News linked to both this project and an event.
According to Korean media Daum, volatility in the South Korean stock market has recently intensified, investor risk appetite has clearly cooled, and funds are flowing back from the stock market to safe-haven assets such as banks. Due to adjustments in the semiconductor sector and stricter regulation on leveraged investment, idle funds in the South Korean stock market are withdrawing rapidly, and the market is exhibiting a phenomenon of "reverse capital migration". Data shows that as of the end of July, the time deposit balance at South Korea's five major banks (KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori, NH Nonghyup) reached 973.49 trillion won, an increase of 24.09 trillion won from the end of the previous month, marking the largest single-month increase this year. Funds related to the stock market also showed significant contraction. According to data from the Korea Financial Investment Association, investor securities account deposits (idle funds for stock trading) reached a historical high of 139.69 trillion won on June 4, but as of July 28, had fallen to 107.20 trillion won, a decrease of over 32 trillion won in less than two months. The balance of credit transaction financing, representing the scale of market margin trading, fell to 33.19 trillion won during the same period, a decrease of about 4.5 trillion won from the peak of 37.72 trillion won set on July 2, a decline of approximately 12%.
Circle's Senior Director of EU Strategy and Policy Patrick Hansen (@paddi_hansen) stated in a post that since the implementation of the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), approximately 35 Electronic Money Tokens (EMT) from 21 institutions have obtained compliance certification, with banks and electronic money institutions entering the market and strong momentum in local issuance. However, among the top 50 global stablecoins, currently only USDC, USDG, and EURC comply with MiCA requirements; the rest remain outside the regulatory framework, leaving EU users facing a dual dilemma of lacking protection or having access forcibly cut off. Hansen believes that for MiCA to truly become a global regulatory blueprint, it must achieve two goals simultaneously: first, to promote local EMTs to go global through a competitive regime; second, to establish a recognition mechanism for overseas compliant stablecoins, attracting global issuers into the MiCA regulatory framework, rather than making local issuance the only access path.
: The Financial Services Commission (FSC) of South Korea plans to draft a unified "Basic Digital Assets Act" together with the ruling Democratic Party. The content will cover stablecoin issuance and circulation, digital asset business rules, exchange listing requirements, information disclosure, internal controls, and system resilience standards. Currently, there are 10 pending bills related to digital assets and stablecoins in the South Korean National Assembly. The FSC has yet to decide on the timing and method for submitting the unified bill. Major points of disagreement include whether banks should hold a majority stake in issuers of Korean won-pegged stablecoins, and whether major crypto exchanges should be subject to ownership restrictions. The National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee plans to deliberate on a proposed amendment to the Income Tax Act put forward by the opposition party, which aims to abolish the crypto income tax before its implementation on January 1, 2027. Under the current arrangement, income exceeding 2.5 million Korean won from the transfer or lending of crypto assets each year is subject to a 20% tax plus a 2% local income tax.
According to Korean media Asiae, six top Silicon Valley VC firms, including Sequoia Capital, a16z, Khosla Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, General Catalyst, and NEA, announced the signing of a strategic investment cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the South Korean National Pension Service (NPS), planning to jointly explore investment opportunities, share investment information, and strengthen their global venture capital layout. Additionally, with the South Korean government accelerating policies to attract overseas venture capital, coupled with the launch of the 200 trillion won "National Growth Fund," the market expects the Korean venture capital sector to see simultaneous inflows of policy funds, private capital, and overseas capital, with strategic industries such as AI and semiconductors expected to receive more investment. However, industry insiders warn that if a large amount of capital concentrates on a few popular enterprises, it may push up corporate valuations and create bubbles, potentially facing valuation correction pressure during future IPO and M&A exits, affecting fund return rates.
Odaily News Japanese regulators are advancing adjustments to the legal framework for digital asset investments, with spot Bitcoin ETFs potentially receiving approval for listing as early as 2028. However, the timeline remains subject to progress in regulation, product review, and tax reform. On July 15, Japan's Diet approved the transfer of Bitcoin and approximately 105 other crypto assets from the framework of the Payment Services Act to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, removing a major legal barrier for related funds to list on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Major Japanese financial groups such as SBI Holdings and Nomura are preparing digital asset products. Japan also plans to adjust the crypto asset tax system from a miscellaneous income tax of up to 55% to a separate self-assessment tax rate of approximately 20.315%.
Odaily Planet Daily reported that South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Coinone announced on July 22 that it had received approval from the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to complete its major shareholder change declaration, formally establishing a new shareholder structure centered around Korea Investment & Securities, OKX Ventures, and Com2uS Holdings. Coinone stated that it will leverage the enhanced compliance and technical capabilities of its new shareholders to upgrade digital asset trading services and accelerate its transition into a comprehensive blockchain financial platform. (EDaily)
According to official social media channels, Huobi HTX will host a themed debate competition at 20:00 today titled "Life-or-Death Showdown Between Privacy and Regulation: Will Privacy Coins Ultimately Be Eliminated, or Will They Surge in the Darkest Hour?" During the event, Yige, Goubao, Draco, and Qiangge, as representatives of the affirmative side, will debate against negative side representatives DaDa, ZuoZuoMuXingYe, Huoshange, and FomoDao, engaging in a fierce exchange on hot topics such as the future development of privacy coins, regulatory pressure, technical value, and market demand.
a16z partner and head of a16z crypto, Chris Dixon, stated on the X platform that the U.S. should push for the passage of the CLARITY Act. Dixon noted that the GENIUS Act has proven that clear regulation can drive market growth, with the stablecoin market currently valued at approximately $315 billion, growing over 50% in the past year. Major institutions including BlackRock, JPMorgan, Visa, and Mastercard are deeply investing in blockchain infrastructure.He believes that while stablecoins currently represent only a part of the crypto market, the underlying blockchain networks they rely on still lack a unified regulatory framework. The CLARITY Act would establish clear rules for blockchain networks, clarify regulatory responsibilities in the digital asset market, and set unified standards to promote transparency, risk control, and market competition. The bill can also draw on traditional financial regulatory principles to reduce the risk of incidents similar to FTX.Dixon concluded that if the CLARITY Act passes, the U.S. will once again lead the future, just as it did during the commercial internet era. Without action, innovation may move to other countries and follow rules set by others there.
David Sacks, Chairman of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, stated on the X platform that using regulatory uncertainty as a competitive tool is "completely unacceptable," and regulatory decisions should be based on facts, logic, and evidence, rather than deliberately creating fear and uncertainty (FUD). He is unsure whether venture capitalist and AI policy researcher Dean Ball is admitting to a "regulatory capture" strategy or merely predicting its occurrence, but in any case, leveraging regulatory agencies to issue "soft law" warnings, creating market panic, and thereby forcing regulated companies to stay away from Chinese open-source models should not be tolerated.David Sacks pointed out that Dean Ball believes there is no need to directly ban Chinese open-source models; simply guiding regulators to issue relevant warnings can influence corporate decisions by generating enough doubt and uncertainty, and these reasons "don't even need to be very solid."In response, Sacks argued that any regulatory decision must be well-founded, rather than implementing policies in disguise through "manufactured doubt." He warned that bypassing public deliberation processes in this way would not only erode the foundation of the rule of law but could also open the door to future regulatory abuses targeting any enterprise or individual.Sacks further stated that AI policy is currently at a critical turning point. Major closed-source labs, which have already formed a duopoly in AI model revenue, are now attempting to use government power to eliminate open-source competitors.He called on other companies and developers in Silicon Valley that still support open competition to take a clear stance and jointly safeguard an open ecosystem in the AI field.
the US CPI fell 0.4% month-on-month in June, the largest monthly decline since April 2020; the annual rate dropped to 3.5% from 4.2% in May, below the expected 3.8%. Core CPI fell to 2.6%, below expectations, and was flat month-on-month. Major crypto assets rose after the data release, with BTC rising from approximately $62,000 to $64,900, ETH gaining 7% to $1,884, and about $300 million in short positions liquidated. Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh stated during congressional testimony that the Fed has "zero tolerance" for persistently high inflation; if policy is correct, the inflation surge of the past five years will become a thing of the past. When asked about the CPI data, he said he does not share the view that the "mission is accomplished" and did not provide guidance on the next policy steps.
Cumberland, a crypto trading and liquidity service provider, announced on X that its Singapore subsidiary, Cumberland SG Pte. Ltd., has obtained a Major Payment Institution (MPI) license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). This license authorizes the company to provide Digital Payment Token (DPT) services and cross-border money transfer services.
According to the Federal Reserve's official website, Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh announced on July 9 the establishment of five monetary policy task forces, led jointly by external economists, business leaders, and former central bank officials, operating independently and providing research results to the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The research directions of the five task forces are as follows: • Communication Mechanism: Led by former Governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King and others • Balance Sheet Policy: Led by Harvard University Professor Karen Dynan, University of Chicago Professor Raghuram Rajan, and others • Quality of Economic Data: Led by Harvard University Professor Raj Chetty, former Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, and others • Productivity and Employment: Led by a16z Co-founder Marc Andreessen, Microsoft Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, and others • Inflation Framework: Led by Harvard University Professor and former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers Greg Mankiw, Nobel Laureate in Economics Thomas Sargent, and others Warsh stated that the Federal Reserve's commitment to price stability and maximum employment is unwavering, and these task forces aim to evaluate and optimize policy tools and analytical methods to address the current important economic situation.
the Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), in a letter to U.S. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott and Senator Elizabeth Warren, stated that after some of its concerns regarding Section 604 of the bill were addressed, it has shifted its stance on the CLARITY Act to "neutral." Section 604, concerning the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act, aims to protect developers from liability for illegal activities conducted by users on their decentralized platforms. The MCSA had previously stated that Section 604 could provide loopholes for criminals to exploit, making it more difficult for law enforcement to investigate crypto-related crimes. The MCSA indicated that it still hopes the CLARITY Act will amend Section 309 to include state law enforcement agencies. This section requires the U.S. Treasury Department to study decentralized finance and illicit finance risks. (Cointelegraph).
Odaily News: Fox Business crypto reporter posted on X platform, stating that the Major County Sheriffs of America has shifted to a "neutral" stance on the Clarity Act after recent ongoing discussions around parts of Section 604, i.e., the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act. In a letter to leaders of the Senate Banking Committee, MCSA stated that based on its continued review of the bill, there remains an opportunity to further strengthen the legislation in a manner that supports responsible innovation and the practical needs of state and local law enforcement.
According to Cointelegraph, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced on June 4 the repeal of its nearly 30-year-old “neither admit nor deny” policy. Introduced in 1998, this policy required defendants to agree not to publicly deny the CFTC’s allegations as a condition of settlement. CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam stated that the move aligns with the broader direction across federal regulatory agencies and grants the Commission greater flexibility in enforcement settlements. Earlier in May, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had already repealed a similar policy. Several crypto firms had criticized the rule for restricting their freedom of speech.
According to the Central Bank of Russia’s “Financial Stability Review,” Russian private investors currently hold approximately 3.8 billion rubles in cryptocurrency-linked financial instruments—a figure nearly unchanged from 3.7 billion rubles six months earlier—indicating stagnation in market interest growth. Of this amount, 1.7 billion rubles flowed into crypto-linked corporate bonds; 5,600 investors collectively held cryptocurrency futures positions worth 1.7 billion rubles; and roughly 3,800 investors allocated 354 million rubles to digital financial assets pegged to Bitcoin and Ethereum. Major issuers include large banks such as Sber and VTB. Meanwhile, the Moscow Exchange has progressively launched Bitcoin and Ethereum futures, along with related ETFs, and will introduce Solana, Ripple, and TRON futures in May 2026.
Singapore's Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has revoked the Major Payment Institution license of crypto liquidity provider Bsquared Technology (BSQ) due to serious violations in its digital payment token business.MAS stated that the issues included weak risk management and conflict of interest controls, breaches of outsourcing regulations, and repeated submission of false or misleading statements during the licensed period. The revocation took effect on May 14.MAS noted that BSQ currently holds no outstanding customer assets but is still required to submit a closure certificate from an auditor. The regulator also said it is reviewing the responsibilities of BSQ's key management personnel. Currently, Singapore has 37 digital payment token service providers holding relevant licenses. (TechinAsia)
According to Bloomberg, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has revoked the Major Payment Institution (MPI) license of local cryptocurrency liquidity provider Bsquared Technology Pte. Ltd. (“BSQ”), prohibiting BSQ from offering digital payment token services in Singapore. MAS stated it identified “serious breaches” of regulatory requirements by BSQ last year. The report notes that this move is relatively uncommon for local regulators amid Singapore’s broader efforts to mitigate risks associated with the crypto industry.
Odaily Singapore's Monetary Authority (MAS) announced the revocation of the Major Payment Institution (MPI) license held by crypto payment company Bsquared Technology, citing deficiencies in risk management and conflict of interest policies, violations of outsourcing regulations, and the provision of false or misleading information to regulators on multiple occasions during the license application and on-site inspection processes. Bsquared obtained its license to offer digital payment token services 16 months ago and has now been required to submit a closure certificate from an auditing firm to confirm that all customer funds have been fully returned. MAS stated that it is further reviewing the responsibilities of the company's key management personnel. Currently, Singapore has approved only 37 institutions to provide digital payment token services, making license revocations relatively rare. (Bloomberg)
Brian Armstrong posted on platform X, stating that today's vote on the Clarity Act represents a significant opportunity to move the U.S. financial system forward.Previously, Galaxy Digital stated that seven Democratic members of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee could play a key role in advancing the CLARITY Act. The bill will now enter the committee review stage; if passed, it will be submitted for a full Senate vote.