Asia

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

February 18, 2026 @ 1:19 am By Omar Faridi  |  

KPMG has indicated that the global fintech sector experienced a notable recovery in 2025, with total investments climbing to $116 billion across approximately 4,700 deals, marking an increase from the previous year’s $95.5 billion. Research from KPMG  and other pointed out that this uptick, driven… Read More

February 17, 2026 @ 12:43 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a recent interview on Bloomberg from Hong Kong, Joseph Lubin, the founder and CEO of Consensys as well as a co-founder of Ethereum, provided his perspective on the current state and future trajectory of cryptocurrency markets, with a particular focus on Ethereum’s role and… Read More

February 16, 2026 @ 6:34 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In unpredicted environments where cyber threats and related cyberattacks loom larger than ever, organizations worldwide are ramping up efforts to fortify their defenses by building Security Operations Centers (SOCs). A recent global study by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky sheds light on the practical realities of this… Read More

February 16, 2026 @ 12:15 am By Michael Wong  |  

AlloyX, a digital-asset infrastructure firm owned by Nasdaq-listed Solowin Holdings, has entered into a partnership with Bahrain FinTech Bay as it moves closer to launching a regulated stablecoin in the Gulf state, positioning itself to tap growing institutional interest in compliant blockchain-based payments. The collaboration… Read More

February 15, 2026 @ 1:18 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore will set up a new National AI Council chaired by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to steer policy, align government agencies and push the city-state’s next phase of artificial intelligence adoption, Wong said in his Budget 2026 statement. Wong said the government would “review regulations… Read More

February 15, 2026 @ 11:58 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In the evolving ecosystem of artificial intelligence, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region stands out for its strategic approach to venture investments. According to PitchBook‘s Q1 2026 Analyst Note indicated that AI funding is no longer driven by widespread enthusiasm but by calculated decisions emphasizing practicality and… Read More

February 15, 2026 @ 8:15 am By Michael Wong  |  

The central banks of the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong agreed to deepen cooperation on cross-border debt market links, digital assets and stablecoin regulation. The move comes as the UAE central bank formally joined Hong Kong’s Central Moneymarkets Unit (CMU). The two sides said… Read More

February 15, 2026 @ 5:48 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

Singapore Gulf Bank, a fully licensed bank backed by Whampoa Group and Mumtalakat, has announced what it claims is a GCC and Asian industry first bank-operated network delivering full interoperability between fiat and stablecoins. This represents an evolution of SGB Net, its proprietary real-time clearing… Read More

February 15, 2026 @ 1:11 am By Michael Wong  |  

Malaysia’s securities regulator has appointed LC Wakaful Digital Sdn Bhd (LCWD) as the first operator of a new “Social Exchange Platform”, a move aimed at bringing capital-markets-style governance and transparency to donation-based funding for social projects. The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) said the appointment is… Read More

February 14, 2026 @ 11:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain security firm CertiK has recently shared critical analyses on the shifting landscapes of cryptocurrency regulation, highlighting both hurdles in the United States and progressive advancements in Dubai. These updates underscore the firm’s expertise in navigating security and compliance amid global crypto developments, offering key… Read More

February 13, 2026 @ 4:49 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has revealed plans to enhance its Equity Market Development Programme (EQDP). On February 12, 2026, the authority disclosed an increase in the program’s funding from S$5 billion to S$6.5 billion. This decision aligns with the recent Budget 2026 announcement… Read More

February 13, 2026 @ 4:49 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a recent development in the ongoing battle against international financial fraud, a U.S. federal judge has handed down a 20-year prison term to Daren Li, a 42-year-old man holding dual citizenship in China and St. Kitts and Nevis. The sentence, delivered in absentia in… Read More