ChainCatcher message, payment protocol AEON partners with FDUSD issuer First Digital Labs and Terminus to launch Web3 QR code payments, promoted during Devcon in Thailand. Users can scan the AEON QR code to use FDUSD for purchases at offline merchants, who can receive cryptocurrency without new devices, automatically converting it to local fiat currency.

ChainCatcher news, at the "DeInsight 2024" annual summit held during Devcon in Bangkok, Manta Network co-founder Victor shared a keynote speech on "The First Layer2 Adopting MultiDA."Victor stated that in terms of community incentives, Manta's Gas Gain profit rebate program converts 50% of the Gas profits on the Manta Pacific chain into MANTA tokens to reward users. Additionally, the Manta Foundation has committed to distributing 10 million MANTA as extra rewards over the next four years, with more for the top 400 ranked users on the network.Furthermore, the Manta CeDeFi product serves as a bridge between DeFi and CeFi, aggregating multiple yield strategies from RWA, on-chain, and CEX, allowing users to enjoy diversified returns from both CeFi and DeFi by simply depositing BTC, ETH, or stablecoins.Victor revealed that the $50 million ecological fund established by the Manta Foundation has supported around 16 projects, including KiloEx, in just two months.The Manta community team places great emphasis on global expansion, especially in emerging markets in Southeast Asia. He is a founder who truly lives in Southeast Asian countries to support local community development.Video live stream link:https://www.youtube.com/live/tTVcUPumPysImage live stream link:https://www.pailixiang.com/album_ia7637038926.html

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has called on Southeast Asian countries to classify unlicensed currency service businesses or virtual asset service providers (VASP) as criminal offenses. The agency stated in a report released on Monday that some VASPs (including those linked to known criminals) are facilitating transactions for fraud organizations and high-risk gambling websites.The report mentioned that an unnamed entity conducted "at least hundreds of millions of dollars" in transactions with criminal organizations. This includes groups associated with or directly involved in large-scale drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime, and child sexual abuse materials, as well as entities sanctioned by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and wallets linked to North Korea's Lazarus Group.Masood Karimi-Pour, the regional representative of the Office on Drugs and Crime, stated in a declaration: "Governments need to recognize more than ever the seriousness, scale, and impact of this genuine global threat, and prioritize solutions to address the rapidly evolving criminal ecosystem in the region."

ChainCatcher news, according to official sources, Tether has announced that it has assisted the U.S. Department of Justice in freezing over $6 million in assets related to a Southeast Asian fraud scheme that deceived users by mimicking legitimate platforms. Tether froze the relevant assets and helped the U.S. Department of Justice quickly recover the funds, with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C. publicly acknowledging Tether's assistance.Tether stated that it has assisted over 180 law enforcement agencies across 45 jurisdictions in freezing more than $1.8 billion worth of USDT, redistributing over $128 million of USDT to legitimate owners and law enforcement agencies, and voluntarily freezing more than 1,850 wallets associated with illegal activities.

ChainCatcher news, according to a report by Tiger Research, shows that due to the overall price decline in the cryptocurrency market, the number of Web3 game users in Southeast Asia has significantly decreased. Many players in the region have invested too much in P2E games, even borrowing to participate, resulting in financial losses and a large-scale exit from the market.In fact, an analysis of the network traffic of major Web3 games over the past three months reveals that countries like the Philippines and Indonesia still constitute a core user base. The number of players from Southeast Asian countries in the Discord channel for the Web3 game "Pixels" is noticeably high, accounting for about 53% of the total player count.

ChainCatcher news, according to Techinasia, Southeast Asia's multifunctional online service platform Grab announced that, in collaboration with Triple A, its payment application GrabPay now supports cryptocurrency top-ups.

ChainCatcher news, Web3 application Jambo announced a partnership with Coin98, focusing on expanding the influence of JamboPhone in Southeast Asia and promoting the adoption of Web3 technology in developing regions. The Coin98 wallet application will be pre-installed on JamboPhone, allowing users to access Web3 instantly and conveniently.Previously, the Aptos Foundation, in collaboration with Web3 application Jambo, launched JamboPhone, priced at $99, which is now sold in over 40 countries/regions. It aims to facilitate Web3 access in emerging markets.

ChainCatcher news, the ASEAN Foundation has partnered with tech giant Microsoft to launch the AI Teach program, aimed at promoting artificial intelligence education in the Southeast Asia region. The program will provide AI fluency training for 6,200 educators in the region's Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector, while also working to reform the TVET system. The main goal of the program is to enhance the AI skills of the workforce, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia, improving the employment prospects and educational opportunities for 400,000 people in these two countries. Additionally, the program will introduce participants to the career essentials of Microsoft and LinkedIn's generative AI learning pathways."By fostering innovation and providing practical AI skills, we aim to make a significant contribution to the economic and technological growth of ASEAN," said Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation, in a statement.

Chaincatcher news, InsFi is hosting a New Year event in collaboration with partners such as Coin98, Avalanche, and Ave.ai. The event will take place from 9 PM on January 22 to 9 PM on February 2. The activities include rewards for active users, a promotion contest, and a meme contest, where participants have the chance to win generous prizes and bonuses. This collaboration significantly enhances InsFi's brand visibility in the Southeast Asian market and supports its layout and ecosystem development in the Vietnamese market.Regarding the InsFi protocol, it is the first on-chain asset yield aggregation protocol for inscribed assets, providing unique on-chain financial strategies for managing inscribed series assets. By utilizing advanced decentralized strategies, it allows investors to earn stable, long-term returns by staking InsFi whitelist inscribed assets while enhancing liquidity in the on-chain market.

ChainCatcher news, according to a report by Cointelegraph, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has issued a report warning that cryptocurrencies are being abused in the illegal economies of East Asia and Southeast Asia.Criminals are engaging in illegal gambling and fraud activities in poorly regulated special economic zones and areas controlled by autonomous armed groups. A specialized tourism industry has emerged around casinos, where so-called intermediaries not only provide travel and accommodation but have also been able to act as "entities similar to international banks, offering various underground financial services, including credit issuance, currency exchange, multi-currency payment and settlement solutions, remittances, and extrajudicial debt collection mechanisms that have been exploited."According to the report, USDT issued on the Tron blockchain is the most popular among financial wrongdoers in the region due to its stability, ease of use, anonymity, and low fees. Local cryptocurrency exchanges may also play a role in money laundering.

ChainCatcher news, according to the Financial Times, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime warned in a report released on Monday that Tether, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency platforms, has become a major payment method for money launderers and scammers in Southeast Asia.The report points out that USDT is at the core of a growing scam industry, which includes strategies such as creating fake romantic relationships to gain the victims' trust and then luring them into transferring large sums of money, commonly referred to as "pig butchering."The report states: "In recent years, law enforcement and financial intelligence agencies have reported a rapidly growing use of advanced, high-speed money laundering teams specifically engaged in the underground use of USDT."

ChainCatcher news, according to Bloomberg citing informed sources, Southeast Asian cryptocurrency exchange Zipmex initially proposed to repay creditors at a rate of 3.35 cents per dollar, which is part of its latest restructuring proposal.Court documents show that as of October 4, Zipmex has revised its $97 million debt restructuring plan, with the revised payment amount potentially rising to 29.35 cents.