Com2uS Platform receives ISMS-P certification for personal information security

Komainu Secures FCA Approval in Boost For Crypto Custody in the UKKomainu, a digital asset storage firm backed by Tokyo-based global financial services group Nomura, has received approval from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to operate as a crypto custodian wallet provider.Photo by Robert Tudor on UnsplashPaving the way for broader service offeringThe Jersey-headquartered Nomura portfolio company outlined details of its regulatory success in a blog post published on Friday. This regulatory milestone marks a pivotal moment for Komainu’s expansion within the UK market, allowing the firm to amplify its crypto service offering in the UK.The approval paves the way for the firm to offer collateral management services through its platform, Komainu Connect. Sebastian Widmann, Head of Strategy at Komainu, expressed the company’s intention to furnish institutional custody services, a fundamental aspect of the swiftly advancing cryptocurrency market. He also underscored Komainu Connect’s role as a premier collateral management solution within the UK.Komainu’s CEO, Nicolas Bertrand, spoke to the United Kingdom’s pivotal role in the global financial technology sector. He accentuated the UK’s position as a critical hub for fintech, bridging the realms of traditional finance and decentralized finance. The FCA’s endorsement underscores Komainu’s efforts in attempting to deliver secure and compliant cryptocurrency custody services.“This is a key regulatory milestone as the UK remains one of the most important hubs for financial technology and innovation that will spur the convergence of traditional and decentralized finance,” stated Bertrand.This recent approval is not an isolated achievement for Komainu. The firm has been building up recognition for its adherence to regulatory compliance. In August, it secured a full operating license from Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, reinforcing its dedication to adhering to global regulatory standards.Additionally, being headquartered in Jersey, Komainu falls under the jurisdiction of the Jersey Financial Services Commission, ensuring that the firm also adheres to those local financial regulations.The company previously unveiled an agreement with local authorities, focusing on secure digital asset storage during investigations. This partnership is demonstrative of efforts made by the firm in fostering transparency and security within the cryptocurrency ecosystem, aligning with the broader regulatory objectives of the UK government.Further ambitionsHowever, Komainu’s presence is expected to reach beyond the shores of the UK and Dubai. Coinshares, one of Komainu’s parent companies, recently introduced its hedge fund division, Coinshares Hedge Fund Solutions, signaling its intent to venture into the US market. This strategic maneuver will provide eligible American investors with access to Coinshares’ array of private investment products, further cementing its global presence in the cryptocurrency sector.In June the firm partnered with Seychelles-based global crypto platform OKX. As part of that deal, the digital assets custodian will store and custody digital assets on behalf of OKX's institutional clients.With a positive track record thus far where regulatory compliance is concerned, Komainu is positioning itself for further growth and innovation relative to a fast-developing crypto sector.

Startale Labs, the driving force behind initiatives such as the Astar Network smart contract hub and Startale Web3 Cloud, has secured a financial injection of $3.5 million. This backing, announced by Startale through a recent blog post, comes through a collaboration between UOB Venture Management, a subsidiary of the Singaporean financial giant UOB, and Samsung Next, the corporate venture capital arm of Samsung. UOB Venture Management is renowned for its equity financing in Southeast Asia and Greater China, bringing deep regional market insights to the table. Meanwhile, Samsung Next Ventures, an integral part of Samsung's innovation ecosystem, is dedicated to exploring cutting-edge technologies, including AI, fintech and blockchain, with a vision to shape the future of technology.Photo by Louie Martinez on UnsplashFunding talent acquisitionThe freshly acquired funds are earmarked for pivotal purposes, primarily focusing on bolstering talent acquisition and driving forward the development of Startale Labs' diverse product portfolio. Taking to the X social media platform, Astar Foundation Chief Operating Officer (COO) Shun Ishikawa confirmed that in light of the recent funding, Startale is hiring and it welcomes applicants to get in touch, particularly engineers. Moreover, alongside the $3.5 million capital injection, Startale also drew attention to a strategic alliance with Sony Network Communications to embark on a blockchain venture. With these combined resources, Startale aims to accelerate its development trajectory. Paul Ng, Executive Director of UOB Venture Management, emphasized the importance of real-world use cases in onboarding new users to Web3 technologies. Ng stated: "We are excited to support Startale, who have demonstrated expertise and experience in building successful Web3 products, in their mission to bring billions of users into the Web3 ecosystem.” Having made significant strides since its establishment in January 2023, Startale Labs has garnered support from these leading Asian enterprises within a remarkably short span. Sota Watanabe, CEO of Startale Labs, outlined the company's vision for the future, stating: "With the funds raised, we aim to invest in product development and recruitment to create a truly representative Web3 company of Asia and beyond." Through his X account, Watanabe expressed the intention that “we’re going to prove that Japanese startups can be successful in the world.”Sony joint ventureAn initial investment of $3.5 million by Sony in June of last year was followed in September by a collaboration between Sony Network Communications and Startale Labs, giving rise to the joint venture "Sony Network Communications Labs Pte. Ltd." This venture is dedicated to developing a blockchain infrastructure aimed at underpinning global Web3 initiatives. The objective is to harness blockchain advancements to create compelling use cases that foster wider adoption of Web3 technology. Sony Network Communications Labs is structured such that Sony Network Communications holds a 90% stake in the venture, with Startale Labs contributing the remaining 10%. Startale Labs' recent funding infusion, coupled with strategic partnerships with industry giants, appears to be putting the blockchain startup firmly on the road towards driving innovation and playing its part in shaping the future of Web3 technology. 

The Deutsche Bundesbank, Germany’s central bank, has joined Project Guardian, a collaboration established in 2022 between the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the financial sector, with an emphasis on the use of asset tokenization to improve liquidity and efficiency within financial markets.Photo by Rachel Davis on UnsplashAssessing DLT technologyIn a press release published on Nov. 8, Bundesbank Executive Board member Burkhard Balz suggested that the central bank is aligned with MAS in that both central banks are interested in determining “how innovative technologies and concepts, such as distributed ledger technology (DLT) or blockchain, can be put to meaningful use in the financial sector.” In joining Project Guardian, the Bundesbank will take part in the Asset & Wealth Management workstream, testing an interoperable blockchain platform for tokenized and digital funds. While the German central bank has just announced details of its participation in Project Guardian, in a speech given at the Layer One Summit, an event which formed part of the Singapore Fintech Festival last week, MAS Deputy Director Leong Sing Chiong welcomed the Bundesbank, alongside the World Bank, to Project Guardian.  The MAS executive clarified that the Deutsche Bundesbank and the World Bank would join the project’s Policymaker Group. He outlined that the role of that group is to “help provide inputs on governance arrangements, guidance on how GL1 [Global Layer One] infrastructures can be developed in line with global standards, and advice on appropriate regulatory guardrails for tokenised asset transactions.” GL1 refers to an initiative that has been established to create the foundational digital infrastructure to facilitate tokenized assets. Cross-border collaborationThrough its involvement in Project Guardian, the German central bank hopes to strengthen cross-border collaboration, while at the same time, progressing matters related to the “standardisation and interoperability of digital assets.” In working towards the goal of standardization, MAS has published two comprehensive reports covering fixed income tokenization and fund tokenization. MAS believes that the use of too many individual private DLT networks is resulting in fragmentation, with a detrimental effect with regard to liquidity. Consequently, the Singaporean central bank is establishing the Guardian Wholesale Network to improve liquidity and achieve asset tokenization at scale. The network will consist of Citi, Schroders, Standard Chartered, UOB and HSBC. Additionally, it was recently announced that SBI Digital Markets, a Singapore-based affiliate company of Japan’s SBI Digital Asset Holdings (SBI DAH), intends to contribute towards greater liquidity through its involvement in a fixed income asset tokenization pilot. Meanwhile, Citi and Fidelity have developed a proof of concept for a digital foreign exchange (FX) swap, enabled within an on-chain money market fund (MMF).  Tokenization inflection pointLeong went on to claim that while nobody has succeeded yet in implementing tokenization at scale, an inflection point has been reached with regard to the use of tokenization. He added that many use cases are promising relative to tokenization but that there is a need for supporting infrastructure “to enable good use cases to scale beyond individual networks.” In the press release, Leong said that the Bundesbank’s expertise “will be invaluable as we work together to enhance liquidity and efficiency of financial markets through asset tokenisation.”