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Retail users in Vietnam who trade on offshore crypto exchanges like Binance or OKX face heavy penalties. Network School controversy in Malaysia over Israeli citizen ban. Vietnam will fine retail crypto users up to $1900 if they trade on unlicensed overseas platforms such as Binance, OKX and Bybit, instead of on licensed local exchanges. There’s just one problem: Vietnam’s Finance Ministry has yet to issue any exchange licenses for its regulated digital asset market which is due to start on September 1. Five exchanges have been approved in principle however. Domestic investors who trade crypto that’s been designated exclusively for foreign investors can be fined up to $3800. Crypto companies providing or advertising services without a license, those who fail to properly ID customers, or unlawfully deal with crypto account data, can be fined up to $7600. Balaji Srinivasan’s utopian Network School in Forest City, Malaysia is under fire over allegations it has been hosting Israeli citizens using second passports....

The new rules establish penalties as much as $1,900 for crypto violations, including unlicensed trading and AML breaches, ahead of Vietnam’s regulated crypto market launch. Vietnam has decreed administrative penalties for use of unlicensed cryptocurrency platforms, adding an enforcement framework to the country’s upcoming regulated market. Decree No. 284/2026/NĐ-CP, issued last Thursday, imposes fines of up to 50 million Vietnamese dong ($1,900) on investors who trade through unlicensed platforms, with fines of up to 200 million dong ($7,700) for unauthorized crypto offerings and serious anti-money laundering (AML) violations. The rules also authorize authorities to suspend crypto-related activities, revoke licenses and confiscate assets. Read more

A speedboat carrying Indian tourists capsized off southern Vietnam’s Phu Quoc island on Saturday, killing at least 15 people, state media reported. The boat was carrying 36 people when it overturned around 400 metres off May Rut Ngoai islet, according to the VNExpress website. Multiple tourist and coast guard boats participated in a rescue effort during which some people were plucked safely from the water. The Tuoi Tre newspaper quoted local police as saying 21 people had been transported to a hospital for emergency treatment, two of whom were in critical condition. India’s embassy in Vietnam confirmed the capsized boat had been carrying “several Indian tourists” but said that “exact details of the incident are being ascertained”. Nguyen Tien Hai, a provincial official of the ruling Communist Party, said authorities were still confirming the exact number of survivors, according to the state media report. Hai said initial assessments suggested that the speedboat may have overturned due to heavy winds and high ...

Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance has proposed letting SMEs use digital assets, virtual assets and intellectual property as loan collateral. Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance has proposed letting small and medium-sized enterprises use digital assets, virtual assets and intellectual property as collateral for bank loans. The proposal is part of a draft revised Law on Support for SMEs, which is open for public consultation, according to a Friday report by Vietnam News. Under the framework, businesses could secure loans using future-formed assets, property rights, intangible assets and digital or virtual assets. SMEs and household businesses account for more than 98% of all enterprises in Vietnam, yet outstanding loans to the segment represent only around 20% of total bank credit in the economy, per the report. The Ministry attributed the imbalance to a lack of eligible collateral, limited financial transparency and the small capital base of most SMEs. Read more

Aeternum, organisers of the Unchained Summit series, will host the second edition of Unchained Summit Vietnam this week on May 28 and 29 at the Furama Resort in Da Nang. Da Nang, Vietnam, May 27, 2026 - Aeternum, organisers of the Unchained Summit series, will host the second edition of Unchained Summit Vietnam this week on May 28 and 29 at the Furama Resort in Da Nang. The event is co-hosted by the Da Nang Innovation Start Support Center (DISSC), with institutional participation from the Da Nang People’s Committee, the State Securities Commission of Vietnam, and the Da Nang Department of Science and Technology. The summit brings together founders, investors, exchanges, infrastructure providers, enterprise leaders, and policymakers from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Its second edition arrives as Vietnam’s digital asset sector moves from early-stage experimentation to active policy development; a shift reflected in the depth of government engagement the event has attracted. Day 1 opens with remark...

Vietnam’s deputy minister of finance reportedly said the country is planning to launch its regulated cryptocurrency market in the third quarter of 2026 to answer the growing demand for digital assets. Vietnam could see the first official activity in its regulated crypto asset market as early as the third quarter of 2026, Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen Duc Chi said at the Digital Trust in Finance 2026 forum. “We believe that, as early as the third quarter, Vietnam could witness the first official activities of its crypto asset market, operating under a framework designed to ensure safety and transparency,” Chi said Tuesday, according to VnEconomy. The comments mark another step in Vietnam’s effort to bring one of Asia’s most active crypto markets under formal supervision, after regulators opened a licensing pathway for domestic crypto asset trading platforms earlier this year. Read more

Bithumb’s tie-up with SSI Digital positions it for Vietnam’s strict crypto exchange pilot as competition for scarce licenses heats up and scrutiny mounts at home. South Korean crypto exchange Bithumb is expanding its overseas push through a new partnership in Vietnam as the country moves toward licensing its first domestic digital asset trading platforms. Bithumb said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with SSI Digital (SSID), a subsidiary of Vietnam’s largest securities company, SSI Securities, to cooperate on establishing and operating a virtual asset exchange in the country. The agreement, signed in Hanoi in March but announced Thursday, also leaves the door open for Bithumb to make a strategic equity investment in an SSID-designated entity, subject to Vietnam’s regulatory approvals. Read more

Vietnamese President To Lam is expected to discuss expanding defence ties with India during a visit to New Delhi this week, including the potential purchase of BrahMos missiles jointly developed with Russia, two sources said. India, which has been building up domestic defence manufacturing for local use and exports, has already sold the supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines and signed a contract with Indonesia in March. A deal with Vietnam could be worth about 60 billion Indian rupees ($629 million), including training and logistical support, said one of the sources. India considers Vietnam a key part of its strategy to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region amid China’s growing influence. A third source said some defence cooperation announcements could be made during To Lam’s May 5-7 visit, though no signing of a weapons deal was expected. To Lam arrived on Tuesday in the eastern city of Bodh Gaya, a Buddhist pilgrimage site, on Tuesday. All the sources declined to be identified as they were not...

To Lam mikt als partijbaas én president van Vietnam op 10% groei van de economie. Maar het Aziatische land staat ook voor een aantal flinke uitdagingen.

President Asif Ali Zardari has congratulated To Lam on his election as President of Vietnam, stating that the unanimous support of the National Assembly reflects strong confidence in his leadership.

OKX Ventures and HashKey are buying into VPBank-backed CAEX as Vietnam’s strict crypto pilot pushes offshore exchanges toward a challenging onshore licensing regime. CAEX, a crypto platform linked to the Vietnam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank (VPBank) ecosystem, said OKX Ventures and HashKey Capital are backing the company as it seeks to qualify for Vietnam’s pilot regime for crypto exchanges. CAEX said Friday that the two offshore companies will join VPBank Securities (VPBankS) and technology partner LynkiD as shareholders. According to a release shared with Cointelegraph, their investment is intended to help CAEX reach Vietnam’s minimum charter capital threshold of 10 trillion dong (about $380 million), a key condition for participating in the pilot program. Read more

Remco van Wijngaarden verhuist deze zomer van Bangkok naar Hanoi. De 59-jarige diplomaat benadrukt dat deze regio belangrijker is dan ooit. ‘In Vietnam en Maleisië zijn nu grote veranderingen.’

Vietnam detained ONUS-linked suspects in an alleged token fraud case as police described price manipulation, false promotions and centralized market control. Vietnamese authorities have detained multiple ONUS-linked suspects after alleging they used false promotions and manipulated token trading to misappropriate investor funds through the crypto platform. The Ministry of Public Security said Thursday that the investigation targeted a group accused of selling digital tokens through the Onus platform, using misleading promotions and coordinated trading activity to attract users. Authorities claim the group manipulated supply and demand and adjusted token prices, presenting the assets as legitimate investment opportunities while maintaining centralized control over their markets.  Investigators named several suspects in the case, including Vuong Le Vinh Nhan, who is linked by Vemanti to XPLOR, the Singapore-based parent company of ONUS Pro; Tran Quang Chien, identified in Vietnamese reporting as the technical a...

Five companies, including bank affiliates and a major conglomerate, are competing for Vietnam’s first crypto exchange licences as authorities plan to restrict offshore trading. Five Vietnamese companies are reportedly competing to launch the country’s first licensed crypto exchanges as authorities move to bring trading onshore and ban overseas platforms. Five companies have passed an initial qualification round, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing a March 12 finance ministry document. The group reportedly includes affiliates of private banks Techcombank, VPBank and LPBank, alongside stockbroker VIX Securities and conglomerate Sun Group. VPBank and Sun Group reportedly confirmed their licence applications to Reuters. Vietnam opened applications for licenses to operate crypto exchanges in January. The move came after new procedures issued by the finance ministry and a law that, for the first time, defines crypto assets as property while still banning their use as legal tender or for payments. Read more

Un marinar american și-a riscat viața în iadul închisorilor de război din Vietnam în anii 70 pentru a-și salva camarazii. A jucat timp de doi ani rolul unui idiot reușind să păcălească un întreg sistem și chiar pe cei mai isteți comandanți vietnamezi. Povestea sa incredibilă a fost ecranizată.

Vietnam’s Finance Ministry proposes a 0.1% tax on crypto transfers, 20% corporate tax on profits and tough licensing standards for digital asset exchanges. Vietnam is preparing to introduce a tax framework for cryptocurrency transactions that would align digital assets with securities trading, according to a draft policy circulated by the Ministry of Finance. Under the proposal, individuals transferring crypto assets through licensed service providers would face a 0.1% personal income tax on the value of each transaction, local outlet The Hanoi Times reported. The structure mirrors the levy currently applied to stock trades in the country. According to the report, the draft circular, released for public consultation, classifies crypto transfers and trading as exempt from value-added tax. However, the turnover-based tax would apply to investors regardless of residency status whenever a transfer is executed. Read more

The licensing move operationalizes Vietnam’s crypto pilot, though regulators have yet to confirm receiving or approving any exchange applications. Vietnam began accepting applications for licenses to operate digital asset trading platforms, marking the operational start of the country’s long-planned pilot program for a regulated crypto market. The State Securities Commission of Vietnam (SSC) officially opened the licensing window on Tuesday, following the issuance of new administrative procedures under Decision No. 96 by the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam, which implements a resolution on piloting a regulated crypto asset market.  “Applications for the aforementioned administrative procedures will be accepted beginning January 20, 2026,” the SSC said, framing the move as part of a broader effort to bring crypto under formal regulatory oversight.  Read more

LAHORE: Pakistan’s rice exports recorded a strong rebound in December 2025, registering a 14 per cent month-on-month (MoM) increase compared to November, primarily driven by a more than 50pc surge in Basmati shipments. The impressive performance enabled Pakistan to overtake Vietnam and emerge as the world’s third-largest rice exporter, behind India and Thailand, during the month. According to trade data, Pakistan exported 489,000 tonnes of rice in December 2025, excluding shipments to Iran, compared to Vietnam’s 387,000 tonnes. This marks Pakistan’s best monthly rice export performance, underscoring renewed momentum in the sector. The UAE remained the top destination for Pakistani rice, importing 74,897 tonnes, including 16,850 tonnes of Basmati. China followed closely with 74,685 tonnes, while other major destinations included Tanzania (62,900 tonnes), Kenya (60,300 tonnes), Ivory Coast (41,700 tonnes), Guinea-Bissau (31,850 tonnes), Malaysia (23,930 tonnes), Madagascar (17,800 tonnes), Kazakhstan (17,050 to...

Vietnam has revved up South China Sea land reclamation efforts this year, beginning construction on eight previously untouched Spratly Islands features.

Rescuers raced to find more than a dozen people still missing on Saturday after a week of heavy flooding in Vietnam, where authorities said at least 55 people have died. Relentless rain has lashed south-central Vietnam since late October and popular holiday destinations have been hit by several rounds of flooding. Whole city blocks were inundated this week in coastal Nha Trang, while deadly landslides struck highland passes around the Da Lat tourist hub. At least 55 people have been killed across six provinces since Sunday, while the search continues for 13 others, the environment ministry said in a statement released on Saturday. Mountainous Dak Lak province was the hardest hit, with more than two dozen fatalities, it said. Rescuers were still plucking people from treetops and the roofs of homes as floodwaters receded there on Friday, state media reported. Multiple highways remained impassable Saturday and 300,000 people were without power, after a blackout that initially affected more than a million, the en...