Vietnam launches five-year pilot to regulate crypto asset trading

Crypto custodian Korea Digital Asset (KODA) has seen its custody assets exceed the $6 billion mark, equivalent to about KRW 8 trillion, according to game media outlet Kyunghyang Games.  Established in November 2020 through a collaboration between KB Bank, the blockchain venture capital firm Hashed and blockchain tech company HatchLabs, KODA provides custodial services for crypto assets. A custodial service provider refers to a third-party institution that manages virtual assets on behalf of clients. Several big banks overseas such as Goldman Sachs and Citibank provide asset custodial services. Photo by Chris Liverani on UnsplashA leading provider of crypto asset custodial services Having been offering one-stop crypto asset custodial services for companies and institutional clients since March 2021, KODA has become a notable virtual asset business operator in South Korea with it being registered with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). By the end of June 2023, KODA made up nearly 80% of the local custodial service market share, per FIU data. At the time, out of the total KRW 2.9 trillion in crypto assets held by 49 local custodial service providers registered with the FIU, KRW 2.3 trillion was managed by KODA. By December 2023, KODA announced it was managing KRW 8 trillion in crypto assets, with over 200 custodial wallets and about 50 institutional clients using its services.  Bracing for the potential approval of spot bitcoin ETFs in KoreaThe demand for crypto asset custodial services is expected to rise as Korea’s ruling and opposition parties are pledging to integrate crypto assets into the traditional financial system, leading up to the general election in April. Major political parties are considering the possibility of allowing transactions of spot bitcoin ETFs and legalizing investment in crypto assets by private companies. Cho Jin-seok, CEO of KODA, said that the integration of digital assets into the traditional financial system is an unstoppable global trend that no one can resist, and that KODA will be able to serve as a key crypto infrastructure if the local financial authority approves trading spot bitcoin ETFs.  Kim Seo-joon, CEO of Hashed, stressed the significance of preparing for the potential approval of spot bitcoin ETF transactions, noting how a number of spot bitcoin ETFs were released in the U.S. right after the approval. He added that KODA’s commitment to regulatory compliance and technological expertise would make it an essential partner in introducing virtual asset ETFs to the local market.

New York Bans CoinEx While Seizing Crypto AssetsCoinEx, a Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange, has been banned from operating in the US state of New York by Attorney General Letitia James. The ban comes after the exchange allegedly failed to register as a securities and commodities brokerage and falsely represented itself as an exchange.Photo by Jan van der Wolf on Pexels$1.7 million seizureThat’s according to a statement published by the Office of the New York State Attorney General on Thursday. As part of an agreement reached between the parties, over $1.7 million worth of CoinEx’s funds have been seized.Under the terms of the agreement, approximately $1.1 million will be returned to 4,691 investors from New York, and an additional $600,000 will be paid in penalties to the state. To prevent access by New York IP addresses, CoinEx must implement geo-blocking. Moreover, the exchange is forbidden from creating new accounts for customers based in the United States.Trade prohibitionThis recent development resolves a lawsuit filed against CoinEx in February by the New York state. The state accused the exchange of misleading investors and failing to register with local authorities. In accordance with the consent order, CoinEx is now prohibited from offering, selling, or purchasing securities and commodities in New York and cannot make its platform available in the state.James emphasized the consequences for crypto companies that disregard New York’s laws and put investors at risk. The agreement serves as a warning that her office will continue to crack down on such companies. CoinEx users have a 90-day period to recover their crypto funds directly from the exchange.After this period, eligible investors can request fiat currency refunds by emailing coinexrefund@ag.ny.gov. Refunds will be provided in cryptocurrency or cash equivalents held in accounts as of April 25.CoinEx faced a lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court on February 22, where Attorney General James alleged that the exchange engaged in fraudulent practices and violated the state’s Martin Act, known for its strict anti-fraud provisions. The complaint included tokens such as Amp, LBRY Credits (LBC), Rally (RLY), and Terra.Harsh stanceThe banning of CoinEx in New York highlights the regulatory scrutiny surrounding cryptocurrency exchanges and the importance of compliance with local laws and regulations. On the one hand, the enforcement actions taken by authorities aim to protect investors and ensure the integrity of the financial system.However, the state of New York has been particularly harsh in its dealings with crypto companies. As today’s statement reveals, the New York Attorney General has taken action previously against crypto exchange Kucoin, crypto lending platform Nexo, and USDT stablecoin issuer Tether.These actions tie in with the current anti-crypto regulatory pushback that prevails in the United States right now. Other state agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) who last week sued global crypto exchanges Coinbase and Binance, the Federal Reserve, the Department of the Treasury, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), have all conspired to crack down on the industry in the US in recent months.

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.