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, a report from the United Nations shows that Telegram has become a haven for criminal networks in Southeast Asia, helping them to launder money using cryptocurrency, trade hacked data, and acquire fraud tools.The United Nations states that end-to-end encrypted applications have fundamentally changed the way organized crime operates. Criminal enterprises in Southeast Asia generate annual revenues between $27.4 billion and $36.5 billion.It has been reported that unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges are also advertising money laundering services on the app. An advertisement identified by the United Nations claims, "We transfer 3 million USDT stolen from overseas every day."Criminal networks use Telegram to trade stolen sensitive information, from credit details to passwords, and purchase malware designed to steal funds. At least 10 deepfake software providers have also been found promoting their services to criminals.

ChainCatcher news, according to Caixin, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) recently released the latest "2024 Digital Economy Report" (hereinafter referred to as "the report").The report states that while digitalization has driven global economic growth and provided unique opportunities for developing countries, its impact on the environment is becoming increasingly severe. The report shows that the demand for data transmission, processing, and storage is continuously growing due to new technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, 5G, and the Internet of Things, which has also increased greenhouse gas emissions. The global energy consumption generated by Bitcoin "mining" has grown by approximately 34 times from 2015 to 2023.

ChainCatcher news, according to financefeeds, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is collaborating with the DFINITY Foundation to enhance the Universal Trusted Credentials (UTC) program using Internet Computer blockchain technology. This collaboration aims to improve digital trust and financial inclusion for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) globally.It is reported that the UTC framework was jointly launched by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and other strategic partners, aiming to enhance the opportunities for MSMEs to access financing domestically and across borders by fostering trust in digital data. By promoting the adoption of blockchain-based solutions, the UTC program aims to create a sustainable financial ecosystem that empowers MSMEs.The DFINITY Foundation will leverage its expertise in decentralized computing and digital identity solutions to develop and test prototypes for the UTC pilot program in Cambodia. The Internet Identity (II) solution of the Internet Computer blockchain will ensure the secure storage and management of digital credentials, thereby enhancing the credibility of the UTC system.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, the non-custodial Bitcoin exchange Hodl Hodl has changed its service agreement to explicitly exclude residents from the United States (including its states and the District of Columbia), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Cuba, North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Puerto Rico, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, and any countries and regions subject to United Nations sanctions from accessing its lending platform. This change is part of Hodl Hodl's stricter policy to address regulatory uncertainty and ensure the security and integrity of the platform.Although the platform has never provided services to U.S. customers, this update still affects some users in emerging markets. Catrya, co-founder of the Cuban Bitcoin community Cuba BTC, expressed regret over this, stating that this move "closes another door for Cubans." However, Hodl Hodl has promised that existing users in these restricted jurisdictions will still be able to complete current loan transactions but will not be able to participate in new lending activities.

ChainCatcher news, according to Nikkei, the United Nations Security Council has released the final report of the expert group reviewing the implementation of sanctions against North Korea. The report indicates that approximately 50% of North Korea's foreign exchange income comes from cyberattacks. North Korea is under investigation for allegedly participating in cyberattacks against companies related to crypto assets (virtual currencies), which have caused losses of about $3 billion.It is reported that the expert group investigated the implementation of sanctions against North Korea from July 2023 to January 2024, revealing methods used to evade sanctions. The report is not legally binding, but the Security Council or member states may impose new sanctions on organizations or individuals that violate the rules based on the report.

ChainCatcher news, according to Reuters, UN sanctions monitors are investigating dozens of alleged cyberattacks by North Korea, which have raised $3 billion to help North Korea further develop its weapons program. A related report will be released later this month or early next month.

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, the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) announced that it has established a group to pilot Distributed Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). It aims to explore how public sector agencies can deploy blockchain and DAO principles for governance structures. In addition to DAO governance, research topics also include digital asset management, identity, blockchain accessibility and security, as well as the use of this technology in economic development and investment. Stakeholders include representatives from the central banks of Brazil and Nigeria. Other participants include staff from government departments in Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom, the UAE, and Vietnam. The Government Blockchain Association is the coordinator.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered with the Algorand Foundation to launch a blockchain academy in 2024. The UNDP is educating its 22,000 employees on distributed ledger technology, including how to use it for financial inclusion, supply chain transparency, real-world asset tokenization, and digital identity applications. The ultimate goal is to help countries achieve "sustainable development" growth.

ChainCatcher news, the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the Government Blockchain Association (GBA) have collaborated to create a dynamic alliance for blockchain assurance and standardization. This alliance will study the blockchain field and its various solutions, while gathering opinions and making recommendations to the United Nations, providing practices and guidance for different industries that are using or considering the use of blockchain.The relevant industries targeted by the alliance include artificial intelligence, communication infrastructure, digital identity, economic development, environmental management, and supply chain.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is creating a prototype for a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) to fairly distribute power and communication for global decentralized digital public goods (DPG). Digital public goods (DPG) are open-source software, models, and standards that countries can use to build digital infrastructure as an alternative to proprietary solutions.UNICEF has trialed the open-source voting tool Snapshot to propose potential governance suggestions, and the DAO is built on top of Polygon. (Source link)

Chain Catcher news, the Carbon Standard (CCS) established by the carbon offset project Coorest based on Polygon, has been certified by official UN auditors and has become a new standard for carbon offsetting. This is the first Web3 initiative with an officially verified carbon standard.It is reported that Coorest utilizes the immutability of blockchain to enhance the transparency of the carbon offsetting process, allowing anyone with access to the network to calculate their carbon footprint, and the generated revenue will also be fairly redistributed to the actual contributors. (Source link)