NEOPIN Strengthens Japanese Market Strategy for Its Global Expansion

Hong Kong and Israel Collaborate to Expand CBDC Access Beyond BanksIn a collaborative effort, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the Bank of Israel (BoI), and the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub have jointly released a comprehensive report on Project Sela, a central bank digital currency (CBDC) initiative.Photo by POURIA 🦋 on UnsplashBroadening the role of intermediariesThe report was published to the BIS website on Tuesday. In keeping with the trend of many CBDC projects, Project Sela is characterized by a robust public-private partnership. However, its particular focus lies in broadening the spectrum of intermediaries, aiming to offer retail CBDC services through a more diverse array of service providers, thereby reducing dependency on traditional banks and major payment providers.Andrew Abir, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Israel, emphasized the importance of fostering a dynamic and open ecosystem with a wide variety of service providers. He stated:“Competition and innovation require a flourishing and open ecosystem with many different types of service providers. This was our initial goal in Project Sela as a proof-of-concept, and the project proved the feasibility of the model we had in mind.”Involving retail banksIn a previous model explored through Hong Kong’s Project Aurum, retail banks were entrusted with customer-facing tasks while maintaining the central bank’s operation of the wholesale ledger for the eHKD. In contrast, Project Sela introduces a novel approach where the central bank operates the retail ledger — a model akin to Israel’s digital shekel.The primary actors in Project Sela, known as Access Enablers (AEs), notably do not have control over CBDC balances, distinguishing them from conventional payment providers. Moreover, AEs are not required to maintain liquidity to support CBDC services. Their role encompasses facilitating user onboarding and CBDC access, fulfilling know-your-customer (KYC) and compliance obligations, and routing payments. The role of banks and other “funding institutions” primarily revolves around enabling the conversion of cash and deposits into CBDC.The rationale behind this approach is rooted in the emergence of technological advancements in open banking and DeFi, which have demonstrated the potential to disentangle financial services by granting users greater access to their financial data and control over their own funds.Enabling participation among the unbankedProject Sela envisions the unbanked population utilizing ATMs to convert cash into CBDC. A similar approach has recently been taken by the Chinese authorities. In the resort city of Sanya, authorities have introduced e-CNY ATMs in order to enable e-CNY access for foreign tourists.However, it is noteworthy that in many countries, the primary function of ATMs is to dispense cash rather than accept it. Consequently, the inclusion of AEs could pose challenges to traditional banking institutions, as CBDC adoption could potentially impact bank deposits.Privacy and cybersecurity considerations are implicated within Project Sela. As the central bank operates the retail ledger, ensuring the confidentiality of personal information becomes imperative. To safeguard privacy, AEs employ a hashing mechanism to obfuscate personal identifiers, although the report does not delve into the subject in detail.While Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron admitted that a CBDC can never be anonymous, he claimed that “if we choose to issue a digital cash shekel, it will provide at least as much privacy as other digital means of payment.”

Galaxia Metaverse, NFT Marketplace Pala Join Forces to Expand Blockchain EcosystemGalaxia Metaverse, a South Korean blockchain company, announced last Thursday a partnership with Pala, the largest non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace in the nation, according to a report by gaming media outlet Kyunghyang Games. The collaboration aims to foster various initiatives, including the integration of blockchain wallets and the exploration of web3 business opportunities.Photo by Mariia Shalabaieva on UnsplashAccess to Pala’s servicesPala offers a reliable secondary trading environment by verifying smart contracts for NFTs on Klaytn, Ethereum, and Polygon. This Korean NFT marketplace supports multiple digital wallets such as Klip, MetaMask, Kaikas Mobile, and D’CENT. As part of the agreement, Galaxia Metaverse’s Galaxia Wallet will also be supported by Pala, allowing users of the Galaxia Wallet to access Pala’s services.Galaxia Wallet, a user-friendly wallet, currently supports GXA, ETH, and KLAY, providing blockchain services related to NFTs and DeFi. The partnership with Pala is anticipated to strengthen Galaxia’s services and foster the expansion of the blockchain ecosystem.GXA-based economyGalaxia Metaverse aims to connect Galaxia Wallet with various external services to provide diverse user experiences, thereby expanding its blockchain platform. The company is dedicated to building a GXA-based economy that showcases Web3 projects.

The crypto space continues to suffer a disproportionate share of hacks and scams that were further exacerbated on Wednesday, with Malaysian crypto data aggregator the latest to succumb to a security breach. Serving as yet another stark reminder of the persistent threats plaguing the sector, a phishing scam targeted CoinGecko's X account, leading to a brief compromise that raised concerns about the safety of user information.Photo by GuerrillaBuzz on UnsplashPhishing scamDuring this incident, hackers posted a phishing link on CoinGecko's X account, falsely advertising a token airdrop for a cryptocurrency named GCKO. The deceptive post claimed that GCKO could be used for API services, including the cryptocurrency ANKR. Swift action by CoinGecko involved the removal of the fraudulent post and a public warning urging users to avoid interacting with any suspicious links or content. In an X post, CoinGecko wrote:”Our Twitter accounts @CoinGecko and @GeckoTerminal have been compromised. We're taking immediate steps to investigate the situation and secure our accounts. Please DO NOT click on any links or engage with suspicious content. Your security is our top priority.” Employee errorThe firm followed up with an update on Thursday, attributing the breach to a team member inadvertently clicking on a fraudulent Calendly link, granting unauthorized access to the hacker. Despite having two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled and employing robust security measures, CoinGecko emphasized that the inadvertent click allowed unauthorized access. The compromised accounts were then exploited to disseminate misleading information and potentially engage in malicious activities. CoinGecko expressed sincere apologies for any confusion or inconvenience caused by the incident. The company reiterated its commitment to platform security and continuous improvement of internal controls, assuring users that corrective measures were promptly implemented. SEC incompetenceCoinGecko's security incident occurred within 24 hours of a similar occurrence involving the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC's X account was compromised, with scammers posting a false message from Chair Gary Gensler about the approval of spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). While CoinGecko identified a vulnerability in its security regimen, the SEC later confirmed that the breach in its case was far more basic. It was not due to infrastructure attacks but rather the lack of 2-factor authentication (2FA) tied to the SEC's account, the most basic form of operations security. Gensler and the SEC have come in for major criticism from the crypto community in the U.S. due to a policy of regulation by enforcement that has been pursued. With that, the Commission came in for swift and harsh criticism in the immediate aftermath of its X account hack. Many pointed out the irony of Gensler advising consumers to secure their accounts back in October when the SEC itself had failed to do so. Others queried who would be responsible for what some interpreted as an episode of market manipulation, something that the SEC has perennially associated the crypto markets with. During the time that the account was compromised, millions of dollars of value were liquidated in short and long trading positions. CoinGecko's quick response serves as a valuable lesson in the importance of vigilance and proactive security measures amid the growing threats facing the cryptocurrency community.