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Indonesia Sees Further Crypto Investor GrowthRecent data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Supervisory Agency (Bappebti) underscores the robust growth of the crypto investment landscape in Indonesia.Photo by Nick Agus Arya on Unsplash10.1% year-on-year increaseAccording to reports published in recent days in local media, as of September 2023, the country boasts 17.91 million crypto investors, marking a noteworthy 0.67% uptick compared to the previous month of August, which registered 17.79 million individuals.Over the span of a year, from September 2022 to September 2023, the Southeast Asian nation witnessed an influx of approximately 1.64 million new crypto investors, showcasing a remarkable 10.1% increase from the 16.27 million reported in September 2022.Emerging from a slowdownWhile this growth signals a positive trend, a noteworthy observation pertains to the deceleration in crypto investor growth from October 2022 to August 2023. The data reveals that during this period, the increase in the number of crypto investors in Indonesia never exceeded 1%. This slowdown can be attributed to the global crypto market’s trend characterized by uncertainty and a downward trajectory.Tirta Karma Senjaya, Head of the Bappebti Commodity Futures Trading Development and Development Bureau, comments on this phenomenon, stating, “Growth in the number of crypto investors in Indonesia continues to increase, but investors are still looking for the right time to buy crypto.”Furthermore, Bappebti highlights a reduction in the value of crypto transactions in Indonesia for September 2023, amounting to IDR 7.96 trillion ($502 million). This marks a decrease of 25.2% when compared to the preceding month, which recorded a total of IDR 10.64 trillion. In contrast to the previous year, this decline reflects a substantial 54.7% contraction from the September 2022 figure of IDR 17.57 trillion.Yudhono Rawis, CEO of Tokocrypto, an Indonesian crypto exchange platform, suggests that global conditions, including economic and regulatory uncertainties, have significantly impacted the crypto market’s evolution, both within Indonesia and worldwide. Despite the recent slowdown in growth, Indonesia’s crypto market continues to exhibit considerable potential.Bitcoin resurgenceYudhono remains optimistic, anticipating that the growth and trading volumes of crypto assets in October will surpass previous records. This optimism stems from the surge in Bitcoin prices, which soared in excess of $35,000 (approximately IDR 556.5 million) towards the end of October. This milestone marks Bitcoin’s highest point in nearly 18 months and signifies a mounting interest in the crypto market on a global scale.In a statement to Voice of Indonesia, Yudhono stated:“We are confident that the growth of investors and transactions will continue to increase. The increase in Bitcoin prices and increasingly strong interest in the crypto market in general are indications that these digital assets are increasingly accepted by society. We hope that this trend will continue and bring benefits to the entire ecosystem crypto.”The crypto investment sector in Indonesia continues to experience steady growth, albeit amid global market fluctuations. With Bitcoin’s resurgence and a growing appetite for digital assets, the outlook for Indonesia’s crypto market is positive.

Infinite Block Launches Ethereum Staking Service for CorporationsSouth Korean blockchain fintech company Infinite Block announced on Monday (local time) that it has opened a custody-based Ethereum staking service offering corporate clients the ability to earn passive income through their Ethereum holdings.Photo by Choong Deng Xiang on Unsplash“This launch is significant as it is the first-ever staking service exclusively for corporations in the domestic blockchain industry, lowering the technological barriers to blockchain access,” said Jeong Gu-tae, CEO of Infinite Block.Secure Ethereum stakingThe service will be offered on the company’s proprietary custody platform KARBON, and businesses can stake their Ethereum holdings and share a 4% annual yield of their investment with KARBON at an agreed ratio. They can benefit from the security and convenience of earning rewards during the staking period without ever having to entrust their custodial assets to an external wallet address, the company said.Customers utilizing KARBON will not only have access to secure storage of their assets but will also be able to save on fees through staking.“Starting with Ethereum, we will gradually expand our staking services, focusing on highly reliable virtual assets,” Jeong explained.Boosting credibilityThis comes after the company obtained ISO 27001 certification for the information security management system of its upcoming blockchain platform from Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA), a UK-based global assurance provider.

The South Korean National Tax Service (NTS) is reportedly in the process of setting up virtual asset accounts for its district offices. This initiative is aimed at confiscating and liquidating the digital assets of individuals who fail to pay their taxes. This move comes after the creation of similar accounts by public prosecutors' offices, leading to speculation in the crypto industry that virtual asset accounts will soon be allowed for corporate entities as well.Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on PexelsDirect confiscation of virtual assetsA report by the local news outlet Etoday today has revealed that each district office of the NTS is working towards establishing a virtual asset account. This development will empower the tax agency to directly sell virtual assets confiscated from tax delinquents. Previously, the NTS would freeze the accounts of overdue taxpayers at Korean cryptocurrency exchanges, compelling them to convert their assets into Korean won. These funds were then confiscated by the NTS. The new initiative is set to streamline the process, enabling the tax authority to directly confiscate virtual assets without the intermediary step of conversion to Korean won. Speaking about this development, an NTS officer said that as each district office director holds the authority to collect taxes from taxpayers with overdue payments, it's necessary for each office to have its own account. Prosecutors’ Offices’ Upbit and Bithumb accountsThe crypto industry views this development as a potential step towards allowing the creation of virtual asset accounts for corporate entities, starting with government agencies. In December, the prosecutors' offices established their entity accounts at major cryptocurrency exchanges Upbit and Bithumb. Since then, the prosecution has utilized these accounts to sell confiscated virtual assets, aiming to recover funds that had not been collected.  An official from a cryptocurrency exchange indicated that the South Korean government is currently focusing on allowing entities that serve the public good to own virtual asset accounts. This approach is seen as the starting point, with expectations that the trend will gain momentum in the future. The official added that it's rare for the government to provide blanket permissions from the outset, suggesting a gradual and cautious approach to the integration of virtual asset accounts.Money laundering concernsMeanwhile, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Financial Services Commission (FSC), along with other financial regulators, has remained silent on the matter of virtual asset accounts for corporate entities. This reticence stems from concerns with the financial authority that the introduction of corporate crypto accounts could potentially lead to money laundering and the creation of slush funds. An official from the National Assembly’s National Policy Committee said that they have not received any comments from the financial authority in response to inquiries about plans to allow such accounts for corporate entities. The current law doesn’t prohibit corporate entities from trading virtual assets. However, under the auspices of the financial authority, banks have refrained from offering real-name accounts to corporate entities. This policy has been a point of contention within the crypto industry. Advocates argue that allowing corporate accounts could mitigate issues of market manipulation and challenge the dominance of Upbit in the Korean cryptocurrency market.  The official from the cryptocurrency exchange pointed out that the financial authority does not have a clear legal basis for prohibiting the creation of corporate crypto accounts. They suggested that the regulator should develop clearer guidelines and enforce these rules for corporate entities. More serious discussions in AprilMore serious discussions about the introduction of corporate crypto accounts are anticipated to take place in April, following the conclusion of the general election. Last month, the main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Korea, made election promises to open the crypto market to institutional investors. Meanwhile, the ruling People Power Party has been quietly deliberating on virtual asset policy. Despite these political movements, earlier reports indicate a disconnect between the political parties' efforts to relax crypto regulations and the financial regulator's stance. Meanwhile, Hwang Seok-jin, a professor at Dongguk University’s Graduate School of International Affairs and Information Security, expects to see a conclusion on the permission of corporate crypto trading by the end of this year. He said that there has been ongoing discussion about the approval of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and that allowing the trading of such funds requires the ownership of virtual assets by institutions.