U.S.

Binance.US, headed for an IPO, has been valued at US$4.5 billion following a more than US$200 million fundraise in its seed round. See related article: Binance US on track for IPO Fast facts Investors include RRE Ventures, Foundation Capital, Original Capital, VanEck, Circle Ventures and inclusion-focused companies such as Gaingels and Gold House, Binance.US said […]

South Korea’s Kakao Group acquires SEBC. Meanwhile in India, an MP reveals the government’s plans for the crypto industry,

The U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned what it called “the world’s largest and most prominent darknet market” based in Russia and a cryptocurrency exchange associated with ransomware activities. See related article: Russian-linked strains lead crypto ransomware in 2021: Chainalysis Fast facts The Treasury Department Tuesday sanctioned Hydra Market, alleging it offered a marketplace for […]

As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine rages on and sanctions continue to mount, Russia-based bank Sberbank obtains a crypto license from the Central Bank of Russia. Meanwhile in China, social media platform Weibo allows its users to mint NFTs of their social media posts.

Ukrainian President signs a digital assets bill into law. Meanwhile in China, Cannan plans to buy back shares.

Blockchain data analysis platform Chainalysis has launched a set of free sanction screening tools. Meanwhile, lawmakers in the US take aim at China’s digital yuan, or e-CNY, while Russian sanctions begin to highlight issues with financial sovereignty as hundreds of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian civilians are caught in the financial crossfire.

Nine U.S. senators are backing a bill that aims to crack down on China’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), the e-CNY or digital yuan, which they claim could allow Russia to bypass financial sanctions imposed on its banks and entities.  See related article: Digital yuan pilot attracts Chinese province bordering Russia Fast facts “If left […]

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict rages on, the European Union says that crypto is included in the sanctions against Russia and Belarus. Meanwhile, South Korean President-Elect Yoon Suk-Yeol’s term in office could bring about long awaited changes in the crypto sector.

The U.S. is asking crypto exchanges around the world to prevent Russia from skirting sanctions imposed after it invaded Ukraine last week, Bloomberg reported. See related article: Binance may join sanctions imposed on Russian targets Fast facts The Biden administration is concerned that cryptocurrencies can be used to evade heavily regulated traditional financial systems. The […]

Measures to detect sanctioned entities’ crypto transactions can come into play, experts say.

BIT Mining, a Hong Kong-headquartered cryptocurrency miner, has terminated its data center construction in Kazakhstan due to an unstable local power supply, the company said in its quarterly report. See related article: Crypto mining’s Great Migration continues — out of Kazakhstan Fast facts BIT Mining now abandons a US$9.3 million pledge to a Kazakh data […]

President Biden’s executive order directing agencies to devise a comprehensive strategy to regulate cryptocurrencies and other digital assets and examine a digital dollar may be issued next week, according to Yahoo! Finance. Fast facts The order, expected weeks ago, was delayed by a disagreement between the White House and the Treasury over its scope, Bloomberg […]

The U.S. securities watchdog has launched a probe into crypto exchange Binance’s relationship with two trading firms with ties to founder Changpeng Zhao, the Wall Street Journal reported. Fast facts The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is examining whether Binance’s U.S. arm properly discloses to users its links to two trading firms — Sigma Chain […]

The U.S. Federal Reserve’s report on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) released on Thursday did not contain policy recommendations or decisions on digital dollar issuance. Fast facts The paper acknowledged that the Fed will not proceed in creating a digital dollar without clear support from lawmakers, ideally through a specific authorizing law. The Fed said […]

The U.S. Federal Reserve is deferring to Congress to decide whether to introduce a central bank digital currency (CBDC), Lael Brainard told the Senate banking committee Thursday at her Fed vice chair nomination hearing. Fast facts Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis asked whether the vice chair nominee believed that the digital dollar should be available to […]

The CFTC is asserting greater regulatory powers over the crypto industry than ever before. But does the agency have the statutory backing to do so?

What’s behind the crypto cheerleading by U.S. mayors? Are their city coins savvy moves — or will the bespoke crypto end up worthless?

While China made a big moves in banning crypto this year, US lawmakers appear to be warming up to the industry, setting the stage for next year.

On top of China, authorities in Russia and Ukraine are busting underground miners, while U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren presses a New York miner.

Griid Infrastructure, a U.S.-based Bitcoin mining company, is set to go public through a merger with Adit EdTech Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in a deal that would value the combined company at about US$3.3 billion, according to a company statement released Tuesday. Fast facts Upon completion of the deal, the combined […]

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has joined hands with the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) to launch an innovation hub in New York— dubbed the New York Innovation Center (NYIC) — to explore and build financial technology products for the central bank community. Fast facts The NYIC will focus on five areas — […]

Tether, issuer of the world’s most popular stablecoin USDT, has responded in multiple tweets saying it will work with policymakers, after the U.S. Senate Banking Committee earlier this week sent letters to several stablecoin issuers — including Tether — to inquire about their operational features. Fast facts In the tweets, Tether said it appreciates the interest from […]

The U.S. Senate Banking Committee has sent letters to several stablecoin issuers to inquire about their operational features. Fast facts In a Monday tweet, Ron Hammond, director of government relations at the Blockchain Association, said the stablecoin issuers include Coinbase, Gemini, Circle, Paxos, TrustToken, Centre, Binance U.S. and Tether. “This is likely a sign of […]

The decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) that formed to buy a rare copy of the U.S. Constitution will soon be shutting down after failing to win an auction for the document last week, despite raising over US$40 million in ETH to do so, as the Verge reports. Fast facts As Forkast.News reported last week, 17,437 members […]

Three U.S. agencies released a joint statement outlining a plan to fast-track crypto-asset regulation in 2022.

Bit Digital, a Nasdaq-listed Bitcoin mining company headquartered in New York that had significant operations in China, said in its latest Q3 update that the exit of its mining fleet from China is now complete, with all of its miners having arrived in North America. Fast facts Bit Digital said it started the migration back in […]

China’s mining exodus has flowed to the cowboy state that embraces crypto, but it might have to take into consideration the surging power loads.

First it was crypto derivatives FTX jumping into the game in Miami. Now Singapore-based Crypto.com has stepped it up a notch by dropping more than US$700 million to rename the iconic Staples Center in Los Angeles to Crypto.com Arena for 20 years, according to the Los Angeles Times. Fast facts This figure makes it one […]

Investment firm VanEck’s Bitcoin futures exchange-traded fund (XBTF) closed Tuesday 1.94% down in price to US$59.73 for its initial day of trading on the Chicago-based CBOE global exchange, according to MarketWatch’s data.  Fast facts On Nov. 15, VanEck announced the launch of XBTF as the “lowest-cost Bitcoin-linked ETF” compared to its competitive rivals. The company […]

While a significant legislative achievement for U.S. President Joe Biden, the US$1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill signed into law on Monday included provisions relating to cryptocurrency tax reporting requirements that has many in the industry nervous. Fast facts As Forkast.News previously reported, provisions were added to the bill as it was being drafted in August […]

As the U.S. economy shows signs of recovery from the pandemic-related recession, the Federal Reserve has announced it will begin tapering the US$120 billion a month it spends on bond purchases, hoping to address concerns of rising inflation. This has caused unease in the crypto industry as Bitcoin adoption over the past 18 months has […]

Payments giant Mastercard and cryptocurrencies firm Bakkt Holdings Inc. announced on Monday they have partnered to facilitate cryptocurrency debit and credit card payments. The partnership will make it easier for merchants, banks and fintechs in the U.S. to offer a broad set of cryptocurrency services and ​​enable consumers to buy and sell digital assets through […]

A group of U.S. lawmakers called on Facebook to halt its cryptocurrency and digital wallet project Novi hours after its pilot launch began on Tuesday, amid the company’s ongoing trust crisis. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tina Smith (D-MN) said the tech giant “cannot be trusted […]

Singapore-based Atlas Mining today announced that it is expanding its cryptocurrency mining operations in the United States in a multi-year hosting service agreement with Compute North, a U.S.-based cryptocurrency mining infrastructure provider. Fast facts The deal will see Compute North providing over 100 megawatts colocation capacity — enough to power a small city — for […]

  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 […]

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?