CHINA
The United States Treasury Department has proposed aggressive new rules designed to block outbound investments in artificial intelligence projects—specifically targeting what the policy refers to as "Super Intelligence" initiatives—along with certain high-risk semiconductor sectors in designated foreign countries.
While the primary geopolitical target of these restrictions remains China, the proposed framework will also encompass other foreign adversaries, including Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Cuba. These new regulations are intended to implement the COINS Act starting in December 2025, further expanding the reach of the Outbound Investment Security Program that originally went into effect in January 2025.
These latest policy developments build directly upon pre-existing restrictions that previously sought to limit the sale of high-powered artificial intelligence computer chips to mainland China. Demonstrating that the enforcement mechanisms carry genuine weight, the US government announced its first financial penalty under these protocols this month, issuing a $200,000 fine to Amidi, LLC. The Treasury penalized the firm after its Chinese subsidiary failed to properly report an investment directed toward Shanghai Qiongche Intelligent Technology, an embodied AI and robotics firm also known as Noematrix.
US Bans DeepSeek from Civilian Agency IT Systems
In a parallel security maneuver, the US Department of Homeland Security has formally ordered the removal of all DeepSeek products from federal civilian agency IT systems.
The official order, filed on Monday, extends its reach to cover DeepSeek affiliates as well as any third-party products and services developed using underlying DeepSeek implementations. Furthermore, the directive strictly prohibits affected government agencies from entering into any new procurement contracts for these technologies.
Department of Homeland Security officials warned that the continued utilization of DeepSeek applications by government employees and contractors could expose sensitive federal information to foreign entities in China. Such exposures threaten to compromise confidential details concerning United States citizens as well as ongoing federal programs.
Solana’s Liu Says Shanghai Event Postponed Over Registration Surge
In the commercial and blockchain technology sector, the Solana Accelerate event scheduled for Shanghai was abruptly postponed after pre-registration metrics dramatically exceeded the strict capacity caps mandated by local authorities, according to Lily Liu, president of the Solana Foundation.
Event registration reportedly quadrupled overnight following an initial wave of public attention, Liu explained in a post published on Friday on the X platform. She added that event organizers ultimately chose to postpone the gathering in order to remain in full compliance with local regulatory requirements.
Earlier on Friday, users on social media claimed that the event had been suddenly suspended while local law enforcement officers were visibly stationed at the venue. Commenting on the situation, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao noted that he was deeply impressed that the Solana Foundation had managed to secure permission to open a physical office in Shanghai, observing that the BNB Chain had previously been unable to achieve a similar milestone.
JAPAN
Japan-Korea Tourist Spending Becomes a Test Case for Yen Stablecoins
South Korea’s Shinhan Card has entered into a formal strategic agreement with Japan’s SBI VC Trade and SBI XDC Network APAC to pilot yen-stablecoin payments tailored for international travelers and cross-border trade settlements.
Under the terms of the pact signed on Tuesday, the participating companies will evaluate stablecoin-based card payments, direct wallet-to-wallet transactions, and cross-border trade settlement mechanics. Additionally, the initiative will rigorously assess anti-money laundering controls and advanced fraud-detection systems.
Shinhan Card stands as one of South Korea’s premier credit card issuers, while SBI operates as a major Japanese financial conglomerate managing commercial banks, brokerage houses, insurance firms, and cryptocurrency exchanges.
Metaplanet to Take 93.7% Stake in Super League Through 2,100 BTC Deal
Shareholders of Super League, a Nasdaq-listed gaming and digital media enterprise, have formally approved a transaction that will grant Japanese Bitcoin treasury firm Metaplanet a controlling 93.7% ownership stake. The corporate maneuver clears a clear path for Metaplanet to expand its operational footprint directly into US capital markets through a publicly traded Bitcoin treasury vehicle.
Alongside this major acquisition agreement, Metaplanet has announced plans to execute a substantial repurchase of approximately $160 million worth of its own corporate shares.
KOREA
South Korean Finance Officials Met with Crypto Exchanges Amid Calls for Tax Delay
South Korean finance officials reportedly convened with major domestic cryptocurrency exchanges this week. The high-level consultation arrived just days after a regional lawmaker introduced legislation that could effectively defer the implementation date of a controversial new cryptocurrency tax by an additional two years.
The closed-door meeting served as an official consultation regarding taxation policy, bringing together executive representatives from leading platforms such as Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, DigitalX, and Gopax, alongside leadership figures from the Digital Asset Exchange Alliance, commonly known as DAXA.
South Korean financial regulators have previously postponed the implementation of the cryptocurrency tax on three separate occasions. The most recent legislative delay pushed the scheduled enforcement start date to January 2027 amid persistent political disagreement and intense pushback from the domestic digital asset industry.
Injective and BDACS Plan Korean Won Stablecoin Settlement for Tokenized Assets
The decentralized blockchain network Injective has signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korean digital asset custodian BDACS. The collaboration aims to introduce a won-backed stablecoin directly into Injective’s tokenized asset markets, potentially granting institutional participants the ability to settle financial transactions without relying exclusively on US dollar-denominated stablecoins.
Kakao Plans KRW Stablecoin Payments Ecosystem
In a related domestic development, South Korean tech giant Kakao, alongside its banking and payment affiliates KakaoBank and KakaoPay, has established a dedicated stablecoin task force. The newly formed group is tasked with building the underlying technological infrastructure necessary to support won-stablecoin issuance, digital custody, and consumer payments, with an initial commercial focus centering on retail shopping and digital gifting services.
MALAYSIA
Malaysia Central Bank Launches DLT Platform for Tokenized Bonds
Bank Negara Malaysia, the central bank of Malaysia, has officially launched a distributed ledger-technology platform designed specifically for the issuance and safekeeping of tokenized bonds. The innovative infrastructure successfully connects digital securities records with a payment processing system engineered to operate on a continuous, round-the-clock basis.
Central bank officials stated that the next-generation Scripless Securities Depository System, designated as SSDS+, provides robust native support for the issuance, institutional depository, and secure safekeeping of tokenized debt instruments, which notably includes Islamic compliant debt securities known as sukuk.
THAILAND
Bitget Plans Thai Crypto Exchange Acquisition Weeks After $388M Hack
Digital asset exchange Bitget has announced strategic plans to acquire Thailand’s GMO-Z.com Cryptonomics. The proposed buyout forms part of the platform’s broader strategy to expand its market footprint across Southeast Asia, arriving just weeks after a severe security breach compromised Bitget’s hot and warm wallets to the tune of $388 million.
According to official announcements shared with industry media, the prospective transaction is being coordinated through BTGT Management (Thailand), a corporate entity in which Bitget maintains a vested financial interest. The acquisition is intended to pave the way for Bitget to legally introduce its comprehensive trading platform services to users in Thailand.
Chinese Suspect in $75M International Crime Network Arrested in Bangkok
Thai law enforcement authorities successfully arrested a 37-year-old Chinese national who was actively wanted by authorities in mainland China for alleged involvement in an international criminal syndicate and transnational money laundering operations.
According to investigative disclosures, the criminal network managed transaction volumes exceeding 500 million Chinese yuan, equivalent to approximately $75 million, as reported by local media outlet Khaosod English in an update published on social media.
Police officials alleged that the primary suspect was personally involved in managing cryptocurrency transactions and foreign-currency exchange operations for various criminal organizations utilizing more than 133 distinct bank accounts. Investigators revealed that the suspect attempted to evade law enforcement by deploying forged identity documents to register his residence and altering vehicle license plates before officers finally located him hiding inside a luxury residential property in Bangkok.
VIETNAM
Da Nang Crypto Sandbox Targets Digital Tourism
Da Nang, the fourth-largest city in Vietnam, is leveraging a controlled regulatory sandbox framework that permits local enterprises to deploy cryptocurrency-related applications within the tourism sector. The initiative arrives as the region continues to experience significant tourism growth, having welcomed 15.9 million visitors during the first nine months of the year.
Vietnam-EFTA Agreement Includes Crypto Valley Links
Vietnam has formally signed a comprehensive free-trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association nations, which include Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein. Following a high-level meeting with the Vietnamese Prime Minister, Swiss President Guy Parmelin proposed officially connecting Switzerland’s renowned Crypto Valley innovation hub with Vietnam’s developing technology ecosystem to foster closer bilateral cooperation across blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing sectors.
SINGAPORE
Singapore Gulf Bank Offers Retail USD-Stablecoin Conversion
Singapore Gulf Bank—an institution specifically licensed under the regulatory jurisdiction of Bahrain—has announced that retail banking customers can seamlessly convert fiat US dollars into USDT or USDC stablecoins directly through its mobile banking application.
Singapore-Backed Manager Launches Swiss Bitcoin ETF
BIT Asset Management, a financial manager backed by Singaporean interests formerly operating under the name Matrixport, has successfully launched Switzerland’s inaugural spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund through its Zurich subsidiary. The financial product secured formal approval from the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, making it both the first spot Bitcoin ETF in Switzerland and the sole spot Bitcoin ETF available across the broader European market.
