ChainCatcher news, Li Bin, Deputy Director of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, recently stated at the Boao Forum for Asia sub-forum on "Finding Currency and Financial Stability in an Unstable World" that the State Administration of Foreign Exchange is highly concerned about the impact of the digital renminbi on the transmission of monetary policy and capital flows. It is also highly concerned about the use of virtual currencies for illegal cross-border fund transfers and is working to enhance its identification and monitoring capabilities in this area.

ChainCatcher news reports that, according to 4E monitoring, last week the Federal Reserve's dovish remarks and Trump's statements about flexibility in the reciprocal tariff plan alternately boosted confidence in the U.S. stock market. After significant fluctuations, the three major indices collectively closed higher for the week: the Dow Jones increased by 1.2%, marking the largest weekly gain in over two months; the S&P 500 rose by 0.51%, ending a four-week losing streak; the Nasdaq slightly increased by 0.17%, halting a previous four-week decline. However, large tech stocks generally closed lower for the week, with Nvidia down 3.26%, Tesla down 0.53%, marking its ninth consecutive week of decline.The cryptocurrency market experienced fluctuations but overall showed a mild upward trend. Bitcoin rebounded after dipping near $81,000 on Tuesday, and on Thursday, driven by the Federal Reserve's dovish remarks, it surged above $87,000, reaching a new high in half a month, before oscillating mainly in the $84,000 range. This morning saw another wave of rapid increases, reporting $85,721 before the deadline, up 3.18% over the past seven days. Other major tokens mostly showed slight increases, with Ethereum striving to stabilize above $2,000, and the meme craze on the BNB chain continuing to attract attention. Signs of market recovery are gradually emerging, and investor sentiment has improved.In the forex and commodities sector, the dollar index rose by 0.34% for the week, marking its first weekly increase this month. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the situation in the Middle East continue to escalate, with crude oil rising over 2% for two consecutive weeks. Spot gold increased by 1.31% last week, marking three consecutive weeks of gains.Last week, the Federal Reserve maintained interest rates, in line with market expectations, with guidance for two rate cuts remaining for the year, and Powell's remarks provided some comfort to the market. This week, attention will focus on the PCE price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation indicator, to be released on Friday. Additionally, as the "tariff deadline" on April 2 approaches, uncertainty keeps the market cautious. However, once the tariff outlook becomes clearer, the prolonged market turbulence may subside.

ChainCatcher news, according to South Korea's Economic TV, the Bank of Korea has clearly stated that it has "never considered including Bitcoin in its foreign exchange reserves." In response to written inquiries from National Assembly member and Planning and Finance Committee member Cha Gyu-geun on the 16th, the Bank of Korea stated, "We believe it is necessary to approach the issue of including Bitcoin in foreign exchange reserves with caution."This is the first time the Bank of Korea has expressed its position on the issue of Bitcoin reserves, and the primary reason for its negative stance is the high volatility of Bitcoin prices. In this regard, the Bank of Korea pointed out, "If the virtual asset market becomes unstable, there is a risk that the transaction costs of Bitcoin may increase sharply during the liquidation process. We believe that Bitcoin also does not meet the International Monetary Fund (IMF) standards for foreign exchange reserve calculations. To date, we have never discussed or considered including Bitcoin in our foreign exchange reserves." The Bank of Korea added, "As far as we know, some countries like the Czech Republic and Brazil hold a positive attitude towards this, but the European Central Bank (ECB), the Swiss National Bank, and the Japanese government have all expressed opposition."

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, Bilal bin Saqib, chief advisor to the Finance Minister of Pakistan and a member of the newly established Pakistan Cryptocurrency Council (PCC), stated on Monday that Pakistan is exploring blockchain technology to simplify the overseas remittance process.The PCC is advocating for a clear regulatory framework for blockchain and Web3 innovations and is exploring initiatives such as the tokenization of real-world assets while complying with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards. In the fiscal year 2023 to 2024, overseas Pakistanis are expected to remit over $31 billion through traditional channels, but these channels are often cumbersome and costly, with fees potentially exceeding 5%. He stated, "The Pakistan Cryptocurrency Council will explore blockchain-based remittance solutions to reduce costs and minimize delays."Additionally, there will be investments in blockchain education, skill enhancement programs, and Web3 development to cultivate talent, promote employment, and drive economic growth.

ChainCatcher news, according to the Wen Wei Po report, Hong Kong Legislative Council member Wu Jiezhuang stated that he suggested promoting the establishment of a unified blockchain trading and settlement platform for licensed virtual asset trading platforms in Hong Kong, facilitating 24/7 uninterrupted trading through the tokenization of physical assets. He pointed out that to address the bottlenecks in the development of the digital economy, such as financing difficulties for small and medium-sized enterprises in the mainland and inefficiencies in cross-border transactions, he proposed setting up a digital asset foreign exchange fund in Hong Kong to provide digital asset collateral financing for small and medium-sized enterprises in the Greater Bay Area, while also promoting financial circulation in the Greater Bay Area.

ChainCatcher news, Trump adjusts tariff policy, postponing auto tariffs on Canada and Mexico by one month, and is willing to consider more requests for tariff exemptions. The trade tensions may ease, boosting market sentiment. According to 4E monitoring, U.S. stocks rebounded significantly on Wednesday, reversing the decline of the previous two days, with the technology and automotive sectors leading the gains. By the close, the S&P 500 index rose 1.12%, the Dow Jones increased by 1.14%, and the Nasdaq climbed 1.46%. Major tech stocks generally rose, with Microsoft leading at 3.19%.The cryptocurrency market rebounded across the board. Driven by the U.S. stock market and the upcoming White House crypto summit, the market expects that policies regarding Bitcoin reserve plans and other crypto regulations will become clearer. Bitcoin broke through the 90,000 mark, reaching a high of $91,903, up 4.8% in 24 hours, while Ethereum returned above $2,200, gaining 4.59% in 24 hours. Various sectors in the market generally rebounded, with increases typically around 2% to 8%, boosting market sentiment.In the forex and commodities sector, the risk of a U.S. recession is rising, leading to a third consecutive decline in the dollar index, which fell 1.3% to a six-week low. Due to unexpected increases in supply, oil prices fell for three consecutive days, with U.S. oil dropping to its lowest level in nearly two years; the weaker dollar pushed precious metals higher, with spot gold slightly up 0.04%.The Federal Reserve's Beige Book indicates that overall economic activity in the U.S. has slightly increased since mid-January, but consumer spending has generally decreased, further confirming the uncertainty of the U.S. economic outlook. Economic data is mixed, with rising recession risks, and the market expects the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by more than 70 basis points before the end of the year.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jin Shi reports, Wells Fargo stated that some positive sentiment is emerging around the prospects of a tariff compromise, but caution is still needed.Wells Fargo's New York strategist Kenn Brendan McKenna said, "I have come to realize that any statements not directly from Trump should not be traded or believed immediately, so so far, I will still show caution and tend to hedge. However, if tariffs are lowered and an agreement is reached, the Canadian dollar and Mexican peso, as well as the entire foreign exchange market, should see some relief rebound."

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, reported that on February 20, the European Central Bank (ECB) is expanding the development of a wholesale Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) payment system for settling transactions between institutions.The establishment of the new system will be carried out in two phases. First, a CBDC settlement platform will be developed, and the second phase will involve deeper integration with existing ECB systems, such as the foreign exchange trading market.Piero Cipollone, a member of the ECB's Executive Board and an official responsible for overseeing the wholesale CBDC program, stated that the initiative will help achieve "a more coordinated and integrated European financial ecosystem."

ChainCatcher news, according to Aastocks, the President of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Yu Weiwen, stated at the Legislative Council's Financial Affairs Committee meeting that the investment strategy of the foreign exchange fund will continue to focus on liquidity, stability, long-term returns, and diversified income. Although metals and mainland assets have already been allocated, he made it clear that there is no intention to allocate virtual assets.In light of the market volatility brought about by current geopolitical issues, Yu Weiwen emphasized the importance of safety. Regarding the impact of the strengthening US dollar, he pointed out that the appreciation of the Hong Kong dollar following the US dollar will help alleviate local inflationary pressures, but may affect consumption and the tourism industry. HKMA Vice President Yuen Kwok-hang added that the total amount of loans in the Hong Kong banking system has declined for three consecutive years, mainly due to demand-side issues.

ChainCatcher news, according to market news, Robinhood has begun to launch futures trading including BTC, foreign exchange, and stocks.

ChainCatcher news, the Central Bank of Russia has introduced regulations to manage foreign exchange operations involving digital rights. According to Russian law, digital rights include electronic records such as cryptocurrencies, tokenized securities, and digital tokens. These rights represent claims or obligations related to assets or services. The new decree will take effect on January 11 and outlines the obligations of residents engaged in such transactions, aiming to clarify and strengthen the oversight of digital assets used for trade and payment purposes.A key requirement outlined in the regulation is that foreign trade contracts involving digital rights settlements must be registered with authorized banks. The document states: "Foreign trade contracts, including those settled using digital rights, must be registered with authorized banks. The registration thresholds for these contracts remain unchanged: import contracts exceeding 3 million rubles and export contracts exceeding 10 million rubles."In addition to registration, the Central Bank of Russia also explained: "The regulation specifies the documents and information that residents must provide to banks, including transaction data related to the transfer or receipt of digital rights as a means of payment under foreign trade contracts, as well as data related to other foreign exchange operations involving digital rights."By defining these requirements, the Central Bank of Russia aims to integrate digital rights into the broader financial system while reducing the risks associated with their use.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Czech National Bank Governor Aleš Michl recently stated in an interview with CNN Prima News that he is considering including Bitcoin in the bank's foreign exchange reserve diversification strategy.In the interview, Michl mentioned that he is considering purchasing "a small amount of Bitcoin" as part of the reserve diversification. While this would not be a significant investment, its symbolic meaning is substantial. The bank's advisor Janis Aliapulios confirmed that although there are currently no plans to purchase Bitcoin, discussions on this matter cannot be ruled out in the future. The Czech National Bank's board, composed of 7 members, needs to approve any decision to purchase Bitcoin.

ChainCatcher news, the South Korean court has made a ruling against a gang involved in illegal foreign exchange transfers. Four members of the gang were sentenced for illegally transferring approximately 400 billion won in foreign exchange by exploiting price differences in virtual currencies. The main culprit A (43 years old) was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison, while the other two defendants received sentences of 2 years and 2 months and 2 years, respectively. One defendant was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months, with a 2-year probation and 160 hours of community service.The court stated that the gang profited by having Japanese investors commission the purchase of virtual currencies in Japan and reselling them in South Korea, taking advantage of the relatively lower prices of virtual currencies in Korea. The total amount of foreign exchange they illegally transferred was approximately 400 billion won, with illegal gains of about 27 billion won.The court found that the defendants obstructed bank remittance operations through means such as forging invoices and contracts, indicating a strong organizational nature and severe nature of the criminal behavior.

ChainCatcher 消息，据《香港文汇报》报道，香港立法会议员兼 Web3 虚拟资产发展事宜小组委员会主席吴杰庄接受采访时表示，香港要研究在美国搅局比特币、影响传统资产市场下，维护国家金融安全。 他建议，香港应用好一国两制优势，先行先试将比特币纳入外汇基金资产中，并为国家探索盘活手上比特币的出路。对于持有比特币是否有助特区政府对抗财赤，吴杰庄认为虽然政府可以利用比特币作为资产增值的工具，但要大量持有才会收到明显效果，目前政府财赤已过千亿元，那么只能少量持有对灭赤帮助不大，持有比特币保值功能会大过增值。

ChainCatcher 消息，据中国国家外汇管理局网站显示，为了更好统筹发展和安全，保障跨境贸易和投融资便利化，预防和遏制外汇违法违规活动，维护外汇市场秩序，国家外汇管理局根据《银行外汇展业管理办法（试行）》（以下简称《展业办法》）及相关法律法规，制定了《银行外汇风险交易报告管理办法（试行）》（以下简称《办法》）。 根据《办法》，银行发现或者有合理理由怀疑本行境内、境外机构和个人客户（以下统称交易主体）存在外汇风险交易行为的，应当监测外汇风险交易信息，报送外汇风险交易报告。 外汇风险交易行为，是指涉及涉嫌虚假贸易、虚假投融资、地下钱庄、跨境赌博、骗取出口退税、虚拟货币非法跨境金融活动，以及其他涉嫌违法违规跨境资金流动行为；外汇风险交易信息，是指与外汇风险交易行为相关的信息。银行应当及时通过其总部或总部指定的机构向国家外汇管理局报送外汇风险交易报告。

ChainCatcher news, according to the announcement from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, the "Measures for the Administration of Bank Foreign Exchange Risk Transaction Reporting (Trial)" have been issued and will take effect immediately. The "Measures" are a supporting document to the "Measures for the Administration of Bank Foreign Exchange Business (Trial)", aimed at strengthening banks' foreign exchange risk management, and early identification, early warning, and early handling of high-risk transactions such as suspected false trade, underground banks, and illegal cross-border financial activities involving virtual currencies.The main contents include: clarifying the responsibility for bank foreign exchange risk transaction reporting, requiring the establishment of a monitoring system and submission of reports; specifying the scope of information reporting, including activities suspected of illegal cross-border capital flows; clarifying the report content, such as basic information and proposed measures; and strengthening internal management measures, including internal control systems and data confidentiality management, etc.

ChainCatcher news, according to Coinpost, the Japanese government has made an official response to Senator Akira Hamada's inquiry regarding "the promotion of Bitcoin reserves by the United States and other countries." Akira Hamada previously suggested on December 11 that "Japan should follow the example of the United States and other countries and consider converting part of its foreign exchange reserves into Bitcoin and other crypto assets."In response, the Japanese government stated that it has not yet fully grasped the relevant movements of the United States and other countries, believing that discussions in other countries about introducing Bitcoin reserves are still ongoing, and "the government finds it difficult to take a position on specific situations." According to the legal framework governing special accounting operations, "crypto assets do not fall under foreign exchange," and the current foreign exchange reserves aim to maintain the stability of foreign currency assets and foreign currency bond markets.The response document repeatedly emphasizes that ensuring the safety and liquidity of foreign exchange reserves is the top priority of special accounting operations, implying that the volatility of Bitcoin and other crypto assets is not compatible with the current system.

ChainCatcher news, South Korean lawmaker Choi Eun-sik has proposed an amendment to the "Foreign Exchange Transactions Act," aimed at preventing money laundering and other foreign exchange crimes related to virtual assets. The amendment proposes the establishment of a monitoring system for virtual asset transactions, the improvement of the institutional foundation for financial technology foreign exchange services, the enhancement of the convenience of foreign exchange transactions for individuals and businesses, and the strengthening of the intelligent construction of the foreign exchange monitoring system.He stated that the rapid development of virtual assets and financial technology in recent years has diversified cross-border transaction methods, but current laws have failed to cover these changes, leading to regulatory blind spots, particularly as money laundering involving virtual assets and illegal foreign exchange transactions have become increasingly serious.According to data from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the number of suspicious transaction reports from virtual asset merchants increased by 48.8% last year compared to the previous year. The Ministry of Finance plans to add definitions for virtual assets and virtual asset merchants next year and requires virtual asset merchants to register before conducting cross-border transactions and to regularly report users' transaction records to the Bank of Korea.The amendment is expected to be implemented in the second half of next year.