Meta is considering a partnership with South Korea's Samsung to manufacture custom artificial intelligence chips worth an estimated 10 trillion Korean won (approximately $7.2 billion), according to the Seoul Economic Daily. The potential collaboration would deepen Samsung's role in the global AI infrastructure race, as major tech firms seek specialized silicon to power advanced models. If finalized, the deal could reshape supply chains and bolster Korea's position as a semiconductor powerhouse.

South Korean exchange Upbit will terminate trading support for Alpha Quark (AQT) and Aergo (AERGO) on August 3, following a designation as cautionary assets on June 18. A review concluded the issues were not resolved, leading to the delisting. The move underscores Upbit's tightening scrutiny of token projects, which can have immediate liquidity impacts on those assets in the Korean market.

Korean exchange Bithumb will add MPLX and NEX tokens to its Korean won market, with trading expected to open at 15:00 local time. The listings expand the variety of tradable assets for Korean retail investors, who often drive liquidity surges for newly listed tokens on domestic platforms.

Chinese tech giant Alibaba plans to prohibit internal use of Anthropic's Claude Code tool from July 10, after a review flagged security risks involving potential backdoors. Employees are being directed to a domestic alternative, Qoder, as the company tightens its development environment. The ban reflects growing Chinese tech industry caution over foreign AI tools and data security.

Russia's central bank governor confirmed the digital ruble will launch on September 1 as planned, initially available to financial institutions. The CBDC has been in development since 2021 and is intended to complement physical cash, though the EU sanctioned it preemptively in April. The rollout places Russia among the largest economies moving forward with a central bank digital currency.

China's ChiNext index edged up 0.07% by close as the market overall saw a broad rally, with over 3,800 stocks rising and trading volume reaching 3.18 trillion yuan. The robotics concept surged, with more than 40 stocks hitting the daily limit, while gold and power grid equipment sectors also advanced. The uptick comes amid a risk-on tilt in Chinese equities, partly tied to AI and industrial policy themes.