Singapore | Crypto

Japan is quietly preparing the most pro-crypto shift of any G7 nation. According to multiple reports from local media, the Financial Services Agency (FSA) is drafting a sweeping reclassification of digital assets that would bring Bitcoin, Ethereum, and around 100 other tokens under the same umbrella as stocks and investment funds. If the plan moves […] The post Japan’s 20% crypto tax sets a new bar in Asia, pressuring Singapore and Hong Kong as retail costs fall appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Survey results show that 61% of Singapore’s sophisticated investors value trust over low fees, reflecting a growing preference for reliability and transparency in financial services. The post 61% of Singapore’s Finance-Savvy Investors Choose Trust Over Low Fees: Survey appeared first on Cryptonews.

Survey data points to cautious allocations, long-term holding and a preference for regulated platforms as Singapore’s retail market continues to mature. Singapore’s retail crypto market is entering a new phase of maturity, as traders are increasingly prioritizing trustworthy platforms over those with lower fees, according to a new survey. On Thursday, a joint survey by finance platform MoneyHero and crypto exchange Coinbase revealed that 61% of “finance-savvy” investors in Singapore now hold crypto, with trust emerging as their primary deciding factor for selecting exchanges, outranking fees. The data suggests that the city-state’s crypto ecosystem is evolving beyond chasing the cheapest exchange to placing value on regulated frameworks, security and long-term conviction. Read more

SGX is aiming to capture rising institutional crypto demand by launching the second set of Bitcoin and Ether perpetual futures products in Singapore. Singapore’s main derivatives exchange will introduce two new cryptocurrency futures products this month, citing rising institutional interest in digital assets. SGX Derivatives is launching Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) perpetual futures, which are financial derivatives contracts enabling investors to bet on the spot price of the underlying asset without an expiration date. In a Monday announcement, SGX said it is launching new trading products to meet what it describes as the “rising institutional crypto demand, converging TradFi and crypto-native ecosystems.” Read more

Chia Der Jiun of the Monetary Authority of Singapore said that regulation is key to confidence as tokenization gains traction.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore says only fully regulated, reserve-backed stablecoins will qualify as settlement assets as Singapore prepares legislation and expands CBDC trials. Singapore’s central bank has signaled a forthcoming shakeout of unregulated stablecoins as the country moves to protect the integrity of assets within its financial ecosystem.  In a keynote speech at the Singapore FinTech Festival on Thursday, Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Managing Director Chia Der Jiun warned that “unregulated stablecoins have a patchy record of keeping their peg.” “There has been a lot of attention on stablecoins. They are offered as open platforms, able to work across many different applications and use cases,” Chia said. “While agility is a strength, stability needs to be reinforced.” Read more

Scott Bessent met Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the APEC 2025 summit, as world leaders gathered to address global growth, energy security and technology. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent praised Singapore’s leadership in stablecoin and digital asset adoption during a meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday, according to an official readout from the US Department of the Treasury.  The discussion was held at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2025 summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, where world leaders are meeting to discuss global growth, energy security and technology. Bessent also told APEC leaders during the Economic Leaders’ Informal Dialogue that through their work with APEC economies, the US is “seeing record levels of capital being invested into advanced manufacturing and technology sectors.”  Read more

Scott Bessent met Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the APEC 2025 summit, as world leaders gathered to address global growth, energy security and technology. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent praised Singapore’s leadership in stablecoin and digital asset adoption during a meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday, according to an official readout from the US Department of the Treasury.  The discussion was held at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2025 summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, where world leaders are meeting to discuss global growth, energy security and technology. Bessent also told APEC leaders during the Economic Leaders’ Informal Dialogue that through their work with APEC economies, the US is “seeing record levels of capital being invested into advanced manufacturing and technology sectors.”  Read more

Singapore and the UAE rank as the world’s most crypto-obsessed countries amid high ownership, search activity and rapid adoption growth. Singapore and the United Arab Emirates rank globally as the most “crypto-obsessed” nations, according to a recent report by ApeX Protocol. Singapore claimed the number one spot with a composite score of 100, driven by 24.4% of its population owning crypto and leading the world in search activity, with 2,000 crypto-related queries per 100,000 people. In 2021, only 11% of Singaporeans held digital assets, but that figure more than doubled by the following year. Close behind, the UAE scored 99.7, ranking first globally for crypto ownership at 25.3%. The Gulf nation saw a 210% increase in adoption since 2019, with a significant boom in 2022 when over 34% of the population reported holding crypto. Read more

While Europe and the US debate AI and crypto rules, Singapore deploys live systems in hospitals and refines its crypto licensing through targeted enforcement. Opinion by: Zac Cheah, co-founder of Pundi AI The West is regulating itself into irrelevance. With Europe and the United States bogged down in committee meetings and legal drafts, Southeast Asia, specifically Singapore, is running live AI pilots in hospitals, refining crypto licensing through targeted enforcement, and attracting top global talent with a governance model that works. Singapore’s secret? A sandbox-first approach that treats innovation not as a threat, but as an opportunity to be carefully tested, not endlessly theorized. Read more

BTS Jungkook’s identity thief’s crypto scam ring. Ripple and Circle back Singapore stablecoin infrastructure firm. Asia Express A hacking syndicate accused of stealing 39 billion won ($28 million) by targeting wealthy corporate executives and celebrities including BTS member Jeon Jung-kook has been arrested by South Korean police. A Seoul police unit said Thursday it had apprehended 18 suspects who allegedly hacked government agencies, public institutions and IT platforms to obtain personal and financial data from 258 victims, according to local media reports. The stolen information was then used to break into bank, securities and cryptocurrency exchange accounts. Police said the group successfully stole 39 billion won from 16 victims and attempted to defraud another 25 billion won from 10 others, bringing total damages to 64 billion won. Among the victims were three celebrities and two corporate leaders from South Koreas top 100 companies. The largest confirmed theft amounted to 21.3 billion won in crypto. R...

BTS Jungkook’s identity thief’s crypto scam ring. Ripple and Circle back Singapore stablecoin infrastructure firm. Asia Express A hacking syndicate accused of stealing 39 billion won ($28 million) by targeting wealthy corporate executives and celebrities including BTS member Jeon Jung-kook has been arrested by South Korean police. A Seoul police unit said Thursday it had apprehended 18 suspects who allegedly hacked government agencies, public institutions and IT platforms to obtain personal and financial data from 258 victims, according to local media reports. The stolen information was then used to break into bank, securities and cryptocurrency exchange accounts. Police said the group successfully stole 39 billion won from 16 victims and attempted to defraud another 25 billion won from 10 others, bringing total damages to 64 billion won. Among the victims were three celebrities and two corporate leaders from South Koreas top 100 companies. The largest confirmed theft amounted to 21.3 billion won in crypto. R...

The license was granted after a new policy from Singapore's Monetary Authority required all crypto firms based in the country to register. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has granted crypto exchange Bitstamp a license to provide services to residents of the Southeast Asian country, the company announced on Thursday. Bitstamp's license is part of the exchange's broader expansion into the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, the company said. In June, MAS ordered all crypto exchanges serving overseas customers to get licensed or face expulsion, imprisonment, and financial penalties. The regulator also warned that obtaining a license would be very difficult. MAS officials wrote: Read more

The deadline has forced firms to flee to Dubai and Hong Kong as Singapore closes a key loophole and prioritizes regulatory integrity.

Ant International plans to apply for stablecoin licenses in Hong Kong and Singapore, signaling growing fintech interest in regulated crypto payment systems, Bloomberg reported. Ant International reportedly plans to apply for stablecoin issuer licenses in Singapore and Hong Kong, signaling growing institutional cryptocurrency adoption among fintech firms. Ant International, a Singapore-based unit of the Jack Ma-backed Ant Group, is preparing to submit a license application in Hong Kong after the city’s stablecoin regulatory framework takes effect in August, according to a Bloomberg report citing unidentified sources. The company is expected to pursue similar licensing efforts in Singapore and Luxembourg. Ant Group is an affiliate of the Chinese conglomerate Alibaba Group, which owns and operates the world’s largest digital payment platform, Alipay, serving over 80 million merchants and 1.3 billion users worldwide. Read more

Singapore’s ousting of unlicensed firms was not a sudden move and it’s among several regions tightening licensing duties. Singapore’s latest order for unlicensed crypto firms to stop serving overseas customers marks the beginning of the end for regulatory loopholes in the blockchain industry. The May 30 directive from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) tells crypto firms and individuals offering services abroad to get licensed or get out. To some in the industry, it may look like Singapore is suddenly turning away from its crypto-friendly stance. But in reality, the city-state has remained consistent in its push for compliance. The move aligns with a global crackdown aimed at money laundering and terrorism financing. Read more

The Monetary Authority of Singapore has effectively banned most crypto firms from serving only foreign clients by requiring a license, which it says it will “generally not issue.” The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has shed light on its Digital Token Service Providers (DTSPs) regime, following widespread panic in the industry over a potential ban on crypto firms serving overseas clients In a June 6 announcement, MAS reiterated that starting June 30, crypto firms “providing services solely to customers outside of Singapore relating to digital payment tokens and tokens of capital market products will need to be licensed.” However, the regulator warned that such licenses will be granted only in “extremely limited circumstances.” Read more

Crypto exchange WazirX suffered a major legal blow after the Singapore High Court rejected its restructuring proposal to relaunch operations following a $230 million hack in July 2024. On June 4, WazirX announced that its request for court approval had been denied, saying: “The Honourable Singapore High Court issued an order declining to approve our […] The post WazirX relocates to Panama after Singapore court blocks restructuring efforts appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Singapore’s central bank has set a June 30 deadline for local crypto firms targeting overseas markets to halt operations or face steep penalties, including fines of almost $200,000. Singapore’s central bank has set a deadline of June 30 for local crypto service providers to stop offering digital token (DT) services to overseas markets. The directive came from the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) response to industry feedback on its proposed regulatory framework for Digital Token Service Providers (DSTPs) under its Financial Services and Markets Act of 2022 (FSM Act).  MAS stated that no transitional arrangements will be made for local DTSPs providing services abroad. It said that any Singapore-incorporated company, individual or partnership that provides DT services outside Singapore must either cease operations or obtain a license when the DTSP provisions come into force by the end of June.  Read more

Singapore’s crypto awareness reached 94%, but ownership dropped to 29% in 2025 from 40% a year earlier as investors shift strategies. Crypto awareness in Singapore has reached an all-time high, with 94% of respondents in a recent survey indicating familiarity with at least one digital asset. However, ownership declined, falling to 29% in 2025 from 40% the previous year, according to Independent Reserve’s fifth annual Singapore Crypto Market Survey released on May 21. The survey, conducted in February with 1,500 participants, revealed that men remain more active in crypto investing than women, 35% compared to 24%. Read more