Crypto exchanges in South Korea have been issued notices from police requesting the sequestering of funds related to the Luna Foundation Guard. On Monday, Korean authorities sent a request to the top crypto exchanges in the country to prevent funds from being withdrawn. Specifically, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency asked to prohibit the Luna Foundation Guard from taking any action. The police claim that clues have been found that may link the organization to embezzlement. The Luna/Terra algorithmic stablecoin crash, which reduced the value of the coin by over 99%, crushed investor portfolios overnight earlier this month. However, this request …

The recent privacy-focused MimbleWimble upgrade on the Litecoin (LTC) blockchain has prompted two of Korea's largest crypto exchanges to issue investment warnings about the fifth-largest cryptocurrency. Bithumb and Upbit, which together account for the majority of trading volume in South Korea, released statements on Monday advising investors about the risks associated with the privacy-enhancing upgrade. Litecoin's use of privacy-focused technology Mimblewimble allows users to make "confidential transactions," that allow them to send tokens while concealing transaction data, according to Bithumb. Upbit issued a similar statement. The two exchanges cited Korea's Act on the Reporting and Use of Specific Financial Transaction …

Terraform Labs and co-founder Do Kwon continue to attract more legal trouble in the wake of the collapse of the Terra ecosystem. After early reports of a possible congressional hearing and an investigation from Grim Reapers financial crimes unit, the crypto firm has now come under the radar of the national tax agency. According to a report published in Naver news, South Korea’s national tax agency has slapped the Terraform Labs and its co-founder with a $78 million, or 100 billion won, penalty for tax evasion charges. The report highlighted that the Kwon was unhappy with crypto taxation in the …

Legal troubles are mounting for the co-founder of failed Terra crypto project, Do Kwon, as the South Korean government revives the dormant Grim Reapers of Yeoui-do to investigate Terra’s fall. The special investigative and prosecutorial team consists of members from various financial regulators and is designed to prosecute securities fraud and unfair trading schemes. Potentially at risk are co-founders Do Kwon and Shin Hyun-seong, along with core members of the Terra team. Yeoui-do is the financial center of Seoul. Today: Korea’s “Grim Reapers of Yeouido” - Financial and Securities Crime Joint Investigation Team - are back after 2.5 years. And …

A report commissioned by South Korea’s federal government recommends the domestic crypto industry adopt a licensing system for exchanges and token issuers as a way of protecting investors. The report issued by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) to the National Assembly, the country’s legislature, also calls for new regulations to mitigate insider trading, pump-and-dump schemes and wash trading. The new regulations would be stricter, and the penalties for failure to comply would be harsher than those in the Capital Markets Act that the domestic crypto industry currently abides by. “The Comparative Analysis of the Virtual Property Industry Act” report obtained …

The dramatic fall of Terra (LUNA) along with the algorithmic stablecoin UST has been a major talking point among the crypto industry. And now the South Korean Conservative Party has requested a parliamentary hearing on the matter. Korea's conservative party requested to have a hearing about the Terra incident. The politician noted Korean exchanges each reacted differently to the crash. He wanted to invite both Do and the exchanges to learn more details. https://t.co/3ezNlTFzzP — Doo | StableNode @Permisionless (@DooWanNam) May 17, 2022 According to a local news report, Korean exchanges responded differently to the collapse, with the National Assembly's …

This week will be remembered as the one when the stablecoins showed an unexpected ability to depeg. Terra’s TerraUSD (UST) dropped to a shocking $0.29 following the general meltdown of both crypto and financial markets, but it was also the headliner of stablecoins’ niche, while Tether (USDT) lost the balance and slid to $0.96 for a short time. The United States Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen felt it necessary to assure everyone that, given the stablecoins’ market size, depegging didn’t present a threat to America’s financial stability. At the same time, she called on lawmakers to develop a “consistent federal framework” …

Ether (ETH) is down 38% in three weeks and the current $2,000 level is 59% below the $4,870 all-time high that was reached in November 2021. Additional newsflow that added to the current marketwide volatility were the bankruptcy fears that emerged after Coinbase, the largest United States exchange, reported a $430 million first-quarter 2022 loss. In the most recent 10-Q filing Coinbase included the following disclosure: “In the event of a bankruptcy, the crypto assets we hold on behalf of our customers may be subject to bankruptcy proceedings.” Regulatory uncertainty was also partially responsible for Ether’s sharp correction. On May …

The administration of the newly-elected President of South Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol, wastes no time in his drive to maintain the country’s stature as a center for innovation, as South Korea hopes to roll out comprehensive crypto legislation in 2023 and institutionalize the sector by 2024. On Wednesday, South Korean newspaper Kukmin, citing a leaked governmental document, reported that the administration is looking to introduce the Digital Asset Basic Act (DABA) in the next year and to follow it up with more legislation by 2024. The bill is part of the 110 policy aims that the new president introduced earlier this …

The Crocodile Minter Australia Zoo, the famous animal sanctuary owned by Terri Irwin, the widow of Steve Irwin or the crocodile hunter, has launched a nonfungible token (NFT) project called “Wildlife Warriors.” Wildlife Warriors is also the name of a nonprofit organization founded by the Irwins in 2002 which focuses on the protection of injured, threatened or endangered wildlife. All profits from the NFT sales will be donated to the Australia Zoo and Wild Warriors conservation efforts. The NFT collection is a part of the 20th-anniversary celebration of the Australia Zoo, and users can now sign up for the allow …

South Korea’s newly-elected president Yoon Suk-yeol announced Tuesday he would push to defer taxation on crypto investment gains at least until a new set of regulations called the Digital Asset Basic Act (DABA) is enacted. South Korea’s crypto tax was initially set to come into effect for the 2022 fiscal year but was pushed back to 2023 last December. E-daily reported that Yoon will ensure the crypto tax law does not come into effect until reasonable legislation is in place to protect consumers, which could be by 2024. The president-elect’s presidential transition team has been exploring its options in delaying …

The operator of South Korean crypto exchange Upbit, Dunamu, is facing pushback from regulators due to a controversial investment while authorities move to issue restrictions to stifle its monopolistic position. Dunamu’s total assets are valued at over 10 trillion KRW ($8.06 billion) and Upbit controls an overwhelming 80% of the domestic trading volume. As a result, regulators see Dunamu and by extension Upbit, as a monopoly with too much power that should be curtailed. Regulators could prevent its growth by designating it a large corporation, which would restrict its market activities. Large corporations and investment firms in South Korea are …