As cryptocurrencies gain prominence as an alternative to conventional currencies, they have also become a new tool for criminals to facilitate illegal activities.

MACC strengthening investigation specialists for cryptocurrencies

Terraform Labs Pte co-founder Do Kwon pleaded not guilty to US fraud charges tied to the US$40 billion (RM179.1 billion) collapse of the terraUSD stablecoin.

Do Kwon pleads not guilty to US charges over Terra collapse

While bitcoin’s surge above US$100,000 (RM447,300) captivated the headlines in 2024, many financial firms were more focused this year on a different type of cryptocurrency whose price is never meant to rise — or fall for that matter.

Crypto’s US$205b stablecoin market set to go mainstream

Bitcoin more than doubled in 2024 driven by the US markets regulator's approval for exchange-traded funds tied to its spot price, and optimism over easing regulatory hurdles with Donald Trump set to return to the White House.

Bitcoin more than doubles in 2024 on spot ETF approval, Trump euphoria

Montenegro on Tuesday extradited Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon to the United States, where he faces charges of having deceived investors about the stability of the terraUSD cryptocurrency and how an app used the Terraform blockchain.

Montenegro says it extradites Terraform Lab co-founder Do Kwon to the US

(Dec 30): The bitcoin rally sparked by US President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory in early November is stalling, as 2024 draws to a close.

Bitcoin rally fuelled by Trump loses steam as year draws to close

Terraform Labs Pte Ltd co-founder Do Kwon will be handed over to the US for prosecution, the government of Montenegro said, potentially ending a standoff over competing extradition demands by the US and Kwon’s native South Korea.

Crypto mogul Do Kwon to be extradited to US, Montenegro says

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has ordered Bybit Technology Ltd to disable its website and mobile applications in the country as part of enforcement actions against the cryptocurrency exchange.

SC orders Bybit to disable website, apps in Malaysia for operating illegal crypto exchange

As Donald Trump prepares to fulfill a lengthy list of campaign promises, the president-elect’s vow to ensure that all remaining Bitcoin is “made in the USA” may prove to be one of the most challenging to keep.

Trump’s ‘made in USA’ Bitcoin is promise impossible to keep

Bitcoin declined even with cryptocurrency stockpiler MicroStrategy Inc planing to issue more shares, a move that would allow it to buy even more tokens.

Bitcoin drops even as MicroStrategy plans to sell more shares

Russian companies have begun using bitcoin and other digital currencies in international payments following legislative changes that allowed such use in order to counter Western sanctions, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Wednesday.

Russia is using bitcoin in foreign trade, finance minister says

Bitcoin is flagging in the last leg of a record-breaking year.

Bitcoin momentum ebbs heading into last stretch of record year

Singapore forged ahead with efforts to formulate a digital-assets hub in 2024, while rival financial center Hong Kong has struggled to gain traction.

Singapore pulls ahead of Hong Kong in race to be crypto hub

Bitcoin marked its first weekly decline since Donald Trump’s election victory as the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) cautious policy outlook tempered optimism over the president-elect’s embrace of the crypto sector.

Bitcoin posts first weekly decline since Trump’s victory

MILAN (Jan 4): Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is flying to Florida, where she will meet US President-elect Donald Trump, Italian media reported on Saturday.

Italian PM Meloni flying to US to meet Trump, Italian media report

(Jan 4): Swiss bank UBS is working with an independent ombudsman to shed light on Nazi-linked accounts, it said on Saturday, after the Wall Street Journal newspaper reported that some accounts at collapsed bank Credit Suisse, which UBS bought in 2023, had not been disclosed in earlier investigations.

UBS investigates undisclosed Nazi-linked accounts at Credit Suisse

The United Kingdom’s Labour government has given serious thought to the public investment needed to get the economy back on track after 14 years of austerity, neglect of social infrastructure, and capital flight triggered by Brexit and uncertain economic conditions. It understands that the situation demands a new strategy to tackle big problems like child poverty, health inequities, a weak industrial base, and struggling public infrastructure.

The Visible Hand: Good Growth Requires Getting Public-Private Partnerships Right 

MUMBAI (Jan 4): India's HDFC Bank saw quarter-on-quarter deposit growth outpace loan growth in the three months to Dec 31, 2024, the country's biggest private lender said on Saturday.

Indian private lender HDFC Bank says 3Q deposit growth outpaces loan growth

PUTRAJAYA (Jan 5): Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will undertake an official visit to Malaysia from Monday to Tuesday (Jan 6 to 7), in conjunction with the 11th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat on Tuesday.

Singapore PM Lawrence Wong to visit Malaysia for leaders’ retreat

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 5): Malaysian cafe owners who import coffee beans and sell speciality coffees are now faced with the challenge of rethinking their pricing strategies, as coffee bean prices hit record highs.

Malaysian cafe owners to rethink pricing strategies as coffee bean prices reach record highs

VIENNA (Jan 4): Talks between Austria's two main centrist parties on forming a coalition government without the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) collapsed on Saturday, prompting conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer to announce he would step down.

Austrian chancellor quits as coalition talks collapse

(Jan 4): Two Federal Reserve policymakers on Saturday said they feel the US central bank's job on taming inflation is not yet done, but also signalled they do not want to risk damaging the labour market as they try to finish that job.

Fed's Kugler, Daly say job not done on inflation

Selangor Pakatan Harapan (PH) has lodged a police report against an opposition assemblyman from the state accused of posting defamatory content about Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Selangor PH files police report over alleged defamatory post against Anwar

The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) agreement is expected to be signed on Monday, said Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone agreement to be signed on Monday, says MB

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 5): Malaysian cafe owners who import coffee beans and sell speciality coffees are now faced with the challenge of rethinking their pricing strategies, as coffee bean prices hit record highs.&nbsp;