Rotonda and Bithumb META to Co-Host Next Block 2023 Conference for Web3 Collaborations

Singapore and the Philippines Lead Crypto Interest in Southeast AsiaSingapore and the Philippines have emerged as the frontrunners in Southeast Asia’s crypto landscape in 2023, capturing the majority of regional interest.Research carried out by Malaysian cryptocurrency data aggregator CoinGecko reveals that on a per capita basis, Singapore holds a 43.5% share of crypto interest, followed closely by the Philippines with 40.3%.Photo by Kenneth Koh on UnsplashRegional crypto hubSingapore has established itself as a crypto hub not only within Southeast Asia but also in the wider Asia region. It was previously ranked as the third most crypto-curious country globally and has consistently been one of the top Web3 gaming countries for three consecutive years.Other countries in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, also contribute to the region’s crypto interest, although at more modest levels. Combined, these countries represent 14.7% of the per capita crypto interest in the region so far this year.GameFi driving interestIn the Philippines, crypto interest is primarily driven by GameFi, and the country has maintained its position as the leading Web3 gaming country from 2021 to 2023. The Philippines witnessed the Axie Infinity mania, with local gaming guilds and inspiring rags-to-riches success stories. Additionally, it was among the top countries embracing meme coins earlier this year, alongside Malaysia.Vietnam shares a strong interest in GameFi, placing it among the top Web3 gaming countries for three consecutive years. Thailand and Indonesia have witnessed substantial trading volumes on their crypto exchanges, with $37.94 billion and $23.97 billion respectively in 2022.Notably, Malaysia has a significant presence in the crypto industry, despite its relatively smaller impact. The country is home to two prominent crypto data tools, CoinGecko and Etherscan, which were founded by Malaysian teams and are headquartered in the country.In contrast, smaller Southeast Asian economies such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Brunei, Laos, and Timor-Leste have a combined share of only 1.5% of regional crypto interest per capita. While these markets remain largely untapped, their low adoption rates are unlikely to improve in the near term. Except for Brunei, which is a wealthy nation, the smaller Southeast Asian economies are categorized as lower-middle income countries.Regarding the specific cryptocurrencies drawing attention in Southeast Asia in 2023, Layer 1, GameFi, meme coins, and DeFi-related crypto have emerged as the most popular categories. The top-ranking cryptocurrencies within these narratives account for 22.2% each of the region’s interest so far this year.The Philippines, as the top Web3 gaming country, showcases three GameFi cryptocurrencies — Smooth Love Potion (SLP), Ronin (RON), and Wemix (WEMIX) — among its most popular choices. Malaysian investors also show interest in DeFi projects like Maple (MPL) and BoringDAO (BORING), in addition to Bitcoin.Singapore’s popular crypto choices include The Graph (GRT), Bitcoin (BTC), and Pepe (PEPE). Vietnam demonstrates ongoing interest in Aptos (APT) and privacy tool Bob (BOB), while Thailand focuses on Gala (GALA) and Canto (CANTO). Finally, Indonesia monitors Not Financial Advice (NFAI) and AirSwap (AST).Overall, Singapore and the Philippines lead the way in crypto interest within Southeast Asia, while other countries in the region also contribute to the evolving crypto landscape.

Koscom Adds Crypto Market Data to Investment Data Platform CHECK Expert+South Korean financial IT company Koscom Corp. said Wednesday that it has started offering market data for virtual assets on its investment analysis information terminal service, CHECK Expert+. CHECK Expert+ provides a variety of information and news on foreign exchanges, bonds, overseas markets, and more to professional investors.Photo by Sajad Nori on UnsplashCross-platform data collectionStarting last month, Koscom has been combining the market price information of virtual assets that are scattered across the websites of four major domestic and foreign virtual asset exchanges into one platform on CHECK Expert+. By doing so, investors can now easily compare the current prices of different assets traded on multiple platforms.Cryptos compared with other assetsThrough the terminal, investors can also compare the performance of the popular cryptocurrency Bitcoin with other assets across exchanges such as KOSPI, KOSDAQ, S&P500, NASDAQ, and the US 10-Year Treasuries. This feature allows for more intuitive and straightforward performance comparisons.Given the fact that prices of the same asset can vary depending on the exchange, this service can provide investors with a broader perspective and allow them to make more informed decisions, Koscom said.“This is our first step into virtual asset-related market data services. Leveraging our experience in operating CHECK Expert+ and our expertise in processing capital market data, we aim to provide valuable investment information in the virtual asset market to our users,” said Hwang Sun-jeong, the Executive Director of Koscom.This move by Koscom reflects the growing interest and relevance of the virtual asset market in Korea, and CHECK Expert+ is expected to provide investors with valuable insights in the midst of a rapidly evolving financial landscape.

Crypto Oasis Founder Thinks UAE Set Up For Crypto SuccessAs the dust settles on 2023's Dubai Fintech Summit, which took place last week, one takeaway offered by the Co-Founder of blockchain ecosystem firm Crypto Oasis is that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has set itself up for success where crypto business is concerned.In speaking with crypto publication CoinTelegraph on the fringes of the Dubai Fintech Summit, Crypto Oasis Co-Founder and Managing Partner Saqr Ereiqat suggested that the regulatory infrastructure that the UAE has put in place provides an ideal foundation upon which crypto companies can develop and prosper.Photo by Mo Ismail on PexelsRegulatory infrastructureEreiqat pointed to some key fundamentals that crypto entrepreneurs and start-up founders should look at when deciding on the location that will best meet their needs and help to optimize their route to market and ultimate success. This includes the regulatory infrastructure.The UAE authorities and regulators at a national level, together with their colleagues within the regulatory agencies in the Emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have been doing some heavy lifting in this regard over recent months.They’ve all been working on establishing a workable regulatory framework, and as part of that, a licensing process. In the case of Dubai, its Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) has started to issue preliminary or Minimum Viable Product (MVP) license approvals that enable crypto startups to get started, while providing them with a pathway towards obtaining Full Market Product (FMP) licensing at a later stage.Talent poolThe other key requirements that Ereiqat set out were digital infrastructure alongside an ability to attract and provide a pool of talent relative to the crypto assets space. In respect of these key considerations, Ereiqat believes that the UAE hits the target in each case.“The UAE’s regulatory framework is more streamlined and business-friendly compared to the complex and fragmented regulatory environment in the US,” he told the crypto media firm.To enhance these fundamentals, Ereiqat also alluded to a depth of capital that could potentially find its way into UAE-based crypto businesses, easing these start-ups’ efforts in executing on funding rounds as they look to achieve growth.Ereiqat maintains that the interest in the region is already evident, citing a data-point that suggests there are 1,800 Web3-centric businesses already operating in the region, with more than 8,000 people working for those start-up businesses. Speaking to that reality further, he said:“The Dubai FinTech Summit was a significant event that brought together stakeholders from the fintech industry […] The presence of crypto and Web3 leaders and projects at the event is an important indicator of the growing interest and adoption of these technologies in the region.”This enthusiasm and belief in the existence of the right Web3 business environment in the UAE was echoed at that event by both Coinbase Founder and CEO Brian Armstrong and Ripple Founder and CEO Brad Garlinghouse. Both industry figures featured as keynote speakers at the event. Armstrong alluded to the potential of Coinbase establishing a base in Abu Dhabi while Garlinghouse announced the opening of a Ripple office in Dubai.