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Polymarket is advancing its long-term plan to enter Japan by appointing a local representative as it prepares for possible regulatory approval by 2030. The prediction market platform is expanding its Asia strategy while facing restrictions in several global jurisdictions due to compliance concerns.

According to a Bloomberg report, the prediction market operator views Japan as a key future growth market. The company continues to operate under limitations in multiple regions where gambling and financial regulations remain strict.

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Prediction Market Strategy Builds Amid Japan Restrictions

Mike Eidlin, head of Japan at Jupiter, has been appointed to oversee local strategy efforts at Polymarket. He will be responsible for early-stage regulator discussions once the prediction market platform starts conversations in Japan to access the market.

Currently, Japan is designated a restricted jurisdiction on the prediction market platform. Because of regulations and the company’s international sanctions compliance policies, users from the country are blocked.

Japanese law enforces strict gambling controls under its Penal Code. Habitual gambling can lead to prison sentences of up to three years. Running gambling operations may lead to prison terms of three months to five years.

Certain exceptions exist under state control. These include government-sponsored public lotteries and horse racing. Pachinko also functions in a legal grey area via indirect prize exchange systems.

Regulatory pressure is increasing for the prediction market industry outside of Japan. Regulators are cracking down on cryptocurrency-related contracts and trading schemes associated with internet gambling platforms.

Polymarket Faces Bans in India, Argentina and Other Regions

Recently, India has banned Polymarket across the country. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology directed providers to crack down on access under the legislation to the illegal online betting platforms.

The event contracts market services were deemed to be prohibited betting activities. The rules are in effect even if these platforms are marketed as “forecasting” sites instead of gambling sites.

The platform is also facing enforcement action in Argentina. Following a court ruling, the service was blocked nationwide because it was found to be outside gambling rules.

Earlier moves were similar restrictions in Colombia and Romania. In both countries, regulators were concerned about unauthorized betting activity associated with the prediction market operations.

In the United States, regulatory scrutiny continues to increase. Minnesota was the first state to prohibit contracts for prediction markets involving sports events.

US Regulators Tighten Pressure on Prediction Market

Federal agencies have also taken action. Pressure on the sector is growing as the CFTC and Department of Justice have opposed related legislative efforts.

Polymarket is still growing institutional operations despite the restrictions around the world. The prediction market company is also looking to raise capital, which could push its valuation to about $15 billion.

The platform has re-entered the U.S. market via the acquisition of a regulated derivatives exchange QCEX. It is also in talks with regulators to increase access to prediction market services.

Polymarket continues to set the groundwork for long-term global development. However, prediction market activity continues to be evaluated in various jurisdictions where gambling and financial regulations are relatively strict.

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Zcash (ZEC) maintains a strong bullish trend, with analysts projecting further upside for the ZEC price if key support holds, while technical indicators signal sustained buying momentum despite potential short-term consolidation and cautious monitoring of downside risks.

At the time of writing, ZEC is trading at $640.38 with a 24-hour trading volume of $804.5 million and a market capitalization of $10.68 billion. After the 19.47% gain over the last week, ZEC could hold the key levels to keep the bullish trend alive.

Source: CoinMarketCap

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ZEC Price Eyes $800 as Wave Structure Strengthens

Furthermore, the data from More Crypto Online revealed that the ZEC price chart continues to attract bullish attention as analysts identify the current rally as part of a fifth Elliott wave within the broader wave C structure. 

The ongoing setup suggests buyers remain in control, with market momentum still supporting the possibility of another strong upside extension from current levels as traders closely monitor the developing technical pattern ahead.

Technical analysts believe that the ZEC price could continue climbing toward the projected $800 target if the market remains above the critical support zone between $490 and $451. 

Resistance levels at $556 and $640 are expected to play a major role, as a breakout above these regions may accelerate momentum and strengthen the ongoing bullish market structure.

Source: More Crypto Online’s X Post

Even with the encouraging forecast, investors are cautious about the risks lurking at the important support zones. 

A continued fall below $490 will signal that the current uptrend has begun losing steam and could possibly culminate in a bearish reversal. In the meantime, the bigger picture is still positive enough to allow more gains from ZEC.

Technical Indicators Point to Strong Bullish Outlook

According to TradingView, the ZEC price is currently benefiting from an extremely strong macro uptrend following a significant retracement. 

The ZEC price made a top last year and subsequently received good dynamic support around $221, near the 200 EMA level. Following a strong move in April, the ZEC price rallied strongly and surpassed all short-term EMAs to reach $640.45, testing important resistance between $660 and $700.

Source: TradingView

The moving averages spread out nicely in a bullish pattern to indicate solid momentum up. The RSI, on the other hand, is at 69.65, which is still below the level of being considered overbought but above its signal line, indicating strong buyer interest. A small retracement to the 20 EMA is also expected.

This article contains market analysis and price predictions. These are not guarantees. Crypto markets are volatile. Always DYOR. Not financial advice.

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Standard Chartered expects tokenized assets to grow rapidly as adoption of stablecoins and real-world assets rises. The bank believes institutional investors will favor established DeFi platforms, while Ondo’s OUSG and BlackRock’s BUIDL continue expanding blockchain-based financial infrastructure and on-chain market integration globally.

Standard Chartered Sees Massive On-chain Asset Expansion

Standard Chartered expects tokenized assets on blockchain networks to reach $4 trillion by the end of 2028. The projection combines the bank’s earlier forecasts for stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets, with each category expected to grow into a $2 trillion market.

The bank believes decentralized finance infrastructure will absorb most of the activity linked to this expansion. Its digital assets research team said institutional capital is likely to move toward large and established on-chain protocols that can demonstrate strong risk management and operational reliability.

The report highlighted the growing importance of composability inside decentralized finance. This structure allows one digital asset position to perform multiple roles at the same time.

Assets can generate yield, remain liquid, and also serve as collateral across different applications without requiring separate financial intermediaries.

According to the bank, traditional financial systems cannot easily replicate this structure because capital often remains fragmented across multiple institutions and platforms.

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DeFi Infrastructure Gains Institutional Attention

BlackRock was mentioned as an example of tokenized finance adoption through its BUIDL treasury fund. The product reportedly manages around $2.85 billion in assets while operating across several DeFi functions simultaneously.

The fund will earn the treasury yield rate, aid lending transactions, and function as the reserve against which digital dollars like Ondo’s OUSG are tokenized. Standard Chartered highlighted this structure as an example of how tokenization may serve multiple purposes in one unified system.

The ratio of bank-issued off-chain assets continues to be ahead of on-chain ones by 1,000x; however, the tokenization of institutional-grade assets is considered the next phase of development of blockchain-based marketplaces.

The company called Ondo Finance, along with its OUSG, is mentioned as a promising projects in this regard.

Lending Protocols Continue Expanding

However, the report pointed out the increased interaction between institutional bodies and decentralized lending protocols.

On occasion, Aave rose to the 38th spot regarding asset holdings among US banks. Furthermore, Aave’s daily volumes for lending against stablecoins ranged between $1.5 billion and $2 billion.

Concurrently, the Coinbase-Morpho bitcoin lending partnership demonstrated the integration of DeFi services into legacy organizations instead of building dedicated platforms within legacy institutions.

As per Standard Chartered, progress in regulations, for example, the Clarity Act, can be a major factor that will push financial transactions from centralized systems to decentralized systems in the coming years.

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The HKDAP stablecoin has successfully completed the Ethereum end-to-end transaction test, with Hong Kong stepping forward to advance its regulated digital asset framework. The trial included the issuance of tokens, redeeming them in bank balances, and fiat deposit under licensed supervision.

Anchorpoint Financial has conducted the HKDAP stablecoin test on May 13, 2026. The firm is licensed under the Stablecoins Ordinance in Hong Kong under FRS01 and collaborated with OSL Group and PantherTrade during the process.

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HKDAP Stablecoin First Transaction Under HKMA Rules

According to the report, the HKDAP stablecoin milestone is considered the first real-world transaction under Hong Kong’s Stablecoins Ordinance, which took effect on August 1, 2025. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) supervised the whole process.

During the test, Standard Chartered Hong Kong provided custody and trust services. They guaranteed that the HKDAP stablecoin was pegged 1:1 and backed by 100% reserves in Hong Kong dollars.

The stablecoin, known as “HKD At Par” (HKDAP), is designed to maintain the stablecoin’s parity with the Hong Kong dollar. It maintains its reserve assets in a controlled manner that meets the requirements of the HKMA.

The transaction was executed in a step-by-step manner, involving the exchange of fiat currency for HKDAP stablecoin tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. A controlled settlement mechanism then was provided for the redemption of tokens back into bank deposits.

Anchorpoint Financial led the technical execution of the HKDAP stablecoin test. The company was created in February 2025 as a joint venture between Standard Chartered Hong Kong, HKT, and Animoca Brands.

The test was supported by OSL Group, which noted that the HKDAP stablecoin project is an important step towards large-scale deployment. The company also will be increasing its investments in payments, liquidity, and settlement capabilities throughout digital asset services.

PantherTrade Joins HK Stablecoin Project

OSL Group CEO Kevin Cui said current infrastructure is ready to facilitate the trading of stablecoins and cross-border transfers. He said platforms like OSL StableHub and OSL BizPay will form part of a broader ecosystem connected to the HKDAP stablecoin.

PantherTrade, a subsidiary of Futu Group, was also involved in the project. Zhu Guyi, global head of digital assets at Futu, said that the project will allow regulated access to digital assets in Hong Kong dollars.

The HKDPM stablecoin test showcased the interoperability between blockchain-based settlement and traditional financial systems. It showed the ability to bridge fiat and on-chain environments with a regulated digital token under compliance supervision.

As more businesses have begun to enter the market, Hong Kong regulators have intensified their supervision of stablecoin activities. Previously, the HKMA has warned against fraudulent tokens that use names related to licensed issuers, such as HKDAP and HSBC.

The stablecoin by HKDP is expected for a phased-out public launch in the coming weeks. Authorities continue to focus on balancing financial innovation with investor protection as the regulated digital asset sector expands.

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The CLARITY Act is at a critical juncture in Washington as legislators aim to pass the cryptocurrency markets bill before the congressional August recess. While there remains strong support for crypto legislation, recent setbacks in the Senate and competing policy interests have called the bill’s timeline into question.

Eleanor Terrett, a crypto journalist, claims that currently, there is another piece of legislation that will have to fight for its place on the floor of the Senate, namely CLARITY, amid conversations around reconciliation, FISA, and a housing bill that was passed by the House. There are several important questions before the US Congress.

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Senate Delay Hits Crypto Bill

The deadline issue became even more pressing as Senator John Thune, the Majority Leader, allegedly informed Republican senators that the Senate would not come back to work until June and still not finish its package. According to journalist Jake Sherman, the Senate would “go home until June,” leaving the bill unfinished.

This particular delay is believed to have been caused by disputes related to the funding language for the Department of Justice. Nevertheless, the delay itself brought up concerns regarding whether there is enough time left in order for Congress to pass the CLARITY Act before the recess of August begins. According to Terrett, there are not too many working weeks left until summer ends.

CLARITY Act Gains Senate Momentum

Even with the time crunch, however, Senator Cynthia Lummis is hopeful that the crypto bill will be able to pass this summer. In an interview with FOX Business, she made it clear that legislators are having ongoing conversations behind closed doors regarding crypto legislation, including the CLARITY Act.

According to Lummis, the plans for legislation involve combining the bill that has been passed by the Senate Banking Committee and another bill that has already been passed by the Senate Agriculture Committee. The focus of the latter is believed to be on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s jurisdiction within the cryptocurrency market.

She also noted that they are talking about including ethics issues as well as technical issues that have to do with the GENIUS Act before they present the entire bill to the Senate.

Meanwhile, policy analyst Patrick Wilson denied allegations that the CLARITY Act will relax the regulation of the cryptocurrency sector. According to him, the act actually entails new regulations, compliance policies, and even anti-money laundering guidelines aimed at increasing regulation.

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