Southeast Asia Becomes Crypto Crime Hotspot

One case highlighted is Huione Guarantee (now rebranded as Haowang), a Chinese-language platform operating out of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Over the past four years, it has facilitated over $24 billion in crypto linked to fraud and scam operations, growing to over 970,000 users.

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The platform has launched its own crypto exchange, blockchain (Xone Chain), online gambling services, and even a US dollar-backed stablecoin aimed at bypassing government oversight. In February 2025, the group unveiled a Huione Visa card.

Billions Of Dollars Laundered Through Custom Coins And Exchanges!

The report warns that criminal groups in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia are industrializing cybercrime with AI, blockchain, and stablecoins, executing phishing, fake investments, and romance scams — collectively known as pig butchering — on a massive scale.

Recent crackdowns in Hong Kong, Nigeria, and other countries have led to hundreds of arrests. In October 2024, 27 people were arrested in Hong Kong for running a deepfake-powered crypto scam worth $46 million. In December, 792 suspects were caught in Lagos, Nigeria.

The UN warns these groups are leveraging their own stablecoins and private exchanges to circumvent AML laws and move funds freely across borders. The threat is growing beyond Asia — into Africa, South America, and the Pacific.

Governments are urged to close loopholes and prepare for this expanding form of financial crime.

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Avalanche Foundation Collaborates with Rain for Card Development

The Avalanche Foundation, the non-profit supporting the development of the Avalanche blockchain, announced that its Avalanche Card is now live and ready for use. Developed in collaboration with Rain, a blockchain-based card issuing platform, the card allows users to spend AVAX tokens, wrapped AVAX, and the stablecoins USDT and USDC at any Visa-accepting store or online.

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This launch marks a significant step in the integration of cryptocurrency with traditional financial technologies. While other teams have also released credit cards tied to cryptocurrency holdings, the Avalanche Card highlights the growing fusion of crypto and traditional finance.

User Sign-Ups Accelerate in Multiple Regions

In October, the Avalanche Foundation revealed plans to target user sign-ups in Latin America and the Caribbean. In Tuesday’s statement, the team reported that sign-ups had accelerated in these regions, as well as in Southeast Asia and Africa.

According to the card’s website, it will be linked to users’ “new self-custody wallet and unique address per asset.”

The Avalanche team added, “In a move to double down on mainstream adoption of decentralized finance (DeFi), Avalanche remains committed to powering accessible inroads to blockchain for every type of user.”

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