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China’s Jiangsu province works to wipe out covert crypto mining

China’s eastern province of Jiangsu today announced that it is cracking down on covert cryptocurrency mining activities, in response to the notice jointly issued two weeks ago by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and several other public security and information technology authorities. Fast facts The Jiangsu Communications Administration said it is strengthening its […]

NFTs and the music industry: Flatten the learning curve | Part 3

Singers and musicians are embracing non-fungible tokens, but will their non-crypto active fans buy it?

New Zealand exchange closes $12M funding round

New Zealand-based exchange Easy Crypto has closed a NZ$17 million (US$11.75 million) Series A funding round, in what may be the largest investment raised for a startup from the country. Fast facts Led by venture capital fund Nuance Connected Capital, Easy Crypto told Forkast.News the funding round was oversubscribed by 50%, helped along by participation […]

South Korea calls for legal review on DeFi businesses

As South Korea’s ongoing efforts at regulating cryptocurrency continues, a top financial services official said DeFi (decentralized finance) businesses need legal review before they are officially recognized as providers of financial services such as loan-for-consumption. Fast facts At the National Assembly’s annual review, lawmaker Oh Gi-hyoung, member of the National Policy Committee, asked Jeong Eun-bo, Korea’s Financial […]

Crypto exchange Binance looks to Ireland for regional HQ

Binance — the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world — is looking at setting up regional headquarters in Ireland, according to Reuters. Fast facts “Historically, we claim that we don’t have headquarters. We are actually just in the process of establishing a few headquarters in different parts of the world,” Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao told […]

Ukrainian president seeks revision of cryptocurrency bill

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy returned a cryptocurrency bill to Parliament for revision on Tuesday, demanding the National Securities and Stock Market Commission of Ukraine be designated the country’s main crypto regulator. Fast facts The crypto bill had passed the second parliamentary hearing on September 8. Had Zelenskyy signed the bill, it would have made the country the fifth […]

What Powell’s ‘No intention to ban’ means for crypto

  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 […]

CoinSwitch Kuber becomes unicorn; Australians reminded over crypto tax

Coinswitch Kuber becomes unicorn meanwhile Australians reminded over crypto tax

India gets second crypto unicorn within two months

Indian crypto exchange CoinSwitch Kuber has become the country’s second crypto unicorn after raising US$260 million in a Series C funding round, the startup announced. Fast facts The latest funding round drew in marquee investors — it was led by Coinbase Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). Existing investors Sequoia, Paradigm, Ribbit and Tiger Global also participated […]

U.S. crypto enforcement team to target cybercrime

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 […]

Australian Tax Office warns: taxpayers on the hook for crypto tax earnings

Officials are concerned that many investors may not be aware crypto trading is taxed in a similar way to share trading.

Crypto miners blamed for Kazakhstan’s power shortages; Bitcoin on the up

Kazakhstan blames its newly settled crypto miners for power shortages as South Korea’s largest exchange is accused of listing faulty tokens for profits.

How should the world tackle crypto criminals and digital dangers?

Top blockchain and crypto news: US leads charge in ramping up cybersecurity. Crypto fans crow as Facebook flops. China bears down on metaverses.

Ripple partners with Qatar’s largest bank to improve cross-border payments

Blockchain payments company Ripple has partnered with Qatar National Bank (QNB) to improve cross-border payments and launch a new remittance platform, Ripple announced on Tuesday. Fast facts QNB will pilot RippleNet, a network of banks and other payment companies developed using Ripple’s technology, with QNB Finansbank in Turkey as part of a group rollout, the […]

Brazil seeks to make Bitcoin a legal ‘payment currency’

Brazil’s legislators are expected to discuss in the next few days a bill that seeks to establish a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies, which may be a major step toward making Bitcoin a legal “payment currency” in the country if approved by the congress. Fast facts Bill 2.303/15, proposed by Federal Deputy Aureo Ribeiro, aims to […]

Kazakhstan, hotbed for crypto mining, mulls restrictions amid power shortages

Xive co-founder says its one mining farm in the south of the Central Asian nation has been forced to disconnect from the grid.

Top South Korean exchange accused of listing faulty tokens for fees

A lawmaker claims Upbit earned hundreds of millions by listing sketchy cryptocurrencies, while the exchange rebuts that it follows fair and strict standards.

U.S. Bank launches Bitcoin custody service as more banks enter crypto realm

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 […]

Petitioners oppose looming 20% crypto tax in South Korea

Crypto investors say virtual asset gains will be taxed on uneven grounds compared to stock capital gains.

How Singapore is emerging as a safe harbor for the Chinese crypto industry exodus

As China intensifies its crypto crackdown, regulatory clarity is a beacon for safer shores in Southeast Asia.

What is Hong Kong’s future as a crypto hub?

Hong Kong, a hotbed for crypto startups and exchanges, is at a crossroads, writes Jeremy Ng of Gemini. Here’s how the industry can better secure its future.

Central and Southeast Asia among fastest-growing regions in global crypto adoption: Chainalysis

Much of the growth in the region is driven by strong grassroots adoption rates led by Vietnam, India and Pakistan, new data from Chainalysis shows

Laos hires Tokyo blockchain startup to explore CBDC

Laos enlisted Soramitsu, a blockchain company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, to explore a central-bank backed digital currency (CBDC). The Lao Central Bank and Soramitsu’s research will begin as early as this month. Fast facts The Central Bank of Laos reportedly has recently signed a memorandum with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to discuss the development […]

Hong Kong issues technical white paper on e-HKD

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on Monday released a white paper proposing potential technical architecture and design for the infrastructure of a digital Hong Kong dollar. The paper is one of the deliverables described in Project e-HKD, a feasibility study the HKMA announced in June 2021. Fast facts Hong Kong began its exploration of […]

Why domestic and overseas Chinese should worry about China’s crypto ban

In a special Q&A, a Canadian law advisor who works with Chinese clients breaks down the ban’s potential legal boundaries and concerns held by overseas Chinese.

e-CNY wallet launched in China allows transfer via chat window

Chinese communications giant China Mobile and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China jointly released an e-CNY wallet based on the upgraded SMS service Message over 5G. The wallet allows users to transfer money, check balances, pay bills, and perform other functions through the chat window. Fast facts Message over 5G is an upgraded text message […]

Illegal foreign exchange transactions using crypto in South Korea break record, grow fortyfold

The country sees a rise in the amount of illegal currency transactions across the border while the use of virtual assets makes it almost impossible to track down.

Crypto on the beach: FTX and other players find paradise in the Caribbean

This week, FTX announced it is moving its headquarters from Hong Kong to the Bahamas, as the larger Caribbean region takes on a bigger role as host to virtual currency exchanges.

Singapore grants crypto licenses to DBS and Australian exchange Independent Reserve

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) today granted licenses to DBS Vickers (DBSV), the brokerage arm of DBS Bank, and Independent Reserve, an Australian cryptocurrency exchange, to provide digital payment token services under the Payment Services Act (PS Act). Fast facts Formal approval from MAS, which follows its earlier “in-principal approval” granted to both companies […]

Government-backed NFT art-trading market launched in China’s new duty-free port

The Hainan International Art Exchange Center on Wednesday launched an NFT art-trading platform that supports e-CNY payments, according to China News’ report. According to the staff of the center, the blockchain platform provides services for the purchase and sale of art between art institutions. Institutional traders will be able to tokenize physical artworks as NFTs […]

South Korean game developer, crypto exchange team up for next level gaming

Mobile game company Gamevil buys a large share of crypto platform Coinone, planning to develop blockchain-based gaming.

DeFi benefits from China ban; Gamevil increases Coinone stake

DeFi benefits from China ban while Gamevil increases Coinone stake

After the crackdown: go underground, go along, or buy the dip?

Chinese social media has been abuzz since authorities lowered the boom on crypto. Forkast.News has been following the chatter. Here’s what they’re saying on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter.

Following crypto ban, digital wallet imToken restricts some access for China users

Decentralized wallet imToken is restricting access to some of the services it offers for users in China, in the wake of the latest ban imposed by top Chinese authorities last Friday. Fast facts The company has restricted users in China from accessing and using third-party financial applications, including those from decentralized crypto exchanges, stake mining […]

Why China’s latest stomp on crypto is turbo-charging DeFi growth

DeFi tokens like dYdX soared after China’s latest move to throttle crypto. Is this a short-term spurt or decentralized finance shifting into high gear?

Who in the world should worry about China’s new crypto ban?

As Chinese authorities take aim at crypto violations outside mainland borders, Forkast.News asks lawyers in the know: Who is in China’s line of fire?

How China’s crypto clampdowns could reshape the rest of the world

Against the global tide of digital asset adoption, China’s harshest crypto ban yet heralds golden opportunities, writes Richard Byworth of EQONEX. Other governments should take note.

Cabs in Chinese city Xi’an pilot digital RMB as fare

The Xi’an taxi industry and the Bank of Xi’an launched an e-CNY pilot program to accept e-CNY as fare, becoming the first city in China to accept digital renminbi as a taxi fare, a local newspaper reported. Fast facts Ten cabs selected as pilot vehicles have QR codes posted, and passengers can scan the QR […]

South Korean banks find workaround to cash in on crypto services

NH Nonghyup is the third bank in South Korea to invest in a virtual asset custody service while they are prohibited from running their own.

Unmade in China: Beijing’s crypto cold war turns hot

Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Beijing’s crypto crusade comes to a head. Chinese mining caves in. Mr. Goxx reaps robust returns.

Retail malls, move over. Crypto mining is in for Malaysia’s Hatten Land

Malaysian property developer Hatten Land has signed an agreement, through a subsidiary, with Singapore-based digital asset management company Frontier to share proceeds from jointly operating at least 1,000 cryptocurrency mining rigs within Hatten Land properties in Malaysia, according to a company statement released today. Fast facts Hatten Land has previously announced that it would repurpose […]

BeePool, Tiger Brokers among the latest to respond to China’s crypto ban

China’s stepped-up cryptocurrency ban continues to send shockwaves through the industry, as more crypto service providers are shutting their doors to users in China. BeePool and Tiger Brokers are among the latest to announce service suspensions. Fast facts China-based BeePool, the fourth-largest Ethereum mining pool in hashrate, said Tuesday that it has stopped registering new […]

China fallout hits mining; Korea digital custody competition heats up

China fallout hits mining meanwhile Korea digital custody competition heats up

Ant Group and Tencent obtain the most blockchain patents in China: report

China saw a fivefold increase in blockchain patents last year despite the Covid-19 shutdown.
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China’s BSN to set up foundation in Singapore to fuel international expansion

China’s Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) — a public-private nationwide infrastructure project to spur mass adoption of blockchain technology — is moving a step closer to more international exposure, as the company behind it is working to register a foundation based in Singapore. Fast facts Red Date Technology, the company China tapped to manage its BSN, […]

How central banks are wielding blockchain in soft power competition

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?

Crypto mining players continue to flee China as latest ban kicks in

China’s earlier efforts to eradicate mining may not have been as effective as the government had hoped, but Friday’s announcement is having an impact.
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The curious timing behind China’s thunder and lightning at crypto

China assaulted crypto with a new ferocity just as Bitcoin options expired and Evergrande escaped death. Coincidence? Ben Caselin of AAX lays out the clues.

Damage to South Korean crypto market limited despite mass closure, regulator says

South Korea’s virtual asset industry is expected to withstand major regulatory reconstruction

FTX CEO: This is the canary in China’s crypto ban coal mine

Amid China’s new clampdown, why is DeFi surging and the RMB-to-crypto market important? Sam Bankman-Fried analyzes what it all means and why FTX is leaving Hong Kong for a new home.

Chinese crypto exchange Huobi looks to the world as China shuts the door on crypto

Huobi’s diversified businesses outside of China reached nearly 70% in terms of trading volumes, and have been on the rise, its co-founder tells Forkast.News.

Ban or no ban, Indian crypto industry is thriving

India’s crypto industry will grow over 200% to reach $241M by 2030, a new study says.

China’s crypto ban: what you need to know

How is China’s latest clampdown on crypto different from its previous bans — and how do authorities plan to catch the scofflaws? Henri Arslanian of PwC breaks it down.

Crypto markets shrug off China’s latest saber-rattling

Is China’s influence over Bitcoin and the global crypto market waning? Chinese exchanges get a thrashing as decentralized exchanges get happy on clampdown news.
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What does China’s crypto ban really mean? Insights from the ground

China’s hardline stance against crypto is already rippling beyond its borders. A mainland crypto insider explains the global shakeup yet to come.

Chinese blockchain Conflux partners with GIGXPAD to tokenize real-world assets in Africa

GIGXPAD, a decentralized finance (DeFi) project based in Africa, is partnering with public blockchain network Conflux to tokenize real-world assets, according to a company statement shared with Forkast.News. Fast facts The collaboration, which marks the Chinese blockchain Conflux’s first use case in Africa, will see GIGXPAD deploying a decentralized crowdfunding platform on Conflux. According to […]

Chinese city adopts blockchain to track carbon emissions

Huzhou City in Zhejiang, a province in eastern China, announced the launch of a blockchain to track and record carbon emissions records. Fast facts The blockchain was built by Beijing Zhongdian Puhua Information Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of State Grid. The data will be provided to third-party carbon accounting agencies, governments, and individuals for […]

The9 teams up with Polygon and Protocol Labs on new NFT platform, game projects

The9 Ltd., a Chinese gaming company that pivoted earlier this year to cryptocurrency mining — along with Polygon and Protocol Labs — are forming an ecosystem collaboration on The9’s non-fungible token (NFT) platform NFTSTAR and GameFi play-to-earn projects. Fast facts The company said in a statement released on Thursday that NFTSTAR and The9’s GameFi projects will […]

Fewer South Korean crypto exchanges remain in business under new industry regulations

Around 35 virtual asset exchanges will vanish as of midnight Friday, as the country imposes new rules designed to protect consumers.

Crypto market is shaken as China declares all crypto transactions illegal

Bitcoin and Ethereum prices fall after Beijing intensifies crackdown on crypto trading, mining.
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BIT Mining invests in crypto site in Ohio to expand U.S. operation

The cryptocurrency mining industry is attracting more investment money. Hong Kong-headquartered crypto miner BIT Mining said it had entered into an agreement to jointly invest in a crypto mining data center in the U.S. state of Ohio, with access to power capacity of up to 85 megawatts. Fast facts The development of the Ohio mining […]

Digital yuan could come to overseas users to challenge dollar dominance: policy bank expert

China may be a small step closer to internationalizing the yuan, though its central bank says the e-CNY is now mostly tested for domestic use.
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SushiSwap developer rejects claims of billion-dollar bug

SushiSwap, a Japanese decentralized exchange, has dismissed the claims of a white hat hacker who says two contracts on the exchange have a vulnerability that puts US$1 billion worth of user assets at risk. Fast facts An anonymous white hat hacker published a report on Thursday claiming there is a loophole in the emergency withdrawal […]

How Southeast Asia flowered into a global crypto hub

Until recently, most Southeast Asians had no internet. Now the region is abloom with blockchain innovation. How did they do it?

UAE regulators to allow crypto-assets trading

The United Arab Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA) have signed an agreement to support crypto-assets trading and related financial activities in the DWTCA free zone. Fast facts The agreement allows the DWTCA to issue approvals and licenses for financial activities related to crypto assets and the SCA […]

South Korea’s crypto crackdown: What you need to know

The country’s crypto industry has been turned upside down with stricter operating rules that take effect tomorrow.

After Evergrande, will virtual real estate be the next alternative asset class?

The property market is increasingly expensive and out of reach for today’s younger generation. Digital land sales may hit home with some buyers.

Investors get ready, India crypto tax in the works

The Indian ministry of finance has formed a panel to examine how income from crypto investments can be taxed, according to a report by Inc42. Fast facts The panel will evaluate whether crypto income can be taxed as capital gains or if it requires the formation of a new category. The committee is required to […]

Crypto investors brush off Evergrande

The cryptocurrency market has rebounded in the past 24 hours as news broke that China Evergrande Group, the second largest property developer in the world’s most populous nation, has taken a step back from falling off a potential debt cliff today. Fast facts While the overall cryptocurrency market is still down for the week, all […]

India may not be ready to follow El Salvador’s lead, but don’t rule out cryptocurrency, finance minister says

Nirmala Sitharaman says ‘a futuristic thing can’t be shut out’ as the country considers crypto regulation, including a possible blanket ban.

After Singapore, Binance pulls back from Australia under growing regulatory pressure

Following similar moves in Singapore, embattled crypto exchange Binance — the largest in the world by trading volume — is ending its derivatives trading in Australia by year’s end, according to a company blog post on Tuesday. Fast facts Aussie traders will have 90 days to reduce or close their positions on options, futures and […]

Chinese rig maker Canaan to buy back shares up to $20M to bring up valuation

Chinese crypto mining rig maker Canaan Inc. announced Monday that its board of directors has authorized a share repurchase program, in a signal of confidence in crypto mining’s future and a belief that its own stock is undervalued. Fast facts Nasdaq-listed Canaan said it may repurchase up to US$20 million worth of its outstanding American […]