Sygnum Bank Achieves In-Principle MPI Licence Approval in Singapore

Tether Critics Point to Previous Chinese Securities BackingUSDT stablecoin issuer Tether (USDT) has long faced persistent scrutiny and criticism due to the lack of transparency surrounding the assets backing their digital currencies. The latest allegations come in the form of a report by Bloomberg on Friday suggesting that the world’s largest stablecoin was once backed by securities issued by Chinese companies.Photo by Manuel Joseph on PexelsNYAG releases documentsThese findings were based on documents made public by the New York Attorney General (NY AG). The documents disclosed that Tether had listed securities issued by China’s state-owned Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Agricultural Bank of China as part of its reserves backing the USDT stablecoin.Rumors about USDT’s exposure to Chinese securities have circulated for a number of years. In 2021, a Bloomberg research report revealed that Tether’s reserves reportedly included billions of dollars in short-term loans to China-based companies, as well as a significant loan to the collapsed crypto lender Celsius Network.However, in February 2021, Tether reached a settlement with the NY AG’s office over accusations of providing misleading information about its reserves and losses. To address these concerns, Tether handed over documents such as letters, bank accounts, reserve holdings, and wallet addresses through the law firm Steptoe.Attestation reportTether’s latest attestation report for Q1 2023, released on May 10, offered further details about its reserves. According to the report, Tether’s reserves were valued at $81.8 billion at the end of the quarter, a significant increase from the earlier period of $14.8 billion. These reserves consisted of $53 billion in US Treasuries, $1.5 billion in Bitcoin, and $5.3 billion in loans described as “over-collateralized.”The disclosure of Tether’s previous backing by Chinese securities adds another layer of complexity to the stablecoin landscape, raising questions about the risk exposure and potential impact on the stability of these digital assets. Using Chinese commercial paper to back a US dollar stablecoin is a risky endeavor.It raises the same issues as we’ve seen with the plethora of crypto lenders that went bankrupt in 2022. In those cases, they were using customer money to speculate and turn a profit. That’s fine when it works but when it goes wrong, it is customers who suffer. In its defense, Tether has stated that it only held A1 rated banking sector Chinese commercial paper in 2022 in state-owned Chinese companies like Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., China Construction Bank Corp., and Agricultural Bank of China Ltd. It reduced this exposure to zero later that year.With the cryptocurrency community and regulators seeking greater transparency and accountability, the industry is likely to face increased scrutiny and calls for enhanced regulations to ensure the integrity of stablecoin operations moving forward.As regulators continue to assess and navigate the evolving crypto market, it remains to be seen how the industry will address these concerns and establish clearer guidelines for stablecoin issuers to ensure the trust and confidence of market participants.

The SUI token has surged to an all-time high (ATH) price after the revelation of the project’s partnership with the American University of Sharjah (AUS) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to establish the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy. SUI is the native token of the Sui blockchain, a layer one blockchain network and smart contract platform that’s striving to make digital asset ownership private, secure and accessible. The AUS-Sui Blockchain AcademyAccording to a press release published via regional news media outlet Zawya on Monday, the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy is situated within the multidisciplinary Center of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainable Development, within the AUS. It’s been set out to align with the principles of entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainability with the objective of fostering responsible and impactful technological advancement relative to blockchain. The Academy aims to equip the next generation of leaders and innovators with the necessary knowledge to harness Web3 technology so as to address future global challenges. Dr. Greg Siourouni, Managing Director of the Sui Foundation, expressed enthusiasm for the blockchain education initiative, emphasizing its role in advancing Sharjah's goal of becoming a leading educational and research hub.Photo by Ainur Kamaev on UnsplashPrice surgeIn response to the announcement, SUI's token price has surged. While it’s up 4% over the course of the past 24 hours, the token is now standing at a record-high unit price of $1.79 since its launch in May 2023. The positive momentum in SUI's price underscores market enthusiasm for the layer-1 blockchain platform's educational initiatives. However, other in-roads being made by the project may also be playing a role. Last September the project launched zkLogin, a Web3 authentication solution that enables dApp users to login using social media accounts. The following month, the Sui Foundation announced a $50 million ecosystem fund in an effort to bolster growth relative to the Sui network. AUS and SUI blockchain education initiativesThis latest initiative is part of Sharjah's vision to position itself as a regional powerhouse for education and research, particularly in the realm of technology and blockchain. It’s not the first blockchain-centric collaboration that the university has engaged in. In June of last year, Dubai-headquartered crypto spot and derivatives trading platform Bybit partnered with AUS to establish a scholarship fund of $272,000. That endeavor is supporting fintech and blockchain studies for the benefit of 20 students. The Sui Foundation too has established a track record where educational initiatives are concerned. It has previously introduced several programs, including a Web3-focused curriculum at the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development at the London Business School. Additionally, it awarded $400,000 in Sui Academic Research Awards (SARAs) to 15 universities worldwide and introduced a Web3 curriculum for high school students. SUI's partnership with AUS to establish the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy reflects its commitment to advancing education and innovation in the blockchain space, while its price surge is suggestive of market optimism for its future endeavors. 

Korea and Japan Collaborate to Develop Accounting Standards for Virtual AssetsThe Korea Accounting Institute (KAI) announced today that it held a bilateral meeting yesterday with the Japanese Financial Accounting Standards Foundation (FASF) to discuss devising accounting standards for virtual assets. Among the attendees were high-level officials of the FASF, including Yasunobu Kawanishi, Chair of the Accounting Standards Board of Japan.Photo by Shubham’s Web3 on UnsplashConsensus on establishing standardsBoth parties agreed on the importance of establishing accounting standards for virtual assets. These standards should be practical and easy to follow, ensuring that they offer sufficient information to readers of financial statements.Reciprocal sharing of progressKAI is in the process of revising the Korean version of the International Financial Reporting Standards (K-IFRS) to require companies to disclose information related to virtual assets within the annotations of their financial statements. This mandatory disclosure of virtual asset-related details was announced by the Korean Financial Services Commission last month, with implementation scheduled for January of next year. This significant update was a topic of discussion in the meeting. Similarly, the FASF reciprocated by sharing its own progress and advancements.This meeting was arranged in light of the deepening relations between the two nations. The close collaboration between the two groups is poised to give Korea momentum to broaden its global presence. Moving forward, the accounting bodies of both countries are committed to continuing their cooperative efforts.