Asia Leads Global Crypto Adoption Index as Bitget Confirms $351M Hack

Asia Pacific (APAC) dominates the latest Global Crypto Adoption Index, with nine of the top‑20 nations for grassroots crypto use located in the region. At the same time, crypto exchange Bitget disclosed a security breach that impacted roughly $351.6 million in user assets.

APAC’s Strong Presence in Crypto Adoption

Chainalysis’ 2026 Global Crypto Adoption Index shows the APAC region accounting for almost 50 % of the index score. The countries listed among the top‑20 are Japan (rank 4), South Korea (5), India (6), Thailand (8), China (12), Indonesia (14), Australia (15), Vietnam (18) and the Philippines (19).

Stablecoins Drive Cross‑Border Payments

Tianwei Liu, co‑founder and CEO of StraitsX, explained that fragmented currencies and payment systems in Asia have created demand for stablecoin settlements, extending into everyday spending.

Bitget Security Breach

Bitget confirmed unauthorized transfers affecting approximately $351.6 million. The breach was limited to portions of the exchange’s hot and warm wallets; cold wallets remained secure. The exchange has flagged the involved addresses, engaged law‑enforcement agencies and on‑chain security firms, and suspended withdrawals while investigations continue.

Bitget’s User Protection Fund, holding over $464 million, covers the loss.

Related Developments in the Region

• Binance invested $100 million in Circle under an expanded five‑year USDC partnership.
• Australia released a 40‑year economic outlook highlighting AI but omitting crypto, prompting criticism from Coinbase Australia.
• South Korea launched a 24‑hour won settlement pilot for foreign investors and issued a $100 million digital bond via Euroclear’s blockchain platform.
• Hong Kong announced plans to upgrade its debt securities settlement system to a 24/7 blockchain‑based platform.