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South Korea's financial regulators are scrutinizing the practice that links each cryptocurrency exchange to a single banking partner, as part of a broader assessment of competition within the nation's crypto market. According to Cointelegraph, this review is being coordinated between the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Fair Trade Commission, with policymakers examining whether current practices contribute to market concentration. Although the 'one exchange–one bank' model is not explicitly enshrined in South Korean law, it has developed in practice due to Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and customer due diligence requirements. Consequently, crypto exchanges have typically formed exclusive partnerships with domestic banks to facilitate fiat transactions for customers.

The policy discussions reportedly follow a government-commissioned research project that analyzes the virtual asset trading market and the competitive impact of key regulations in South Korea. The study explored the structure of the crypto market and assessed how existing regulations might influence competition among domestic exchanges. The report, obtained by the Herald Economy, concluded that the exchange-bank pairing model could reinforce market concentration by restricting banking access for newer or smaller exchanges. While the model aims to manage compliance risk, the study found that applying uniform standards to exchanges with varying risk profiles and volumes may be disproportionate. Researchers noted that the Korean won-based crypto market remains highly concentrated around a few large platforms. In such markets, liquidity and transaction efficiency tend to favor dominant players, potentially entrenching incumbents when barriers to entry persist.

The reported review coincides with preparations for the second phase of South Korea's crypto legislation, known as the Digital Asset Basic Act. On December 31, lawmakers postponed the submission of the bill to 2026 due to unresolved disagreements over the supervision of domestic stablecoin issuers. The proposed legislation, supported by President Lee Jae-myung, would permit the issuance of won-pegged stablecoins while requiring issuers to entrust reserve assets to authorized custodians such as banks. The debate focuses on whether a dedicated oversight body should pre-approve issuers, with the FSC evaluating how to balance oversight with a framework that allows participation from non-financial technology companies.

The yield on Japan's 10-year government bonds has increased by 3.0 basis points to 2.3%, marking the highest level since February 1999. According to Odaily, the 20-year bond yield rose by 4.0 basis points to 3.295%. Additionally, the 40-year bond yield has surpassed 4% for the first time since its introduction in 2007.

According to BlockBeats, on January 18, Web3 security platform Immunefi's CEO Mitchell Amador highlighted that nearly 80% of crypto projects that suffer major hacking incidents never fully recover. He noted that most protocols lack awareness of their vulnerability to hacking and are unprepared for significant security events.

Amador emphasized that the initial hours following a breach are often the most destructive. Without a pre-established incident response plan, teams may hesitate, debate next steps, and underestimate the impact of the breach. This period is critical for preventing additional losses.

Due to concerns over reputational damage, project teams often hesitate to pause smart contracts and fail to communicate effectively with users. Silence can exacerbate panic rather than contain the issue. The primary reason for the failure to recover for nearly 80% of hacked projects is not the initial financial loss but the collapse of operational and trust systems during the response process.

Polymarket recently reported that Jeff Bezos advised young entrepreneurs to work regular jobs before starting their own businesses, a claim that Bezos has publicly denied. According to NS3.AI, this incident underscores ongoing concerns about prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi disseminating unverified or misleading information through social media. The spread of misinformation on these platforms includes politically sensitive topics and sports news, prompting questions about their reliability as they are anticipated to expand significantly.

Bitcoin is being utilized by investors as a quick cash source during uncertain times, resulting in rapid sell-offs instead of accumulation as a safe-haven asset. According to NS3.AI, this behavior contrasts with traditional assets like gold, which are typically seen as stable stores of value. Bitcoin's volatility and market dynamics during stress periods challenge its reliability as a protective asset in turbulent markets.