Crackdown on Bitcoin Hits Businesses in Bali

Having issued a stark warning to “all parties” against any use of “virtual currency”, Bank Indonesia has now joined forces with local police to prevent bitcoin transactions where they are most likely to take place – in Bali. The island, a popular holiday destination with tourists spending both fiat and crypto, has been targeted by … Read more

The Futility of Government Bans – Bitcoin Always Finds a Way

Cryptocurrencies have been threatened at one point or another by nearly every country on the planet. Rarely does a government venture beyond rhetoric. Those resorting to crackdowns are often met with greater public appetite for decentralized virtual money, making all that initial fuss an exercise in futility. Be they communist strongholds or liberal democracies, bitcoin … Read more

No, Mainstream Media, That Country Did Not Ban Bitcoin. Again.

Headlines roared late last night in the western hemisphere, morning in the east, as mainstream media outlets breathlessly ran with an initial report from a legacy wire service: the Republic of South Korea is to ban cryptocurrency. The truth is more subtle, and it’s fast becoming an object lesson in fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD). … Read more

Cryptocurrency Mining Soars in Vietnam – Over 7000 Rigs Imported

The Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has revealed the number of known mining rigs imported into Vietnam in 2017. Over 7,000 rigs were brought into the country, mostly from China, with over 5,000 entering since November. While Vietnam is clamping down on the use of bitcoin as a means of payment, mining rigs are … Read more

South Korean Exchanges Revise Policies to Comply with Crypto Regulation

South Korea’s cryptocurrency exchanges have implemented changes to comply with the government’s mandates announced last week. In addition to restricting certain customers from trading cryptocurrencies, the exchanges have stopped issuing new virtual accounts in accordance with the regulators’ real-name requirements. Also read: Russian Regulators Draft Law to Restrict Crypto Mining, Payments, and Token Sales Government’s Mandates … Read more

Major Korean Banks Drop Bitcoin Point Swap Services

South Korean banks are further distancing themselves from bitcoin following the government’s ”emergency” regulation which bans them from direct involvement in cryptocurrency-related activities. Shinhan Bank and KB Kookmin Bank have announced that they are discontinuing their points for bitcoin exchange services in January. Also read: South Korea Clarifies Position After Reports of Possible Ban on All … Read more

Major Korean Crypto Exchange Upbit at Center of Regulatory Controversy

The South Korean cryptocurrency exchange affiliated with Kakao Talk has recently become the center of regulatory controversy. Upbit is the only major exchange in Korea that has not joined the other exchanges in support of self-regulation. Their agreement with Bittrex raises the question of how the regulation applies to them. Meanwhile, the exchange is having … Read more