Gate News message, April 8, SBI Ripple Asia has completed development of a token issuance platform based on the XRP Ledger, and has registered in Japan as a prepaid payment instrument issuer. The platform enables businesses to issue tokenized payment instruments.

An Indonesian court ruled on three individuals suspected of financing terrorism, with on-chain cryptocurrency transactions serving as the core evidence, revealing that they used cryptocurrencies to move funds to activities related to ISIS. Investigations show that improvements in cryptocurrency regulatory capabilities and heightened monitoring across Southeast Asia mean the flow of terrorist funds is facing strict scrutiny.

Gate News message, April 7, Indonesian authorities recently convicted three defendants on terrorism financing charges involving cryptocurrency, becoming one of the first terror-financing conviction cases in Southeast Asia supported primarily by on-chain blockchain evidence. One of the defendants transferred more than 49,000 USDT to an overseas exchange through 15 transactions, and the flow of funds is linked to networks associated with ISIS. None of the three defendants directly participated in a terrorist attack; their role was characterized as the “financial logistics layer” of a terrorist organization.

Gate News message, April 5, cross-border remittance giant Western Union announced that it has completed its acquisition deal for Singapore digital wallet Dash. The specific acquisition amount has not been disclosed yet. Dash was previously owned by Singtel, and this acquisition gives Western Union its first wallet service in the Asia-Pacific region, further expanding its digital financial services beyond its traditional remittance business. Singtel and Western Union had previously said that the sale still needs approval from regulatory authorities. The completion of the deal announced this week marks that Dash has officially been folded into Western Union’s business.

Polymarket and PredicXion are expanding into Asian markets and launching Chinese-language support to drive localization. However, countries such as China and India lack clear regulation for blockchain prediction markets, and there are strict restrictions on gambling activities, which affects market expansion. The difference between prediction markets and gambling is their ability to aggregate information.

As expectations grow that a Trump-led Iran war will end within two to three weeks, global risk-asset sentiment has rebounded. Bitcoin is holding at $67,950, Asia-Pacific equities are performing strongly, and overall market risk appetite has recovered. Institutional capital is flowing into the crypto market, which could push Bitcoin toward a clear direction. The market is waiting for Trump’s key speech to confirm the trend.

OpenFX has recently completed a $94 million funding round, with a post-investment valuation of about $500 million. The company uses stablecoins to accelerate cross-border payments, enabling rapid foreign-exchange settlement. Currently, its annual processing volume has reached $45 billion, and it plans to expand into the Southeast Asia and Latin America markets.

Persija Jakarta Pelita Cikarang Football Club has partnered with the Chiliz Group to launch fan tokens, aiming to strengthen engagement with fans around the world. Token holders will enjoy benefits such as voting rights and exclusive content, supporting the club’s growth and enhancing the fan experience. This initiative marks a further advancement in the digitalization of football in Southeast Asia.

StakeStone announced that its Stone Wallet QR code payment feature is officially live, aiming to lower the barriers to crypto payments. It supports multiple mainstream payment standards across the Asia-Pacific region and uses a zero-fee model, serving retail users and people in communities underserved by financial services.

Research shows that Hyperliquid's validating nodes are concentrated in the Amazon Web Services Tokyo region, resulting in a trading latency of only 2 to 3 milliseconds for users in Tokyo, while users in Europe experience over 200 milliseconds. Geographic location affects trading efficiency, making Tokyo a hub for cryptocurrency trading in Asia.