Mars Program Sees Huobi Venture into Space

The Philippines' financial regulator announced that it is implementing what amounts to a ban on Binance in the Southeast Asian nation by blocking local access to the leading global cryptocurrency exchange. This decision, publicized via a press release on March 25, comes as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) raised concerns last November over Binance's operations in the country, citing a lack of necessary licenses for certain investment products. According to the press release, the SEC revealed that it sought assistance from the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) to enforce the ban, expressing worries about the security of Filipino investors' funds on the platform. In a letter addressed to the NTC, SEC Chairman Emilio Aquino stated:"The SEC has identified the aforementioned platform and concluded that the public's continued access to these websites/apps poses a threat to the security of the funds of investing Filipinos.”Photo by Krisia on PexelsA similar move was taken last December by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) in India, as it acted to block access to what it deemed to be non-compliant global crypto exchanges. Unlicensed servicesThe SEC alleges that Binance offers services like leveraged trading and crypto savings accounts without the required licenses, violating the country's Securities Regulation Code. Consequently, the ban is set to be implemented within three months, allowing investors time to exit their positions held through Binance. Furthermore, the SEC has requested Google and Meta to restrict Binance-related advertisements targeted at Filipino users on their platforms, extending the regulatory measures to online advertising as well. A similar stance was taken by authorities in Thailand last August with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) engaging in talks with Facebook in an effort to curb questionable crypto-related advertising on the platform. Regulatory setbackThis move by the Philippines' financial watchdog marks another regulatory setback for Binance, which has faced increasing scrutiny globally. In December 2023, a U.S. court ordered Binance to pay significant fines to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for evading federal law and operating an illegal derivatives exchange. As part of the settlement, Binance's former CEO, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), agreed to step down from his position, with Zhao also facing civil and criminal charges related to anti-money laundering laws. The SEC's cautionary stance against Binance dates back to November 2023, shortly after Zhao's legal troubles in the U.S. emerged. At that time, the SEC expressed its intention to ban Binance in the Philippines, though the execution was postponed due to changes in the leadership of the regulatory body. Notably, Kenneth Stern, who headed up Binance's operations in the Philippines, exited the company in July 2023, amidst mounting regulatory pressures and legal challenges. Binance had seen many leading executives part ways with it in the lead-up to the company’s settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) last year. With regulatory actions tightening around Binance globally, the future of the exchange in various jurisdictions remains uncertain. The ban in the Philippines adds to the ongoing regulatory challenges faced by the company and underscores the growing importance of compliance within the cryptocurrency industry.

Gumi joins XPLA mainnet as newest validatorJapanese gaming company Gumi has joined South Korean gaming corporation Com2uS Group’s layer 1 blockchain mainnet XPLA as a new node validator, according to an official announcement on XPLA’s Medium page on Monday (local time).Photo by Shubham’s Web3 on UnsplashEmpowering the XPLA ecosystemThrough this partnership, Gumi is expected to play a crucial role in enhancing transparency, stability and scalability as a validator in the XPLA ecosystem. The collaboration aims to explore new possibilities in blockchain technology and integrate them into the gaming industry, thereby maximizing the benefits for all participants in the ecosystem and connecting game developers with players.Over a decade of global impactSince its establishment in 2007, Gumi has been active in the Japanese and global markets, engaging in various mobile gaming and blockchain projects. Recently, the company has not only been involved in the production of and investment in Web3 games but also operates as a key node operator in multiple blockchain projects. By working with Gumi, XPLA anticipates solidifying its position as a global Web3 gaming industry leader and expanding its influence in the Japanese Web3 market.“Through this partnership, we will gain insights into the Japanese market and strive to create a more reliable ecosystem,” said Paul Kim, leader of the XPLA team.Fortifying trust and redefining the Web3 landscapeXPLA’s validators are responsible for verifying the integrity of the blockchain, analyzing on-chain data to improve operations and ensuring the security of the XPLA ecosystem. By passing a proposal to increase the number of validators from 50 to 80 this year, XPLA aims to create an environment that accommodates more validators, thus building a more robust and trustworthy ecosystem.XPLA is an L1 mainnet that hosts numerous Web3 companies like Oasys, Animoca Brands, YGG, Blockdaemon, Cosmos Station and LayerZero as participants. It has onboarded multiple IP-based hit games like Summoners War: Chronicles, Minigame Party, Ace Fishing: Crew, Idle Ninja Online and The Walking Dead: All-Stars, effectively becoming a global Web3 content and gaming hub.

OKX announces delisting of 26 trading pairsCryptocurrency exchange OKX has made a significant announcement regarding the delisting of more than 20 trading pairs, with a view towards its ongoing maintenance of strict listing criteria and performance monitoring. This decision will impact a considerable number of trading pairs across various cryptocurrencies, with the process scheduled to commence later this week.OKX outlined details of this recent trading pair purge in a statement published to its website on Monday. Among the trading pairs set for removal are CELO-USDC, AXS-USDC, APE-BTC and the HNT-USDT trading pair, which will be delisted on Nov. 10. Notably, Bytom (BTM), a Chinese crypto project, which has experienced a substantial 46% drop in value since Monday, is also among the tokens to be delisted.The exchange is advising users to manage their assets accordingly in preparation for the changes. Withdrawals for these tokens will cease on Jan. 10, 2024. During this transitional period, OKX recommends that users cancel any open orders linked to the impacted trading pairs to avoid automatic cancellations, which could result in processing delays.Photo by Maxim Hopman on UnsplashSAITAMA delistingDeposits for the affected tokens, including HNT, BTM, and SAITAMA, were halted by OKX on Nov. 3. SAITAMA, an Ethereum-centric ERC20 token, is the primary payment medium on the Saitama platform. There were mixed reactions to the delisting of the coin. One community member took to X, stating:“I will say I do think it isn’t cool for OKX to delist #Saitama considering we didn’t get on there for the reasons specified of delisting. The listing was won through hours of Spaces and helping people get VPNs to win a contest. Regardless of what the market is doing we won fairly.”Another Saitama project supporter took a more pragmatic view, stating:“Delisting Is a tragedy? I don’t think so. What did the OKX listing for the token price? What is the difference between holding or selling with or without okx? Volume was too low, and this isn’t a news, so they will delist. They will relist again….#SAITAMA”OKX has embarked upon several initiatives over the course of 2023 in an effort to further the user proposition offered by the platform. From a marketing perspective, the company took the decision in October to retire the Okcoin brand, rebranding its various sub-platforms instead to OKX.The Seychelles-incorporated company indicated in September that it expects to have secured a virtual asset service provider (VASP) license in Hong Kong by June of next year.Delisting banksTokens are not the only items to be delisted by the exchange recently. Alongside competitor Bybit, the company decided to delist sanctioned Russian banks Tinkoff Bank and Sberbank from its peer-to-peer exchange platform.This move by OKX reflects the exchange’s efforts towards maintaining a high level of integrity and performance. Listing coins that fall below a minimum acceptable level of liquidity and trading volume can leave them much more exposed to the risk of manipulation. By adhering to stringent listing criteria and promptly addressing issues, the company is making a greater effort towards maintaining a position as a trusted and secure trading platform for cryptocurrency enthusiasts and investors.