ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the cryptocurrency exchange OKX has expanded its European operations by launching a trading platform and self-custody wallet in Belgium. With OKX's newly launched services, Belgian customers can now engage in spot trading and exchange over 200 cryptocurrencies, including 60 trading pairs with cryptocurrencies against the euro.OKX's General Manager for Europe, Erald Ghoos, stated that this launch does not involve direct regulatory approval from Belgian authorities. Ghoos said, "We have not obtained approval from the regulatory authorities; we have only received permission to operate in Belgium. We provide services through regulated entities within the EU and have no permanent establishment in Belgium."OKX's services in Belgium are provided through Okcoin Europe, a company registered in Malta and authorized by the Malta Financial Services Authority as a virtual financial assets service provider. To facilitate euro deposits and withdrawals, OKX has partnered with Belgium's popular payment system Bancontact.

ChainCatcher news, according to Ming Pao, Hong Kong digital bank ZA Bank announced today the launch of cryptocurrency trading services on its app, becoming the first bank in Asia to offer such services to retail users. Users can buy and sell Bitcoin and Ethereum using Hong Kong dollars and US dollars.The entry threshold for this service is 70 USD or 600 HKD, with a commission of 1.99 USD or 15 HKD per transaction, and a platform fee of 1.5% of the transaction amount. ZA Bank will implement promotional policies by the end of June 2025, including waiving commissions and reducing the platform fee to 0.8%. ZA Bank's acting CEO, Wu Zhonghao, stated that the bank achieved monthly profitability in July this year, and this new business is expected to further drive revenue growth.

ChainCatcher news, according to the Financial Times, Trump's social media company is in advanced talks to acquire the cryptocurrency trading platform Bakkt, which is owned by the Intercontinental Exchange, as the company seeks to expand its business beyond online conversations.Two people familiar with the negotiations said that Trump Media and Technology Group is close to a full stock acquisition of Bakkt. The valuation under discussion is still unclear, but on Monday, Bakkt's market capitalization was slightly above $150 million.

ChainCatcher news, according to CNA, Taiwan's "Legislators" today expressed concern over the taxation of cryptocurrency in Taiwan. The Minister of Finance, Chang Tsui-yun, stated that profits from related transactions will be subject to income tax, and further discussions will be held regarding the auditing process; the Director of the Taxation Administration, Song Hsiu-ling, mentioned that the tax department currently has auditing tools available to examine the trading situation of digital goods and promised to discuss the taxation methods related to cryptocurrency trading profits within three months.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cryptonews, Mexican media has revealed that over 3,000 residents of Tehuacán and Puebla have allegedly fallen victim to a cryptocurrency trading bot scam, involving a company called AMG GPT. The company had previously promised "daily returns" and held multiple promotional events. However, recent reports from users indicate that the platform is unable to process withdrawals, and it appears that the company's four offices in the two locations have closed.Victims claim that they were required to pay a "verification fee" to withdraw funds, and were subsequently asked to apply for a high-priced "Crypto-VISA" credit card. It is reported that the early returns received by investors quickly ceased, with some victims investing as much as $1,000. AMG GPT ultimately stated that the withdrawal delays were related to a "shopping festival event," but this explanation has raised further doubts. Currently, about 100 people have filed formal complaints with the prosecution, and the case is under further investigation.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bloomberg, Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo SpA is expanding the scope of its digital assets division to handle spot trading of cryptocurrencies, marking the latest move by a traditional bank to delve into new markets.According to insiders, Italy's largest bank established a proprietary cryptocurrency trading division within its corporate and investment banking sector in 2023. Since then, the division has only traded cryptocurrency options, futures, and exchange-traded funds. Although spot trading has not yet commenced, the trading desk received the necessary internal approvals and technical systems about a month ago.Cassie Craddock, Managing Director for Ripple in the UK and Europe, confirmed that Intesa Sanpaolo is collaborating with Ripple Custody (formerly Metaco) to build custody capabilities for any type of tokenized asset.

ChainCatcher news, UK digital bank Revolut announced that it has expanded its cryptocurrency exchange Revolut X to an additional 30 European countries. The company launched Revolut X in May this year, primarily targeting retail customers in the UK.The platform stated that existing Revolut customers can convert between fiat and cryptocurrencies within the Revolut ecosystem.

ChainCatcher news, focusing on digital assets, Hong Kong-listed company OSL Group today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire an 81.38% stake in CoinBest K.K., a cryptocurrency trading service provider licensed by the Financial Services Agency (FSA) of Japan (hereinafter referred to as "CoinBest"). This move is an important strategy for OSL Group to enter the Japanese market.The Japanese market had over 5.16 million active digital asset users in 2023, tripling since 2018. Japan has become one of the more mature and rapidly developing markets in the Asia-Pacific region, with a rapidly growing penetration rate and investment volume in the digital asset market.By acquiring CoinBest, OSL Group aims to promote product and service innovation among its trading platforms (including the Hong Kong-licensed digital asset trading platform OSL Digital Securities), enhance global trading liquidity, achieve resource sharing and best business practices, thereby creating business synergies.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, the zero-commission trading platform Robinhood has released its third-quarter financial report. The data shows that the cryptocurrency trading volume reached $14.4 billion in the quarter, a year-on-year increase of 112%, but a decline compared to $21.5 billion in the second quarter and $36 billion in the first quarter. In terms of stock trading, the trading volume reached $286.2 billion, a year-on-year increase of 65%.Specific revenue data shows that Robinhood's total revenue for the third quarter was $637 million, slightly below the market expectation of $651 million. Among this, transaction-related revenue increased by 72% year-on-year to $319 million. Breaking it down: cryptocurrency trading revenue was $61 million, a year-on-year increase of 165%, but a decrease from $81 million in the previous quarter; options trading revenue was $202 million, a year-on-year increase of 63%; stock trading revenue was $37 million, a year-on-year increase of 37%.The company's Chief Financial Officer Jason Warnick stated, "The third quarter performed strongly, with revenue increasing by 36% year-on-year, most of which converted into profit. We have set a goal to achieve another year of profit growth in early 2024 and are pleased to have broken revenue and earnings per share records." Notably, Robinhood's assets under custody (AUC) increased by 76% year-on-year to $152.2 billion, primarily driven by continued net deposits from users and rising valuations of stocks and cryptocurrencies. Additionally, the company has confirmed this month that it will expand support for Bitcoin and Ethereum futures products and has launched contract products this week that allow users to predict the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.

ChainCatcher news, according to techinasia, the crypto trading platform Variational has completed a $10.3 million seed round financing, led jointly by Bain Capital Crypto and Peak XV Partners, with participation from Coinbase Ventures and Dragonfly Capital.Additionally, the Web3 asset data platform RootData shows that Variational was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in George Town, Cayman Islands, specializing in customizable crypto derivatives for peer-to-peer trading, providing services for both retail and institutional traders through its trading infrastructure.

ChainCatcher news, the Indonesian Commodity Futures Trading Regulatory Agency (Bappebti) has announced an extension for cryptocurrency trading platforms to obtain the Physical Crypto Asset Trader (PFAK) license.This decision was made based on Bappebti Regulation No. 9 of 2024, which stipulates that cryptocurrency trading platforms must comply with the latest regulatory standards before the last week of November 2024. This regulation marks the third amendment to the rules governing the organization of trading in physical crypto assets, which were originally established in 2021. It outlines the transition from the current temporary status of registered cryptocurrency trading platforms (CPFAK) to the fully licensed PFAK status.These changes, including the extension, allow potential crypto trading platforms more time to fulfill the necessary obligations, such as becoming members of futures trading platforms and crypto futures clearinghouses. The new regulations provide additional time for crypto trading platforms and broaden the participation in the crypto market. Previously, only individuals were allowed to become clients of crypto assets. The new guidelines permit legal entities and commercial enterprises to trade crypto assets.

ChainCatcher News, the U.S. SEC has reached a settlement with trading firm Rimar regarding its allegations that the company provided false information to investors about its claims of using artificial intelligence (AI) to execute automated trading in cryptocurrencies and other assets.The SEC stated that Itai Liptz, the owner and CEO of Rimar LLC and Rimar USA, along with Rimar USA board member Cliffard Boro, claimed they could use AI to trade cryptocurrencies, stocks, bonds, and other investments, raising nearly $4 million from 45 investors.However, the SEC pointed out that the company did not actually use AI, and the claim of using emerging technologies was merely a "buzzword" to deceive investors, which the agency referred to as "AI-washing." Rimar USA agreed to settle the allegations and will pay a total of $310,000 in civil penalties without admitting or denying the findings of the regulatory investigation.

ChainCatcher news, according to official sources, on October 10, 2024, Rifad, the General Manager of OKX Middle East, announced that OKX has become the world's first cryptocurrency trading platform to obtain a full operating license in the UAE. Rifad stated that in the future, OKX will continue to invest, grow, and expand further in the region. Dubai has become one of the global centers for virtual assets, and the region is increasingly recognized for its technological innovation and development strategies. We are eager to participate in the technological innovation and community building in the ever-evolving digital asset space.