Weekly Update: 16 Feb 2023

1) DBS plans to apply for license to offer crypto in HK [Bloomberg]

– DBS is planning to apply for a license in Hong Kong to sell digital assets to the bank’s Hong Kong customers.

2) Crypto firm Paxos faces SEC lawsuit over Binance USD token [Wall Street Journal]

– SEC has told crypto firm Paxos Trust Co. that it plans to sue the company, claiming the digital asset Binance USD (BUSD) issued and listed by Paxos is an unregistered security.

3) Brazil’s oldest bank supports tax payments with crypto [The Block]

– Through partnership with Bitfy, a startup funded by Banco do Brasil ‘s VC arm, clients can instantly convert crypto in their account into the local currency to pay and settle a tax bill.

4) Crypto exchange Kraken ends staking program in $30 million SEC settlement [Bloomberg]

– Kraken will pay $30 million to settle SEC allegations that it broke the agency’s rules with its crypto staking products and will discontinue them in the US as part of the agreement.

5) Credit Suisse leads US$65 million funding for digital-asset firm [Bloomberg]

– TAURUS, a Swiss firm developing infrastructure for digital assets, has raised US$65 million in an equity round led by Credit Suisse Group with Deutsche Bank and Pictet Group.

6) CME Group to launch event contracts on bitcoin futures on March 13 [Blockworks]

– CME Group is set to expand its event contracts to include bitcoin futures next month as the derivatives marketplace continues its crypto push.

7) Hong Kong hires banks for debut digital green bond sale [Bloomberg]

– HK is raising HK$800 million via tokenised green notes and has tapped Bank of China, Credit Agricole, Goldman Sachs Group and HSBC to hold investor calls from Feb 13.

8) NASDAQ-listed Interactive Brokers to offer crypto trading in Hong Kong [Cointelegraph]

– Interactive Brokers, a global brokerage firm with headquarters in the United States, announced the launch of its crypto trading services for institutional clients in Hong Kong on Feb. 14.

9) NFT marketplace Blur releases native token for community ownership [CoinDesk]

– Zero-fee NFT marketplace Blur released its native token on Tuesday to allow traders to participate in the platform’s governance protocol, as well as profit from the marketplace’s success through community ownership.

10) Siemens issues first digital bond on blockchain [CoinDesk]

– Siemens issued blockchain based euro-denominated bond on Polygon. The 60-million-euro ($64 million) bond has a maturity of one year.