Sygnum plans Asian expansion following $40M fund raise

Taiwan Advances Crypto Regulation with Initial Reading of Digital Asset BillTaiwan has furthered its efforts on the path of digital asset regulation, as the nation’s legislature introduced a cryptocurrency bill for its inaugural reading.The “Virtual Asset Management Ordinance Draft” bill represents a significant stride toward establishing a legal framework for digital assets in the country. The proposal passed its first reading at the Taiwanese state legislature, according to published parliamentary records.Photo by Ethan Lin on UnsplashBill objectivesThe primary objectives of the bill are to define virtual assets, establish operational standards for asset operators, enhance customer protection, and make it mandatory for industry players to join relevant associations and secure regulatory permissions.Up until now, Taiwan has maintained a relatively hands-off approach to the cryptocurrency sector. Its oversight was limited to existing know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) laws. However, this stance evolved following the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX in November. The platform’s popularity among Taiwanese users, owing to favorable US dollar interest rates compared to local banks, led to increased regulatory scrutiny.A member of Taiwan’s parliament, Yung-Chang Chiang, told The Block that “after the first reading of the bill, discussions on the regulatory framework for the virtual asset industry have progressed to the next stage.” Chiang added:“We hope that the Financial Supervisory Commission can also submit their version of a draft bill to the legislature, allowing various sectors of society to further consolidate consensus during the process.”In contrast to cryptocurrency regulations in neighboring Hong Kong, Taiwan’s bill does not adopt a strong stance on derivatives or stablecoins. Nevertheless, it recognizes that derivatives linked to virtual assets possess unique characteristics, with a specific mention of perpetual contracts. This recognition opens the door for the possibility of cryptocurrency derivative-specific regulation in future drafts.Importantly, the bill does not restrict the trading of virtual assets to professional investors, which allows broader participation in the digital asset market.Auditing and segregation of fundsUnlike Japan, which mandates the use of custodians for locally licensed exchanges, the draft bill in Taiwan only necessitates the segregation of customer assets from business funds. It does not explicitly require the involvement of third-party custodians.Under this legislation, exchange operators will be obliged to commission periodic reports from accountants regarding their operations and asset management. Additionally, regulators, such as the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), will have the authority to conduct regular inspections of exchange internal control and audit systems.Although this initial draft does not explicitly mention “Proof of Reserves,” it does indicate that the regulator will establish standards for asset ratios after consulting with industry stakeholders, with the expectation that licensed exchanges will adhere to these standards.Fostering self regulationTaiwan’s crypto industry stakeholders have expressed their support for formal regulatory oversight. Wayne Huang, co-founder and CEO of Taipei-based fintech company XREX, recently affirmed the industry’s willingness to collaborate with the FSC in defining regulatory operations.In tandem with the establishment of a regulatory framework, regulators have indicated that they want industry stakeholders to move towards some level of self-regulation. That led nine exchange businesses to form an industry association last month.The bill’s second reading is pending, and the FSC is anticipated to provide its input and recommendations before the next phase of the legislative process.

Overseas Crypto Holdings Declared to Korean Tax Agency Amount to $98BIn a recent press release from the South Korean National Tax Service (NTS), it was revealed that this year, a record 5,419 Koreans declared overseas financial assets amounting to KRW 186.4 trillion. This is a notable jump from the previous year, marking a 38.1% rise in the number of declarants and an impressive 191.3% increase in the declared amount.Photo by Traxer on UnsplashRecord-breaking declarationsThese are the most significant figures reported since the 2011 inception of the overseas financial account reporting system, which requires Korean individuals and entities to disclose their foreign financial holdings, like savings, stocks, collective investment schemes, and derivatives, if their balance exceeds KRW 500 million.The NTS attributed the record-breaking figures to foreign crypto accounts, a new addition to this year’s overseas account declaration.Crypto’s dominanceVirtual assets comprised a staggering 70.2% of the total declared amount, overshadowing all other assets. 1,432 individuals and corporate entities reported crypto holdings amounting to KRW 130.8 trillion (approximately $98 billion).Decline in non-virtual assetsFor non-virtual asset accounts, including deposits, savings, and stocks, the reported figure stood at KRW 55.6 trillion, marking a year-on-year drop of KRW 8.4 trillion, or a 13.1% decline.Call for complianceIn the future, the NTS plans to leverage data shared between countries to rigorously check for potential non-compliance in reporting overseas financial accounts. Those suspected of omissions can expect strict actions, including fines, criminal charges, public name disclosure, and the collection of related taxes.After the reporting deadline, filers may be eligible for a penalty reduction of up to 90%. Importantly, tax agencies worldwide, including the NTS, are gearing up to share information like cryptocurrency transaction details under the Crypto Asset Reporting Framework. In light of this, the NTS strongly encourages those who haven’t yet reported but are obligated to to promptly declare their overseas virtual asset accounts.

South Korea’s GDAC Suffers $13M hackSouth Korean cryptocurrency exchange, GDAC, has suffered a significant hacking incident that has resulted in the loss of approximately 23% of its custodial digital assets.©Pexels/PixabayThe hack occurred on Sunday when some of the exchange’s hot wallets were breached, and the stolen assets were transferred to an unidentified wallet. GDAC reported the incident on Monday and disclosed that the exchange lost over $13.1 million in Bitcoin, Ether, Wemix, and USDT, with more than $10 million in Wemix.According to blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence, the hacker has since swapped the USDT for ETH, sending 461 ETH to cryptocurrency tumbler, Tornado Cash. The hacker used three separate wallets to take funds from two of the exchange’s hot wallets. Arkham has labeled the wallets as follows:GDAC Hacker 1: 0x244615D99684175d31369332039b2D84ce925EC5GDAC Hacker 2: 0x62B5eb2cb925Ce2898f9327B235b3228e7Cac1C2GDAC Hacker 3: 0x87597bDB421482190e223aCa0A4DEAd75AB0a98DGDAC deposits/withdrawals suspendedGDAC has suspended its withdrawal and deposit services and reported the incident to the Korea Internet and Security Agency and the Financial Intelligence Unit. The exchange has also requested other cryptocurrency exchanges to block incoming transactions from suspicious addresses.In a notice posted on its website, GDAC CEO Seunghwan Han apologized for the suspension of deposits/withdrawals and concern relative to the hack, adding that the firm will be working towards investor protection and safe withdrawal of funds in due course. GDAC also posted the breakdown of the digital asset quantities lost in the hack, with the hacker stealing 60.80 BTC, 350.5 ETH, 10,000 WEMIX and 220,000 USDT.Crypto hacks increasingThis hacking incident comes at a time when cryptocurrency hacks have been on the rise. According to blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, illicit actors stole $3.8 billion worth of assets last year, the largest one-year loss in crypto’s history. In addition, other crypto platforms have also suffered notable hacks and exploits in the past 15 to 18 months. Axie Infinity’s Ronin bridge, for example, suffered a $625 million hack last year, and decentralized-finance protocol Sushi was exploited for $3.3 million on Sunday.GDAC is not the only South Korean cryptocurrency exchange to suffer a significant hacking incident. In 2018, Coinrail was hacked, resulting in the loss of approximately $40 million worth of assets, and in 2021, Upbit suffered a $50 million hack.In response to these incidents, South Korea has taken steps to tighten regulations around cryptocurrency exchanges. In March 2021, the country’s Financial Services Commission issued a revised regulation that requires cryptocurrency exchanges to maintain stricter anti-money laundering measures and report suspicious transactions.The GDAC hack is a stark reminder of the risks associated with cryptocurrency investing and the importance of implementing robust security measures. Investors and cryptocurrency exchanges should take note of this incident and ensure that they have adequate security measures in place to protect against potential hacks and exploits.