Thailand sees 44% fall in Chinese tourists after crypto scam backlash, Japan to urge G7 to tackle North Korean crypto hackers. Asia Express. Chinese academics are warning that the growth of stablecoins is a rising threat to China’s monetary sovereignty by enshrining the global dominance of the US dollar. A commentary in China Economic Times argues that the rise of crypto comes with implications for sovereign credit systems, global governance models and the future of money. China Economic Times is a daily newspaper sponsored by the Development Research Center of the State Council, one of the countrys highest-ranking policy research bodies. Government officials are part of the paper’s main reader base, and commentaries published by the paper often aim to influence or advise on economic strategy. Read more
Talks of a potential acquisition follow renewed interest in Nexon's massively multiplayer online role-playing game series MapleStory. Tencent, a Chinese technology and holding company with a global footprint, is reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring game developer and publisher Nexon. Representatives from the tech company contacted the family of Nexon founder Kim Jung-ju to explore a potential deal, but no concrete terms have been reached and a deal is not guaranteed, according to Bloomberg. Nexon is the South Korean video game developer behind the MapleStory series, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that first gained popularity in the early 2000s as a traditional PC game. Read more
SOL’s futures open interest hits a 2-year high above $7.4 billion, but neutral funding and declining DEX activity cast doubt on a breakout to $200. Key takeaways: SOL’s futures open interest surged to a 2-year high, reflecting growing institutional interest. Rising competition from other blockchains and neutral funding rates continue to dampen SOL’s bullish momentum. Read more
In the world of traditional finance, sentiment has been shifting toward digital assets, with BlackRock, JPMorgan and Franklin Templeton making moves. In an opinion piece published in Fortune, Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson wrote that the “advantages of blockchain are so compelling that we don’t foresee the shift to digital asset technology being slow or incremental,” echoing the growing positive sentiment some traditional finance institutions have toward crypto. “Indeed, we expect our industry will evolve more in the next five years than in the last 50,” Johnson said. “The pressing question is whether financial institutions will choose to embrace the digital asset wave (and the disruption coming with it), actively fight it or bury its head in the sand.” Johnson noted that blockchain technology and the growing cryptosphere have many benefits that traditional finance rails struggle to match. These include new financial options for homeowners, integration of global markets, and, eventually, throughput that...