Lillius selected to join Cronos Accelerator Program

North Gyeongsang Province Recruits Youth for Metaverse Content CompetitionNorth Gyeongsang Province has announced that it is recruiting participants for the Youth Metaverse Content Development Competition, which will provide young people with an opportunity to showcase their ideas and technical skills in the metaverse.Photo by GuerrillaBuzz on UnsplashThe competition is part of the Youth Metaverse Creation Festival, which aims to push young individuals to participate directly in policymaking, prepare for their crucial role in the oncoming metaverse era, and strengthen their digital capabilities.Participation requirementsParticipants are required to complete an assignment in the form of their choice related to fields that the youth are interested in. Young people from high schoolers up to those aged 34 are eligible to participate. Both Korean nationals and foreigners are invited to sign up either individually or as a team.Eight teams will be selected in the first round of document evaluation this month. Afterward, a second round of presentations will take place in October to choose the three final participating teams.Winning rewardsThe first round of selected teams will receive 3 million KRW (approximately $2,300) for their assignment and a head-mounted display, among other benefits. The finalists will not only be awarded 6 million KRW but also be given the chance to participate in various startup support programs throughout North Gyeongsang Province through expert consultations.

The Seoul AI Innovation Tour 2024 – scheduled from March 5 to 7 – came to an end yesterday, Korean media outlet ETNews reported. Under the theme of “Navigating the Future: Unveiling Seoul’s Prowess in AI Innovation,” the event highlighted Seoul’s potential as an AI technology hub and facilitated discussions on global cooperation to foster the Asian fintech and digital asset industry.  The event was jointly hosted by the Korea Fintech Industry Association (KFIA) and The Asian Banker, a Singapore-based consultancy in finance and banking services. Several major Asian banks and fintech industry insiders attended the event, including officials from Permata Bank in Malaysia and Bank SinoPac in Taiwan. Photo by Headway on UnsplashLee Keun-ju, President of the KFIA, stated in his opening speech that cutting-edge technologies such as AI will further accelerate innovation in financial services. He also emphasized how the Korean financial and fintech industry developed at a breakneck speed over the past decade, introducing the landscape of the Korean fintech industry to bank officials.  Sharing insights on fintech and digital asset industry In the initial session, KFIA officials delivered speeches on the current financial environment of Korea and the association’s contributions to the local fintech industry. The following discussions revolved around development strategies for the fintech industry and collaborative efforts between the association and government institutions. In the later part of the event, leading local fintech insiders discussed the outlook of the security token offering (STO) and digital asset industry, sharing strategies to broaden their businesses to overseas markets. 

Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has increased its Bitcoin holdings, purchasing an additional 20.195 BTC for approximately 200 million yen ($1.2 million), as announced after the Tokyo Stock Exchange closed on Monday. This acquisition brings the firm's total holdings to 161.2677 BTC, valued at over $10.1 million. According to The Block, the recent purchase is part of a broader strategy, initiated with the company's decision to allocate 1 billion yen ($6.3 million) for Bitcoin acquisitions funded by an upcoming bond issuance. This move follows a previous buy in June worth 250 million yen.Photo by Traxer on UnsplashStrategic investment responseMetaplanet's investment strategy mirrors that of U.S.-based MicroStrategy, which has significantly integrated Bitcoin into its treasury assets. MicroStrategy currently holds 226,331 BTC, amounting to more than 1% of the total Bitcoin supply. Citing economic challenges like high government debt and the depreciating yen, Metaplanet views Bitcoin as a hedge against economic instability. Following Metaplanet’s latest acquisition, its stock saw a 1% rise on Monday, with an overall increase of 233% since it began investing in Bitcoin.