Asia’s Top Stock Exchanges Crack Down on Crypto DATs, Blocking Listings

Core Insights - The Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) trend is gaining global traction, but major Asian financial hubs are beginning to impose restrictions on companies attempting to adopt this model [1][7] - Regulatory concerns have emerged regarding the volatility and potential manipulation associated with companies holding cryptocurrencies on their balance sheets [2][4] Group 1: Regulatory Actions - Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd. (HKEX) has rejected at least five applications for listings under the DAT model, citing rules against "cash companies" that hold excessive liquid assets, including cryptocurrencies [3] - Australia and India's exchanges have similarly instructed their listing committees to reject or delay approvals for firms primarily deriving value from volatile crypto assets [4] - The caution from these exchanges follows the collapse of QMMM Holdings, which experienced a dramatic stock increase of over 1,400% after announcing a $100 million crypto treasury, only to vanish shortly thereafter [4] Group 2: Investor Impact - A report from Singapore's 10X Research indicates that retail investors have collectively lost $17 billion in DAT-related trades, contributing to skepticism in the region [5] Group 3: Japan's Unique Position - Japan stands out as the only Asian market that is openly embracing the DAT model, with 14 listed companies holding Bitcoin, including Metaplanet, which possesses over $3.3 billion in BTC [6][8] - Japanese regulators require full transparency but encourage innovation, contrasting with the stricter approaches of Hong Kong and India [8]