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According to Jinjian News, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission issued new guidelines today, allowing licensed brokers providing virtual asset trading services to expand their service scope to margin financing, and providing guidance for virtual asset trading platforms to assist in formulating leveraged product proposals. This move will encourage margin clients with robust credit conditions and collateral to participate more actively in virtual asset trading, enhancing liquidity in the Hong Kong market.

According to the official announcement, Gate Square will open additional content mining rewards from February 10 to March 11. During the event, both creators and viewers will have the chance to win generous rewards. Creators will receive up to 60% in creation rebates. Creators who earn more than 0.1 USDT in mining rewards during this event can share a 1500 USDT new miner prize pool. Meanwhile, viewers who click on any content card's trading component in the square and complete a transaction will have the opportunity to be among the top 20 users by trading volume to receive up to 50 GT in rewards and exquisite Gate merchandise.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), Ashley Alder, stated at the Consensus Hong Kong conference that the regulatory body will release a "high-level framework" allowing licensed trading platforms to offer perpetual contract products. Alder pointed out that these products will initially be open only to institutional investors and not to retail customers.The relevant framework will focus on risk management, requiring platforms to have robust risk control capabilities and ensuring that trading mechanisms are fair to clients. In addition, the Hong Kong SFC will also allow brokers to provide financing services to clients with good credit standing, with collateral including securities and virtual assets. Given the high volatility of virtual assets, initially only Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) will be eligible as collateral.In terms of market-making activities, if platforms engage in related services, they must establish independent market-making departments and implement strict conflict of interest management mechanisms. Alder stated that these measures continue the SFC's roadmap to promote the development of the local crypto market by 2025, aiming to allow compliant institutions to offer a wider range of products and services.

According to The Block, SEC Commissioner Mark T. Uyeda expressed his views on security tokenization, stating that the SEC's rules should not create "unnecessary barriers" in the evolution of technology.In a speech at the Asset Management Derivatives Forum, Uyeda pointed out that tokenization has moved from theoretical exploration to the early stages of practical application, with market participants testing how traditional securities can be issued, held, and transferred on-chain. He emphasized that tokenized securities still fall under the regulatory scope of securities laws, and technological advancements have not changed core legal obligations such as information disclosure, asset custody, and investor protection. Uyeda stated that the SEC's responsibility is not to create a parallel set of rules for crypto-native assets but to adapt existing securities laws to the on-chain environment without causing unnecessary friction. He reiterated the SEC's commitment to the principle of "technological neutrality," focusing on regulatory outcomes rather than specific processes. Uyeda specifically mentioned that the SEC has recently received an exemption application based on the Investment Company Act, indicating that tokenization "is no longer just a theoretical deduction, but is becoming a reality."

Mark T. Uyeda, a commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), delivered a speech at the 2026 Asset Management Derivatives Forum, highlighting the progress of the implementation of Treasury clearing rules and the development of tokenization in the securities market.The SEC has approved the registration of two new clearing agencies, CME Securities Clearing and ICE Clear Credit, providing market participants with more clearing options. Data from the Office of Financial Research indicates that if the rules are implemented in the first 8 months of 2025, U.S. global systemically important banks could free up an average of $34.5 billion in balance sheet space.Regarding tokenization, Uyeda stated that the SEC has ceased to use enforcement as the primary means of expressing its views, instead promoting limited scope pilots through regulatory guidance and exemptions. He emphasized that SEC rules should remain technology-neutral, focusing on outcomes rather than processes, while ensuring appropriate investor protection measures.

The heads of the People's Bank of China and the China Securities Regulatory Commission stated that the background for the release of the "Notice on Further Preventing and Dealing with Risks Related to Virtual Currencies" (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice") is: based on summarizing previous work experiences and in conjunction with the new risk situation, the original document has been revised to form the "Notice."In addition, this notice continues the policy stance of recent years, reiterating that virtual currencies do not have the same legal status as legal tender, and that conducting virtual currency-related business activities within the country is considered illegal financial activity. Foreign entities and individuals are not allowed to illegally provide virtual currency-related services to domestic entities in any form.In response to the rapid development of real-world asset tokenization in recent years, the "Notice" emphasizes that conducting real-world asset tokenization activities within the country, as well as providing related intermediary and information technology services, which may involve illegal issuance of token vouchers, unauthorized public issuance of securities, illegal operation of securities and futures businesses, and illegal fundraising, should be prohibited; except for related business activities conducted based on specific financial infrastructure with the approval of the competent business authorities in accordance with laws and regulations. Foreign entities and individuals are not allowed to illegally provide real-world asset tokenization-related services to domestic entities in any form.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has issued the "Regulatory Guidelines on the Offshore Issuance of Asset-Backed Securities Tokens for Domestic Assets." The guidelines refer to the offshore issuance of asset-backed securities tokens for domestic assets as activities that issue tokenized equity certificates abroad, supported by cash flows generated from domestic assets or related asset rights, utilizing cryptographic technology and distributed ledger or similar technologies. The offshore issuance of asset-backed securities tokens for domestic assets must strictly comply with laws, administrative regulations, and relevant policy provisions regarding cross-border investment, foreign exchange management, network and data security, and must fulfill the approval, filing, or security review procedures required by the aforementioned regulatory authorities, without harming national interests and public welfare.It is mentioned that the China Securities Regulatory Commission will conduct strict regulation of the offshore issuance of asset-backed securities tokens for domestic assets in accordance with the law and regulations. Before carrying out related business, the domestic entity that actually controls the underlying assets must file with the CSRC, submitting the filing report, complete set of offshore issuance materials, and other relevant documents as required, fully explaining the information of the domestic filing entity, underlying asset information, token issuance plan, and other circumstances. The domestic filing entity and its controlling shareholders, actual controllers, directors, supervisors, senior management personnel, as well as relevant intermediary institutions must ensure that the filing materials provided are true, accurate, and complete, and must not contain false records, misleading statements, or significant omissions.

According to Jinshi reports, relevant officials from the People's Bank of China and the China Securities Regulatory Commission answered reporters' questions regarding the "Notice on Further Preventing and Dealing with Risks Related to Virtual Currencies." They stated that regarding virtual currencies, there has long been a prohibitive policy stance on related business activities within the country.In 2013, the People's Bank of China and five other departments jointly issued the "Notice on Preventing Bitcoin Risks," which clarified that Bitcoin is a specific virtual commodity and should not be circulated or used as currency in the market. The "Notice on Further Preventing and Dealing with Risks of Virtual Currency Trading Speculation," issued in 2021, further clarified that Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins such as Tether do not have the same legal status as fiat currency, and conducting virtual currency-related business activities within the country is considered illegal financial activity and is strictly prohibited.The notice continues the policy stance of recent years, reiterating that virtual currencies do not have the same legal status as fiat currency, and conducting virtual currency-related business activities within the country is illegal financial activity. Foreign entities and individuals are not allowed to illegally provide virtual currency-related services to domestic entities in any form.

Cryptocurrency payment company Alchemy Pay announced that it has partnered with the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission licensed entity HTF Securities Limited to complete the upgrade of the SFC Type 4 (advising on securities) license VA. This development builds on Alchemy Pay's previous strategic investment in HTF Securities, and the two parties will also collaborate to advance the upgrade application for Type 1 and Type 9 licenses for virtual asset business.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has launched an investigation into the virtual asset exchange Bithumb for allegedly exaggerating its promotions. The FTC has dispatched investigators to Bithumb's headquarters in Gangnam to obtain relevant data.It is reported that the FTC is investigating whether Bithumb's claim in a press release last year that it has "the highest liquidity among domestic virtual asset exchanges" is true. Currently, Upbit ranks first in market share. The FTC is also investigating allegations that Bithumb altered payment terms during a promotional event held at the end of last year. This promotional event aimed to provide subsidies to new users connecting to its API (Application Programming Interface).

The Deputy Director of the Intermediaries Division of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, Luo Haishi, revealed that they are considering allowing licensed virtual asset trading platforms (VATPs) to provide secondary trading of tokenized securities for retail clients, with a focus on local tokenized money market funds and hoping to allow trading on licensed VATP platforms. Currently, the regulatory body is studying the relevant requirements, operational risks, and control measures, and is drafting a related circular.Luo Haishi stated that, from the perspective of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, tokenized securities are essentially the same as ordinary securities, just with a technological layer added, applicable to "the same business, the same risks, and the same rules."

Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal posted on the X platform that the Nevada Gaming Control Board previously sought support from a Nevada court to unilaterally block it from launching any sports-related or other types of activity contracts in Nevada without providing an opportunity for debate. Today, the court rejected this request.Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal argued that due process requires at least an opportunity to obtain a hearing.

According to the Hong Kong Economic Journal, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) is considering allowing licensed virtual asset trading platforms (VATPs) to provide secondary trading services for tokenized securities to retail clients. The Deputy Director of the Intermediaries Division, Lo Hoi-sze, stated that the authorities are studying the relevant requirements, operational risks, and control measures, and are drafting a related circular.Currently, Hong Kong retail investors can only subscribe to and redeem tokenized funds in the primary market. Lo Hoi-sze specifically mentioned that the authorities are concerned about local tokenized money market funds and hope to allow trading on licensed VATP platforms, having conducted preliminary consultations with the industry regarding the relevant requirements.Lo Hoi-sze emphasized that from the SFC's perspective, tokenized securities are essentially the same as ordinary securities, with only a technological layer added, and therefore the regulatory principle of "same business, same risks, same rules" will apply.

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission announced today that it has included "ADG platform/Grady Technology Limited" in the warning list of suspicious virtual asset trading platforms, stating that the entity claims to operate a platform on its related website that offers trading services for tokenized real assets and stablecoins that are suspected to constitute "securities," and is suspected of unlicensed activities.

Vitalik Buterin posted on the X platform that in the next five years, the Ethereum Foundation (EF) will enter a period of "moderate tightening" to achieve two main goals: first, to deliver a more aggressive technical roadmap that ensures Ethereum continues to be a high-performance, scalable "world computer" without sacrificing robustness, sustainability, and decentralization; second, to enhance the long-term sustainability of the Ethereum Foundation itself, safeguarding Ethereum's core mission, including the foundational blockchain layer and users' ability to use the network under the premises of security, privacy, and self-sovereignty.Vitalik pointed out that as part of the tightening plan, he will personally take on some work that might have been handled by the Foundation's "special projects," focusing on supporting an open, verifiable, end-to-end hardware and software technology stack to protect personal lives and public environments. This technological vision encompasses finance, communication, governance, blockchain, operating systems, secure hardware, and biotechnology (personal and public health), emphasizing privacy protection, decentralization, and a locally prioritized software architecture.To this end, Vitalik has extracted 16,384 ETH and plans to gradually invest in the aforementioned goals over the coming years while exploring safer decentralized staking solutions to use staking rewards long-term to support related missions. He emphasized that Ethereum itself is an indispensable part of the "full-stack openness and verifiability" vision.The Ethereum Foundation will continue to focus on core Ethereum development, but the priority is not "Ethereum everywhere," but rather "Ethereum for people who need it," serving self-sovereignty, security, and privacy, rather than catering to centralized corporate demands. Vitalik stated that in an increasingly "might makes right" world, this path offers a necessary alternative—building an uncontrollable collaborative infrastructure through truly open, verifiable, and user-serving technology.

According to official news, Gate's Gate Live has officially launched the "Live Mining Rebate Program" upgrade public test, systematically optimizing the rebate structure, transaction trigger paths, and task incentive mechanisms, further enhancing the linkage efficiency between live content and user transactions.Under the new mechanism, eligible hosts can receive up to 30% in transaction fee rebates, which includes a base rebate of up to 20% and an additional bonus of up to 10% unlocked through phased tasks, making the earnings structure and path clearer.At the same time, Gate Live has added a token component rebate mechanism in the live rooms, allowing hosts to guide users into trading scenarios through token tags or components. After users complete transactions such as spot, contracts, Alpha, or Gate Fun, the rebate calculation will be triggered, achieving a direct connection between content and real transactions.During the public test period, the platform will also launch a limited-time task bonus system, covering dimensions such as live frequency, interaction performance, and trading results, encouraging creators to continuously produce high-quality content. Hosts who complete real-name authentication and fill in their information can participate, and new hosts can enjoy limited-time rebate enhancement rights within 30 days of joining.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has released new guidance on tokenized securities, clearly stating that whether a security is regulated depends on its legal characteristics, rather than whether it is in a tokenized form; tokenization itself does not change the applicability of securities laws.The statement further distinguishes between issuer-sponsored tokenized securities and third-party tokenized securities, and covers different structures such as custodial models and synthetic models, aiming to provide clearer regulatory guidance for market participants to conduct related business within a compliance framework.

According to South Korean media reports, in order to improve the governance structure of digital asset exchanges and address monopoly issues, the Financial Services Commission of South Korea discussed the idea of pooling a portion of exchange profits into a common fund while formulating the "Guidelines for Professional Investment Companies Participating in the Virtual Asset Market." Currently, the idea of a common fund remains in the conceptual stage, and no specific direction has been determined.Given the current market landscape, the top five Korean won exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and GOPAX) account for over 90% of the market share, so this proposal may only apply to a few top exchanges.

According to Jinshi News, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Capital Market Authority of the United Arab Emirates on January 27 to enhance cross-border regulatory cooperation on matters related to digital assets.This is the first regulatory cooperation agreement signed by the Hong Kong SFC with overseas regulatory bodies regarding regulated digital asset entities, establishing a framework for enhanced regulatory cooperation, including mutual consultation and information exchange.