Asia

March 8, 2026 @ 6:05 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Chainalysis has shared that a fresh analysis of blockchain data shows a dramatic rise in cryptocurrency transfers leaving Iranian exchanges in the immediate aftermath of joint US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28, 2026. Between that date and March 2, roughly $10.3 million in digital assets flowed… Read More

March 8, 2026 @ 4:02 pm By Michael Wong  |  

South Korea’s ruling party and financial regulators have agreed to cap the stake that major shareholders can hold in cryptocurrency exchanges at 20%, a move that could force some of the country’s biggest trading platforms to restructure their ownership as Seoul pushes ahead with a… Read More

March 7, 2026 @ 6:13 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

UQPAY, a Singapore-headquartered global fintech company, has launched a dual-rail full-stack payment platform, purpose-built to help businesses operate across traditional finance and stablecoin-based payment ecosystems. Supporting 200-plus markets and more than 140 currencies, the platform integrates global acquiring, global accounts, card issuing, and stablecoin accounts… Read More

March 6, 2026 @ 4:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain security firm CertiK announced on March 5, 2026, that it has finished a proof-of-reserves verification for Gate Technology FZE, the Dubai arm of the Gate Group. The exchange, which operates under a license from the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), demonstrated full backing of… Read More

March 4, 2026 @ 8:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In the wake of recent US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, blockchain analytics firm Elliptic has reported a dramatic 700% increase in cryptocurrency outflows from Nobitex, the country’s leading digital asset exchange. This spike, occurring mere minutes after the initial attacks, underscores how crypto assets are increasingly… Read More

March 3, 2026 @ 6:26 am By Michael Wong  |  

South Korea-based venture capital firm The Invention Lab has completed a seed investment in Singapore artificial intelligence computing startup RIDM, backing a technology it says could ease a key performance bottleneck in AI and high-performance computing systems. The Invention Lab said the round was made… Read More

March 2, 2026 @ 8:34 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Southeast Asian governments have endorsed a Malaysia-led regional framework aimed at smoothing cross-border cloud computing and data hosting, as ASEAN steps up efforts to reduce regulatory frictions that have complicated regional digital trade and the scaling of data-driven services. Malaysia’s Ministry of Digital, working through… Read More

March 2, 2026 @ 8:48 am By Michael Wong  |  

South Korean police have launched an investigation into the alleged theft of cryptocurrency worth about $4.8 million that had been seized by the National Tax Service (NTS), after sensitive wallet information was inadvertently disclosed, the Korea JoongAng Daily reported. The National Police Agency (NPA) said… Read More

March 2, 2026 @ 3:43 am By Michael Wong  |  

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has put mastery of artificial intelligence on the same list as critical thinking and financial literacy in a new National Education Charter, as the government moves to align learning outcomes with fast-changing skills needs and strategic sectors of the economy…. Read More

March 1, 2026 @ 6:16 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Fintech investment in the Asia Pacific fell to levels not seen in more than a decade in 2025, as geopolitical tensions, uneven growth, and a cautious funding environment kept dealmaking subdued, according to a report by KPMG. Deal value and volume in the region slipped… Read More

February 28, 2026 @ 1:20 pm By Michael Wong  |  

RLWRLD, a South Korean “physical AI” startup building robotics foundation models trained inside live industrial sites, has raised about $26 million in a Seed 2 funding round, bringing its total seed financing to roughly $41 million, the company said. The Seed 2 round drew a… Read More

February 27, 2026 @ 1:40 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

As part of the ongoing movement that is gradually bridging traditional finance and blockchain technology, Japanese financial firm SBI Holdings has teamed up with Web3 infrastructure firm Startale Group to create a fully compliant stablecoin tied to the Japanese yen. This initiative, announced through a… Read More

February 26, 2026 @ 6:38 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Hong Kong is advancing its position as a leading hub for digital assets with key regulatory developments in the stablecoin and broader crypto sectors. In his 2026-27 budget speech delivered on Wednesday, Financial Secretary Paul Chan outlined significant steps to strengthen the city’s virtual asset… Read More

February 26, 2026 @ 4:08 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Singapore-based fintech Thunes announced a significant milestone with Banco Cathay of Costa Rica: the activation of seamless pay-to-wallet functionality powered by SWIFT infrastructure. This integration allows the Central American bank to route international disbursements directly into mobile wallets worldwide using its established SWIFT connections, eliminating… Read More

February 24, 2026 @ 1:20 am By Michael Wong  |  

Malaysia’s Ministry of Digital has activated the Government Innovation Initiative (GII), a national programme it says will push public-sector innovation from “concept” to measurable delivery as the country works toward its goal of becoming an “AI Nation” by 2030. In a statement, the ministry said… Read More

February 23, 2026 @ 11:41 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Malaysia’s Securities Commission has issued a practice note that lets licensed stockbrokers offer broking services for eligible digital assets under the country’s existing securities rulebook, opting against creating a separate licensing regime for crypto-related intermediation. The guidance applies to Capital Markets Services Licence (CMSL) holders… Read More

February 22, 2026 @ 6:26 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

February 21, 2026 marks the first anniversary of the largest confirmed cryptocurrency theft in history. On that day in 2025, hackers drained roughly $1.46 billion in digital assets from Dubai-based exchange ByBit. Blockchain intelligence firm Elliptic was among the first to link the attack to… Read More

February 22, 2026 @ 1:14 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A recent development that has raised fresh concerns about integrity within Malaysia’s law enforcement. Authorities have taken 12 police officers into custody over allegations of orchestrating a brazen extortion scheme targeting Chinese nationals and their cryptocurrency holdings. The case, which unfolded in the affluent state… Read More

February 21, 2026 @ 4:13 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a move intended to modernize UAE bssed property markets, Ctrl Alt and the Dubai Land Department (DLD) have unveiled Phase Two of the city’s landmark Real Estate Tokenization Project Pilot. The February 20, 2026 announcement introduces regulated secondary market trading for tokenized real estate,… Read More

February 19, 2026 @ 1:56 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has approved a virtual asset trading platform license for Victory Fintech Company Limited, operating under the brand VDX. This decision marks the first new addition to the SFC’s roster of licensed crypto platforms since June of the previous… Read More