The original manuscript of Neil Stephenson’s Snow Crash — the book which coined the term “Metaverse,” — will be auctioned by Sotheby’s, according to a page on Sotheby’s official website. The auction is part of a Feb. 23 series called “Infocalypse” that includes six physical and six digital items related to the famous book. The original manuscript is in Lot 2 of the series. It is “wrapped in original Xerox 4200 Paper,” secured with masking tape and contains “corrections and notations throughout in Neal Stephenson's hand in blue ink.” It also has the title of the book written on the …

Regulators in Hong Kong are stepping up their game when it comes to monitoring the activities of the crypto industry. According to a Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) report filed on Feb. 6, it plans to hire four additional staff to “better supervise” the activities of local virtual asset (VA) providers. Moreover, the extra oversight will help “better assess the compliance and risk” in allowing retail investors the opportunity to trade virtual assets on regulated platforms. The commission wrote: “This is in response to an increasing number of operators who have expressed interest in carrying on VA activities such as …

Bank of Thailand (BOT) has disclosed plans to allow virtual banks to operate in the country for the first time. Financial firms will be able to provide services by 2025, a Bloomberg report shows. The ‘Consultation Paper on Virtual Bank Licensing Framework’ has been published by the central bank, and applications shall be available later in 2023, allowing virtual banks to act as financial services providers. The move focuses on boosting competition and Thailand's economic growth. The BOT will issue three different licenses for interested companies by 2024. There are at least 10 parties interested in granting permissions, the report …

From Jan. 1, 2023, the term “virtual currency” will take its place in the money transmission regulations of Alaska. It will oblige the companies dealing with digital currencies to obtain a money transmission license in the state. As reported by the law firm Cooley on Dec. 19, the state of Alaska amended its money transmission regulations to include the definition of “virtual currency.” According to the amendment to the local Administrative Code, adopted by the Division of Banking and Securities (DBS), the virtual currency is: “[A] digital representation of value that is used as a medium of exchange, unit of …

Hong Kong’s legislative council has passed a new amendment to its anti-money laundering (AML) and terrorist financing system to include virtual asset service providers. The latest legislation will establish a new licensing regime for virtual asset service providers, set to come into effect from June 1, 2023. The new amendment will subject crypto exchange service providers to the same legislation as followed by traditional financial institutions. It means virtual exchanges looking to open a business in Hong Kong will have to go through rigorous AML guidelines and investor protection laws before being granted a license of operation. Unlike most other …

When new technologies and platforms are created, there are incredible discovery phases in which economic activity eventually picks up and starts taking shape. The metaverse is arguably in that discovery phase, with many entrepreneurs finding ways to earn passive income on it. As economic activity in the metaverse rises, new passive income opportunities are seemingly being created on a regular basis, as are opportunities to actively earn income. While what works and what doesn’t is still up for debate, there are some in the vanguard of metaverse passive income. What is the metaverse? Before digging into passive income opportunities in …

Just days after Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao warned about the onset of greater regulatory scrutiny amid the FTX collapse, the Financial Secretary of Hong Kong called for a stronger focus on transparency and proper supervision when dealing with virtual assets. Financial Secretary Paul Chan highlighted the importance of being “steady and cautious” when promoting the development of the virtual asset industry in Hong Kong. A poster accompanying Chan’s post, roughly translated to: “While actively embracing innovation, there must be a regulatory package that adapts and keeps pace with the times to properly manage risks, create prerequisites for the orderly …

The total value locked in decentralized finance (DeFi) projects is hovering around $62 billion as of mid-August, down from a peak of over $250 billion in December 2021. Capital is fleeing the crypto space amid war, soaring inflation and whatever other surprises 2022 may still have in store for us. However, unlike previous crypto bull runs, it was not just retail interest that drew in this capital in the first place. Rather, major institutional players, which have recently opened up to crypto, quickly developed an appetite for the yields DeFi is known for. But now that winter is upon us, …

A new rule imposed by Belgium’s financial regulatory agency, the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA), will now require crypto exchanges and custodial wallet services in the region to register within a sharp deadline. Starting tomorrow on May 1, legal individuals and entities that wish to provide crypto exchange services or custodial wallets in Belgium will have to register in advance, according to the information released by the FSMA. As from 1 May 2022, providers of exchange services between #virtual #currencies and legal currencies, or custody #wallet services will have to register with the #FSMA. Please consult the FAQs. https://t.co/P44mkovn5L …

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates who holds several positions including prime minister, has announced a new law on virtual assets as well as the establishment of a crypto regulator. In a Wednesday announcement, Sheikh Al Maktoum said he had issued a law creating a legal framework for crypto in the Emirate of Dubai aimed at protecting investors and “designing much-warranted international standards” for industry governance. In addition, the ruler said a newly formed Dubai Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, or VARA, would have enforcement powers in the Emirate’s special development zones …

China’s hardline policy on crypto took another turn on Thursday as the Supreme Court of the country revised its judicial interpretation for illegal fundraising to include digital currency transactions. The Chinese Supreme Court issued a revised version of its "Decision on Amending the Interpretation of the Supreme People's Court on Several Issues Concerning the Specific Application of Law in the Trial of Criminal Cases of Illegal Fund Raising". Just In: For the first time, the Supreme Court of China has included virtual currency transactions in the judicial interpretation of illegal fundraising, which is mainly to punish the behavior of absorbing …

KuCoin Labs, the company behind the world's sixth-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume with more than 500 crypto assets listed, announced on Wednesday that it would be launching a $100 million metaverse fund for early-stage projects. The money is also available for entities that develop blockchain-based games, nonfungible tokens, and decentralized applications. In addition, Kucoin will also provide business incubation services, branding, incentives, and business partnerships for developers selected into the fund. Johnny Lyu, CEO of Kucoin, said the following in a prepared statement obtained by Cointelegraph: "KuCoin Metaverse Fund will be launched to accelerate the evolution of the Internet …