OKX collaborates with Polygon Labs on layer-2 network launch

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has unveiled a new roadmap for digital asset regulation titled “ASPIRe.” The authorities in the Chinese autonomous territory have been working towards crypto hub status in recent years. This latest ASPIRe roadmap initiative has been formulated in an effort to future-proof Hong Kong’s status as a location that has been optimized for crypto businesses to form and develop. The ASPIRe roadmap was announced by the SFC on Feb. 19 with comprehensive details on the plan published to the regulator’s website. Photo by Skull Kat on UnsplashFive pillarsA-S-P-I-Re details five pillars that the regulator is focusing on in order to address challenges to strengthen Hong Kong’s crypto hub status going forward. The “A” pillar refers to “access,” with a focus on fostering an ecosystem that’s aligned with a regulatory regime that enables global participation. The regulator wants to attract “qualified participants,” while enhancing investor choice and integrating Hong Kong’s digital assets sector with global liquidity. The “S” pillar stands for “safeguards” with the objective of adopting risk-proportionate oversight, promoting regulatory clarity and aligning compliance requirements such that a balance is struck between core regulatory objectives and providing flexibility for the adoption of new technology. “Products” forms another pillar, with a focus on expanding the range of digital asset products and services offered by regulated service providers in Hong Kong. “Infrastructure” is another aspect that the plan homes in on. The focus in this regard is on modernizing reporting, surveillance and cross-agency collaboration through infrastructure building and the use of new technology.  The final pillar, “relationships” (Re), focuses on the empowerment of both investors and the industry in general through education, engagement and transparency. Influencing modern financeThe Hong Kong regulator is putting forward this plan with the understanding that the global virtual asset market was valued at $3 trillion in 2024. It suggests that the sector “has significantly influenced modern finance.” At Consensus Hong Kong 2025 this week, a crypto conference held in the Chinese autonomous territory, SFC CEO Julia Leung suggested that this plan will put Hong Kong in a strong position to secure its role as a crypto industry hub going forward. Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also delivered a keynote speech at the conference. He said that Hong Kong would “remain a stable, open and vibrant market for digital assets,” adding that Hong Kong is “investing heavily in the related infrastructure and talent development.” Mo-po went on to assert that Hong Kong’s Cyberport Web3 network and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park are “vibrant hubs for Web3 innovation and fintech.” He also claimed that industry partnerships and the city’s universities are bringing through blockchain expertise.  The Financial Secretary understands the importance of appropriate regulation. He stated: “The key to success lies in maintaining an open, fair, balanced and forward-looking regulatory approach that is conducive to the sustainable and responsible development of financial innovation, including Web3.”

Hana TI Partners with BitGo for Web3 Digital Asset Custody SolutionsHana TI, Hana Financial Group’s financial information technology (IT) arm, announced that it will work with US-based digital asset trust company BitGo on technological collaborations related to Web3-based virtual asset custody services.BitGo has been taking steps to enter the Korean market, starting with the establishment of its Korean branch and its new joint venture for digital asset custody services with Hana Bank. Following this announcement, the company said that it would delve deeper into cooperation with Hana TI.Photo by Medienstürmer on UnsplashCharting the course for digital asset custody in KoreaMike Belshe, Co-Founder and CEO of BitGo, recently visited Hana Financial Group’s Integrated Data Center in Incheon’s Cheongna district, which serves as a digital finance facility for the group. He was accompanied by Park Geun-young, CEO of Hana TI, on a tour through the integrated security control center and server rooms.The two CEOs also discussed various cooperative strategies to expand the Korean market for digital asset custody services, including security measures such as obtaining Information Security Management System (ISMS) certification. In addition, Belshe emphasized the significance of a secure and transparent custody infrastructure for facilitating the issuance and distribution of institutional security tokens. To that end, he expressed BitGo’s commitment to consumer protection and enhancing transparency and security within the Korean digital asset industry together with Hana Bank and Hana TI.“We hope that this collaboration will have a positive impact on enhancing trust and stability in the local digital asset ecosystem,” Park added.Along with security cooperation, Belshe and Park agreed that building up the technical capabilities of Web3-based digital asset platforms is equally important in expediting the growth of the market.Belshe and Park also visited the Hana Global Campus in Cheongna — a hub for cultivating talent — as well as the group’s future headquarters, set to be completed in 2025. Hana TI representatives shared their vision for the Hana Dream Town project currently under development in Cheongna.Commitment to advancing Web3 technologyHana TI is currently concentrating efforts on strengthening its capabilities to internalize Web3-based blockchain technology. The company thereby established a division dedicated to Web3 endeavors in June of last year. It has since been actively engaged in research and development for technologies involved in blockchain infrastructure, digital assets, and security tokens.

Bullish Emerges as a Bidder for Bankrupt FTX ExchangeBullish, a Gibraltar-based crypto exchange with strong ties to Asia, has emerged as a prominent bidder for the bankrupt trading platform FTX, which filed for bankruptcy protection in November last year.Photo by Kelly Sikkema on UnsplashValuable customer baseUp until that point, FTX was a thriving player in the cryptocurrency market. However, it is now in the process of seeking new ownership or financial restructuring to resurrect its operations. In a report published on Tuesday, The Block outlined that according to sources familiar with the situation, Bullish is eager to acquire FTX primarily for its valuable customer base.The news follows the filing of a stakeholder brief to the bankruptcy court in Delaware in the United States by the FTX Debtor on Monday. The brief outlined that the Debtor, led by new CEO John Ray, has reached out to more than 75 bidders to evaluate the potential relaunch of the FTX exchange business.Bullish aims to leverage FTX’s existing user network, intending to convert as many of them as possible into Bullish customers. However, it’s worth noting that this complex negotiation process may face challenges and uncertainties along the way.Asian connectionsAlthough it’s incorporated and registered in Gibraltar, only 4% of the company’s staff are Gibraltar-based. Meanwhile, the firm has offices in Singapore and Hong Kong with those locations accounting for 49% of the company’s overall workforce, according to LinkedIn data. Back in November the firm confirmed that it wasn’t one of the many crypto businesses with exposure to the FTX collapse.Bullish was founded by Brendan Blumer, with Bloomer currently acting as the exchange’s Chairman. Blumer previously founded Block.one, the developer behind the EOS blockchain. He also successfully founded and later exited Okay.com, Hong Kong’s largest digital property agency.Other Asia-centric players in the crypto sector had expressed interest in buying the FTX business (or parts of the business) earlier in the year. These included Singapore’s BSQ Capital and Gamepay, India’s CoinDCX, Japan’s 5G networks developer Docomo and e-commerce giant Rakuten, and Hong Kong’s OKC Holdings.Tribe Capital interestThe Block article also outlines that US-based Tribe Capital is another significant bidder in the running. Tribe Capital had FTX within its venture portfolio prior to the exchange’s downfall and subsequent bankruptcy at the close of the previous year. It had also appeared on the list of 363 sales parties back in June, and prior to that still, it had expressed its interest in buying the business.To establish a clear timeline for its business restructuring efforts, the estate has set a deadline for new bids, which falls on September 24. The FTX estate is still at an early stage in trying to resuscitate the business. Even if it’s successful in that endeavor, it’s not expected that a new business will emerge until Q2 2024 at the earliest.Separately, a criminal prosecution against FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried is progressing with a trial scheduled to take place in New York in October. Presently Bankman-Fried is incarcerated in a New York City jail while he awaits trial, having been found to have breached his bail conditions on the grounds of witness tampering.