Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission will enforce the Financial Action Task Force's Travel Rule for virtual asset service providers beginning October 2026. Transfers above NT$30,000 (approx. $950) will require originators to transmit the recipient's name, account number, and additionally, date of birth and residential address for identity verification. The rule will first apply to domestic VASP-to-VASP transfers in October, with cross-border VASP transfers expected by the end of 2027. Non-compliance can result in fines ranging from NT$500,000 to NT$10 million under the Money Laundering Control Act.

Japan's Financial Services Agency announced a reorganization effective August 7, creating a new "Crypto Assets and Stablecoin Division" under the Supervisory Bureau. The move elevates oversight from a previous office to a full division, reflecting the growing importance of digital assets. The new structure includes dedicated offices for exchange monitoring, innovation promotion, and digital payment planning, aiming to address regulatory needs arising from financial digitalization.

Samsung is poised to become a major stablecoin distributor, leveraging its 800 million Galaxy smartphone base, according to Areta's Asia-Pacific head Joseph Goh. The company plans to integrate native stablecoin functionality into Samsung Wallet, which already has nearly 19 million users in South Korea and a presence in 61 countries. Samsung aims to support both USD and won-pegged stablecoins, with Samsung SDS and Dunamu providing infrastructure, effectively locking in distribution channels and positioning the tech giant at the forefront of digital payments.

China's A-share market closed notably higher, with the STAR 50 Index jumping 4.78%. The Shanghai Composite rose 1.47% and the Shenzhen Component gained 1.86%, driven by strong turnover of 2.66 trillion yuan. AI application stocks and autonomous driving concepts led the rally, with companies like Suo Ling and Zhejiang Shibao hitting daily limits. The rebound reflects renewed investor appetite for tech themes, with semiconductor and computing power leasing sectors also seeing active trading.

Chinese AI firm DeepSeek has resumed its second funding round, aiming to raise 50 billion yuan ($6.9 billion) at a pre-money valuation of 500 billion yuan ($69 billion), according to multiple dealmakers. The round, initially launched in mid-July and paused due to leaked investor meeting transcripts, is expected to close by late August. The company, known for its large language models, is seeking a low-profile process this time as investor interest in Chinese AI remains intense.

Chinese AI startup Yanyu Technology, the company behind the Lovart AI design agent, is considering an initial public offering in Hong Kong, sources said. The firm is close to a funding round that would value it at $3 billion. The move follows the breakthrough success of other Chinese AI tools like Manus and signals strong investor demand for AI-powered productivity applications in the region.

X Square, a Chinese embodied intelligence startup, has reportedly submitted a confidential listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company focuses on AI systems for robotics and physical interaction tasks. Details on the offering size and timeline are not yet public, but the filing underscores growing capital market interest in China's robotics and embodied AI sector.

Investment firm Lishi Capital is targeting $500 million for a new fund dedicated to Chinese artificial intelligence enterprises, according to people familiar. The firm is an investor in Moonshot AI, a prominent Chinese founding model company. The fundraising highlights continued venture capital enthusiasm for Chinese AI, despite a broader market slowdown.

Liquidated crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital is suing Evelyn Tao, the wife of founder Zhu Su, to claw back approximately $40 million from the sale of a Dubai property. The property was purchased for 110 million dirhams ($30 million) with funds allegedly from a $50 million crypto loan from Three Arrows just three weeks before the fund's collapse. Liquidators argue the asset transfer to Tao, while Zhu was in prison for contempt of court, was aimed at shielding assets from creditors. Tao contends she was unaware of the funds' source and believed the property was a gift.

Chinese DRAM maker ChangXin Memory Technologies has reportedly rebuffed Apple's request to lower prices for mobile DRAM chips destined for next-generation iPhones. ChangXin insisted on pricing no lower than that of Samsung and SK Hynix. The negotiation power shift comes as Chinese smartphone makers like Huawei and Xiaomi have locked in ChangXin's production capacity with high-price, long-term contracts, diminishing the need to offer discounts to Apple.