KISA Seeks Partners for Regional Blockchain Innovation Support Center Project

Indonesia to Launch Blockchain Trials to Enhance Public ServicesIn the wake of its recent government-backed cryptocurrency exchange launch, Indonesia is moving further forward to launch trials that employ blockchain technology within its public services sector.Photo by Bisma Mahendra on UnsplashBlockchain-based land ownership recordsAt the recent Blockchain Economy Summit held in Dubai, Tuhu Nugraha, the Principal of the Indonesia Applied Digital Economy and Regulatory Network (IADERN), told Cointelegraph that these trials will encompass the utilization of blockchain-based digital certificates for land ownership and certificates of competence within the education sector.The executive believes that blockchain’s inherent attributes, which include characteristics such as immutability and transparency, can be harnessed to combat certificate fraud. By anchoring these certificates in blockchain’s secure ledger, the government can efficiently verify the authenticity of various digital certificates, which is a significant leap forward in ensuring the integrity of critical documents.Nugraha is an advisor to the Indonesian government on blockchain and metaverse technologies. He emphasized the government’s collaborative approach to Web3 technology. Additionally, Nugraha revealed that the Indonesian government is working in close partnership with various blockchain-focused associations to conduct experiments and gather insights into the multifaceted implications of blockchain across diverse sectors. Instead of imposing rigid regulations, Nugraha maintains that the Indonesian government is committed to crafting regulations that spur innovation.Cointelegraph also spoke with Grace Sabandar, Co-Founder of the Indonesia Blockchain and Metaverse Center (IBMC). Sabandar, an advocate of blockchain’s potential, emphasized the pivotal role of Indonesia’s youthful demographic on the basis that this dynamic demographic is inherently adaptable to new technology.Youthful demographic to capitalize on Web3Sabandar made the point that this younger Indonesian demographic has already demonstrated itself to be one of the world’s largest user bases for Web2 social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. On that basis, she believes Indonesia is poised to lead in the adoption of Web3 technology. She remarked:“We want to be the leader, not only the user of technology, because now, because of decentralization, anybody can do something, anybody can create something.”Furthermore, Sabandar highlighted the crucial educational role played by the IBMC in collaboration with the government, private sector stakeholders, media, and academia. Their mission revolves around enlightening the nation about the manifold benefits of blockchain, emphasizing transparency, the utility of smart contracts in business operations, the essence of decentralization, and other fundamental aspects.Realizing blockchain and Web3 potentialEarlier this week, a report published by South Korean crypto data platform Xangle in conjunction with Web3 consulting firm Tiger Research concluded that Indonesia has significant potential to grow its Web3 sector.Reports in recent days have also demonstrated further instances of the use of blockchain technology in the country, with state-owned ID Food collaborating with Singapore’s D3 Labs to establish a blockchain-based fish trading process. In July, South Korean tech company Milk Partners launched its blockchain-based reward points service in Indonesia.Indonesia’s blockchain development and adoption are being spurred on by the enthusiasm of its tech-savvy youth, collaborative partnerships, and a government dedicated to innovation and transparency. As it paves the way in the Web3 era, Indonesia seeks to leverage blockchain technology to benefit public services, foster trust, and lead by example in the global digital revolution.

Terraform Labs Co-Founder Daniel Shin Denies Wrongdoing in LUNA CollapseShin Hyun-seong, popularly known as Daniel Shin, has refuted accusations against him related to the $40 billion collapse of the stablecoin TerraUSD and its companion token, LUNA, according to a report by local news outlet Newspim. He presented this defense during his initial trial at the Seoul Southern District Court on October 30 (local time).Shin co-founded Terraform Labs, the company responsible for issuing TerraUSD and LUNA. His co-founder, Do Kwon, is currently serving a four-month prison sentence in Montenegro for passport forgery.Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on UnsplashProsecution’s allegationsKorean prosecutors allege that since 2018, Shin and his colleagues have concealed the fabricated nature of the “Terra project.” By manipulating trades and releasing misleading information, they purportedly misled investors into thinking the project was successful. It’s believed they sold off their tokens before the LUNA crash in May 2022, earning KRW 462.9 billion ($343.3 million) from these activities. They are suspected of personally taking KRW 376.9 billion from this amount.Prosecutors are focusing on Shin as the potential orchestrator of the LUNA crash. They speculate he began selling LUNA tokens around when Terraform Labs launched the Anchor Protocol in March 2021. This DeFi protocol increased the popularity and value of LUNA tokens. Before the crash, Shin is alleged to have gained at least KRW 154.1 billion.Defense argumentHowever, Shin’s legal team countered by asserting that Shin had cut ties with Kwon in 2020. They argued the decline of TerraUSD and LUNA was due to Kwon’s mishandling of the Anchor Protocol and an external attack, neither associated with Shin. Regarding the exploit, Terraform Labs has pursued legal action in the United States Southern District of Florida, claiming that American market maker Citadel Securities played a part in undermining TerraUSD in May 2022.Defending Shin, his lawyers emphasized that at the inception of the Terra project, there were no legal guidelines specifically for cryptocurrency transactions. Additionally, unlike Do Kwon who kept fleeing abroad, Shin willingly came back to Korea and has been cooperating with the investigation. They also noted he received only 32% of the 70 million LUNA tokens initially promised. Regarding classification, they stated LUNA isn’t legally recognized as a security.Shin’s lawyers further argued the prosecution hasn’t clearly identified victims or adequately outlined the components of fraud in this case. They said the prosecution’s case hinges on viewing LUNA as a security. However, Shin’s legal representatives maintained that under the Korean Capital Markets Act, LUNA isn’t a security, making its trades non-fraudulent.To counter a US court ruling the prosecution presented — that a token is a security — Shin’s defense highlighted that the verdict is from a lower court and remains contested. Earlier, prosecutors had cited a ruling from the United States Southern District Court of New York, which classified the XRP tokens sold to institutional investors as securities.

The Central Asian republic of Kazakhstan is planning to establish a pilot project that will enable the use of crypto as a means of exchange for goods and services within a specific zone. That’s according to a statement published on Akorda.kz, the official website of the President of Kazakhstan. The statement incorporates the text of a keynote speech delivered by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Astana International Forum. Tokayev stated: “We are planning to create a pioneering pilot zone called CryptoCity where cryptocurrencies might be used for purchasing goods, services, and even beyond.”Photo by Engin Akyurt on PexelsWorking towards digital transformationThe initiative forms part of Kazakhstan’s efforts to make progress in terms of digital transformation, as well as an aspiration to become an IT hub within the Eurasia region.  For the purposes of the pilot program, the use of cryptocurrencies for the payment of goods and services has been authorized by the government within a pre-defined sandbox environment. Alatau City, an urban development located north of the Kazakhstani city of Almaty, has been chosen for the pilot scheme. Alatau has been established as a special economic zone and planned to become a hub for new technology and knowledge, alongside global tourism. It hosts the Innovation Technology Park together with the Kazakhstan National Nuclear Center, Institute of Nuclear Physics and the Physics & Technology Institute.It’s envisaged that the existing technology and knowledge base within Alatau will support its expansion into the area of crypto payments and blockchain development. In addition to crypto payments, other blockchain-based technologies related to taxation systems, investment and decentralized identity systems will be nurtured and encouraged within the Alatau special economic zone. Potential Eurasian crypto hubIn a recent opinion piece published by the Russian-language government-backed newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, Kanysh Tuleushin, Kazakhstan’s vice minister of digital development, suggested that the Central Asian republic has the potential to position itself as the region’s leading crypto hub.  Tuleushin also suggested that crypto mining operators could help to modernize the country’s energy sector, playing a role in stabilizing the country’s power grid, while making use of surplus electricity. Kazakhstan had proven to be a popular destination for Bitcoin miners in the past. However, the sudden influx of miners following a ban on the activity in China in 2021 was unplanned for.  The surge in electricity demand put the country’s electricity grid under pressure, leading to blackouts in some cases. In 2023 President Tokayev signed legislation into law that limited the energy use of domestic crypto miners. Despite that negative experience, it appears that Tuleushin has seen the benefits that the activity can bring when regulated and planned for. Back in March, it emerged that lawmakers in Kazakhstan had proposed the creation of a crypto bank. One obstacle to the creation of the bank is a lack of a crypto regulatory framework. According to a report published earlier this month, the National Bank of Kazakhstan is now in the process of preparing a regulatory framework for digital assets.