Asian countries account for almost half of Adoption Index
Almost half of the top 20 nations in terms of grassroots crypto adoption are in the Asia Pacific region. According to Chainalysis’s newly released 2026 Global Crypto Adoption Index, Japan ranks at number 4, followed by South Korea (5), India (6), Thailand (8), China (12), Indonesia (14), Australia (15), Vietnam (18) and the Philippines (19), which totals nine countries out of 20 on the index.
A big growth area in the APAC region is cross border stablecoin transfers.
Tianwei Liu, co-founder and CEO of StraitsX, told Cointelegraph that in Asia, fragmented currencies and payment systems have created demand for stablecoin settlement.
“That demand is also extending into everyday spending, with stablecoins sitting behind payment methods people already use,” Liu said.
Bitget confirms $351M security breach, suspends withdrawals
Crypto exchange Bitget has confirmed unauthorized transfers affecting approximately $351.6 million in assets and temporarily suspended withdrawals as it investigates.
The CEO of the Asia-focused exchange, Gracy Chen, said the breach was contained to a portion of the exchange’s hot and warm wallet layers, while its cold wallets remained secure.
Bitget said it has flagged addresses associated with the transfers and contacted law enforcement and onchain security firms. The amount affected falls within Bitget’s User Protection Fund, which currently holds more than $464 million.
Source: Gracy Chen
Binance takes $100M stake in Circle under expanded USDC deal
Binance has invested $100 million in stablecoin issuer Circle as part of an expanded five-year agreement to promote USDC on the crypto exchange. Under the agreement, Circle will pay Binance a monthly incentive fee based on the amount of USDC held through Circle’s Modular Smart Contract Wallet infrastructure.
Binance also agreed to undertake additional activities promoting USDC on its platform.
AUSTRALIA
Australian 40-year economic outlook recognizes ‘AI revolution,’ omits crypto
Australia’s new 40-year economic outlook has identified artificial intelligence as one of five major transitions expected to have a profound effect on the economy, while leaving out any mention of crypto.
Coinbase Australia country director John O’Loghlen told Cointelegraph the report was a missed opportunity. “While the report focuses heavily on artificial intelligence, it completely misses the financial infrastructure those agents will need,” he said.
In related news, OpenAI agents hacked the Australian government’s Medicare system, and the firm forgot to mention the incident until three months later when it fired an email to a public email address.
KOREA
Bank of Korea launches 24-hour won settlement pilot for foreign investors
The Bank of Korea (BOK) launched a pilot of its first 24-hour won settlement network, aimed at allowing foreign investors to settle won transactions outside South Korea’s normal banking hours.
On Monday, its international wire network started trial operations with four domestic lenders: KB Kookmin Bank, Woori Bank, Hana Bank and Shinhan Bank. Full operations are scheduled for January 2027, when participation is expected to expand to other institutions and foreign banks.
The network will operate 24 hours a day, excluding weekends and public holidays
Hana Bank taps Euroclear blockchain for $100M bond issuance: Report
South Korea’s Hana Bank has issued a five-year, $100 million digital bond using Euroclear’s blockchain-based platform. Using the technology for bond allocation and payment settlement reportedly shortened the process from three to five business days to the same day.
Kakao Pay, KakaoBank to explore stablecoin opportunities with Fireblocks
South Korean financial companies Kakao Pay and KakaoBank have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with crypto infrastructure provider Fireblocks to explore digital asset opportunities, including stablecoins.
North Korean fake recruiters infect 30K devices, steal $10.7M in crypto
North Korean cyber group WaterPlum targeted developers with fake jobs at crypto, AI and NFT companies, infecting at least 30,000 devices across more than 100 countries.
HONG KONG
Animoca puts Currenc merger on ice, delaying its Nasdaq debut
Animoca Brands has suspended plans to take the company public through a reverse merger with Nasdaq-listed Currenc Group. Animoca is a Hong Kong-headquartered investment and gaming company whose portfolio includes The Sandbox, Moca Network and Open Campus.
Both parties mutually agreed on the decision after reviewing market conditions and the deal’s projected closing timelines. Animoca said the companies may resume discussions if conditions permit.
Hong Kong jails ex-banker over $1.6B false credit, cryptocurrency bribes
A former bank official in Hong Kong who falsely authenticated letters of credit for more than $1.6 billion was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to make restitution of more than…
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