Asia

Pudgy Penguin

2026-10-02 11:28:32

Pudgy Penguins and LINE FRIENDS launch limited co-branded collection

NFT project Pudgy Penguins has officially launched a limited co-branded collection created with creative studio LINE FRIENDS. The lineup includes plush toys, blind boxes and other collectible merchandise. The release is centered on LINE FRIENDS retail stores in major Asian cities including Tokyo, Shanghai and Seoul. At the same time, the collection is also being sold through several online channels, including the official Pudgy Penguins store, LINE FRIENDS' Douyin and Tmall flagship stores, and the brand's official mini program. The announcement was shared by Pudgy Penguins, with the sale now live across both offline and online distribution points.

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Antom

2026-09-30 08:19:18

Antom and Google Gemini form partnership to expand AI tools in Asia

Google Gemini and Antom, a leading merchant payment and digitalization service provider under Ant International, said they have entered a strategic partnership aimed at making AI tools more accessible to users across Asia. According to the announcement cited by Techub News, the collaboration will focus on learning, creativity, and productivity use cases. The report identified Antom as part of Ant International and described the company as a provider of merchant payment and digital services. The item was attributed to Finextra’s crypto channel. No additional commercial terms, rollout schedule, or market-by-market details were disclosed in the source brief.

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Nikkei 225

2026-09-07 06:35:39

Japan and South Korea Stocks Close Higher, KOSPI Up 4.61%

Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 2.12% on Monday, while South Korea's KOSPI surged 4.61%, as Asian markets posted gains.

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Bitget

2026-09-05 08:08:14

Bitget CEO Confirms Talks with BlackRock for Asian Crypto Distribution

Bitget CEO Gracy Chen revealed in a CoinDesk interview that the exchange is in talks with Wall Street giants including BlackRock for Asian crypto product distribution. The talks focus on leveraging Bitget's 125 million registered users as a distribution channel for traditional financial products. Asia's blockchain transaction volume surged 69% YoY, the highest globally, according to OECD data. BlackRock estimates Asian household wealth at $108 trillion, and a 1% allocation to crypto could bring $2 trillion inflows. BlackRock is already building its Asian digital asset presence, posting a new digital asset role in Singapore in December 2025. Bitget data shows 52% of its users are dual-asset holders, holding both crypto and traditional stocks. Coinbase UK CEO Keith Grose noted that Coinbase already provides custody for BlackRock's US Bitcoin and Ethereum ETPs. If the Bitget-BlackRock deal materializes, exchanges could evolve from trading platforms to financial product distribution endpoints. Key factors include Taiwan's VASP regulatory status and the potential for tokenized ETFs to reach retail investors directly through crypto exchanges.

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stablecoin

2026-09-04 05:52:47

Bitget Wallet APAC Lead: Asian Stablecoin Endgame to Be 'Wallet Entry + Local Currency Payment Rails'

During the 'Asian Stablecoin Race' panel at FUTUREMODE 2026, Will Wu, Asia Pacific lead of Bitget Wallet, shared his views. He argued that the real indicator of stablecoin adoption in daily finance is not issuance growth but the formation of recurring payment habits. In July, Bitget Wallet's daily payment transactions surpassed trading transactions for the first time. Card users average 10 payments per month with an average of $28 per transaction, indicating everyday spending behavior. On monetary sovereignty, Wu noted that the currency users want to hold and the currency merchants need to receive do not have to match; wallets should help users understand their currency exposure without complex conversions. He predicted that by 2027, Asia's stablecoin market will develop a coordination layer architecture with crypto wallets as the entry point, connecting dollar-pegged stablecoins with local currency payment rails through regulated partners.

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Metaplanet

2026-09-04 02:20:26

Metaplanet CEO Says Inflation and Yen Weakness Have Started Asia’s First Bitcoin Cycle

Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich told the Bitcoin Asia conference that Asia has now entered its first Bitcoin cycle. He said the company, which began as a Japanese hotel chain, has transformed into a Bitcoin treasury firm and now holds 43,000 BTC, placing it first in Asia and third globally by holdings. Gerovich also said Metaplanet has bought a Japanese securities firm and launched the Nasdaq-listed entity Superplanet to connect Tokyo and Nasdaq capital markets. The company’s plan, according to the article, is to build regulated products around Bitcoin, including income-generating instruments backed by its Bitcoin balance sheet. Gerovich added that Japan’s roughly $14 trillion in savings, along with inflation and yen weakness, are helping move capital from deposits toward Bitcoin. The article also says Japan is working on a new legal framework that would treat Bitcoin more like stocks and bonds, while cutting investment gains taxes. In Gerovich’s view, the long-term winners will include not only retail holders, but also firms building custody, lending and yield products around Bitcoin.

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DBS

2026-09-02 01:14:09

DBS and Stripe Forge Strategic Partnership to Boost Asia Agency Commerce and Cross-Border Payments

DBS and Stripe have formed a strategic partnership to accelerate growth in agency commerce and cross-border payments across Asia. The partnership leverages DBS's Asian network and Stripe's programmable financial services to help businesses move funds more efficiently. They will also explore agentic AI to improve transaction security and efficiency. DBS CEO Chen Sushan highlighted that Asia's digital economy is entering a new phase of innovation, with AI agents gaining traction. Stripe's CCO Fran Ryan noted that over half of users in the region already engage in cross-border sales. The collaboration supports Stripe's expansion in Asia and its transformation into a full-stack financial infrastructure provider. Forecasts suggest AI agents could orchestrate $5 trillion in global consumer commerce by 2030, and Asia's cross-border payment outflows may reach $24 trillion by 2033, accounting for 36% of the global total.

1070

DBS Bank

2026-08-27 03:22:07

DBS and Stripe team up on AI and cross-border payment services in Asia

DBS Bank has entered into a partnership with payments platform Stripe to jointly develop artificial intelligence and cross-border payment solutions in Asia, according to Techub News, citing Tech in Asia. The tie-up centers on payment efficiency and regional expansion, with both companies working on services aimed at the Asian market. DBS CEO said the bank expects AI technology to generate more than $768 million in additional revenue by 2025. Beyond product development, DBS will also help Stripe manage liquidity and cash positions across its corporate entities. The arrangement adds an operational banking layer to the partnership while linking it to Stripe’s broader payments business in the region.

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