September 2021
DeFi benefits from China ban; Gamevil increases Coinone stake
DeFi benefits from China ban while Gamevil increases Coinone stake
After the crackdown: go underground, go along, or buy the dip?
Chinese social media has been abuzz since authorities lowered the boom on crypto. Forkast.News has been following the chatter. Here’s what they’re saying on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter.
Following crypto ban, digital wallet imToken restricts some access for China users
Decentralized wallet imToken is restricting access to some of the services it offers for users in China, in the wake of the latest ban imposed by top Chinese authorities last Friday. Fast facts The company has restricted users in China from accessing and using third-party financial applications, including those from decentralized crypto exchanges, stake mining […]
Why China’s latest stomp on crypto is turbo-charging DeFi growth
DeFi tokens like dYdX soared after China’s latest move to throttle crypto. Is this a short-term spurt or decentralized finance shifting into high gear?
Who in the world should worry about China’s new crypto ban?
As Chinese authorities take aim at crypto violations outside mainland borders, Forkast.News asks lawyers in the know: Who is in China’s line of fire?
How China’s crypto clampdowns could reshape the rest of the world
Against the global tide of digital asset adoption, China’s harshest crypto ban yet heralds golden opportunities, writes Richard Byworth of EQONEX. Other governments should take note.
Cabs in Chinese city Xi’an pilot digital RMB as fare
The Xi’an taxi industry and the Bank of Xi’an launched an e-CNY pilot program to accept e-CNY as fare, becoming the first city in China to accept digital renminbi as a taxi fare, a local newspaper reported. Fast facts Ten cabs selected as pilot vehicles have QR codes posted, and passengers can scan the QR […]
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.
BeePool, Tiger Brokers among the latest to respond to China’s crypto ban
China’s stepped-up cryptocurrency ban continues to send shockwaves through the industry, as more crypto service providers are shutting their doors to users in China. BeePool and Tiger Brokers are among the latest to announce service suspensions. Fast facts China-based BeePool, the fourth-largest Ethereum mining pool in hashrate, said Tuesday that it has stopped registering new […]
China fallout hits mining; Korea digital custody competition heats up
China fallout hits mining meanwhile Korea digital custody competition heats up
Ant Group and Tencent obtain the most blockchain patents in China: report
China saw a fivefold increase in blockchain patents last year despite the Covid-19 shutdown.
China’s BSN to set up foundation in Singapore to fuel international expansion
China’s Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) — a public-private nationwide infrastructure project to spur mass adoption of blockchain technology — is moving a step closer to more international exposure, as the company behind it is working to register a foundation based in Singapore. Fast facts Red Date Technology, the company China tapped to manage its BSN, […]
How central banks are wielding blockchain in soft power competition
China’s crypto ban is part of a global battle over freedom and ideology, writes Michael B. Greenwald. How can the US lead the world in a different path?
Crypto mining players continue to flee China as latest ban kicks in
China’s earlier efforts to eradicate mining may not have been as effective as the government had hoped, but Friday’s announcement is having an impact.
The curious timing behind China’s thunder and lightning at crypto
China assaulted crypto with a new ferocity just as Bitcoin options expired and Evergrande escaped death. Coincidence? Ben Caselin of AAX lays out the clues.
FTX CEO: This is the canary in China’s crypto ban coal mine
Amid China’s new clampdown, why is DeFi surging and the RMB-to-crypto market important? Sam Bankman-Fried analyzes what it all means and why FTX is leaving Hong Kong for a new home.
Chinese crypto exchange Huobi looks to the world as China shuts the door on crypto
Huobi’s diversified businesses outside of China reached nearly 70% in terms of trading volumes, and have been on the rise, its co-founder tells Forkast.News.
China’s crypto ban: what you need to know
How is China’s latest clampdown on crypto different from its previous bans — and how do authorities plan to catch the scofflaws? Henri Arslanian of PwC breaks it down.
Crypto markets shrug off China’s latest saber-rattling
Is China’s influence over Bitcoin and the global crypto market waning? Chinese exchanges get a thrashing as decentralized exchanges get happy on clampdown news.
What does China’s crypto ban really mean? Insights from the ground
China’s hardline stance against crypto is already rippling beyond its borders. A mainland crypto insider explains the global shakeup yet to come.
Chinese city adopts blockchain to track carbon emissions
Huzhou City in Zhejiang, a province in eastern China, announced the launch of a blockchain to track and record carbon emissions records. Fast facts The blockchain was built by Beijing Zhongdian Puhua Information Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of State Grid. The data will be provided to third-party carbon accounting agencies, governments, and individuals for […]
The9 teams up with Polygon and Protocol Labs on new NFT platform, game projects
The9 Ltd., a Chinese gaming company that pivoted earlier this year to cryptocurrency mining — along with Polygon and Protocol Labs — are forming an ecosystem collaboration on The9’s non-fungible token (NFT) platform NFTSTAR and GameFi play-to-earn projects. Fast facts The company said in a statement released on Thursday that NFTSTAR and The9’s GameFi projects will […]
Crypto market is shaken as China declares all crypto transactions illegal
Bitcoin and Ethereum prices fall after Beijing intensifies crackdown on crypto trading, mining.
BIT Mining invests in crypto site in Ohio to expand U.S. operation
The cryptocurrency mining industry is attracting more investment money. Hong Kong-headquartered crypto miner BIT Mining said it had entered into an agreement to jointly invest in a crypto mining data center in the U.S. state of Ohio, with access to power capacity of up to 85 megawatts. Fast facts The development of the Ohio mining […]
Digital yuan could come to overseas users to challenge dollar dominance: policy bank expert
China may be a small step closer to internationalizing the yuan, though its central bank says the e-CNY is now mostly tested for domestic use.
After Evergrande, will virtual real estate be the next alternative asset class?
The property market is increasingly expensive and out of reach for today’s younger generation. Digital land sales may hit home with some buyers.
Crypto investors brush off Evergrande
The cryptocurrency market has rebounded in the past 24 hours as news broke that China Evergrande Group, the second largest property developer in the world’s most populous nation, has taken a step back from falling off a potential debt cliff today. Fast facts While the overall cryptocurrency market is still down for the week, all […]
Chinese rig maker Canaan to buy back shares up to $20M to bring up valuation
Chinese crypto mining rig maker Canaan Inc. announced Monday that its board of directors has authorized a share repurchase program, in a signal of confidence in crypto mining’s future and a belief that its own stock is undervalued. Fast facts Nasdaq-listed Canaan said it may repurchase up to US$20 million worth of its outstanding American […]
Evergrande’s uncertainty rocks crypto market
Crypto investors and industry watchers are following closely the potential collapse of Chinese property giant Evergrande.
Conflux, Shanghai Maritime partner on offshore RMB stablecoin in free trade zone
A focus of China’s free trade and shipping, Shanghai will explore in pilot project cross border trading with offshore renminbi stablecoin.
4 Chinese cities to compete for inclusion in e-CNY pilot programs
Four Chinese cities announced they will compete for inclusion in the next batch of digital renminbi pilot projects. They are Guangzhou, Tianjin, Yiwu and Fuzhou. Fast facts Guangzhou and Tianjin have written their goals into their city’s “14th Five-Year Financial Industry Reform Plan,” and Yiwu’s plan has been reported to the State Council. Guangzhou is […]
China’s Inner Mongolia seeks out stealth crypto mining operations
China’s Inner Mongolia region — once a thriving cryptocurrency mining hub that has enacted a series of measures to rein in the sector — is tightening its crackdown by hiring a contractor to monitor and ferret out mining operations. Fast facts The Inner Mongolia Development and Reform Commission announced on Wednesday a bidding result for […]
China’s e-CNY rollout enters ‘sprint stage’ for Beijing Winter Olympics
Digital yuan expected to undergo its first crucial international test despite concerns it can be used as a surveillance tool.
China’s blockchain infrastructure project goes live in Hong Kong, Macau
Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) soft launch is the first attempt to roll out the state-backed ‘internet for blockchain’ outside of the Chinese mainland.
Litecoin unloved at Walmart. Cardano’s Alonzo upgrade. China takes aim at NFTs.
Top blockchain and crypto news: Walmart dispels Litecoin hoax. Cardano’s real work begins. Beijing bears down on NFTs.
2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou to sell torch NFTs supported by Alipay
Despite widespread criticism of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that has emerged in Chinese state-owned media, the 2022 Asian Games has announced the sale of its first NFT collection. Fast facts Organizers of the games, set to take place in September 2022 in Hangzhou, the capital city of the eastern province of Zhejiang, announced in a social […]
FTX hit by hack rumor; Korea updates crypto death note
FTX hit by hack rumor meanwhile Korea updates crypto death note
China’s e-CNY soft rollout continues, while Moody’s frowns at use of CBDCs in cross-border payments
A tourist spot in South China’s Hainan province to hand out digital yuan, while Shenzhen tests adoption for Hong Kong residents.
China’s Hebei and Gansu provinces to phase out crypto mining
More provinces in China are putting new limits on the cryptocurrency mining sector, as the country works toward its carbon neutrality goals and concerns over cryptocurrency trading loom. Fast facts Authorities in North China’s Hebei province today issued a notice to crack down on cryptocurrency mining and trading activities, saying that crypto mining consumes huge […]
China-run media outlet criticizes NFT platform as a payment risk
In the latest response to a growing interest in non-fungible tokens, Beijing Business Today faults an art marketplace.
China state mouthpiece criticizes NFT mania
A sister paper of the People’s Daily, Securities Times, published an opinion piece to criticize non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as hype and suggested the digital assets should serve the real economy by tokenizing actual assets. Fast facts The article offers as an example Justin Sun’s NFT purchase of a digital avatar for US$10.5 million and the […]
Hangzhou launches China’s first intellectual property blockchain certification platform
In another example of harnessing blockchain technology in the legal world, the Zhejiang Patent Office launched China’s first intellectual property blockchain certification platform on Thursday in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province’s capital city. Fast facts The platform provides users with a blockchain certification after they upload pictures or description documents of their original creation, such as art […]
Chinese game company’s stock price soars after announcing metaverse game
A Chinese game company, Zhong Qing Bao, announced a metaverse game, and its stock rose considerably this week for two days in a row. Fast facts The game’s name is Brew Master, a game that lets players pretend to be winemakers and trade the wines that they make as NFTs. Two days after the game […]
Bitcoin price plunges; Metaverse actions heats up in China
Bitcoin price plunges however Metaverse actions heats up in China
Digital-friendly services, products booming as China promotes e-CNY
In China, over 20 publicly listed companies have disclosed they are bringing to market e-CNY-related services and products, such as hardware wallets, a digital yuan payment system for schools, and a mobile phone SIM card that can pay for bike rentals with digital yuan at the tap of a phone, according to a report by […]
Poolin partners with crypto trading firm Quant Satoshi to expand US business
Poolin, a major cryptocurrency mining pool with significant operations in China, on Thursday announced a partnership with Quant Satoshi to further expand its mining operation in the U.S. Fast facts Poolin has partnered with Quant Satoshi, an American quantitative trading firm that focuses on crypto high frequency trading, to expand Poolin’s U.S. presence, the company […]
Securities exchange ADDX inks $200M deal to bring digital assets to Chinese investors
Singapore-based digital securities exchange ADDX today announced it had reached a US$200 million agreement that will give accredited investors in China access to digital securities covering various asset types, the company said. Fast facts According to a company statement, ADDX has reached an agreement with ICHAM, a Singapore-regulated wealth and fund management company, to be […]
BSN to launch South Korea portal; Canaan secures huge rig order
China’s BSN to launch in South Korea portal as Chinese Canaan secures huge mining rig orders
Genesis Digital Assets signs deal for 20K mining machines to fuel growth in North America, Nordic region
The order follows a June purchase by Genesis of 10K machines from China-based Canaan, one of the world’s biggest Bitcoin mining rig makers
Securities Association of China meets with brokerages to promote blockchain uses
The Securities Association of China (SAC), a self-regulatory organization for the securities industry, recently held a symposium with Chinese brokerages to promote blockchain applications in China’s securities industry. The deputy director of the association’s Tech Bureau, Dongxing Jiang, said the association will implement its blockchain infrastructure plan, known as the “Securities Industry Alliance Chain,” and […]
China’s state-backed blockchain network to expand to South Korea
As its first international expansion, China’s Blockchain-based Service Network is launching a portal in Korea. Who are the key players, and where else in the world will BSN emerge this year?
August 2021
Chinese gaming company The9 expands into NFT business
The9 Ltd., a Chinese gaming company that pivoted earlier this year to cryptocurrency mining, unveils plans to get into non-fungible token business, reflecting the company’s ambition to ramp up its blockchain-based operation. Fast facts Nasdaq-listed The9 has announced that its Singapore-based subsidiary NFTSTAR Singapore Pte. Ltd. will launch a NFT trading and community platform NFTSTAR […]
Three state-owned banks in China release e-CNY usage data
Tens of billions in digital yuan circulate through the banks’ systems, as leaders encourage wider adoption.
Crypto mining rig giant Bitmain confirms TSMC chip price jump
China-based Bitmain, one of the world’s biggest producers of cryptocurrency mining rigs, confirmed in a social media post a 20% price hike in the chips it buys from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Fast facts Bitmain said on Thursday in a WeChat post that TSMC had informed all clients, including the mining rig maker, that […]
Bitcoin bulls brace. CryptoPunks’ pulling power. China’s crypto lawfare.
Top blockchain and crypto news: Is another Bitcoin bull run coming soon? Punks rocking NFTs. Why crypto contracts may not be enforceable in China.
Guangzhou court uses blockchain for online cross-examination
In a legal first for the region, the Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court used a new blockchain system in a lending dispute case so the parties can submit evidence and do cross-examination online. Fast facts The “blockchain electronic cross-examination system” allows each side to upload its evidence online. The opposing party, under the judge’s supervision, can cross-examine 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?
Futures exchange pays e-CNY for warehousing fees
Dalian Commodity Exchange paid storage fees to a delivery warehouse in the form of e-CNY, the first time applying central bank digital currency (CBDC) in futures trading. Fast facts According to the report, Dalian Liangyun Group, which received the e-CNY warehousing fees, said that e-CNY transfer has no inter-bank transfer fees, and it would not […]
Shaanxi Expressway accepts digital yuan as tolls
Shaanxi Province has built the province’s first toll lane that supports digital yuan payments; the first payment was successfully made on August 16. Fast facts Shaanxi Province says it will continue to install digital renminbi payment equipment at all expressway toll stations in the province. Shaanxi Province is located in the western inland region of China, and […]
Digital yuan trials now looking like a ‘soft launch’ stage
China’s high penetration of smartphones, digital-savvy population helps reduce e-CNY testing time, observers say
The9 sets up another joint venture to mine crypto in Kazakhstan
The9 Ltd., a Chinese gaming company that only a few months ago pivoted its business to crypto mining, is setting up another joint venture in Kazakhstan as it ramps up its mining operations in the Central Asian nation that shares a border with China. Fast facts Nasdaq-listed The9 has signed an investment memorandum through a subsidiary […]
Bit Digital reports growing losses as it moves crypto miners from China to North America
Bit Digital, a New York-headquartered Bitcoin mining company that has had significant operations in China, recorded growing losses in the second quarter of this year as it continued relocating its China-based machines to North America. Fast facts In the second quarter of this year, Nasdaq-listed Bit Digital booked a net loss of US$1.34 million, compared […]
As China cracks down on crypto, blockchain technology keeps flowering
Steelmaker Ansteel Group and lithium battery producer Tianneng are the latest companies to make use of blockchain in accordance with China’s national strategy.
Justin Sun’s Weibo account blocked again
TRON founder Justin Sun’s social media account on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like microblog platform, appears to have been blocked again, along with the accounts of several other cryptocurrency-related interests. Fast facts TRON is a blockchain with a cryptocurrency native to the system founded by Sun in 2017. Sun, 31, has been active on social media, and […]
China shuts down website and social media of high-profile blockchain center
China continues its crackdown on certain illegal social organizations, as authorities shut down the website and social media accounts of the China Blockchain Application Center — a organization once led by some of the nation’s most prominent crypto industry leaders, state media China National Radio reported yesterday. Fast facts The China Blockchain Application Center was […]
Shanghai court rules Bitcoin is virtual property, not currency
A district court in Shanghai has ruled that Bitcoin is virtual property, not a currency that is allowed to circulate, according to a statement released earlier this week. Fast facts A Minhang district court in Shanghai stated this week that it heard a case in which a plaintiff purchased Bitcoin mining machines from a defendant […]
BIT Mining revenue soars despite losses from operational pivot
Operating costs and crypto bear market suck up cash after former lottery operator bets on digital assets
HIVE buys more crypto mining rigs from Bitmain, adding to Canaan deal
HIVE Blockchain Technologies, a Vancouver-headquartered crypto mining company, is buying 1,800 machines from Chinese mining rig maker Bitmain to expand its mining operation. Fast facts HIVE said that it had ordered 1,800 Antminer S19j Pro miners from Bitmain, and the new machines are expected to bring an aggregate hash power of 180 petahash per second, […]
China’s mining exodus flows to U.S. Is Texas the new promised land?
Poolin, a major mining pool in China, has set sail for America. ‘Large players are all over the U.S. now looking for deals.’
Latest digital yuan trial launches with backing of JD.com, Bank of Communications
E-commerce company’s tie-up with government-owned lender suggests hybrid private-state future for central bank digital currency.
Two Chinese provinces use state blockchain platform for export credit insurance worth US$3.27B
Chinese central bank branches in Fujian and Guangxi provinces have announced that their provinces did US$2.4 billion and US$875 million, respectively, of blockchain-based export credit insurance financing for the first half of 2021. Fast facts Fujian Province struck a total of 6,516 insurance deals, and Guangxi Province saw 166 enterprises participate. On May 17, the […]
Chinese central bank shows no sign of softening stance on crypto
People’s Bank of China vows to keep sector under ‘heavy pressure’ as it pushes digital yuan.