$4B Into Stablecoins, Crypto Real Estate, Korea BTC ETF Halted and More

Welcome to the Asia Pacific Morning Brief—your essential digest of overnight crypto developments shaping regional markets and global sentiment. Grab a green tea and watch this space:
GENIUS Act drives $4 billion stablecoin inflows. Christie’s launches crypto real estate division while Korean asset managers retreat from Bitcoin ETF plans amid regulatory concerns. Meanwhile, Injective tokenizes equity stakes, signaling institutional blockchain adoption acceleration.

$4 Billion Flows Into Stablecoins Following GENIUS Act Passage

Stablecoin markets captured $4 billion in capital inflows within one week of the GENIUS Act’s final passage, according to DeFiLlama data. Total stablecoin market capitalization surpassed $264 billion, representing 26.9% growth since January.

Corporate stablecoin interest accelerated post-legislation. Anchorage Digital partnered with Ethena Labs, launching USDtb under federal compliance standards. WisdomTree introduced the USDW stablecoin targeting institutional adoption.

Major banking institutions signal strategic entry plans. Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan confirmed dollar-pegged stablecoin development following regulatory clarity. JPMorgan and Citigroup initiated preliminary stablecoin preparation frameworks this month.

Christie’s International Real Estate Launches Dedicated Crypto Division

Christie’s International Real Estate has established the first major brokerage crypto division, according to The New York Times. The luxury firm created specialized teams of lawyers, analysts, and crypto experts. CEO Aaron Kirman launched the division after closing several high-value cryptocurrency transactions.

The move follows a $65 million Beverly Hills property sale using digital currency. Kirman’s portfolio now includes over $1 billion worth of crypto-accepting properties. Notable listings include La Fin mansion at $118 million and Invisible House at $17.95 million.

Recent regulatory developments support crypto real estate adoption. President Trump signed the GENIUS Act, establishing stablecoin federal rules. The House passed the Clarity Act, providing industry regulatory protection.

Christie’s International Real Estate

Cryptocurrency offers enhanced buyer anonymity compared to traditional LLC structures. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now consider crypto investments in mortgage applications. Kirman projects cryptocurrency will comprise one-third of residential transactions within five years.

Korean Asset Managers Withdraw Bitcoin ETF Plans Amid Regulatory Pushback

Major South Korean asset management firms abandoned Bitcoin investment fund plans through regulatory sandboxes, according to a local media report. Samsung Asset Management, Mirae Asset Global Investments, and KB Asset Management explored Bitcoin-focused allocation funds using innovation finance exemptions.

The firms sought temporary regulatory relief to include virtual assets as underlying investments. Current capital market laws prohibit cryptocurrency as a fund base asset. Financial authorities provided negative feedback during preliminary consultations, prompting voluntary withdrawals.

President Lee Jae-myung, who took office in June, promised to introduce Bitcoin spot ETFs during his election campaign. Source: Office of the President, Republic of Korea

Industry sources suggest the attempt aimed at establishing precedent for future crypto ETF introductions. All three firms confirmed no formal applications were submitted.

The pushback reflects concerns about policy disruption amid pending Digital Asset Innovation Act legislation. Authorities emphasized maintaining procedural integrity while a comprehensive crypto framework development proceeds.

This strategic retreat highlights institutional caution in navigating evolving regulatory landscapes. Officials expect systematic virtual asset product launches following legislative completion, potentially by the second quarter of 2025, signaling Korea’s measured approach to crypto market integration.

Injective Protocol Tokenizes SharkLink Gaming Equity Stakes

Layer-1 blockchain Injective launched its Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) platform, tokenizing shares of Ethereum investment firm SharkLink Gaming as its inaugural offering. The tokenized equity trades under the symbol ‘$SBET’ on Injective’s on-chain infrastructure with real-time capabilities.

SharkLink Gaming ranks as the world’s second-largest corporate Ethereum holder according to Strategic Ethereum Reserve data. The tokenization represents Injective’s strategy to bridge traditional financial markets with decentralized ecosystems.

Unlike conventional asset wrapping mechanisms, DAT-based tokenization incorporates governance rights and multi-chain liquidity integration alongside trading functionality. The platform enables 24-hour continuous trading, establishing new liquidity standards for equity-backed digital assets.

This development signals expanding institutional adoption of blockchain-native financial instruments, demonstrating practical applications for traditional asset digitization within DeFi frameworks.

Shigeki Mori contributed.