Fobl Partners with KDAC to Store Part of Customers’ Assets in Custody

Com2uS Holdings, the South Korean game publishing company behind Layer 1 blockchain XPLA, disclosed today that its revenue last year saw a 22.5% increase from 2022, reaching KRW 142.3 billion ($106.7 million). On the back of the revenue growth, the company's consolidated operating loss narrowed to KRW 14 billion, improving from 2022’s KRW 26.4 billion. Additionally, the net loss decreased to KRW 16.5 billion, down from the previous year’s KRW 70.6 billion. The operating loss for the fourth quarter stood at KRW 16.5 billion, showing an improvement from 2022 Q4's KRW 20.9 billion. During the same period, revenue reached KRW 21.4 billion, and the net loss was recorded at KRW 8 billion.Photo by Andrey Metelev on UnsplashGame sales and marketing expensesCom2uS Holdings attributed the increase in profits to game sales growth, which was encouraged by the release of more games. However, the company also noted a decrease in income from investments in associates and an increase in marketing expenses, which were driven by the launch of new games. Last year's operating expenses totaled KRW 156.4 billion. Labor costs, which constitute the largest portion of operating expenses, experienced a year-on-year decrease of 6.2%, amounting to KRW 46.7 billion. In contrast, there was an increase in spending across three areas: commissions rose by 43.8% to KRW 30.7 billion, loyalty expenses increased by 26.6% to KRW 25.1 billion and marketing saw a jump of 134.9% to KRW 21.1 billion. According to a report from local news agency Yonhap, Jung Chul-ho, CEO of Com2uS Holdings, emphasized at the earnings presentation today that the company is committed to growth in game publishing, blockchain projects and platform initiatives, all directed towards enhancing the company's value.Triple-A games on XPLA blockchainAs part of the company’s blockchain endeavors, the XPLA platform is set to focus on improving user convenience and incorporating major content, including a variety of triple-A games. Looking ahead, Com2uS Holdings anticipates that its idle role-playing game, Soul Strike, will contribute to the company's revenue for the first quarter. Since its debut last month, Soul Strike has been attracting attention not only in Korea but across Asia. The game publisher also outlined its global release plans for the MMORPG, Zenonia Chronobreak. Gamers in Taiwan can expect access to the game in the second quarter, while those in Japan and others will be able to play in the fourth quarter.

Japan appears to be gearing up for the potential launch of its central bank digital currency (CBDC), the digital yen, as the government and the Bank of Japan (BoJ) collaboratively lay the legislative foundation for its rollout. While neither the BoJ nor the government has officially committed to the CBDC launch, recent developments indicate an accelerated push for its development. The BoJ's heightened focus on digital yen comes amidst concerns about falling behind China's and Europe's rapid progress in the CBDC space.Photo by Wenhao Ji on UnsplashOvercoming legal issuesAccording to a report by Japanese media outlet NHK, in a recent meeting, the Japanese government and the BoJ discussed future tasks and legal issues related to its CBDC implementation. To ensure a smooth and legally unobstructed launch, Tokyo aims to establish the necessary legal framework well in advance. Local news media Coinpost reported that the proposed legislation is set to "assume the introduction of the digital yen" and may involve amendments to key laws such as the Bank of Japan Act, the Criminal Code and the Civil Code. The goal is to finalize the list of required legal amendments by spring of the current year. In a meeting between Japan's central bank and the Finance Ministry, executives from relevant ministries and central bank directors explored various aspects of the CBDC. Discussions included the collaboration between a potential central bank digital currency and private cashless businesses, with a focus on convenience and personal data protection. Finance Ministry keen on launch ASAPLast month, the central bank received a report from a Ministry of Finance expert panel which recommended the launch of the digital yen without delay. The Ministry of Finance's December meeting addressed the division of roles between the Bank of Japan and intermediary banks, proposing a "two-tiered model" where domestic commercial banks play a pivotal role in digital yen issuance. Acting as intermediary institutions, these banks will bridge the gap between the central bank and digital yen users. The government and the BoJ are also contemplating ways to involve private businesses in the CBDC project while ensuring fair competition. Security and data privacy considerationsKey considerations in the discussions involve interoperability with other payment methods, ensuring security and handling user information safely. There is also an exploration of potential cross-border payment options. The government and the BoJ are committed to a comprehensive approach that considers various aspects of the CBDC project. Japan's unique context in the CBDC landscape is highlighted, with its continued reliance on cash and the presence of multiple private-sector tokenized money initiatives. Notably, the country boasts over 100 institutions and enterprises exploring digital currency through a digital currency forum since 2020. Separate initiatives, such as the MUFG-backed Progmat DLT platform, contribute to Japan's diverse digital currency landscape. Providing another example of progression in the digital assets arena, it emerged in September that the country is looking to permit startups to raise capital from venture capital firms using digital tokens rather than traditional equity. 

South Korea’s blockchain venture Creder and IT solution company ITCEN Group (ITCEN) announced today their partnership with Green-X, a Malaysia-based exchange, local media outlet Decenter reported. Through the partnership, the three companies plan to launch a security token offering (STO) business, introducing tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) to investors. Creder is a joint venture founded in 2022 by ITCEN and blockchain service developer BPMG.  The planned business aims to tokenize various RWAs – including jewelry, real estate, rare earth, antique goods – and issue them in the form of NFTs, which will then be fractionalized and traded on Goldstation, the gold-pegged coin (GPC)-centered DeFi platform developed by Creder. Photo by Jingming Pan on UnsplashThe initial project of the RWA business would be to offer trading services for Dignity gold tokens (DIGNITY) on Goldstation, a digital token issued by Dignity Gold LLC. The company owns a gold mine valued at over $6 billion in Nevada, U.S., according to data from Green-X. As of March 26, gold reserves yet to be excavated from the mine reportedly stand at 3.44 million ounces. Green-X, a Malaysia STO exchange accredited by Sharia certificate The Malaysia-based STO exchange Green-X is a wholly owned subsidiary of Greenpro Captial Corp., a company listed on Nasdaq. In February 2022, Green-X received an STO exchange license along with Sharia certificate, a proof of compliance that is only given to firms that follow the Islamic law, Sharia. This religious certificate is known to serve as a significant criterion for Islamic investors.  James Lim, CEO of Creder, said that the company aims to expand its business to the global market by further introducing more RWAs in cooperation with Green-X.