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Bitcoin prices dropped below US$27,000 on Wednesday afternoon in Asia, while XRP gained the most after positive news for Ripple Labs on its lawsuit against U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

A U.S. federal judge has denied a motion by the SEC to seal internal documents related to a speech given by the SEC’s former director on whether cryptocurrencies are securities.

Bitcoin fell 0.58% while Ether dropped 0.36%. Solana was the biggest loser of the day, dropping 1.67%.

European Union finance ministers unanimously approved MiCA, a set of cryptocurrency rules aiming to reshape the digital asset industry across the EU bloc.

As part of the ongoing legal dispute between the two, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said it would not be hurried into a response to Coinbase demands.

South Korean prosecutors have raided Upbit, Bithumb and the crypto wallet unit of Kakao, as part of their investigation into lawmaker Kim Nam-kuk.

Bitcoin prices rose along with Ether, while Litecoin continues to lead gainers among other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin rose 2.07% to US$27,409 in 24 hours while Ether gained 1.27% to US$1,829. Litecoin was the biggest gainer of the day, rising 7.65%.

Bank of Korea, the central bank, seems uncomfortable with the Financial Services Commission, the country’s regulator, having the mandate over the cryptocurrency industry. The bank is pushing for more say, arguing crypto can influence the stability of the overall financial market and that involves the central bank.

Regulatory hurdles have once again hit Binance in North America, with the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange announcing on Friday that it would cease operations in Canada due to tightened crypto rules.

The U.S. is resisting digitization of the dollar due to it being a threat to the country’s dominance over traditional financial system, said Christopher Giancarlo, former chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and author of “Crypto Dad: Fight for the Future of Money.”

While the community might be small, there’s a growing buzz around Web3 in Japan, with overseas companies now taking note. For clues on how to make it big in the land of the rising sun, follow the lead of the nation’s largest firms, says Sebastien Guillemot, co-founder of Paima Studios.

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

Bitcoin and Ether fell during Friday afternoon trading in Asia, along with most of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, apart from the XRP token.

Binance.US is reportedly exploring ways to cut founder Changpeng Zhao’s ownership stake in the company, The Information reported on Thursday, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

Japan was an early believer in blockchain and cryptocurrencies until exchange hacks brought a crackdown. But that was then. Now the government has become a crypto cheerleader.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Memecoin fever strains BTC network. Binance slams brakes on Bitcoin withdrawals. Chinese court allows crypto for repaying debt.

The three-day NexTech Week trade show kicked off Wednesday in Tokyo, celebrating all things technology, including blockchain and Artificial Intelligence.

Terraform Labs co-founder Shin Hyun-seung and seven others will face trial on May 26 on charges of fraud related to the Terra-Luna crypto collapse.

Bitcoin lost 0.43% while Ether dipped 0.60% in 24 hours. Polygon’s Matic token was the biggest loser and dropped 2.16%.

Cryptocurrency firms moving to Hong Kong should expect tight regulations as part of the city-state’s new regulatory regime, said Eddie Yue.

A South Korean court has approved prosecutors’ request to freeze assets and properties worth 233.3 billion Korean won that belong to Kwon.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – May 10th, 2023 – presented by Jeff Cheung for the latest in the crypto markets. Bitcoin has seen a slight increase in its price tag as congestion in the Bitcoin networks eases, dropping transaction fees at the same time. However, the NFT markets are still looking a little gloomy […]

Hong Kong-based OSL Asset Management Ltd said it won a local license to offer investment products in blockchain, Web3 and AI companies.

Bitcoin dropped 1.25% and Ether fell 0.25% in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia. All other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies also dropped.

Skyrocketing activity has led to a surge in average Bitcoin transaction fees — which rose to US$31.15 as of March 8 — exerting increasing pressure on users in low- and middle- income economies including Bitcoin-reliant communities in El Salvador, the first country to implement mass adoption of the digital currency.

U.S. crypto exchange Bittrex Inc. has filed for bankruptcy just days after closing operations following an SEC lawsuit and citing unclear crypto laws.

Bitcoin, Ether fell in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Polkadot and XRP led the losers in that list.

India is not against the blockchain technology, but currencies have to be monitored by either the government or the central bank, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday. 

The prosecutor leading Korea’s investigation into the Terra-Luna project said its founder Do Kwon should be extradited to Seoul to face trial.

In the final installment of a three-part interview series, Geoff Kendrick, head of crypto research at Standard Chartered Bank, outlines the lender’s approach to crypto and why he thinks exploration of blockchain use cases is just beginning.

Welcome to Forkast IQ, presented by Forkast Editor-in-Chief Angie Lau, where we look beyond the headlines to get you insights that power smarter decisions. Coming up on today’s show: JPMorgan Chase set to rescue First Republic Bank. CITI cuts Coinbase stock Weekly crypto market wrap; “US$100K for Bitcoin” – Standard Chartered report; Weekly NFT market […]

Bitcoin rose while Ether fell in Thursday afternoon trade in Asia, with declines across most of the other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana’s SOL token was the biggest loser of the day.

Top blockchain and crypto news: JPMorgan swoops as another bank falls. NFT market rivalry heats up. Bitget seeks Hong Kong exchange license.

Andrew Webber of Digital Power Optimization says more renewable energy would get built “if it was more profitable” and that’s where Bitcoin mining can help.

Bitcoin gained 2.18% in 24 hours while Ether rose 1.67%.

Singapore-headquartered cryptocurrency miner Bitdeer Technologies is planning to expand its mining operations to Bhutan and raise up to US$500 million for a fund through a new partnership with the Himalayan kingdom’s state-owned investment company Druk Holding and Investments.

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is campaigning for a tax on cryptocurrency miners equal to 30% of the cost of the power they use, citing what it calls “negative spillovers” from the industry.

Temasek, Singapore’s state-owned investment firm, has denied that it had invested in Array, an algorithmic cryptocurrency developer.

Bitcoin dropped 2.09% in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia while Ether lost 0.81%. BNB fell 2.93% and Polkadot declined 2.66%.

CFTC and SEC disagree over whether cryptocurrencies are securities, and two big lawsuits clouding the industry’s future invoke laws that long predate the digital era.

Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitget expects more clarity on Hong Kong’s licensing regime from June as the city pushes ahead with plans to attract blockchain and cryptocurrency entrepreneurs.

Arthur Yuen, Deputy Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, urged local lenders to provide banking services to regulated crypto firms.

The current US approach to regulating crypto flies against its history of supporting tech innovation and undermines its own national interest, writes Hamilton Keats of Krayon Digital.

Top blockchain and crypto news: Coinbase in court to force SEC’s hand. PEPE surge lifts memecoin mood. China paves CBDC path with payroll.

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Thursday, while most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization declined. Cardano’s ADA token saw the biggest gain.

The lack of clarity in crypto rules in the U.S. not only affects exchanges but also this U.S.-based blockchain gaming company, John Linden said.

Bitcoin and Ether rose on Wednesday trade in Asia, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies, with Solana and Cardano leading the way.

South Korea’s legislation on how to regulate digital assets passed the first phase of review in the country’s National Assembly on Tuesday.

Binance.US, a cryptocurrency exchange set up by Binance chief Changpeng Zhao to serve U.S. clients, has pulled out of a US$1.3 billion deal to buy bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital, the company said Tuesday, citing a lack of clear regulations in the country for the crypto industry.

Bitcoin fell in Tuesday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all other top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies. Polygon was the biggest loser followed by Solana.

Russia is now the second largest Bitcoin miner after the U.S., according to a report by Russian media Kommersant. 

Bitcoin extended losses in Monday afternoon trade in Asia, along with all top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, with Solana and Polygon as the biggest losers.

India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in commending the potential of distributed ledger technology (DLT), has urged for a global consensus in regulating crypto while emphasizing that regulation did not equate to government control over the technology. 

Do Kwon has been charged by Montenegrin authorities for attempting to travel with forged documents as the US and South Korea race to extradite him.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 21, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. The European Union has approved the passage of their Markets in Cryptoassets (MiCA) law, making it the first major jurisdiction in the world to introduce a comprehensive law for the crypto sphere. Meanwhile, the crypto markets have sailed on steadily for […]

The European Parliament has approved the Markets in Crypto-Assets Act (MiCA), a legislation aimed at standardizing regulations and establishing harmonized rules for crypto assets across the European Union

Top blockchain and crypto news: Bittrex in SEC line of fire. Bored Apes fall after whale sale. Chinese banks court crypto clients.

Welcome to The Daily Forkast – April 20, 2023 – presented by Megha Chaddah. Bitcoin is down more than 5% Thursday morning in Asia. Ethereum also fell to lose hold of the US$2,000 price support in a sell-off across all top 10 non-stablecoin tokens. In the multi-chain economy, the Forkast Labs indexes trade mixed.

Shares of Singapore-based cryptocurrency miner Bitdeer have slid more than 35% since their Nasdaq debut on April 14, and were trading at US$6.41 at closing on Wednesday.

Bitcoin rose and traded above US$30,000 on Wednesday afternoon in Asia, while Ether fell along with most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Solana lost the most, followed by Binance’s BNB token.

UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority said Monday it has started accepting applications for operating licenses from cryptocurrency businesses.

Bitcoin dropped on Tuesday afternoon in Asia but remained above US$29,000, while Ether and most top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies gained. Dogecoin and Solana fell on the day and rose on the week.

Bitcoin dropped on Monday afternoon in Asia and continued to trade below US$30,000. Cardano led losers among top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies in a mixed market. Solana led gains, followed by Binance’s BNB token and memecoin Dogecoin.

Seattle-based crypto exchange Bittrex Inc. has rejected charges by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it and co-founder Bill Shihara operated an unregistered national securities exchange, broker and clearing agency. The SEC filed the charges on Monday. See related article: U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex lays off 83 employees Fast facts See related article: U.S. SEC […]

The U.S. House Financial Services Committee is set to hold a hearing on April 19 to discuss a draft bill released over the weekend on regulating stablecoins, a class of digital currency designed to offer price stability by being pegged to another asset’s value.

The global culture of decentralized autonomous organizations arrived in Japan last week for DAO Tokyo, the first event of its kind in Asia according to the organizers, drawing over 350 founders and contributors from all corners of the world for discussions on all things DAO.

SEC member Hester Peirce has criticized the regulatory agency for its proposal that seeks to expand the definition of an “exchange” to DeFi platforms.

As part of its February settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S.-based Kraken crypto exchange has submitted the largest Ether withdrawal request since Wednesday’s upgrade to the Ethereum blockchain. The SEC ordered Kraken to shut down what it called unregistered staking programs.

Bitcoin and Ether rose during Asian trading hours on Thursday, along with all of the top 10 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Ether rose the most, following the successful completion of the Shapella upgrade.

ZA Bank, the largest virtual bank in Hong Kong, has started offering cryptocurrency conversion services through licensed crypto exchanges.

NYDFS superintendent Harris called the idea of Operation Choke Point 2.0 “ludicrous,” but industry participants largely disagree. Was the shutdown of the three largest crypto-friendly institutions a coordinated effort to unbank crypto?