Nick van Eck, the CEO and co-founder of Agora, has witnessed firsthand the challenges posed by currency debasement and inadequate financial systems in emerging markets. With Agora's flagship stablecoin, AUSD, van Eck aims to address these issues by providing a simple yet powerful tool for individuals in countries like Argentina and India to save money without worrying about inflation or capital c…

As the co-founder and managing partner of the early-stage venture capital firm, Race Capital, Edith Yeung has witnessed the evolution of the cryptocurrency sector firsthand, particularly in her native Hong Kong. Notably, she was an early seed investor in Solana, investing $250,000 when SOL was valued at just $0.04, and also invested in the Lightning Network. Since 2017, Yeung has been authoring t…

Following his election to the Hong Kong Legislative Council in 2022, Johnny Ng transitioned from a successful tech entrepreneur, having founded companies that specialized in biometric facial recognition technology, to a career in politics. His platform focused on creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs and fostering the growth of the tech industry in the city. As Hong Kong shifted its focu…

Unlike his predecessor, Changpeng 'CZ' Zhao, Richard Teng, the current CEO of Binance, maintains a relatively low profile among cryptocurrency enthusiasts, which may be a deliberate choice. Since taking over in November, Teng has been instrumental in transforming Binance from a founder-led organization to one governed by a board of directors. He has also prioritized bringing the company into comp…

Aptos, co-founded by Mo Shaikh and Avery Ching, made significant strides in 2024. As a descendant of Facebook's discontinued Libra project, later known as Diem, Aptos successfully integrated with major traditional finance players like Stripe, Franklin Templeton, and BlackRock. Additionally, Aptos introduced an updated version of its smart contract programming language, Move, which has seen applic…

According to a recent survey conducted by Protocol Theory on behalf of CoinDesk, the Asia-Pacific region is uniquely positioned to spearhead the next phase of global cryptocurrency growth. This survey is part of CoinDesk's comprehensive report, Driven by Demand: The People-Powered Crypto Movement in APAC, which offers deeper insights into the region's crypto landscape. The report highlights that …

According to Charles D'Haussy, CEO of the dYdX foundation, the decentralized finance sector is poised for growth, driven by increasing demand for consolidated products and regulatory developments. D'Haussy's comments were made on the sidelines of the Hong Kong Fintech Week, where he drew parallels between the evolution of the internet and the current state of DeFi. He noted that just as the inter…

The Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong is set to establish a consultative panel for licensed cryptocurrency exchanges, as announced by Eric Yip, Executive Director of Intermediaries. Speaking at the Hong Kong Fintech Week on October 28, Yip stated that the panel will include representatives from each licensed exchange, fostering a transparent and collaborative environment among licens…

Hong Kong's Financial Secretary, Christopher Hui, announced plans to consider new tax concessions for various investment types, including virtual assets, during the Hong Kong Fintech Week on October 28. The proposed list also includes overseas real estate, emissions derivatives, insurance-linked securities, interests in private entities, and private credit investments. While details of the tax br…