Tech Headlines

1. Standard Chartered and Ant International Collaborated to Launch a Commercial Blockchain Tokenized Deposit Service

https://www.theblockbeats.info/flash/326093

According to BlockBeats news, on December 29, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited and Ant International jointly launched a blockchain-based tokenized deposit solution, supporting 24/7 real-time fund transfers. The solution was co-developed by both parties, enabling seamless fund flows in Hong Kong dollars, offshore renminbi, and U.S. dollars, significantly improving global enterprises' cash management efficiency. The initiative was co-developed under the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's "Project Ensemble" and the Distributed Ledger Technology Supervisory Incubator. By tokenizing Ant International's accounts on its proprietary blockchain-based cash management system "Whale" platform, it ensured near real-time fund flows among the customer's global entities.

2. Flow Network Suffered $3.9 Million Loss in Hacker Attack, User Deposits Remained Unaffected

https://www.panewslab.com/zh/articles/6fe7ac71-65bf-4c3f-a241-13ca8038b291

PANews reported on December 28 that the Flow Foundation posted that on December 27, an attacker exploited a vulnerability in Flow's execution layer and transferred approximately $3.9 million in assets off-network before validators coordinated an execution halt. The attack did not affect existing users' balances. All users' deposits remain intact.

The protocol fix has now been developed and released, and node operators are coordinating to deploy the upgrade. The network will roll back to a checkpoint prior to the exploit to remove unauthorized transactions.

3. Trip.com International Version Launches Stablecoin Payments, Supporting USDT and USDC

https://foresightnews.pro/article/detail/93448

According to ForesightNews, Trip.com's international version, Trip.com, has rolled out a stablecoin payment feature for users worldwide. It currently supports two USD-pegged stablecoins, USDT and USDC, and payments can be completed via multiple public blockchains such as Ethereum, Tron, Polygon, and Solana. When users in Vietnam pay with USDT for flight tickets and hotel bookings, the costs are reduced by about 18% and 2.35%, respectively.

The crypto payment service is supported by Singapore-based crypto payment institution Triple-A, which has also partnered with Grab and others to promote crypto payments. Trip.com's stablecoin payment process is streamlined: hotel bookings do not require filling in detailed personal information, and an order can be completed with only a name and email address.

4. Trust Wallet CEO Confirmed 2,596 Wallet Addresses Were Affected, and New Updates Would Be Announced Within the Next Day

https://www.panewslab.com/zh/articles/116b028e-5049-469e-9972-68dc214724b8

PANews reported on December 29 that Trust Wallet CEO Eowync.eth posted the latest progress on the browser extension v2.68 security incident on X, saying that the team had confirmed that a total of 2,596 wallet addresses were affected. About 5,000 compensation claims had been received so far, including a large number of duplicate or invalid submissions attempting to fraudulently claim victims' compensation. Accurately verifying wallet ownership was the core focus of the current work, and the team was distinguishing real victims from malicious submitters through multiple forms of cross-data validation. The verification work was being carried out in parallel with the forensic investigation. Some cases had already resulted in relatively clear conclusions, but the overall process was still ongoing. The team would prioritize accuracy over speed and, on the premise of ensuring that funds were safely returned to the correct users, would disclose further progress as soon as possible, with an update expected within the next day.

5. NYSE-Listed Company Shift4 Launched a Stablecoin Settlement Platform, Supporting USDC, USDT, and Other Stablecoins

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222281572/en/Shift4-Launches-Global-Stablecoin-Settlement-Platform-Unlocking-Faster-Payments-for-Merchants

PANews reported on December 22 that, according to Businesswire, NYSE-listed company Shift4 launched a stablecoin settlement platform. The solution allows merchants to choose to settle using major stablecoins such as USDC, USDT, EURC, and DAI, without needing to receive bank transfers. In addition, merchants can flexibly choose mainstream networks such as Ethereum, Solana, Plasma, Stellar, Polygon, TON, and Base.

Industry Dynamics

1. Hong Kong to Fully Implement New Bank Capital Rules Based on the Basel Committee's Crypto Regulatory Standards on January 1

https://www.panewslab.com/zh/articles/25c2a427-886b-483c-83e7-f1a864fc57c8

PANews reported on December 29 that, according to Caixin, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority has confirmed that it will fully implement in Hong Kong, starting from January 1, 2026, new bank capital rules based on the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision's cryptoasset regulatory standards. Cryptoassets as defined by the Basel Committee are private "digital assets" that primarily rely on cryptography and distributed ledger technology or similar technologies, while "digital assets" are defined as a digital representation of value that can be used for payment or investment purposes or to obtain goods or services. Not only Bitcoin and Ethereum fall under the Basel Committee's definition of cryptoassets, but RWAs, stablecoins, and others are also included.

2. UK Financial Institutions: Stablecoin Regulatory Positioning and Integration with Payments to Become the Core Topics of the UK's 2026 Crypto Regulation

https://www.theblockbeats.info/flash/326091

BlockBeats news, Dec. 29 — According to Crowdfund Insider, UK financial institutions have recently reviewed the progress of crypto regulation in the UK in 2025 and looked ahead to key policy directions for 2026. UK Finance noted that over the past year, the UK has engaged in intensive discussions around stablecoins, cryptoasset trading platforms (CATPs), and the prevention of market manipulation, with the regulatory focus gradually extending from "unbacked cryptoassets" to stablecoins backed by real-world assets.

UK Finance stated that regulators continue to view stablecoins as instruments with payment and monetary attributes rather than purely investment-type cryptoassets, and this classification will directly affect redemption timeframes, KYC requirements, and issuers' compliance costs. It also warned that if the regulatory burden for GBP stablecoins is higher than that for non-GBP stablecoins issued overseas, it could prompt issuers to relocate abroad, weakening the UK's control over stablecoins and monetary policy.

In addition, UK Finance pointed out that the core challenge in 2026 will be striking a balance among encouraging innovation, protecting consumers, and maintaining the resilience of the financial system, including redemption rules for systemic stablecoins, multi-currency and multi-issuer structure design, and the integration of stablecoins with traditional payment rails in payment scenarios. As the UK Financial Conduct Authority launches a regulatory sandbox for non-systemic stablecoins, the UK is entering the policy implementation stage. Whether the final regulatory framework can balance innovation and competitiveness will determine whether London can continue to maintain its status as an international financial center.

3. The Japanese Government Plans to Promote the Issuance of Local Government Bonds "On-Chain," and May Submit Related Legislation in 2026

https://www.panewslab.com/zh/articles/98aad924-0363-4284-96a0-3ae32eab7156

PANews news, Dec. 23 — According to Nikkei, the Japanese government plans to submit a bill in 2026 to promote the digital securitization of local government bonds in the form of blockchain-based securities. The move aims to enable the rapid issuance and settlement of bonds without intermediaries, and to allow real-time access to investor information. The related plan may include using regional bank stablecoins to pay interest, granting investors the right to use local facilities, and balancing monetary, perk-based, and social returns, potentially opening a new low-cost path for local financing.

In-Depth Analysis

1. Ethereum in 2025: From Experiment to World Infrastructure

https://x.com/renaissancing_/status/2003086968591208597?s=20

On Dec. 23, Ethereum Foundation member renaissancing released Ethereum's 2025 year-end summary: 2025 is regarded as a watershed in Ethereum's development history. Ethereum has officially shed the label of an "experimental network" and has become global infrastructure that financial institutions, developers, and AI systems actually rely on.