North America

In spite of ongoing regulatory issues, cryptocurrency lender Celsius Network has raised US$400 million in an investment round pegging the valuation of the company at US$3 billion. Fast facts The funding was led by U.S. growth equity firm WestCap and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), a global investment group.  Celsius will use the funds to […]

Popular short-video app TikTok has started its non-fungible token (NFT) auction of “TikTok Top Moments” that feature works of a series of rappers and artists, as the social media giant appears keen to jump on the NFT bandwagon. Fast facts The auction of Detroit rapper Curtis Roach’s “Bored in the House” NFT has gone live, […]

  Jerome Powell’s remarks on Sept. 30 following his testimony about the financial hardships of the pandemic caught the attention of crypto enthusiasts. Taking questions from the House Committee on Financial Services, Chairman Powell said the Federal Reserve would not seek a ban on crypto but reiterated that stablecoins should be regulated.  Bitcoin jumped by […]

Making the most of cybersecurity awareness month, which marks its 18th year this October, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced it is launching a national cryptocurrency enforcement team targeting cybercrime. Fast facts During a virtual speech at the Aspen Cyber Summit on Wednesday, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said: “Cryptocurrency exchanges want to be […]

U.S. Bank, the country’s fifth-largest retail bank, will now offer custody services for cryptocurrencies, starting with Bitcoin, the bank announced on Tuesday. New York Digital Investment Group, a fintech firm dedicated to Bitcoin, is the first crypto sub-custodian in the bank’s network of providers, the statement said. Fast facts The services are geared toward institutional […]

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?

China-based Bitmain, one of the world’s biggest producers of cryptocurrency mining rigs, has sealed a deal with its United States partners — ISW Holdings and Bit5ive — to expand its operation in America. Fast facts ISW Holdings, a Nevada-based portfolio company with extensive crypto mining operations, will host 56,000 Bitmain mining rigs and pair them […]

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 […]

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

Just as Dogecoin prices are once again going to the dogs, a Chicago animal shelter is asking for DOGE donations to help real-life dogs in the dumps. Fast facts PAWS Chicago has launched a “Dogenation” campaign, which allows animal lovers to donate to the charity in cryptocurrencies — not just Dogecoin — via QR codes […]

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 […]

A new report by DappRadar shows that interest in NFTs has come mainly from the United States and Indonesia, and that Russia and India have a presence in the market as well. Fast facts DappRadar, an NFT and decentralized finance and decentralized app store and a data provider, revealed this month in its user behavior […]

In a much-anticipated reply, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler has written to Sen. Elizabeth Warren saying “crypto investors are not adequately protected.” Fast facts “In my view, the legislative priority should center on crypto trading, lending, and [decentralized finance] platforms. Regulators would benefit from additional plenary authority to write rules for and […]

Despite strong lobbying attempts from the crypto industry for last-minute amendments, the Biden administration’s US$1 trillion infrastructure bill passed the Senate last night with heightened tax reporting requirements for crypto “brokers” and possible ramifications for crypto miners, as Yahoo News reports. Fast facts A compromise amendment requiring unanimous consent to be added to the bill […]

An amendment has been introduced to the US$1 trillion infrastructure bill currently before the U.S. Senate that would exempt bitcoin miners and other validators from a provision seeking to raise funds for its fulfilment, according to a report by CNBC. Fast facts As Forkast.News has reported, the provision sought to raise US$28 billion over the […]

The city of Miami is set to launch its own cryptocurrency, MiamiCoin, tomorrow. The token will allow people to invest in the city to fund infrastructure projects and events, according to a report by Decrypt. Fast facts The token is being released in partnership with CityCoin, a project that facilitates cities releasing their own tokens […]

The fee-free trading platform’s initial public offering promises plenty of action for retail investors, but pitfalls may lie in wait amid trading volatility and wider adoption of business model.

U.S. cryptocurrency miner Core Scientific Holding is set to list on the Nasdaq exchange through a merger with a special-purpose acquisitions company, boosting the value of the combined business to around US$4.3 billion. Fast facts Core Scientific, one of the biggest crypto mining companies in the U.S., announced yesterday that it had entered into merger […]

Two nominees to the U.S. Treasury Department have promised, if they are confirmed in their posts, to implement new regulations relating to cryptocurrency.

Dashing hopes of greater regulatory clarity for the cryptocurrency industry, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s recently released annual regulatory agenda does not mention Bitcoin or cryptocurrency regulations.

The National Republican Congressional Committee in the US will begin accepting donations in cryptocurrency.

BitFlyer announced today that it is launching a Bitcoin-to-Japanese yen pair for currency traders in the U.S.

Marathon Digital Holdings has announced a deal with Compute North to host 73,000 of Marathon’s Bitcoin miners at a new data center in Texas.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is calling for business to report cryptocurrency transactions worth more than US$10,000 to the Internal Revenue Service.

Aqumon’s SmartGlobalC aims to meet the rapidly growing demand for Bitcoin exposure for traditional investment portfolios in Asia.

The private sector-led Digital Dollar Project is planning CBDC pilots for the US. How are central bank digital currency efforts and progress different in Asia?

IOHK and Cardano’s founder also explains why new US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is the ‘single biggest development’ for the crypto industry’s future.

In this edition of Forkast Forecasts, Diginex’s CEO offers his views on CBDC initiatives, crypto custody, and more growth in borrowing, lending of digital assets in the upcoming year.

Are US presidential candidate futures an accurate gauge of public opinion? Cryptocurrency exchange FTX’s TRUMP and BIDEN prices offer clues.

Other top news: Ant Group launches blockchain platform for cross-border trade. China makes Beijing, Hunan and Anhui into special free trade zones.

Global fintech funding is growing in some surprising areas and signals potential for disruption. Which countries top the list?

CFTC’s new plans for crypto regulations and OCC permitting banks to be crypto custodians could boost digital asset adoption. What’s next for FATF and SEC?

As US regulators warm to digital assets, Diginex capitalizes on the world’s most mature financial market by launching platform that allows crypto spot trading.

Other top news: Alibaba to help Cosco deploy blockchain technology for Chinese shipping industry. Fintech investment in Saudi Arabia.

While Asia is united in masking up, US and Europe remain fractured over face mask use. A viral immunologist and face mask expert explains the deadly consequences.

The US is gold standard for global financial regulations. But if US does not get its act together over crypto, other nations will emerge as leaders in this growing space.

Mike Cagney, co-founder of Figure Technologies, explains how blockchain and digital assets are transforming consumer loans, banking, and more.

While China is pushing more artificial intelligence surveillance technologies into law enforcement and everyday life, the US is having a rethink.

The Digital Dollar Project offers a path forward for the US to create a central bank digital currency. But will the government accept private sector help?

What lies ahead for the global economy, US-China geopolitics, emerging markets and sectors like real estate in the next 5 years? GreaterX’s unique focus group — ‘from farmers to a billionaire’ — offers a crystal ball.

Covid stimulus needs and China’s new CBDC have heightened interest in digital assets, but US lawmakers are still trying to make sense of new technologies. In an interview with Forkast.News, Perianne Boring of Chamber of Digital Commerce also discusses prospects for a U.S. digital dollar, and more.

Money is part of a nation’s financial infrastructure, and the dollar needs a digital upgrade for this changing world, says Giancarlo, former CFTC chair who now heads the Digital Dollar Project, in an exclusive interview with Forkast.News.

Digital Dollar Project’s new white paper proposes a ‘third format of currency’ that would be interchangeable with paper money while preserving privacy. Is America ready for a government crypto dollar?

Digital currencies will become increasingly common in the economy, with CBDCs as an ‘organic gateway.’ Should we worry about user privacy?

Covid-19’s disruption of global economies could speed up changes to financial systems around the world. Will cash become obsolete?

Other top news: Courier giant YTO forms blockchain logistics lab. 224 more blockchain firms get official thumbs up. VC in Singapore, UK and US.

Coronavirus’ impact on the U.S. economy might hasten the creation of a digital dollar.

Robotics and blockchain will unleash massive job losses as workers struggle to adjust. Should society offer UBI to ease the economic pain?

Despite all signs that interest just isn’t there for STOs, and ICOs are too tarnished by scams to be a legitimate investment vehicle, this investor thinks there’s life left in both.

IowaReporterApp developed by Shadow Inc. failed to deliver timely results of the Iowa Democratic caucus. Blockchain-enabled voting systems could mitigate similar mistakes.

The Chamber of Digital Commerce is “gravely concerned” about how the U.S. Government is addressing technological challenges and opportunities posed by blockchain according to founder and president Perianne Boring. The U.S. could be ceding technological leadership as well as the dollar’s reserve currency status to other nations including China if it does not revamp policies toward emerging blockchain innovation.