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Hong Kong crypto ETFs grow 80% since December, Binance co-founder warns against FOMOing into MAV with leverage, Poly Network hacked again.

Hong Kong crypto ETFs’ rise to popularity

During a June 28 interview with Hong Kong’s public broadcast agency Radio Television Hong Kong, Peishan Li, chief executive and board member of Hang Seng Investment Management, disclosed that digital asset ETFs listed in the Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China have now surpassed $12 billion Hong Kong dollars ($1.532 billion) in assets under management (AUM). Li noted:

“At present, there is no clear goal [from our firm] to create an ETF with the theme of virtual assets, but it has paid close attention to the development of related asset classes, and is examining the possibility of deploying virtual currencies in existing investment products.”

According to figures provided by Li, the total AUM of Hong Kong crypto ETFs grew by 80% compared to Dec. 2022, with a daily trading volume of $1.7 billion HKD. This represents 6% of the daily trading volume of all stocks on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. The SAR previously allowed the listing of crypto ETFs in July 2022, which initially struggled in traction.

Binance co-founder warns of altcoin rout

On July 2, Binance co-founder and former Chinese television host Yi He warned “please don’t trust the community’s trading signals [that] blindly chase higher prices,” noting the price of major altcoins “have fallen by 80% to 90%” in recent times. The warning came just days after the exchange listed MAV, a permissionless decentralized finance token, and offered perpetual MAV contracts at 20x leverage.

Launched in March of this year, Maverick boasts an advanced automated market maker liquidity provider network, securing a $9 million founding round in June. The protocol is backed by prominent names such as Jump Crypto, Pantera Capital, Circle, and Gemini. Since its launch, the protocol has reached nearly $55 million in total value locked.

Shortly after the listing, MAV skyrocketed to $1.98 a piece on Binance before slumping to $0.43 apiece at the time of publication, which is still significantly above its initial listing price of $0.05. She wrote:

“According to the history of previous cycles, the first day of IEO [Initial Exchange Offering] is several times [return], and it is not in line with the current market situation to pull it up to 10 times or 20 times [return]. Please DYOR [Do Your Own Research]

Amid the retail frenzy, the Binance co-founder also warned, “The price of tokens is not controlled by Binance. The price is affected by both buyers and sellers. Please pay attention to investment risks.” Despite a thaw in crypto markets, the marketcap of coins and tokens excluding Bitcoin, has remained stagnant over the past year at around $550 billion.

Though not nearly as popular as her counterpart, Changpeng Zhao, Yi He is responsible for the overall marketing strategy and the brand image of Binance and is credited with the exchange’s rise to prominence, now serving the additional role of director of Binance Labs. She also happens to be Zhao’s partner, both on a business and a romantic level and they have two children together.

Chinese DeFi protocol hacked yet again

On July 2, Chinese DeFi protocol Poly Network announced it had been hacked yet again, with the breach affecting as many as 57 different asset types across 10 blockchains.

According to DeFi security analyst @0xArhat, hackers allegedly exploited a smart contract vulnerability allowing them to mint an unrestricted amount of tokens from Poly Network’s multi-chain pools. An estimated $42 billion worth of tokens were minted, although only $5 million have been reportedly cashed out. Developers wrote:

“We kindly request the assistance of cybersecurity professionals and individuals with relevant knowledge. If you possess any information that could aid us in this endeavor, we encourage you to actively contact us.”

Shortly after the hack, the total value locked on Poly Network plunged from $277 million to $176 million. Previously in August 2021, hackers stole at least $600 million from Poly Network in what cybersecurity firm SlowMist called “a long-planned, organized and prepared attack.”

Just two days later, however, the hacker returned almost all of the stolen funds and refused a $500,000 white hat bounty, saying, “I will send all of their money back,” and that the hack was just “for fun” because “cross-chain hacking is hot.”.

Hong Kong launches Web3 Task Force

On June 30, Hong Kong announced the establishment of a Web3 Task Force spearheaded by Paul Chan Mo-po, the SAR’s Financial Secretary. The team is comprised of 15 industry veterans, along with regulators and government officials, all with a term of two years. According to officials, the Web3 Task Force will be dedicated to the sustainable and responsible development of emerging Web3 technologies in Hong Kong, along with the submission of proposals to the government.

Chan commented: “The blockchain technology behind Web3 has the characteristics of disintermediation, security, transparency and low cost, and can solve many difficulties and pain points in finance, transactions, business operations and even life.” He continued that “an international financial center” and a “metropolis” such as Hong Kong should embrace the development of Web3, though albeit under “suitable regulation.”

On July 3, Animoca Brands’ CEO Yat Siu was appointed to the Task Force. Previously, the crypto executive stated that crypto VC [Venture Capital] is only struggling “from an American perspective” and that the industry is actually “very vibrant” in both the Middle East and Asia.

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Huobi Global’s woes intensify, OPNX exchange volume up 2.5M%, 3AC is dead — long live 3AC Ventures, South Korea crypto contagion update.

Huobi co-founder sues own company for copyright infringement

According to local news reports on June 21, Leon Lin Li, former co-founder of cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global, has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the company in Hong Kong. Li claims that despite selling his majority stake to an entity controlled by Chinese blockchain personality Justin Sun last November, his company, X-Spo, still possesses trademark rights associated with the term “Huobi Global,” and that “Huobi Global,” the actual exchange, has been using the trademark without authorization. 

Though it’s not immediately clear why Li seeks litigation against the very company and brand he previously built, a series of heated exchanges between Li and Justin Sun last month may offer some hints.

On May 16, Sun published a series of allegations against Wei Li, Lin Li’s brother. In the Twitter post, Sun accused Wei Li of “receiving millions of Huobi (HT) tokens through “abnormal means” at zero cost and of “consistently selling off these HT tokens and cashing out.” To which Lin Li replied: “I hope Huobi can provide evidence. If it is confirmed that it is zero-cost HT was obtained through illegal means, I will personally pay 10 times the HT [amount] to Huobi company.”

Hodlnaut’s last voyage? 

According to a recent court filing, the fate of whether troubled Singaporean crypto lending firm Hodlnaut is to be dissolved or restructured will be sealed on August 7. Last August, Hodlnaut halted operations after disclosing that it lost over $300 million of its client’s assets from the implosion of the $40 billion Terra Luna ecosystem in May 2022. 

The firm faces approximately $300 million in claims from creditors, who mostly wish to see the firm dissolved. That said, both co-founders Juntao Zhu and Simon Lee want to continue Hodlnaut’s operations, even though the company had reportedly lost 69% of users’ deposits. Last November, Singaporean police began a probe into Hodlnaut’s activities as the firm initially denied exposure to the Terra Luna ecosystem. 

South Korean crypto lending contagion

On June 22, South Korean crypto lending firm Haru Invest announced that it would be terminating a portion or all of its current staff count just days after suspending users’ deposits and withdrawals. The move comes after the firm accused its consignment operator, B&S Holdings, of fraudulent operations. 

“It comes with a heavy heart to inform you that we will be minimizing the operations of Haru Invest and its affiliated companies to prevent further damages that are likely to be incurred.”

Last week, fellow South Korean crypto lending firm Delio, with over $9 billion in self-reported assets under management, also announced it would suspend withdrawals, citing exposure to Haru Invest. The firm has since clarified it will resume withdrawals, albeit with no schedule disclosed. During an extraordinary investors’ meeting on June 17, CEO Jung Sang-ho disclosed for the first time that Haru Invest is claiming bankruptcy.

In addition, Haru also claims that it has filed a criminal complaint against B&S Holdings as well as civil litigation. But it appears that Haru itself does not know exactly what is happening. In a letter to investors on June 20, CEO Hugo Lee wrote:

“We’ve been explaining about the current situation and progress through the company statement three times so far, but we understand that it’s still far from enough. We are sorry about this as well.”

3AC co-founders stage unlikely comeback

While some firms’ (and individuals’) reputations may be devastated by bankruptcy, it can be a simple nothingburger for others. On June 21, Kyle Davies, co-founder of bankrupt Singaporean hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC), wrote in a tweet:

3AC is dead, long live 3AC Ventures.”

The same day, OPNX, a platform for trading claims against bankrupt crypto entities founded by Davies and fellow 3AC co-founder Su Zhu, said that 3AC Ventures had become the firm’s “new ecosystem partner.” Interestingly, given that the use of leverage by Zhu and Davies played a pivotal role in 3AC’s $3.4 billion downfall last year, 3AC Venture’s website states:

“3AC Ventures is focused on superior risk-adjusted returns without leverage.”

On June 24, 3AC Ventures introduced its first investment, an inaugural project dubbed “Raiser,” that allows users to borrow funds based on their on-chain creditworthiness. “Borrowers raise funds by issuing zero-coupon bonds. Lenders buy these bonds to earn a fixed income. Traders can trade these bonds in the secondary market,” the developers wrote in an introductory thread.

Almost one year later, 3AC is still undergoing bankruptcy proceedings, but it appears that clawing money back has become harder than ever. On June 15, 3AC creditors filed a motion to hold Kyle Davies in contempt of court; however, the motion would only apply to Davies, and not Su, as the latter’s Singaporean citizenship does not subject him to U.S. jurisdiction. The two’s current whereabouts are unknown, and no criminal complaints have been yet filed against the two blockchain personalities. 

OPNX: Aspiring blockchain underdog

On April 5, Su Zhu and Kyle Davies’ crypto derivatives claims exchange OPNX, which is based in Hong Kong, saw a meager $13.64 volume traded on its first day of debut. By late-June, that number had (apparently) risen to $34.1 million. Following the traction was a near 200% rise in the price of OPNX’s native OX tokens to $0.03 in the past month, pushing its fully diluted market cap to nearly $300 million.Heck, the firm even has its own stablecoin now.

Let’s face it, nobody, perhaps not even Davies or Zhu themselves, expected OPNX to succeed from the get go. But successful underdogs often have a deep grudge against those who “punched down” the hardest while they were out on their luck. Which may be why on June 22, OPNX filed a defamation lawsuit against venture capitalist Mike Dudas, alleging the publication of defamatory comments against the exchange from February to March 2023.

Around the same time, the exchange unveiled its new “Justice Tokens,” (JT), citing “one of the biggest challenges the industry faces is the current prevalence of defamation,” Based on its tokenomics, one JT will exist for each defamation case, it will be an ERC20 token with a maximum supply of 1 billion. Three quarters will be distributed to OX stakers, 20% will be given to JT-OX liquidity providers, and 5% will be airdropped to Milady nonfungible tokens holders. At the time of publication, it’s unclear if Davies plans to issue tokens to build rapport against review bombers of his Dubai restaurant during possible litigation proceedings.

“The resulting defamation and harassment greatly deters entrepreneurs and innovators. The presence of these people is a clear net good to the industry.”

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Hong Kong lays out welcome mat for exchanges, Korean crypto lender contagion, Do Kwon banged up abroad, Bank of China’s Ethereum debt note.

Hong Kong lays out the red carpet for crypto exchanges

While some jurisdictions (cough: America) have adopted a regulation-by-enforcement approach toward crypto, others are doing the opposite. According to a June 15 report from The Financial Times, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority is pressuring major financial institutions to accept crypto clients. But it’s not just regulators laying down a red carpet to boost the special administrative region’s (SAR’s) Web3 industry. In one instance, Johnny Ng Kit-Chong, Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, wrote on June 10:

“There have been a lot of news about international virtual asset exchanges in the past two days. I send forth an invitation to welcome global virtual asset exchanges, including @coinbase, to come to Hong Kong, apply for a compliant exchange, and negotiate a listing plan. I am willing to provide assistance!”

Similarly, Joseph Chan Ho Lim, Hong Kong’s Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, revealed in an interview that The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has conducted public consultations on the launch of stablecoins and is in the process of establishing a regulatory framework by the end of the year.  “Hong Kong will continue to support the development of the industry in the future and welcomes the industry and talents to come to the SAR,” the politician said.

On Jun. 1, Hong Kong Securities Regulatory Commission issued regulations stipulating the requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges to apply for a license to operate in Hong Kong. For regulated trading platforms, a license application must be submitted to the Securities Regulatory Commission within nine months, or before Feb. 29, 2024. If not, their business in Hong Kong must be terminated before May 31, 2024.

Bank of China mints debt notes on Ethereum

On Jun. 12, BOCI, the investment banking subsidiary of Bank of China, revealed the tokenization of 200 million Chinese Yuan ($28 million) in digitally structured notes on the Ethereum blockchain. The move is reportedly the first act of a Chinese financial institution tokenizing a security in Hong Kong. The notes are governed by both Hong Kong and Swiss law as per their origination by the Swiss investment bank UBS. Ying Wang, deputy CEO at BOCI, commented: 

“Working together with UBS, we are driving the simplification of digital asset markets and products, for customers in Asia Pacific through the development of blockchain-based digital structured products. We are encouraged by the evolution of Hong Kong’s digital economy and are committed to promoting the digital transformation.”

Previously, UBS had issued a $50 million tokenized fixed-rate note in Dec. 2022. Meanwhile, the government of Hong Kong issued an 800 million Hong Kong dollar ($100 million) tokenized green bond on Feb. 16, 2023, underwritten by four banks and priced with a yield of 4.05% per annum. 

Do Kwon: In and out of jail

On June 15, The High Court of Montenegro in Podgorica ordered Terraform Labs CEO Do Kwon and CFO Han Chang Joon back to jail pending extradition proceedings to South Korea for charges relating to their role in the $40 billion collapse of the Terra Luna ecosystem.

Earlier this month, Kwon and Joon were released on 400,000 euros bail each in their ongoing passport fraud case after a Montenegrin Basic Court dismissed an appeal by prosecutors.

Their brief period out on bail was not a happy time either. During their respite from prison, South Korean prosecutors announced they would apply to freeze Kwon and associates’ $13 million held in Swiss bank accounts. A new hearing on charges of falsifying documents is scheduled for June 16 in the same Basic Court.

According to local sources, Kwon and Joon will be detained for a period of six months as the court decides on their extradition case. Kwon and Joon also face extradition to the U.S. on 11 charges relating to fraud, breach of trust, and embezzlement.

And if that wasn’t enough, there is yet another legal proceeding against Kwon. On June 16, Kwon will be questioned by the Special State Prosecutor’s Office for a letter he sent from detention to government officials, disclosing his connections with the leader of the Europe Now Movement (PES), Milojko Spaji.

According to the country’s National Security Council, Kwon and Spaji have been friends for five years, and last met in Belgrade in Dec. 2022. Investigators claim there is evidence of financing the PES campaign from Kwon’s laptop. If convicted, Kwon not only faces further jail time in Montenegro but could also serve up to 40 years in a South Korean prison, and even more jail time potentially awaits in the U.S.

Korean blockchain firms daisy chain contangion

On June 14, South Korean yield platform Haru Invest filed a criminal complaint against its consignment operator B&S Holdings, alleging “fraudulently provided management reports containing false information.”

Haru had paused deposits and withdrawals the day before, stating, “We have discovered through our internal inspection process that certain information provided by a consignment operator was suspected to be false.” Previously, concerned investors took pictures of allegedly empty corporate offices and accused the firm of orchestrating a “rug pull,” which Haru says is inaccurate.

The move immediately affected South Korean Bitcoin lending firm Delio, which quickly announced the temporary suspension of customer withdrawals “in order to safely protect the assets of customers currently in custody,” citing issues at Haru Invest. Delio is one of the largest of such entities in South Korea, holding an estimated $1 billion in Bitcoin, $200 million in Ether, and $8.1 billion in altcoins. 

A curious commentary regarding the matter came from Jun Du, the co-founder of cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global, who wrote:

“With the detonation of Delio, the thundering of [crypto] lending platforms is basically over.”

However, Du warned that contagion related to centralized trading platforms, which started with FTX, is just the beginning. “Not only the newcomers are confused, but also the OGs in the industry. When will the thundering of the black box of centralized crypto entities end?” the former blockchain executive asked, while also expressing his doubts on whether the industry will witness a “slump” or be “ushered into a new bull market” after such issues are resolved. 

Last year, Huobi co-founders Jun Du and Leon Li reportedly sold 100% of their stake in the exchange to an entity controlled by Chinese blockchain personality and Tron founder Justin Sun. The latter claims that the exchange is now profitable after a period of reorganization, which by the way, included crushing an employee revolt. 

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