South Korea will support 23 domestic blockchain firms at GITEX AI EUROPE 2026 in Berlin. The Ministry of Science and ICT is working with KISA and local governments on the European market push.
Trump Threatens Iran as Oil Rises Ahead of Doha Talks
Oil rose above $70 a barrel on Monday, June 29, after new US-Iran strikes over the Strait of Hormuz. WTI futures rose 1.3% to $70.17, and Brent climbed to $73.21. A US official said both sides would stand down for now and vessels can move freely, with technical talks set for Doha on Tuesday.
India USDT Premium Tops 8.5% as Local Supply Tightens
USDT supply in India suddenly tightened, pushing the local stablecoin premium above 8.5% from the usual 3%–4%. On Saturday, USDT was quoted at INR 102.88, while USD/INR closed at 94.65 on Friday. Crypto Legal founder Purushottam Anand said the rise may partly reflect a risk premium from regulatory uncertainty.
South Korea's Consumer Dispute Resolution Commission ordered Bithumb to pay 100,000 won to each applicant in a disputed promotion. Bithumb could face a total payout of 3 billion won if the order applies to all approximately 30,000 applicants.
Galaxy Digital's research arm lowered its forecast for the CLARITY Act's passage this year from 60% to 50%. The firm cited delays in merging the bill and said a draft has not yet been released.
Tribe Tokenisation FZE obtained Dubai's 50th VASP license. Newly licensed crypto firms must complete a trial period before offering services or onboarding customers.
AI is shaping up as the best hope to overcome Germany's demographic shock https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-29/german-ai-rollout-offers-300-billion-fix-for-worker-shortage?taid=6a41f3834ea26f00017bffd1&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_content=business&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
BIS Says Hormuz Blockade Could Leave Lasting Economic Shock
BIS released a June 28 report saying a historic Strait of Hormuz blockade has triggered an energy and raw material supply crisis. The BIS said geopolitical tensions have somewhat eased and oil prices have fallen sharply. The BIS said the shock could still persist and threaten the global economic outlook.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs Head for Record $4.06B Monthly Outflow
SoSoValue data shows U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded $4.06 billion in net outflows this month, the largest monthly redemption since launch. The funds saw about $1.79 billion in redemptions last week, the second-highest weekly outflow since trading began in January 2024. The monthly total could shift slightly over the final two trading days. Bitcoin declined around 30% in the first half.
VARA granted its 50th VASP license, with the latest approval going to Tribe Tokenisation FZE. An active license does not necessarily mean a firm has completed its commercial launch. At the end of 2025, VARA classified 39 licensed VASPs as fully operational.
SoSoValue data shows HYPE spot ETFs recorded $111 million in net inflows last week. Grayscale's HYPG led inflows, while 21Shares' THYP posted the largest outflows.
Japan's homegrown prediction platforms, banned from real-money gambling, are tapping the country’s loyalty-point culture to build an alternative to Polymarket https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-29/prediction-markets-emerge-in-japan-with-shopping-vouchers?taid=6a41ec3727dbeb0001f31b9a&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_content=business&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
Kiwoom Securities is seeking to acquire a stake in Bithumb, South Korea’s second-largest crypto exchange. The two sides are discussing a third-party allotment of new shares. The exact stake and investment size remain under negotiation.