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Myanmar’s shadow government uses Tether in its fight against military rule

The National Unity Government recognizes Tether as an official currency, defying the cryptocurrency ban imposed last year.

Hong Kong-based Brinc closes $130M funding led by Animoca Brands to fuel Web 3.0 growth

Brinc, a Hong Kong-headquartered venture capital focused on Web 3.0, today announced that it has secured US$30 million in a Series B round and an additional US$100 million for startup investments. The funding was led by Animoca Brands — a Hong Kong-based blockchain gaming, metaverse and non-fungible token (NFT) company — to further fuel Brinc’s investment in […]

US SPAC’s refusal to merge with Hong Kong crypto firms raises questions

Crypto 1 will consider acquisition targets worldwide but steer clear of digital assets companies in China and Hong Kong. Are the lights dimming on a major crypto hub?

South Korea’s WeMade invests in blockchain property startup Kasa

South Korean video game developer WeMade revealed today it has invested in Kasa, a blockchain-based digital asset-backed securities (DABS) trading platform with a focus on prop-tech — where information technology is applied to real estate economics. Fast facts Kasa is a platform where users can invest in commercial buildings with small amounts of money, similar […]

South Korea’s Danal to allow crypto as payment for BMWs

Fast facts Blockchain-based payment platform Danal Fintech announced a new service plan that will allow BMW vehicles to be purchased with Paycoin (PCI) in its new partnership with Samchully Motors, the domestic dealer of the luxury automobile line. The recent announcement makes the first case in South Korea where an automobile can be paid in […]

US SPAC Crypto 1 closes IPO, says won’t pursue ‘business combinations’ with any Hong Kong crypto firms

Crypto 1 Acquisition Corp., a U.S.-incorporated blank check company, has completed its initial public offering (IPO) with gross proceeds of US$230 million, according to a company statement released Friday. Fast facts The company’s units commenced trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol “DAOOU” on Dec. 7. Acting as a special purpose acquisition […]

In Hong Kong, a look at how the blockchain revolution in gaming continues

Gamers and developers gather at the annual Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum to discuss how video games may evolve in the future.

Binance’s Singapore entity pulls license application for local crypto exchange

Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, announced today that its Singapore entity Binance Asia Services has withdrawn its application to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for a license to operate a regulated crypto exchange in the country, according to a company statement. Fast facts The exchange had operated in Singapore under an exemption that […]

India PM Twitter account hacked, fake tweet claims Bitcoin is legal tender

India prime minister Narendra Modi’s Twitter account was hacked on Sunday morning, with the attacker posting a false tweet about India officially adopting Bitcoin as legal tender. Fast facts The tweet also said the government has bought 500 Bitcoin which will be distributed among citizens. This was the second instance of Modi’s Twitter account getting […]

China’s Yunnan province eradicates illegal power supply for Bitcoin mining

The energy authority in Southwest China’s Yunnan province said it has eliminated the illegal power supply from small and midsize hydropower stations to Bitcoin mining, as China continues to intensify its clampdown on crypto mining. Fast facts In a Friday post on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like microblogging platform, the Yunnan authority said as of the end […]

Gaming’s new tipping point into metaverse matters

Gaming is increasingly defined by NFTs, play-to-earn and the metaverse, writes Charlie Baillie of Ampverse. Will Asia continue to lead the hottest gaming trends?

Horses are joining humans as metaverse pilgrims

Blockchain gaming unicorn Animoca Brands announced yesterday a partnership with Aquis Farm — a major racehorse-breeding business owned by Hong Kong’s billionaire Fung family — to bring equestrian activities into the metaverse. The blockchain specialist will leverage Aquis Farm’s equestrian intellectual properties to develop blockchain games and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).  Fast facts “Aquis recognises the […]

Bitcoin hashrate recovers six months after China’s crypto ban

Bitcoin’s hashrate has almost fully recovered just six months after China’s crypto ban sent miners fleeing to more hospitable shores. Fast facts Despite the recent price crash, the total Bitcoin hashrate stood at 180.5 million terahashes per second, almost approaching its all-time high of 180.67 million TH/s back in May, according to data from Blockchain.com. The hashrate took […]

Polygon goes deeper into ZK tech by acquiring Mir for $400M

India-based Layer 2 Ethereum scaling platform Polygon has acquired zero-knowledge technology developer Mir for US$400 million as part of Polygon’s continued focus on ZK tech. Fast facts Mir will help Polygon build its new project — Polygon Zero, a highly scalable, Ethereum compatible ZK rollup. A zero knowledge protocol is a cryptographic algorithm that allows […]

India’s crypto bill to impose jail and US$2.65M fines for violations

India’s proposed rules for digital assets would ban cryptocurrency for payments while the Securities and Exchange Board regulates exchanges. Will it become law?

Shinhan, Standard banks demo cross-border stablecoin remittance

The transaction, using the Hedera Consensus Service network, bypasses intermediaries, lowering fees.

Bitcoin price tumbles below $50K as Evergrande defaults

Chinese property giant Evergrande has defaulted on its debt to global investors, credit rating firm Fitch Ratings reported today. Fast facts Fitch has downgraded Evergrande to “Restricted Default” after its deadline to pay interest due on two dollar-denominated bonds passed on Monday. The actual payments were due a month ago and the grace period expired […]

Bank stablecoin project; Watch for Fed taper in 2022

Banks releasing new stablecoin project meanwhile better watch for Fed taper in 2022

Hong Kong VC firm Chiron Partners raises $50M to back Terra

Hong Kong-based venture capital (VC) firm Chiron Partners announced Wednesday the launch of a US$50 million fund to support the Terra blockchain ecosystem. Fast facts Chiron Partners will use the fund, namely the Chiron Terra Fund I (CTI), to invest in innovative projects built on the Terra ecosystem, such as decentralized finance (DeFi) applications and […]

Hong Kong sees high engagement with crypto, Visa research shows

A new survey published Wednesday by Visa shows that 18% of Hong Kong residents are active cryptocurrency investors, while 13% are passive investors, representing the second-highest engagement with crypto just after the U.S. Fast facts The survey collected 6,430 online responses from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Hong Kong, South Africa, the U.S., and the U.K. […]

What is Polygon (MATIC) — ‘Ethereum’s internet of blockchains’?

Polygon envisions a world where value can be exchanged without borders. In this Forkast.News explainer, find out how Polygon works and why its MATIC token is defying crypto market gravity — again.

Singapore-based NFT market Brytehall to auction physical artwork of a bicycle

Singapore-based Brytehall is to co-host a new non-fungible token (NFT) art auction with bike manufacturer Specialized on Dec. 16, to sell an artwork of a bicycle named “enishi-E” created by Japanese artist Kosuke Masuda, both physically and digitally in an NFT. Fast facts Kosuke described the bike to be auctioned as an “alive” one, for […]

Binance acquires 18% stake in HGX securities exchange in Singapore

Binance is acquiring an 18% post-money stake in Hg Exchange (HGX) — a private securities exchange that has obtained a recognized market operator license by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) — through Binance Asia Services, the blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency provider behind Binance, according to a company statement released Wednesday. Fast facts Binance’s investment […]

China’s PBOC wants to link e-CNY with Hong Kong’s Faster Payment System

Mu Changchun, director-general of the People’s Bank of China’s digital currency institute, said today the central bank is working with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to test cross-border payment features for the e-CNY, China’s much anticipated central bank digital currency (CBDC). Fast facts Mu said at a webinar, jointly organized by the PBOC and […]
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S. Korean blockchain VC Hashed under tax investigation as CEO denies tax evasion

South Korea’s National Tax Service (NTS) recently launched an intensive tax investigation into blockchain and crypto venture capital firm Hashed, while its CEO denies any involvement in slush fund raising or tax evasion, according to local media reports. Fast facts Hashed confirmed that it had cooperated with the 4th Bureau of Investigation from the Seoul […]

Suzhou will set up China’s first blockchain pilot demonstration zone

Suzhou, a city located in Jiangsu province, will set up China’s first blockchain demonstration pilot zone, supported by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), according to a local media report. Fast facts MIIT agreed to Jiangsu Province’s request for support to set up a pilot zone for blockchain in Suzhou and said it […]

Tencent Cloud wins bid to build massive blockchain platform in Beijing

The Beijing Municipal Government announced the bidding results for the city’s blockchain and computing power platform. Tencent Cloud and government-tied enterprise Beijing Microchip Sensing Technology won the bid and will be paid US$37 million to build the system. Fast facts According to the bid’s quotations, Tencent Cloud will provide the cloud service for the blockchain […]

Tough measures in India’s crypto bill; NFTs a hot Christmas gift

Tough measures in India’s crypto bill meanwhile, NFTs are becoming a hot Christmas gift

Japanese crypto firms team up to form a metaverse association

Four of Japan’s virtual currency firms established the Japan Metaverse Association (JMA) yesterday with aims to promote metaverse technology and improve the framework for implementing user protection measures. Fast facts The Japan Metaverse Association aims to help the country become a forerunner in the race toward the metaverse by collecting and sharing essential information from […]
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Australia announces biggest overhaul to payments in 25 years — eyes now set on crypto

As part of a broader attempt to address Australia’s payments industry, the government offers a roadmap to where crypto regulation can lead in 2022.

Iceland turns away new crypto miners amid power shortage: report

Iceland, which is suffering from a power shortage, is reducing electricity to some industrial clients and turning away new requests for power from cryptocurrency miners, reported Bloomberg, citing a statement from national power company Landsvirkjun. Fast facts The Nordic island nation is now reducing power supply for heavy consumers, including aluminum smelters, data centers and […]

Meta says South Korea is top-tier environment for the metaverse

Meta’s South Korea representative says the country has one of the best environments for the metaverse business to thrive in, at its first press conference in Korea after rebranding from Facebook. Fast facts At Meta Korea’s VR (virtual reality) art media showcase, Jung Ki-hyun, the country director, said South Korea is accommodating to the metaverse […]

Crypto crash hits Korean game developers; Rug-pull red flags

Crypto crash hits Korean game developers, also how to spot Rug-pull’s red flags

Manny Pacquiao launches esports team in midst of presidential campaign

‘Team Pacquiao GG’ may be coming soon to League of Legends and Axie Infinity. But whatever happened to the former pro boxer’s Pac token?

Crypto exchange Coinhako secures investment from SBI, Sygnum, Azimut

Singapore-based cryptocurrency trading platform Coinhako has received backing from the SBI-Sygnum-Azimut Digital Asset Opportunity fund, with the fundraising round being three-times oversubscribed, according to a statement released today. Fast facts The fund is a venture capital fund co-managed by Japan’s SBI Group, Switzerland’s Sygnum Bank — which claims to be the world’s first digital asset […]

Japan may limit stablecoin issuers to banks, wire transfer companies

Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) is planning a legislative proposal for the upcoming year to restrict the issuance rights of stablecoins to banks and wire transfer companies, according to a Nikkei Asia report. Fast facts The FSA’s decision to limit the issuance is meant to lower risks for stablecoin users, as FSA-authorized banks and wire […]

Kotak 1st major Indian bank to embrace crypto with WazirX partnership

Kotak Mahindra Bank, a leading private bank in India, has struck a partnership with crypto exchange WazirX, the Economic Times reported. Fast facts WazirX has opened an account with Kotak that can be used to pay and receive money from investors, according to the ET report. The account will be activated after the completion of […]

Chinese video site Bilibili tests ‘UPowerchain’ to develop metaverse

Bilibili — one of China’s biggest video sites particularly known for its content dedicated for anime, comics and games fans — is testing its blockchain UPowerchain that could help the company build its metaverse business, as Chinese tech giants are sparing no efforts to enter the metaverse space. Fast facts Bilibili has confirmed with Forkast.News […]

Can Thailand emerge as a ‘crypto-positive’ travel destination?

Tourism officials want to attract more crypto-wealthy travelers to Thailand’s shimmering shores. But will the crypto faithful come if Thailand still has a ban on SHIB and Dogecoin?

South Korean regulator jumps to a crypto exchange

Experts expect more disruption as the crypto industry matures and a younger generation places different values on status and job security.

India releases ‘National Strategy on Blockchain’ for e-governance

The Indian ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) has released a 52-page “National Strategy on Blockchain” document that urges closer cooperation between government and the private sector to build blockchain infrastructure across the world’s second-most populous nation. Fast facts It is to be noted that the current NSB document is an updated version from […]

Navi files for India’s second blockchain fund

The fund will track companies that use and benefit from the technology underlying cryptocurrencies, but will not invest in crypto or crypto exchanges.

South China’s Hainan province hikes electricity fees on those who have mined crypto

On top of China, authorities in Russia and Ukraine are busting underground miners, while U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren presses a New York miner.
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Crypto hit in market sell off; Bitget reportedly suspended by MAS

Crypto hit in market sell off, also Bitget reportedly suspended by MAS

Bitget suspended over Army Coin, named after K-pop boy band BTS fanbase

Singapore-based crypto exchange had claimed the fan token would support BTS members — while the band’s agency denied any association with it.
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Binance chief CZ wants to bring business back to UK: report

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, is working to rebuild its operations in the U.K. after it was told to close down the business there back in June, the company’s CEO Changpeng Zhao, or CZ, told the newspaper the Sunday Telegraph. Fast facts CZ told the local press the company is making […]

Japan’s Elemental Knights Online game to release play-to-earn metaverse version

Japan’s mobile game Elemental Knights Online is planning to release Gensokishi Online -META WORLD-, which is its newest version incorporating elements of play-to-earn, user-generated NFTs (non-fungible tokens), and the metaverse. Fast facts Gensokishi Online’s “Meta World” metaverse will allow players to purchase land and freely edit in their creations, such as buildings and characters. The […]

South Korean online game developer KRAFTON invests in metaverse

Signaling a growing interest in business opportunities in the interactive virtual world, KRAFTON, one of South Korea’s major game developers, quietly invested 5 billion Korean won (around US$4.2 million) in Naver Z back in July. Naver Z, under internet giant Naver, services the fast-growing Zepeto metaverse platform. Fast facts KRAFTON told local media that its […]

Indian crypto community sees silver lining after 1st week of parliamentary session

A cabinet note suggests the government intends to regulate cryptocurrencies as assets with the Securities and Exchange Board of India at the helm.

New round of digital yuan coupons issued as Beijing Winter Olympics near

In Beijing, four state-run banks released a new batch of digital yuan (e-CNY) coupons on Thursday to promote its adoption rate in rehearsal for the upcoming Winter Olympics. This batch of coupons tests the e-CNY’s application in small-amount and high-frequency payment scenarios. Fast facts According to an announcement from Beijing financial authorities, coupon use cases […]

Japan’s central bank is urged to speed up its digital yen project

With economic security as a top priority, the Kishida administration anticipates the release of competing CBDCs.

AussieMates NFT project launches for mental health awareness

Much of the world has been living under lockdown over the past few years, and collective mental health has been severely impacted. One Australian firm is looking to raise awareness and funds to address the issue with a new Down Under themed non-fungible token series, according to a press release shared with Forkast.News. Fast facts […]

Crypto resilient to Omicron: Japan speeds up on CBDC

Crypto resilient to Omicron meanwhile Japan speeds up on CBDC

Scottish whisky brand The Dalmore to offer limited-edition liquor NFT

The non-fungible token (NFT) frenzy has extended to the luxury wine and spirits industry. The Dalmore, best known for its Scottish whiskies, has partnered with BlockBar, an NFT platform for luxury liquor brands, to offer a limited-edition liquor NFT with a set of The Dalmore Decades No.4 Collection, the brand said in a Wednesday statement. […]

Korea Exchange CEO calls for institutionalization of crypto

Sohn Byung-doo, chief executive officer for Korea Exchange (KRX), urged South Korea to prepare an institutional infrastructure as virtual assets have become a major investment asset in the country. Fast facts In his speech at the 2021 Global ETP Conference, Sohn insisted that the “virtual asset market is no different from the capital market in […]

Bitcoin miner Griid set to go public via Adit EdTech merger

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 […]

Chinese cybersecurity firm Qihoo 360 develops crypto mining tracking system to facilitate clampdown

Qihoo 360, a Chinese internet company best known for its antivirus software programs, has built a system that could help the Chinese government track cryptocurrency mining activities, as the country continues to crack down on the sector. Fast facts Qihoo 360 said in a Tuesday statement that it detected 109,000 active mining IP addresses on […]

Binance crypto license plans in Singapore uncertain

Will crypto exchange Binance withdraw its license application in Singapore and look elsewhere in its search for a new global home?

Crypto-ban fears may be an overreaction in India

A former finance secretary says too much is yet unknown about the new crypto bill for investors to expect the worst.

Kimchi Premium hits highest level since May

The Korea Premium Index for Bitcoin reached 7% last Sunday, which may indicate an influx of retail investors.

K-pop agency Cube bets big on NFT and metaverse

The impresario behind superstars BTOB and (G)I-DLE tells Forkast.News there’s ‘no upper limit’ to how much Cube will invest in NFTs and a metaverse for concerts.
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Investors queasy as prospect of India crypto ban returns

Top blockchain and crypto news: Are India’s CBDC plans crowding out crypto? Jack Dorsey goes full Bitcoin bro. China’s digital yuan hopes claim another victim.

NFTs on China’s BSN migrate to OpenSea to tap global market

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) featuring famous traditional Chinese paintings by culture studio Rongbaozhai have been successfully transferred from China’s Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) WenChang Chain to the OpenSea marketplace on the Ethereum blockchain, a milestone in the development of interchain NFT technology. Fast facts The transfer was made on Nov. 16 across four blockchains: WenChang Chain […]

Huobi Group poised to establish regional hub in Singapore

Huobi Group, which operates Chinese cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global, has decided to set up a regional hub in Singapore, a representative of company has told Forkast.News. Fast facts In November, Huobi Global pledged to stop offering services to Singapore-based users from March 31, 2022, to comply with local laws, according to a company statement. Huobi […]

Is an IPO in the cards for India’s first crypto unicorn CoinDCX?

Is CoinDCX — India’s first crypto company to achieve unicorn status, or US$1 billion in valuation — going public? CoinDCX co-founder Neeraj Khandelwal set off a frenzy of excitement when he told Bloomberg in a recent interview that CoinDCX may pursue an initial public offering as soon as legislation permits. But a CoinDCX spokesperson told […]

Crypto tax delay is a chance for South Korea to fix loopholes, experts say

Now that South Korea’s crypto tax is delayed a year, what will the final form look like? Should crypto gains be taxed like stock profits — or winning the lottery?

Korea crypto tax postponed; CoinDCX looks to IPO

Korea crypto tax postponed, meanwhile CoinDCX looks to IPO

Huobi Brokerage launches crypto lending for institutions

Hong Kong Stock Exchange-listed Huobi Technology Holdings today announced that it will be launching Huobi Lending, a cryptocurrency lending service for institutions and high net worth individuals (HNWI) through its new digital asset brokerage platform Huobi Brokerage, according to a company announcement. Fast facts Alongside growing institutional interest in digital assets, crypto lending services leveraging […]

Hong Kong metaverse developer ViLab partners with Squid Game special effects maker

Hong Kong-based ViLab Limited, a metaverse developer, announced today that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Gulliver Studios, the effects creator behind the Netflix hit series Squid Game, to develop technology that can be used for creating virtual identities and other features for the metaverse. Fast facts ViLab and Gulliver Studios will […]

South Korea’s KB Bank unveils a metaverse bank testbed

KB Kookmin Bank, one of South Korea’s largest financial institutions, announced yesterday that it has developed the KB Metaverse VR Branch Testbed for experimenting with allowing customers wearing a head-mounted VR device to access banking services in a metaverse. Fast facts Simple transactions, such as remittances, can be managed at a teller window, while an […]

Bitcoin spot ETP launches in the EU

While the wait for a U.S. Bitcoin spot exchange-traded fund continues, Invesco, a U.S. investment firm with US$1.6 trillion in assets under management, has partnered with CoinShares to launch a European exchange-traded product physically backed by Bitcoin, according to reporting on Nasdaq.com. Fast facts The Invesco Physical Bitcoin ETP will be listed on Deutsche Börse […]

New York Fed and BIS join hands to launch fintech hub

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 — […]