AhnLab Blockchain Company distributes commemorative NFTs for “School of Rock” musical in Seoul

BLOX, the Malaysian Web3 firm, has forged a strategic partnership with AsiaPay, a payment processor and gateway solution provider in Asia, focused on crypto payments. Memorandum of understanding (MOU)According to a recently published press release, the collaboration has been formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and aims to collectively explore and develop cryptocurrency digital payment solutions tailored for the Malaysian market. As global consumers increasingly gravitate towards the most frictionless payment methods, cryptocurrencies are gaining significant traction. However, the seamless integration of cryptocurrencies into day-to-day transactions requires the support of adept payment service providers.Photo by Esmonde Yong on UnsplashStablecoin potentialDespite the burgeoning popularity of cryptocurrencies, the inherent volatility in their prices poses a considerable challenge. To address this challenge, stablecoins have emerged as a viable solution. The adoption of stablecoins has gained momentum, particularly in the business-to-business (B2B) segment, where the efficiency of blockchain-based payments and instant settlement can be harnessed without being hampered by the uncertainties of price fluctuations. It is within the area of stablecoins that BLOX can lend support, given that the entity is responsible for the first Malaysian ringgit-denominated stablecoin (MYRC). Ethan Chung, CEO and Co-Founder of BLOX, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating:“I’m excited to announce our partnership with AsiaPay, enabling Malaysian merchants to effortlessly accept crypto payments without the need for technical expertise. Empowering businesses, simplifying transactions.” Regulatory sandboxThe crypto payment exploration, which will be undertaken by the two companies, is being enabled under the auspices of a regulatory sandbox environment provided by Malaysian central bank Bank Negara Malaysia. Loo Tak Kheong, Country Head and Director at AsiaPay Malaysia, emphasized the added value this collaboration brings to their payment solutions. He said:“At AsiaPay, we provide payment acceptance solutions with multi-currency, multi-lingual, multi-card, and multi-channeled payment capabilities, which we believe by adding an additional payment method via crypto, will further enhance the value-add service to our Merchants and Partners in the payments ecosystem.” AsiaPay operates throughout the Asian region, headquartered in Hong Kong but with a local corporate entity also established to serve the Malaysian market. Malaysia has shown interest in harnessing blockchain for the purposes of international trade and payments. Last year the Southeast Asian country’s Prime Minister had expressed interest in decreasing its dependency on use of the U.S. dollar. Under the guidance of the country’s central bank, Malaysian banks have explored the use of blockchain for the purpose of trade finance. The country had expressed interest in a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in a financial sector blueprint it had previously published, mapping a way forward from 2022 to 2026. The same document deems decentralized cryptocurrencies like bitcoin to be “non-backed digital assets.” Previously the country’s deputy finance minister had said, “cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are not suitable for use as a payment instrument due to various limitations.” This strategic alliance between BLOX and AsiaPay reflects the ongoing evolution of payment systems, positioning both companies at the forefront of the exploration of crypto-as-a-payment means in Malaysia.

Google Cloud becomes a Volunteer Validator for gaming blockchain XPLAXPLA, a gaming blockchain guided by Korean cultural content company Com2uS Holdings, revealed in a blog post on Tuesday (local time) that Google Cloud has joined as a validator for its blockchain network.Through their collaboration, Google Cloud will take on the role of the first Volunteer Validator for the XPLA blockchain. This partnership enhances the network’s security and governance, as validators are responsible for maintaining the integrity of a blockchain network by validating and relaying transactions.Photo by engin akyurt on UnsplashLayer-1 mainnetXPLA is a layer-1 mainnet that features a diverse group of network participants from the Web3 space. This includes notable enterprises such as Oasys, Animoca Brands, Yield Guild Games (YGG), Blockdaemon, gumi and LayerZero, all contributing to the ecosystem.Commenting on this initiative, Jack Buser, Google Cloud’s director of game industry solutions, said, “We are pleased to take on a role as a Volunteer Validator for the XPLA ecosystem.” According to South Korean news outlet Etoday, Buser expected that the cloud computing services provider’s robust infrastructure will contribute to driving rapid growth and fostering innovation within the realm of Web3 gaming.Better Web3 experiencesPaul Kim, Leader of the XPLA team, echoed similar sentiments as he welcomed Google Cloud’s participation in their project. He mentioned their shared aim to deliver innovative and appealing Web3 experiences to gamers worldwide within a transparent Web3 ecosystem. Kim said, “Through this collaboration, XPLA can secure advanced IT technology and insights into future industries.”

Metalpha Technology Holding Limited, based in Hong Kong, has strategically invested in NextGen Digital Venture Limited, aiming to enhance institutional participation in the digital asset space. This move is part of Metalpha's broader effort to bridge the gap between traditional finance (TradFi) and the crypto sphere.Photo by cottonbro studio on PexelsBuilding on Next Generation FundNews of the collaboration broke via a PR Newswire press release published by Metalpha on Monday. The deal builds upon a previous partnership struck by the two companies in April of last year, which resulted in the creation of Next Generation Fund I. This fund is specifically tailored to leverage Grayscale Investments LLC's suite of products, with Grayscale being one of the world’s largest crypto asset managers. Notably, the fund has demonstrated solid performance, surpassing bitcoin's annualized return by 35%. This success has instilled confidence in Metalpha, fostering optimism for the fund's future achievements. NextGen Digital is a Hong Kong-based investment company that aims to provide cryptocurrency and Web3 exposure to institutional clients in the conventional finance realm. Alongside its previous partnership with Metalpha, the firm has invested directly in Web3 startups such as iZumi Finance, a liquidity-as-a-service DeFi protocol. In announcing the Metalpha investment, NextGen founding partner Jason Huang said that the company “is committed to providing secure, compliant cryptocurrency investment opportunities and is always focused on achieving alpha returns.” The company is leveraging its Hong Kong Type 9 license, while aspiring to deliver secure and compliant cryptocurrency investment opportunities. Adrian Wang, president and director of Metalpha Technology Holding, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating: "The launch of the NextGen fund marks the first step for both parties to jointly develop compliant products with generous returns. We look forward to establishing a more solid partnership in the future.” Wang had previously stated that clients of the Next Generation Fund were overseas Chinese institutions. “Some of them are family offices, some of them are public companies,” he stated. On-boarding TradFi investmentPositioned as a notable platform in Asia, NextGen aims to facilitate traditional finance's seamless entry into the realm of cryptocurrencies. This strategic investment by Metalpha underscores the evolving landscape where traditional financial institutions increasingly embrace the potential of digital assets. Metalpha, recognized as one of Asia's leading providers of crypto derivatives solutions, collaborates closely with traditional financial entities, including family offices and crypto mining firms. Holding both Type 4 and Type 9 licenses from the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong, Metalpha is authorized to advise on securities and engage in real estate investment scheme management or securities and futures contracts management. In May of last year, Metalpha secured a $5 million investment from leading crypto mining equipment manufacturer, Bitmain. Metalpha counts hybrid crypto exchange GRVT among its portfolio of investments. In September it emerged that it had invested in ParaX, a Web3 super app developed by Parallel Finance. In February 2023, the Litecoin Foundation partnered with Metalpha in an effort to provide environmentally friendly mining techniques to the Litecoin ecosystem.