Solomon Islands partners with Soramitsu on CBDC pilot

Bybit Denies Plans to Leave UK MarketReporting related to Dubai-based crypto exchange Bybit had suggested in recent days that the firm was leaving the UK market. However, the company has since responded to state that it has strongly reaffirmed its commitment to the UK market and its dedication to collaborate with regulators to find mutually agreeable solutions.Photo by Marcin Nowak on UnsplashCompany clarificationThat speculation had arisen in the first place on the basis of difficulties the business may experience as a consequence of the upcoming implementation of new strict marketing rules for crypto firms in the UK. Taking to social media on Thursday, the company stated:”At Bybit, we consider the UK to be a highly important market for the advancement of crypto and blockchain technologies. Our commitment to this market is unwavering, and we intend to maintain our presence in the UK for the long term. Meanwhile, we are dedicated to working collaboratively with regulators upon the new law to ensure the responsible and secure development of the industry.”The reports published earlier in the week had fueled speculation that Bybit might exit the UK market, along with other jurisdictions characterized by rigorous crypto regulations. The concerns primarily centered around the UK’s recently introduced financial promotion rules, designed to bolster customer protection and enhance understanding of crypto investments.Ben Zhou, Co-Founder and CEO of Bybit, commented on the situation, underscoring the exchange’s unwavering commitment to regulatory compliance. Zhou confirmed that ongoing discussions with UK regulators aimed to find mutually beneficial solutions, aligning the interests of all stakeholders involved. He emphasized Bybit’s commitment to keeping its community well-informed about the progress of these discussions.Regulatory changesThe recent move by Bybit is in direct response to regulatory changes introduced by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in June. These changes were implemented to improve transparency and enhance customer protection within the crypto sector, with a particular focus on ensuring that UK customers have a clear understanding of the risks associated with crypto investments. The FCA also outlined various pathways for asset promotion, including those involving FCA-authorized personnel or crypto companies registered with the FCA.Exchanges have been very much under the cosh in 2023 when it comes to regulatory pressures. Bybit, accompanied by MEXC Global, Bitforex, and Bitget, were all issued with a warning by the Japanese regulator, the Financial Services Agency (FSA), in April on the basis that the exchanges were running unregistered crypto asset exchange business operations within Japan. In May Binance left the Canadian market.In the months that followed, the leading global crypto exchange was forced out of markets in Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Cyprus due to regulatory pushback. In May Seychelles-based Huobi was ordered to cease its business offering in Malaysia by the local regulator.Moving forwardDespite these setbacks, Bybit has been making efforts to move the business forward. In May it obtained approval from the authorities in Kazakhstan to offer its services within the country. Some weeks prior, it announced that it had chosen Dubai as the global exchange’s headquarters.The firm also introduced TradeGPT recently, an AI-powered educational tool designed to enrich traders’ engagement with the crypto market.

SBI Holdings and TradeFinex Partner to Create a Trade Finance JV in JapanJapanese financial services conglomerate SBI Holdings has joined forces with UAE-based TradeFinex to establish a dynamic joint venture. The objective of the partnership is to propel the widespread adoption of the XDC Network within Japan’s trade finance sector.Details of the agreement between the firms emerged last Friday. The strategic collaboration represents a move toward harnessing blockchain technology to infuse transparency, efficiency, and accessibility into the fabric of trade finance and supply chain management.At its core, the XDC Network stands as an enterprise blockchain platform which is compatible with the Ethereum virtual machine (EVM). In recent times, the XDC Network has cultivated partnerships with several international organizations, including the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). It has pioneered solutions aimed at cost reduction, transaction acceleration, and transparency augmentation within the trade finance sphere.Photo by Timelab on UnsplashBuilding upon related partnershipSBI Holdings, deeply ingrained in Japan’s financial services sector, has taken significant strides to embrace the potential of blockchain technology. Earlier this year, its subsidiary, SBI VC Trade, partnered with the XDC Network, becoming the inaugural Japanese exchange to facilitate the cryptocurrency asset XDC. Building upon this previous collaboration, SBI VC Trade has been proactive in championing the expansion of the XDC Network’s presence in Japan.The freshly minted joint venture between SBI Holdings and TradeFinex has the potential to serve as a catalyst for further XDC Network growth in Japan. A central goal is to localize XDC Network-related information, thereby rendering it more accessible to Japanese businesses and investors.Additionally, the venture is actively scouting for cryptocurrency exchanges who are prepared to use and promote the XDC network, further amplifying its adoption. Exploring collaborations with subnet and layer-2 enterprises forms an integral part of their strategy.Japan’s evolving stance on blockchainThe timing of this collaboration coincides with Japan’s evolving stance on blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. Emerging reports indicate the Japanese government’s contemplation of allowing startups to raise capital through cryptocurrency tokens, marking a seismic shift away from conventional stock listing processes.In April the Japanese government released a whitepaper on Web3, in its efforts to explore ways to foster innovation in the emerging sector. Furthermore, Japan’s National Tax Agency has made adjustments to its cryptocurrency-related tax code, underscoring a proactive stance toward regulating the cryptocurrency industry. Related to that, the country’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) has been exploring tax exemptions relative to unrealized crypto gains.Japan has become known historically as a center of technological innovation. There have been soundings recently that it can rediscover its abilities in that respect through the development of Web3.The strategic alliance between SBI Holdings and TradeFinex charts a promising trajectory for the XDC Network within Japan’s trade finance sector. Anchored in a project that aspires to offer innovation, transparency, and operational efficiency, this joint venture offers considerable potential to spearhead the adoption of blockchain technology within one of the world’s most prominent financial markets.

Banking giants in Turkey embrace crypto ahead of legislative changeIt remains unclear what the underlying environment for the further development of the crypto sector in Turkey will be until such time as the country introduces a legislative framework to shape the industry’s development. However, that fact is not deterring a couple of Turkey’s leading banks, who have decided to embrace the digital asset realm.Photo by Michael Jerrard on UnsplashStablex acquisitionOn Monday CoinDesk Turkiye reported that the investment arm of Turkish bank Akbank had acquired local crypto company Stablex. Stablex was founded in May 2020 by Jihad Shannak with the objective of providing professional services, including trading relative to cryptocurrencies in Turkey. Majority shareholding passed to Ak Investment in May of this year, with initial negotiations on the sale having commenced in August 2022.A high-ranking official at Ak Investment expressed the group’s ambition to become a pivotal figure in the digital asset realm, signaling a proactive approach to the evolving financial landscape. Akbank also banks the majority of crypto start-ups based in Turkey.Speaking about the acquisition recently, Akbank executive Mert Erdoğmuş stated:“We have invested in Stablex to respond to the need for reliable and innovative service in the cryptocurrency market. Stablex reflects our values with its experience in the sector, pioneering achievements and professional service approach.”BBVA crypto walletAlongside Akbank’s move into the digital assets arena, Garanti BBVA, Turkey’s second largest private bank, recently unveiled its crypto wallet app. The feature-rich application includes a cold wallet, empowering users to seamlessly send and receive assets such as bitcoin (BTC), USD Coin (USDC) and ether (ETH).The pilot project for the app commenced in August, with the application currently available on iOS. In bringing the app to market, the bank created Garanti BBVA Digital Assets, a dedicated subsidiary firm. Commenting on that development back in August, the subsidiary’s Chairman of the Board, M. Çağrı Süzer, stated:”Our research shows that customers significantly value trust in their crypto transactions and especially on its storage. Hence, we are happy to launch our Crypto Custody Wallet addressing these real needs.”Despite uncertainties, Turkey has firmly established itself in the global crypto landscape, ranking among the top 20 countries in Chainalysis’ Global Crypto Adoption Index 2023. The instability of the Turkish lira in recent years has been a driver for crypto adoption in the country. In recent days, the bitcoin unit price has reached its highest exchange rate level against the local sovereign currency.Earlier this week, it emerged that crypto platform Blockchain.com is adding headcount and has its sights set on expansion into Turkey as one of its growth opportunities.FATF-compliant regulatory approachTurkey’s regulatory stance has been to take a cautious approach. In 2021, the central bank restricted the use of crypto for payments, although a complete ban on digital assets was ruled out by officials.Looking ahead, a government official revealed plans for crypto legislation to be presented to Parliament in November. While details remain scarce, this legislative move aligns with Turkey’s broader strategy to exit the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) “gray list.”