ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, the stablecoin cross-border payment service provider Conduit announced on Thursday that it has partnered with Brazil's Braza Group to enable real-time foreign exchange between the Brazilian real and major foreign currencies through stablecoins.This service allows users to exchange Brazilian reais for US dollars or euros, with settlements completed in a matter of minutes, significantly better than the traditional foreign exchange systems that typically require up to three days for settlement.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, SEB Research's Chief Rate Strategist Jussi Hiljanen stated in a report that U.S. long-term Treasury yields may rise further, partly due to a decline in market confidence in U.S. policy.Jussi Hiljanen emphasized, "Trust in U.S. policy is eroding, and considering the costs of foreign exchange hedging, the lack of attractiveness in valuations, and investors turning to European bonds, all indicate that long-term U.S. yields face structural upward pressure. It is expected that long-term Treasury yields will rise moderately, but fiscal policy may trigger a significant repricing of U.S. Treasuries."

ChainCatcher news, according to a report by Hongxing News, Sichuan Public Security has released 10 typical cases of economic crimes, including the "2 • 6" illegal operation (foreign exchange) case. In this case, since August 2021, Fan, He, Chen, and others set up studios and technology consulting companies in Chengdu, using social networking software to conduct targeted traffic for specific clients. They colluded with domestic agents of overseas foreign exchange institutions to provide illegal cross-border RMB exchange services through methods such as cashing out overseas gift cards and virtual currency trading, with a total amount involved exceeding 3.9 billion yuan. A total of 21 criminal suspects were successfully apprehended in this case, which concluded its investigation in December 2024 and was transferred for prosecution.

ChainCatcher news, according to the Ping An Xianning official account, recently, the police discovered a criminal gang led by Tang Moumou that set up multiple network devices to illegally access the international internet through unauthorized channels, using foreign software to engage in illegal virtual currency and foreign exchange transactions. Five individuals involved were apprehended on the spot, and all equipment used in the crime was seized. The public security authorities have imposed administrative penalties on Tang Moumou and six others, and the case is currently under further investigation.In October 2023, the Xianning police arrested individuals in a similar case, issuing a warning and imposing a fine of 15,000 yuan, along with the confiscation of illegal gains amounting to 90,000 yuan.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoinist, Swedish MP Rickard Nordin submitted a written inquiry to the Minister of Finance, suggesting that Bitcoin be included in the national foreign exchange reserves. Nordin pointed out in the inquiry that some countries, such as El Salvador, have recognized Bitcoin as legal tender, and central banks around the world are continuously discussing the impact of Bitcoin on monetary policy.According to reports, the Governor of the Swedish Central Bank, Erik Thedéen, previously stated in March 2024 that Bitcoin has no place in the Swedish financial system. Currently, there are no relevant regulations in Sweden that allow Bitcoin to be included in foreign exchange reserves.

ChainCatcher message, Arthur Hayes posted that the current market has entered a "bad mode," where both U.S. stocks and the 10-year Treasury yield are falling simultaneously, reflecting the market's panic about the economic outlook. He emphasized that if the export of dollar earnings decreases, it will lead to a lack of capital inflow into the U.S. market, which cannot support the purchase of Treasury bonds and stocks, signaling that "the game is over."

ChainCatcher news, Li Bin, Deputy Director of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, recently stated at the Boao Forum for Asia sub-forum on "Finding Currency and Financial Stability in an Unstable World" that the State Administration of Foreign Exchange is highly concerned about the impact of the digital renminbi on the transmission of monetary policy and capital flows. It is also highly concerned about the use of virtual currencies for illegal cross-border fund transfers and is working to enhance its identification and monitoring capabilities in this area.

ChainCatcher news reports that, according to 4E monitoring, last week the Federal Reserve's dovish remarks and Trump's statements about flexibility in the reciprocal tariff plan alternately boosted confidence in the U.S. stock market. After significant fluctuations, the three major indices collectively closed higher for the week: the Dow Jones increased by 1.2%, marking the largest weekly gain in over two months; the S&P 500 rose by 0.51%, ending a four-week losing streak; the Nasdaq slightly increased by 0.17%, halting a previous four-week decline. However, large tech stocks generally closed lower for the week, with Nvidia down 3.26%, Tesla down 0.53%, marking its ninth consecutive week of decline.The cryptocurrency market experienced fluctuations but overall showed a mild upward trend. Bitcoin rebounded after dipping near $81,000 on Tuesday, and on Thursday, driven by the Federal Reserve's dovish remarks, it surged above $87,000, reaching a new high in half a month, before oscillating mainly in the $84,000 range. This morning saw another wave of rapid increases, reporting $85,721 before the deadline, up 3.18% over the past seven days. Other major tokens mostly showed slight increases, with Ethereum striving to stabilize above $2,000, and the meme craze on the BNB chain continuing to attract attention. Signs of market recovery are gradually emerging, and investor sentiment has improved.In the forex and commodities sector, the dollar index rose by 0.34% for the week, marking its first weekly increase this month. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the situation in the Middle East continue to escalate, with crude oil rising over 2% for two consecutive weeks. Spot gold increased by 1.31% last week, marking three consecutive weeks of gains.Last week, the Federal Reserve maintained interest rates, in line with market expectations, with guidance for two rate cuts remaining for the year, and Powell's remarks provided some comfort to the market. This week, attention will focus on the PCE price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation indicator, to be released on Friday. Additionally, as the "tariff deadline" on April 2 approaches, uncertainty keeps the market cautious. However, once the tariff outlook becomes clearer, the prolonged market turbulence may subside.

ChainCatcher news, according to South Korea's Economic TV, the Bank of Korea has clearly stated that it has "never considered including Bitcoin in its foreign exchange reserves." In response to written inquiries from National Assembly member and Planning and Finance Committee member Cha Gyu-geun on the 16th, the Bank of Korea stated, "We believe it is necessary to approach the issue of including Bitcoin in foreign exchange reserves with caution."This is the first time the Bank of Korea has expressed its position on the issue of Bitcoin reserves, and the primary reason for its negative stance is the high volatility of Bitcoin prices. In this regard, the Bank of Korea pointed out, "If the virtual asset market becomes unstable, there is a risk that the transaction costs of Bitcoin may increase sharply during the liquidation process. We believe that Bitcoin also does not meet the International Monetary Fund (IMF) standards for foreign exchange reserve calculations. To date, we have never discussed or considered including Bitcoin in our foreign exchange reserves." The Bank of Korea added, "As far as we know, some countries like the Czech Republic and Brazil hold a positive attitude towards this, but the European Central Bank (ECB), the Swiss National Bank, and the Japanese government have all expressed opposition."

ChainCatcher news, according to the Wen Wei Po report, Hong Kong Legislative Council member Wu Jiezhuang stated that he suggested promoting the establishment of a unified blockchain trading and settlement platform for licensed virtual asset trading platforms in Hong Kong, facilitating 24/7 uninterrupted trading through the tokenization of physical assets. He pointed out that to address the bottlenecks in the development of the digital economy, such as financing difficulties for small and medium-sized enterprises in the mainland and inefficiencies in cross-border transactions, he proposed setting up a digital asset foreign exchange fund in Hong Kong to provide digital asset collateral financing for small and medium-sized enterprises in the Greater Bay Area, while also promoting financial circulation in the Greater Bay Area.

ChainCatcher news, the Central Bank of Russia has introduced regulations to manage foreign exchange operations involving digital rights. According to Russian law, digital rights include electronic records such as cryptocurrencies, tokenized securities, and digital tokens. These rights represent claims or obligations related to assets or services. The new decree will take effect on January 11 and outlines the obligations of residents engaged in such transactions, aiming to clarify and strengthen the oversight of digital assets used for trade and payment purposes.A key requirement outlined in the regulation is that foreign trade contracts involving digital rights settlements must be registered with authorized banks. The document states: "Foreign trade contracts, including those settled using digital rights, must be registered with authorized banks. The registration thresholds for these contracts remain unchanged: import contracts exceeding 3 million rubles and export contracts exceeding 10 million rubles."In addition to registration, the Central Bank of Russia also explained: "The regulation specifies the documents and information that residents must provide to banks, including transaction data related to the transfer or receipt of digital rights as a means of payment under foreign trade contracts, as well as data related to other foreign exchange operations involving digital rights."By defining these requirements, the Central Bank of Russia aims to integrate digital rights into the broader financial system while reducing the risks associated with their use.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Czech National Bank Governor Aleš Michl recently stated in an interview with CNN Prima News that he is considering including Bitcoin in the bank's foreign exchange reserve diversification strategy. If implemented, the Czech central bank would become the first European central bank to purchase Bitcoin.In the interview, Michl mentioned that he is considering buying "a small amount of Bitcoin" as part of the reserve diversification. While this would not be a significant investment, its symbolic meaning is substantial. The bank's advisor Janis Aliapulios confirmed that although there are currently no plans to purchase Bitcoin, discussions on the matter cannot be ruled out in the future. Any decision to purchase Bitcoin would need to be approved by the board of directors of the Czech central bank, which consists of 7 members.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Czech National Bank Governor Aleš Michl recently stated in an interview with CNN Prima News that he is considering including Bitcoin in the bank's foreign exchange reserve diversification strategy.In the interview, Michl mentioned that he is considering purchasing "a small amount of Bitcoin" as part of the reserve diversification. While this would not be a significant investment, its symbolic meaning is substantial. The bank's advisor Janis Aliapulios confirmed that although there are currently no plans to purchase Bitcoin, discussions on this matter cannot be ruled out in the future. The Czech National Bank's board, composed of 7 members, needs to approve any decision to purchase Bitcoin.

ChainCatcher news, the South Korean court has made a ruling against a gang involved in illegal foreign exchange transfers. Four members of the gang were sentenced for illegally transferring approximately 400 billion won in foreign exchange by exploiting price differences in virtual currencies. The main culprit A (43 years old) was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison, while the other two defendants received sentences of 2 years and 2 months and 2 years, respectively. One defendant was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months, with a 2-year probation and 160 hours of community service.The court stated that the gang profited by having Japanese investors commission the purchase of virtual currencies in Japan and reselling them in South Korea, taking advantage of the relatively lower prices of virtual currencies in Korea. The total amount of foreign exchange they illegally transferred was approximately 400 billion won, with illegal gains of about 27 billion won.The court found that the defendants obstructed bank remittance operations through means such as forging invoices and contracts, indicating a strong organizational nature and severe nature of the criminal behavior.

ChainCatcher news, according to the announcement from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, the "Measures for the Administration of Bank Foreign Exchange Risk Transaction Reporting (Trial)" have been issued and will take effect immediately. The "Measures" are a supporting document to the "Measures for the Administration of Bank Foreign Exchange Business (Trial)", aimed at strengthening banks' foreign exchange risk management, and early identification, early warning, and early handling of high-risk transactions such as suspected false trade, underground banks, and illegal cross-border financial activities involving virtual currencies.The main contents include: clarifying the responsibility for bank foreign exchange risk transaction reporting, requiring the establishment of a monitoring system and submission of reports; specifying the scope of information reporting, including activities suspected of illegal cross-border capital flows; clarifying the report content, such as basic information and proposed measures; and strengthening internal management measures, including internal control systems and data confidentiality management, etc.

ChainCatcher news, according to Coinpost, the Japanese government has officially responded to the inquiry by Senator Akira Hamada regarding "the promotion of Bitcoin reserves by the United States and other countries." Hamada previously stated on December 11 that "Japan should follow the example of the United States and other countries and consider converting part of its foreign exchange reserves into Bitcoin and other crypto assets."In response, the Japanese government stated that it has not yet fully grasped the relevant movements of the United States and other countries, believing that discussions in other countries about introducing Bitcoin reserves are still ongoing, and "the government finds it difficult to take a position on specific situations." According to the legal framework of special accounting operations, "crypto assets do not fall under foreign exchange," and the current foreign exchange reserves aim to maintain the stability of foreign currency assets and foreign currency bond markets.The defense document repeatedly emphasizes that special accounting operations will prioritize ensuring the safety and liquidity of foreign exchange reserves, implying that the volatility of crypto assets like Bitcoin does not align with the current system.

ChainCatcher news, according to Coinpost, the Japanese government has made an official response to Senator Akira Hamada's inquiry regarding "the promotion of Bitcoin reserves by the United States and other countries." Akira Hamada previously suggested on December 11 that "Japan should follow the example of the United States and other countries and consider converting part of its foreign exchange reserves into Bitcoin and other crypto assets."In response, the Japanese government stated that it has not yet fully grasped the relevant movements of the United States and other countries, believing that discussions in other countries about introducing Bitcoin reserves are still ongoing, and "the government finds it difficult to take a position on specific situations." According to the legal framework governing special accounting operations, "crypto assets do not fall under foreign exchange," and the current foreign exchange reserves aim to maintain the stability of foreign currency assets and foreign currency bond markets.The response document repeatedly emphasizes that ensuring the safety and liquidity of foreign exchange reserves is the top priority of special accounting operations, implying that the volatility of Bitcoin and other crypto assets is not compatible with the current system.

ChainCatcher news, South Korean lawmaker Choi Eun-sik has proposed an amendment to the "Foreign Exchange Transactions Act," aimed at preventing money laundering and other foreign exchange crimes related to virtual assets. The amendment proposes the establishment of a monitoring system for virtual asset transactions, the improvement of the institutional foundation for financial technology foreign exchange services, the enhancement of the convenience of foreign exchange transactions for individuals and businesses, and the strengthening of the intelligent construction of the foreign exchange monitoring system.He stated that the rapid development of virtual assets and financial technology in recent years has diversified cross-border transaction methods, but current laws have failed to cover these changes, leading to regulatory blind spots, particularly as money laundering involving virtual assets and illegal foreign exchange transactions have become increasingly serious.According to data from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the number of suspicious transaction reports from virtual asset merchants increased by 48.8% last year compared to the previous year. The Ministry of Finance plans to add definitions for virtual assets and virtual asset merchants next year and requires virtual asset merchants to register before conducting cross-border transactions and to regularly report users' transaction records to the Bank of Korea.The amendment is expected to be implemented in the second half of next year.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cryptoslate, founder of the Satoshi Act Fund, Dennis Porter, stated that U.S. President-elect Trump plans to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) through an executive order, intending to use the Treasury's Exchange Stabilization Fund (ESF) to purchase Bitcoin. The ESF is typically used to address financial crises, with total assets exceeding $200 billion as of October 2024. If implemented, this plan would position the U.S. at the forefront of the global Bitcoin reserve race.At the same time, several U.S. states have begun to push for Bitcoin reserve legislation, including Pennsylvania and Texas. Additionally, countries such as Brazil, Poland, and Japan are also discussing proposals to establish national Bitcoin reserves.