Bithumb Pledges $8M to South Korea’s ‘Regulation-Free’ Blockchain Zone

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb has pledged to invest roughly $8 million into the Busan blockchain zone. The region was recently declared “regulation-free” by the national government and modeled after the Switzerland town of Zug. Bithumb’s subsidiary GCX Alliance will discuss the preliminary plans with the Financial Services Commission (FSC) this month. Also read: Mining … Read more

Philippine ‘Crypto Valley of Asia’ to Get Own Airport

The Philippines has a “Crypto Valley of Asia,” an initiative of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, the government agency responsible for managing the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport. An airport is now being planned for inside this economic zone to address the needs of its investors and crypto service providers. Many cryptocurrency exchanges have … Read more

ECB Wants Active Role in Crypto, Will Not Deter Private Solutions

The European Central Bank (ECB) wants to play an active role in the field of digital currency, said President Christine Lagarde. As the bank works on its own digital currency and an instant payment system, Lagarde emphasizes that “central bank initiatives should neither discourage nor crowd out private market-led solutions for fast and efficient retail … Read more

Kerala Outlines Plans to Become India’s Blockchain Hub

The Indian state of Kerala is actively exploring using blockchain technology to improve a wide range of existing systems, including financial. Thousands of people are already being trained in the state to become blockchain experts, some of whom have already graduated, according to the state’s electronics and information technology secretary. He recently revealed the state’s … Read more

Why the Counter Economy Is Necessary to Bitcoin’s Survival as a Disruptive Currency

As Bitcoin is adopted by more and more traditional financial institutions, and becomes regulated by governments worldwide, the question of its survival as a truly disruptive alternative to legacy financial systems is raised. After all, if governments like Qatar’s can ban it, and international banking laws like AMLD5 can push bitcoin-friendly companies out of business, … Read more

Korean Presidential Committee Pushes to Make Cryptocurrency Mainstream

A South Korean committee directly under the president has recommended several measures to the government that will make cryptocurrency mainstream. Emphasizing that “it is no longer possible to stop crypto asset trade,” the committee recommends integrating crypto into the country’s financial system, allowing financial institutions to directly offer a range of crypto products, including derivatives, … Read more

Regs Roundup: SEC Actions, Crypto Tax-Free in Korea, India’s National Blockchain Seminar

In this roundup, we cover several crypto-related actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the New York regulator’s crypto job posting. We also cover new Chinese laws, South Korea’s tax clarification, India’s blockchain education, the IMF working with the Philippines’ central bank, as well as crypto regulatory developments in Turkey and Qatar. … Read more

Turkey Prepares to Increase Oversight in the Crypto Space

Turkish authorities, alarmed by the spread of cryptocurrencies in the country, are reportedly ramping up efforts to introduce greater oversight into the sector. Local media revealed that regulators are under pressure to increase supervision in 2020 because of the growing popularity of decentralized crypto assets among Turks. Also read: Uzbekistan Bans Citizens From Buying Crypto, … Read more

33,000 Companies in China Claim to Use Blockchain Technology

China now has more than 33,000 registered companies claiming to use blockchain technology in their businesses, according to the country’s Center for Information and Industry Development. The information was released at a recent blockchain conference hosted by a Chinese municipal government and several state-backed research institutes. Also read: Regs Roundup – China Blockchain ETF, New … Read more