HONG KONG, April 30, 2024 (AFP) – Hong Kong on Tuesday launched trading of Asia’s first spot bitcoin and ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs), moving forward in the city’s race to become a regional virtual asset investment hub. The debut comes three months after the United States gave the greenlight to ETFs pegged to bitcoin’s spot price, making it easier for mainstream investors to add the unit to their portfolio. Hong Kong’s pioneering crypto ETFs on […]
Tag: cryptocurrency
Hong Kong conditionally approves first bitcoin and ether ETFs
HONG KONG, April 15, 2024 (AFP) – Hong Kong’s securities regulator on Monday granted conditional approval to start the city’s first spot-bitcoin and ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs), firms involved said, positioning it as a leader in Asia for the use of cryptocurrencies as investment tools. ChinaAMC (HK), the city’s unit of China Asset Management, said in a statement it had received regulatory approval from Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (SFC) for […]
South Korea’s bitcoin “kimchi premium” surges to two-year high as global prices surge
SEOUL, March 8, 2024 (AFP) – South Korea’s so-called “kimchi premium” on bitcoin prices hit a two-year high this week, a cryptocurrency data firm said, as the virtual token broke records globally. Bitcoin hit a peak above $69,000 Tuesday, beating its previous high achieved in November 2021, buoyed by growing trading accessibility of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency, even as supply remains tight. The “kimchi premium” — named after the country’s fermented side dish — refers […]
Bitcoin strikes record high above $69,000
LONDON, March 5, 2024 (AFP) – Bitcoin hit a record high above $69,000 Tuesday, buoyed by the world’s biggest cryptocurrency becoming more accessible for trading amid tightening supplies. Bitcoin reached $69,191.94, beating a record $68,991 struck in November 2021. The volatile asset later retreated to $67,442. Bitcoin has enjoyed an unbridled rise since the approval of a new type of investment indexed to the cryptocurrency. Since their approval on January 10 by US securities regulators, […]
Bitcoin soars above $60,000, eyes all-time high on ETF boost
By Roland Jackson in London and Matthew Surrusco in Hong Kong LONDON, Feb 28, 2024 (AFP) – Bitcoin passed the $60,000 mark on Wednesday, approaching its all-time high and continuing its unbridled rise since the approval of a new type of investment indexed to the cryptocurrency. Bitcoin traded as high as $61,360, closing in on its all-time high of $68,991 — struck in November 2021 and which some analysts believe is now within reach. Around […]
Bitcoin breaks $50,000 for first time since 2021
Bitcoin spiked above $50,000 Tuesday for the first time in more than two years as investors grow optimistic that US approval of broader trading in the unit will ramp up demand. The cryptocurrency has enjoyed a strong run in recent months, fuelled by expectations US lawmakers would allow the creation of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the price and let the public invest in crypto without directly purchasing it. After initially dropping in reaction to […]
False tweet from US regulator briefly sends bitcoin soaring
NEW YORK, Jan 10, 2024 (AFP) – An unauthorized message posted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s official X account briefly sent bitcoin prices soaring, forcing the market regulator to deny it had approved a new cryptocurrency product. Just after 4 pm local time (2100 GMT), the price of the world’s largest digital currency in terms of circulation surged towards its highest level for more than 22 months, before falling again a few minutes […]
JPEX crypto exchange scam exposes regulatory gaps in Hong Kong crypto market
HONG KONG, Sept 22, 2023 (AFP) – Crypto investor Jenny first learned about digital assets at a Hong Kong store that promoted cryptocurrency exchange JPEX in March — but by September she was among more than 2,000 “inexperienced” victims police said the platform had defrauded. “Many of my classmates and friends went all in with our investments,” Jenny — not her real name — who lost “six figures” in Hong Kong dollars, told reporters. “We […]
Crypto exchange Binance suspends US deposits after govt suit
WASHINGTON, June 9, 2023 (AFP) – The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange Binance said late Thursday it was halting US dollar deposits and encouraged clients to withdraw their dollars by early next week, following charges leveled by the government. The US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday charged the crypto giant with securities law violations that it said amounted to “an extensive web of deception” and “calculated evasion of the law.” Binance is alleged to have […]
Hong Kong launches retail-friendly rules for crypto exchanges
HONG KONG, June 1, 2023 (AFP) – Hong Kong rolled out new rules on Thursday allowing licensed cryptocurrency exchanges to service retail customers, bucking the global trend of tightening rules after last year’s market crash. The Chinese finance hub is racing regulators around the world to lay down ground rules for crypto after high-profile failures like trading platform FTX, which led the United States to crack down on a sector worth more than $1 trillion. […]
El Salvador passes law on cryptocurrency transfers
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AFP) — El Salvador’s legislative assembly on Wednesday approved a digital assets law aimed at legally protecting transfers or debt issues with cryptocurrencies. El Salvador was the first country to adopt bitcoin as a legal currency in September 2021, using it along with the US dollar, which it adopted as its currency in 2001. The 47-article law received 62 votes in favor out of 84 seats in Congress. “El Salvador’s Legislative […]
Hong Kong crypto exchange falls silent, fuelling shutdown fears
Hong Kong, China (AFP) A major Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange has scrubbed some of its social media presence two weeks after it halted withdrawals, fuelling fears the firm may collapse as the sector reels from the implosion of giant FTX. Atom Asset Exchange (AAX) prevented customer withdrawals on November 15, saying its capital position was under “acute pressure” after some investors asked for their money back. This came after the stunning fall of industry leader […]





