Asian Crypto Momentum Builds as Regulators and Institutions Embrace Digital Assets
The Asian crypto landscape is experiencing significant growth, driven by regulatory shifts and increasing institutional interest. Regulators are showing a greater willingness to engage with exchanges, while banks and fintechs are actively exploring tokenisation, positioning the region as a key player in the digital asset space.
Vietnam Gears Up For Regulated Crypto Exchange Debut
Vietnam is emerging as a promising destination for crypto enthusiasts, recently approving a pilot program for cryptocurrency exchanges under Resolution 05/2025. This legal framework aims to establish a regulated crypto trading market over five years.
The framework sets stringent requirements, including a minimum charter capital of $68 million (VND 10 trillion) and mandates that 65% ownership must be institutional. Banks, securities firms, insurers, or tech companies will hold the remaining 35%.
This has spurred significant activity from financial institutions. SSI Securities launched SSI Digital Corporation in partnership with Tether, U2U Network, and AWS to build blockchain infrastructure. Other securities firms such as Techcom Securities (TCBS) created TCEX, scaling its capital from $20M to $690M, and VIX Securities launched VIXEX, growing from $1M to $6.8M.
MB Bank has partnered with South Korea’s Dunamu Group, the company behind Upbit, to facilitate technology transfer and compliance. Additionally, VPBank is developing a tokenised asset exchange through VPBank Securities, which is also preparing for an IPO.
While these developments indicate strong institutional momentum, the success of the program hinges on Vietnam's ability to balance innovation with investor protection and robust regulatory oversight.
India's FIU Mandates Cybersecurity Audits for Crypto Companies
India's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has directed all crypto service providers in the country to undergo mandatory cybersecurity audits. This move aims to enhance digital asset oversight and ensure compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) regulations.
The directive requires government-certified auditors to conduct the audits, and firms must submit their reports to the FIU within a specified timeframe. This applies to both offshore and domestic entities operating in the country, including exchanges, custodians, and wallet providers.
This directive signifies a tightening of regulatory control within the Indian crypto market, reflecting the government's focus on security and regulatory compliance.