Singapore has become a top crypto hub in 2024 by issuing more licenses and offering clear, supportive regulations, attracting major global players. In contrast, Hong Kong faces delays and restrictive policies, causing challenges for its crypto industry.

Japan's Fair Trade Commission plans to issue a cease-and-desist order against Google for using its market dominance to stifle competition. The investigation focuses on claims that Google forced manufacturers to pre-install its apps and excluded rivals through revenue-sharing deals.

Seven individuals, including a key Indonesian suspect, are being sought in connection with the Gigamax cryptocurrency investment scam, which resulted in RM7.25 million in losses. Authorities have arrested 11 people and are continuing the investigation to uncover the full extent of the fraud.

AI technology is increasingly being used in the anime industry, with projects like "Twins HinaHima" relying on AI for 95% of animation production. This has sparked debates about job losses, the potential loss of artistic integrity, and the environmental impact of AI systems.

The U.S. Treasury sanctioned two Chinese individuals and a UAE-based company for laundering cryptocurrency to fund North Korea’s weapons programmes. The crackdown aims to disrupt Pyongyang’s use of cybercrime and illicit financial networks to support its nuclear ambitions.

Amazon is using AI and machine learning to combat rising impersonation scams, especially during the holiday season. The company has successfully shut down thousands of phishing sites and phone numbers, but stresses the importance of collaboration with other industry players to fight fraud effectively.

The SEC has issued Wells Notices to both Unicoin and CyberKongz, accusing them of fraud and unregistered securities violations. Unicoin plans to fight the charges, while CyberKongz disputes the SEC’s claims, calling them a misunderstanding of blockchain technology.

A 32-year-old Singaporean was arrested in Thailand for his role in a cryptocurrency scam that defrauded investors of 22.4 million baht. The scam involved a fake trading platform that tricked victims into transferring money to fraudulent accounts controlled by a criminal network.

Drake's X account was hacked to promote a fake Solana-based meme coin, “Anita,” exploiting his ties to the gambling platform Stake. The scam tricked followers into investing over $5 million before the posts were removed.

Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on 26 November, with authorities ruling it a suicide. Before his death, Balaji had been a vocal critic of AI companies' use of copyrighted material, raising concerns about the ethical practices of generative AI systems like ChatGPT.