Bloomberg With a blanket ban on initial coin offerings, China has sidestepped an issue plaguing regulators worldwide: are such tokens securities? A cross between crowdfunding and an initial public offering, ICOs—which have raised at least $1.25 billion globally so far —are the sale of tokens based on the blockchain, the technology underlying bitcoin. While they at least ostensibly promise the …

Bloomberg A record rally in the offshore yuan is rekindling hope for the Dim Sum bond market. With China’s currency defying North Korea tensions to be Asia’s top performer over the past month, that bodes well for yuan-denominated debt sold in Hong Kong, according to BOC International Holdings Ltd. The Dim Sum market has been under pressure since 2015, when …

Bloomberg The outlook for Oman’s banking sector was cut to negative by Moody’s Investors Service to reflect a reduction in the government’s ability to support the country’s banks, weaker economic growth and tightening liquidity. “We expect a softening in Oman’s operating environment, with fiscal consolidation amid prolonged oil price weakness weighing on economic growth,” Moody’s analyst Mik Kabeya said. “This …