OKX expands McLaren F1 sponsorship deal

NFT Artists Coming to Seoul in September for The Gateway: KoreaThe Gateway: Korea, the world-renowned annual Web3 event held to celebrate the NFT community and digital artists, is set to take place next month as part of the sixth annual Korea Blockchain Week 2023. It will be held on September 7 to 8 at SFactory, a culture and arts hub in Seongsu-dong, Seoul.The Gateway has been organized by the Web3 digital media platform nft now since 2021. This year, it will be co-hosted by the blockchain community FactBlock, which is also the co-host of Korea Blockchain Week.Bringing realms togetherCentered around the theme of convergence — specifically, the convergence of man and machine, East and West, and URL and IRL — The Gateway: Korea aims to connect Web3 technology and Korean culture. It will feature activities such as interactive experiences and immersive galleries.Photo by fabio on UnsplashExploring digital art and visionary voicesThe event will also include various programs, including keynote speeches and fireside chats. Most notably, there will be an exhibition of works by famous digital artists like Beeple, who famously sold his NFT art piece titled “Everydays — The First 5000 Days” for a record-breaking $69 million two years ago at an online auction held by auction house Christie’s.Other invited artists include DeeKay, Emonee LaRussa, and Krista Kim, among others.“I am delighted that we are able to achieve global expansion through the September event in Seoul,” said Matt Medved, Co-Founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of nft now.“Korea is experiencing an unprecedented moment where cultures from around the world intersect. This event will welcome leading creators and innovators in the Web3 field.”

Chinese Pull Crypto TV Video Following Binance CEO’s CommentsEarlier this week, a Chinese state-owned TV channel featured a segment shedding light on Bitcoin, emphasizing its surging popularity and widespread adoption. The piece, broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV) on Wednesday, was met with enthusiasm from crypto proponents. However, on Thursday the video was removed from the TV broadcaster’s platform.Photo by Road Trip with Raj on UnsplashA perceived policy shiftThe segment sought to provide viewers with a comprehensive overview of digital assets, their diverse applications, and potential benefits. The reaction of Changpeng Zhao (CZ), CEO of global crypto exchange Binance, stoked up further community interest. Taking to Twitter, CZ stated:“CCTV (China Central Television) just broadcasted crypto. It’s a big deal. The Chinese speaking communities are buzzing. Historically, coverages like these led to bull runs.”CZ’s tweet reverberated throughout the crypto space, leaving many curious about his perspective on the TV segment’s significance. A highly influential personality in the crypto sector, CZ later clarified his stance, asserting that the segment signaled a shift in China’s approach to cryptocurrencies. He proposed that the state media’s coverage reflected a more positive sentiment and hinted at a potentially evolving regulatory landscape.Video removalSoon after CZ’s comments, the Chinese state media broadcaster removed the video segment focusing on Bitcoin. This development raised eyebrows and fueled speculations regarding the motives behind its removal. Within the crypto community, many speculated that CZ’s mention of the segment might have prompted Chinese authorities to take it down. However, the precise reasons behind the removal remain uncertain.One of the events that triggered the video segment appears to have been news earlier this week that Hong Kong is moving to enable crypto trading at a retail level. There’s been significant reporting on crypto developments related to Hong Kong over the course of the past six months. There has been a notable policy shift, and it appears that Chinese authorities are happy to see Hong Kong compete openly to become a regional hub for the crypto sector.There’s no doubt that people in the crypto sector would like to see signs of a softening of the approach to crypto in mainland China too. Many might have perceived this TV airtime as an indicator of that. However, it’s more likely that the Chinese are pursuing a dual-pronged strategy. They’re very cleverly participating in the developing innovation in digital assets via the Chinese autonomous territory of Hong Kong, while at the same time, maintaining a hardline stance against crypto on the mainland.The crypto sector continues to progress, and the regulatory landscape is ever-changing within various jurisdictions. On that basis, and given the importance of the Chinese market, it’s worthwhile to continue to closely monitor China’s actions. Any changes in the country’s approach to cryptocurrencies can have far-reaching consequences for the industry.Whether this recent event signals a more optimistic outlook or merely underscores the persisting regulatory uncertainty, it serves as a reminder that the crypto landscape is in constant evolution, holding surprises around every corner.

Polymesh’s APAC Digital Asset Regulation Report Highlights ChallengesThe project team behind Polymesh, an institutional-grade permissioned blockchain built specifically for regulated assets, released a report on digital asset regulation within the Asia Pacific (APAC) region on Tuesday, highlighting several challenges that regulators are attempting to overcome.In a press release, the company outlined that the report covers recent regulatory developments in South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the broader APAC region.Photo by Jéan Béller on UnsplashProgressive regulatory effortsRegulators within the APAC region are currently striving to introduce legislation for digital assets, while several centers within the region are vying to establish themselves as hubs for digital asset-related business.The report explores the individual efforts of regulators in various APAC nations as they work towards crafting regulatory frameworks tailored to their jurisdictions. Those efforts encompass implementation, investigation, and enforcement of legislation in a borderless industry.Regulators in South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong have all embarked on formulating rules for emerging asset categories, albeit using different terminologies such as “digital assets,” “digital payment tokens,” and “virtual assets.” Their focus lies in striking a balance between consumer protection, market integrity, and industry development.Additionally, all three regulators adhere to the principle of “same activity, same regulations, same risks” when it comes to tokenized securities. They argue that regulatory requirements do not significantly differ solely because a security is in tokenized form. Each state has been actively engaged in local and global activities surrounding security tokens, including state involvement in the advancement of security token technology and cross-border transactions.Main findingsThe report’s main findings emphasize that while regulators in the APAC region are making strides in introducing digital asset legislation, the road ahead will not be without challenges.Legislating a cross-border industry poses difficulties that necessitate harmonization to foster a robust and interconnected ecosystem. Digital assets originating in Asia can be traded globally and vice versa. Merely identifying the asset’s place of origin is no longer sufficient.Although the report delves into the efforts of individual regulators, it emphasizes the need for long-term collaboration to establish a unified vision and practical implementation of regulations for this borderless phenomenon.Regulatory challengesThe regulatory challenges faced by South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong in driving the growth of digital assets in the APAC region are multifaceted. They include the intricacies of legislating an inherently cross-border industry. In turn, that can lead to the potential violation of legislation from other jurisdictions.The lack of harmonization among different jurisdictions, and variations in regulatory approaches among the three regulators are likely to be problematic. Furthermore, there are push-pull dynamics between the industry and regulators, with even the regulators themselves not always in agreement.However, despite these challenges, all three regulators have initiated the formulation of rules for new asset categories, with a strong emphasis on safeguarding consumer interests, maintaining market integrity, and fostering industry development.