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The arrival of one of the biggest Web3 industry events in Hong Kong is testing the city's resolve in becoming a virtual asset hub, while the organisers look to expand their footprint in Asia. Consensus Hong Kong, a three-day cryptocurrency- and blockchain-focused event that kicks off on Tuesday, is leaning heavily into the city's reputation as a traditional financial hub. "Naturally, we know our strength, and that is capital markets," said King Leung, global head of financial services, fintech a

Recent Chinese technology breakthroughs are more "micro- and innovation-driven in nature," wrote analysts at Goldman Sachs.

The Hong Kong government has responded for the first time to questions about the use of cryptocurrencies as proof of wealth for an immigration scheme after a local accountant talked publicly about two cases that had accepted the digital assets. Clement Siu, a Hong Kong-based certified public accountant, told media he had handled two cases where bitcoin and ether were used as proof of clients' assets. Cryptocurriences are not approved assets for direct investment under the immigration scheme, but Siu's cases suggested they can be used as proof of a potential immigrant's wealth, underscoring their growing recognition as a mainstream asset.

In January 2025, more than 600,000 new crypto tokens were launched, marking a significant increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Traders continue to position for price gains through options even as BTC trades listless below $100K.

It's a stunning turnaround for Europe's biggest economy, which for much of this century had expanded exports and dominated world trade in engineered products like industrial machinery and luxury cars. Moscow's decision to cut off natural gas supplies to Germany in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine dealt a severe blow. For years, Germany’s business model was based on cheap energy fueling production of industrial goods for export.

The old one, fueled by cheap natural gas from Russia and lucrative exports to China, is broken, leaving Europe's biggest economy mired in stagnation and angst about the future. Delivering that fresh growth strategy is going to be the biggest challenge for the government that takes office after a national election set for Feb. 23, seven months ahead of schedule. Multiple factors conspired to take Germany from industrial powerhouse to post-pandemic straggler: too much bureaucracy, a shortage of skilled workers, slow deployment of technology and a lack of clear direction from the outgoing coalition government are among them.

Australian insurance companies fell sharply on Monday after opposition leader Peter Dutton threatened to break them up, accusing them of exploiting customers, as the country prepares for federal elections due by May. In an interview with Sky News, Dutton, leader of the Liberal Party, said that if elected in the federal election, his government would scrutinise insurance industry practices. "In the insurance market, we will intervene to make sure that consumers get a fair go because at the moment people are paying too much for their insurance and what's resulting is that people aren't taking out insurance," Dutton said in the broadcast on Sunday.

(Bloomberg) -- After a year of Wall Street talking about how crowded the hugely popular dispersion trade is, it still appears to be working — and growing. Most Read from BloombergProgressive Portland Plots a ComebackWhy Barcelona Bought the Building That Symbolizes Its Housing CrisisA Filmmaker’s Surreal Journey Into His Own Private WinnipegHow to Build a Neurodiverse CitySpaceX Bid to Turn Texas Starbase Into City Is Set for Vote in MayOne sign of its enduring popularity is the surge in Quantit

(Bloomberg) -- Thailand’s economic growth was weaker-than-expected in 2024 and continued to lag its neighbors as it faces a year fraught with risks from global trade policy hurdles and sluggish domestic demand.Most Read from BloombergWhy Barcelona Bought the Building That Symbolizes Its Housing CrisisProgressive Portland Plots a ComebackA Filmmaker’s Surreal Journey Into His Own Private WinnipegHow to Build a Neurodiverse CitySpaceX Bid to Turn Texas Starbase Into City Is Set for Vote in MaySout