# Digital Currency and Blockchain Weekly Round-Up – March 1st, 2019 By Shampa Mani Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/technology/1377 Published: 2019-03-01T11:38:43.000Z Updated: 2019-03-01T11:38:43.000Z Section: Technology > South Korea’s FSC seeks to open banks’ financial payment network to fintech firms South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) has proposed a plan to establish an open banking system which would grant fintech fir… [South Korea’s FSC seeks to open banks’ financial payment network to fintech firms]() South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) has proposed a plan to establish an open banking system which would grant fintech firms access to banks’ payment network. In an announcement dated February 25, the FSC said that it is seeking to encourage the development of new payment services and greater competition in the financial sector. [South Korea’s Jeju province and ICON hold briefing session for establishing ‘Jeju Blockchain Regulatory Sandbox’]() South Korean blockchain project ICON has announced that it sponsored a briefing session for establishing the Jeju Blockchain Regulatory Sandbox with private companies in attendance in Seoul. The session aimed to create a bridge between governments and companies pushing the growth of the domestic blockchain industry. [Australian financial regulator Austrac explores blockchain potential to automate funds transfer instructions]() The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (Austrac) is testing blockchain use in automating funds transfer instructions, ZDNet reported. For the project, Austrac has collaborated with Swinburne University of Technology. [South Australian government taps blockchain technology for elections]() The government of South Australia has contracted blockchain startup Horizon State to conduct a public election using blockchain technology for the inaugural Minister’s Recreational Fishing Advisory Council, Smart Company reported. [India’s securities regulator SEBI seeks to boost blockchain and AI innovation through sandbox approach: Report]() The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is considering setting up a regulatory sandbox to facilitate regulated use of innovative technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence in the securities market, The Economic Times reported. Company News Fidelity Investments, Castle Island Ventures back blockchain analytics startup [Coin Metrics]() Switzerland-based [Pangea Blockchain Fund]() launches with $22M seed round Japanese firm Recruit backs [Beam’s $5M funding]() round via blockchain fund Blockchain startup [Nivaura]() raises $20M in seed funding led by London Stock Exchange Crypto wallet startup [Curv]() secures $6.5M in seed funding Blockchain-based home equity loan platform [Figure Technologies]() secures $65M in Series B funding [Arrington XRP Capital, Pantera, Huobi Capital]() invest in blockchain startup ThunderCore South Korean crypto exchange [Coinbin]() bankrupt, cites $26M embezzlement by employee Partnerships/Consortiums Chevron, Repsol, ExxonMobil and others establish [oil and gas blockchain consortium]() in U.S. Crypto exchange [Gemini]() joins BT Radianz Cloud community [Litecoin Foundation]() announces partnership with premier kickboxing league Glory SIRIN Labs enables [fiat-to-crypto conversion]() on FINNEY via Simplex partnership [SoftBank, TBCASoft]() launch blockchain identification working group under CBSG Digital Currency and Blockchain Initiatives Swiss private bank [Julius Baer]() partners with crypto startup SEBA for digital asset services Saudi Arabia’s [Alhamrani Universal partners with ShoCard]() to develop blockchain-powered biometric ATM [Fujitsu, Sony Global Education]() begin blockchain field trial for course records management Turkish digital operator [Turkcell]() unveils blockchain-based ID Management solution [MonetaGo]() to switch Fraud Mitigation Network to R3's Corda Enterprise from Hyperledger [Templum partners with Symbiont]() to switch to private blockchains [HPE, Continental]() to launch blockchain-based data monetization platform in 2019 [Kyocera, LO3 Energy]() partner to trial blockchain-managed virtual power plant [Accenture]() seeks to leverage blockchain, digital identity and payments technologies to improve global supply chains [Mercedes-Benz Cars]() develops blockchain prototype to enhance transparency of supply chains International currency exchange [Mercury FX]() successfully trials Ripple’s xRapid solution South Korean telecom giant [KT]() to roll out blockchain-as-a-service platform in March: Report [Mizuho Bank]() to launch digital currency platform ‘J-Coin Pay’ in March Facebook working on own crypto ‘[Facebook Coin]()’: Report Online shopping platform [Reebonz]() partners with blockchain startup VeChain [Investec, BankservAfrica]() demonstrate blockchain-based identity platform South Africa’s [Standard Bank]() to launch permissioned blockchain payment system [Dagang Net collaborates with LuxTag]() to develop blockchain-based e-Services [PwC]() trials blockchain-based Smart Credentials platform with ICAS ## Links in this article - [South Korea’s FSC seeks to open banks’ financial payment network to fintech firms](https://tokenpost.com/South-Koreas-FSC-seeks-to-open-banks-financial-payment-network-to-fintech-firms-1361) - [South Korea’s Jeju province and ICON hold briefing session for establishing ‘Jeju Blockchain Regulatory Sandbox’](https://tokenpost.com/South-Koreas-Jeju-province-and-ICON-hold-briefing-session-for-establishing-Jeju-Blockchain-Regulatory-Sandbox-1365) - [Australian financial regulator Austrac explores blockchain potential to automate funds transfer instructions](https://tokenpost.com/Australian-financial-regulator-Austrac-explores-blockchain-potential-to-automate-funds-transfer-instructions-1341) - [South Australian government taps blockchain technology for elections](https://tokenpost.com/South-Australian-government-taps-blockchain-technology-for-elections-1344) - [India’s securities regulator SEBI seeks to boost blockchain and AI innovation through sandbox approach: Report](https://tokenpost.com/Indias-securities-regulator-SEBI-seeks-to-boost-blockchain-and-AI-innovation-through-sandbox-approach-Report-1371) - [Coin Metrics](https://tokenpost.com/Fidelity-Investments-Castle-Island-Ventures-back-blockchain-analytics-startup-Coin-Metrics-1362) - [Pangea Blockchain Fund](https://tokenpost.com/Switzerland-based-Pangea-Blockchain-Fund-launches-with-22M-seed-round-1360) - [Beam’s $5M funding](https://tokenpost.com/Japanese-firm-Recruit-backs-Beams-5M-funding-round-via-blockchain-fund-1334) - [Nivaura](https://tokenpost.com/Blockchain-startup-Nivaura-raised-20M-in-seed-funding-led-by-London-Stock-Exchange-1359) - [Curv](https://tokenpost.com/Crypto-wallet-startup-Curv-secures-65M-in-seed-funding-1356) - [Figure Technologies](https://tokenpost.com/Blockchain-based-home-equity-loan-platform-Figure-Technologies-secures-65M-in-Series-B-funding-1367) - [Arrington XRP Capital, Pantera, Huobi Capital](https://tokenpost.com/Arrington-XRP-Capital-Pantera-Huobi-Capital-invest-in-blockchain-startup-ThunderCore-1372) - [Coinbin](https://tokenpost.com/South-Korean-crypto-exchange-Coinbin-bankrupt-cites-26M-embezzlement-by-employee-1338) - [oil and gas blockchain consortium](https://tokenpost.com/Chevron-Repsol-ExxonMobil-and-others-establish-oil-and-gas-blockchain-consortium-in-US-1352) - [Gemini](https://tokenpost.com/Crypto-exchange-Gemini-joins-BT-Radianz-Cloud-community-1364) - [Litecoin Foundation](https://tokenpost.com/Litecoin-Foundation-announces-partnership-with-premier-kickboxing-league-Glory-1357) - [fiat-to-crypto conversion](https://tokenpost.com/SIRIN-Labs-enables-fiat-to-crypto-conversion-on-FINNEY-via-Simplex-partnership-1340) - [SoftBank, TBCASoft](https://tokenpost.com/SoftBank-TBCASoft-launch-blockchain-identification-working-group-under-CBSG-1348) - [Julius Baer](https://tokenpost.com/Swiss-private-bank-Julius-Baer-partners-with-crypto-startup-SEBA-for-digital-asset-services-1349) - [Alhamrani Universal partners with ShoCard](https://tokenpost.com/Saudi-Arabias-Alhamrani-Universal-partners-with-ShoCard-to-develop-blockchain-powered-biometric-ATM-1366) - [Fujitsu, Sony Global Education](https://tokenpost.com/Fujitsu-Sony-Global-Education-begin-blockchain-field-trial-for-course-records-management-1355) - [Turkcell](https://tokenpost.com/Turkish-digital-operator-Turkcell-unveils-blockchain-based-ID-Management-solution-1353) - [MonetaGo](https://tokenpost.com/MonetaGo-to-switch-Fraud-Mitigation-Network-to-R3s-Corda-Enterprise-from-Hyperledger-1351) - [Templum partners with Symbiont](https://tokenpost.com/Templum-partners-with-Symbiont-to-switch-to-private-blockchains-1347) - [HPE, Continental](https://tokenpost.com/HPE-Continental-to-launch-blockchain-based-data-monetization-platform-in-2019-1345) - [Kyocera, LO3 Energy](https://tokenpost.com/Kyocera-LO3-Energy-partner-to-trial-blockchain-managed-virtual-power-plant-1343) - [Accenture](https://tokenpost.com/Accenture-seeks-to-leverage-blockchain-digital-identity-and-payments-technologies-to-improve-global-supply-chains-1342) - [Mercedes-Benz Cars](https://tokenpost.com/Mercedes-Benz-Cars-develops-blockchain-prototype-to-enhance-transparency-of-supply-chains-1339) - [Mercury FX](https://tokenpost.com/International-currency-exchange-Mercury-FX-successfully-trials-Ripples-xRapid-solution-1337) - [KT](https://tokenpost.com/South-Korean-telecom-giant-KT-to-roll-out-blockchain-as-a-service-platform-in-March-Report-1336) - [Mizuho Bank](https://tokenpost.com/Mizuho-Bank-to-launch-digital-currency-platform-J-Coin-Pay-in-March-1333) - [Facebook Coin](https://tokenpost.com/Facebook-working-on-own-crypto-Facebook-Coin-Report-1375) - [Reebonz](https://tokenpost.com/Online-shopping-platform-Reebonz-partners-with-blockchain-startup-VeChain-1376) - [Investec, BankservAfrica](https://tokenpost.com/Investec-BankservAfrica-demonstrate-blockchain-based-identity-platform-1374) - [Standard Bank](https://tokenpost.com/South-Africas-Standard-Bank-to-launch-permissioned-blockchain-payment-system-1373) - [Dagang Net collaborates with LuxTag](https://tokenpost.com/Dagang-Net-collaborates-with-LuxTag-to-develop-blockchain-based-e-Services-1370) - [PwC](https://tokenpost.com/PwC-trials-blockchain-based-Smart-Credentials-platform-with-ICAS-1369)