Cryptocurrencies

Leaked chat data from Conti, a leading ransomware syndicate with close ties to Russia (partly edited for privacy reason)
Society

Russia-based ransomware group behind attacks raking in $77m

Conti evades investigations by using 645 accounts, chat logs show

16 May 2022
TerraUSD, also known as UST, had a market value of nearly $19 billion at its peak. (Source photos by AP and screenshot from CoinMarketCap's website) 
Cryptocurrencies

Crypto 'death spiral' shocks users, emboldens regulators

Collapse of TerraUSD stablecoin was the danger watchdogs had flagged

15 May 2022
A crisis of confidence among crypto investors has been spreading since the weekend, when TerraUSD became unmoored from the U.S. dollar, which it was supposed to be shadowing. (Source photos by AP and screenshot from Terra's website) 
Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrency losses top $275bn in a single day as instability spreads

Investors flee digital assets after collapse of popular 'stablecoin'

12 May 2022
Hironobu Ueno, CEO of double jump.tokyo, says his company will work with major gaming companies to develop titles that incorporate cryptocurrency. (Photos courtesy of double jump.tokyo)
Cryptocurrencies

Japanese crypto gaming startup raises $24m

Investors finance double jump.tokyo's partnerships with major game developers

27 April 2022
Binance has no fixed headquarters and is barred from providing services in Singapore and the U.K.
19 April 2022
Sky Mavis, the startup behind crypto game Axie Infinity, said on March 29 it was hit by a $600 million cryptocurrency heist. (Captured image from Axie Infinity website)
Cryptocurrencies

FBI links North Korean hackers to Axie Infinity crypto theft

Analysts warn Lazarus Group may try to launder stolen coins via Asian exchanges

15 April 2022
Southeast Asia has become a major market for blockchain gaming, as people are lured by the prospects of earning more by playing games than from their real-life income. (Source photos by AFP/Jiji, courtesy of Immutable and screenshot from Coinbase's website) 
Business Spotlight

Could a Philippines startup become gatekeeper to the metaverse?

Yield Guild Games defies crypto heists and volatility to back nascent blockchain gaming industry

15 April 2022
Vingroup's VinFast could have the first major stock listing in the U.S. for a Vietnamese company. (Photo by Lien Hoang)
Automobiles

Vietnam's VinFast plugs into VW's EV-charging network in U.S.

Vingroup arm also announces battery subscription service and issues NFTs

14 April 2022
Mark Karpeles, former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Mt. Gox, said crypto technology must advance in order to stymie hackers. (Source photos by Tsubasa Suruga and Reuters)
Cryptocurrencies

Collapsed crypto exchange CEO warns 'structural risks' remain

Karpeles readies market ratings venture as Mt. Gox saga nears end

7 April 2022
Sky Mavis, with the help of Binance and other investors, is taking steps to limit damage from a major cryotocurrency theft. (Source photos by Reuters and courtesy of Sky Mavis) 
Cryptocurrencies

Vietnam game developer hit by crypto heist raises $150m

Sky Mavis says resumption of withdrawals and deposits could take several weeks

6 April 2022
While some crypto players based in Singapore decry the city-state's tightening of regulations, others welcome the scrutiny as a way to weed out bad actors.
Cryptocurrencies

Singapore's crypto players face added scrutiny under new law

Companies that provide overseas digital currency services must obtain licenses

5 April 2022
Investors in one of Japan's largest crypto exchanges are eager to recover their investment amid an industry reorganization.
Cryptocurrencies

Japan crypto exchange bitFlyer to be sold to Asian investment fund

Singapore-based ACA Group to buy majority stake valued up to $370m

3 April 2022
Axie Infinity has over 2 million daily players, who can breed digital creatures as pets and battle them to earn cryptocurrency. (Screenshot from Axie Infinity website)
Cryptocurrencies

Axie Infinity developer delays major upgrade after crypto heist

Company tries to reassure users as bid to attract casual gamers stalls

31 March 2022
Axie Infinity is one of the most popular applications of cryptocurrency to date, with over 2 million daily active users playing the game. (Screenshot from Axie Infinity website)
Cryptocurrencies

Crypto exchanges promise help to find hackers behind Axie Infinity heist

Unknown criminals stole $600m from blockchain network tied to popular game

30 March 2022
People shop in Bangkok's Chinatown. Cybercurrencies can no longer be used as payment for goods and services in Thailand.
Cryptocurrencies

Thailand bans bitcoin, other crypto payments starting in April

Regulators seek to tamp down risk of cybertheft and money laundering

24 March 2022
Only about 40 cryptocurrencies are listed on Japanese exchanges. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
Cryptocurrencies

Japanese crypto exchanges to speed up cryptocurrency listings

Industry body creates 'green list' in bid to catch up with rest of world

22 March 2022
President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol wants South Korea to play a bigger role in the development of digital assets. (Nikkei montage/Reuters)
Cryptocurrencies

South Korea's incoming president vows big cryptocurrency push

But Yoon's path to implementing coin offerings and tax breaks remains unclear

15 March 2022
Cryptocurrency players in Singapore are keen to show they are abiding by the city-state's financial sanctions on Russia. (Source photos by AP) 
Cryptocurrencies

Singapore's Russia sanctions pile pressure on crypto players

Digital asset platforms scour transactions as Ukraine war enters third week

10 March 2022
Major economies are looking to ensure cryptocurrencies are not used as a tool for dodging financial sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine war

Russia sanctions put spotlight on crypto: 5 things to know

Authorities, industry consider ways to limit use in dodging financial sanctions

7 March 2022
Nearly 300,000 people have joined Ukraine's IT army, according to Alex Bornyakov, deputy minister for digital transformation. (Image from online interview)
Ukraine war

Ukraine urges 70 tech firms to help in digital fight against Russia

'More and more' companies joining besieged country daily, deputy minister says

7 March 2022
A cryptocurrency exchange point in Kyiv, pictured on Jan. 24: if the crypto world fails Ukraine, there may not be any future for crypto. 
Opinion

Ukraine war is crypto's biggest test yet

Essential for individuals to accept that freedom comes with accountability

4 March 2022
Bitcoin-ruble trading volumes swelled in late February as Russia was hit with sweeping financial sanctions.
Ukraine war

U.S., Japan and EU rush to close crypto loophole in Russia sanctions

Decentralized assets seen as haven with ruble crashing and banks cut off

4 March 2022
Mitsubishi UFJ Trust is hoping that its 'stablecoin' will make the settlement of securities transactions instantaneous.
Cryptocurrencies

Mitsubishi UFJ Trust to issue cryptocurrency for trading purposes

Japan bank's stablecoin will offer instant settlement of securities in 2023

7 February 2022
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discuss plans for Uzbekistan's first nuclear power plant in 2018.
International relations

Central Asia's struggle to keep lights on fuels nuclear ambitions

Blackout-hit Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan eye atom in rush for grid upgrades

5 February 2022
An advertisement of Bitcoin in Hong Kong, pictured in November 2021: cryptocurrencies exist in a largely unregulated environment.
Opinion

Cryptocurrencies remain a gamble best avoided

Better regulation needed to protect investors and deter criminal abuse

5 February 2022