Two Thai businessmen have filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, alleging that Tether illegally froze $42.4 million worth of USDT in October 2025 without a warrant. A seizure warrant was later issued by a North Carolina court in February 2026, directing the tokens to be burned and reissued to a government wallet. The plaintiffs, who deny involvement in the underlying pig‑butchering scheme, argue the action shows how authorities can seize stablecoins based on inaccurate information.
Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission has introduced new Travel Rule regulations that require digital‑asset operators to collect identifying information on parties to crypto transfers, with the rules taking effect on 27 February 2027. In a separate proposal, the SEC is consulting on allowing intermediaries to offer retail access to regulated overseas crypto derivatives that meet specific criteria, including central‑counterparty clearing and oversight by recognized regulators. The consultation runs until 30 September.
Fintech lender Pencil Finance announced the completion of a $1 million on‑chain student‑loan cycle covering 6,600 students across 118 schools in Southeast Asia. About 1,050 borrowers received direct funding, with 50 % of the loans going to female students and 93 % to households classified as lower‑income. Pencil claims the cycle is the first fully on‑chain financing of student loans recorded transparently on a blockchain.
Ripple has partnered with SettleMint to provide financial institutions with end‑to‑end solutions for the custody, issuance and management of tokenised assets. In Japan, digital‑asset service provider Coincheck Group teamed up with wallet‑infrastructure firm DFNS to develop wallet technology and custody services for the domestic market.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore is reviewing its stance on foreign‑issued stablecoins. A proposal would permit jointly issued tokens—co‑issued by a Singapore entity and a foreign counterpart—to be classified as “MAS‑regulated stablecoins,” provided risk mitigations are in place. The MAS is also considering recognising a limited set of foreign stablecoins that are regulated under comparable overseas frameworks for cross‑border wholesale use.
Australia's Securities and Investments Commission warned crypto firms that operate without an Australian Financial Services licence that penalties could reach up to 10 % of annual turnover. Firms have until 30 September to apply for a licence or amend an existing one; more than 45 digital‑asset licence applications have been recorded so far.
London‑based Standard Chartered launched spot Bitcoin and Ether trading for institutional clients in the United Arab Emirates, becoming the first global systemically important bank to offer such services in the region.
Japan's corporate Bitcoin holder Remixpoint disclosed that it sold all its altcoin holdings, retaining roughly 1,506 BTC (about $115 million). The company sold Ether, Solana, XRP and Dogecoin for a combined 878.8 million yen, recording a gain of 117.8 million yen on ETH, SOL and XRP, while incurring a 3.26 million‑yen loss on DOGE.
Other regional updates include Metaplanet moving 10,270 BTC (about $377 million) to Coinbase Prime, Japan's Financial Services Agency seeking a tax exemption for trust‑type stablecoins from fiscal 2027, SBI Holdings investing $270 million for a 20 % stake in Indonesia's Ajaib Group to expand its crypto business, and Hong Kong's Hashkey joining the DTCC Digital Assets Advisory Services Industry Working Group. The Bitcoin Asia conference in Hong Kong was described as subdued, while Hong Kong‑based OSL Group reported a 65.8 % revenue increase in the first half of its fiscal year. The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission added Star Bridge Capital Group to its alert list over alleged unlicensed activities.
