SBI and Chiliz join forces in fan token offering in Japan

South Korea is moving closer to the global stablecoin trend as public curiosity and real-world trials accelerate, even as the country’s central bank signals it wants tight guardrails. A recent analysis from Shinhan Card, reported by Money Today, finds that internet searches for “stablecoin” in South Korea jumped 403% in the first half of this year compared with the previous six months, based on data from major portals such as Google and Naver. Mentions on social media rose 359% over the same period. The spike reflects growing expectations that U.S. dollar-pegged tokens could make cross-border payments faster and cheaper by enabling near-instant settlement at prevailing foreign-exchange rates. Interest has been reinforced by user reviews of actual payment experiences, which climbed between May and July. Crypto-linked cards, including RedotPay and Bybit’s offerings, are already usable domestically and allow top-ups with leading stablecoins such as USDT and USDC. One user described buying a cup of coffee at a local shop with a RedotPay card via Apple Pay. The small purchase underscores how crypto rails are edging into routine spending.Photo by Oat Appleseed on UnsplashFrom curiosity to checkoutTrading venues remain the main arena. According to CryptoQuant, transactions in USDT and USDC on the country’s five leading exchanges totaled nearly $71 billion from January through August, underscoring stablecoins’ central role in crypto liquidity and price discovery. Stablecoin interest in Korea shows a skew toward younger users and men, with men making up 74% of related searches and women 26%. By age, people in their 20s–40s accounted for 66% of searches, while those aged 50 and above represented 34%. Public debate is widening alongside adoption, with some online commenters predicting that stablecoins could chip away at the influence of traditional card networks. At the same time, banks, card companies, and exchanges are bracing for the arrival of a won-pegged counterpart, as the government and parliament prepare a regulatory framework and aim to introduce a bill as early as this month. Domestic card issuers, drawing on their merchant networks and settlement systems, are already exploring how to integrate won-backed tokens in ways that maximize convenience and scalability. Adoption meets skepticismSkeptics counter that Korea’s existing payments infrastructure is already world-class, leaving only marginal gains for a won stablecoin. They also argue that cross-border benefits would be modest because the won lacks reserve-currency status and broad global demand. The Bank of Korea (BOK) has struck a notably conservative tone. Governor Rhee Chang-yong has previously questioned the benefits of a won-denominated stablecoin and warned of risks to the monetary system. Earlier this month, in documents submitted to a lawmaker and reported by The Herald Business, the BOK advised that parliament consider granting it authority to require issuers to deposit reserves at the central bank when necessary. According to the bank, such a measure would strengthen user protection during heavy redemptions, curb money-supply growth outside its control, and ensure that any seigniorage benefits flow to the public. That approach could reduce issuer profits, since deposits at the BOK would not earn interest, just as is the case for commercial banks. The documents also recommend sizing reserves to match the total stablecoin supply, while clarifying that not all of it would necessarily need to be held at the central bank. Issuance path and next stepsAs for who should issue a won-pegged token, the BOK favors starting with a consortium of banks, citing their track record on compliance and the need for a controlled pilot that lets regulators assess and mitigate risks before widening access. The developments suggest a country exploring how stablecoins might integrate into an already sophisticated payments network. Consumers are showing interest, exchanges are handling large flows, and regulators are shaping the legal framework that will define the place of any future won-based digital currency. 

After being targeted in a $1.4 billion hack, the global crypto exchange platform Bybit was awarded in-principle approval to establish itself as a Virtual Asset Platform Operator (VAPO) within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While Bybit announced the milestone via a press release published on Feb. 27, the approval had been awarded on Feb. 18, three days before the platform was hacked.Photo by Saj Shafique on UnsplashRegulatory challengesIn addition to the recent exploit, the crypto exchange platform had been having difficulties on the regulatory front in recent months, and from that perspective, this licensing award is a welcome development. Last December, the Malaysian Securities Commission reprimanded the platform and its CEO, Ben Zhou, for carrying out digital asset trading activities in Malaysia without having obtained the necessary licensing. Consequently, the firm left the Malaysian market, promising to return once it had obtained the required licenses. For similar reasons, Bybit left the Indian market in January, citing a need to “operate in full compliance” with local regulations. The company said that it was working with the regulator to finalize its registration as a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in India. The platform also experienced difficulties in complying with the recently introduced Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulation in Europe. However, it has been working with regulators in Austria in an effort to acquire MiCA licensing. Consequently, the French regulator, Autorité des Marchés Financiers, removed the firm from its blacklist. Earlier this month, Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) ordered Apple and Google to remove the apps of a number of unregistered crypto platforms, including Bybit, from the Japanese versions of their app stores.  Commenting on this recent achievement in the UAE, Ben Zhou stated: “This approval marks a crucial step in our journey to providing secure and transparent crypto trading solutions. Bybit remains dedicated to working hand-in-hand with regulators to foster a compliant and innovative digital asset ecosystem to both retail and institutional investors in the UAE.” Hack falloutIt’s unclear to what extent the recent hack, which is understood to be one of the largest thefts of any kind, may be diverting resources and focus away from the efforts the company was making to address regulatory issues globally. However, it’s reasonable to assume that recent events make for a challenging time for the company. On Feb. 26, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States said that North Korea was responsible for the hack. The agency warned exchanges to freeze transactions linked to the stolen funds. The FBI outlined that “TraderTraitor” actors have been converting the funds to Bitcoin and other digital assets in an effort to launder the funds and eventually extract the funds in fiat currency. North Korea’s Lazarus hacking group has gained notoriety for its successes in hacking crypto platforms and the sophisticated nature of the attacks mounted in the process. The group is suspected of having hacked the Indian crypto platform WazirX last year, which resulted in the theft of $235 million in digital assets.

Euroclear, a Belgium-based financial services company that specializes in post-trade services relative to the clearing and settlement of securities, has announced that it has invested in Singaporean digital market infrastructure firm Marketnode. The investment, which the firm announced via a press release published to its website on Oct. 17, is the company’s first in the Asian market. Established with a distributed ledger technology (DLT)-based financial infrastructure, Marketnode offers its services via two distinct platforms. The company claims that through its Gateway platform it offers a one-stop issuance, data, workflows and tokenization services.  Meanwhile, Fundnode streamlines fund transactions, processing and record-keeping, while using blockchain technology in doing so. Euroclear’s CEO for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, Philippe Laurensy, set out the company’s thinking in making this strategic investment, stating: “Partnering with Marketnode demonstrates our shared commitment to developing a new generation of funds market infrastructure by leveraging Euroclear’s global footprint, established fund infrastructure and digital capabilities. This first strategic investment in Asia also reinforces the region’s importance to Euroclear’s positioning and business growth. We are excited to join Marketnode’s pioneering journey in the rapidly growing area of digital assets and support the company’s international service expansion.”Photo by Thomas Somme on UnsplashProminent backersMarketnode is backed by Temasek and the Singapore Exchange Group (SGX), having been established in 2021 as a joint venture by the two firms. Notable financial firms such as Citi, HSBC, Deutsche Bank and State Street joined the pilot phase of Marketnode’s Fundnode platform in 2022.  Back in May, HSBC doubled down on its involvement, leading Marketnode’s Series A investment round. HSBC also partnered with Marketnode and Singaporean bank UOB in 2023, in the build-out of an end-to-end, issuance-to-distribution wealth management product infrastructure, run on blockchain rails. That project formed part of Project Guardian, a collaborative initiative led by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), designed to explore tokenization and network interoperability. Marketnode CEO Rehan Ahmed spoke about what this latest investment means for the company. He stated: “Euroclear’s global connectivity, operational expertise and market-leading position as a trusted financial market infrastructure will catalyse the growth of Marketnode’s platforms, especially Fundnode.” Ongoing blockchain interestWhile this may be Euroclear’s first foray into the Asian market, it’s not its first step into the world of blockchain and tokenization. The European clearinghouse launched a tokenized securities issuance service in 2023. The Digitally Native Notes (DNN) service enables the issuance, distribution and settlement of fully digital international securities, running on R3’s Corda blockchain. The first DNN was issued using the system by the World Bank, raising €100 million to finance its sustainable development activities. Earlier this month, it emerged that Euroclear, alongside the World Gold Council and international law firm Clifford Chance, had collaborated on a pilot project led by real-world asset (RWA) tokenization firm Digital Asset. The project concerned itself with the tokenization of UK bonds (gilts), Eurobonds and gold, using the Canton Network protocol.