Singapore

KoinBasket, a cryptocurrency investment start-up, has raised US$2 million in an early-stage funding round with the participation of leading global crypto veterans, the company said in a statement. See related article: India’s crypto shakedown be damned, CoinDCX raises $135 million Fast facts The Singapore-based company will use the funds for product and geographical growth, technology […]

Three Arrows Capital, a cryptocurrency trading and hedge fund manager, is moving its headquarters to Dubai from Singapore, becoming the latest among a growing number of firms looking to expand their presence in the Middle East. See related article: Dubai could be crypto’s promised land, Citi says Fast facts Su Zhu, cofounder of Three Arrows […]

Singapore says it wants to be a “responsible crypto hub”. Meanwhile, the Okay Bears lift Solana’s sales figures.

The city-state wants to position itself as a hub for cryptocurrency service providers while holding onto its reputation as an important cog in the global AML, ATF compliance machinery.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has granted in-principle approval to fintech firm Revolut to offer digital payment token (DPT) services under the Payment Services Act, according to media reports. See related article: Caught between a rock and a hard place, Singapore tightens crypto oversight Fast facts Revolut Technologies Singapore Pte. Ltd. (RTS) is already […]

Singapore’s OCBC Bank has partnered with MetaVerse Green Exchange (MVGX) to develop financial solutions, including tokenized carbon credits, to help large corporations offset their carbon emissions, according to a statement. See related article: Crypto exchange Gemini buys carbon offsets, pledges carbon-neutrality Fast facts The tokenized carbon credits, due to launch later this year, will use […]

A desire to stay in line with global anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism norms is forcing the city state’s hand when it comes to regulating cryptocurrency exchanges.

Coinbase’s launch in India is off to a rocky start. Meanwhile, Bitcoin ATMs grow in Hong Kong.

Singapore on Tuesday passed a law requiring virtual asset service providers to be licensed if they do business overseas, according to Bloomberg.  See related article: How Singapore is reimagining its ‘Asian crypto hub’ image Fast facts The new legislation is an attempt by The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to ensure that it has adequate […]

Indonesia will tax income from crypto trading at 0.1% and impose an additional value added tax (VAT) of 0.1% on crypto transactions starting May. See related article: Indonesian regulators play catch-up as crypto investment soars Fast facts The tax rate is lower than the 11% tax that the Indonesian government levies on other goods and […]

RockX Tuesday said it raised US$6 million in series A funding, valuing the crypto staking platform serving institutional and high net worth investors at about US$30 million. Fast facts The funding was led by digital asset platform Amber Group and other crypto industry leaders including Matrixport, Primitive Ventures, FBG Capital, Draper Dragon, IMO Ventures, Alpha […]

Singapore’s approach may seem increasingly anti-crypto to some, but not to those tracking its policies closely. Danny Chong of Tranchess explains what’s going on.

Singapore’s largest lender won’t expand cryptocurrency trading on its exchange to retail investors any time soon due to “regulatory restrictions” in the island state. See related article: How Singapore is reimagining its ‘Asian crypto hub’ image Fast facts CEO Piyush Gupta said that regulatory agencies are “rightfully concerned” about holding back cryptocurrency trading for retail […]

Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Dubai’s crypto caravan. Mt. Gox unlocked. Digital yuan in play again.

Crypto exchange Binance has won a license to operate in Bahrain. Meanwhile in Southeast Asia, Singapore’s Monetary Authority has designated Russian banks amid growing sanctions.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has imposed financial measures targeting designated Russian banks, entities and activities in Russia, and fundraising activities benefiting the Russian government, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. See related article: Singapore prohibits crypto, NFT transactions in sanctions against Russia Fast facts An MAS notice named the designated banks as […]

Singapore’s image as a “crypto hub” may soon change as the country doubles-down on it’s stance that crypto currency is “not suitable for the general public”. Meanwhile, Korean convenience store giants CU launch their White Day NFT competition.

The Lion City has been the place to be for crypto firms, but retail activity is slowing down while the central bank continues to build a haven for institutional investors.

Income from non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in Singapore will be subject to existing income tax rules, the Business Times reported, citing Singapore Finance Minister Lawrence Wong’s Friday speech in parliament.  See related article: Singapore prohibits crypto, NFT transactions in sanctions against Russia Fast facts However, individuals who receive capital gains from NFT transactions will not be […]

As China’s Two Session’s meetings begin, ‘Metaverse’ enters the Chinese government’s radar. And while the invasion of Ukraine continues, Singapore announces new sanctions on Russia.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has prohibited transactions involving digital assets such as cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in its sanctions against Russian banks and entities, the central bank said in a statement.  See related article: USDT-RUB volume outpaces Bitcoin pair as Russia sanctions pile Fast facts Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, MAS will […]

DBS Digital Exchange (DDEx), one of Asia’s first bank-backed digital exchanges, recorded over SG$1.1 billion (US$818 million) in trading value in FY2021, the company said in a press release on Tuesday. Fast facts DDEx is currently a members-only exchange that provides corporate and institutional investors, accredited investors, and family offices that bank with DBS, access […]

Singapore-based medical service firm Zuellig Pharma is using its blockchain-based medical tracking tool eZTracker to enhance vaccine transparency by flagging expired or mismanaged Covid-19 shots. Fast facts The eZTracker system verifies the authenticity of vaccines and other medical products to improve supply chain transparency and prevent black market distribution of supplies. QR codes on product […]

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub announced on Tuesday that its Hong Kong Center will explore this year whether decentralized finance (DeFi) can improve financing for small and medium enterprises. Fast facts In Hong Kong, the BIS has been working with central banks of China, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates and Thailand on […]

Despite Singapore’s reputation as a crypto-friendly hub, the truth is more complicated. Is the city-state purposely keeping out small companies?

Cryptocurrency ATM operators in Singapore halted operations on Tuesday to comply with new guidelines issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the country’s central bank, Bloomberg reported.  Fast facts Crypto ATM operators Daenerys & Co. and Deodi Pte shut their operations down as they await further clarification from MAS.  New central bank guidelines issued […]

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the country’s central bank, issued guidelines to restrict cryptocurrency service providers from marketing or promoting their services to the general public on Monday.  Fast facts MAS warned businesses to refrain from promoting cryptocurrencies and related services to Singaporeans in public areas, including websites and social media. However, firms are […]

Binance’s CEO is now the richest Asian man, but the crypto exchange giant’s presence in Asia—where Binance got its start—is withering under regulatory heat.

Countries acted to encourage — or discourage — cryptocurrency and other blockchain-based assets, sending markets wildly up and down.

Japan’s financial conglomerate SBI Holdings announced a joint investment in Singapore’s virtual asset exchange Coinhako with Switzerland-based Sygnum Bank. Fast facts The investment is made through a fund formed in Singapore named the SBI-Sygnum-Azimut Digital Asset Opportunity fund. SBI expressed certainty in supporting Coinhako’s international expansion and other startups that have growth potential in the […]

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?

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 […]

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 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 […]

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 […]

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

Singapore-based crypto exchange had claimed the fan token would support BTS members — while the band’s agency denied any association with it.

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

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 […]

Fund manager Fintonia has launched two new Bitcoin funds — Fintonia Bitcoin Physical Fund and Fintonia Secured Yield Fund — for institutional investors. Fast facts The physical fund buys and holds actual Bitcoin, rather than investing in a Bitcoin-linked derivative product. The fund’s Bitcoin will be stored with a licensed and insured custodian, according to […]

Singapore-based cryptocurrency trading platform Coinhako has received in-principle approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore for a digital payment token (DPT) service license — making it the first local native cryptocurrency exchange to announce that it is close to being granted the much-coveted license. Fast facts Coinhako is now working through the conditions of its […]

Central banks around the world are exploring digital currencies, writes Aymeric Salley of StraitsX. Here’s why Southeast Asia may be especially ripe for them.

The projects topped 300 rivals in their potential to improve the future digital Singapore dollar in payment services and financial inclusion. Who were the other winners?

The Algorand Foundation, a Singapore-based blockchain organization supporting the development of the Algorand ecosystem, has partnered with the Blockchain Association Singapore to drive the development of blockchain technology in Singapore and the wider Southeast Asia region. Fast facts In a memorandum of understanding signed on Nov. 12, the ecosystem partnership will see the Algorand Foundation […]

Circle, the digital payment company that operates the USD Coin (USDC) stablecoin, this week announced it is setting up a regional hub in Singapore and looking to partner with local businesses for its stablecoin Lighthouse Project. Fast facts U.S.-based Circle says its move into Singapore is part of its global expansion plans and the company […]

Cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global will stop serving Singapore-based customers from March 31, 2022 to comply with Singapore laws, according to a company announcement on Nov. 9. Fast facts “To comply with the laws of Singapore, we will have to include Singapore as a restricted jurisdiction. Regrettably, this means Huobi Global can no longer offer services […]

Speaking at the Singapore FinTech Festival, Singapore central bank chief Ravi Menon announces the launch of Project Orchid, a digital dollar project.

DBS Bank — Southeast Asia’s largest lender — intends to scale its crypto exchange as it invests in blockchain and wants to be nimble to adapt to how DeFi evolves.

The Singapore government-incubated blockchain platform promises to dramatically speed up transactions and lower the cost of international trade.

In a special Q&A, CEO Louis Liu describes the hoops FOMO Pay jumped through to win Singapore’s first crypto license and calls its regulator a ‘collaborator.’

More than one-third — or 37% — of Singapore residents are already using or are interested in using cryptocurrencies to pay for purchases, according to the latest research from Worldpay from FIS, a payment platform. But nearly half — or 47% — of Singaporean respondents said that they were not interested in using cryptocurrencies for payments. […]

Singapore-based crypto trading platform Coinhako has launched “Coinhako Privé,” a digital assets platform for high net worth individuals (HNWIs) and institutions, according to a company announcement today. Fast facts The Coinhako Privé platform will provide members with institutional grade digital asset services and white glove services, such as a dedicated relationship manager, personalized support from […]

Singapore is a major crypto hub. But for whom? In this primer, Malcolm Tan explains the island-state’s regulatory evolution and which groups are no longer in its favor.

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

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 […]

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, […]

Babel Finance, a Hong Kong-based crypto lender and asset manager, today announced it is opening a business headquarters in Singapore named Babel Asia, as the company looks to serve more clients globally. Fast facts Babel Asia plans to serve as a base for future merger and acquisition activities, together with Babel Finance to drive mainstream […]

Blockchain Association Singapore (BAS) and Singapore’s National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) U Care Fund today announced their inaugural non-fungible token (NFT) charity auction event, Blockchain For Good, which will take place Oct. 4 to 10. Fast facts The charity initiative — supported by a wide range of companies including Singapore Airlines, Amazon Web Services Inc., […]

Design studio that makes hand-crafted statues for global brands such as Marvel, DC Comics and Hasbro plans to expand into new product categories, markets and NFTs.

Korean exchanges offered lifeline while NFL bans crypto sponsorships

In response to increased scrutiny from regulators, crypto exchange Binance is removing itself from app stores in Singapore, as well as ending support for trading pairs and payment options in the Singapore dollar (SGD), according to a company press release. The move takes effect Friday, Sept. 10 at 04:00 UTC. Fast facts Last week, the Monetary Authority […]

FOMO Pay, a Singapore-based fintech company, announced today that it has obtained a license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to provide Digital Payment Token Service — the first such approval out of 170 applicants for the city-state that is rapidly becoming a global crypto hub. Fast facts FOMO Pay said it had been […]

Zipmex, a Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange, has completed a US$41 million Series B funding round as it innovates toward a “full 360 digital banking offering,” the company said during a media briefing today. Fast facts Investors in Zipmex’s Series B funding round indicate increasing institutional buy-in to the digital assets industry. The investors include Krungsri Finnovate, […]

Rising from the rubble of a Covid economy, shipping companies are now using blockchain technology to rebuild profitability and reduce inefficiencies.

Binance Singapore today announced the appointment of Richard Teng, former chief regulatory officer of the Singapore Exchange (SGX), as chief executive, bolstering its leadership ranks with former regulators while battling growing regulatory woes around the world. Fast facts Teng was CEO of the Abu Dhabi Global Market for six years before stepping down in March. […]

South Korean internet giant Kakao this week announced that its newly established non-profit entity headquartered in Singapore — the Klaytn Foundation — will lead the development and global expansion of the Klaytn blockchain, according to a company release. Fast facts The Klaytn Foundation, together with Krust, Kakao’s newly established global accelerator unit, and GroundX, which […]

Singapore and Hong Kong are at the forefront of regulations over crypto exchanges, writes Vince Turcotte of Eventus Systems. Here’s why trade surveillance and risk management will be critical.

DBS eyes bigger investor base as digital assets under custody top US$100 million.

Australian cryptocurrency exchange Independent Reserve said Monday that it had received an “in-principle approval” for a Major Payment Institution License in Singapore to operate as a regulated digital payment token (DPT) service provider, according to a company statement. Fast facts Founded in Australia in 2013, Independent Reserve set up its first overseas operations in Singapore […]

Singapore’s central bank is in the final stages of reviewing applications for licenses to provide crypto services, including payments and the operation of cryptocurrency exchanges, according to Tharman Shanmugaratnam, minister in charge of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), which regulates financial institutions in Singapore. Fast facts To date, Singapore has received over 480 crypto […]

It’s not only real-world idols that look to earn a profit from issuing non-fungible tokens. Rae — a virtual influencer in Singapore rendered through computer-generated imagery and powered by artificial intelligence — is selling “her” first NFTs on Mintable. Fast facts Rae — whose creators’ identities remain mysterious — has dropped her first NFT series […]

As issuer Circle prepares to list and China sounds the alarm over speculation, the mood among regulators is mixed, despite stablecoins’ clear appeal to investors.