Mars Program Sees Huobi Venture into Space

Incheon City Surveying Residents for Blockchain-Based Public ServicesIncheon Metropolitan City is surveying its residents to gather their opinions on the prospect of transforming the city into a thriving blockchain hub, according to a press release.The survey comprises 14 questions, delving into various aspects such as individuals’ experiences with public services, their perspectives on blockchain technology, and their specific needs pertaining to blockchain-based urban services.Photo by Lei Jiang on UnsplashUnderstanding the publicThe objective of this survey, which began yesterday and will run until June 30, is to discern the public’s preferences and requirements concerning blockchain-based services. As an incentive for participation, 100 lucky respondents will have the opportunity to win coffee shop gift cards. The outcomes of this survey are anticipated to play a pivotal role in shaping the city’s four-year plan for establishing a blockchain hub, with an estimated cost of 14 billion KRW ($10.8 million).Other promotion effortsIncheon has been taking a range of blockchain promotion initiatives, including dedicated educational programs and international conferences. Recently, the city hosted Incheon Metanomics 2023, an event that featured distinguished speakers from renowned companies such as global crypto exchange Binance, online game platform Roblox, and chip manufacturer AMD.Furthermore, Incheon Metropolitan City is collaborating closely with Incheon Technopark (ITP) to offer tailored support programs specifically catering to blockchain startups. These initiatives encompass funding for technology development as well as accelerator programs, all aimed at nurturing the growth and success of emerging blockchain ventures.Son Hye-young, the head of the city’s data industry division, underlined the growing importance of blockchain technology in shaping the future economy and the overall industrial ecosystem. Incheon is dedicated to fostering a business-friendly environment where its residents can tangibly experience the benefits of technological advancements firsthand.

CoinDCX Expands Okto Wallet’s Global Reach with Transak IntegrationIndian cryptocurrency exchange CoinDCX has moved to broaden the accessibility of its self-custody wallet, Okto. The exchange recently announced the addition of Transak, a major on-ramp platform that enables a fiat-to-crypto payment gateway integration, to enhance the wallet’s global capabilities.Photo by Kanchanara on UnsplashBuilding on OktoThat’s according to a report published by Cointelegraph on Thursday. Okto was introduced by CoinDCX in August 2022, and the firm swiftly moved to expand its services. The integration with Transak represents a pivotal step in this direction.This strategic integration immediately expands the reach of the Okto wallet from supporting 60 countries to an impressive 155 jurisdictions. Neeraj Khandelwal, Co-Founder of both CoinDCX and Okto, emphasized the significance of this move, stating that it allows users in numerous countries to engage with cryptocurrencies directly through Okto.While Transak supports approximately 160 tokens, Okto goes above and beyond by allowing users to store more than 1,000 tokens across multiple blockchain networks, including Polygon, Fantom, Avalanche, and others. According to an Okto spokesperson, the wallet can accommodate up to 3,000 tokens, providing ample flexibility for cryptocurrency enthusiasts.Seamless fiat-to-crypto conversionKhandelwal also spoke to the value add that a more seamless asset conversion process will bring. He stated:“The integration of Transak now allows users to seamlessly convert fiat to crypto right within the app. Prior to this integration, users had to transfer funds from another decentralized wallet, such as MetaMask.”Transak’s integration brings a key feature to Okto — the ability for users to purchase cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) directly within the wallet. Notably, this functionality accepts a wide range of fiat currencies, including the US dollar, euro, Hong Kong dollar, and others. Prior to the Transak integration, users were required to transfer digital assets from external wallets like MetaMask. With this development, Okto streamlines the process, enabling users to seamlessly convert fiat into crypto within the app itself.Months-long integration processIt’s worth noting that although the announcement of Transak’s support on Okto was made on Thursday, the integration process began several months earlier. As early as August, some Indian users reported encountering Transak while Okto was in the testing phase. The integration process itself commenced in April, with the official roll-out to all customers occurring in mid-September.Transak, a global Web3 payment and onboarding infrastructure provider, plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between traditional finance and the digital asset ecosystem. It is a well-established on-ramp solution in the cryptocurrency industry, with platforms like MetaMask, Coinbase, and PancakeSwap among its clientele.In recent days, Okto has also announced a partnership with ReHold, a multi-chain protocol which has been developed to enable users to maximize their crypto earnings. In the coming weeks, Okto and ReHold will work towards integrating Okto’s wallet with ReHold.The Okto-Transak integration is in line with Transak’s mission to facilitate crypto adoption by providing easy access to digital assets. Earlier this week, Transak also announced its integration with The Open Network’s (TON) wallet, known as Tonkeeper. This collaboration opens up Toncoin (TON) purchases directly with fiat currencies to users in more than 150 countries, marking a significant milestone in expanding the TON ecosystem.

The Shanghai office of a Chinese regulatory body which oversees assets belonging to state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is reported to have held a session dedicated to the topic of digital assets and in particular, stablecoins, fueling speculation of a positive shift in outlook on crypto in China.Photo by Hanny Naibaho on UnsplashOn July 11, Reuters reported that the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) held the meeting in Shanghai on July 10, with the publication suggesting that the event represented “a marked shift in tone” in the consideration of digital assets in China, bearing in mind that crypto trading and mining are banned within the country. Following the “development trend and response strategies” study session, He Qing, director of the organization, said that there was a need for "greater sensitivity to emerging technologies and enhanced research into digital currencies." The regulator called on Chinese state-backed agencies to consider the adoption of blockchain technology for use cases like real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, supply chain finance and cross-border trade. A policy expert from Shanghai-headquartered securities firm, Guotai Haitong Securities, attended the meeting, outlining details on the history, characteristics and categories of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, while also discussing global regulatory frameworks. Last month, a subsidiary company of Guotai Haitong Securities, Guotai Junan International (GTJAI), became the first company from the Chinese mainland to be given approval by the Hong Kong securities regulator to offer digital asset trading services. Adapting to the stablecoin trendIn June, state-owned financial newspaper, Securities Times, called on Beijing to adapt “to the trend of stablecoins.” The publication claimed that industry insiders “generally believe that, as an emerging payment tool, the unique advantages and potential risks of stablecoins cannot be ignored, and that the development of [yuan-backed] stablecoins should be sooner rather than later”. The same month, Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People’s Bank of China, acknowledged that stablecoins are playing a role in disrupting global payments infrastructure.  It also emerged recently that JD.com, a Chinese e-commerce giant, and Ant Group, an affiliate company of the Alibaba Group, have been lobbying the Chinese authorities for the authorization of yuan-based stablecoins. On X, Shanghai Macro Strategist, a China strategist, claimed that the recent surge in the Bitcoin unit price had come about as a consequence of this stablecoin-focused SASAC meeting in Shanghai. At the time of writing, BTC has appreciated 9.3% over the course of the past seven days. The strategist suggests that the event is fueling speculation that “the Chinese government may be in the early stages of reassessing its official stance on the crypto industry.” In their monthly report for May, the strategist pointed out that “Beijing’s outright rejection of [Bitcoin] as a legitimate asset” was holding the leading asset back on its path to “reserve status.” The strategist added: “Over the longer term, a shift in China’s stance could prove to be the single most powerful bullish catalyst—elevating Bitcoin from a fringe asset to a globally recognized store of value.”