Digital Assets

Fraud, Scams & Cybercrime

ASIC Bans Director for Operating Unlicensed Crypto Fund Dishonestly

By Mark Johnston | 26/03/2024

ASIC found, among other things, that Brian Creigh used investor money to invest in an overseas investment scam. costing them A$7.7mn.

Cryptocurrency

Crypto Firm OKX to Cease Services in India, Citing Regulations

By Ajoy K Das | 25/03/2024

OKX said it will cease operations in the country due to “local regulations directed at offshore exchanges that make CeFi trading available in India”.

CBDCs

New Mediums of Exchange Will Add to HK’s GDP: Report

By Manesh Samtani | 25/03/2024

BCG, DLA Piper, HKT Payment Limited, paywith.glass, VSFG and ZA Bank say CBDC, tokenised deposits and stablecoins will add HK$160bn to Hong Kong’s GDP by 2032.

Cryptocurrency

Japan GPIF Considers Diversifying Holdings Into Forests and Bitcoin

By Editors | 22/03/2024

World’s largest pension fund seeking information on investing in forests, farmland, gold, and crypto-assets; plans to resume foreign stock lending.

Anti-Money Laundering

London Court Convicts Chinese Woman in Bitcoin Laundering Case

By Mark Johnston | 22/03/2024

A London court has found a 42-year-old woman guilty of laundering bitcoin linked to an alleged $6.3bn investment fraud.

Cryptocurrency

US SEC Seeking Information About Ethereum Foundation – Reports

By Editors | 22/03/2024

The SEC has issued subpoenas to companies asking about their dealings with the foundation, purportedly in relation to the possible classification of Ethereum as a security.

Tokenisation

Hong Kong: Prototype Created to Issue Electronic Bills of Lading

By Manesh Samtani | 21/03/2024

The eBL prototype, developed by GSBN and Ant Group,  is being used in the HKMA’s wholesale CBDC sandbox project.

DeFi & Web3

OECD Assesses DeFi’s Role in ASEAN to Promote Financial Inclusion

By Manesh Samtani | 20/03/2024

Innovation associated with DeFi, provided in a regulated and compliant form, could offer possible financial inclusion benefits such as in MSME financing.

CBDCs

ECB Establishes Seven New Digital Euro Rulebook Workstreams

By Editors | 20/03/2024

The workstreams are aimed at developing rulebook proposals covering UX standards, a certification and approval framework, risk management, and implementation specifications.