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December 2022

US bill set to demand know-your-customer from crypto companies

Top blockchain and crypto news: US senators push for crypto KYC. SBF faces the music in US courts. Alibaba Cloud to launch blockchain node.

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried set to return to the U.S. on Wednesday

Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO of FTX, has signed documents in the Bahamas for extradition and is scheduled to the U.S. on Wednesday.

Sam Bankman-Fried extradition in doubt after confused court hearing in Bahamas

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried appeared in court in the Bahamas, but did not agree to be extradited to the U.S. 

US lawyers, Bahamas liquidators trade barbs over who rules FTX bankruptcy jurisdiction

Sam Bankman-Fried has reportedly made a second application for bail in the Bahamas – this as lawyers feud over control of the FTX bankruptcy, raising concern the sour grapes may seep into efforts to have Bankman-Fried extradited to face fraud charges in the U.S.

US Senator Elizabeth Warren submits crypto know-your-customer bill in wake of FTX collapse

As U.S. prosecutors line up charges against Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the collapsed FTX cryptocurrency exchange, Senator Elizabeth Warren is seeking to pass bipartisan regulation to rein in the “dark underbelly” of the crypto industry.

FTX Probe Begins

SBF was arrested by Bahamian authorities just a day before he was due to testify before Congress – but his successor has been revealing much about FTX’s collapse.

Sam Bankman-Fried in Bahamas police custody, faces criminal charges in U.S.

Top blockchain and crypto news: SBF denied bail, US extradition likely next. The Block chief quits over secret FTX loans. Hong Kong readies digital asset rules.

FTX an ‘old-fashioned embezzlement’ says new CEO as US authorities charge Bankman-Fried with fraud

Members of a U.S. Congressional hearing expressed frustration about the timing of Bankman-Fried’s arrest, saying they wanted him to testify under oath so the public could get the answers they are seeking about the collapse of FTX.

Sam Bankman-Fried arrested in the Bahamas, expected to be extradited to U.S.

Sam Bankman Fried, founder and former CEO of FTX exchange, was arrested and taken into custody by the Royal Bahamas Police on Monday.

SEC advises public firms to disclose crypto risks

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has advised publicly-listed firms to disclose their exposure to the cryptocurrency market, in light of the fallout of the FTX collapse.

U.S. considering bill to require crypto miners to report carbon emissions

U.S. cryptocurrency miners would be required to report greenhouse gas emissions under a new bill submitted to the Senate, reflecting criticism the industry is adding to use of fossil fuels blamed for global warming.

DeFi regulation: it’s not a matter of if, but when

The push to regulate DeFi is stronger than ever, and the sector would be wise not to fight but participate in that inevitability, writes Michael Shing of XREX.

Sam Bankman-Fried ‘not sure’ if he will testify before Congress on Dec. 13

Sam Bankman-Fried, founder and former chief executive officer of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, tweeted on Monday morning Hong Kong time that he may not testify before the U.S. Congress on Dec. 13.

November 2022

U.S., S. Korea applied for over 75% of world’s metaverse patents: report

Companies based in the U.S. and South Korea have filed for more than 75% of patent applications related to the metaverse, VR and AR.

The crash and burn of FTX: What lessons does it teach us?

As FTX victims and creditors sift through the pieces, how much of this blowup should regulators have seen coming — and could it happen again?

New York State passes two-year moratorium on some crypto mining facilities

New York became the first U.S. state to enact a temporary ban on new cryptocurrency mining permits at fossil fuel plants, despite lobbying against the measure. 

Bahamas regulator orders transfer of all FTX digital assets to government wallet

The Securities Commission of The Bahamas (Commission) on Nov. 12 ordered the transfer of all digital assets of FTX Digital Markets to a digital wallet controlled by the Commission, for “safekeeping,” in an announcement on Nov. 17.

New FTX chief says lack of controls at bankrupt exchange ‘unprecedented’

John J. Ray III, a Chicago-based lawyer and the new CEO of now-bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, has criticized the lack of “appropriate corporate governance” across FTX Group companies under Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder and former CEO of FTX. 

Bahamian regulator contradicts FTX, says no approval given for fund withdrawals

Regulators in the Bahamas, where FTX is headquartered, say the bankrupt exchange’s claims that Bahamian fund withdrawals were requested by officials are false.

FTX US warns user trading could be halted ‘in a few days’

Sam Bankman-Fried says FTX US is insulated from FTX.com’s liquidity crunch, but the American-based platform could freeze trading in the next few days.

California financial regulator launches probe into FTX

The state of California has launched an investigation into the ‘apparent failure’ of crypto asset platform FTX.

FTX assets frozen by Bahamas securities regulator

The Securities Commission of the Bahamas has frozen assets of FTX and related parties, and has suspended its registration.

Bitcoin miner Riot Blockchain’s stock drops amid widening Q3 losses

Stocks of Nasdaq-listed Riot fell 4.87% in pre-market trading on Tuesday, after U.S. Bitcoin miner Riot Blockchain on Monday reported weaker revenues in the third quarter of this year.

U.S. midterms: gridlock… and progress on crypto industry regulation?

In a period of toxic divide between the Democrats and Republicans, the need to figure out how to regulate the growing cryptocurrency industry is one of the few issues both parties seem to agree on.
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October 2022

US alleges Chinese spies used Bitcoin to bribe law enforcement officer

Two Chinese intelligence officers allegedly paid a double agent to help steal files related to a federal investigation into a China-based global telecom firm, reported to be Huawei.

New IRS tax language tweaked to include NFTs

The IRS updated its annual income tax instructions in a Monday draft that does away with the taxable category “virtual currency” and replaces it with the term “digital assets,” which explicitly includes NFTs.

Fed’s top bank watchdog eyes new regulation for banks doing crypto

Crypto-asset related activities may pose “novel risks” to banks and their customers, prompting the U.S. Federal Reserve to develop further regulations, Fed vice chair for supervision Michael Barr said in a speech Wednesday at D.C. Fintech Week. See related article: U.S. Fed has growing interest in CBDCs, says Jeng at Crypto Council for Innovation Fast […]

What is the future for cryptocurrency mixers after U.S. sanctions on Tornado Cash?

Tornado Cash, the Ethereum coin mixer slapped with sanctions by the U.S. Treasury back in August, has returned to the software hosting website GitHub amid a flurry of lawsuits against the Treasury for its action.
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BNY Mellon, largest custodian bank, starts Bitcoin, Ether custody services

Bank of New York Mellon Corp., a 238-year-old bank based in the U.S., is now allowing select U.S. clients to hold and transfer Bitcoin and Ether, the bank announced in a press release on Tuesday. See related article: Crypto self-custody is no longer a choice. It’s an imperative. Fast facts BNY Mellon will store private […]

3 reasons crypto will spring back after Crypto Winter

The crypto market has been down for months, but the industry’s long-term future is brighter than ever, writes Guilhem Chaumont of Flowdesk. Here’s why.

Coinbase says it resolved glitch that blocked trades from U.S. bank accounts

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Global Inc. said it resolved technical issues on Sunday night that had prevented U.S. bank account users from making payments or withdrawals for most of the day.  See related article: Coinbase gets nod from Dutch central bank to offer crypto services Fast facts “We’ve fully resolved this issue and ACH transfers are […]

September 2022

XRP price surges after U.S. court rejects SEC objection in Ripple lawsuit

The price of XRP rose after a U.S. federal judge Thursday overruled the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) objections to orders that asked the securities watchdog to disclose drafts of a 2018 speech made by former agency director William Hinman, in its lawsuit against Ripple Labs Inc. See related article: SEC files brief on Hinman […]

California governor vetoes bill requiring crypto-related businesses to obtain special license

A bill that proposed a regulatory and licensing framework for crypto companies was rejected by Gov. Gavin Newsom amid a broader national debate concerning the policing of digital assets.

Binance taps ex-U.S. senator Max Baucus to chair global advisory board

Binance has tapped Max Baucus, a former U.S. senator and ambassador to China, to chair its new global advisory board, to advise the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange on regulatory, political and social issues. See related article: Binance stablecoin conversion controversial, but what does it mean for users? Fast facts Binance said on Thursday in a […]

U.S. Fed has growing interest in CBDCs, says Jeng at Crypto Council for Innovation

Linda Jeng, chief regulatory officer and general counsel at the Crypto Council for Innovation said the U.S. has seen the writing on the wall and is expanding the conversation about cryptocurrency, in comments at Forkast’s “Crypto Rising: CBDCs & Stablecoins: The Asia Perspective.”

Bitcoin recovers from steep drop after Fed hikes rates by 75 basis points

Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, rose more than 3% on Thursday to recover from a sharp drop to under US$19,000 after the Federal Open Market Committee said it would raise interest rates by 75 basis points, or in line with market expectations, to rein in inflation. See related article: Digital dollar takes another […]

SEC, Ripple seek summary judgment in attempt to speed up XRP lawsuit

The argument centers around if Ripple’s XRP sales were offerings of unregistered securities.

Markets: Bitcoin dips below US$20,000; Ether, ETC fall post-Merge

Bitcoin fell below the US$20,000 support line in Friday morning trading in Asia, while Ether saw a sell-off following the long-awaited network “Merge” on Thursday. The total cryptocurrency market capitalization fell below US$1 trillion as all top 10 tokens were trading down. See related article: Ethereum says Merge upgrade successfully completed, more to come Fast […]

SEC seeks to seal information exposing expert witness identities in XRP lawsuit

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a motion seeking to seal portions of the filings that contain information identifying the SEC’s expert witnesses in its lawsuit against Ripple Labs. See related article: SEC, Ripple take XRP lawsuit battle to media as well Fast facts The SEC wrote in the motion on Friday that […]

US raises red flag on crypto mining with concerns over carbon emissions

White House says carbon footprint of crypto industry does not align with goals to decarbonize the economy.

Fed officials call for stablecoin regulations amid concerns over financial stability

Two U.S. Federal Reserve officials have called for new regulations specifically for stablecoins and reiterated the new asset class holds risks similar to traditional finance. See related article: Financial Stability Board calls for high regulatory standards for stablecoins Fast facts Michael Barr, the Fed’s vice chair for supervision, said on Wednesday at a Brookings Institution […]

Bitcoin gains as US unemployment rate rises to 3.7%, indicates inflation slowing

Bitcoin gained almost 2% on Friday evening in Asia after the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate in August rose to 3.7% from 3.5% in July. The figures suggest the U.S. economy is slowing, which may influence the Federal Reserve when it meets this month to decide on raising interest rates.  […]

Binance says it complies with regulators following US anti-money laundering probe report

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, said it has worked with regulatory agencies from around the world to address outstanding compliance questions, following a Reuters report that U.S. federal prosecutors asked the exchange to offer internal records involving founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao for anti-money laundering checks in late 2020. See related […]

US Digital Dollar Project to work with Ripple on CBDC technical sandbox

The U.S.-based Digital Dollar Project said it will work with Ripple and a few other digital asset firms to launch a technical sandbox program to further study a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC). See related article: CBDCs better poised for cross-border payments than Bitcoin, stablecoins: ECB study Fast facts The non-profit initiative announced on […]

August 2022

Markets: Bitcoin, Ether gain with most of crypto top 10; BNB slips, U.S. equities flat

Bitcoin gained along with most other top 10 tokens by market capitalization in early morning trading in Asia, though Ether was the pace leader with the larger climb. U.S. equities were little changed overnight. See related article: Markets: Bitcoin edges up, Ether posts biggest gain among top 10 tokens Fast facts Bitcoin added 0.6% to […]

U.S. federal deposit insurer allegedly deterring banks from doing business with crypto firms

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), one of the two federal agencies insuring savings in American depository institutions, may be asking banks to refrain from providing services or extending credit to cryptocurrency companies, Republican Senator Pat Toomey alleged. See related article: New US bill to give CFTC oversight of cryptocurrencies may speed up crypto legislation […]

Bitcoin miner Hut 8 shares gain on revenue, outlook – despite Q2 profit slump

Crypto mining slump? Canada-based company booked 31% revenue growth on year, expanded Bitcoin holdings, and plans to ramp up mining capacity this year. Other crypto miners seem to be following suit.

Bitcoin, Ethereum edge up; BNB rises; Avalanche adds to gains on partnerships

Bitcoin and Ethereum rose in early morning trading in Asia, along with most other tokens on the top 10 list by market capitalization. BNB rose 3.4% to reach US$325, adding to gains made last week when the Binance exchange, the BNB issuer, said it would add more tokens. Cardano briefly touched a week’s high, up […]

New US bill to give CFTC oversight of cryptocurrencies may speed up crypto legislation in other markets   

The U.S. bill to bring cryptocurrencies under the oversight of the Commodities Futures and Trading Commission is likely to hasten legislation of such digital assets around the world.

US crypto bill pile up; Philippines Binance warning

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

New US crypto bill seeks to make CFTC top Bitcoin, Ethereum watchdog

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 […]

Solana falls amid hack reports; Bitcoin, Ether edge higher in mixed markets

Solana fell 4% in Asia afternoon trading on Wednesday as reports surfaced of a hack that had drained thousands of wallets holding the token. Bitcoin and Ethereum edged higher, though U.S.-China tensions were a broader concern across all markets. Bitcoin traded at US$23,187 as of 4:30 p.m. in Hong Kong, up 1.47% in the prior […]

Chinese mining rig maker Canaan says global expansion on track despite ‘crypto winter’

Beijing’s drive to stamp out crypto mining and the slump in crypto prices are headwinds that Canaan says it knows how to deal with, adding that the crypto winter may be shorter than expected.

Bitcoin falls in market downtrend, ETH treads water, ETC and CRO edge up

Bitcoin was trending lower in early Asia trading on Wednesday with most major cryptocurrencies falling. Bitcoin was priced at US$23,048 as of 8 a.m. in Hong Kong, down 1.2% in the prior 24 hours. Ethereum was little changed at US$1,643, up 0.3%, according to data from CoinMarketCap. See related article: Bitcoin, Ethereum lose ground; Polkadot […]

July 2022

Bitcoin rig maker Canaan to deploy self-mining soon in US, executive says

Chinese crypto mining rig maker Canaan is ramping up its mining business and will soon start self- or joint-mining operations in the U.S., Edward Lu, a senior vice president of Canaan, told Forkast in an interview on Thursday. See related article: Bitcoin rig maker Canaan reports over US$200 mln in Q1 revenue Fast facts “Today […]

US stablecoin bill draft may be released this week: report

Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives are pushing to introduce a stablecoin bill draft this week before the House breaks for August recess, according to four unnamed sources “familiar with the plan” cited by The Block.  See related article: Hold onto your crypto bags, the regulators are coming Fast facts The proposal on stablecoin […]

Crypto exchange Kraken reportedly under investigation for Iran sanctions breach

U.S.-based crypto exchange Kraken is reportedly under investigation by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Control for allegedly violating economic sanctions against Iran, according to the New York Times. See related article: US charges two Europeans with helping N.Korea evade sanctions with crypto Fast facts Kraken allegedly allowed users in Iran and elsewhere to […]

Bitcoin’s real role examined; 3AC’s complex ties revealed

A report says Bitcoin users are looking beyond investment. Meanwhile, court document reveals strong ties between 3AC and TPS Capital.

US crypto bill may not pass the Senate this year, Lummis says

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 […]

Crypto trading volumes tank; India’s crypto info call to G20

Crypto trading volumes plummet as the crypto winter continues. Meanwhile, India calls on G20 to share information on crypto.

Crypto miners should disclose energy data, US lawmakers say

A number of U.S. lawmakers urged the country’s energy and environmental protection authorities to mandate that cryptocurrency miners disclose data on energy use, as seven of the largest mining companies were found to use as much power as all of the homes in Houston. See related article: Bitcoin lobbyists rebut ‘misconceptions’ over environmental impact Fast […]

Bitcoin miners in Texas halt operations amid heat wave

Many cryptocurrency miners in Texas, one of the largest Bitcoin mining hubs in the U.S., are halting their operations as the state’s electrical grid faces surging power demand amid a heat wave. See related article: Marathon Digital says Montana storm knocked out most Bitcoin rigs Fast facts Nasdaq-listed miner Core Scientific on Tuesday said that […]

Crypto investments to count when determining conflict of interest: US gov’t ethics watchdog

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) said federal employees of the executive branch owning cryptocurrencies or mutual funds investing in the sector need to recuse themselves from any matter related to the industry. See related article: CFTC Commissioner Pham suggests regulators stay tech-neutral on stablecoins Fast facts The July 5 memo clarified that the […]

US credit union lobby group says cost of developing CBDCs outweighs benefits

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 […]

June 2022

Marathon Digital says Montana storm knocked out most Bitcoin rigs

Marathon Digital, a major Bitcoin miner in the U.S., had to halt three-fourths of its mining operations in Montana due to power outages caused by a storm, reinforcing an earlier decision to move out of the region. See related article: Compass Mining CEO, CFO resign after utility payment default allegations Fast facts The Nasdaq-listed company […]

Bitcoin Jesus denies default; Celsius fight back planned

Bitcoin CEO Roger Ver denies defaulting on a loan to CoinFLEX. Meanwhile, Youtuber Bitboy takes aim at Celsius Network.

US Treasury says prioritize sanctioning North Korea for crypto hacking

Crypto hacks facilitated by North Korea help fund its weapons of mass destruction, U.S. Treasury Department’s Brian E. Nelson said on his recent visit to South Korea. See related article: North Korea behind Ronin hack: US Fast facts Nelson met with representatives of South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) and Financial Intelligence Unit (KoFIU) on […]

Accepting crypto payments a priority for majority of US retailers: Deloitte

The survey by one of the Big Four accounting firms found over 85% of U.S. merchants are prioritizing the enabling of cryptocurrency payments while around 83% are doing the same for stablecoins. See related article: AMC rival Regal enables crypto payments for moviegoers Fast facts The survey found that 87% of merchants believe accepting crypto […]

Next step for spot Bitcoin ETF in the US may be a courtroom battle

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.

US senators’ crypto bill; India’s crypto taxes bite

A bipartisan crypto bill has been introduced in the US Senate. Meanwhile, Singaporean investment company ADDX plans on recognizing crypto assets.

Hold onto your crypto bags, the regulators are coming

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.

May 2022

Memo to Crypto World: Wall Street is here to stay

Wall Street did it! At least that is one of the theories about the cause of the nearly US$50 billion meltdown of Terraform Labs stablecoin and LUNA cryptocurrency. How does that stand up?