{
  "id": 10882888,
  "title": "(Yonhap Interview) Startup Mesh to double down on APAC, future in crypto era: executive",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/yonhap-interview-startup-mesh-to-double-down-on-apac-future-in-crypto",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-30T06:30:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yonhap News",
    "slug": "yonhap-news",
    "url": "https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260930007200320"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "SEOUL, September 30 (Yonhap) - The Asia Pacific (APAC) region, including South Korea, could emerge as a major force in the crypto era, according to Jason Ne Win, CEO of startup Mesh. In an interview with Yonhap News Agency during Korea Blockchain Week 2026, Ne Win expressed optimism about APAC's potential, stating that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) could rival the Group of Seven (G7) countries. He highlighted the economic strength of South Korea and Japan, which rely heavily on domestic consumption and consumption flow.\n\nThe crypto-orchestration platform, Mesh, which connects various virtual asset exchanges and wallets, recently launched dedicated APAC operations in April following a US$75 million Series C funding round. Currently valued at $1 billion, the company has around 300 partners and major investors include PayPal and Samsung Next, a venture capital arm of Samsung Electronics Co. According to Ne Win, APAC accounted for 60 percent of all stablecoin movements in 2025, with five to seven of the top 10 markets in terms of crypto penetration being in the APAC region, with South Korea among them.\n\nThe infrastructure in the region is more advanced than that of most developed countries, as it utilizes new payment methods like QR codes instead of credit cards. Purchasing power in the area is also growing, and Ne Win believes that APAC will account for up to 60 percent of global purchasing power by 2030. Despite its small team of around five people, Mesh's presence in the Asia market is growing faster than expected, with nearly 10 deals signed with local partners. The company has been meeting with South Korean companies since early this week, primarily in the payments and commerce sector.\n\nNe Win expressed strong support for South Korea's plan to issue won-denominated stablecoins, stating that the country should proceed with such a move \"100 percent.\" He believes that stablecoins, which are mostly U.S. dollar-denominated, will reflect true commerce, money, and FX, with every country having its own local currency-denominated stablecoin and multiple issuers due to varying use cases. Ne Win advised regulators and policymakers to take a more global perspective, as money, information, and value move globally, and some degree of regulatory harmonization or recognition will be necessary.",
  "summary": "SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- The Asia Pacific (APAC) region, including South Kore...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Tech in Asia",
        "title": "SBI, Mesh, Money Forward plan Japan crypto joint venture",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/sbi-mesh-money-forward-plan-japan-crypto-joint-venture",
        "published": "2026-09-30T04:04:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}