KISA and Ministry of Science and ICT Launch Blockchain Program for Innovation

Korean Blockchain Startups to Showcase Products in KINTEX in NovemberSouth Korean blockchain startups are set to benefit from increased opportunities to participate in exhibitions organized by the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX) in Ilsan, located northwest of Seoul, the nation’s capital.According to a report by local news outlet Dailian, KINTEX recently announced a collaboration with Onoffmix, a social gathering platform, with the aim of expanding exhibitions and bolstering the startup ecosystem.Under the newly signed agreement, KINTEX and Onoffmix will leverage the latter’s startup business network and event platform to encourage startups to take part in more than 20 exhibitions organized and hosted by KINTEX. Onoffmix, boasting a subscriber base of 1.45 million, will serve as a valuable resource in this partnership.Photo by Seungwon Lee on UnsplashGlobal trendThis move aligns with the global trend of increasing startup participation in exhibition shows. One notable example is the Consumer Electronics Show, a prominent annual tech trade show in the United States that features Eureka Park, an event for startups to showcase their products. With 1,340 startups participating this year, Eureka Park has been witnessing consistent growth in participation year after year.Another instance is 4 Years From Now (4YFN), the startup event held during the annual mobile tech show, Mobile World Congress. 4YFN offers opportunities for over 2,000 startups to connect with potential buyers and investors.Startup exhibition in NovemberIn line with this global shift, KINTEX and Onoffmix aim to assist local startups in exhibiting their cutting-edge technologies, establishing connections with industry experts and investors, and participating in conferences and pitching events. One of their first such endeavors is the Digital Media Tech Show (DMTS) scheduled for November. DMTS will showcase innovative products in various tech areas such as metaverses, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and blockchain. In addition to the exhibition, conferences will be held to facilitate knowledge sharing among startups regarding industry trends, business ideas, and investment opportunities.Lyu Jaewon, the Chief Business Officer at KINTEX, said that this partnership will contribute to the convention center’s expansion of exhibitions and promotion of sustainable growth.Onoffmix CEO Yang Joon-cheol highlighted the company’s commitment to collaborating with KINTEX to expedite the growth of local startups and support their expansion into overseas markets.

Asian Market Surge for XRP Amid Broader Market ImplicationsXRP, the cryptocurrency and native token used by real time gross settlement system, Ripple, has seen renewed activity in recent weeks in terms of trading volume. That trading volume appears to be more pronounced in Asian markets such as South Korea.©Pexels/RODNAE ProductionsThe XRP token has traded up 22% over the course of the past seven days, with a current unit price of $0.54. Trading volume has surged on South Korean exchanges such as Bithumb UpBit and Korbit where volume spiked 18%, 37% and 50% respectively over the past 24 hours. This trading activity is irregular as ordinarily the trading volume of Bitcoin and ether would account for the vast bulk of trading on the three leading Korean exchanges.Speculative interestXRP has under-performed in recent years and at the heart of its difficulties has been a multi-year legal battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States. In its complaint, the SEC has claimed that XRP is an unregistered security. Speculation in recent weeks suggests that this highly litigated battle may be drawing to a conclusion. Many commentators have suggested that either a deal will be struck or the court could soon decide to rule on the matter.During the 2017 bull market, the token reached the heady heights of a $3.40 unit price. That’s a target that the cryptocurrency has never been able to reach ever since. During the last bull market, it rose to around $1.76 for a short time in April 2021. There’s little doubt but the regulatory cloud hanging over it has suppressed the price. Much depends on the outcome of this lawsuit, not just for XRP but for crypto as a whole.Another notion driving speculative interest is the idea that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) may classify XRP as a commodity. That line of thought is more recent and follows the CFTC classifying a number of cryptocurrencies as commodities in its lawsuit against global crypto exchange Binance. In follow up comments earlier this week, CFTC Chair Roistin Behnam reiterated the claim.The very fact that the CFTC has made this claim is significant in terms of the case being pursued by the SEC, potentially weakening the SECs case. Lawyers for Ripple have made the court aware of the CFTCs claims.Crypto moving forwardCrypto traders in South Korea have been notorious in the past for pursuing speculative trends within the industry with the Kimchi Premium on Bitcoin back in the day as a stand out example. Whether speculative or not, the outcome for XRP, Ripple and the broader cryptocurrency space relative to the cryptocurrency’s regulatory status will be significant.A positive result will not just be a fillip for XRP, Ripple and Asian and other crypto traders who have speculated on such an outcome. It will also serve to provide a level of regulatory protection for all other crypto projects within the United States. A negative outcome to the lawsuit will not be ideal for XRP, Ripple and US-based crypto projects. However, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has said in the past that if innovation is driven overseas, Ripple will focus on developing its product overseas.In an interview this week Ripple President Monica Long suggested that over and above the lawsuit, crypto innovation is generally being pushed outside of the United States. Long cites Asia as taking the lead on “thoughtful crypto policy”. On that basis, it’s likely that one way or another crypto moves forward and maybe South Korean speculators will be proven right regardless of the outcome of the XRP..

Terraform Labs civil trial proceeds with confidential filingsSingaporean blockchain development firm Terraform Labs, the creator of the failed Terra blockchain protocol, has reached an agreement on a protective order in their ongoing civil case with the United States’ Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).Photo by Thomas Habr on UnsplashData shielded from public disclosureThe decision, sanctioned by the U.S. District Court Judge Jed Rakoff in the Southern District of New York on Wednesday, ensures that materials marked as confidential by the involved parties will remain shielded from public disclosure. The court is obligated to seal any discovery filings labeled confidential ahead of the trial.Judge Rakoff conveyed his likelihood of denying requests to unseal these confidential documents, although the order did not delve into the specific rationale for maintaining their confidential status beyond citing “good cause.” The finalized agreement on this protective order took place on Dec. 18, with legal representatives from both the SEC and Terraform Labs, including co-founder Do Kwon, giving their consent. Kwon, presently detained in Montenegro, faces potential extradition to the United States or South Korea.Pivotal momentThe depegging of Terraform’s stablecoin TerraUSD (UST) from the U.S. dollar marked a turning point in the cryptocurrency sector. This event is believed to have significantly contributed to the crypto market downturn in 2022, as it had a knock-on effect on countless other crypto businesses and platforms that were over-exposed to the flawed algorithmic currency.That chain of events led to the SEC taking action after the fact. However, it has subsequently also pursued a much criticized “regulation by enforcement” policy relative to the crypto sector. To that end, the Commission has pending cases against Coinbase, Ripple, Kraken and Binance, among others.In February, the SEC accused Terraform Labs and Do Kwon of conducting a multi-billion dollar crypto asset securities fraud by offering and selling unregistered securities. As proceedings have unfolded, both Terraform and the SEC have traded unsuccessful attempts to obtain summary judgment.Far-reaching consequencesThe ongoing SEC vs. Terraform civil case carries potential far-reaching consequences in terms of legal precedents within the cryptocurrency sector. In a separate ruling in August, the court allowed Terra to issue subpoenas to FTX entities as part of FTX’s bankruptcy proceedings. Judge Rakoff, in November, accepted confidential materials from Jump Crypto Holdings for discovery in this case.Troubled crypto lender Genesis Trading has also been tangled up in the proceedings with the courts directing it to comply with a subpoena initiated by Terraform Labs. The outcome of this case is poised to offer essential legal guidance for numerous companies operating in the crypto space.The SEC’s regulatory approach toward cryptocurrency firms in the United States has been subject to considerable debate and criticism. The commission’s alleged “regulation by enforcement” strategy, especially in dealings with major players in the crypto industry, has drawn accusations.While many in the U.S. have been unhappy with “regulation by enforcement,” the upside is that over the longer haul, the courts will be able to eventually furnish the regulatory clarity that the SEC refuses to provide. The ongoing scrutiny of regulatory approaches and the outcomes of cases like Terraform Labs vs. SEC will undoubtedly shape the future legal landscape of the cryptocurrency industry.