1. Iranian Crypto Asset Outflows Surge to Over $2 Million Per Hour at Peak link
Following the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, Iranian local crypto exchanges saw a peak in capital outflows. Between February 28 and March 2, approximately $103 million worth of crypto assets flowed out, with hourly outflows nearing or exceeding $2 million during peak periods — far above normal levels.
Chainalysis notes that the exact sources of these flows remain unclear; potential drivers include retail users moving assets to self‑custody wallets, exchanges adjusting liquidity structures amid sanctions pressure, or cross‑border capital movements linked to state‑affiliated entities.
Elliptic previously disclosed that Iran’s central bank accumulated roughly $507 million in USDT over the past year, injecting dollar liquidity into the domestic market via Nobitex, the country’s largest crypto exchange.
2. Russia Plans Separate Stablecoin Legislation to Follow Crypto Trading Regulation Law link
Russia’s Ministry of Finance is considering drafting a separate stablecoin bill, rather than including stablecoin rules in its upcoming general crypto trading regulation. Alexey Yakovlev, Director of the Ministry’s Financial Policy Department, stated that stablecoins hold “immense, even colossal potential”.
Stablecoins currently lack clear legal definition in Russian law. The government plans to advance the stablecoin regulatory framework after the State Duma passes a law restricting citizens from trading crypto assets on unlicensed platforms. That law is expected to take effect as early as July 1, 2026.
3. Hong Kong InvestHK Committed to Building World’s Friendliest Web3 Regulatory and Industry Ecosystem link
Leo Leung, Global President of Financial Services, Fintech & Sustainable Development at InvestHK, stated that Hong Kong is building the world’s most Web3‑friendly environment by refining its regulatory framework and industrial support systems. Leveraging its strengths as an international financial hub, Hong Kong is attracting virtual asset, RWA, and fintech firms by offering clear compliance pathways, gradual policy opening, and government‑industry communication mechanisms to resolve onboarding hurdles such as bank account opening and licensing.
Looking ahead, the most promising stablecoin use cases are cross‑border payments and AI microservices settlement. For RWA, the key lies in streamlining legal and regulatory frameworks. Overall, Hong Kong aims to attract global Web3 and tech enterprises via the “Hong Kong Inc” collaborative model while maintaining strict regulation, enabling firms to use Hong Kong as a springboard to expand internationally.
4. Pakistan Parliament Passes Virtual Assets Act, Establishes National Crypto Regulatory Authority link
Pakistan’s parliament has passed the Virtual Assets Act, establishing a formal regulatory framework for digital assets and confirming the establishment of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) as the national regulatory body. The authority will be responsible for licensing, regulating and supervising cryptocurrency exchanges, custodians and other virtual asset service providers, while setting anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing standards. The bill was previously approved by the Senate and will next be submitted to the President for signature to take effect.
5. Kazakhstan Central Bank Sets Up Crypto Portfolio Worth Up to $350 Million link
The National Bank of Kazakhstan has established a portfolio of up to $350 million from its gold and foreign exchange reserves for allocating crypto‑related assets. Governor Timur Suleimenov stated that potential investment targets include stocks of technology companies and index funds linked to crypto and digital financial assets, rather than large‑scale direct purchases of cryptocurrencies. The investment plan is scheduled to launch in April or May.
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6. Singapore Seizes $2.7 Billion in Assets Linked to Chen Zhi’s Prince Group link
The Singapore Police Force announced that it had arrested three Singaporean citizens suspected of involvement in a money laundering case linked to Cambodia’s Prince Holding Group between November last year and January this year, and issued an arrest warrant for a Singaporean woman, Chen Xiuling. The police stated that in October 2025, assets worth more than SGD 150 million were seized or subjected to prohibition of disposal orders. Subsequently, additional prohibition of disposal orders were issued for three properties, eight cars, as well as assets including cash (in various foreign currencies), bank and securities accounts, luxury handbags and watches, with a total value of approximately SGD 350 million. To date, the total value of assets seized or subjected to prohibition of disposal orders in connection with this case has exceeded SGD 500 million (about RMB 2.7 billion).
7. Taipei Prosecutors Indict 62 in Prince Group Fraud Network Involving $10.8 Billion NTD link
Prosecutors in Taipei, China Taiwan, have indicted 62 individuals linked to the Cambodia-based Prince Holding Group’s fraud center network, including the group’s founder Chen Zhi. According to prosecutors, the organization transferred approximately NT$10.8 billion (about US$339 million) in illicit funds into China Taiwan through shell companies, which were used to purchase luxury properties, high-end cars, and other assets to conceal the source and flow of criminal proceeds. To date, authorities in China Taiwan have seized assets worth over NT$5.5 billion. Law enforcement agencies in Singapore, Hong Kong, and other regions have also seized assets or arrested individuals associated with the group.
8. Binance Asia-Pacific Head: Binance Plans 5 Additional Regulatory Licenses in Asia This Year link
SB Seker, Binance’s Head of Asia-Pacific, told Nikkei Asia that Binance plans to secure five additional regulatory licenses in Asia this year, which will bring the number of its licensed jurisdictions worldwide to over 20. Currently, Binance holds regulatory approvals in Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, and Thailand across the Asia-Pacific region. South Korea will soon be added to its list of licensed jurisdictions following the completion of its acquisition of the local exchange Gopax. Seker did not disclose the specific target markets for the new licenses, only noting that some markets are “in the final stages.”
9. FATF Warns Stablecoins Become Major Tool for Illicit Activity, Calls for Tighter Issuer Oversight link
In a 42-page report released in March, the FATF, the global anti-money laundering standard-setter, stated that stablecoins have become the most widely used virtual assets in illicit transactions, including by Iran- and DPRK-linked entities to evade sanctions and finance proliferation, and called for strengthened regulation of stablecoin issuers.
FATF noted that illicit stablecoin activity related to fraud and scams reached approximately $51 billion in 2024. Citing Chainalysis data, it said stablecoins accounted for 84% of $154 billion in illicit virtual asset transactions in 2025. TRM Labs also reported that illicit entities received $141 billion in stablecoins in 2025, with overall stablecoin trading volumes exceeding $1 trillion per month in some periods.
10. ADGM Approves Ondo Tokenized Stocks and ETFs for Binance MTF Launch link
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has approved Ondo Finance’s tokenized stocks and ETFs for trading on Binance’s regulated Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF). This marks the first approval of tokenized securities trading under ADGM’s regulatory framework.
Approved products include tokenized versions of Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Circle, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla, and the Invesco QQQ ETF, available to non‑U.S. users. The approval enables local UAE financial institutions and intermediaries to trade tokenized equity assets within a compliant framework.
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