Kategorie: Bitcoin News

• Crypto firms offering financial products must obtain an AFSL by 30 June.
• Bitcoin and NFTs are said to be excluded from the financial product category.
• The Treasury has finished consultations on new crypto legislation.

Australia has tightened its regulatory framework for digital assets, introducing updated guidelines that define how crypto service providers will be classified and licensed.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announced revisions to its Information Sheet 225.

Firms offering services tied to financial products will now need to apply for an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) and join the Australian Financial Complaints Authority by June 30.

The updated document aims to streamline compliance requirements, strengthen investor protection, and bring digital asset providers under the same regulatory standards as traditional financial institutions.

This marks a significant shift in Australia’s approach to overseeing crypto-related businesses and ensuring greater market transparency.

The move aims to bring greater oversight to the rapidly evolving crypto industry while maintaining flexibility for tokens like Bitcoin, which will not be treated as financial products under the new guidance.

Bitcoin excluded, but stablecoins under scrutiny

Under the revised guidelines, ASIC clarified that cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, gaming non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and tokenised event tickets do not fall under the financial product category.

However, stablecoins, wrapped tokens, tokenised securities, and yield-bearing products like staking services and tokenised real estate will require licensing.

ASIC also confirmed in-principle regulatory relief for stablecoin and wrapped token distributors to help transition into compliance ahead of broader legislative reforms.

The updated framework outlines that services offering financial returns or lock-up periods will be classified as financial products, ensuring investors in yield-based assets are protected under existing finance laws.

Industry welcomes clarity but warns of implementation challenges

The update has been broadly welcomed across the blockchain sector for providing long-awaited clarity.

Industry groups and legal experts said the move provides visibility on ASIC’s approach to regulating the digital asset ecosystem.

However, they warned that the transition could create logistical hurdles due to limited local expertise, banking restrictions, and insurance access.

Blockchain APAC’s CEO noted that ASIC’s approach of implementing policy ahead of final legislation brings short-term certainty but also leaves room for interpretation.

These “structural bottlenecks,” including resource and compliance constraints, could shift risks from legal to operational levels if not addressed promptly.

Transition underway as crypto firms prepare for licensing

Industry players are now restructuring their operations to align with the new rules.

The Digital Economy Council of Australia called the update a significant step toward mainstream regulation but expressed concern about ASIC’s capacity to process a large volume of licensing applications in time.

The move follows the Albanese government’s proposal in March for a unified framework that places crypto exchanges under existing financial services laws.

The Treasury concluded consultations last week on draft legislation that would formalise this transition, further aligning Australia’s crypto oversight with global regulatory trends.

The update marks a turning point for Australia’s digital asset market, setting a roadmap for compliance while signalling the government’s intention to balance innovation with investor protection.

The post Australia tightens crypto rules: check out all the details appeared first on CoinJournal.

• Bitcoin is fighting to close October in positive territory, a key historical signal.
• The month has been highly volatile, with a 13% correction at one point.
• A series of technical indicators are now pointing to a bullish short-term structure.

It has been an up-and-down and often frustrating month for Bitcoin traders, a period of wild price swings that has put the seasonal promise of an “Uptober” rally to a severe test.

Now, with just a few days left in the month, a tense battle is underway as the bulls fight to keep the world’s leading cryptocurrency in positive territory, a goal that could have significant implications for the rest of the year.

Historically, October has been a powerful launchpad for Bitcoin, delivering average gains of more than 20%. But this year has been a different story.

After spiking above $123,000 early in the month, the market was hit by a brutal 13% correction that saw prices plummet to $107,000.

Since then, the bulls have been in a grinding, hard-fought recovery, with the price currently hovering around $115,000, a meager 1.14% gain for the month.

A powerful macro tailwind provides support

This fragile recovery is being supported by a powerful macroeconomic tailwind.

Traditional markets are firing on all cylinders, with the S&P 500 hitting fresh record highs as investors confidently price in a quarter-point interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve this week.

This dovish monetary policy, combined with an easing of US-China trade tensions, has propelled a “risk-on” sentiment that typically benefits assets like crypto.

Adding another layer of support is a renewed wave of institutional interest.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs have now recorded their third consecutive day of inflows, a clear signal of conviction from the market’s larger and more influential players.

The view from the charts: a bullish structure takes shape

A deep dive into the technical charts reveals a bullish short-term structure that suggests the path of least resistance is now to the upside.

The Average Directional Index (ADX), a key measure of trend strength, is sitting at a strong 32.14, a reading that suggests the current upward momentum is likely to persist.

At the same time, the Squeeze Momentum Indicator is flashing a “bullish Impulse,” a high-probability signal that directional movement to the upside is just beginning.

The Ichimoku Cloud analysis also shows Bitcoin trading above the clouds, another classic indicator of trend continuation.

The final hurdle: a pivotal Fed decision

While the technical and macro pictures are aligning in favour of the bulls, a major and binary risk event looms on the horizon: the Federal Reserve’s policy announcement on Wednesday.

While the market is pricing in a 25-basis-point cut, any hawkish language about the future path of interest rates could easily trigger a wave of short-term volatility.

The key for the bulls will be whether Bitcoin can maintain its critical support above the $114,000 level through any Fed-related turbulence.

If it can, then this “Uptober,” while not as explosive as many had hoped, may still end in the green, setting the stage for a potentially powerful final two months of the year.

The post Battle for a green month: Can Bitcoin hold its gains as ‘Uptober’ comes to a close? appeared first on CoinJournal.

• Mt. Gox extends Bitcoin repayment deadline to Oct 2026 amid ongoing administrative hurdles.
• Once the top Bitcoin exchange, Mt. Gox’s collapse in 2014 led to the loss of 850,000 BTC.
• Arkham data shows holdings now down 75% to 34,690 BTC.

Mt. Gox, once the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange, has delayed repayments to its creditors until October 2026 — extending a saga that began more than a decade ago.

The announcement, made just days before its previous deadline of October 31, 2025, reflects ongoing administrative and technical challenges in finalising payments.

While many creditors who submitted paperwork have received partial repayments, a significant number are still waiting for their funds.

The Tokyo District Court approved the extension after the trustee cited the need for additional time to process remaining claims and complete settlements efficiently.

Delayed Bitcoin repayments extended to 2026

According to the latest notice, the Mt. Gox rehabilitation trustee confirmed that most base, early lump-sum, and intermediate repayments have been processed for creditors who completed the required steps.

However, repayments for others remain pending.

The trustee explained that it was “desirable to make the repayments to such rehabilitation creditors to the extent reasonably practicable,” leading the court to approve a new deadline of October 31, 2026.

This marks another chapter in one of the cryptocurrency industry’s longest-running recovery efforts.

Mt. Gox, which once handled over 70% of the world’s Bitcoin trading volume, collapsed in 2014 after a massive hack led to the loss of approximately 850,000 BTC.

The company subsequently filed for bankruptcy in Japan.

How the Mt. Gox collapse reshaped Bitcoin history

When Mt. Gox failed, the exchange’s bankruptcy shook investor confidence in digital assets and exposed vulnerabilities in early crypto infrastructure.

About 200,000 BTC were later recovered, but 650,000 BTC remain missing.

The recovery process transitioned into a court-supervised civil rehabilitation in Japan, during which a trustee began redistributing recovered Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) in 2024.

At the time of its collapse, Mt. Gox’s influence was unmatched.

The incident not only caused a sharp decline in Bitcoin prices but also prompted tighter regulatory oversight in key markets.

In the years since, it has become a landmark case in crypto regulation, bankruptcy law, and investor protection — shaping how global exchanges handle custody and insurance.

Market impact and sell-off concerns

With repayments scheduled to continue into 2026, traders and analysts have debated whether the eventual release of thousands of Bitcoin could trigger selling pressure.

Historically, such fears have surfaced each time Mt. Gox announced repayment progress.

However, recent on-chain data suggests that these effects may be limited.

According to Arkham Intelligence, Mt. Gox currently holds 34,690 BTC worth nearly $4 billion, down from about 142,000 BTC in mid-2024 — a decline of more than 75%.

Analysts tracking these wallets have noted that even large movements from the exchange have had only short-term effects on Bitcoin’s market price, indicating that most creditors are choosing to hold rather than sell immediately.

What’s next for creditors and the crypto market

The trustee’s revised timeline means that full repayments could now take another year, extending the wait for thousands of claimants worldwide.

For many early Bitcoin investors, the repayments represent not only financial recovery but also closure on one of crypto’s most notorious events.

Still, the Mt. Gox story continues to serve as a cautionary tale for digital asset investors.

It underscores the importance of secure custody, transparent operations, and regulatory compliance — principles that have since become standard practice across global crypto exchanges.

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• Madras High Court confirms crypto can be owned and held in trust.
• WazirX has been barred from redistributing investors’ unaffected XRP holdings.
• Ruling strengthens investor rights and Web3 governance in India.

In a landmark ruling that could reshape cryptocurrency in India, the Madras High Court has declared that cryptocurrencies qualify as property under Indian law.

The Court’s decision, delivered by Justice N. Anand Venkatesh, affirms that cryptocurrencies can be owned, held in trust, and protected as legal property — a major step in clarifying the legal status of digital assets in the country.

Cryptocurrency in India now recognised as property

The case arose from a petition by an investor whose 3,532.30 XRP coins were frozen after a cyberattack on WazirX, one of India’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.

In July 2024, the platform suffered a $234 million hack involving Ethereum and ERC-20 tokens.

While the investor’s XRP holdings were not part of the stolen assets, WazirX sought to redistribute all users’ funds under its so-called “socialisation of losses” plan.

Justice Venkatesh firmly rejected the proposal, ruling that each investor’s digital holdings are individual property and cannot be diluted or redistributed to cover exchange losses.

He emphasised that cryptocurrencies, though intangible, possess all the essential attributes of property — they are identifiable, transferable, and exclusively controlled through private keys.

“It is not a tangible property nor is it a currency,” the judge observed. “However, it is a property, which is capable of being enjoyed and possessed in a beneficial form.”

This interpretation grants digital asset holders stronger legal standing, ensuring that their cryptocurrencies are recognised as assets protected under Indian law.

Jurisdiction and investor protection

The Court also settled questions over jurisdiction, dismissing WazirX’s argument that Singaporean arbitration rules applied because its parent company, Zettai Pte Ltd, is based in Singapore.

Justice Venkatesh cited the Supreme Court’s earlier decision in PASL Wind Solutions Pvt Ltd v. GE Power Conversion India Pvt Ltd (2021), noting that Indian courts have authority over assets located within India.

Because the investor’s transactions originated from Chennai and involved an Indian bank account, the Court confirmed that the case fell squarely under Indian jurisdiction.

The court further highlighted that Zanmai Labs Pvt Ltd, which operates WazirX in India, is registered with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) — unlike its foreign parent company or Binance.

This distinction reinforced that Indian exchanges operating domestically are subject to Indian oversight and accountability, particularly in protecting user assets and maintaining transparent custodial practices.

Strengthening Web3 governance

Justice Venkatesh’s decision went beyond individual relief to call for higher standards of corporate governance in the Web3 and crypto sectors.

He urged exchanges to maintain separate client funds, conduct independent audits, and uphold robust KYC and anti-money laundering controls.

These measures, the Court noted, are vital for building trust in the digital economy and protecting consumers from future mishandling of assets.

Legal experts hailed the judgment as a milestone in developing “crypto-jurisprudence” in India.

Vikram Subburaj, CEO of Indian exchange Giottus, described it as a foundational moment that signals to all market participants — exchanges, users, and regulators — that the digital asset space will be held to strong standards of governance and protection.

A foundation for India’s crypto future

The Court’s ruling not only protects the rights of individual investors but also strengthens the broader regulatory framework around digital assets.

By recognising cryptocurrency as property, the judgment fills a crucial legal gap in a country where tax enforcement on crypto remains strict, but investor protections have lagged.

As Justice Venkatesh wrote, courts now serve as the “central stage where the future of digital value is debated.”

Through this ruling, the Madras High Court has given India a clearer picture of ownership, responsibility, and trust in the age of decentralisation.

With cryptocurrency in India now firmly recognised as property under Indian law, the decision marks a turning point for the country’s digital asset ecosystem — affirming that in India, crypto holdings are not just speculative instruments but protected assets under the law.

The post Cryptocurrency is as ‘property’ under Indian law, rules Madras High Court appeared first on CoinJournal.

• Bitplanet bought 93 BTC in Korea’s first regulated corporate purchase.
• The firm plans daily Bitcoin buys to reach a 10,000 BTC treasury.
• Backed by major investors, Bitplanet leads Korea’s Bitcoin adoption.

Bitplanet has made history in South Korea’s financial landscape by becoming the nation’s first publicly traded company to purchase Bitcoin (BTC) through a regulated domestic exchange.

The KOSDAQ-listed technology firm recently acquired 92.67 BTC — worth approximately $10.9 million — marking a new chapter in the country’s corporate embrace of digital assets.

Korea’s first regulated corporate Bitcoin buy

The BTC acquisition positions Bitplanet as a pioneer in compliant Bitcoin adoption within Asia’s evolving financial ecosystem.

For the past month, @Bitplanet_KR has been quietly building the most reliable and compliant Bitcoin treasury infrastructure in Korea — culminating in becoming the first public company to purchase Bitcoin directly through a licensed domestic crypto exchange. As of October 26,… pic.twitter.com/hEmpvh9fUL

— Bitplanet Inc. (@Bitplanet_KR) October 26, 2025

It is the first time a listed company has acquired Bitcoin through a licensed exchange within the country’s regulated financial infrastructure.

Executed entirely under the supervision of South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the transaction signals growing confidence among institutional investors that Bitcoin can serve as a legitimate, strategic treasury asset.

The Seoul-based company described the move as a deliberate, rules-based initiative rather than a speculative trade.

Co-CEO Paul Lee explained that the purchase marks the start of a disciplined, long-term accumulation plan designed to reduce timing risks while positioning Bitcoin as a strategic treasury reserve.

The transaction was executed fully in compliance with domestic financial laws, a milestone that could encourage other listed companies to follow suit.

Notably, the timing of Bitplanet’s move coincided with a strong rally in Bitcoin prices, which recently climbed above $115,000 amid optimism about US Federal Reserve rate cuts and increasing exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows.

By choosing this moment to make its first acquisition, Bitplanet demonstrated not only market awareness but also confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term role as a corporate asset.

From its IT roots to a Bitcoin treasury company

Founded in 1997 as SGA Co., Ltd., Bitplanet has deep roots in IT, cybersecurity, and education technology services.

The company rebranded in September 2025 to reflect a broader shift toward blockchain and Bitcoin-focused ventures.

Its pivot follows the full $50 million acquisition of SGA earlier in the year and the completion of a $40 million fundraising round to support its new treasury strategy.

This strategic transformation underscores Bitplanet’s vision of becoming South Korea’s first institutional-grade Bitcoin treasury company.

The firm has developed a comprehensive infrastructure for compliant digital asset management, including regulated custody solutions, secure storage, and real-time audit systems that meet government and financial oversight standards.

Bitplanet’s management says it intends to accumulate Bitcoin daily through licensed domestic exchanges, aiming to build a reserve of up to 10,000 BTC over time.

This steady, methodical approach minimises exposure to market volatility and mirrors similar strategies employed by firms such as Japan’s Metaplanet, one of Bitplanet’s key backers.

Backed by global Bitcoin advocates

Bitplanet’s Bitcoin strategy is supported by a global network of digital asset investors.

The firm’s backers include Simon Gerovich of Metaplanet, AsiaStrategy, Sora Ventures, UTXO Management, KCGI, Kingsway Capital, and ParaFi Capital — groups known for advancing institutional Bitcoin adoption worldwide.

Their involvement signals strong confidence in Bitplanet’s compliance-focused model and its potential to establish a new standard for Bitcoin treasury management in Asia.

Industry observers believe the company’s regulated approach could pave the way for broader corporate participation in South Korea’s growing digital asset market.

The BTC purchase also aligns with the country’s forthcoming Digital Asset Basic Act, scheduled to take effect by 2027, which will formalise the rules for cryptocurrency custody and corporate holdings.

By moving early, Bitplanet positions itself to benefit from the regulatory clarity that this law is expected to bring.

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