South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index has overtaken Bitcoin to top the global ranking of stock indices by volatility.

According to market data from BIT (Bit.com), US-listed AI computing power service providers saw pre-market gains: Oracle, CoreWeave, and Nebius rose nearly 2% each, Amazon gained 1%, and Google and Microsoft increased nearly 1%.

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) said on Monday that global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) could exert sustained upward pressure on Japan’s inflation, signaling growing concern over inflation risks at the central bank, which may further strengthen its case for an imminent interest rate hike. The BOJ noted that in the medium to long term, AI adoption should boost productivity, and as firms and workers gradually adapt to the technology, it will exert downward pressure on prices. However, the BOJ stated, "In the short term, the inflationary impact of the AI-driven investment boom could outweigh the effects of productivity gains." This is because stronger investment activity will boost demand and drive up prices. The central bank added that the rise in global producer prices stems partly from higher oil prices due to the Middle East conflict, and partly from a "positive global demand shock" for AI-related goods. The report noted that the spillover effects from AI demand will persist for some time. Combined with rising import costs due to the yen’s depreciation, Japan’s domestic inflation is likely to face sustained upward pressure. (Jin10)

According to an official announcement, South Korea’s leading cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb has officially announced its IPO plans, disclosing a three-phase timeline: complete internal control optimization and preparations for conversion to K-IFRS (Korean International Financial Reporting Standards) by 2026; submit a preliminary listing application in 2027; and complete its official listing in 2028. To advance the IPO, Bithumb has rolled out multiple reform measures, including introducing an institutional-level risk management system, pushing forward the spin-off of its subsidiary Bithumb Asset to optimize its governance structure, partnering with large domestic and international securities firms and law firms, and expanding investor relations (IR) communication channels. Bithumb noted that the IPO aims to enhance corporate transparency and investor protection via institutionalized financial standards, and elevate the overall credibility of South Korea’s crypto asset sector.

According to market sources, Moon Shadow (Kimi) plans to submit its Hong Kong IPO application as early as this month, with a potential fundraising of approximately $3 billion. As of press time, Moon Shadow has not publicly responded to or confirmed this matter.

According to official announcements, Binance Alpha will become the first platform to list Squid (QUID) on August 4. Eligible users can visit the Alpha event page and claim the airdrop using their Binance Alpha points once Alpha trading opens.

InPoint Finance, a venture led by Standard Chartered Hong Kong, is set to announce updates on its Hong Kong dollar stablecoin (HKDAP) within August. The firm has earlier secured a stablecoin issuer license approved by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), becoming one of the first institutions to obtain such authorization. Agnes Ng, Chief Executive of Standard Chartered Hong Kong, Greater China and North Asia, noted that InPoint will operate on a business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) model, not directly targeting end users, but delivering services to enterprises, institutions and individual users via authorized distributors. Its application scenarios cover cross-border settlements, tokenized assets and other use cases. She added that the stablecoin’s launch is aimed at supporting the real economy and resolving the efficiency and cost challenges enterprises face in cross-border settlements.