Google Play will require foreign crypto exchanges to obtain FIU VASP registration in South Korea by Jan. 28 or face removal from the store.
At the CfC St. Moritz conference in the Swiss Alps, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse addressed the ongoing dispute with Coinbase and said it reflects a widening split in the industry. His comments raised fresh questions about exchange-token relationships and regulatory clarity for XRP holders.
Major Indian crypto exchanges have called on policymakers to review recent tax measures before the February budget, warning that transaction-level taxes and restrictions on offsetting losses are draining market liquidity.
India's tax and regulatory authorities have tightened KYC rules for crypto onboarding, saying cryptocurrencies and permissionless blockchains undermine effective tax collection. The move is aimed at improving traceability but may raise compliance burdens for exchanges and users.
HMRC has directed UK cryptocurrency platforms to provide customer data as it aims to recover £300 million in unpaid taxes over the next year. The move ramps up enforcement and raises fresh compliance and privacy questions for exchanges and users.
Japanese exchange operator Coincheck agreed to acquire Canadian asset manager 3iQ in a $112 million all-stock transaction, gaining control of a leading manager of regulated crypto investment products. The move broadens Coincheck’s reach into institutional and fund-based crypto offerings across Japan and Canada.
South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled that bitcoin held on exchanges can be seized under criminal law, dismissing the appeal. The decision creates a binding precedent that raises custody risk for exchange users and increases compliance pressure on platforms.
Vietnam will license five companies to run pilot digital asset exchanges under a tightly regulated sandbox before Jan. 15, with coordinated oversight from multiple government agencies.
Forty-nine crypto exchanges have registered with India's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-IND) under the country's new anti-money laundering framework, as regulators levy INR 2.8 billion in penalties and warn that offshore platforms will be blocked if they remain non-compliant.
A regulatory proposal in South Korea would allow authorities to freeze unrealized crypto gains as part of efforts to stamp out market manipulation and align crypto oversight with securities rules. The plan raises immediate concerns about liquidity, compliance costs, and legal challenges for exchanges and traders.