Korea’s FSS Seeks to Protect Investors from Crypto Exploit Losses

Regulatory Pressure Sees Binance Cease Card Offering in the Middle EastLeading global crypto exchange Binance has announced the discontinuation of its card services in the Middle East.Users hailing from the region will have until September 21 to maximize the utility of their Binance cards before the product will no longer be available to them. Latin America is another region which will be similarly affected by the decision. Binance Customer Support stated: “The Binance Card will regrettably no longer be accessible to users based in Latin America and the Middle East.”Photo by rupixen.com on UnsplashEnabling crypto spendingDistinct from conventional debit cards, these Binance cards have offered users the convenience of settling day-to-day expenses with crypto assets. However, this unique feature is now set to become a relic as the exchange shifts its strategy in response to evolving regulatory dynamics.It’s worth noting that this product curtailment will only impact less than 1% of users situated in these regions. Other Binance services around the world will continue unimpeded. That said, products like this one are significant as they help to bridge the gap between the crypto sphere and conventional commerce.As a substitute, Binance is actively championing its “Binance Pay” platform, touting it as “an advanced cryptocurrency payment solution that is both contactless and internationally accessible.”Checkout.com setbackFinancial pundits are speculating that this strategic move could be closely intertwined with recent realignments in Binance’s corporate partnerships. Notably, the UK-based payment processor, Checkout.com, severed its connections with Binance earlier this month amidst mounting regional regulatory interventions and concerns.Responding to this severed partnership, Binance has indicated a contemplation of legal recourse against Checkout.com’s decision. The backdrop of this collaboration has been problematic since its inception in 2020. Initial troubles surfaced when the absence of the 3-D Secure system facilitated a criminal syndicate to conduct a $10 million transaction spree on Binance.Clash with global regulatorsRecent months have seen Binance find itself entangled in a web of legal battles. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) leveled allegations against Binance, accusing the exchange of deceiving regulatory bodies and mishandling customer funds.Meanwhile, French authorities have intensified their scrutiny, suspecting Binance of potential involvement in money laundering activities. As a domino effect, Binance had to exit numerous markets due to its inability to meet the stringent compliance criteria. Over the course of just three months, the company has lost its ability to trade in Germany, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Cyprus.Asian pivotAs the company comes under pressure in Western markets, it has focused on furthering its offering in the Asian region. In May, its subsidiary, Gulf Binance, successfully acquired a trading license in Thailand. Later that month, the company announced plans for a dedicated platform for Japanese customers.Parrot Capital, a decentralized hedge fund, has issued a direct recommendation to Binance Card users in response to the news:“Check your daily limits. Withdraw via ATM all your funds or spend them ASAP or risk losing them for good.”This sustained and pervasive scrutiny underscores the formidable challenges faced by the leading crypto exchange. As the regulatory landscape evolves, exchanges like Binance are being forced to re-calibrate in order to navigate an ever-changing environment.

CoinFLEX Effects Partial Repayment of SmartBCH DebtCoinFLEX, a Seychelles-based crypto yield platform that operated the BCH to sBCH cross-chain bridge, has taken a significant step towards its restructuring plans by partially repaying its debts to SmartBCH Alliance.Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on PexelsBitcoin Cash sidechainAs part of the repayment, SmartBCH, a Bitcoin Cash sidechain compatible with Ethereum, received distributions from CoinFLEX, including approximately 4.28 million rvUSD ($750,000), 652,000 USDC ($652,000), and 6,834 BCH ($1.6 million). Notably, 80% of the received USDC has been swapped into Bitcoin Cash, while the remaining portion has been reserved to cover legal and operational expenses. SmartBCH currently holds a total of 10,758 BCH.The repayment to SmartBCH comes amidst a significant surge in the price of Bitcoin Cash, which has witnessed a remarkable increase of over 110% in the past seven days. This surge has positioned Bitcoin Cash as a top performer among major currencies in the crypto market, according to data from CoinGecko.Bitcoin Cash, along with other Bitcoin forks, has been benefiting from the overall rise in the cryptocurrency market. The increased interest can be attributed to the flurry of spot Bitcoin ETF filings that have taken place recently.The positive developments surrounding CoinFLEX and Bitcoin Cash have also had a ripple effect on associated tokens. $FLEX and $OX, tokens connected to CoinFLEX, have experienced notable increases in value, rising by 53% and 65% respectively over the past week.CoinFLEX itself has been undergoing a significant restructuring process that was approved by the Seychelles Courts on March 6. The exchange initially suspended withdrawals in June 2022, citing extreme market conditions and uncertainty related to a counterparty.CoinFLEX was one of several crypto firms affected by the collapse of the Terra ecosystem in May 2022, resulting in the loss of over $40 billion in investor value within a short period. In September, the company revealed its restructuring proposal, which involved offering over 65% of its equity to creditors and allocating 15% to employees.OPNX rebrandLast March, CoinFLEX rebranded itself as Open Exchange (OPNX) following the approval of its restructuring plan. The founders of CoinFLEX, Mark Lamb and Sudhu Arumugam, are collaborating with Kyle Davies and Su Zhu, the co-founders of the bankrupt crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC), on the new Dubai-based venture.SmartBCH has announced its intention to open an account on OPNX and gradually convert rvUSD into Bitcoin Cash through the exchange. It is worth noting that, as part of the restructuring terms, SmartBCH is entitled to common equity in CoinFLEX and one board seat, although it has not received these benefits at present.Additionally, SmartBCH has burned 33,365.67 sBCH tokens, returning them to the old bridge address. As a result, the total sBCH in circulation on the sidechain now amounts to 67,756.766.To further enhance stability, SmartBCH has entered into an agreement with CoinFLEX to assume responsibility for maintaining the 1:1 peg between sBCH (the sidechain’s native token) and BCH.

Intella X Teams Up with Web3 Comm Protocol to Boost Game ExperienceSouth Korean gaming company Neowiz announced on Tuesday that its blockchain gaming platform, Intella X, has forged a partnership with DMTP, a developer of Web3 communication protocols.The partnership aims to bolster the capabilities of Intella X services and nurture a robust ecosystem around the platform.Photo by Andrey Metelev on UnsplashOn Polygon networkIntella X, currently under development by Neowiz, will operate on the Polygon network. The platform is designed to be user-centric, offering a range of services beyond gaming. These include its own decentralized exchange (DEX), an NFT launchpad, and an NFT exchange.Messages between wallet addressesDMTP has developed a communication tool named after itself, which enables message exchange between Web3 wallet addresses. Encrypted user messages are securely stored on the blockchain and managed in a decentralized, distributed manner. This ensures data preservation in case of unforeseen circumstances, such as service termination.The two companies will discuss introducing DMTP to the Intella X Wallet. Having recently soft launched the Android and web versions of Intella X Wallet, Neowiz plans to coordinate with DMTP to expedite technological development and marketing efforts to enrich user experience.