Hong Kong regulator extends swift licensing process to new applicants

AIITONE Launches PoC Platform for Security Token Projects in South KoreaAIITONE, an augmented reality firm in South Korea, announced today its launch of a proof-of-concept (PoC) platform aimed at facilitating the security token projects of securities and financial companies.Photo by Shubham’s Web3 on UnsplashTechnological validation for STO projectsAIITONE’s security token offering (STO) PoC platform serves to conceptually validate technological aspects before the implementation of specific projects. This solution validates business concepts by enabling a systematic connection among various entities, including security token issuers, account management institutions (issuance intermediaries), the total supply management institution (the Korea Securities Depository), investors, securities companies, over-the-counter (OTC) brokerages, and financial companies.Through this platform, AIITONE’s clients will have the capability to conduct PoC studies for both primary and secondary markets. Businesses with an interest in security token operations can test in advance the entire lifecycle of an STO. This encompasses activities such as security token assessment, subscription, allocation, issuance, distribution, and eventual burn. Assessing technical requirements prior to embarking on a security token project is expected to not only save time but also mitigate risks.Versatile support for industry playersAccording to an AIITONE official, the firm’s STO PoC platform is highly effective, considering it offers a wide range of support, spanning from security token product planning to networking assistance for platform and infrastructure development. The official also expressed their expectations that the platform’s versatility is poised to attract many securities and financial companies as potential customers.Meanwhile, AIITONE aims to offer a comprehensive STO solution encompassing a range of features, such as STO PoC consulting, industry trend assessment, and risk management capabilities.

Abu Dhabi’s Venom Ventures Fund faces market challengesA report by The Block on Friday suggests that Abu Dhabi’s ambitious Venom Ventures Fund, heralded earlier this year with promises of $1 billion investment in Web3 startups, is facing challenges in following through on its mission.Photo by Nazar Skalatsky on UnsplashWhat is Venom?Venom is a collaboration between the Venom Foundation and Iceberg Capital, an alternative asset management company also based in Abu Dhabi. The venture was conceived by Peter Knez, former Co-Chief Investment Officer of BlackRock’s fixed income division and Mustafa Kheriba, Iceberg’s Executive Chairman.In a tweet thread published back in August, the firm described the fund as “old money meets new, the perfect platform for leading the next iteration of blockchain development.” The fund outlined that its approach incorporated venture capital, the offering of a project incubator and a specialist advisory service.Knez has set out lofty ambitions for the fund, stating:“The vision is to drive billions of users into our layer one Blockchain technology by being institutional quality and regulated, and by being such we can actually partner with the government and institutions to help them develop framework for stable coins, for cross-border payment system for tokenization of real world assets and thereby help web2 businesses and citizens move to web3.”At the time of its announcement, Venom Ventures boasted a $20 million investment in Nümi Metaverse and a $5 million strategic investment in Layer 1 blockchain Everscale.Unexpected silenceFurther details on deals struck since January have been scarce, although the fund was reported back in August to have been involved in a blockchain-based carbon credits project, backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE).According to The Block, there has been an unexpected silence from the venture as its first year in business comes to a close, despite the initial buzz in the crypto community that greeted the launch of the fund.Venom Ventures positioned itself to cover the entire venture spectrum, from seed to late-stage investments, even offering grants ranging from $25,000 to $200,000. However, a closer look reveals a stark contrast between the fund’s ambitious promises and its current progress. The fund’s website lacks a portfolio section, displaying only a “coming soon” notice.Blockchain mainnet yet to launchThe venture fund has yet to launch its Venom blockchain mainnet, according to Christopher Louis Tsu, CEO of the Venom Foundation. The lack of updates and communication has raised concerns among industry observers about the fund’s overall progress and its ability to fulfill its investment commitments.The broader context of the crypto market adds to the challenges faced by Venom Ventures. Q4 2023 is expected to see a significant drop in venture funding for Web3, down to approximately $2.7 billion from the peak of $13.5 billion in Q1 2022. Market events have left VCs cautious, with notable instances of significant investments being marked down to zero.Amidst these challenges, crypto startups have turned to the Middle East for capital. However, some industry insiders caution that the perceived ease of accessing capital in the Middle East might be a mirage. With that, it remains to be seen whether the fund can revive its initial momentum and deliver on its promise to fuel the growth of Web3 startups in the ever-evolving crypto landscape.

Galaxia Moneytree partners with Charzin to integrate security tokens into EV charging systemsKorean financial platform services provider Galaxia Moneytree announced on Tuesday (local time) that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Charzin, a company that specializes in developing infrastructure for charging electric vehicles (EVs), to design a security token offering (STO) platform that issues security tokens for optimizing the process of EV charging. This includes securing installation sites and facilities for EV charging stations.Photo by Andrew Roberts on UnsplashMerging blockchain and transportationHeadquartered in Daegu, Charzin is notable for its app EVZ, which uses a blockchain-based sharing module to connect EV drivers and EV charger owners for faster charging and optimized revenue acquisition.Galaxia Moneytree will be responsible for establishing and operating the STO platform, while Charzin will handle business development, support for the launch of security token products and construction of EV charging facilities.The signing ceremony for the MOU took place at Galaxia Moneytree’s headquarters in Seoul on Monday with Galaxia Moneytree CEO Shin Dong-hoon and Charzin CEO Choi Young-seok in attendance. The two companies also discussed plans to launch other products that combine finance and EV charging infrastructure.“In addition to our ongoing efforts, we plan to design STO products for various underlying assets, such as renewable energy and aviation assets,” Galaxia Moneytree said. The company recently formed an aviation asset tokenization consortium in September.Ongoing partnershipsMeanwhile, Charzin recently announced its partnership with Hi Investment and Securities to venture into the security token business. The firms plan to raise funds for developing EV charging infrastructure by issuing security tokens and subsequently share the profits from running such projects.