IOTA co-founder meets with Philippine Secretary of Trade to further adoption

Real-World Asset Investment Platform Alterna Launches in JapanMitsui & Co. Digital Asset Management (Mitsui & Co. DAM) has unveiled Alterna, a novel platform designed to offer retail investors the chance to invest in real-world assets (RWAs). The service launched on Monday following receipt of the necessary regulatory approvals.Photo by Louie Martinez on UnsplashRWA-backed security tokensAlterna enables users to conveniently invest in RWAs that generate stable rental income and other returns. RWAs encompass a wide range of assets, including large-scale real estate properties and infrastructure such as logistics facilities and power plants. By offering security tokens, Alterna opens the door to previously out-of-reach investment opportunities, allowing individuals to invest with a minimum of 100,000 yen. This new service represents an exciting alternative for individuals traditionally more comfortable with cash savings.The first investment opportunity on the platform will be “Stage Grand Nihonbashi Ningyocho,” a residential building located in the Nihonbashi district. The application begins on June 2.The platform’s name, Alterna, emphasizes its role as an alternative investment service, offering a fresh approach distinct from conventional options such as bank deposits, stocks, and investment trusts.More effective portfolio managementCompared to traditional investment types like stocks and bonds, RWAs offer unique risk-return characteristics. With RWA-backed investments, investors can potentially achieve more effective portfolio management. These alternative assets have been garnering interest from institutional investors as well.The Japanese Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), the world’s largest institutional investor, has been investing in alternative assets since 2014. To pursue yields, the GPIF has been expanding its investment portfolio in real assets like real estate and infrastructure.Easy investment with smartphonesTraditionally, retail investors encountered difficulties investing in large-scale real estate and infrastructure assets. Mitsui & Co. DAM aims to establish an environment where such investments can be made easily via security tokens using smartphones.Interest in Alterna has been substantial even before its official launch, with over 10,000 pre-registrations recorded earlier this month.

While global cryptocurrency sentiment remains subdued, authorities and state-linked investors in Abu Dhabi are deepening their engagement with digital assets through expanded regulation and increased capital allocation. On Dec. 8, stablecoin issuer Tether and cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced they had secured regulatory approvals from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the international financial center and free economic zone in the UAE capital. The moves signal a continued effort by the United Arab Emirates to integrate blockchain technology into its formal financial system, creating a contrast with the broader market’s current “extreme fear” rating of 22 on the Alternative Fear and Greed Index.Photo by DrawKit Illustrations on UnsplashTether, Ripple stablecoins approvedTether confirmed that its USDT stablecoin has been designated as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token within the ADGM. This status allows financial entities licensed by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) to conduct regulated activities involving USDT across a broader range of blockchain networks, including Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, Near, Polkadot, Tezos, TON, and TRON. The approval builds on previous authorizations for USDT on Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche, and follows the FSRA’s recognition of Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin last month. Binance fully cleared for regulated launch Simultaneously, Binance announced it has secured full authorization from the FSRA to operate a regulated platform within the financial center. Pending final operational preparations, Binance is scheduled to commence regulated activities on Jan. 5, 2026. The exchange will operate in Abu Dhabi through a three-entity structure that separates key functions, mirroring traditional financial infrastructure. Nest Exchange Limited (currently Nest Services) will function as the regulated arm for spot and derivatives trading, while Nest Clearing and Custody Limited will manage clearing and settlement. Broker-dealer activities will be handled by a third entity, Nest Trading Limited (currently BCI Limited). Circle awarded FSP for paymentsMore recently, Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, announced the receipt of a Financial Services Permission (FSP) license from the FSRA. The license allows Circle to act as a Money Services Provider within Abu Dhabi’s International Financial Centre (IFC), enabling it to support regulated payment and settlement services for businesses, developers, and financial institutions across the UAE. Circle has been expanding its regulatory presence in the region throughout the year. In February, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) recognized the company’s USDC and EURC tokens as permitted crypto assets under its virtual asset framework. This regulatory expansion comes amid the UAE’s efforts to develop a comprehensive financial compliance framework. A recent report by the Global Finance & Technology Network identified the UAE as one of seven jurisdictions globally that meet three core standards for anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing compliance. Those standards include know-your-customer (KYC) and identity verification, suspicious transaction reporting, and implementation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Travel Rule. Institutional capital inflows riseIn parallel with the regulatory push, investment vehicles linked to the Abu Dhabi government have increased their exposure to digital assets. Bloomberg reported that in the third quarter, the Abu Dhabi Investment Council, a Mubadala subsidiary, increased its position in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF more than threefold to nearly eight million shares. Separately, the Royal Group, an investment firm associated with the Abu Dhabi royal family, currently holds roughly 6,516 Bitcoin, according to Arkham data. An earlier Crypto Briefing report noted that this acquisition was carried out through its majority-owned subsidiary, Citadel Mining. These simultaneous developments in licensing and capital allocation suggest a coordinated strategy to establish Abu Dhabi as a hub for institutional digital assets, with a focus on long-term infrastructure despite current market fragility. 

In an official announcement on Wednesday (KST), CeDeFi protocol NEOPIN revealed that it has signed a business agreement with Web3 consulting firm Catalyze Research and metaverse and AI tech company Futureverse to expand the global blockchain industry and discover promising Web3 projects. Strategic allianceThrough this business agreement, the three enterprises plan on working towards two main objectives: expanding the global blockchain business industry and Futureverse’s open metaverse ecosystem. To do so, they have vowed to onboard NEOPIN’s gaming business partners to the Futureverse ecosystem and create decentralized finance (DeFi) products for NEOPIN based on The Root Network. They will also host hackathons and joint campaigns in efforts to incubate and accelerate Web3 projects in South Korea. “South Korea is an intellectual property (IP) and blockchain powerhouse that serves as the backbone of the open metaverse that Futureverse is striving for. We look forward to bringing together various IPs such as games and content – including DeFi collaborations – with Futureverse’s powerful infrastructure to bring us one step closer to the open metaverse,” said Ben Ko, Co-Founder and CEO of Catalyze Research. Based in Seoul, Catalyze Research offers insights into the Web3 industry as well as consulting services like mapping and implementation of business strategies, marketing, research, due diligence and more.Photo by Shubham's Web3 on Unsplash“By working with NEOPIN, a leading DeFi company with an extensive network in South Korea, we will expand the Futureverse and The Root Network ecosystems and create an environment where users and developers can create an open metaverse together. This partnership will bring Futureverse to the forefront of the South Korean blockchain industry with NEOPIN and Catalyze’s experience, expertise, vision and insights into the Korean market,” added Futureverse CEO Aaron McDonald. Redefining gaming, blockchain and DeFiFutureverse is a developer of AI and metaverse technologies that elevate gaming experiences and enable open, scalable and interoperable applications. It is also home to one of the largest global NFT-based metaverse communities, which is being expanded through the layer 1 blockchain The Root Network. The company’s partners include globally renowned brands like FIFA, Warner Bros., Mastercard and Reebok. NEOPIN, on the other hand, has been a trustworthy node validator for multiple blockchains since 2018 with a 0% accident and slashing rate and a 99.99999% block generation rate. It has also been bringing new faces to the industry by securing, investing in and incubating numerous domestic and foreign firms. Backed by this experience, NEOPIN plans to introduce innovative DeFi products through the newest three-way partnership. “We will actively help various game and content service companies that have partnered with us to operate in the Futureverse ecosystem. Based on our trustworthiness and stability, we will contribute to leading the decentralized exchange (DEX) and DeFi services in Futureverse,” said Kim Yong-ki, CEO of NEOPIN.