News related to
blockchain

RAKBANK has secured in-principle approval from the Central Bank of the UAE to issue an AED-backed payment token, marking one of the clearest signals yet that regulated stablecoins are moving from concept to execution within the federation’s banking system. The Ras Al Khaimah-based lender said the approval allows it to proceed with development and testing of a dirham-denominated digital token designed for payments and settlement, subject to […]

Japan’s push to fold crypto-linked products into mainstream finance has gained political momentum, with senior government figures signalling support for digital assets trading on regulated exchanges as the country positions 2026 as a milestone year for its digital economy.

Speaking at a New Year gathering at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Satsuki Katayama, a prominent member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party known for her advocacy of financial innovation, outlined a vision in which tokenised assets and crypto-linked exchange-traded products operate alongside equities and commodities. While Katayama does not hold the finance minister portfolio, her remarks reflected broader policy debates underway in Tokyo over how far Japan should go in embracing digital finance within its tightly regulated markets.

The comments arrive as global asset managers press Asian regulators to open the door to crypto exchange-traded funds, following approvals in the United States and growing institutional interest in Europe. Japan has long taken a cautious stance after high-profile exchange failures earlier in the past decade, but officials now argue that clearer rules and stronger custody standards make broader participation possible without undermining investor protection.

Within government circles, 2026 is being framed as a symbolic inflection point. Lawmakers and regulators have increasingly referred to the year as a moment when legacy systems and digital infrastructure converge, particularly in capital markets settlement, identity verification and cross-border payments. Katayama described it as the start of a “digital era” for finance, a phrase that has been echoed in policy discussions tied to Japan’s broader digital transformation agenda.

Regulatory authority for any crypto-linked listings ultimately rests with the Financial Services Agency, which oversees exchanges and approves new financial products. The agency has already moved to modernise rules for security tokens and stablecoins, creating a framework that allows banks and trust companies to issue yen-backed digital currencies under strict supervision. Officials familiar with the discussions say the same principles—segregation of client assets, disclosure standards and market surveillance—would apply to crypto ETFs or similar instruments.

Market operators have begun preparing for that possibility. The Tokyo Stock Exchange’s parent group has invested heavily in trading and clearing systems capable of handling tokenised securities, while major brokerage houses are expanding digital asset teams to service institutional clients. Commodity exchanges have also explored how blockchain-based contracts could streamline settlement and reduce counterparty risk, particularly for energy and metals trading.

Japan’s interest in crypto-linked exchange products also reflects competitive pressure from regional peers. Hong Kong has positioned itself as a hub for virtual asset trading, approving spot crypto ETFs and encouraging global issuers to list in the city. Singapore, while more conservative on retail access, has built a reputation for regulatory clarity that attracts institutional capital. Policymakers in Tokyo are wary of ceding ground, especially as domestic pension funds and insurers look for diversified investment options in a low-yield environment.

Still, scepticism remains within Japan’s policy establishment. Some lawmakers and consumer groups warn that crypto markets remain volatile and vulnerable to manipulation, arguing that wider access through stock exchanges could expose unsophisticated investors to sharp losses. Regulators have responded by stressing that any approved products would likely be limited initially to professional investors, with strict marketing controls and suitability requirements.

Industry executives counter that regulated exchange-traded products may actually reduce risk by shifting activity away from offshore platforms toward transparent, supervised venues. They point to Japan’s experience with security tokens, where pilot issuances have proceeded without major incidents under a clear legal framework.

The debate has also revived questions about taxation and accounting. Crypto gains in Japan are currently taxed as miscellaneous income, a structure critics say discourages long-term investment and innovation. Government panels have been reviewing whether a shift toward capital gains treatment is warranted, particularly if digital assets become embedded in mainstream portfolios through ETFs and listed funds.

Dogecoin advanced about 4% during early trading on Wednesday, outperforming several large-cap digital assets as speculative interest returned to the memecoin segment and a short-term “golden cross” signal emerged on technical charts. The move followed a broader rally across smaller tokens, driven by renewed retail participation and heavier trading volumes that analysts said could sustain gains if key price levels hold. The token, created as a parody […]

XRP has moved back into the top tier of digital assets by market value, overtaking Binance-linked BNB to reclaim fourth place among cryptocurrencies as trading momentum gathered pace and regulatory signals from Washington shifted. Data from major market trackers show the token’s market capitalisation pushing past that of BNB, leaving only Bitcoin and Ethereum ahead when stablecoins are excluded. The advance follows a sharp rally that lifted […]

Bitcoin is trading within a narrow band at the start of 2026 after pulling back from the $110,000 zone, yet blockchain data and market activity point to mounting pressure beneath the surface. Large holders are adding to positions, exchange balances are thinning and derivatives markets are showing renewed engagement, a combination that has fuelled expectations of a potential double-digit move if key technical levels give way. The […]

Iran has signalled that it is prepared to accept cryptocurrency as payment for advanced military hardware, a move that underscores Tehran’s efforts to widen its financial options under sanctions while raising fresh concerns among regulators and security analysts about the use of digital assets in global arms markets. Information published on a government-linked defence export website indicates that prospective buyers could settle contracts using cryptocurrencies for a […]

More than $110 billion in digital assets moved out of South Korea during 2025 as stringent trading restrictions and policy uncertainty pushed investors and firms to seek friendlier jurisdictions, according to estimates compiled from blockchain analytics, exchange disclosures and regulatory briefings. The scale of the outflows has sharpened debate in Seoul over how to balance market oversight with competitiveness at a time when global crypto activity is […]

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XRP has moved ahead of BNB to claim the position of the world’s fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation, marking a sharp shift in the digital-asset rankings during a period of heightened market activity. The token’s valuation has climbed to about $123 billion after prices advanced to the $2.02–$2.03 range, reflecting an intraday rise of roughly 8 per cent and outpacing gains among several large-cap peers. The change […]

Britain has begun enforcing a far-reaching set of crypto tax disclosure rules, marking one of the most significant shifts in oversight of digital assets to date. From 1 January 2026, authorities started applying the OECD’s Cryptoasset Reporting Framework, a global regime designed to close gaps that allowed gains from crypto trading to fall outside conventional tax reporting. The new framework requires cryptoasset service providers operating in or […]

Tether has expanded its balance-sheet exposure to bitcoin with a purchase of close to $800 million worth of the cryptocurrency, lifting its total holdings to more than 96,000 tokens and reinforcing a strategy that ties the world’s largest stablecoin issuer more closely to the digital asset market. The acquisition, disclosed in company statements and blockchain data tracked by market analysts, forms part of Tether’s policy of allocating […]

El Salvador has signalled an ambitious push to fuse its Bitcoin experiment with a broader artificial intelligence drive by 2026, underscoring President Nayib Bukele’s intent to position the country as a technology-forward outlier in Latin America despite persistent scepticism from multilateral lenders and sections of the domestic business community. Government officials have framed the coming two years as a consolidation phase, building on the decision taken in […]

PANAMA CITY, PANAMA – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 December 2025 – AZX, a next-generation decentralized exchange (DEX) built on the trading-optimized AZ Axis blockchain network, announced the launch of its Beta testing, introducing groundbreaking performance capabilities and innovative features designed to bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized trading.

AZX represents a technological leap in decentralized trading infrastructure. It is an order-book DEX built on Axis technology, an infrastructure designed for trading. The platform can now achieve an impressive P99 latency of under 20 ms. Backed by professional market-making teams, AZX also provides robust orderbook liquidity, providing a solid on-chain solution for high-frequency and professional trading scenarios that demand speed, precision, and reliability. It demonstrates remarkable achievement in critical performance indicators for decentralized exchanges.

AZX is committed to lowering the entry barrier to DeFi and addressing the challenges in accessibility. It introduces a revolutionary onboarding process, which allows users to register with an email address and get their automatically generated on-chain addresses. AZX also supports logging in via multiple popular wallets, building a seamless, secure, and user-friendly entry point. Such a design makes significant progress in the accessibility of DeFi and professional trading, and is a ground-breaking innovation to realize the mass adoption of DeFi with improved usability, while preserving its core feature of self-custody.

The launch is also accompanied by a comprehensive contributor rewards program that enables users to accumulate points through trading and submitting feedback as early contributors. It reflects a mature, community-driven product development model that goes beyond technical testing.

Hashtag: #cryptoexchange #Bitcoin #Crypto #Exchange #AZX #DeFi



The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About AZX

is a high-performance order-book DEX built on the innovative Axis technology. Aiming to ““, AZX envisions providing feasible solutions to the fundamental challenges in cross-ecosystem asset flow and integration, offering a compelling long-term narrative around financial infrastructure innovation. As an auditable, high-performance bridge connecting traditional finance and decentralized finance, AZX positions itself at the forefront of the next evolution in global finance, with an ultimate ambition that goes beyond building another crypto DEX: to empower users and developers with the foundational layer to compose financial applications that were previously impossible.

Mirae Asset is holding advanced discussions to acquire Korbit, one of South Korea’s earliest cryptocurrency exchanges, in a transaction valued between 100 billion and 140 billion won, according to people familiar with the matter. The talks underline a renewed push by established financial groups to position themselves for a potential rebound in digital asset trading and related services after a prolonged market downturn. The negotiations, which remain […]

A London-based stablecoin infrastructure startup is seeking to accelerate how banks and regulated fintechs move money across borders after securing $1.45 million in pre-seed funding, underscoring growing institutional interest in blockchain-based settlement that aligns with European compliance rules. Nodu said the round was led by Digital Space Ventures and will be used to expand operations across Europe, hire engineering and compliance specialists, and deepen partnerships with regulated […]

Thousands of users of Trust Wallet suffered losses estimated at about $7 million after a malicious browser extension masquerading as the official Trust Wallet add-on circulated on Google Chrome’s extension store, prompting renewed scrutiny of security gaps in decentralised finance tools and browser marketplaces. The attack centred on a fake extension designed to mimic Trust Wallet’s legitimate Chrome interface. Once installed, the malicious software harvested private keys […]

Trump Media and Technology Group has moved bitcoin valued at about $174 million following a fresh purchase, signalling a more active approach to managing its digital-asset exposure rather than holding the tokens passively in long-term storage. Blockchain data reviewed by market analysts shows transfers between wallets linked to the company, a pattern that points to internal reallocation rather than liquidation. The movement comes after disclosures that Trump […]

United Arab Emirates policy makers are accelerating the shift towards a technology-driven economic model, placing innovation, advanced industries and the knowledge economy at the centre of long-term growth as the country seeks to reduce reliance on hydrocarbons and strengthen competitiveness across global markets. Federal strategies over the past decade have converged around building a diversified economy anchored in artificial intelligence, financial technology, clean energy and advanced manufacturing. […]

Brazil’s youngest investors are reshaping the country’s crypto economy, pushing demand beyond speculative trading towards stablecoins and tokenised income products that mirror traditional fixed income while operating on blockchain rails. Platforms catering to this shift say participation from users in their late teens and twenties has climbed sharply, reflecting a broader generational move towards digital-first savings tools amid stubbornly high interest rates and volatile global markets. Data […]

Steven McClurg, chief executive of Canary Capital, has told investors that XRP could reach its cycle high in 2026, diverging from the typical pattern that sees alternative tokens fall sharply when Bitcoin weakens. His remarks come as Bitcoin shows signs of having already topped out for the current cycle, raising questions about whether parts of the digital-asset market are entering a phase of decoupling. McClurg said Bitcoin’s […]

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 December 2025 – Singapore’s job market is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by digitalisation, sustainability imperatives, and demographic shifts. The challenge for graduates and professionals lies in maintaining relevance within industries that are shaping tomorrow’s economy. The Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) plays a pivotal role in this development, equipping learners with critical skills and internationally recognised certifications sought by employers.

Growth Sectors Driving Singapore’s Economy

According to the Ministry of Manpower’s Labour Market Report (Q2 2025), resident employment continues to expand in Health & Social Services, while demand for roles in Information & Communications Technology (ICT) and sustainability-related fields remains robust despite global uncertainties. Job vacancies reached 76,900 in June 2025, surpassing the number of jobseekers, with a ratio of 1.35 vacancies per unemployed person—underscoring sustained demand for skilled talent.

Singapore’s Smart Nation and Green Plan strategies highlight key growth sectors including the digital economy (AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, cloud computing), finance and fintech (green finance, blockchain, digital banking), healthcare and life sciences (driven by aging demographics and biomedical innovation), and sustainability (ESG consulting and renewable energy)

SIM’s Industry-Aligned Programmes

SIM addresses the needs of Singapore’s fastest-growing sectors through two key business units: SIM Global Education (SIM GE) and SIM Academy (SIMA).

SIM GE collaborates with leading universities to deliver degree programmes in high-demand areas, such as:

  • Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Data Science and Business Analytics (University of London) – preparing graduates for careers in data analytics and machine learning
  • Bachelor in Computer Science (Big Data and Artificial Intelligence) (University of Wollongong) – developing expertise in cybersecurity and generative AI
  • Bachelor of Business, Majors in Economics, Finance etc (RMIT University) – enabling roles in finance

SIM Academy complements these academic pathways with professional development courses for upskilling and reskilling, including the Starting and Managing Corporate Sustainability, designed to empower professionals to lead ESG initiatives aligned with Singapore’s Green Plan 2030. These offerings combine academic rigor with practical certifications, internships, and industry-aligned projects, ensuring competitiveness in Singapore’s evolving job market.

Alumni Success Pathways

Graduates from SIM’s cybersecurity-related programmes come from a wide range of educational and professional backgrounds, reflecting the diversity of talent entering Singapore’s growing digital sector. Many begin their learning journeys with different motivations, whether to upskill for emerging roles, pivot from adjacent fields or pursue deeper specialisation in cybersecurity.

Some learners are inspired to pursue formal training after encountering real world risks, such as online fraud or data breaches. Others choose to build on existing technical foundations to take on more specialised responsibilities in national and enterprise cybersecurity functions. Through industry-aligned curricula, practical exposure and professional networks, SIM enables these learners to strengthen their competencies in areas such as threat intelligence, AI-enabled defence and cloud security.

These varied pathways highlight how SIM programmes support both early-career and mid-career professionals in progressing to roles within high-demand sectors, as well as further studies at reputable institutions. The outcomes reflect the value of accessible, skills focused education in developing the cybersecurity workforce needed to support Singapore’s transformation into a resilient and digitally driven economy.

Looking Ahead

Singapore’s economic future depends on a workforce that is agile, skilled, and prepared for change. SIM remains a catalyst in this transformation, offering programmes and professional courses aligned with national growth sectors and global trends. By combining academic excellence with practical industry exposure and showcasing alumni who have successfully transitioned into high-demand fields, SIM demonstrates how education drives employability and innovation.

References:

  1. Labour Market Report 2Q 2025 – https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2025/0917-labour-market-report-2q-2025
  2. Smart Nation Vision – https://www.smartnation.gov.sg/about/our-vision/smart-nation-vision/
  3. A city of Green Possibility – https://www.greenplan.gov.sg/
  4. Green Fintech – https://www.mas.gov.sg/development/fintech/Green-FinTech?
  5. Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Data Science and Business Analytics – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/programmes/programme-listing/bachelor-of-science-honours-data-science-and-business-analytics
  6. Bachelor of Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence and Big Data) – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/programmes/programme-listing/bachelor-of-computer-science-artificial-intelligence-and-big-data
  7. Bachelor of Business – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/programmes/programme-listing/bachelor-of-business
  8. Starting and Managing Corporate Sustainability – https://www.sim.edu.sg/professional-development/courses/course-listing/starting-and-managing-corporate-sustainability

Hashtag: #SIMGlobalEducation #SIMGE #GlobalEducation #InternationalDegree #CareerReady #FutureSkills

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About the Singapore Institute of Management

The Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) is an International Institute of Higher Learning (IIHL) that empowers, uplifts and strengthens employability, at all seasons of life and starting points. Seeded by the Singapore Economic Development Board in 1964, SIM nurtures leaders with industry focused skills, knowledge and values to create impact in Singapore and Asia through globally recognised education and learning pathways.

SIM harnesses new knowledge, skills, and technology to provide skills-based learning experiences that enable students, professionals, and enterprises to Learn for Life and Thrive for Life. Through SIM Global Education (SIM GE) and SIM Academy, SIM supports diverse learning needs—offering higher education pathways and tailored learning journeys for working professionals and enterprises to adapt and grow in an ever-changing world.

With a steadfast commitment to transforming lives, SIM continues to be a catalyst for change across communities, inspiring learners to contribute meaningfully to society, and fostering progress in society.

For more information on the Singapore Institute of Management, visit .

Eight CryptoPunks non-fungible tokens have been accepted into the permanent collection of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, a move that places one of the most influential crypto-native projects alongside canonical works of modern and contemporary art. The acquisition underscores the growing institutional recognition of blockchain-based art forms, even as debate continues over their cultural and market value. The works were added through a donation organised by […]

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 December 2025 – IX Asia Indexes today announced the 2nd Half 2025 Review of the IX Digital Asset Industry Classification System (“DAICS®“), aiming to provide professionals worldwide with a transparent and standardized classification scheme to determine sector and exposure of particular digital assets. DAICS® classifies digital assets into 2 main categories: a) Cryptocurrencies and b) Asset Backed Tokens (ABTs) in a 3-tier system for each category. For Cryptocurrencies: Tier 1-Industry/ Tier 2-Sector/ Tier 3-Sub-sector; and for ABTs: Tier 1-Asset Type/ Tier 2-Branch/ Tier 3-Sub-branch. The results are as follows:

  • DAICS® coin coverage: As of 3rd December, the top 50 coins by average market capitalization across the past 90 days
  • DAICS® market capitalization coverage: 96.98%*
  • The % coverage of market capitalization of the 50th ranked coin: 0.048%**
  • Member changes within the Top 50 Coins in DAICS®: eight coins added and nine coins deleted
  • Additions: Zcash (ZEC), World Liberty Financial USD (WUSD), PayPalUSD (PYUSD), Memecore (M), Worldcoin (WLD), Story (IP), Arbitrum (ARB), KuCoin (KCS)
  • Deletions: Mantra (OM), GateToken (GT), Official Trump (TRUMP), VeChain (VET), Render (RENDER), First Digital USD (FDUSD), Filecoin (FIL), Cosmos (ATOM), Algorand (ALGO)
  • 9 Green Coins labelled: Cronos (CRO), Pi (PI), Internet Computer (ICP), Hedera, Sui (SUI), Toncoin (TON), Arbitrum (ARB), Mantle (MNT), Tron (TRX)

Note:
*Special currency treatment of DAICS® applies, where any wrapped or second-level cryptocurrency is not considered in the calculation for the market capitalization of DAICS®

**Based on 3rd December 2025
G: Green Coin

The rankings of additions and deletions for the DAICS® top 50 cryptocurrencies are listed in Appendix 1. All classification changes, including the ixCrypto Infrastructure Index and ixCrypto Stablecoin index, will take effect on 23rd January 2026, with market capitalization, rankings, and weightings available at www.ix-index.com.

1. Cryptocurrencies

1.1. Structure and Definitions

Tier 1: Industry Changes
The industry groups remain unchanged, with 5 industries and the respective weightings as follows:

Industry Weighting (%)
Payment (110) 73.87%
Infrastructure (120) 19.89%
Financial Services (130) 4.82%
Tech & Data (140) 0.22%
Media & Entertainment (150) 1.20%

Tier 2: Sector Changes
The number of sectors has increased from 17 to 18. There is one new sector added under the industry group “Tech & Data (140)”:

Identification (14040)
Definition: Cryptocurrencies that facilitate decentralized identity authentication and/or blockchain-based validation of digital intellectual property rights. The classification emphasizes trust, data consent, and privacy as core architectural features while the crypto by itself is not an identity token.

1.2. Reclassification Changes
This review doesn’t have any reclassification of the existing coins. The DAICS® 2H 2025 cryptocurrencies classification is available in Appendix 2.

1.3. Green Coin Label
This review identifies 9 Green Coins, classified based on their energy-per-unit-transaction, which is defined as the amount of energy consumed for a successful single unit transaction of the coin in the blockchain network. The coins selected rank in the top 20 percentile of the least energy-consuming cryptocurrencies out of the 50 DAICS® constituents. The top 20 percentile’s threshold in this review is ≤ 0.150 Wh. The table below lists these low-energy coins.

Industry Low Energy-per-transaction (≤ 0.150 Wh)
Payment (110) CROG
PIG
Infrastructure (120) ICPG
SUIG
ARBG
TRXG
HBARG
TONG
MNTG
Financial Services (130) NIL
Tech & Data (140) NIL
Media & Entertainment (150) NIL


Note: G as ‘Green Coin‘ labelling for cryptocurrencies that adhere to the principles of sustainability

2. Asset Backed Tokens (ABT)

2.1. Structure and Definitions

Tier 1: Asset Type Changes
The asset types remain unchanged at 6 as follows:
1) Culture (205),
2) Real Estate (215),
3) Financials (235),
4) Entertainment (255),
5) Natural Resources (265), and
6) Green Economy (275)

Tier 2: Branch Changes
The number of branches has increased from 31 to 32, with a new branch added under Financials (235): Tokenized funds (23540).

2.2. Classification Changes
This review doesn’t have any reclassification of the existing assets.

2.3. Coverage of DAICS®
A classification summary and definition table of both cryptocurrencies and ABTs are available in Appendices 3 and 4. For further information regarding the methodology of the DAICS®, please refer to the “IX Digital Asset Industry Classification System”- principle and guiding methodology on the company website https://ix-index.com/daics.html.

For more details on DAICS® qualification criteria, please email [email protected].

Appendix 1

Additions and Deletions in DAICS® Top 50 Cryptocurrencies

Additions
Current Rank Cryptocurrencies
28 Zcash (ZEC)
31 World Liberty Financial USD (WUSD)
41 PayPal USD (PYUSD)
45 MemeCore (M)
46 Worldcoin (WLD)
49 Story (IP)
50 Arbitrum (ARBG)
51 KuCoin (KCS)

Deletions

Prev. Rank Cryptocurrencies Current Rank
34 Mantra (OM) 300+
41 GateToken (GT) 67
43 OFFICIAL TRUMP 56
45 VeChain (VET) 55
46 Render (RNDR) 58
47 First Digital USD (FDUSDG) 71
48 Filecoin (FIL) 61
50 Cosmos (ATOM) 54
51 Algorand (ALGO) 52

G: Green Coin

Appendix 2

Classification of the Top 50 Coins by Industry and Sector
Category

Industry Sector Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies (1) Payment:

Blockchain based money, designed for transactional purposes. This includes daily transactions usage and stablecoins.

Transaction & Payment BTC
XRP
BCH
XLM
LTC
XMR
CROG
ZEC
PIG
KAS
Stablecoin USDT
USDC
USDe
DAI
WUSD
PYUSD
Infrastructure:

Bedrock blockchain that facilitates the operation of other decentralised applications. This includes the creation and running of dedicated blockchain platforms, achieving interoperability between networks, increasing the amount or speed of transactions etc

Application Development Protocol & Smart Contract ETH
SOL
TRXG
ADA
HYPE
SUIG
AVAX
HBARG
TONG
NEAR
ETC
APT
ICPG
Interoperability LINK
DOT
ATOM
Scaling & Sharding MNTG
ARBG
POL
Supporting System NIL
Financial services:

Tokens that provide on-chain asset management services, crypto-exchange services, funding, lending and other capital markets related services

Exchange Tokens BNB
LEO
BGB
UNI
OKB
KCS
Lending & Borrowing AAVE
Staking ENA
Financial Asset Tokenization ONDO
Tech & Data:

Provision of data management and storage, and development of innovative crypto technology

Storage & Sharing NIL
Data Management NIL
Artificial Intelligence TAO
Identification
(NEW)
WLD IP
Media & Entertainment:

Recreational and media services. Including content creation and distribution, advertising through crypto-asset incentive mechanisms, gaming and collectibles

Social Media & Community DOGE
SHIB
PEPE
M
Streaming NIL
Gaming NIL
Metaverse NIL

Note:
G as ‘Green Coin‘ for cryptocurrencies that adhere to the principles of sustainability

NEW for newly added sector

Appendix 3

DAICS® Industry and Sector Definition

Category Industry Sector Sector definition
Cryptocurrencies (1) Payment: (110)

Definition
Blockchain based money, designed for transactional purposes. This includes daily transactions usage and stablecoins.

Transaction & Payment
(11010)
Cryptocurrencies that are used for store of value, unit of account, medium of exchange
Stablecoin
(11020)
Cryptocurrencies where price is pegged to a / a basket of, reference asset
Infrastructure: (120)

Definition
Bedrock blockchain that facilitates the operation of other decentralised applications. This includes the creation and running of dedicated blockchain platforms, achieving interoperability between networks, increasing the amount or speed of transactions etc.

Application Development Protocol & Smart Contract
(12010)
layer-1 blockchain network that facilitates DApp creation and smart contract execution and smart contract
Interoperability
(12020)
Network that increases inter-connectivity and integration of the fragmented cryptocurrency ecosystem
Scaling & Sharding
(12030)
Networks that increase the ability to cope with the influx of many transactions at a time and blockchain network that can be split into smaller partitions, to improve scalability and process transactions quicker
Supporting System
(12040)
Networks/sidechains that improve functionality of layer-1 network
Financial services: (130)

Definition
Tokens that provide on-chain asset management services, crypto-exchange services, funding, lending, and other capital markets related services

Exchange Tokens
(13010)
Cryptocurrencies that represent the stable coin in the exchange ecosystem and allow users to covert from digital asset on decentralised or centralised system int fiat currencies
Lending & Borrowing
(13020)
Borrowing and lending crypto assets with interest in return and other secondary financial tools derived from primary underlying asset, such as crypto futures and options
Staking
(13030)
Holding and “staking” of certain amount of cryptocurrency in a wallet to facilitate network operations
Financial Asset Tokenization (13040)

Cryptocurrencies/protocols that focus on the tokenized issuance and management of financial assets
Tech & Data: (140)

Definition
Provision of data management and storage, and development of innovative crypto technology

Storage & Sharing
(14010)
Crypto protocols that provide decentralized storage and/or sharing of data filing and resources.
Data Management
(14020)
Networks/Protocols that facilitate the indexing and querying of data from blockchain(s), enabling efficient data retrieval and management for decentralized applications
Artificial Intelligence
(14030)
Cryptos/Protocols that facilitate the use of AI powered apps or projects directly using blockchain platform.
Identification
(14040) (NEW)
Cryptocurrencies that facilitate decentralized identity authentication and/or blockchain-based validation of digital intellectual property rights. The classification emphasizes trust, data consent, and privacy as core architectural features while the crypto by itself is not an identity token.
Media & Entertainment: (150)

Definition
Recreational and media services. Including content creation and distribution, advertising through crypto-asset incentive mechanisms, gaming and collectibles

Social Media & Community
(15010)
Cryptos that provides mast social community and followers without a close secondary industry sector
Streaming
(15020)
Cryptos that provides rights to access decentralised video-streaming sites
Gaming
(15030)
Cryptos which mainly used in gaming or gaming supporting industry
Metaverse
(15040)
Cryptos that is commonly used in collective virtual open space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical and digital reality. This includes the use of VR and/or AR and/or 3D.

Note: NEW for newly added sector

Appendix 4

DAICS® Asset Type and Branch Definition
Category

Asset Type Branch Sub -branch
Asset-Backed Tokens (2) Culture: (205)

Definition
Real asset relating to sports, art, cultural drama, festive collectibles and design IPs etc.

Art
(20510)

This shall be further developed in the future with more digital assets available in the market

Sports
(20520)
Festive Collectibles
(20530)
Design IPs
(20540)
Drama and Play IPs
(20550)
Real Estate:(215)

Definition
Assets that mainly derived its valuation from property, real estate, and land

Commercial Property
(21510)
Residential Property
(21520)
Governmental Property
(21530)
Residential and Commercial Land
(21540)
Financials: (235)

Definition
Real financial asset including listed company shareholdings on regulated centralised exchanges and private company shareholdings; debt instruments; property trusts and derivatives that settled on regulated exchange (CeFi and DeFi).

Tokenised Securities (Company Securities, ETF)
(23510)
Tokenised Debts
(23520)
Tokenised REITs
(23530)
Tokenised Funds(NEW)
(23540)
Entertainment: (255)

Definition
Ownership of the IPs assets in the area of entertainment in real world such as concert, play, shows, circus, musicals, songs, movies, games, events and programs, and souvenir collectibles that is derived from the above areas.

Movies
(25510)

This shall be further developed in the future with more digital assets available in the market

Songs
(25520)
Concerts
(25530)
Gaming
(25540)
All Other Entertainment Events and Collectibles
(25550)
Natural Resources: (265)

Definition
Natural resources asset that derived directly from sea, sky, atmosphere and underground and can be classified as a commodity with standardisation such as precious metals, agricultural, energy and metals.

Precious Metals
(26510)
Agricultural
(26520)
Energy
(26530)
Metals
(26540)
Green Economy (275)

Definition
Ownership of Projects Asset that falls under the definition of the UN 17SDG²s, with over 80% of the income or jobs provided on these 17 initiatives.

No Poverty & Zero Hunger
(27510)

Following definition of the United Nations
17 sustainable development goals²

Good Health and Well-Being
(27520)
Quality Education
(27530)
Gender Equality
(27540)
Clean Water and Sanitation/Affordable and Clean Energy
(27550)
Decent Work and Economic Growth/ Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure/ Partnerships for the Goals
(27560)
Reduced inequalities/ Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
(27570)
Sustainable Cities and Communities/Responsible Consumption and Production
(27580)
Climate Action
(27590)
Life Below Water & Life on Land
(27500)

Note: NEW for newly added branch

² United Nations 17 sustainable development goals covering 1) No Poverty 2) Zero Hunger 3) Good Health and Well-Being 4) Quality Education 5) Gender Equality 6) Clean Water and Sanitation 7) Affordable And Clean Energy 8) Decent Work and Economic Growth 9) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure 10) Reduced inequalities 11) Sustainable Cities and Communities 12) Responsible Consumption and Production 13) Climate Action 14) Life Below Water 15) Life on Land 16) Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and 17) Partnerships for the Goals https://sdgs.un.org/goals

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About DAICS®

DAICS® covers both cryptocurrencies and asset-backed tokens (“ABTs”), to be reviewed semi-annually at the end of June and December. On the cryptocurrency side, it is a three-tier system that groups cryptocurrencies into 5 main industries: 1) Payment, 2) Infrastructure, 3) Financial services, 4) Technology & Data, and 5) Media & Entertainment. These industries are further divided into sectors and sub-sectors to be introduced in the future. Under asset-backed tokens, there are 6 asset types: 1) Culture, 2) Real Estate, 3) Financials, 4) Entertainment, 5) Natural Resources, 6) Green Economy. These asset types are further divided into branches and sub-branches to be introduced in the future.

About the IX Asia Tokenization Advisory Committee and Working Group

The establishment of the IX Asia Tokenization Advisory Committee (“Advisory Committee”) is to pursue the goal and vision of formulating a standard for a global tokenization framework in a compliant and transparent way. The key role of the Advisory Committee is to formulate the guidelines and references for tokenization in terms of infrastructure, business, financial stability, sustainability, internal control, and classification. The Advisory Committee is comprised of industry-recognised leaders from blockchain consultancy, sustainable projects, and the field of the Art industry.

The establishment of the Working Group is to identify, evaluate and recommend key directions and founding principles according to their specific industry knowledge and expertise in relating to the creation of the specified token. It will examine and propose improvements to the guidelines and references for tokenization. The working group is formed of a diverse group of market experts representing relevant sectors and markets, to provide input and discuss case studies for creation of tokenization framework, best practices and development of real-world projects.

For more information about IX Asia Tokenization Advisory Committee & Working Group, please visit .

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