The Korea Exchange has internally assessed the technical feasibility of a temporary short-selling ban and narrower price limits in response to the recent stock market crash, confirming it is technically possible but would only be deployed in extreme conditions. The move comes amid intense volatility and retail investor demands for protection, though officials have not received a government request and stress such a ban is not under the exchange’s sole authority. A ban would clash with Korea’s pursuit of MSCI developed market status, which was previously downgraded during a 17-month short-selling prohibition that ended in March 2025.

Samsung SDS revealed in its Q2 earnings call that it is discussing stablecoin infrastructure and AI-powered next-generation payment systems with Dunamu, the operator of major Korean exchange Upbit. The collaboration aims to merge Dunamu’s blockchain experience with Samsung SDS’s IT, AI, cloud, and security capabilities to strengthen its digital finance infrastructure business. Samsung SDS holds a strategic stake in Dunamu as part of its push into the digital asset infrastructure sector, and both companies are planning concrete joint initiatives.

Japanese gaming giant Gumi, via its subsidiary gC Labs, is launching the “SBI Crypto Fund I” on August 1 in partnership with SBI Financial Services. The fund has a size of approximately 3 billion yen ($18.3 million), a three-year term, and a private placement structure with participation from Daiwa Securities and other institutions. It will invest primarily in Bitcoin and major altcoins using staking, rebalancing, and hedging strategies, aiming to bridge the crypto asset market and Japanese enterprises ahead of potential crypto ETF approvals.

The Federal Reserve kept rates at 3.5%-3.75% for the fifth consecutive meeting, but a 9-3 vote and hawkish comments from Chair Kevin Warsh surprised markets, with three dissents favoring a 25-basis-point hike. Bitcoin held near $64,000 during the decision, but analysts are split: DWF Labs’ Andrei Grachev called it the worst outcome for digital assets due to tightening liquidity, while Sygnum Bank sees no macro deterioration as its constructive stance was never predicated on rate cuts. The decision is likely to influence Asian trading sessions as liquidity expectations recalibrate.

South Korea’s Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol stated that the digital asset tax will be implemented as scheduled on January 1, 2027, with a 20% rate (up to 22% with local tax) on gains exceeding 2.5 million won. The government will consider supplementary measures after implementation, but rejected calls for loss carryover deductions, noting that stock investments also lack such provisions. The tax has been delayed three times since its original 2022 target due to infrastructure readiness.

A group of 15 South Korean lawmakers led by Kim Sang-hoon introduced an amendment to the Specific Financial Information Act that would allow financial authorities to order a 30-day payment freeze on crypto accounts suspected of being used for illegal asset transfers. The freeze can be extended once, and exchanges failing to comply could face fines up to 100 million won. The law would take effect six months after promulgation.

A group of 27 affected users of Asian exchange BitMart have publicly accused the platform of blocking withdrawals totaling more than $3.7 million, with one individual’s funds reaching 700,000 USDT. Users reported being attracted by stablecoin yield products like USDG and PYUSD, completing KYC, and redeeming funds as instructed, only to find withdrawal channels suspended. Both USDG and PYUSD trading pairs and withdrawal networks remain disabled, leaving users unable to access their assets.

ByteDance announced an internal reorganization merging the Feishu product team with the Doubao product team into a new Doubao product unit led by Zhao Qi, while Feishu’s Go-to-Market and sales teams are integrated into Volcano Engine under a new B2B organization. This “Creativity Service Platform” will oversee ByteDance’s MaaS and SaaS cloud services, reflecting a strategic pivot to streamline enterprise offerings and potentially impact the Asian tech and crypto infrastructure landscape.

On-chain analyst Ai Yi reported that a Binance contract smart money account named “ESP bull” has become the top loser, with over $2.4 million in losses. The account holds large long positions in BTC and CTSI, with BTC long floating losses of $4.05 million, alongside losses on ON, US, and ACX pairs. The activity highlights the risks of leveraged trading on Asian exchanges amid recent market turbulence.

An address associated with Bitminter founder Geir Harald Hansen transferred 829 BTC, some untouched for eight years, drawing attention from on-chain analysts. Bitminter was one of the earliest mining pools, once commanding nearly 10% of Bitcoin’s hashrate and mining over 208,232 BTC. The move could signal a potential sell-off from a historical mining figure, prompting Asian traders to watch for market impact.