E-commerce and trade Archives | Digital Watch Observatory

Crypto crackdown intensifies in Kazakhstan over illegal exchanges

Kazakhstan’s financial regulator has warned that several major cryptocurrency exchanges are operating without the licences required under the country’s current digital asset framework, reinforcing its strict authorisation regime.

The Astana Financial Services Authority identified prominent platforms, including HTX, Bitget, OKX, and MEXC, as operating without the necessary permits. Under existing rules, only entities licensed within the Astana International Financial Centre are allowed to provide regulated digital asset services.

Authorities stressed that international popularity does not exempt platforms from complying with local law. They also warned that unauthorised exchanges can expose users to financial losses, data breaches, and fraudulent schemes, and urged the public to verify platforms through the official register of licensed firms. AFSA’s website currently shows a regulated ecosystem with dozens of authorised entities across the AIFC framework.

The warning comes amid broader enforcement efforts as Kazakhstan tries to formalise its crypto sector while positioning itself as a regulated regional hub for digital assets. In parallel, law enforcement agencies have reported wider crackdowns on illegal crypto activity, including shadow exchanges and money-laundering networks.

Why does it matter?

Kazakhstan’s tightening enforcement shows a broader push to bring crypto activity into a more formal and supervised market structure. By restricting unlicensed platforms and steering users towards authorised entities, the authorities are trying to reduce exposure to financial crime, improve market transparency, and build credibility for Kazakhstan’s ambition to become a regulated regional digital asset hub.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Tax season phishing scams surge with fake government sites

Cybercriminal activity tends to intensify during tax-return season, as taxpayers face tighter deadlines and share sensitive financial information. A recent Kaspersky analysis highlights the growing use of fake tax authority websites, phishing emails, and malicious downloads designed to steal personal and banking data.

Attackers are impersonating official revenue services across multiple countries, creating convincing portals that mimic government branding and online tax services. Victims are often prompted to enter login credentials, payment details, or download files containing malware aimed at compromising devices or extracting sensitive information.

Crypto holders are also being targeted through fake compliance portals and fraudulent regulatory notices. These schemes try to trick users into revealing wallet recovery phrases or linking digital wallets, which can lead to full asset theft once access is granted.

AI adds another layer of risk. Kaspersky warns that users who upload tax documents or personal financial data to unverified AI platforms may expose confidential information to leakage, misuse, or further fraud. More broadly, AI is also making phishing and impersonation campaigns easier to scale and harder to detect.

Security experts recommend relying only on official tax channels, checking websites and email sources carefully, avoiding unsolicited downloads, and using secure storage and trusted protection tools when handling tax documents.

Why does it matter?

Tax-season phishing campaigns show how financial data is increasingly being treated as a high-value target for cybercrime. As tax systems, digital finance, crypto assets, and AI tools overlap more closely, a single successful scam can lead not only to immediate financial loss but also to identity theft, device compromise, and broader damage to trust in digital services.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

United Arab Emirates exit from OPEC raises pressure on global oil market stability

Oil prices fell after the United Arab Emirates said it would leave the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), a move that could weaken the group’s ability to manage global supply amid heightened regional instability.

The announcement was widely seen as a sign of growing strain inside the producer bloc. The UAE, one of OPEC’s larger oil producers, has for years signalled frustration with output quotas that limited its ability to expand exports.

Analysts said its departure could eventually increase supply and ease some upward pressure on prices.

Yet the broader energy outlook remains shaped more by internal OPEC dynamics than by the ongoing war involving Iran and the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. With a key global oil transit route still affected, markets remain driven by uncertainty over regional security and stalled US-Iran talks.

That leaves the UAE’s move open to two readings. On one hand, it reflects a sovereign effort to gain more flexibility and protect national economic interests. On the other hand, it raises questions about OPEC’s future cohesion and the effectiveness of producer coordination during a period of geopolitical and market stress.

Why does it matter?

The development highlights the growing overlap between energy governance and diplomacy. While the UAE’s decision points to internal strain within OPEC, the wider crisis involving Iran shows how quickly unresolved conflict can reshape supply expectations, investor sentiment, and broader economic conditions. For now, markets appear to be weighing the prospect of looser supply against the continued risks of instability in the Gulf.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Digital euro standards advance with European Central Bank support

The European Central Bank has signed agreements with the European Card Payment Cooperation, nexo standards, and the Berlin Group to support the future rollout of digital euro payments. Existing open technical standards will be reused to process transactions, to make implementation more accessible for payment service providers and merchants across Europe.

CPACE supports contactless payments, nexo standards help connect merchants with providers, while the Berlin Group supports account-based transactions using identifiers such as mobile numbers. Together, these standards are intended to create a more consistent technical environment for digital euro transactions across devices and platforms.

Reliance on open standards is designed to reduce costs and limit dependence on proprietary systems controlled by global card schemes and digital wallets. The ECB says this should help European payment providers expand beyond domestic markets without requiring major upgrades to point-of-sale infrastructure, while also improving interoperability and competition.

The final impact still depends on the adoption of the digital € regulation by the EU co-legislators, which the ECB says is necessary to unlock the initiative’s full potential and provide market actors with greater certainty for future investment.

Why does it matter?

Adoption of open standards by the European Central Bank reduces reliance on global payment providers and lowers costs for banks and merchants. Regulatory clarity on the digital euro would enable European solutions to scale across borders and strengthen control over the payments infrastructure.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

New Chinese rules restrict digital promotion of financial products

China has introduced new online marketing rules for financial products, further tightening its long-standing restrictions on cryptocurrency-related activity. The new framework limits the promotion of financial products to licensed entities and treats digital currency trading and issuance as illegal financial activity.

Issued by the People’s Bank of China and seven other regulators, the Administrative Measures for Online Marketing of Financial Products will take effect on 30 September 2026. The rules extend responsibility to platforms, intermediaries, and content creators who promote or facilitate financial products online.

Any assistance in promoting or facilitating prohibited financial activity may now be treated as participation in illegal finance, expanding enforcement beyond direct trading bans. In practice, that broadens the focus from financial products themselves to the wider digital promotion layer, including online displays, traffic generation, and other forms of internet-based marketing support.

Authorities say the measures are intended to protect consumers by limiting misleading or aggressive online promotion, including livestream marketing and viral investment content. In that sense, the rules are not only about crypto, but about tighter control over how financial products are marketed in digital environments.

The policy also reinforces China’s existing position, dating back to 2021, when regulators declared all cryptocurrency transactions illegal, while pushing enforcement deeper into the digital advertising and distribution layers of financial markets.

Why does it matter?

Stronger oversight of online financial promotion shows that crypto-related advertising is increasingly being treated as a regulatory risk category, not just a marketing issue. The Chinese move also points to a broader trend in which regulators are extending scrutiny beyond financial products themselves to the digital channels, influencers, and platforms that help distribute them.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

New whitepaper aims to streamline virtual asset oversight in Nigeria

A Pan-African industry body, the Virtual Asset Service Providers Association, has introduced Project Green-White-Green, a policy framework designed to bring virtual asset transactions more fully into Nigeria’s formal financial system.

The proposal targets regulatory inefficiencies while seeking to capture an estimated $92.1 billion in annual transaction activity currently operating with limited formal integration.

VASPA Executive Chair Franklin Peters, who also leads Boundlesspay, said the framework addresses overlapping mandates among the Securities and Exchange Commission, Central Bank of Nigeria, and Corporate Affairs Commission. The model proposes more coordinated supervision, alignment of foreign exchange standards, and identity verification through integration with the National Identity Management Commission.

The whitepaper also introduces an API-based system intended to automate VAT and capital gains tax collection at the point of transaction. The aim is to reduce administrative friction, improve compliance, and create clearer regulatory pathways for Web3 businesses operating in Nigeria.

Although designed for Nigeria, the framework is presented as scalable across other African markets. Its proponents argue that better regulatory coordination and more structured taxation could support wider economic goals, including stronger formalisation and improved public revenue collection.

Why does it matter?

The framework directly tackles regulatory fragmentation that has slowed crypto and Web3 development in Nigeria.

By aligning the roles of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria, it aims to reduce legal uncertainty and create a clearer path for startups to operate formally.

It also introduces structured taxation and compliance mechanisms, which could improve state revenue collection while bringing virtual asset activity into the formal economy.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Singapore proposes more tailored capital rules for crypto assets

Singapore’s central bank has launched a consultation on new capital rules for crypto-asset exposures, proposing a more differentiated approach than treating all blockchain-based assets as equally risky.

Under the draft framework, tokenised traditional assets and certain stablecoins would fall into a lower-risk category with lighter capital treatment. The proposal also leaves room for some assets on permissionless blockchains to qualify for that category if they meet principle-based risk conditions.

At the same time, the approach remains cautious. Singapore-incorporated banks would face strict exposure limits, including a cap of 2% of Tier 1 capital for qualifying crypto-asset exposures and a 5% Tier 1 capital limit for exposures that give rise to liabilities.

The consultation suggests Singapore is not trying to open the door widely to bank crypto activity, but rather to create a more workable prudential framework for selected forms of tokenised finance. That would allow regulators to distinguish between higher-risk crypto exposures and assets that more closely resemble traditional financial instruments in tokenised form.

The move is significant because it points to a more tailored interpretation of international prudential standards rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. If adopted, it could reduce uncertainty for banks seeking to engage with tokenised assets while preserving tight capital safeguards around the sector.

More broadly, the proposal reflects a cautious effort to integrate parts of the crypto and tokenisation market into mainstream finance without weakening the core logic of bank capital regulation. In that sense, the consultation is less a loosening of rules than an attempt to apply them with greater precision.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Global stablecoin rule gaps raise concerns in Bank for International Settlements warning

The Bank for International Settlements has warned that diverging national approaches to stablecoin regulation could create openings for regulatory arbitrage as stablecoins become more closely linked to the traditional financial system.

In a recent bulletin, the BIS says the growth of stablecoins is creating policy challenges ranging from anti-money laundering and financial integrity to broader risks to financial stability. It argues that inconsistent regulatory treatment across jurisdictions could allow firms to exploit gaps between rulebooks, making supervision less effective and fragmenting cross-border financial activity.

The BIS also points to broader systemic concerns as stablecoins move closer to mainstream finance. Their expanding role could reshape how funds move through the financial system, with implications for bank funding, credit intermediation, and the transmission of stress during market volatility. Separate BIS research has also found that stablecoins are playing a growing role in safe asset markets, with implications for financial stability and monetary policy transmission.

One key concern is how stablecoin structures could behave under pressure. If large numbers of users redeem at once, issuers may need to liquidate reserve assets quickly, potentially transmitting stress into underlying markets.

The BIS bulletin frames these risks as part of a broader challenge: stablecoins are no longer crypto instruments operating in isolation, but are increasingly linked to core parts of the financial system.

The BIS also warns that regulation is made harder by the fact that many stablecoins circulate on public blockchains. In that environment, conventional controls such as anti-money laundering checks and identity verification are often weakest at the points where users move between crypto markets and traditional finance.

That is why the bulletin stresses the importance of stronger controls at entry and exit points, rather than relying only on rules aimed at issuers themselves.

For some jurisdictions, the concerns go beyond prudential supervision. The BIS says the wider use of foreign-currency-denominated stablecoins could raise concerns about monetary sovereignty and weaken existing foreign exchange controls. That risk is especially relevant in countries where domestic monetary and exchange rate frameworks are more exposed to external pressures.

The broader significance of the warning is that the BIS is pushing for more coordinated and tailored regulation at a moment when stablecoins are moving closer to mainstream use.

Its message is not that all stablecoins should be regulated identically, but that fragmented oversight could undermine policy effectiveness, increase systemic vulnerabilities, and make cross-border risks harder to contain.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Illegal cryptocurrency circulation to carry prison sentences in Russia

Russia’s government commission on legislative activity has approved new measures introducing criminal liability for large-scale cryptocurrency operations conducted without the central bank’s authorisation.

The proposal establishes penalties for the illegal organisation of digital currency circulation where significant damage or substantial financial gain is involved.

Under the approved amendments, individuals found to be organising crypto transactions in violation of Russian law could face prison sentences of 4 to 7 years. The rules apply to cases involving harm to individuals, organisations, or the state, or large-scale illicit income.

The draft introduces a new Article 171.7 into the Russian Criminal Code, formally defining ‘illegal organisation of digital currency circulation’ as a punishable offence. The measures are expected to come into force on 1 July 2027, marking a significant tightening of enforcement in the country’s digital asset sector.

By introducing custodial penalties, Russia is raising the legal and financial risks for unlicensed digital asset activity, which could deter informal market participation and push activity towards regulated channels.

In the broader context, it reflects a global trend in which governments are moving to formalise oversight of crypto markets in response to concerns about financial crime, capital flows, and systemic risk.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

EU updates technology licensing competition rules to reflect data and digital markets

The European Commission has adopted revised rules governing technology transfer agreements (Technology Transfer Block Exemption Regulation and Guidelines on the application of Article 101 of the Treaty to technology transfer agreements), updating a framework originally introduced in 2014.

These changes aim to reflect developments in the digital economy, particularly the growing role of data and standardised technologies in enabling interoperability across markets.

Technology transfer agreements allow firms to license intellectual property such as patents, software and design rights, supporting the dissemination of innovation. While such agreements are often considered pro-competitive, they may also create risks if they restrict market access or distort competition.

The revised framework clarifies how these agreements are assessed under Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

The updated rules introduce specific guidance on data licensing and licensing negotiation groups, addressing new market practices.

They also refine conditions under which agreements benefit from exemptions, including simplified criteria for early-stage technologies and clearer safeguards for technology pools linked to industry standards.

Overall, the revision by the EU seeks to improve legal certainty for businesses while ensuring that licensing practices support innovation, competition and the broader functioning of the single market. The new framework will apply from May 2026.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!