Author: Cointelegraph By Ezra Reguerra

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South Korea Prepares Crypto Market Probes Under 2026 Policy Plan

South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said it will step up scrutiny of suspected cryptocurrency price manipulation in 2026, outlining a slate of planned investigations that target high-risk trading tactics, including “whale” activity and schemes that exploit disruptions at local exchanges, local outlet Yonhap reported Monday. According to Yonhap News Agency, FSS Governor Lee Chang-jin…
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AI Surveillance Marks a New Phase for South Korea’s Crypto Markets

South Korean regulators are stepping up oversight of the domestic cryptocurrency market, signaling a faster, more coordinated approach to detecting suspicious trading activity amid renewed volatility.  The heightened scrutiny was highlighted after South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said it was reviewing sharp price movements in the ZKsync token listed on Upbit, following extreme volatility…
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Survey Shows Crypto Investors Favor Infrastructure Over DeFi

A survey of senior crypto investors and executives suggests capital priorities are shifting away from decentralized finance (DeFi) and toward core infrastructure, as decision-makers focus on liquidity constraints and market plumbing.  The findings come from a new report published by the digital asset conference CfC St. Moritz, based on responses from 242 attendees of its…
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CIRO Formalizes Interim Crypto Custody Framework in Canada

The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) has formalized its interim framework governing the custody of crypto and tokenized assets. The move outlined how dealer members are expected to safeguard client holdings while permanent crypto-specific rules remain under development. In a Tuesday notice, CIRO said the framework sets out its supervisory expectations for investment dealers operating…
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Xapo Bank Data Shows Bitcoin-Backed Loans Skew Long-Term

Bitcoin-backed borrowing at the Gibraltar-based Xapo Bank is increasingly being used for long-term financial planning rather than short-term liquidity, according to the bank’s 2025 Digital Wealth Report. Shared with Cointelegraph, the report says 52% of the Bitcoin-backed loans issued by Xapo in 2025 carried a 365-day term, with many of those loans remaining open even…
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South Korea’s FSS Details AI Upgrades for Crypto Abuse Detection

South Korea’s financial watchdog has expanded the use of artificial intelligence to monitor digital asset markets, signaling a shift toward automated, data-driven enforcement as trading activity grows more complex.  On Monday, the country’s Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said it has upgraded its Virtual Assets Intelligence System for Trading Analysis (VISTA), a model used to investigate…
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Hong Kong Targets March for First Stablecoin Licenses

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Hong Kong’s financial regulator, is preparing to grant its first stablecoin issuer licenses in March, according to a Reuters report.  During a Legislative Council meeting on Monday, HKMA Chief Executive Eddie Yue reportedly said the regulator’s review of stablecoin license applications was nearing completion. Yue added that the initial…
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DeFi Stays Outside Rules as Regulators Tighten Elsewhere

The European Union’s new crypto tax reporting regime under DAC8 is intentionally focused on enforceable targets, leaving decentralized finance (DeFi) outside its scope for now. Colby Mangels, a former adviser to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and now Taxbit’s global head of government solutions, said the rules prioritize identifiable intermediaries such as…
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DOJ Finalizes $400M Helix Forfeiture in Early Bitcoin Darknet Case

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) finalized the forfeiture of over $400 million in cryptocurrency and other assets tied to Helix, an early Bitcoin-era darknet mixing service, according to a statement released Thursday.  The assets were seized from Larry Harmon, the operator of Helix, which processed transactions between 2014 and 2017. The crypto mixer…
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Metaplanet Greenlights $137M Overseas Capital Raise

Tokyo-listed Bitcoin-focused company Metaplanet approved an overseas capital raise of as much as $137 million, combining new common shares and stock acquisition rights as it looks to expand its Bitcoin holdings and reduce debt.  In a Thursday filing, Metaplanet said it plans to issue 24.5 million common shares at 499 Japanese yen per share, raising…
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