Is cryptocurrency worth it? As digital currencies reshape finance, Singapore emerges as a crypto hub. We’ll dive into its regulatory framework, clarifying legal status, regulatory bodies, and regulations. Whether you’re seasoned or new, understanding Singapore’s rules is crucial for confident navigation.
Is cryptocurrency considered legal tender in Singapore?
While cryptocurrency isn’t recognized as legal tender in Singapore, it serves as an alternative payment method. Legal tender in Singapore is the Singapore Dollar (SGD), regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
Do you need a license to trade cryptocurrency in Singapore? Depending on the platform’s functionality, a license may be required for trading in Singapore.
Who regulates cryptocurrency in Singapore?
Navigating cryptocurrency regulations in Singapore can seem daunting, given the involvement of multiple regulatory bodies. However, understanding their roles can provide clarity and ensure compliance with the established framework.
1: The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)
As the primary regulator, MAS plays a central role in shaping and overseeing the crypto landscape under the Payment Services Act (PSA) 2019. MAS licenses businesses engaged in digital payment token (DPT) services, covering activities like operating exchanges and providing wallets. With a focus on innovation and risk management, MAS enforces strict Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorist Financing (CFT) regulations.
2: Securities and Futures Commission (SFC)
While not the main regulatory body, the SFC oversees digital tokens categorized as securities under the Securities and Futures Act (SFA). It focuses on tokens with characteristics similar to stocks or bonds, collaborating with other regulators to maintain market integrity.
3: The Payment Services Act (PSA)
Enacted in 2019, the PSA serves as the primary legal framework, ensuring a fair and safe crypto environment by mandating licenses and exemptions for specific activities.
4: Singapore Police Force (SPF)
SPF investigates and prosecutes criminal activities in the crypto space, working closely with MAS and other authorities to enforce laws and regulations, ensuring a secure financial environment.
Important Singapore Crypto Regulations governs cryptocurrency activities:
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1: Payment Services Act (PSA) Mandates licenses for various crypto activities, with exemptions for certain tokens.
2: Securities and Futures Act (SFA) Regulates tokens resembling securities or derivatives, aligning with established financial market principles.
4: Travel Rule Requires DPT service providers to collect and share client information during transactions, enhancing AML measures.
In conclusion, Singapore’s crypto regulation fosters innovation while ensuring stability. With oversight from MAS, SFC, and SPF, investors can engage confidently. Staying informed and compliant is key for maximizing your crypto journey.
According to Investopedia, Venture Capitalists (VCs) are investors who provide capital to support small companies or to aid startup ventures. They strategically invest on businesses that will generate significant profit and experience extensive growth.
When you craft a business model or proposal, obtaining a VC backing shall be on your mind.
USING TWO STRATEGIES
1. By Giving A Robust Presentation
You are on a mission to market your business’ ideas and full potential by giving a robust presentation. A robust case study presentation must contain all the possible challenges that can arise and how to address them. Modify this presentation as you go along to reach a level of satisfaction that will impress your investors.
2. By Offering A Timely Opportunity
The truth is, investors take the leap of faith once they allocate their wealth on a startup or a small business. VCs must brave the overwhelming risks of getting relatively slimmer rewards than investing on established companies. This is why most VCs are cautious. They cannot afford to bet it all on opportunities that will not have large payoffs.
Attract the VCs by offering a timely opportunity. Large payoffs can occur if the market recognizes that there is an existing demand for your product or service. Dwell upon this.
Image Credits: pixabay.com
VENTURE CAPITALIST FIRMS IN THE LOCAL SCENE
More and more venture capitalist firms (VCF) have entered the shores of Singapore in the recent years. Exhaust your resources to familiarize yourself with the available firms, which are in lined with what your company represents. Let me help you by enumerating five VCF that have marked their presence last year.
a. FAR EAST VENTURES (Far East Organization’s investment arm)
b. 500 STARTUPS (a seed fund and startup accelerator)
c. SPH MEDIA FUND (Singapore Press Holdings’s investment arm)
d. HATCHER (focuses on B2B startups)
e. DMP (focuses on emerging digital markets)
Once you narrowed down your options into a realistic list of VCF, you must aim to impress them with your innovative idea. Start by pouring your effort into these five crucial points:
a. It is necessary to have an irresistible niche, competitive edge, or unique selling proposition.
b. You must stress on your business’ ability to produce huge profit margins.
c. It is important to exude a significant potential to grow.
d. You shall display legitimate barriers to competition such as having a patent or copyright.
e. It is highly advantageous to have a current demand for your service or product.
Image Credits: pixabay.com
Is your business proposal sufficient to fulfill these crucial points?
Good for you!
If so, I wish you all the best in your upcoming endeavors.
To kick start the year 2024, Webull, a leading online brokerage platform, is rewarding its customers with attractive offers. This time round, Webull is rewarding both their new and existing users with stackable rewards from now till 31 January 2024. While most of us may be familiar with their generous Welcome Rewards, Webull is taking it further to another level by throwing in other attractive offers.
Stackable Rewards
First, register an account with Webull via this link. Then, download the Webull app on Apple Store, Google Play or the Webull Desktop. Once you are done, you can refer to the table below and stack the rewards and get as much as you can.
You can easily stack [Offer A] + [Offer B1] + [Offer C1] without much outlay
Offer A – Pick The Lowest Hanging Fruit First
For those who are new, you can start off by signing up an account with them via this link and fund any amount from as little as $0.01. You will receive 5 free shares worth between US$3 – US$500 each randomly. That also means you are guaranteed to receive a minimum of 5 x US$3 worth of fractional sharesor US$15 by simply signing up without doing any trading. If you are super risk adverse, you can stop at this step.
Offer B – Get Up to USD3,000
Let’s say you are a little bit more risk tolerant, you can choose to take it up a notch further and earn even more rewards with Moneybull. What is Moneybull if you may ask? Well, to put it simply, it is a wealth management tool for the lazy investor. It is designed for margin accounts to earn a yield on idle cash while maintaining liquidity and low risk. These low-risk cash funds are effectively mutual funds. As of time of writing, Moneybull USD and SGD has a 7-day annualized yield of 5.4162%* and 3.8208%* respectively.
*T&Cs apply. Figures shown are based on 7-Day Yield (P.A.) of the USD Cash Fund and SGD Cash Fund in Moneybull as of 11 Jan 2024. Principal is not guaranteed. Returns are not guaranteed and not an indication of future performance. All investments involve risks and are not suitable for every investor. This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
The yield is on top of the offers given by the Moneybull promotion so you are actually earning both the interest yield plus the rewards. While money market funds are considered relatively safe and low risk, however, like all investment, there may be negative return on certain days. Carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing.
You can start small and subscribe US$500+ on Moneybull and get a minimum of US$75 worth of fractional shares up to this step.
Offer C – Highest Transfer In Rewards
Webull is offering the highest transfer-in rewards*, and we definitely want to give you a heads-up! From now till 31 January 24, Webull is giving both new and existing customers up to USD2,000 worth of Tesla Shares for free when you make an initial transfer of your stocks from another broker.
For seasoned investors who have positions with other brokers, this offer is worth considering as you can receive the highest transfer-in rewards*. For example, if you have positions under TD Ameritrade Singapore (who no longer serve non-Accredited Investors) or with other online brokers, you can transfer in US$5,000+ of US Stocks over and receive US$1,000 worth of TSLA Shares from Webull as a reward. You will then need to maintain it for a holding period of between 90 days to 360 days to receive the rewards.
You will then need to maintain it for a holding period of between 90 days to 360 days to receive the rewards.
If you transfer US$25,000+ from another broker, you will receive double the rewards with the same holding period.
*T&Cs apply. For details, please refer to Webull’s Website at https://www.webull.com.sg/. This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Here are the steps provided by Webull on how to initiate a transfer in.
Subsequently, please contact your respective broker and provide them with the following details to initiate a transfer-out request. (You can Google “How to transfer out shares from [name of broker]”)
*Please note that only Stocks and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) listed on US Exchanges are supported for Share Transfer-In.
Note that there will may be fees involved from transferring out from another broker. Webull is aware of this and will subsidise the fee up to US$150. Simply submit the proof of payment and Webull will reimburse it!
That’s about it! We hope you can stack as many rewards like we did! We recommend that you try and obtain [Offer A, B1, B2 & C1] and get at least US$1,155 in reward* as they do not require a large sum of money and do not require you to undertake too much risk.
Is Webull Safe?
Webull is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and holds a Capital Markets Services (CMS) Licence under the Securities and Futures Act 2001. As such, Webull must comply with the “Customer’s Moneys” regulations; Webull is only allowed to utilise these monies as per the customers’ instructions, for example, settling your trades, or to defray costs that was agreed or as stated, for example, taxation and brokerage fees, if any.
Under the same regulation, the trust account must be opened with specified financial institutions, for example, a bank licensed by the MAS under the Banking Act 1970. Webull has appointed DBS Bank Limited as the custodian of their customers’ monies, a licensed bank under the Banking Act. The bank is not allowed to exercise any right of set-off against the moneys in this trust account for any debt owed by Webull. Monies belonging to customers must be kept in this trust account for safekeeping, separate from all other monies belonging to Webull or for other purposes.
With the above safeguards in place, your money placed in Webull is safe.
*Terms and conditions apply. Principal is not guaranteed. Returns are not guaranteed and not an indication of future performance. All investments involve risks and are not suitable for every investor. This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Cryptocurrency has taken the world by storm, and Singapore is no exception. Although the worldwide cryptocurrency ownership rates were around 4.2% in 2022, Singapore and Thailand are leading the way in Southeast Asia with significantly higher adoption rates of 11.05% and 6.47%, respectively. These numbers are mainly attributed to the digital savviness of their populations and the supportive regulatory environment in both countries. While investing in cryptocurrencies can be attractive and lucrative, it is also not without risks.
Firstly, let’s discuss the rewards. Cryptocurrency is decentralized, meaning it is not controlled by any government or financial institution. This makes it a popular investment option for those looking to diversify their portfolio and reduce their reliance on traditional banking systems. Cryptocurrencies can also provide quick and easy access to liquidity, making it an attractive option for those looking to make quick profits. For example, digital artists can easily sell their artwork using cryptocurrencies and still own its copyrights.
Furthermore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has issued guidelines for the trading and exchange of cryptocurrencies, making it easier for investors to enter the market. To address money laundering and illegal activities, MAS issued Notice PSN02, also known as the detailed Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) guidelines for Digital Payment Token service providers.
However, investing in cryptocurrency also comes with its own set of risks. One of the biggest risks is volatility. Despite Singapore’s ambitions to become a global crypto hub, it has been cracking down on the industry after many retail investors lost their life savings to crypto trading. The country has repeatedly warned that cryptocurrency trading is “highly risky and not suitable for the general public” due to its volatile and speculative nature.
The general public must know that cryptocurrencies are subject to unpredictable price fluctuations. As they are less regulated, their value is influenced by other factors, such as psychological hype. For example, in 2017, Bitcoin’s price reached an all-time high of nearly $20,000, only to crash to $3,000 the following year. Another example is the rise of the first meme coin called Dogecoin.
Image Credits: unsplash.com
Another risk is security. Cryptocurrencies are stored in digital wallets, which can be vulnerable to hacking and cyber-attacks. If a hacker gains access to an investor’s wallet, they can steal their digital assets, resulting in significant losses. Can you imagine betting your life savings on cryptocurrencies and losing it all in a day?
Lastly, to thrive in the cryptocurrency scene, a certain level of technical knowledge is required. Don’t fall victim to frauds and scams by lacking technical knowledge. Investors need to understand how the blockchain works, how to manage digital wallets, and how to navigate cryptocurrency exchanges.
Despite the risks, the interest in cryptocurrency investment remains high among investors in Singapore. To minimize these risks, it is essential for investors to conduct comprehensive research before investing, keep their digital assets in secure wallets, and only invest a reasonable amount they can afford to lose. With prudence and caution, investing in cryptocurrency can be a fulfilling experience for Singaporean investors.
Another low-cost online broker is taking the Singapore brokerage trading market by its horns! Webull is a broker dealer registered with the SEC and headquartered in New York. To entice users to try out is zero-fee brokerage services, Webull is offering up to US$500 worth of blue-chip shares as long as a new user funds his/her account. The definition of funding means new user can top up as little as just 1 Singapore cent to get up to US$500 in this super amazing promotion!
Webull’s Amaaaazing Promotion
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to receive free US$500 worth of shares from Webull.
Step 1: Download the Webull mobile app from the Apple/Google Play store or access its desktop version
Step 3: Register and open an account. You can key in your personal details or allow Singpass MyInfo to populate them.
Step 4: Once you have completed your account opening, simply wait for the approval from Webull. It usually takes just 1 business day.
Step 5: Simply fund your account upon account opening via FAST or DDA. Any deposit is fine, even $0.01! Upon successful funding, go to dashboard to redeem your well-deserved rewards.
Simply click “My Rewards” icon to redeem your fractional shares! You will receive 3 blue-chip, fractional shares comprising of either Alphabet, Microsoft, Apple or Tesla. Each of these shares will be worth a minimum of US$10 to a maximum of US$100.
But wait, that’s not all yet.
If your account continues to stay funded for another 30 days, you will receive 2 bonus chances to redeem 2 more free shares. It will stay funded as long as your initial deposit of 1 cent has not been withdrawn. Thereafter, sell the 5 free shares and cash out. That is how you walk away with up to US$500 after just 30 days of doing almost nothing!
Even without the sign-up promotions, Webull is amazing for its ZERO platform fees and commission charges on US Stocks. This is the lowest cost that you can possibly find in the Singapore brokerage scene right now.
It is evident that the “effort-reward” ratio is remarkably high and that is why you should not pass up on this amazing promotion from Webull!
