Hana Securities Opens Doors to Fractional Investments in Digital Comics

Bitstamp Raises Funds to Enable Asian Market ExpansionBitstamp, one of the world’s oldest cryptocurrency exchanges, is embarking on an ambitious endeavor to expand its services within the Asian market through a fresh funding round.Bloomberg reported on Monday that the firm’s CEO Jean-Baptiste Graftieaux, stated that “our current and exclusive priority is to raise money through strategic investors to accelerate Bitstamp’s growth by providing new products and services to retail and institutional crypto customers.”Photo by Markus Winkler on UnsplashDerivatives trading and Asian expansionIn accomplishing the funding round, the company is being guided by Mike Novogratz of Galaxy Digital Holdings. Bitstamp initiated its fundraising efforts in late June. The objective behind these efforts is to secure the capital required for launching derivatives trading in Europe by 2024 and to extend the platform’s reach across various markets in Asia. Moreover, Bitstamp has its sights set on fortifying its presence in the United Kingdom, seeking to establish a more robust footing there.Bitstamp’s current endeavors to amplify its operational scale are aligned with the company’s broader ambitions announced in 2018. This was the year when the firm was acquired by NXMH, a South Korean-backed entity.Not for saleBack then, Nejc Kodrič, one of Bitstamp’s co-founders, asserted that the intention was not to sell the company or actively seek investment. Nevertheless, the acquisition was realized, and Kodrič opted to cash out a majority of his Bitstamp stock while retaining a 10% stake and continuing as the CEO.Graftieaux was emphatic in clarifying Bitstamp’s intentions, stating that the company is not actively seeking to be acquired or to sell itself. This news arrives just a few months after Ripple acquired a minority stake in Bitstamp during the first quarter of 2023. Galaxy Digital played an instrumental role as an adviser throughout that transaction, which was publicly disclosed in late May.Coinciding with this news, Bitstamp has unveiled some trading restrictions for its US user base. Effective from August 29, the exchange will temporarily halt trading for tokens such as Axie Infinity (AXS), Chiliz (CHZ), Decentraland (MANA), Polygon (MATIC), NEAR Protocol (NEAR), The Sandbox (SAND), and Solana (SOL).This pause in trading activities has been attributed to “recent market developments,” with assurances that the ability to hold and withdraw these tokens will remain unaffected. All of the projects behind the tokens that Bitstamp is planning to halt the trading of have been named by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as unregistered securities in its lawsuit against Coinbase.Slovenian rootsHaving originated in Slovenia in 2011, Bitstamp gradually evolved into a prominent force in the cryptocurrency trading landscape. Once an alternative to the then-dominant Bitcoin exchange, Mt. Gox, Bitstamp’s reach and influence have grown substantially. It currently stands as one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges, boasting a trading volume of approximately $127 million over a recent 24-hour period, according to data published by crypto data aggregator CoinGecko.The developments at Bitstamp demonstrate that the firm continues to refine its global strategy, extending its services and product offerings to various markets globally.

Blockchain Experts from Ethereum, Solana, and More to Visit Seoul for Upbit D ConferenceDunamu, the fintech company operating South Korea’s leading crypto exchange Upbit, has unveiled the lineup of international speakers for the upcoming sixth annual Upbit D Conference (UDC). Scheduled to take place on November 13, the conference will bring together global blockchain specialists from notable projects like Ethereum and Solana to explore the latest trends and insights in the industry as well as future prospects.Photo by Terren Hurst on UnsplashThe roster of speakers includes renowned figures such as Tom Teman, Product Manager at Ethereum Foundation; Roger Ver, Founder of Bitcoin.com; and Wally Yu, Solutions Architect at Chainlink Labs. Korean speakers, such as Sehyeon Oh, Executive Vice President of telecommunications giant SK Telecom, are also set to attend.Empowering Korea’s blockchain landscapeSince its inception in 2018, UDC has grown to become Korea’s central blockchain conference. Conceived as a means to contribute to the domestic blockchain ecosystem without focusing on generating profit, the conference has consistently garnered praise for its in-depth presentations from global experts and a wide variety of sessions.Under the theme coined “All That Blockchain,” this year’s conference is open to anyone interested in blockchain, Dunamu said. The “D” in UDC stands for various keywords related to blockchain, including digital assets, decentralization, and developers. However, the focus of the conference has evolved beyond just technology, now encompassing areas such as policy, finance, technology, culture, and societal trends.Event detailsThe conference will be conducted in a hybrid — both online and offline — format, allowing a higher level of participation without the constraints of time and place. Though it will be hosted at the Grand Walkerhill Seoul hotel, anyone anywhere can tune in live through the official UDC YouTube channel. Simultaneous interpretation will also be provided in Korean and English.Dunamu will kick off registrations for both online and offline attendance starting from 10:00 AM KST on September 11. Due to the limited venue capacity, offline tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis.

Bitget enhances crypto exchange app with Web3 wallet and swap serviceSeychelles-incorporated crypto derivatives and copy trading platform Bitget has advanced its DeFi capabilities by integrating a Web3 wallet and swap service into its crypto exchange application.Photo by Shubham’s Web3 on UnsplashEnhancing platform app featuresThis new feature empowers users to seamlessly swap their tokens and access DeFi services through the platform’s Web3 wallet, according to a press release the company published concerning the development earlier this week. Bitget outlined that the primary goal of the integration is to offer users diverse options for trading their crypto assets within the exchange ecosystem.Bitget Managing Director Gracy Chen set out the significance of the recently ushered in changes. Chen stated:“Integrating Web3 services into our CEX platform marks a significant milestone for Bitget. By offering users the freedom to access various DeFi services alongside the convenience and security of our CeFi platform, we are empowering them with a unique experience. Bitget aims to provide a comprehensive ecosystem that caters to the evolving needs of our users, all while maintaining the highest standards of security and reliability.”Service offering expansionFurthermore, the app is set to expand its services, gradually incorporating a non-custody wallet, an NFT marketplace and decentralized applications (dApps), Chen confirmed. Bitget users can now experience enhanced flexibility in their trading activities, as the exchange plans to make most listed currencies available in the Web3 wallet for DeFi trading. The swap feature, a core element of this integration, aggregates liquidity from 10 decentralized exchanges (DEXs), including popular platforms like Uniswap, PancakeSwap and Curve Finance. Chen confirmed further details to Cointelegraph, stating:“At the core of the recent integration is our Web3 Wallet, which facilitates the secure storage, management, and control of their digital assets. Alongside the wallet, we’ve launched a Swap service, which is an advanced DeFi aggregator.”The firm acquired the BitKeep crypto wallet earlier this year, with the product subsequently having been officially rebranded to the Bitget Wallet in August. The move has worked out well for the firm, with it confirming at the end of July that it had achieved 20 million users as a consequence. The more recent integration not only facilitates asset management services but also provides native storage solutions for users.$100 million fundThis initiative aligns with Bitget’s ongoing efforts to establish a strong foothold in the crypto space. The exchange has consistently pursued expansion, launching multimillion-dollar funds to support the growth of the Web3 ecosystem. At an event in Singapore recently, Bitget introduced a $100 million fund dedicated to supporting venture firms and investing in the next generation of Web3 projects.Earlier this week, the company committed a $10 million fund towards the objective of nurturing high-potential crypto startup projects in India.