Thailand Plans Simplified Crypto Derivatives Licensing | Catch Up | April 19 – 25, 2026

From Tether news to insider trading, from Singapore to Thailand, here are the crypto news you may have missed this week.

Crime, Enforcement & Security

IRS Reports AI-Fueled Surge in Crypto Fraud

The IRS Criminal Investigation New York Field Office warns that AI is driving a massive spike in crypto theft. Scammers are using AI tools to manipulate victims via platforms like WhatsApp; in 2025 alone, cyber theft drained $20 billion from Americans, with over 50% involving cryptocurrency.

One tracked case saw a single victim lose $300,000, part of a larger $5 million off-ramping scheme. The IRS has launched an online tipline at irs.gov/SubmitATip.

Tether Freezes $344 Million in USDT

Tether has frozen over $344 million across two addresses. The move was executed in coordination with the U.S. OFAC and law enforcement following reports of unlawful conduct. Tether reiterated its “zero-tolerance” policy regarding the criminal use of stablecoins.

U.S. Soldier Charged with Insider Betting on Polymarket

Active-duty soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke is facing charges for using classified military information regarding a mission targeting Nicolás Maduro to place bets on Polymarket. Van Dyke allegedly turned a $33,000 wager into $409,000 in profit. The CFTC is seeking restitution, heavy fines, and a permanent trading ban.

Spanish Police Raid Manga Piracy Portal, Seize Crypto Wallets

Authorities in Spain have seized cold wallets containing approximately 400,000 euros ($467,000) in a raid against a major manga piracy site. Operating since 2014, the portal generated over 4.6 million euros in ad revenue by offering free access to pirated content.

Regulation & Institutional Finance

Singapore Sets Bank Exposure Caps for Crypto

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) introduced strict new rules on April 22. Banks must now limit their exposure to certain crypto assets to 2% of Tier 1 capital. For banks creating products linked to these assets, a 5% cap applies. The rules specifically target tokenized products and stablecoins.

Thailand Proposes Simplified Crypto Derivatives Licensing

Thailand’s SEC is moving to streamline the market by allowing existing digital asset businesses to apply for derivatives licenses without forming separate legal entities. While licensing is simpler, the proposal includes stricter safeguards to manage conflicts of interest.

South Korea Advances CBDC and Tokenized Deposit Pilots

Bank of Korea Governor Hyun-Song Shin confirmed the launch of “Project Hangang” Phase 2, focusing on a wholesale CBDC. Additionally, a regulatory sandbox for tokenized deposits aimed at government expenses—is slated for a full rollout in Q4 2026.

Philippine Government Bonds Join J.P. Morgan Index

In a win for local liquidity, J.P. Morgan will include Philippine Peso-denominated government bonds in its Emerging Markets Index series starting January 29, 2027. The move is expected to significantly broaden the investor base for Philippine securities.

Ecosystem & Product Launches

Ronin Network Schedules Layer-2 Migration

Axie Infinity’s Ronin Network will migrate to an Ethereum Layer-2 (using the OP Stack) on May 12 at block 55,577,490. Users should expect approximately 10 hours of mainnet downtime between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET during the transition.

OCBC Launches Tokenized Physical Gold (GOLDX)

Singapore’s OCBC Bank has entered the RWA space with “GOLDX,” a tokenized physical gold fund running on Ethereum and Solana. The project was developed in partnership with Lion Global Investors and DigiFT.

Kalshi and Polymarket Move Toward Perpetual Futures

The prediction market wars are heating up as Kalshi prepares to launch crypto perpetual futures. Not to be outdone, market leader Polymarket has signaled its own entry into the “perps” space, with early access sign-ups now open.

Industry Disputes & Mysteries

Justin Sun Sues World Liberty Financial for $1 Billion

Crypto mogul Justin Sun filed a federal lawsuit against World Liberty Financial on April 22. Sun alleges the company illegally froze his tokens—worth up to $1 billion—after he refused to provide further investment beyond his initial $45 million purchase.

Documentary ‘Finding Satoshi’ Links Finney and Sassaman

The newly released documentary Finding Satoshi builds a compelling case for a multi-person creator theory. The film argues that Hal Finney composed the Bitcoin code while Len Sassaman handled the written components, including the white paper. The documentary features exclusive interviews with their widows, Fran Finney and Meredith L. Patterson.

This article is published on BitPinas: Thailand Plans Simplified Crypto Derivatives Licensing | Catch Up | April 19 – 25, 2026

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