The number of cryptocurrency owners has massively increased last year, with nearly half of all owners worldwide buying crypto for the first time in 2021, according to a new report. Gemini, a cryptocurrency exchange founded by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, has polled about 30,000 respondents in 20 countries between November 2021 and February 2022 to provide a picture of a rapidly expanding crypto ecosystem. The company released the survey findings as part of its “2022 Global State of Crypto” report shared with Cointelegraph on Monday. According to Gemini’s findings, crypto adoption skyrocketed in 2021 in countries like India, Brazil and …

Huobi Tech, a public listed fund manager in Hong Kong, plans to launch a cryptocurrency tracking exchange-traded fund (ETF) for retail investors. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange-listed company has reportedly submitted a proposal to the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) for its crypto ETF. The new ETF product will be focused on retail investors with assets less than HK$8 million (US$1 million), reported South China Morning Post. The vice president of the firm Romeo Wang said stressed that a Hong Kong-regulated crypto ETF would offer better security to investors and also noted that they are actively engaged with the SFC …

Hong Kong-listed virtual asset platform Huobi Technology Holdings has launched a cryptocurrency over-the-counter (OTC) service, the firm announced to Cointelegraph on Wednesday. Listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) since 2016, Huobi Technology was originally known as Pantronics Holdings, an electronic product maker founded back in 1990. Huobi Technology has been actively moving into the cryptocurrency industry in recent years but operates independently of Huobi Group, the entity that owns the Huobi Global cryptocurrency exchange. The two companies share some shareholders but they are two separate legal entities, a spokesperson for Huobi told Cointelegraph. According …

In the world of digital finance, where the weapon of choice for a heist is a computer rather than a semi-automatic firearm, tracking down scams and frauds from across the world becomes a near-impossible feat for centralized police forces. However, in an interview with Cointelegraph, an anonymous cyber vigilante shares insights into how he went about tracking down a group of decentralized finance (DeFi) scammers responsible for the $25 million StableMagnet rug pull, coordinating with police authorities and eventually having the stolen money returned back to the investors. The StableMagnet platform lured unwary investors under the pretext of high returns …

The holding company behind DeCurret, the Japan-based company offering trading and exchanges of digital assets, reportedly plans to sell its crypto business to investment platform Amber Group. According to a Wednesday report from the Nikkei newspaper, DeCurret Holdings intends to sell the crypto branch of its business to the Hong Kong-based company Amber Group in February. Though the details of the acquisition are unclear, the news outlet reported that the sale price would be in the millions of dollars. DeCurret established a new business structure in December 2021, launching a holding company, DeCurret Holdings, and separating its digital currency and …

Back in 2021, a study showed that there is a high demand for cryptocurrency payment abilities among both crypto holders and non-holders. However, in the same study, 50% of participants noted that there are not enough businesses that accept crypto. This may change very soon. Almost one out of four small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) that participated in a survey by Visa said that they are planning to accept payments in cryptos like Bitcoin. In the same study, 73% of respondents stated that accepting new forms of digital payment options is a key factor that will affect business growth in …

Hong Kong’s central bank, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), wants to supervise stablecoin issuance and reserves management. HKMA published a discussion paper on Jan. 12 regarding cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, in which it provided its views on how the industry should be regulated in Hong Kong. In the 34-page long consultation document, the HKMA paid special attention to “payment-related stablecoins,” pointing out that the market capitalization of all stablecoins hit $150 billion in December, accounting for 5% of the entire crypto market. The regulator added that all existing stablecoins are “mostly asset-linked and predominantly pegged” to the United States dollar, …

A cryptocurrency exchange in Hong Kong has reportedly stopped all withdrawal requests, according to reports. Coinsuper is the sole crypto firm in China that is licensed by the government, and was founded by a former senior UBS Group AG executive in November 2017. The report by Bloomberg suggests that customers of the bourse have been unable to withdraw funds since late November, based on a review of messages on the exchange's primary Telegram chat group. Five clients reportedly filed police complaints after token withdrawals were apparently halted, leaving them unable to reclaim around $55,000 of cryptocurrency and money. I called …

Sun Hung Kai, one of the largest property developers in Hong Kong, continues betting on the cryptocurrency industry by investing in Swiss crypto outfit Sygnum. Sygnum officially announced Thursday that it closed a $90 million Series B round led by Sun Hung Kai, a real estate giant and alternative investment firm in Hong Kong. According to Sun Hung Kai’s group executive chairman Lee Seng Huang, the company has a strategic vision to expand its fund management offerings into digital assets. “Amidst growing institutional demand and regulatory oversight of this sector, Sygnum, with its track record as a fully-regulated digital asset …

Blockchain innovation is surging throughout Southeast Asia, as the region is home to a number of fintech firms and global crypto companies. In particular, Singapore has become one of the world’s most crypto-friendly countries. This was recently highlighted in a report conducted by crypto exchange Gemini, which found that 67% of 4,348 respondents currently own crypto. The report further noted that Ether (ETH) is the most popular cryptocurrency in the region, with 78% of surveyors claiming to own the digital asset. Interestingly enough, the Ethereum blockchain may also be the network of choice for financial institutions based in Southeast Asia. …

A major Asian insurer has ventured into Bitcoin (BTC), in an attempt to provide a model for other businesses in the field. Multi-line insurance firm OneDegree announced on Thursday that it is partnering with Hong Kong Bitcoin Exchange (HKbitEX) to provide protection for the latter's ON1ON custody platform. OneDegree claims to be the first Asia-based insurance provider for digital assets, having insured $100 million in digital assets under HKbitEX's custody. Insurance demand for digital assets is growing and insurance and risk management for digital assets will boost investor confidence and help the market develop, according to OneDegree. Third-party insurance covers …

The Securities and Futures Commission, or SFC, in Hong Kong is reviewing regulations surrounding virtual currency transactions, including whether individuals can invest in exchange-traded funds, or ETFs. According to a report by South China Morning News on Nov.3, the 2018 regulations limited transactions of cryptocurrencies via funds or trading platforms to professional investors with at least HK$8 million to invest. SFC's deputy chief executive Julia Leung Fung-yee stated that the re-evaluation will be made "to see if it is still fit for purpose and whether modifications are required." Fung-yee, speaking at the 2021 Hong Kong Financial Technology Week conference, said …