[News Brief] Apr 22, morning | Ministry of Economy and Finance to Treat Tokenized Stocks as Securities; Taxation Could Begin as Early as the Second Half of the Year

Ministry of Economy and Finance to Treat Tokenized Stocks as Securities; Taxation Could Begin as Early as the Second Half of the Year

South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance has stated that it views tokenized stocks as securities rather than virtual assets, according to a PANews report citing Bloomingbit.

According to the report, if the Financial Services Commission formally confirms tokenized stocks as securities, they could immediately become subject to taxation under the current Capital Markets Act, with taxation potentially beginning as early as the second half of this year.

An official from the ministry explained that although tokenized stocks may appear to be virtual assets in form, they are substantively closer to securities.

The Financial Services Commission had previously said that tokenized securities are securities issued in digital asset form and are therefore subject to the Capital Markets Act.

There had been a market perception that tokenized stocks might remain tax-free until virtual asset taxation takes effect if they were classified as virtual assets. However, the government’s position is that even transactions conducted through overseas platforms may be subject to taxes such as dividend income tax if the underlying substance is that of a security.

Law Enforcement in 11 Countries Shuts Down ‘AudiA6’ Crypto Laundering Network

According to Odaily, law enforcement agencies from 11 countries have dismantled AudiA6, a cryptocurrency laundering network that processed more than 336 million euros in illicit funds between 2022 and 2025.

On June 10, investigators arrested two administrators of Russian and Ukrainian nationality in Georgia, seized 25 domains, more than 30 servers, and 80 vehicles, and froze approximately 778,000 euros worth of cryptocurrency.

AudiA6 is alleged to have provided crypto cash-out and fund-concealment services to cybercriminals involved in ransomware attacks and other crimes, charging fees of 3% to 10%.

The investigation found that wallets associated with AudiA6 received about 1,333 BTC since 2021, valued at roughly $389 million at the time of the transactions.

Authorities also found indications that the network used thousands of fake accounts created with stolen or purchased identities, along with more than 6,000 customer verification records, to move criminal proceeds to cryptocurrency exchanges.

Morgan Stanley Buys Additional 71.661 BTC via Spot Bitcoin ETF

According to Odaily, Arkham said Morgan Stanley purchased an additional 71.661 BTC through the spot Bitcoin ETF MSBT.

The purchase was worth $4.57 million, bringing Morgan Stanley’s total Bitcoin holdings to 3,850 BTC, valued at approximately $242.6 million.

The increased holdings of spot Bitcoin ETFs by institutional investors are interpreted as a sign of buying during the recent market correction.

U.S. Spot Bitcoin ETFs See Net Outflows for Fifth Consecutive Trading Day

On June 11 (U.S. Eastern Time), U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded total net outflows of $19.0265 million, marking a fifth consecutive trading day of net outflows.

Odaily, citing SoSoValue data, reported that BlackRock’s IBIT saw net inflows of $30.2576 million and Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust BTC saw net inflows of $5.6208 million. In contrast, ARK Invest and 21Shares’ ARKB posted net outflows of $27.2082 million.

Total net assets of spot Bitcoin ETFs stood at $79.498 billion, equivalent to 6.26% of Bitcoin’s total market capitalization, while cumulative net inflows reached $53.539 billion.

SEC Review of Repealing Key Reg NMS Provisions Could Boost Tokenized Stocks and On-Chain AMMs

Analysis suggests that if the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission moves forward with repealing key provisions of Regulation NMS, it could positively affect the expansion of tokenized stocks and on-chain automated market makers (AMMs).

According to Odaily, Galaxy Research head Alex Thorn said the SEC is considering repealing Rule 611, the Order Protection Rule, and Rule 610(e) under Reg NMS, a move that could become a major turning point for the tokenized equities market.

He explained that Rule 611 has required trade execution based on the National Best Bid and Offer (NBBO), while AMMs face difficulty in supporting real-time order routing or low-latency market data integration and cannot easily halt trading to match the best quotes on other exchanges.

Thorn added that if the SEC shifts away from per-trade regulation toward a framework centered on broker-dealers’ best execution obligations, on-chain liquidity pools and AMM structures may become easier to incorporate into the regulatory framework.

However, challenges remain for tokenized securities, including exchange registration and clearing and settlement issues. He also said that a future SEC “innovation exemption” regime could further support development of the sector.

BlackRock Files 8-A for Bitcoin Premium Income ETF

BlackRock has filed Form 8-A for a Bitcoin Premium Income ETF. Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas said an 8-A filing typically signals a launch within about one week.

According to Bitcoin Magazine, the filing is interpreted as an administrative step ahead of the ETF’s listing. Form 8-A is a document submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for securities registration.

Circle Issues $1 Billion USDC on Solana in 24 Hours

Circle issued $1 billion worth of USDC on the Solana network over the past 24 hours, according to a PANews report citing Cointelegraph.

According to the report, Circle’s total USDC issuance reached $57 billion as of 2026. USDC is a major dollar-pegged stablecoin, and issuance by network is often used as an indicator of a chain’s liquidity and utility.

Coinbase Advisory Council Urges Immediate Preparation for Quantum-Secure Transition; Roughly 7 Million BTC Could Be Vulnerable

PANews reported on the 12th, citing Decrypt, that Coinbase’s Quantum Advisory Council urged blockchain developers to begin preparing immediately for a transition to quantum security.

The report estimated that around 7 million BTC could eventually become vulnerable to quantum attacks due to exposed public keys and address reuse. However, it noted that no quantum computer currently exists that can break blockchain cryptography, while warning that the risk could grow around 2030.

The report proposed several options for tokens not migrated to quantum-secure addresses by a deadline, including freezing or burning them after the deadline, leaving the matter to user discretion, or adopting compromise measures such as limiting the amount transferable per block.

The Ethereum Foundation previously formed a team to oversee the transition to quantum security, and Vitalik Buterin has also published a roadmap for a quantum-related upgrade.

LG Electronics to Develop New Arbitrum-Based Blockchain

LG Electronics will develop a new blockchain based on Ethereum layer-2 network Arbitrum for use in advertising and media services, according to Odaily.

The network is expected to support the execution, purchase, sale, and management of digital advertising, and also be used to record interactions between users and advertising content. Following the report, Arbitrum’s native token ARB rose more than 5% on the day.

Arbitrum, developed by Offchain Labs, is an optimistic rollup-based network aimed at improving Ethereum transaction speed and reducing costs.

LG Electronics previously launched the enterprise blockchain Monachain through its IT services affiliate LG CNS, and has also introduced the cryptocurrency wallet Wallypto and the NFT marketplace Arts Lab.

Binance Enables Convert Trading for bStocks Tokenized Securities

According to Odaily, Binance announced that users in eligible regions can trade bStocks tokenized securities through its Convert feature.

Users can trade starting from the equivalent of 0.01 USDC. Binance said bStocks are backed 1:1 by real U.S. stocks and are held under the supervision of regulatory authorities.

The product supports 24/7 spot market trading. Users must complete KYC procedures, and access depends on their country or region of residence.