The Seoul AI Innovation Tour 2024 comes to an end, sharing insights on digital finance

Many Countries Are Welcoming Traditional Financial Institutions Into Crypto — When Will Korea Catch Up?Although overseas traditional financial institutions are gradually expanding their reach into the crypto market by launching related services and products, this remains challenging for institutions in South Korea, where it is difficult for them to even invest in virtual assets.Photo by NASA on UnsplashMajor developments in other countriesAccording to industry sources, traditional financial companies such as Japan’s largest investment bank and brokerage group Nomura Group, and New York-based investment banking company Citigroup are starting to bring new crypto-related services and products to the market.Laser Digital, the asset management unit of Nomura Group, launched a Bitcoin adoption fund targeting institutional investors, according to an official press release from last Tuesday (local time), which will provide institutional investors with direct and secure access to investments in Bitcoin.Similarly, Citigroup’s Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) is piloting its new crypto-based cash management and trade finance service dubbed Citi Token Services, which caters to institutional clients by utilizing blockchain and smart contract technology to provide digital asset solutions. “Digital asset technologies have the potential to upgrade the regulated financial system by applying new technologies to existing legal instruments and well-established regulatory frameworks. The development of Citi Token Services is part of our journey to deliver real-time, always-on, next-generation transaction banking services to our institutional clients,” said Shahmir Khaliq, Global Head of Services at Citi.Earlier this summer, several asset managers in the US, including BlackRock, applied for a spot-traded Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), drawing the interest of the industry as a whole. The SEC has been delaying its decision regarding approval for the ETF and will likely do so until its allotted 240-day review period is over, but industry experts predict that the approval will go through for several reasons including BlackRock’s implicit influence as the world’s biggest asset manager and the SEC’s former court loss against Grayscale for its review of the firm’s spot Bitcoin ETF.These developments are made possible through the commonly held opinion that the involvement of traditional financial institutions in the crypto sphere is beneficial for the industry due to their ability to increase liquidity by moving much larger amounts of capital than the crypto market alone.Moreover, many countries around the world already allow institutions to invest in virtual assets. For instance, the US Nasdaq Stock Market has already listed crypto futures-based ETFs such as Bitcoin and Ether, and there are trust products on the market like Grayscale’s Bitcoin Trust that target qualified investors. Countries like Hong Kong have also gradually begun to allow individual investments in virtual assets again, while institutional investment has always been permitted.Roadblocks in KoreaIn contrast, it remains impossible for institutional or corporate investors in Korea to invest in virtual assets, let alone offer virtual asset fund products. Although local asset managers like Mirae Asset Global Investments and Samsung Asset Management have listed Bitcoin-related ETFs in the US and Hong Kong, such products do not exist in South Korea.Korean authorities also banned financial institutions from holding, purchasing, or investing in virtual assets back in 2017 on the grounds that their investment in cryptocurrencies could stimulate investor sentiment. Also, shadow regulation after the enactment of the Act on Reporting and Using Specified Financial Transaction Information in 2021 practically bars local corporations and institutions from using crypto exchanges, though there is no provision that explicitly prohibits opening corporate bank accounts on crypto exchanges.In response to this situation, an anonymous industry insider highlighted the need for a nationwide drive to support virtual assets and Web3 technology. “This is the time to push emerging industries, and we should not overlook industry trends. The current situation is somewhat frustrating,” they said. “Japan was the most conservative country in this regard, but it has recently opened up and subsequently gained momentum. Korea should also take a more progressive approach.”

Busan City Houses Two Foreign Financial Firms on the Road to Becoming Blockchain, Fintech HubThe city of Busan said Monday that it has chosen two financial companies, UIB Korea and Lina One, as the new occupants of Decacorn-Space — an office space on the 63rd floor of the Busan International Finance Center (BIFC) — in an effort to position the southern port as the nation’s blockchain and fintech hub.Busan has been running an open call for foreign financial institutions to move into the recently renovated space since June. After a rigorous two-step evaluation process, UIB Korea and Lina One were selected, the city said.This comes as part of Busan’s efforts to further develop the BIFC and become a major financial powerhouse in Korea.“We have been relocating public financial institutions, fostering financial experts, and exploring new growth drivers such as fintech, blockchain, and digital innovation,” the city’s mayor Park Heong-joon explained.Photo by Minku Kang on UnsplashAbout UIB Korea and Lina OneUIB Korea, or UIB Insurance Brokers, is the Korean branch of UK-based UIB Group — a global insurance broker that offers risk management advisory services. In particular, the firm is set to work with other domestic companies such as DB Insurance and Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance to establish a consortium for providing insurance products and consulting services.Meanwhile, Lina One is the Korean branch of Chubb Group, the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. One of the firm’s major goals is to promote the insurance information technology market in Busan.Notably, both companies aim to leverage their digital capabilities, experience, and competitiveness to achieve similar goals, which include digitizing insurance for various partners, ranging from maritime and industrial companies to regional banks, fintech companies, and individuals. In turn, their efforts are expected to expand Busan’s network with the larger global financial community and present the city as an ideal spot for international conferences.On the road to becoming a financial hubDespite considerable challenges such as the withdrawal of foreign financial institutions from Korea and the impact of COVID-19 on international travel, the city has continuously made efforts in collaboration with the Busan Finance Center to attract international financial institutions through events like investor relations meetings and local networking activities.To support the successful landing of these companies in Busan, the city will also offer one-stop services such as business model development support and residential settlement consultations.Once settled, UIB Korea and Lina One are expected to generate significant synergy with partner firms such as local financial holding company BNK Financial Group during the third phase of the development of the BIFC whose objective is to house innovative financial workspace by 2025.“It is crucial for us to attract more competent domestic and foreign financial institutions that will have a great impact on the city’s financial economy,” Mayor Park emphasized.

Singapore’s Regulator Imposes 9-Year Ban on 3AC FoundersSingapore’s central bank and financial regulator, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), has handed down a nine-year prohibition order to Kyle Davies and Su Zhu, co-founders of the failed crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC).Photo by Swapnil Bapat on UnsplashSevere restrictionsThe penalty relates to alleged violations of the city-state’s securities laws. The prohibition order came into effect on Wednesday, carrying severe restrictions for Davies and Zhu.During this nine-year period, Davies and Zhu are prohibited from engaging in any regulated activities in Singapore. They are also barred from managing, serving as directors, or holding substantial shares in any capital market services business within the territory of Singapore.Loo Siew Yee, the Assistant Managing Director of Policy, Payments, and Financial Crime at MAS, emphasized the seriousness of the violations in a statement released by the central bank on Thursday. Yee stated:“MAS takes a serious view of Mr. Zhu’s and Mr. Davies’ flagrant disregard of MAS’ regulatory requirements and dereliction of their directors’ duties.” She further asserted that MAS would take action against senior managers who engage in such misconduct.Securities law violationsMAS’s decision to impose these sanctions on the 3AC co-founders was based on its findings of further securities law violations during investigations into 3AC and its founders. The regulatory authority accused Davies and Zhu of failing to inform MAS when 3AC hired a new business representative, providing false information to the regulator, and neglecting to establish an appropriate risk management framework.3AC’s troubles stemmed from the crypto market crash that occurred last year, triggered by the Terra ecosystem’s collapse. The hedge fund’s leveraged crypto positions exposed it to billions in loan defaults, resulting in significant financial losses. Its lack of risk management had a cascading effect in crypto. Lenders like Celsius and BlockFi had exposure to 3AC, leading to further collapses later in 2022 as a consequence.3AC’s creditors claim that the firm owes as much as $3.5 billion, and liquidators are now seeking to recover approximately $1.3 billion from Zhu and Davies, who allegedly incurred the debt when the firm was already insolvent.Regulatory reprimandsThis action by MAS follows last June’s reprimand of 3AC, which occurred just before the hedge fund filed for bankruptcy amid widely reported insolvency issues. At that time, MAS had criticized 3AC for providing false information, failing to report directorship changes involving Zhu and Davies, and exceeding the legal assets under management threshold.It’s just the latest reprimand the duo have received from a regulator this year, though. Zhu and Davies have been busy in trying to get another start-up off the ground. Earlier this year, they launched OPNX, a crypto bankruptcy claims trading platform. The venture is based out of Dubai, and the firm reported in April that it had gotten significant VC backing.Many of those that the company claimed were backing the venture disassociated themselves from those claims. The following month, the Dubai regulator, the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), reprimanded the OPNX founders, having issued an investor alert relative to the firm a few weeks prior to that. VARA's complaint was that the business had been operating without having acquired the appropriate licensing.