CHINA
Treasury Proposes Blocks on US Investments in AI and Semiconductors in Foreign Countries
The United States Treasury has proposed sweeping new rules designed to block outbound investments in advanced artificial intelligence projects—often referred to in regulatory contexts as "Super Intelligence" initiatives—and certain high-risk semiconductor sectors across specific foreign countries. While these proposed blocks are primarily aimed at geopolitical rival China, the expanded framework will also encompass other designated adversaries, including Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Cuba.
The upcoming rules are intended to formally implement the COINS Act starting in December 2025, effectively broadening the scope of the Outbound Investment Security Program that initially went into effect in January 2025. These regulatory measures build substantially upon previous trade restrictions that aimed to curb the export of high-powered AI chips to China. Signaling that Washington is prepared to enforce these guidelines aggressively, the Treasury announced its first financial penalty under the program this month, fining Amidi, LLC $200,000. The penalty was issued after the firm failed to properly report an investment made by its Chinese subsidiary into Shanghai Qiongche Intelligent Technology, an embodied AI and robotics firm also known as Noematrix.
US Bans DeepSeek from Civilian Agency IT Systems
Reflecting growing concerns over data security and foreign influence, the US Department of Homeland Security has officially ordered the removal of DeepSeek products from all federal civilian agency IT systems.
The directive, which was formally filed on Monday, extends its reach to cover DeepSeek affiliates as well as any third-party products and services that have been developed using underlying DeepSeek implementations. Furthermore, the order explicitly prohibits affected federal agencies from making any new procurement purchases involving the technology. In its advisory, the Department of Homeland Security warned that the utilization of DeepSeek by government employees and contractors could expose sensitive federal information to foreign actors in China, potentially compromising details concerning US citizens and vital federal programs.
Solana’s Liu Says Shanghai Event Postponed Over Registration Surge
Plans for the Solana Accelerate event in Shanghai hit a sudden roadblock after pre-registration figures massively exceeded the event capacity caps established by local authorities, according to Lily Liu, president of the Solana Foundation.
Registration numbers reportedly quadrupled overnight following initial publicity campaigns for the gathering. Liu explained in a post on X on Friday that organizers ultimately made the decision to postpone the event in order to fully comply with local regulatory requirements. Earlier on Friday, various users on X had claimed that the gathering was abruptly suspended as law enforcement officers were spotted stationed outside the venue. Amid the discussions surrounding the event’s delay, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao weighed in, expressing surprise that the Solana Foundation had even been permitted to open an official office in Shanghai, noting that BNB Chain had previously encountered obstacles in doing so.
JAPAN
Japan-Korea Tourist Spending Becomes a Test Case for Yen Stablecoins
In a notable cross-border financial initiative, South Korea’s Shinhan Card has signed a formal agreement with Japan’s SBI VC Trade and SBI XDC Network APAC to test 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-powered card transactions, wallet-to-wallet transfers, and trade settlement processes. Additionally, the initiative will rigorously assess anti-money laundering frameworks and advanced fraud-detection controls. Shinhan Card stands as one of South Korea’s largest credit card issuers, while SBI operates as a financial powerhouse in Japan, managing traditional banking, brokerage, insurance services, and crypto asset 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 transformative transaction that will grant Japanese Bitcoin treasury firm Metaplanet a controlling 93.7% ownership stake. The move paves the way for Metaplanet to expand its footprint significantly into US capital markets via a publicly traded Bitcoin treasury vehicle. In tandem with the agreement, Metaplanet has announced plans to repurchase approximately $160 million of its own corporate shares.
KOREA
South Korean Finance Officials Met with Crypto Exchanges Amid Calls for Tax Delay
Financial officials in South Korea reportedly held consultations with major domestic cryptocurrency exchanges this week, arriving just days after a lawmaker introduced new legislative proposals that could push back the implementation date of a controversial crypto tax by an additional two years.
The high-level meeting served as a consultative forum on digital asset taxation, featuring representatives from prominent exchanges such as Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, DigitalX, and Gopax, alongside executive leadership from the Digital Asset Exchange Alliance, commonly known as DAXA. South Korean regulators have previously delayed the enforcement of the crypto tax on three separate occasions, with the most recent timeline pointing toward an official start date in January 2027 amid ongoing political disagreements and intense industry pushback.
Injective and BDACS Plan Korean Won Stablecoin Settlement for Tokenized Assets
In a push to expand localized digital finance infrastructure, blockchain network Injective has entered into 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, a development that could enable institutional participants to settle transactions without depending on US dollar-denominated stablecoins.
Kakao Plans KRW Stablecoin Payments Ecosystem
In a parallel move within the South Korean technology sector, tech giant Kakao, alongside KakaoBank and KakaoPay, has established a specialized stablecoin task force. The newly formed group is tasked with building the foundational infrastructure required for the issuance, custody, and payment processing of a Korean won stablecoin, with initial rollout plans focused on everyday shopping and gifting use cases.
MALAYSIA
Malaysia Central Bank Launches DLT Platform for Tokenized Bonds
Malaysia’s central bank has officially launched a distributed ledger-technology platform dedicated to the issuance and holding of tokenized bonds. The system connects digital securities records directly with a payment infrastructure engineered to operate continuously around the clock.
Bank Negara Malaysia announced that its next-generation Scripless Securities Depository System supports the complete lifecycle of tokenized debt securities issuance, depository functions, and safekeeping, including specialized Islamic bonds known as sukuk.
THAILAND
Bitget Plans Thai Crypto Exchange Acquisition Weeks After $388M Hack
Cryptocurrency exchange Bitget has announced strategic plans to acquire Thailand’s GMO-Z.com Cryptonomics as part of an effort to broaden its operational footprint across Southeast Asia. The announcement comes just weeks after the exchange suffered a major security breach affecting its hot and warm wallets to the tune of $388 million.
According to an official announcement shared with industry media, the proposed transaction involves BTGT Management (Thailand), a corporate entity in which Bitget maintains a stated financial interest. The acquisition is intended to introduce Bitget’s trading platform ecosystem directly to Thai users.
Chinese Suspect in $75M International Crime Network Arrested in Bangkok
Thai law enforcement authorities arrested a 37-year-old Chinese national who was wanted by authorities in his home country for alleged involvement in an extensive international crime network and associated money laundering operations.
According to investigators, the illicit network managed transactions exceeding 500 million yuan, equivalent to roughly $75 million. Thai media outlet Khaosod English reported via social media that the suspect allegedly facilitated cryptocurrency and foreign-currency exchanges for criminal organizations across more than 133 separate accounts. Police stated that the individual attempted to evade capture by utilizing forged identification documents to register his residence and altering vehicle license plates before officers eventually tracked him down to a luxury residence in Bangkok.
VIETNAM
Da Nang Crypto Sandbox Targets Digital Tourism
In Vietnam, the country’s fourth-largest city, Da Nang, is leveraging a controlled regulatory sandbox environment that permits local businesses to deploy cryptocurrency-related applications within the tourism sector. The initiative arrives as Da Nang continues to experience robust 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 signed a comprehensive free-trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association nations, which include Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein. Following discussions with the Vietnamese Prime Minister, Swiss President Guy Parmelin proposed establishing formal links between Switzerland’s renowned Crypto Valley hub and Vietnam’s growing innovation ecosystem to deepen bilateral cooperation in blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing.
SINGAPORE
Singapore Gulf Bank Offers Retail USD-Stablecoin Conversion
Singapore Gulf Bank, an institution licensed by Bahrain, has announced that retail banking customers can now seamlessly convert between traditional US dollars and stablecoins such as USDT or USDC directly through its mobile banking application.
Singapore-Backed Manager Launches Swiss Bitcoin ETF
Singapore-backed BIT Asset Management has successfully launched Switzerland’s first spot Bitcoin ETF. Formerly operating under the name Matrixport, the firm’s Zurich-based arm received official authorization from the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority to roll out the financial product, establishing it as the first spot Bitcoin ETF in Switzerland and the sole product of its kind across Europe.
