fed on digital dollar. Circle freezes smart contract addresses linked to blacklisted Tornado Cash. Also, Hodlnaut freezes withdrawals, swaps and deposits. Zipmex to release specific amounts of Bitcoin and Ether. And […]

US Senate proposes the CFTC takes responsibility of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Meanwhile, Philippine authorities warn against Binance

India’s government doesn’t like cryptocurrencies and has made that clear in statements and with heavy taxes on the asset class, but what does that say about blockchain adoption?

India’s Directorate of Enforcement (ED), responsible for enforcing economic laws and fighting economic crime, is investigating two cases against crypto exchange WazirX under the Foreign Exchange Management Act of 1999 (FEMA), reported local media. See related article: Only the big fish will survive as India cracks the whip on crypto: Binance-backed WazirX Fast facts Zanmai […]

The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee introduced a bill on Wednesday to put the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) at the helm of regulating all cryptocurrencies classified as commodities.  See related article: US crypto bill could undermine market protections: SEC, Gensler Fast facts The bill would give the CFTC “exclusive jurisdiction” over all “digital commodities,” which […]

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 […]

The ETH2 merge could once again be delayed. Meanwhile, Vitalik Buterin calls Michael Saylor “a total clown”.

U.S. banking regulators have ordered crypto lender Voyager Digital to stop making “false and misleading” claims that its customer’s funds were insured by the government. See related article: Three Arrows, Voyager failures raise questions of who is next in crypto fall from grace Fast facts The Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) […]

Bitcoin and Ethereum see significant gains in spite of Fed rate hike. Meanwhile, Dubai Police announces NFT launch.

A U.S. federal district court dismissed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s motion to revoke the “amici curiae” or “friends of the court” status granted to XRP holders in an order on Tuesday.  See related article: SEC wins time to resist crucial document handover to Ripple in XRP lawsuit Fast facts In a letter to […]

Both crypto and traditional markets saw significant gains overnight Monday in Asia after the U.S. Federal Reserve announced a 75-basis point interest rate increase to battle the worst inflation in the country in some 40 years. See related article: Fed may increase interest rates amid rising inflation Fast facts Interest rates in the U.S. are […]

Aiming to uncover the next “BTS in finance,” Chairman Kim Joo-hyun of the Korean Financial Services Commission (FSC) is calling for “bold reforms” in financial regulations, including in crypto assets.

Hong Kong-based digital asset trading platform OSL has started selling security tokens to institutional investors via a private placement, with the first purchasers including blockchain game company Animoca Brands, according to a press release on Tuesday. See related article: Chinese logistics network plans US fundraise via tokenized offerings Fast facts Each security token represents a […]

Crypto prices fall ahead of the Fed meeting. Meanwhile, the Philippines pushes for a crypto tax.

Bitcoin and Ether were trading lower in anticipation of an upcoming U.S. Fed meeting that is widely expected to raise interest rates by 75 basis points. See related article: Crypto market pain will continue but still bullish on Bitcoin lending: Silvergate Fast facts Bitcoin was trading at US$21,130 at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday HKT, down […]

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alleged in a civil suit filed last week that nine of the 25 crypto assets traded in the first-ever cryptocurrency insider trading case were securities and that leaking confidential information, therefore, amounted to securities fraud.  See related article: Former Coinbase manager arrested on insider trading charges Fast facts […]

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.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand (Thai SEC), has sought clarification from cryptocurrency exchange Zipmex on its decision to freeze withdrawals, according to a statement on its website.  See related article: Celsius bankruptcy deepens chill over crypto sector Fast facts The regulatory authority for Thailand’s capital markets, in a letter dated July 20 issued […]

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) arrested former Coinbase product manager Ishan Wahi and his brother, Nikhil Wahi, on allegations of wire fraud in a first-ever cryptocurrency insider trading scheme, the agency said in a statement on Thursday.  See related article: Former OpenSea employee arrested amid insider trading allegations Fast facts The Wahi brothers are […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

HGC Info Tech (HGC) announced Tuesday that it will start offering its securities tokens at U.S. digital asset exchange INX, as Chinese firms face delisting risks in the states due to regulatory differences. See related article: SEC places Chinese crypto mining rig maker Canaan on pre-delisting list Fast facts Xiamen-based HGC provides order matching and […]

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 […]

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 […]

The U.K. Treasury on Friday named Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) CEO Ashley Alder as chairman of the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). He is expected to start in January next year. See related article: UK finance watchdog to spend £11M to warn young people off crypto investment Fast facts See related article: […]

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 […]

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’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 […]

The Bank of England (BoE) called for stricter financial regulations on the back of the recent cryptocurrency crash in its Financial Stability Report released Tuesday. See related article: Crypto crash justifies RBI’s stance: central bank chief Fast facts Risk is growing with the cryptocurrency industry’s expanding connection with the wider financial system, the U.K. central […]

Singapore’s monetary authority mulls on crypto limits. Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao drops his NFT collection despite the crypto winter.

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 […]

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 […]

Investment firm VanEck has filed an application for a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), despite Grayscale’s application getting rejected on Tuesday.  See related article: Next step for spot Bitcoin ETF in the US may be a courtroom battle Fast facts VanEck had filed for a spot Bitcoin […]

The crash of Terra-LUNA threw the entire crypto space into a dark funk, and raised questions about the safety and role of stablecoins. CFTC Commissioner Caroline D. Pham offers a regulators’ viewpoint at a Forkast+ exclusive event.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has “reprimanded” cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC) for misleading information and ignoring assets under management (AUM) limits, the central bank said in a statement on Thursday.  See related article: Three Arrows Capital lines up for liquidation Fast facts In August 2013, 3AC obtained its registered fund management […]

Grayscale Investments filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within an hour of the markets regulator rejecting an application that would have allowed its spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) to trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). See related article: Bitcoin ETF rejection could trigger Greyscale to sue the SEC […]

The U.S. Federal Reserve has created a “self-inflicted disaster” with its “twin policy errors,” Pantera Capital’s chief executive officer Dan Morehead said. See related article: Bitcoin, Ether recover as Fed guidance reduces policy uncertainty Fast facts Keeping overnight rates too low for too long was a mistake that the Fed is now beginning to slowly […]

CoinFLEX to solve its liquidity problems by issuing a recovery token. Meanwhile, Singapore’s central bank doubts crypto capabilities.

Whither Singapore in the cryptocurrency world? The Monetary Authority of Singapore has some views on that and as with most markets, there are winners and losers.

CoinFLEX joins other exchanges in freezing withdrawals. Meanwhile, crypto investors in Singapore head for the exits.

One door closes and another opens, which seems to be what’s happening in Singapore as the crypto price slump restructures the trading environment.

Testifying before the Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday, the chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve said the central bank is “not really seeing significant macroeconomic implications so far” with regard to the recent cryptocurrency volatility. See related article: Bitcoin, Ether recover as Fed guidance reduces policy uncertainty Fast facts Powell testified at the Senate Banking […]

Terra UST’s crash and burn is prompting calls for regulations. But lawmakers shouldn’t paint all stablecoins with the same brush, writes Alan Chiu.

The Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange Wednesday said the approval toward a license will eventually allow it to offer a range of payment services in the city-state. See related article: Singapore warms up to crypto industry — on its own terms Fast facts Crypto.com has received an in-principle approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for […]

BlockFi’s Zac Prince says they have fully liquidated 3AC positions. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s central bank works with the Bank of Israel to study CBDC security.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and TRX recover as the Federal Reserve raises interest rates. Meanwhile, Three Arrows Capital faces liquidation concerns.

Despite short-term volatility weighing on prices, an inevitable easing of monetary policy in response to the pandemic and other crises means Bitcoin and other cryptos will find value as a hedge against runaway inflation, market participants tell Forkast.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies responded positively to the U.S. Federal Reserve’s move to raise interest rates by 75 basis points on Wednesday — the largest single increase since 1994 — in an effort to curb rising inflation. See related article: Crypto on a roller coaster as market braces for Fed guidance on rates Fast facts […]

Crypto markets posted some gains in Asia trading after a pummeling this week, but the sentiment shifted back to negative as markets across the board try to second-guess the Federal Reserve’s thinking on interest rates.

The USDD reserves sees US$500 million worth of USDC added to it. Meanwhile, the US Federal Reserve’s rate decision has the crypto market bracing for itself.

The recently proposed U.S. cryptocurrency bill could undermine the existing regulatory framework for broader capital markets, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler said on Tuesday. See related article: Hold onto your crypto bags, the regulators are coming Fast facts Speaking at the Wall Street Journal’s CFO Network Summit, Gensler said many crypto companies […]

Still recovering from the Terra-LUNA debacle that wiped off billions of dollars in investor wealth, people sold off cryptocurrencies amid a market slump over expectations that the Fed will act faster to tame inflation.

A proposed US crypto bill may place crypto under the CFTC’s primary oversight, but that won’t exclude the SEC from the industry, Sidley Austin’s Lilya Tessler says.

It’s been a ‘Waiting for Godot’ experience for the crypto industry regarding US approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF. A decision next month by the SEC could bring a lift to crypto markets or be a boon to lawyers.

The order said Do Kwon and Terraform Labs had sufficient contact with the US for the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate it for possible violations of federal securities laws.

Is El Salvador committing a major blunder in making Bitcoin legal tender — or finding its way out of the hell of dollarization? Bryan Hernandez explains.

Falling prices, an imploding stablecoin, and more reports of hacks have occupied the cryptocurrency headlines in recent weeks, so it’s perhaps no surprise that regulators have noticed and they intend to do something about it.

Before the development, only traditional assets like stocks, bonds, cash and real estate could be used for an individual to have access to complicated investment options in private markets, ADDX said.  See related article: ADDX, Fullerton partner to tokenize PE fund of funds Fast facts ADDX’s move signals crypto’s status as an asset class in […]

Leading crypto exchange Binance swats away double-helping of allegations. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s regulator scrutinises NFTs.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is reportedly looking into whether Binance violated any rules regarding the sale of securities when its BNB token was sold through an initial coin offering (ICO) in 2017. See related article: Binance’s venture arm raises US$500 mln to invest in Web3, blockchain Fast facts The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange […]