News linked to both this project and an event.
According to Digital Asset, South Korean People Power Party lawmaker Kim Sang-hoon, together with 15 lawmakers, introduced an amendment to the Specific Financial Information Act on July 28. The bill defines the unique identification number assigned by virtual asset service providers to users as an "account," and grants the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) the power to request payment freezes on bank accounts and virtual asset accounts suspected of being used for illegal property transfers. The freeze period is 30 days and may be extended once; financial institutions failing to execute in a timely manner will face fines of up to 100 million Korean won. The bill will officially take effect 6 months after promulgation.
at least 29 overseas virtual asset exchange applications are currently unavailable for download on the Google Play Store in South Korea. As one of the main reasons Korean users turn to overseas exchanges is to participate in derivative trading such as futures, this investigation primarily focuses on derivative platforms. Among them, 14 platforms were previously identified by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Financial Services Commission as unregistered Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) and have been referred to investigative authorities. Notably, another 15 exchanges, although not included in the FIU's official investigation notice list, also have their applications blocked from installation on Google Play in South Korea. (Digital Asset)
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)
the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan has established a cryptocurrency investigation unit within its newly inaugurated National Command and Control Center (NC3) to probe money laundering and terrorist financing activities conducted through virtual currencies.Dr. Muhammad Athar Waheed, head of the FIA's Counter-Terrorism Department, stated that the new unit will investigate the criminal use of cryptocurrencies. The newly formed Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (PVARA) will be responsible for overseeing digital assets. Dr. Waheed also urged the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency and the Anti-Narcotics Force to establish similar departments to address the use of cryptocurrencies in cybercrime and drug trafficking.The NC3 integrates the FIA's financial crime tools onto a single platform, including anti-money laundering and virtual currency investigation units, an Interpol coordination point, open-source intelligence, cyber patrolling, and dark web investigation departments. Pakistan previously lifted its eight-year ban on cryptocurrency banking, created the PVARA, and is advancing the licensing of cryptocurrency exchanges. (Decrypt)
Investigations revealed that one of the defendants declared an annual income of only 444 pounds, yet frequently visited high-end stores such as Harrods, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton, and stored approximately 500,000 pounds in cash in a safe deposit box in Dubai. The Metropolitan Police Cryptocurrency Unit reconstructed the criminal network through multi-dimensional evidence including blockchain transaction records, communication data, and cryptocurrency exchange records, ultimately recovering approximately 1 million pounds of victim funds.
: India imposes a uniform 30% tax on gains from virtual digital assets, along with an additional 1% tax deducted at source on the transaction amount. Around 54 crypto service providers in the country have registered with the Financial Intelligence Unit, serving 39 million verified users who collectively hold approximately $2.1 billion in assets. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has repeatedly stated to parliament its preference for a restrictive policy towards private cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, urging banks to avoid related exposure to protect financial stability. The long-promised crypto bill has yet to be finalized. Meanwhile, Indian government agencies are utilizing permissioned blockchains in non-trading scenarios. AIIMS Delhi uses blockchain to manage teacher recruitment records, the Cotton Corporation of India tracks cotton bales via a blockchain-based identification system, and the aviation regulator DGCA is building a digital service platform linked to blockchain.
According to Bitcoin.com, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis launched a nighttime special operation in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police Department, seizing multiple luxury vehicles using forged or unregistered license plates, with drivers all claiming to be cryptocurrency and forex "traders". Among them was a Mercedes-AMG GLE valued at over $153,000 (approximately 2.5 million South African rand), which was fraudulently registered as a white BMW. Authorities pointed out that such "financial influencers" are accustomed to flaunting wealth with luxury cars on social media platforms like TikTok, luring victims into investing in fraudulent platforms. A report released in March had previously identified Cape Town and Johannesburg as hubs for organized crypto fraud, where criminal groups employ technologies such as deepfakes and cloned apps to commit fraud, and illicit funds are laundered through crypto wallets and physical assets. To address increasingly complex financial crimes, the mayor has established an independent Metropolitan Police Detective Unit to enforce the law independently, bypassing the under-resourced national police system.
the South African Revenue Service (SARS) released a draft guideline on crypto asset taxation on July 1, 2026, aiming to establish compliance rules for approximately 5.8 to 6 million cryptocurrency users in South Africa. The public comment period is open until August 31, 2026. According to the updated framework, crypto assets are classified as intangible assets, not as foreign currency or traditional money. Taxpayers holding these assets are not required to pay tax on unrealized gains or losses. Tax obligations arise upon the disposal of the asset. If an individual’s crypto activities are deemed to resemble business operations or short-term day trading, the profits will be classified as gross income and taxed at marginal rates ranging from 18% to 45%. If crypto assets are held as long-term investments, gains from disposal are subject to capital gains tax, with effective personal tax rates ranging from 18% to 36%. The draft also treats exchanges between different crypto assets as barter transactions, with tax consequences arising immediately at the time of the exchange based on local market value. SARS stated that it has deployed a Crypto Revenue Augmentation Unit to track and audit digital wallets and urged taxpayers who have not previously disclosed their crypto earnings to complete their filings through a voluntary disclosure program to avoid administrative penalties following stricter enforcement after the August deadline. (Bitcoin.com News).
According to Reuters, the Zimbabwean government announced that businesses engaged in buying, transferring, or custodial services for virtual assets must register annually with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and pay an annual fee of USD 500; operating without registration will constitute a violation of the law. This measure marks Zimbabwe’s first dedicated regulatory framework for the cryptocurrency industry, aiming to bring a market long operating in the informal sector under formal regulation.
According to Yonhap News Agency, on June 1, the Incheon Metropolitan City Election Commission formally filed a complaint with the Incheon Police Agency against Yoo Jeong-bok, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party for Incheon mayor, citing violations of the Public Official Election Act. Yoo is accused of submitting false information in his candidate asset disclosure: his spouse’s actual assets amount to approximately 518.57 million KRW—significantly higher than the declared amount of 439.88 million KRW—and their combined household assets should total approximately 1.92297 billion KRW, not the declared 1.84472 billion KRW. Earlier media reports indicated that his spouse held 21,000 units of virtual assets and transferred them to overseas exchanges to evade local election asset disclosure obligations. The Incheon Police Agency’s Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit will merge this complaint with a related case previously filed by the Democratic Party of Korea for joint investigation.
South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) plans to discontinue its push for mandatory Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) for large cross-border virtual asset transfers and peer-to-peer wallet transfers, while continuing to expand the scope of Travel Rule oversight to further strengthen digital asset transaction tracing.
FocusAI, the largest shareholder of the Busan Digital Asset Exchange, is moving forward with the acquisition of the South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Flybit. Both parties are in the final stages of discussions regarding details such as the share transfer from Flybit's largest shareholder and representative director, Kim Seok-jin.Flybit registered as a virtual asset service provider in 2021 but has since exited the Korean won market after failing to establish a real-name account partnership with a bank. Through this acquisition, FocusAI plans to build a composite digital asset platform that manages cryptocurrencies, real-world assets, and tokenized securities. The transaction is still subject to a review by the Financial Intelligence Unit regarding the change of major shareholder. (bizwatch)
Bitget has announced the completion of relevant compliance registration procedures in Mexico, including registration with the Mexican Tax Administration Service (SAT) and the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF). This progress reflects Bitget's emphasis on local regulatory requirements and lays a further compliance foundation for the platform's long-term and stable development in Mexico and the Latin American region.As the digital asset market in Latin America continues to develop, users, partners, and financial institutions are increasingly focusing on the platform's compliance capabilities and professional service standards. Bitget will continue to treat Mexico as one of its key markets for regional expansion, continuously enhancing its service capabilities while adhering to applicable local rules, and exploring potential collaborations with local banks and financial institutions.Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, stated that the regulatory environment in the crypto industry is continuously evolving, and the long-term development of the platform requires a thorough understanding of local regulations, market demands, and the operational mechanisms of the financial system. Bitget's advancement of relevant registrations in Mexico is part of its global compliance strategy and also reflects the platform's long-term commitment to providing users with more stable and reliable services.
According to The Block, the T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU), jointly established by Tether, TRON, and TRM Labs, announced that since its founding in 2024, it has frozen over $450 million worth of illicit crypto assets globally. In 2025, the unit’s interception of illicit proceeds increased by 43.9% year-on-year, covering 23 jurisdictions including the United States, Spain, and Germany, and has been recognized by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as “a critical resource for global law enforcement agencies.” The T3 FCU has participated in investigations across multiple crime categories, including exchange hacks, North Korea–related activities, terrorist financing, and violent crimes, and assisted Brazil’s Federal Police in freezing over $5.989 billion in assets—including 4.3 million USDT.
according to a UK police announcement, former World Athletics Championships 4x100m relay gold medalist and British sprinter CJ Ujah, along with nine other individuals, has been charged with "conspiracy to defraud" in connection with a cryptocurrency fraud case.Police stated that the criminal gang posed as police and cryptocurrency company personnel to conduct phone scams against multiple victims, tricking them into disclosing critical wallet security information, including seed phrases. The perpetrators then transferred the victims' crypto assets, with one victim losing over £300,000. The case was cracked following a joint investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) across Kent, Essex, and London. The ten suspects have appeared in court, with Ujah released on bail until a further hearing on May 28.Ujah, now 32, won a 4x100m relay gold medal for Team GB at the 2017 World Championships and also claimed the Diamond League title that same year. In 2022, he was suspended for 22 months due to a doping violation, which was later attributed to contamination from a supplement causing an adverse analytical finding. In addition to Ujah, another British sprinter, Brandon Mingeli, is also on the list of those arrested and is currently in custody pending trial. (The Guardian)
: South Korea's crypto industry has expressed strong concerns over proposed amendments to anti-money laundering (AML) regulations, arguing that the rules could impose excessive compliance burdens on Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs).According to Yonhap News Agency, the Digital Asset eXchange Alliance (DAXA), representing 27 VASPs including Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax, submitted comments opposing the classification of all overseas virtual asset transfers exceeding 10 million won (approximately $6,800) as suspicious transaction reports.DAXA warned that this rule could cause the number of suspicious transaction reports from South Korea's top five exchanges to skyrocket from approximately 63,000 last year to over 5.4 million—an increase of about 85 times—severely impacting the efficiency of actual compliance execution. Furthermore, the industry also opposes a new obligation requiring exchanges to verify the accuracy of customer information, arguing it exceeds the scope of current legal authorization.South Korea's Financial Services Commission (FSC) and Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) proposed the relevant amendments on March 30, which have now entered a public comment period, with final deliberation expected to be completed in July.Meanwhile, legal disputes between Korean exchanges and regulators over AML penalties continue. Multiple platforms are challenging previous business restrictions and fines through the courts, reflecting an escalating tension between regulatory tightening and the industry's execution capabilities. (Cointelegraph)
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Digital Asset Exchange Alliance (DAXA) submitted its official comments on the draft Enforcement Decree of the Act on Reporting and Using Specified Financial Transaction Information (“Special Financial Information Act”) to the National Participation Legislative Center of the Ministry of Government Legislation on April 29. The comments reflect the collective views of 27 Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), including the five major exchanges Upbit and Bithumb. DAXA raised objections to two core provisions in the draft revision: First, the proposal to categorize all virtual asset transactions exceeding KRW 10 million as suspicious transactions—mandating compulsory reporting to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). This change is projected to increase the annual number of suspicious transaction reports filed by the five major exchanges from 63,000 to 5.445 million, an 85-fold surge. Second, the draft introduces a new obligation to verify the accuracy of customer information, going beyond existing customer identification requirements—and exceeding the scope of authority granted under the higher-level law. Moreover, penalties for noncompliance are significantly harsher than those applied to other financial sectors. While DAXA supports the legislative intent behind the revision—to strengthen the anti-money laundering (AML) framework—it contends that certain provisions overstep the statutory delegation of authority and impose discriminatory treatment on the virtual asset industry. The draft revision’s public consultation period ends on May 11, with formal adoption expected in July. The relevant provisions will be implemented in phases between August 2026 and 2027.
According to Yonhap News, the Seoul Administrative Court’s Administrative Division No. 2 ruled on April 30 to accept Bithumb’s application to suspend enforcement of a partial business suspension order issued against it by South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). The effect of this partial suspension order will thus be stayed until the court issues its final judgment in this case. Previously, in March this year, the FIU imposed a severe penalty on Bithumb—six months of partial business suspension and a fine of KRW 36.8 billion—citing 6.65 million violations by Bithumb of obligations stipulated under South Korea’s Act on Reporting and Using Specified Financial Transaction Information (“Special Financial Information Act”). The suspended operations specifically involve external virtual asset transfers (i.e., deposits and withdrawals) for new customers. This marks the harshest penalty ever levied against a Korean won-based cryptocurrency exchange operating in South Korea. The penalty was originally scheduled to take effect on March 27. However, Bithumb filed an administrative lawsuit on March 23 and simultaneously applied for a stay of enforcement, thereby temporarily halting the penalty’s effect. The court’s formal acceptance of the application means that the sanctions will remain suspended until the final ruling is rendered in this case.
South Korean crypto exchange Coinone has filed a lawsuit against the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) regarding its penalties and has applied for a stay of execution with the Seoul Administrative Court, attempting to suspend the relevant measures before the sanctions take effect on April 29.The core of the sanctions is to restrict new users from depositing and withdrawing crypto assets to and from external exchanges. Previously, the FIU imposed a three-month partial business suspension and a fine of 5.2 billion Korean won on Coinone for violating the Specific Financial Information Act. (Naver)
Odaily News: The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), in collaboration with HM Revenue & Customs and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit, recently conducted raids on eight locations across the UK suspected of engaging in illegal P2P cryptocurrency trading. Officials issued prohibition orders on-site, requiring the operators to cease activities immediately and gathered relevant evidence. The UK FCA pointed out that currently, no P2P cryptocurrency traders or platforms are registered with the regulator in the UK. Furthermore, in the recent multi-agency Operation Atlantic, law enforcement agencies froze $12 million in assets linked to cryptocurrency scams and traced over $45 million in stolen cryptocurrency. The UK FCA has now launched a consultation on its guidelines for the cryptocurrency regulatory framework set to take effect in 2027.