China’s Payment Giant Ant Group Files Crypto Trademarks in Hong Kong

Ant Group, the fintech powerhouse behind Alipay, has filed trademarks in Hong Kong this year for virtual assets, stablecoins, and blockchain, including “ANTCOIN.” This, as many have speculated, is a signal to potential expansion into Web3 despite Beijing’s recent regulatory warnings that forced the company to pause its stablecoin issuance plans. The trademark applications come as Chinese technology firms race to secure intellectual property in the digital asset space, even with tightening regulatory over ...