Hong Kong’s Metalpha Secures $5M Investment from Bitmain

Nomura-Backed Digital Exchange Acquires Trading License in DubaiKomainu, a digital exchange backed by Japanese financial services conglomerate Nomura, has achieved the milestone of acquiring an operational license in Dubai.The occasion marks a significant moment for Komainu’s expansion efforts in the Middle East, highlighting the progress the company has made in terms of regulatory approval. It follows Komainu’s previous success in obtaining its MVP license in November 2022, establishing the company as one of the first entities to receive such authorization from the local regulator.The operational license was granted by Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) on Friday, with the firm being added to the regulator’s virtual asset service provider register.Photo by Emma Harrisova on UnsplashEnabling a broader service offeringWith this operational license in hand, Komainu is now equipped to introduce extended institutional staking and collateral management services to clients within Dubai. These services will be facilitated through Komainu Connect, a purpose-built platform tailored to cater to the precise needs of institutional clients.While Komainu is a Jersey-based entity, the company has an active presence in the Dubai market as it has established subsidiary firm Komainu MEA FZE, which is based within the city. This local presence indicates Komainu’s intention to play an active role in the institutional digital asset business in the region.Dubai growth potentialSebastian Widmann, Head of Strategy at Komainu, emphasized the exciting growth prospects that Dubai’s flourishing digital asset ecosystem offers. He noted that the region is currently experiencing an influx of assets driven by the launch of new exchanges.Widmann stated: “Dubai has a vibrant digital asset ecosystem and impressive talent pool, and we are proud to contribute to the growth of this innovative financial hub.” He further emphasized that Komainu’s presence and its favorable regulatory status position the company uniquely as it embarks on the next phase of its business journey.It’s been a good month for Nomura-backed digital asset businesses in Dubai. A few weeks ago, another Nomura-funded company, Laser Digital Middle East FZE, was also successful in acquiring an operating license from VARA.VARA’s approach to crafting regulations has been instrumental in fostering a framework that supports permissible activities and services for customers and investors in Dubai. These regulations are designed to enhance clarity, establish certainty, and mitigate potential market risks. VARA’s overarching objective is to create a model framework that promotes both global economic sustainability and innovation.Bridging market gapFounded in 2018, Komainu’s inception was driven by the need to bridge a gap in the market by delivering secure and compliant custody services for institutional players venturing into digital asset investments.Komainu’s foundation is built upon a strategic joint venture involving prominent entities such as Nomura, CoinShares, and Ledger. It acquired its first client for Komainu Connect, the firm’s regulated settlement and custody system for institutions, in June when it signed up Seychelles-based crypto exchange OKX to the service.Headquartered in Jersey, the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC) and Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) now provide regulatory governance where Komainu’s activities are concerned.

Wemade and Mystic Games to bring two new games to WEMIX PLAYWemade has signed a deal with game development studio Mystic Games to onboard Mystic Games’ two new blockchain role-playing games (RPG), Call of the VoYd and Heroes of the VoYd, to WEMIX PLAY, Wemade’s blockchain gaming platform, according to an official announcement by WEMIX on Tuesday. Mystic Games is a subsidiary of the Swedish gaming company App Creation Experts and the first Swedish firm to onboard WEMIX PLAY.Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on UnsplashForging a future of versatile gaming experiencesMystic Games plans to implement inter-game play mechanisms between the two games, meaning that tokens and NFTs from both games can be used interchangeably.“We believe in a future where your time and skill in gaming can be just as valuable as your time spent working and with other hobbies,” said Matthew Buxton, CEO of Mystic Games. “We look forward to a bright future together.”This collaboration signifies WEMADE’s foray into the Swedish gaming market and aims to bring innovative and fun blockchain gaming experiences through Mystic Games’ titles on the WEMIX PLAY platform.Engaging adventuresCall of the VoYd is an active roguelite survival shooting game that involves battling various characters from beasts of ancient worlds to futuristic monster robots. Heroes of the VoYd offers a similar experience where players can battle monsters, but it mainly differs in its idle gameplay.

ZTX Collects $13 Million in Seed Funding for Web3 Metaverse PlatformSingapore-based Web3 metaverse platform ZTX, a joint blockchain venture by ZEPETO and Jump Crypto, has raised a total of $13 million in its most recent seed funding round. The platform, currently undergoing development, will serve as an immersive three-dimensional open world where Web3 creators can interact and trade digital assets.Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash“We’re excited to share news about our fundraising round,” said Chris Jang, Co-CEO of ZTX. “We have been building steadily and discreetly for well over a year, and with our token launch happening in the coming months we want to emphasize the commitment that our investors, just like our team, have toward our vision to provide an infrastructure layer to creators.”Global backing for ZTXThe latest funding round led by Web3 infrastructure firm Jump Crypto attracted investors from around the world, such as Parataxis Capital, MZ Web3 Fund, Collab+Currency, and more, due to its promising outlook in the Web3 sphere.“We believe that ZTX has the potential to create a unique world, setting it apart from all other Web3 metaverse projects. The seamless integration of digital asset creation and trading in the metaverse with Web3 technology is truly exciting, making their application within Web3 applications a natural fit. Moreover, the ZTX team’s expertise in both the metaverse and Web3 is exceptional, and we have high expectations for their future endeavors,” said Yuki Kanayama, General Partner at MZ Web3 Fund.Strong foundation and team expertiseZTX’s creator ZEPETO also offers solid promise as South Korea’s leading metaverse platform that touts over 400 million lifetime users. It is the fourth-largest metaverse platform in the world, holding its spot among the same ranks as Roblox, Fortnite, and Minecraft. It has also partnered with major brands such as Gucci and Starbucks along with celebrities like the K-pop girl group Blackpink.Made up of industry veterans from tech and Web3 giants like Apple, Roblox, Solana, Cosmos, and more, the ZTX team plans to utilize its various underlying advantages to globalize Web3 and bring it to a wider mainstream audience.The team has consistently been building the ZTX ecosystem from the ground up. In a recent development, the platform ran its first private, invite-only beta test last month, dubbed “Playtest”. It has also worked with Dust Labs, the software provider for NFT projects such as DeGods and y00ts, to launch ZTX Partner Wearables, a community-driven initiative that provides tools to IP partners for creating 3D assets and contributing to the expansion of the narrative within an open-world environment.“As a crypto-focused venture fund, we back visionary teams who are using decentralized technology to shape the next wave of consumer products. We are thrilled to be part of this round, supporting ZTX’s exceptional team and their unique advantages. ZTX can provide a distinct infrastructure layer for diverse NFT projects and Web3 builders with its creator-focused tooling, and we look forward to helping ZTX succeed in its ambitious mission,” said Stephen McKeon, Partner at Collab+Currency.Future projectZTX’s upcoming activities include the launch of the Genesis Home Mint, featuring 4,000 bespoke 3D District Homes. This collection offers benefits such as a district membership in one of the four districts — Arts, Financial, Fashion, and Games — as well as exclusive access to future releases, events, and enhanced gameplay experiences within ZTX.