Korean Firms Team Up to Boost Biofuel Use Through Blockchain Tech

Binance Set For Japanese Market Re-Entry With 34 Token ListingsBinance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, is gearing up to re-enter the Japanese market with a bang on August 14. According to a report published by local crypto media outlet Coinpost, Binance Japan is set to immediately list an impressive 34 tokens.The move will put Binance ahead of its domestic rivals, as the offering will be the most extensive in terms of the selection of tokens made available to Japanese customers.Photo by David Edelstein on UnsplashBNB token offeringIn addition to that, Binance intends to make its native token, BNB, available in Japan for the first time. Exchange tokens have proven to be controversial in recent times. In November 2022, FTX’s reliance on their native token FTT caused a run on the exchange which Binance started once it started to sell off the token. Similar concerns have been expressed ever since about a similar reliance within Binance relative to its BNB token.The expansion into Japan will likely prove a tonic for Binance, given the difficulties it has experienced in other markets recently. Regulatory pushback has forced Binance out of markets such as Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Cyprus over the course of the past three months.The company has been actively working to comply with Japan’s regulatory environment. In a Twitter video posted in July, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), Binance’s Founder and CEO, expressed his excitement about re-entering the Japanese market. He praised Japan’s clear and progressive approach to crypto regulations, citing the well-established framework that dates back to 2017, as well as recent developments, including the opening up of crypto listing frameworks and the passing of stablecoin regulations in June.Roadmap to market re-entryBinance’s journey back into Japan started in November 2022 when it acquired 100% ownership of Sakura Exchange BitCoin (SEBC). The acquisition paved the way for Binance to be regulated by the Japan Financial Services Agency (JFSA). As part of this move, SEBC underwent a name change, rebranding itself as Binance Japan Inc. The company then announced in May its plans to re-enter the Japanese market.The re-entry comes after the JFSA had previously issued warnings in 2021 against Binance for operating in the country without proper registration. Now, with the acquisition of SEBC and its regulatory compliance, Binance has gained a foothold in the Japanese market once again.Binance Japan aims to provide a comprehensive suite of services to its Japanese customers. New users can access spot trading, Earn products, and the NFT marketplace, while existing customers can migrate to the local subsidiary starting August 14. The token offerings include a diverse range of assets, and the addition of BNB presents exciting opportunities for traders and investors in Japan.Rival exchanges such as Coinbase and Kraken have decided to halt their operations in the country as they struggled to adjust to Japanese market conditions. The move by Binance to re-enter Japan’s market will be closely watched to see if it can succeed where others have failed.

Wealthy investors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are warming to cryptocurrencies while largely bypassing traditional private banks, a new survey shows. The poll, conducted by Swiss wealth manager Avaloq and reported by CoinDesk, found that roughly four in 10 high-net-worth individuals in the country hold digital assets, though only about 20% used conventional wealth managers to make such allocations. The survey gathered responses from 3,851 investors and 456 wealth professionals.Photo by Atikah Akhtar on UnsplashA rising tide in crypto wealthThe findings land amid a broader run-up in crypto fortunes. Henley & Partners’ 2025 Crypto Wealth Report, published in September, estimates 241,700 crypto millionaires worldwide this year—about 40% more than in 2024. Even so, UAE respondents in Avaloq’s poll voiced caution, citing the market’s sharp swings as a primary deterrent. Operational hurdles compound that wariness. Managing wallets, safeguarding private keys, and arranging custody remain friction points for would-be buyers. Among those who remain on the sidelines, Avaloq found that volatility topped the list of deterrents (38%), followed by limited understanding (36%) and distrust of trading platforms (32%). Younger cohorts drive crypto uptake, advisor shiftsFamily dynamics are increasingly driving crypto adoption. Younger members of ultra-wealthy households are introducing parents and grandparents to digital assets, Avaloq’s UAE survey found. Meanwhile, 63% of investors have either changed wealth managers or are considering doing so, often because they feel their questions about crypto are not being adequately addressed. Akash Anand, head of Middle East and Africa at Avaloq, described the moment as one of growing client curiosity met by a slow institutional response, prompting private banks to accelerate work on digital asset services. Dubai’s growing role as a crypto hub will again be on display in December, when it hosts Binance Blockchain Week 2025. The two-day conference, slated for Dec. 3–4, features appearances by Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao, Strategy Chairman Michael Saylor, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, and Solana Foundation President Lily Liu. A debate between Zhao and long-time crypto skeptic Peter Schiff on Bitcoin’s merits versus tokenized gold is also expected, after Zhao invited Schiff to participate via X. Combined, the survey data and recent developments depict a UAE wealth market in the early stages of engagement with digital assets. While enthusiasm is building among younger investors and high-profile initiatives continue to draw attention, concerns about volatility and management complexity remain barriers to entry. The extent to which established wealth firms and new entrants can address those concerns will shape the next phase of the market’s growth. 

Suspects emerge in Taiwan in ongoing JPEX scandal falloutIn the ongoing saga surrounding the collapse of Dubai-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange JPEX, Taiwanese prosecutors have identified new suspects, marking a significant development in the case.The Taipei District Prosecutors Office (TDPO) has requested the custody of Chang Tung-ying, chief partner at JPEX’s Taiwan office, over allegations of fraud. That’s according to a report by local TV channel TVBS News on Thursday.Photo by Ricky Zeng on UnsplashMoney laundering and Banking Act violationsThis latest development brings a new twist to the scandal, which has largely been playing out in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong. The TDPO reportedly conducted searches at nine locations linked to the JPEX investigation. Chang, along with three other individuals, including JPEX lecturer Shih Yu-sheng (also known as Shi Yu), was summoned by the authorities. Chang and Shih are being investigated for violations of the Banking Act and the Money Laundering Control Act.During the investigation, JPEX salespersons Liu Chien-fu and Niu Keng-sheng were released, with Liu being granted bail of 50,000 New Taiwan dollars ($1,550). Niu, the registered person in charge of JPEX Taiwan, was released after questioning.Celebrity promoter focusThe report also revealed that Nine Chen, a Taiwanese celebrity and singer who previously served as a brand ambassador for JPEX, was summoned by prosecutors. He has cooperated with law enforcement in the role of a witness to the alleged fraud who has testified to illicit activity carried out by the platform. However, it is now understood that recent events have developed such that Chen is now being treated as a defendant.This action resonates with actions taken by the authorities in Hong Kong some weeks ago in the earlier stages of investigation into this affair. In September, one of the first actions taken by Hong Kong law enforcement was the arrest and detention of social media influencer and former lawyer Joseph Lam, known to followers as “Jolamchok” on the Instagram platform.Alleged liquidity crisisJPEX, once a successful crypto exchange, abruptly halted some services in mid-September, citing a liquidity crisis triggered by alleged “unfair treatment” from institutions in Hong Kong. The sudden implosion led to accusations of misleading investors regarding the application for a crypto trading license and other issues.The scandal surrounding JPEX has escalated into a major industry concern, prompting investigations by Hong Kong authorities. Over 2,000 complaints from JPEX users, reporting losses of nearly $180 million, have triggered significant regulatory attention.As investigations progressed in Hong Kong, the authorities took the decision to block access to the platform, with the platform responding by advising customers to circumvent this restriction through the use of a virtual private network (VPN).As of September 25, law enforcement has arrested at least 11 alleged suspects in the JPEX case, while the alleged masterminds remain at large. At that time, Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) pledged to renew its efforts to combat unregulated crypto platforms in Hong Kong.A survey conducted by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) business school has indicated that the affair has had a negative impact on public sentiment towards crypto more recently.