According to a report by Odaily Planet Daily citing sources cited by the Mainichi Shimbun on Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed concerns about further interest rate hikes during a meeting with Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda last week. If true, Takaichi's recent refusal to raise interest rates again could complicate the Bank of Japan's plans, as coordination with the newly appointed government will become more challenging. The report caused the yen to weaken against both the dollar and the euro. Ueda stated that the meeting last Monday mainly involved a general exchange on the economic and financial situation, and that the prime minister did not make any specific monetary policy requests. Takaichi herself avoided discussing the specific details of their meeting, only stating that she hoped the central bank would work closely with the government to achieve its 2% inflation target, accompanied by wage growth. This meeting came as market participants speculated that rising living costs due to factors such as a weak yen might prompt the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates in March or April. (Jinshi)

Odaily Planet Daily reports that Bitcoin fell more than 19% in February, its worst monthly performance since June 2022, due to concerns about global tariffs. (Cointelegraph)

According to a Bloomberg report on February 24th, Hong Kong-based stablecoin payment company RedotPay is considering an initial public offering (IPO) in the United States, aiming to raise over $1 billion. Sources say RedotPay has partnered with JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Jefferies to advance the listing, potentially as early as this year on the New York Stock Exchange, with a target valuation exceeding $4 billion. The details, including the fundraising size and valuation, are still under discussion and may be subject to change.

Huoxun Finance reported on February 24th that, according to Xinmin Evening News, a 38-year-old Chinese businessman surnamed Wang was kidnapped, murdered, and his body dumped in Turkey. Turkish police have arrested 10 suspects, including a woman. Police stated that the suspects had been following Wang since Istanbul Airport and lured him with a woman traveling with him. After a meal, as they were leaving, they forcibly put Wang into another car, while the woman pretended to be unaware. Several days later, Wang's body was found in a field, his hands, feet, and mouth bound with duct tape, and his head severely injured. Police stated that the suspects had a debt dispute with Wang and withdrew a large sum of money from his cryptocurrency account. The woman involved left the country on the day of the incident and was later arrested along with nine other men on an Interpol warrant.

According to a Bithumb announcement on February 24th, Bithumb will add the GoPlus (GPS) Korean Won trading market. GPS will support deposits and withdrawals via the BASE network; deposits via other networks will not be supported.