Taiwan Cryptocurrency Welcome Page! EasyCard is connecting with virtual assets, Federal Bank: Future investment trusts may issue crypto ETFs

Taiwan opens bank custody for virtual assets; Federal Bank plans a four-phase rollout, and the future may see the issuance of crypto ETFs; OneCard combines credit cards to enter the crypto space and promote green finance; MaiCoin hopes the specialized law can be passed as soon as possible to accelerate the integration of finance and tokenization.

Federal Bank: In the future, Taiwan’s asset management companies may issue crypto ETFs

The Financial Supervisory Commission has recently approved 5 banks to pilot virtual asset custody, and with the “Virtual Asset Service Act,” Taiwan’s crypto market has opened a new chapter! At a press conference yesterday (4/22), Federal Bank’s General Manager Xu Weiwen revealed that banks’ custody of virtual assets (crypto assets) will be carried out in four stages:

The first stage focuses on custody of virtual assets on trading platforms; the second stage expands to corporate entities such as professional and institutional investors; the third stage targets natural persons such as high-net-worth customers; and the fourth stage looks ahead to potential custody demand for crypto ETFs that could be issued by future asset management firms.

As the draft “Virtual Asset Service Act” has already been reviewed and approved by the Executive Yuan, traditional financial institutions are also gearing up, exploring ways to position themselves for virtual asset business—such as acquiring local operators or building their own trading platforms. Federal Bank tends to invest and cooperate rather than consolidate, and remains open to future cooperation opportunities.

• **Related report:**Taiwan’s specialized laws are expected to pass this year! Rumors say 4 financial holding companies are interested in acquiring exchanges; MaiCoin and HOYA BIT are in focus

OneCard enters the crypto space, combining credit cards to promote green finance

Meanwhile, OneCard is also entering the crypto space through a credit card newly launched by Federal Bank. In the co-branded cards between Federal Bank and MaiCoin, OneCard plays the role of the exclusive e-ticketing partner, using credit cards to connect virtual assets and green finance. The official says that card rewards can be exchanged for Bitcoin ($BTC), Ethereum ($ETH), Tether ($USDT), and $USDC , among others.

OneCard has launched co-branded cards with an automatic ticket-card synchronization feature, extending virtual asset applications to mainstream public transportation and small-spending scenarios. To encourage a low-carbon lifestyle, when users complete the specified conditions, they can earn stored-value funds and green points—successfully turning carbon-reduction actions into virtual assets and building a brand-new circular payments ecosystem.

Blockchain and traditional finance are complementary, not replacements

In a media interview, MaiCoin Chairman Liu Shih-wei said that in the future, whether through tokenization, stablecoins, or other methods, virtual assets will have deeper connections and greater integration with traditional finance. In the future, consumers will only need to enjoy a near-zero-friction trading experience and the benefits it brings, without having to worry about the underlying technology—this is the highest level of technology.

MaiCoin’s General Manager Chen Minghui, meanwhile, told “Crypto City” that stablecoins on the blockchain and traditional financial institutions are a relationship of “complementary,” not “mutually replacing.”

From ECPay’s first trial of Taiwan dollar stablecoins in 2018 to 2026, when geopolitical shifts and rising external attention have significantly increased the focus on stablecoins, she believes that cross-border stablecoin market demand has already changed a great deal. Everyone is thinking about how, if you hold Taiwan dollars abroad, you can achieve painless payments and reduce costs—this is the focus of future financial payments.

Tokenization faces regulatory challenges; the industry hopes specialized laws will pass as soon as possible

If the four major financial core institutions—such as the stock exchange or futures exchange—want to connect blockchain technology for tokenization, the biggest obstacle still remains regulation.

Chen Minghui said that since blockchain itself is already operating around the clock, when financial institutions move into tokenization they need to consider adjustments to traditional mechanisms such as opening/closing and after-hours trading. It depends on how quickly the competent authorities move, but she believes that after the specialized law “Virtual Asset Service Act” is passed, the momentum will become even more proactive.

After Peng Jinlong took office as the Chairman of the Financial Supervisory Commission, both the speed of setting specialized laws and the flexibility in responding to crypto regulation have improved noticeably.

Chen Minghui is optimistic about the current draft “Virtual Asset Service Act” that references places such as the United States, Japan/Korea, and Singapore. She believes it is reasonable while still retaining flexibility, and hopes that legislation can be completed as soon as possible so that financial institutions and the blockchain industry can truly take the next step forward.