Digital business models

Thailand to block unlicensed crypto exchanges

Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will block access to five major cryptocurrency exchanges on 28 June for operating without a licence. Bybit, 1000X, CoinEx, OKX, and XT.COM offered trading services to Thai users without authorisation, leading to legal action.

The SEC aims to protect investors and prevent money laundering.

New anti-cybercrime laws passed in April give authorities broad powers to shut down suspicious websites quickly. The Royal Decree lets the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society target unlicensed platforms.

Enforcement has since intensified against offshore crypto operators.

Thailand is also adopting blockchain for public finance. The Ministry of Finance launched G-Token, a blockchain-based investment token for government bonds.

G-Tokens cannot be used as currency, maintaining a clear line from volatile cryptocurrencies. Regulators have imposed stricter customer checks and faster suspension of suspicious accounts, while extending liability to banks, telecoms, and social media firms.

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India explores new digital rupee features for wider use

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is advancing its digital rupee pilots. It is introducing new features such as programmability and offline payment capabilities.

These enhancements aim to make the digital rupee more practical for users in areas with limited internet access. They also enable customised payments, such as government subsidies and corporate spending controls.

Both retail and wholesale central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are currently being tested with select banks, customers, and institutional dealers.

The retail CBDC pilot now includes 600,000 users across 17 banks, with participation expanded to certain non-bank entities offering CBDC wallets. The wholesale pilot has also broadened, adding four standalone primary dealers to diversify its use.

Meanwhile, India’s digital payment ecosystem continues to grow rapidly, with a 34.8% rise in payment volumes and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) dominating nearly half of global real-time payment transactions.

Amid these developments, India’s Supreme Court has urged the government to introduce clearer cryptocurrency regulations. Justice Surya Kant expressed concerns over the risks posed by a ‘parallel economy’ linked to crypto assets.

Despite a 30% tax on crypto profits, over 100 million Indians hold digital assets, signalling strong public interest alongside growing regulatory scrutiny.

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EU says US tech firms censor more

Far more online content is removed under US tech firms’ terms and conditions than under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), according to Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen.

Her comments respond to criticism from American tech leaders, including Elon Musk, who have labelled the DSA a threat to free speech.

In an interview with Euractiv, Virkkunen said recent data show that 99% of content removals in the EU between September 2023 and April 2024 were carried out by platforms like Meta and X based on their own rules, not due to EU regulation.

Only 1% of cases involved ‘trusted flaggers’ — vetted organisations that report illegal content to national authorities. Just 0.001% of those reports led to an actual takedown decision by authorities, she added.

The DSA’s transparency rules made those figures available. ‘Often in the US, platforms have more strict rules with content,’ Virkkunen noted.

She gave examples such as discussions about euthanasia and nude artworks, which are often removed under US platform policies but remain online under European guidelines.

Virkkunen recently met with US tech CEOs and lawmakers, including Republican Congressman Jim Jordan, a prominent critic of the DSA and the DMA.

She said the data helped clarify how EU rules actually work. ‘It is important always to underline that the DSA only applies in the European territory,’ she said.

While pushing back against American criticism, Virkkunen avoided direct attacks on individuals like Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg. She suggested platform resistance reflects business models and service design choices.

Asked about delays in final decisions under the DSA — including open cases against Meta and X — Virkkunen stressed the need for a strong legal basis before enforcement.

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Young innovators drive blockchain adoption in Africa

In Africa, blockchain is being adopted from the ground up to solve urgent challenges. Young students and freelancers in Kenya and Nigeria use digital currencies to get paid and store value amid weak banking and low trust in institutions.

Beyond finance, blockchain is helping to address energy and internet issues. In Zambia, surplus energy is used to mine Bitcoin, creating revenue and reducing waste.

Decentralised Wi-Fi networks are also emerging, allowing communities to share internet access and earn money without middlemen.

Governments remain cautious, focusing on regulation, but grassroots adoption continues to grow. The need is clear, and many believe the technology is already making a real difference.

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Kazakhstan unveils plans for crypto-friendly city

Kazakhstan is pressing ahead with a bold initiative to integrate cryptocurrency into everyday payments by launching a pilot zone known as CryptoCity. President Tokayev announced the project as a sandbox for legal crypto payments at the Astana International Forum 2025.

The city of Alatau is currently the leading candidate to host CryptoCity. Recognised for its scientific research facilities and special economic zones, Alatau offers an existing technological infrastructure that makes it a strong contender.

Zhaslan Madiyev, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Digital Development, said the zone would support the legal circulation of cryptocurrencies. It will operate under crypto-friendly legislation.

Officials believe the project could attract developers, programmers, and IT specialists, boosting local economic growth. Kazakhstan has already trialled a central bank digital currency, which helped to speed up VAT refund processes.

With CryptoCity now under development, the country aims to become a regional leader in blockchain innovation.

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Gen Z turns to AI to plan their next holiday

AI is quickly becoming an essential tool for Gen Z travellers, with 45% either already using it or planning to use it this year to help organise their holidays.

According to a survey by Multitrip.com, AI is now a key influence for trip inspiration and destination selection, especially for younger generations looking to personalise their travel experiences.

Among Gen Z respondents, a quarter have already used AI to choose where to go—an increase from 20% last year—while interest among Millennials and Gen X is also growing.

Millennials’ use rose to 22%, and Gen X saw a notable jump from 4% to 10%. Baby Boomers, however, remain largely unconvinced, with only 3% reporting past use and 84% saying they have no plans to try it.

Social media continues to play a major role in travel decisions, especially for younger people, while TV and film remain popular sources of inspiration across all generations.

AI is not only helping travellers choose where to go, but also shaping itineraries, with nearly one in four Gen Z users already relying on it to structure their trips.

As AI technology becomes more user-friendly and accessible, its role in trip planning is expected to grow. However, experts still recommend traditional travel essentials, including insurance.

Multitrip.com’s Christian Bennett reminds travellers that no matter how a trip is planned, protection from unexpected events remains crucial.

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Startup Odyssey unveils streaming AI-powered 3D video demo

Odyssey, a startup founded by self-driving technology pioneers Oliver Cameron and Jeff Hawke, has unveiled a new AI model capable of generating interactive, 3D-like video experiences in real time.

The system streams video frames every 40 milliseconds and lets users explore scenes with basic controls, much like moving around in a video game.

The model is powered by a newly developed ‘world model’ designed to predict what comes next in a virtual environment based on prior actions and context.

While the current demo, available online, still features blurred and unstable visuals, Odyssey claims it can maintain coherent video streams for over five minutes. Streaming performance reaches up to 30 frames per second using Nvidia H100 GPUs, costing $1–2 per user-hour.

Odyssey is positioning its platform as the future of interactive media, suggesting it could transform entertainment, education, advertising, and training.

Unlike some AI developers facing criticism for displacing creative workers, Odyssey pledges to work alongside artists and provide tools compatible with software like Unreal Engine, Blender, and After Effects.

To support development, the company built a 360-degree backpack-mounted camera to collect real-world footage, aiming to produce more realistic outputs than models trained solely on public datasets.

Backed by $27 million in funding and supported by Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull, Odyssey plans to significantly improve model stability and expand its action capabilities in the near future.

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Emerging markets lead daily crypto wallet use

Emerging markets use cryptocurrency wallets for everyday payments more than developed regions, a recent Bitget Wallet report shows. A survey of 4,599 users shows Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Africa mainly use crypto wallets to send funds.

These regions often face limited access to traditional banking, making crypto a practical alternative.

In contrast, users in Europe mainly use crypto wallets for trading, with over 40% citing this as their primary activity. North America and East Asia showed balanced crypto trading and transfers, with East Asia leading in long-term holdings at 43%.

Bitget’s CEO, Gracy Chen, highlighted the significant shift in user behaviour, noting that wallets are evolving beyond trading tools into integral parts of broader financial ecosystems.

Plans are underway to make wallets more accessible for users who are new to cryptocurrencies and not traditional traders.

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Google Photos new update adds AI editing

Google is marking the 10th anniversary of Google Photos by introducing a revamped, AI-powered photo editor aimed at making image enhancement simpler and faster.

The updated tool combines multiple effects with a single suggestion and offers editing tips when users tap on specific parts of a photo.

Instead of relying solely on manual controls, the interface now blends smart features like Reimagine and Auto frame with familiar options such as brightness and contrast. The new editor is being rolled out to Android users first, with iOS users set to receive it later in the year.

In addition, Google Photos now supports album sharing via QR codes. Instead of sharing links, users can generate a code that others nearby can scan or receive digitally, allowing them to view or add photos to shared albums.

With over 1.5 billion monthly users and more than nine trillion photos stored, Google Photos remains one of the world’s most widely used photo services.

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AT&T hit by alleged 31 million record breach

A hacker has allegedly leaked data from 31 million AT&T customers, raising fresh concerns over the security of one of America’s largest telecom providers. The data, posted on a major dark web forum in late May 2025, is said to contain 3.1GB of customer information in both JSON and CSV formats.

Instead of isolated details, the breach reportedly includes highly sensitive data: full names, dates of birth, tax IDs, physical and email addresses, device and cookie identifiers, phone numbers, and IP addresses.

Cybersecurity firm DarkEye flagged the leak, warning that the structured formats make the data easy for criminals to exploit.

If verified, the breach would mark yet another major incident for AT&T. In March 2024, the company confirmed that personal information from 73 million users had been leaked.

Just months later, a July breach exposed call records and location metadata for nearly 110 million customers, with blame directed at compromised Snowflake cloud accounts.

AT&T has yet to comment on the latest claims. Experts warn that the combination of tax numbers and device data could enable identity theft, financial scams, and advanced phishing attacks.

For a company already under scrutiny for past security lapses, the latest breach could further damage public trust.

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