Tokyo's Relic launches fan-driven anime project using NFT and blockchain

Seychelles-headquartered global crypto exchange KuCoin has announced the full launch of its affiliate in Thailand. KuCoin Thailand was first presented by KuCoin back in April. The affiliate company emerged through a rebranding of local digital asset exchange, ERX. The renamed entity continues to be operated by ERX Company Ltd., while benefiting as a KuCoin affiliate from its global market presence and global exchange infrastructure.Photo by Bradley Prentice on UnsplashERX platform users onboardedSince that initial announcement, the exchange has been operated by onboarding users on an invite-only basis. All of the original ERX platform users have been ported across to KuCoin Thailand. In a statement published to its website on June 13, KuCoin Thailand pointed out that it is moving on from that invite-only phase to fully launch the platform.  It asserted that the platform is fully licensed by Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and it has now proceeded to full launch with no further access restrictions. In tandem with the full public launch of the platform, the company indicated that it was running a special rewards initiative with a prize pool of one million Thai Baht ($30,845) and introducing a new brand mascot named “Kuku.” In a press release, KuCoin claimed that “this marks the first fully regulated local digital asset exchange under KuCoin's brand,” contributing towards the company’s goal “to build fast, secure, and user-friendly infrastructure for crypto users” globally. Strengthening KuCoin’s presence in Southeast AsiaKuCoin CEO BC Wong described the launch as “a significant milestone in [the company’s] global compliance journey.” He added: “From being the first global exchange to register with India's FIU to now launching the first local compliant platform in Thailand, this marks a significant step toward strengthening our presence in the fast-growing markets of South East Asia.” In discussion with Cointelegraph, the KuCoin CEO provided an insight into how the company is approaching global growth while focusing on local market considerations. He stated: “While KuCoin Global supports a wide range of products for international users, we plan to expand locally in line with regulations and market demand.” Wong confirmed that the newly branded entity facilitates crypto spot trading for its users, with Thai Baht-based on and off ramps. Regulator & police enforcementThailand’s SEC moved to block five cryptocurrency platforms from accessing investors resident in Thailand late last month. The exchanges, OKX, Bybit, CoinEx, XT.com and 1000X.Live, were deemed to have been offering their services in Thailand on an unlicensed and unauthorized basis. In addition to blocking access, criminal complaints have been filed against all five exchanges. Thai police have also been busy recently with crypto-related enforcement. Last month, a Vietnamese woman was arrested on the basis of her alleged involvement in a crypto-related scam that saw 2,600 victims lose a total of $300 million. On June 12, Bangkok-based news platform Khaosod English reported that a Chinese man had been arrested in connection with a $6 million Bitcoin fraud case.

Bitdeer Records Revenue Growth Amid Q2 LossesSingapore-based crypto mining company, Bitdeer, experienced a notable boost in cash flow during Q2 2023. However, this upswing was counterbalanced by substantial acquisition costs and share-based compensation expenses.It’s been a mixed couple of days for Bitdeer. On Thursday it emerged that the company had struck a deal with B.Riley Financial that has seen the financial services firm sign a $150 million share purchase options agreement with Bitdeer. Twenty-four hours later, there’s further good news in that the firm has increased its mining hash rate. However, it has also recorded a significant loss for Q2, 2023.Photo by David Clarke on UnsplashHash rate increaseIn its recent earnings report released on Friday, Bitdeer revealed a remarkable increase in its mining hash rate. The figures surged from 2.1 exahashes per second to an impressive 3.8 exahashes per second throughout the second quarter of 2023 by comparison with the same period in 2022. Furthermore, Bitdeer’s self-mining operations yielded 758 bitcoins in contrast to 521 bitcoins mined during the same period in the preceding year.This surge in hashing power contributed to a Q2 revenue of $93.8 million, marking a 5% year-over-year increase. Bitdeer attributed this revenue growth to its bolstered hashing power, setting a solid foundation for its financial performance.Linghui Kong, CEO of Bitdeer, shed light on pivotal developments driving the company’s growth trajectory. Kong highlighted the successful completion of the mining site in Bhutan and the establishment of a cutting-edge immersion cooling data center.Operational expansionKong emphasized: “Our 100MW mining datacenter in Bhutan is in the process of power-on testing, and the mining machines are beginning stable operation.” Additionally, he mentioned that a 175MW immersion cooling data center is currently under construction at the Tydal mining facility in Norway, with an expected completion date of 2025.Bitdeer’s expansion endeavors have led to a significant increase in its mining operations. The company now manages 199,000 mining machines, a considerable rise from the previous year’s count of 119,000. Over the past year, Bitdeer’s business model has evolved, with a majority of machines being hosted rather than self-owned.Despite the growth in operations, Bitdeer reported a net loss of $40.4 million in Q2, marking a substantial increase from the previous year’s quarterly loss of $15.6 million.Merger overheadThe Q2 losses were largely attributed to Bitdeer’s merger with the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), Blue Safari Group Acquisition Corp. Notably, the listing fee alone for this merger amounted to $33.2 million, and share-based payment expenses added up to $9.6 million during the quarter.Bitdeer’s stock had experienced a 26% decline in the 30 days leading up to the report. However, the losses were quickly recouped, with the stock rallying by over 27% on the day of the report’s publication. This market response underscores the dynamic nature of the cryptocurrency sector and the investor sentiment surrounding it.Bitdeer’s Q2 performance showcases the company’s revenue growth propelled by enhanced hashing power. The expansion of its mining operations, coupled with strategic developments like the Bhutan mining site and immersion cooling data center, position Bitdeer for further growth.

Com2uS’ partnership with Thailand’s SHIN-A to boost Web3 gaming presence in Southeast AsiaCom2uS Holdings, a South Korean game developer, announced on Thursday that its subsidiary, Com2uS Platform, has forged a reselling partnership with SHIN-A, a Bangkok-based marketing and game service firm. This collaboration aims to bolster the expansion of Com2uS Platform’s all-in-one gaming platform, Hive, marking a significant step in its global outreach and growth strategy.Photo by Lisheng Chang on UnsplashBlockchain-powered, all-in-one platformHive offers a comprehensive suite of services, including authentication, payments, promotions, customer support, analytics, and Web3 integrations, all integrated within a single software development kit (SDK). Since opening its services to external game companies in 2021, the blockchain-powered platform has secured contracts with 51 games from 39 different publishing clients, demonstrating its growing influence and utility in the gaming industry.Against this backdrop, the newly established partnership between Com2uS Platform and SHIN-A paves the way for cooperative marketing and sales efforts aimed at promoting the Hive platform to a broader range of global gaming companies. To facilitate this goal, SHIN-A is planning to establish a dedicated support team in Thailand, which will focus on the resale of Hive products.SHIN-A, a key player in game publishing and global marketing, covers a wide range of business areas, including Web2 and Web3, across mobile, desktop and console platforms. The company has forged game publishing contracts with global giants like HoYoverse and Tencent, and has successfully conducted local marketing for Com2uS’ game, Birdie Crush: Fantasy Golf. Additionally, SHIN-A collaborates with major Thai firms like mobile phone network AIS and is involved in entertainment ventures, including organizing large-scale K-pop concerts.Thailand’s growing gaming marketWith almost 40% of its 70 million population engaging in games, Thailand presents a significant market opportunity. This is further underscored by the fact that the country boasts the highest average in-app purchase spending per person in Southeast Asia. It is also witnessing rapid growth in the gaming sector as the second-largest gaming market in Southeast Asia, trailing only behind Indonesia.In this vibrant market, Com2us’ action RPG, Summoners War: Chronicles, has achieved notable success, becoming one of the top-grossing games on the Steam platform in Thailand. This success signals a promising landscape for the introduction of Com2uS Platform’s Hive, which is likely to further enhance customer engagement and expand the company’s footprint in the region’s booming gaming market.Com2uS Platform’s Business Director, Kim Jong-moon, stated that the reselling partnership with SHIN-A is poised to significantly enhance Hive projects in the Southeast Asian market, a region known for its dynamic gaming and blockchain sectors. Kim highlighted the company’s plans to earmark the upcoming year as a pivotal period for Hive, marking the beginning of its global strategy implementation.