Daily CSR

Southeast Asia Blockchain Week 2026 Highlights Web3 and AI Growth in Bangkok

2026-05-28T16:50:00+02:00

Southeast Asia Blockchain Week 2026, jointly organized by Web3 investment firm Hashed, led by CEO Simon Seojoon Kim, and ShardLab under CEO Hojin Kim, wrapped up its two-day conference at ICONSIAM Hall in Bangkok. The gathering featured regulators from Thailand and Indonesia, executives from SCBX, Bitkub, and Ascend Bit, as well as representatives from major international organizations such as Circle, Tether, and the Solana Foundation. The event highlighted the region’s transition from early-stage blockchain experimentation toward broader institutional integration.

The conference agenda focused on five core themes: navigating the evolving regulatory landscape; the convergence of institutional finance and blockchain ecosystems; the next phase of real-world asset (RWA) tokenization; the rise of the agent-driven digital economy; and the importance of foundational blockchain infrastructure. Together, these discussions reinforced Southeast Asia’s growing role as an active hub for implementing and scaling global Web3 adoption rather than merely observing industry trends.

A major component of the policy discussions included contributions from Butree Vangsirirungruang, Director of Thailand SEC’s Digital Asset Policy Department; representatives from the Thailand Digital Asset Association (TDA); and Muhammad Neil El Himam, Deputy for Digital and Technology Creativity at Indonesia’s Ministry of Creative Economy (EKRAF). Bringing policymakers from two of the region’s largest economies together on one platform marked a significant milestone for the conference.

Thailand’s financial and digital asset sectors were represented by Kaweewut Temphuwapat, CIO of SCBX and CEO of SCB 10X; Bitkub co-founder Atthakrit Chimplapibul; and Apinand Dabpetch, Managing Director of Ascend Bit, the blockchain arm of True Money under CP Group. They discussed the modernization of Thailand’s financial systems through blockchain technology. Additional speakers included David Katz, Vice President of Strategy and Public Policy for Asia Pacific at Circle, alongside Tether executives Ploy Boonyavee and Eddy Christian Ng. Other participating organizations included StraitsX, Ripple, BitGo, Anchorage Digital, Canton, Avalanche, the Solana Foundation, Xapo Bank, Token X, and AWS, covering topics ranging from custody and payments to tokenization and AI integration.

In addition to the main conference sessions, SEABW 2026 hosted four invitation-only roundtable discussions focused on RWA tokenization and settlement infrastructure, commercialization of tokenized assets, enterprise applications of AI and Web3 technologies, and stablecoin settlement systems. The event also distinguished itself from traditional industry conferences through a live performance by K-pop group tripleS, managed by Modhaus. The group’s blockchain-based fan governance model enables NFT holders to participate in decision-making processes, demonstrating how entertainment and Web3 technologies are increasingly intersecting across Asia.

Another major highlight was the SEABW AI Hackathon, designed around the theme “Solve a real-world problem around you with AI.” A total of 92 teams from Southeast Asia and other regions participated in the competition. The top award went to BEBRIDGE for its project RWANDA, an AI-driven evaluation platform that reviews RWA audit reports and assigns trustworthiness ratings to tokens, helping retail investors better understand potential de-pegging risks.

The conference attracted support from organizations spanning the entire institutional blockchain ecosystem. Regional sponsors included SCBX, SCB 10X, InnovestX, Bitkub, Bitazza Thailand, and Token X. International partners featured Tether, the Solana Foundation, Xapo Bank, AWS, SOOHO.IO, AriqoX, Tiger Research, and StayGold.

Ruam Siratanapanta, Head of Digital Asset Business at SCBX, stated that SCBX was pleased to continue its partnership with Hashed and ShardLab in supporting Southeast Asia Blockchain Week. He noted that the region is entering a stage where infrastructure development, regulatory progress, and practical digital asset applications are beginning to align, positioning the event as an important meeting point for institutions, policymakers, and builders shaping the future of the industry.

ShardLab CEO Hojin Kim added that few regions are experiencing simultaneous growth in both regulatory certainty and institutional adoption. He emphasized Bangkok’s strategic role at the center of this transformation and explained that as AI and digital assets increasingly merge into a unified agentic economy, fostering direct collaboration between regulators, institutions, and innovators is essential to ensuring the next stage of adoption develops through cooperation rather than fragmentation.

Fireblocks Powers Pepperstone Crypto Expansion with Secure Digital Asset Infrastructure

2026-05-19T16:45:00+02:00

Fireblocks, the enterprise-grade platform that has helped secure more than $14 trillion in digital asset transactions, announced that Pepperstone, a major global online brokerage firm, has implemented Fireblocks’ comprehensive digital asset infrastructure covering custody, compliance, and DeFi operations. This collaboration supports Pepperstone’s accelerated growth in institutional cryptocurrency services, including the recent debut of Pepperstone Crypto, its spot trading exchange designed for Australian customers.

Forex and CFD brokers play a significant yet often underappreciated role in driving institutional adoption of digital assets. Unlike many crypto-native firms that spend years developing scale and infrastructure, these brokers already possess established liquidity networks, continuously operating global systems, and large client bases experienced in sophisticated trading products. With operations spanning over 160 countries, Pepperstone ranks among the world’s largest brokers, and its adoption of the full Fireblocks technology suite highlights the broader industry shift from pilot programs toward long-term digital asset infrastructure investment.

Pepperstone leverages Fireblocks’ MPC-based custody technology to protect customer assets, while the platform’s automated policy engine streamlines transaction approval processes at scale. In addition, Fireblocks supports Pepperstone’s staking capabilities and smart contract functionality, enabling the broker to broaden its offerings into decentralized finance services. The system is further reinforced by integrated AML and Travel Rule compliance tools, all managed through a unified API framework.

According to Amy Zhang, Head of APAC at Fireblocks, Pepperstone represents the type of regulated and technologically advanced institution the company aims to support. She noted that the partnership demonstrates how traditional financial services and digital assets are increasingly converging. Zhang added that when highly regulated, well-funded brokers of Pepperstone’s size participate in spot crypto markets, it strengthens market liquidity and enhances institutional confidence in the asset class.

Pepperstone maintains regulatory licences in eight jurisdictions worldwide, including oversight from ASIC in Australia, the FCA in the United Kingdom, BaFin in Germany, CySEC in Cyprus, DFSA in the UAE, and CMA in Kenya. Operating under such extensive regulatory requirements necessitates infrastructure capable of meeting rigorous compliance and operational standards.

Hsann Aung Naing, Head of Crypto at Pepperstone, stated that launching a regulated spot crypto exchange leaves no room for operational weaknesses. He explained that Pepperstone Crypto, initially launched in Australia, was designed with security, auditability, and compliance as foundational priorities. Naing added that Fireblocks provides the level of control and reliability necessary to meet both regulatory obligations and client expectations.

Phemex Launches LIT & MAGMA Rewards Program with $30K USDT Pool

2025-12-31T13:10:00+01:00

Phemex, a crypto exchange that prioritizes its users, has launched a structured reward program for its newly added trading pairs, LIT and MAGMA. Scheduled to run from December 31, 2025, to January 7, 2026, the initiative offers a total reward pool of 30,000 USDT aimed at boosting liquidity and fostering market activity within Phemex’s derivatives ecosystem.

The program highlights two innovative infrastructures in the DeFi space. Lighter (LIT) operates as an order-book DEX, emphasizing institutional-level capital efficiency and rapid trade execution. Magma Finance (MAGMA) is an AMM DEX tailored for MOVE-based blockchains, featuring a liquidity incentive system that aligns the interests of traders, governance participants, and liquidity providers.

To encourage balanced participation, Phemex has divided the 30,000 USDT pool into two distinct categories:

Reward Structure:

Engagement-Based Pool (10,000 USDT): Focused on general user activities such as social referrals and daily trading achievements, this pool aims to expand the user community around these emerging protocols.
Volume-Driven Competition (20,000 USDT): A competitive track rewarding futures trading volumes for LIT and MAGMA. Prizes are allocated according to rankings, with the top three traders eligible for substantial rewards, including a maximum individual payout of 4,000 USDT.

By integrating these cutting-edge protocols, Phemex continues to enhance its high-performance trading platform, offering users access to the latest developments in order-book and MOVE-based AMM technologies.