Hey there, PoI readers! 💫

It's your favorite crypto connoisseur, Mochi, back with another serving of tantalizing tech and web3 news. From Binance's Syrian expansion and Australia's $9.6M scam crackdown to Saylor's pandemic Bitcoin pivot and Tencent's gaming ambitions, we've got a lot to unpack. So, buckle up and get ready for a wild ride through the wonderland of digital assets!

INTEL BRIEF

🟧 Binance launched in Syria after sanctions lifted, offering 300+ cryptocurrencies.

🟧 Australia banned adviser 10 years for $9.6M crypto scam disguised as fixed-interest account.

🟧 COVID lockdowns and money printing drove Saylor to convert $500M cash into Bitcoin.

🟧 Tencent exploring Nexon acquisition as MapleStory integrates Web3 gaming.

Binance Plants Its Flag in Syria as the Crypto Exchange Gold Rush Begins

Binance just made a power move that would make even the most seasoned geo-political chess players raise an eyebrow. The crypto giant has officially launched in Syria, becoming one of the first major exchanges to dive into this newly accessible market after sanctions got the boot in May.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided to lift those pesky sanctions on May 23, with the EU following suit like a well-choreographed dance routine. And faster than you can say "blockchain," Binance was ready to roll with what they're calling a "full access launch."

Syrian users now have access to over 300 tokens - we're talking Bitcoin, XRP, Toncoin, and a whole crypto buffet that would make any trader's wallet jealous. But before you start thinking this is some Wild West situation, Binance isn't playing around with compliance. Users need to complete their Know Your Customer (KYC) checks before they can access spot trading, P2P exchanges, futures trading, and earn programs.

Bader Kalooti, Binance's regional MENASAT lead, emphasized that their compliance framework is "robust, globally standardized" - because nobody wants to end up on the wrong side of international regulations, especially when you're dealing with a region that's been through more economic turbulence than a cryptocurrency bear market.

The timing is particularly interesting, considering Syria's ongoing internal conflict following former President Bashar al-Assad's fall in December 2024. With economic instability and inflation running rampant, it's no surprise that crypto interest has been surging. Syria actually ranked in the top 10 globally for crypto-related searches back in 2021, proving that even in the midst of chaos, people are looking for financial alternatives.

Bitget quickly followed suit on June 12, because apparently, nobody wants to miss this particular boat. Competition is heating up faster than a mining rig in summer!

Binance launches in Syria after US/EU sanctions lifted, offering 300+ cryptocurrencies with full KYC compliance

Economic instability and conflict have driven high crypto interest in Syria (ranked top 10 globally for crypto searches in 2021)

Bitget followed immediately with their own Syrian launch, signaling a crypto exchange rush to capture this newly accessible market

Australia Busts $9.6M Crypto Con Artist Who Fooled Clients with Fake Investment Scheme

Australia's financial cops just dropped the hammer on what might be one of the most audacious "trust me bro" schemes we've seen in a while. Meet Glenda Maree Rogan, who just earned herself a 10-year timeout from the financial services industry - and trust me, this isn't the good kind of decade-long vacation.

ASIC (Australia's Securities and Investment Commission) alleges that between March 2022 and June 2023, our protagonist Rogan was playing a little game of financial musical chairs with $9.6 million of her clients' hard-earned cash. The alleged scheme? Tell clients they're investing in a "high-yield fixed-interest account" (sounds boring and safe, right?) while actually yeeting their money into a crypto platform called Financial Centre - which ASIC has helpfully labeled as an unlicensed entity that "should not be trusted."

The regulator believes Rogan "would have had suspicions" about Financial Centre's legitimacy from at least October 2022, but apparently decided to keep the crypto roulette wheel spinning anyway. Between May 2014 and February 2024, she was running the show at Fincare, a group of companies in Sutherland and Wollongong, south of Sydney.

The money allegedly took quite the journey - first stopping at personal and company bank accounts, then getting converted to crypto before making its final destination to the questionable platform.

ASIC's investigation is still ongoing, which means this story might have more chapters than a George R.R. Martin novel. The ban went into effect on June 6, and Rogan now can't touch anything related to financial services with a ten-foot blockchain.

This comes as Australia is seriously cracking down on crypto shenanigans, with new rules for crypto ATM operators and investigations into over 50 remittance services and exchanges. Looks like the Land Down Under is taking "no worries" off the table when it comes to financial fraud!

Glenda Maree Rogan banned for 10 years by ASIC for allegedly moving $9.6M of client funds to crypto scam platform "Financial Centre"

Clients believed they were investing in safe fixed-interest accounts while money was allegedly converted to crypto and sent to unlicensed platform

Australia intensifying crypto crackdown with new ATM rules and investigations into 50+ exchanges and remittance services

How COVID Lockdowns Pushed Saylor to Convert $500M into Bitcoin Gold

Michael Saylor just spilled the tea on how he went from Bitcoin skeptic to the world's most famous corporate crypto evangelist. In a recent chat with Jordan B. Peterson, the MicroStrategy founder dropped some serious truth bombs about his 2020 come-to-Bitcoin moment - and spoiler alert: it wasn't pretty for traditional finance.

It's 2020, the world has gone full hermit mode, and Saylor is sitting on $500 million in cash that's about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Why? Because the Federal Reserve decided to play Monopoly with interest rates, driving them down to practically zero. His company's massive cash pile was earning zilch while "hyperinflation in financial assets" was making Wall Street traders richer than crypto influencers during a bull run.

"It wasn't the war on COVID, it was the war on currency," Saylor told Peterson, painting a picture of what he called the "bifurcation of Main Street and Wall Street." While small businesses were getting absolutely wrecked by lockdown policies, stock markets were partying like it was 1999 thanks to relentless money printing.

The man was facing what he dramatically called "a choice between a fast death or a slow death" - watch his $500 million slowly evaporate through inflation or make a bold move. And boy, did he make a move! After originally dismissing Bitcoin as a "scam coin" during the 2018 bear market (oops!), Saylor went full student mode, diving into YouTube videos, podcasts, and books to understand crypto.

Realizing he needed "a liquid fungible asset which will store my economic energy for an indefinite period of time." Real estate and art were already overpriced ("How do I find $500 million worth of Picassos and Monets attractively priced?" - valid question, Mike!), so Bitcoin became his digital fortress against currency chaos.

MicroStrategy's first Bitcoin purchase happened in August 2020 - 21,454 coins for $250 million. Fast forward to today, and they're sitting pretty with 582,000 BTC worth around $63 billion.

Sometimes the best investment decisions come from "watching the world burn" and realizing traditional finance might not be so traditional after all.

COVID lockdowns and Fed money printing pushed Saylor to seek alternatives to cash reserves earning zero interest

MicroStrategy converted $500M into Bitcoin starting August 2020, buying 21,454 coins initially

Company now holds 582,000 BTC worth ~$63 billion, making them the world's largest corporate Bitcoin holder

Tencent Eyes Nexon Acquisition as MapleStory Embraces Blockchain Gaming

Tencent just knocked on Nexon's door with what could be the gaming industry's next mega-deal! The Chinese tech behemoth is reportedly exploring the acquisition of the South Korean gaming powerhouse behind everyone's favorite nostalgic MMORPG, MapleStory.

According to Bloomberg, Tencent representatives reached out to the family of Nexon founder Kim Jung-ju to test the waters, though no concrete terms have been hammered out yet. Think of it as gaming's version of sliding into DMs - except with billions of dollars potentially at stake and way more corporate lawyers involved.

MapleStory isn't just riding the nostalgia wave anymore. The franchise has gone full Web3 mode with blockchain integration in MapleStory N and MapleStory Universe as of May 2025, letting players collect in-game goodies as NFTs.

The timing couldn't be more interesting, considering Web3 gaming just had a moment. DappRadar reported that blockchain gaming activity surged 368% year-over-year in January 2025, with games like Off The Grid (a AAA shooter that actually looks like a real game instead of a mobile ad) leading the charge alongside MapleStory N.

Despite the initial hype, Web3 gaming activity dropped 10% shortly after, proving that even in the digital realm, what goes up can come down. The sector is still grappling with technical barriers and the traditional gaming community's general allergic reaction to anything that smells like "play-to-earn."

Tencent's potential move makes sense though - they've got deep pockets, global reach, and a track record of turning gaming investments into goldmines. Plus, with Web3 gaming being touted as the next big thing that could create "tens of billions of dollars in capital," why wouldn't they want a piece of that maple-flavored pie?

No deal is guaranteed yet, but if this goes through, we might just witness the birth of a Web3 gaming giant that could finally bridge the gap between traditional gaming and blockchain technology.

Tencent exploring acquisition of Nexon, the South Korean developer behind MapleStory franchise

MapleStory integrated blockchain technology in May 2025 with NFT-based in-game items and rewards

Web3 gaming surged 368% in January 2025 but declined 10% afterward, showing volatility in blockchain gaming adoption

And that's a wrap, my lovely PoI readers! I hope this edition left you feeling informed, entertained, and maybe even a little bit richer (in knowledge, of course). From sanctions lifting to gaming evolving, today's stories show us that the crypto world never sleeps - and neither do the regulators, innovators, and occasional scammers! Remember to stay curious, stay informed, and keep spreading the love. Until next time, this is Mochi, signing off with a virtual high-five!

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