Region

The Malaysian Securities Commission has given crypto firm, Hata, a conditional approval to operate a “digital asset exchange” with a “digital broker” license.

The congressional committee accused Changpeng Zhao and three other executives, along with 45 individuals, of running a financial pyramid scheme in the country.

The committee said fraudulent non-fungible token advertising could harm both NFT artists and investors.

South Korea’s cryptocurrency market has bounced back during the first half of this year but is still almost 50% below its value at the end of 2021, according to the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (KOFIU), a government agency that oversees the nation’s anti-money laundering regime. See related article: Hamas crypto donation accounts frozen by Israel […]

The Hong Kong police warned on Monday that 11 Hong Kong-based Binance users lost over US$446,000 (HK$3.5 million) in cryptocurrencies to phishing text messages in the last two weeks. See related article: Gitcoin error sends US$460,000 to digital void Fast Facts See related article: CMCC Global raises US$100 mln to launch Hong Kong Web3 fund

The Web3 sun is shining in Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan, where forward-thinking regulations are fostering crypto’s growth while boosting investor protections.

The largest U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange will be launching more products and services in the Lion City, Coinbase’s Hassan Ahmed says.

Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Forkast’s Megha Chaddah, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions.

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) is seeking feedback on the second consultation paper on the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) bill, published on Thursday.  See related article: Binance ICO raised less than US$5 mln: Forbes Fast Facts See related article: What Europe’s new spot Bitcoin ETF means for global markets

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) announced on Wednesday that it is implementing a smart contract upgrade to its Connect, a system that bridges Hong Kong and China’s stock markets, to enhance post-trade workflows and reduce settlement risk. See related article: SFC to monitor illegal VATP activities with Hong Kong Police Force Fast Facts […]

CMCC Global, a Hong Kong-based blockchain-focused venture capital fund, announced Wednesday that it raised US$100 million to launch the “Titan Fund.” See related article: SFC to monitor illegal VATP activities with Hong Kong Police Force Fast Facts See related article: Valkyrie CIO expects US spot Bitcoin ETF approval in Q2 2024 (Update adds comment from […]

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Police Force announced Wednesday the establishment of a working group to monitoring and investigating illegal activities related to Virtual Asset Trading Platforms (VATPs).  See related article: Hong Kong crypto network Mixin loses US$200 million in hack Fast Facts See related article: JPEX […]

South Korea’s central bank will be launching a pilot program for its central bank digital currency (CBDC) to explore infrastructure requirements, according to an Oct. 4 joint statement by the Bank of Korea (BOK), the nation’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). See related article: CBDCs are coming. Here’s why you […]

European Union central banks will publish plans for a wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the coming weeks, François Villeroy de Galhau, the governor of France’s central bank, said at a Tuesday event in Paris. See related article: US legislators to discuss CBDC prevention bill on Sept. 20 Fast Facts See related article: Nepal […]

The Asia-Pacific branch of Ripple Labs has received a Major Payments Institution license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

The Major Payment Institution license from Singapore’s central bank allows the exchange to expand its digital payment token services in the Lion City.

The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission delayed the publishing of a crypto framework earlier this year citing the FTX collapse in late 2022 as the reason.

Asia is stepping up the regulatory ground for the digital asset and take a look at El Salvador’s Bitcoin future.

In the second in a series of 1-on-1 interviews from the Token 2049 crypto conference in Singapore held Sept. 13-14, Michael Gronager, founder of blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, spoke to Forkast about crypto use in the Ukraine conflict, tracking illicit on-chain activity and digital asset adoption in Asia.

Top blockchain and crypto news: U.S. lawmakers berate SEC over ETF applications. NFTs down but not dead. Hong Kong sees year’s biggest crypto heist so far.

Toncoin led losses among top 10 cryptos. Bitcoin dropped while Ether rose marginally.

Two former employees at Coinone were sentenced Tuesday for accepting bribes in exchange for listing certain cryptocurrencies on the platform.

Chase, the U.K.-based digital bank, told customers Tuesday in an email that it will ban U.K. clients from making crypto-related payments.

Binance’s BNB token gained the most after Binance Japan and Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation jointly announced they are collaborating on the issuance of fiat-pegged stablecoins.

Mitsubishi UFJ and Binance Japan will collaborate on the issuance of fiat-pegged stablecoins.

Mixin Network announced Monday that the database of its cloud service provider was hacked, resulting in the loss of approximately US$200 million.

Bitcoin fell below US$26,500 while Ether dipped below US$1,600 in the past 24 hours.

NHN Corporation announced Friday that it has partnered with U.S.-based Mysten Labs to launch an on-chain game scheduled for 2024.

Blockchain analytics are key to understanding the nascent crypto industry. But the analysis sector is far from immune from the pressures of the ongoing crypto bear market. In the first of a series of 1-on-1 interviews from the Token2049 conference held in Singapore Sept. 13-14, Alex Svanevik, CEO of blockchain analytics firm Nansen, sat down with Forkast to discuss current crypto challenges, the Asia growth market and the increasing use of artificial intelligence in the industry.

It’s a week for regulatory enforcement in the cryptocurrency space as blockchain takes center stage in the Philippines.

The JPEX scandal sheds light on the vulnerabilities in Hong Kong’s crypto marketplace, prompting reflection on regulatory safeguards as the city aspires to be a global digital asset hub, former SFC regulator Angelina Kwan says.

Matic was the biggest loser in the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, falling alongside most other cryptos and with Ether falling below US$1,600. Despite Bitcoin’s sluggish price action, industry experts say that institutions continue adopting the world’s first cryptocurrency.  See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Deutsche Bank’s crypto move propels Bitcoin to US$26,750 MATIC […]

South Korea’s top internet company Kakao and leading game developer Com2uS are sizing down their metaverse teams after large losses.

Top blockchain and crypto news: U.S. SEC steps up regulatory enforcement. Gaming giant Zynga moves into NFTs. Woes ahead for JPEX exchange after HK arrests.

South Korean investors and corporations hold over 131 trillion Korean won (US$97.9 billion) worth of cryptocurrencies in overseas accounts.

Solana led gainers in the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, recovering from a two-month low. Bitcoin and Ether rose during afternoon trading in Asia along with most cryptos. Market experts said that the continued entrance of large institutions could provide the crypto industry more legitimacy and price stability. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: […]

A U.S. federal judge has denied the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission immediate access to Binance.US’ software, in response to the regulator’s motion demanding more detailed information from Binance and greater availability of its executives for depositions.

Now a top-ranked crypto hub, Singapore is a shiny example of the central role that government can play in nurturing industry growth while bolstering consumer protections.

Citigroup announced Monday the launch of its new blockchain-based cross-border payments solution for institutional clients.

Dubai-based cryptocurrency exchange JPEX is shutting trading its platform amid a probe by the Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission that said the firm was operating as an unlicensed entity, according to media reports. 

BNB led gainers in the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, despite Binance’s growing challenges. Bitcoin and Ether rose during afternoon trading in Asia, as market analysts are saying it could start picking up more bullish momentum above the US$26,000 mark. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Deutsche Bank’s crypto move propels Bitcoin to US$26,750 […]

Europe’s first spot Bitcoin ETF ushers in an era where traditional finance and crypto are converging, setting the stage for digital assets to become mainstays in the economy.

Funders see the novel social media network as emblematic of an abundance of opportunity in crypto and DeFi amid infrastructure gaps and increased integration with real-world assets

Billed as Asia’s largest crypto event, Token 2049 took place over Sept. 13-14 in the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore. Drawing over 10,000 attendees from all parts of the world, there was excitement about blockchain adoption in the region. But repeat references to one man were a reminder of the U.S. regulatory concerns weighing heavily on the crypto industry.

We bring you to one of the biggest crypto events in Asia.

Bitcoin hit a weekly high of US$26,750 after Deutsche Bank announced plans to offer crypto custody services for institutional investors, days after Standard Chartered launched its own institutional crypto wing.

Bitcoin rises past US$26,500. All other top 10 cryptos gain, except BNB.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Binance.US undergoes staffing shakeup. Ethereum NFTs at risk. India to take a stand on crypto.

Toncoin led gainers in the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, rising over 13% after the project announced its partnership with Telegram. Bitcoin and Ether were little changed during afternoon trading in Asia, but market analysts are looking at September as a period for strategic Bitcoin accumulation. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: ETF developments […]

Japan-based Astar Network announced Wednesday that it is launching its zkEVM solution powered by Polygon’s Chain Developer Kit.

Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange CoinEx Global suffered a security breach on Tuesday, resulting in an estimated loss of US$43 million in cryptocurrencies.

It has been more than a year since Nepal’s central bank, the Nepal Rastra Bank, initiated amendments to the law to enable the issuance of the digital version of the Nepalese rupee. What is the status of its CBDC?

Zodia Custody owned by Standard Chartered, announced Tuesday that it is launching its services in Singapore for financial institutions.

Oasys, a blockchain-based game development platform, will team up with non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace αU market and cryptocurrency wallet αU Wallet – a crypto wallet by KDDI, one of Japan’s top three telecom companies – for users to trade NFTs on the αU market. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: ETF developments bolsters Bitcoin above […]

Bitcoin started the week below US$26,000 while Ether dropped to US$1,611. Toncoin and XRP lead losers in the last 24 hours.

The annual Korea Blockchain Week conference in Seoul is running from Sept. 4 to 10. Crypto industry leaders and advocates from around the world have gathered in the South Korean capital to discuss all things blockchain, including the growing regulatory gap between the U.S. and Asia.

In the second installment of Forkast’s ‘Crypto in Sport’ series we head to the land of the rising sun, where J1 League football club Avispa Fukuoka have incorporated a first-of-its-kind DAO into their operations. Can the DAO provide a model for the rest of the sports world to follow? Can it change the way fans engage with their clubs?

As the 2023 G20 Summit is set to kickoff over the weekend, we take a closer look at India’s role in kicking off its crypto regulation agenda.

Bitcoin rose in afternoon trading in Asia, leading the gainers in the top 10 cryptocurrencies, fueling a wider market recovery as it returned to the US$26,000 support level. Despite the uptick, market experts warn of another potential drop to US$25,000. See related article: Weekly Market Wrap: Grayscale’s favorable court verdict, ETF hype fail to lift […]

North Korea-backed Lazarus Group was behind the US$41 million hack of online crypto gambling platform Stake.com on Monday, FBI says.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Coinbase steps up to fill void of crypto lenders. NFTs extend losses. What’s next for crypto as Singapore gets a new president?

Solana led gainers in the top 10 cryptos, after the protocol announced a new partnership with payments giant Visa.

Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation and Web3 developer Ginco Inc. have partnered to introduce what they call Japan’s first “crypto asset trust.”

Blockchain innovation in the U.S. could suffer from over-regulation of the crypto industry, cybersecurity expert Carole house said.

KEB Hana Bank, one of South Korea’s largest financial institutions, will offer digital asset custody services from the latter half of 2024.

With nine months under its G20 presidency belt, India’s approach to cryptocurrency governance remains static. Amid regulatory ambiguity, the nation’s crypto industry struggles to cope with stringent tax rules.

Bitcoin edged up on Monday morning in Asia but remained below US$26,000. Ether also stayed range-bound at around US$1,650.

Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Forkast’s Angie Lau, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions.

Bitcoin, Ether and other cryptos dropped on Friday afternoon in Asia. Toncoin and Tron gained.

Assisted by blockchain and AI, small farmers can make better use of data for more bountiful harvests. But adapting to new technology isn’t always easy.

Top blockchain and crypto news: U.S. court compels SEC to review Grayscale’s ETF application. SEC zooms in on NFTs. Asia’s richest man eyes blockchain, CBDCs

A U.S. district court on Wednesday dismissed charges against a group of five firms for alleged securities violations on the Uniswap DeFi platform.