Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<div class="content-highlight">
Both Bitcoin and gold prices are rallying this year and this is probably a sign of a HEDGE against political instability in China, in our view. Bitcoin and gold are two of the best-performing assets this year, with many stock markets around the world hammered by the concerns from the Wuhan virus. 
</div>
The following were the main headlines impacting the blockchain and cryptocurrencies sectors in South Korea, Japan, and globally in the past few weeks. 
<ul>
<li>BITCOIN PRICE RALLY IN 2020</li>
<li>SOUTH KOREA (TAXES ON CRYPTOS) </li>
<li>CME GROUP</li>
<li>XRP DELISTED FROM JAPAN'S BITBOX </li>
<li>FIRST SWISS COMPLIANT DIGITAL IPO </li>
<li>SAUDI ARAMCO INVESTS IN VAKT </li>
<li>NOMURA RESEARCH INSTITUTE (NRI) LAUNCHES A NEW CRYPTOCURRENCY INDEX </li>
<li>FORMATION OF NATIONAL DIGITAL CURRENCIES IN 2020</li>
<li>
BITCOIN BLOCK REWARD HALVING
</li>
<li>
EXPERTISE IN BLOCKCHAIN
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
GMO INTERNET
</li>
<li>
TOYOTA LEASING (THAILAND)
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>SQUARE CRYPTO</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
BITCOIN DOMINANCE
</li>
</ul>


Both Bitcoin and gold prices are rallying this year and this is probably a sign of a HEDGE against political instability in China, in our view. Bitcoin and gold are two of the best-performing assets this year, with many stock markets around the world hammered by the concerns from the Wuhan virus. 

The following were the main headlines impacting the blockchain and cryptocurrencies sectors in South Korea, Japan, and globally in the past few weeks. 

BITCOIN PRICE RALLY IN 2020
SOUTH KOREA (TAXES ON CRYPTOS) 
CME GROUP
XRP DELISTED FROM JAPAN'S BITBOX 
FIRST SWISS COMPLIANT DIGITAL IPO 
SAUDI ARAMCO INVESTS IN VAKT 
NOMURA RESEARCH INSTITUTE (NRI) LAUNCHES A NEW CRYPTOCURRENCY INDEX 
FORMATION OF NATIONAL DIGITAL CURRENCIES IN 2020

BITCOIN BLOCK REWARD HALVING


EXPERTISE IN BLOCKCHAIN




GMO INTERNET


TOYOTA LEASING (THAILAND)



SQUARE CRYPTO



BITCOIN DOMINANCE



This Month in Blockchain & Cryptos: Bitcoin Price Rally in 2020, OverFuture's Digital IPO, & Vakt

The past few days have been monumental in the short history of blockchain as China's president Xi Jinping stated that the country should<a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/bitcoin-surges-to-over-10000-in-biggest-single-day-move-since-april-2019-10-26" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> "seize the opportunity of blockchain technology." </a>This was essentially the first time that Xi has praised the merits of the blockchain technology, which resulted in the Bitcoin price exploding higher.
Although the exact timing of the launch of the China government-backed cryptocurrency is not yet known, it could be launched as soon as this winter. It remains to be seen how the Chinese government will seek to regulate Bitcoin and Ethereum as well as its own Chinese government driven cryptocurrency. However, we believe that one of the ways that the Chinese government could encourage the use of its own cryptocurrency is through various incentives schemes, including through the  "social credit scores."
Bitcoin price surged by 35% from October 24th to 26th and has since retraced slightly. As of October 28th, the Bitcoin price is $9,663 which is nearly 30% higher than October 24th just prior to Xi's embrace of the blockchain technology.

The past few days have been monumental in the short history of blockchain as China's president Xi Jinping stated that the country should "seize the opportunity of blockchain technology." This was essentially the first time that Xi has praised the merits of the blockchain technology, which resulted in the Bitcoin price exploding higher.
Although the exact timing of the launch of the China government-backed cryptocurrency is not yet known, it could be launched as soon as this winter. It remains to be seen how the Chinese government will seek to regulate Bitcoin and Ethereum as well as its own Chinese government driven cryptocurrency. However, we believe that one of the ways that the Chinese government could encourage the use of its own cryptocurrency is through various incentives schemes, including through the  "social credit scores."
Bitcoin price surged by 35% from October 24th to 26th and has since retraced slightly. As of October 28th, the Bitcoin price is $9,663 which is nearly 30% higher than October 24th just prior to Xi's embrace of the blockchain technology.  

This Week in Blockchain & Cryptos: Xi Jinping Embraces Blockchain & Bitcoin Price Surges Higher

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

As global equity markets pull back amid the U.S./China tariff saga we continue to believe this is an attractive time to add exposure. This view is supported technically with all major global indexes (MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-U.S., EAFE, and EM) pulling back to their respective 200-day moving averages. In this report we highlight important technical levels across global markets and highlight actionable opportunities from a bottoms-up perspective within Europe (attractive pullback opportunity on the STOXX Europe 600 index) and Japan, including stocks within Financials, Communications, Consumer Discretionary, and Manufacturing.

As global equity markets pull back amid the U.S./China tariff saga we continue to believe this is an attractive time to add exposure. This view is supported technically with all major global indexes (MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-U.S., EAFE, and EM) pulling back to their respective 200-day moving averages. In this report we highlight important technical levels across global markets and highlight actionable opportunities from a bottoms-up perspective within Europe (attractive pullback opportunity on the STOXX Europe 600 index) and Japan, including stocks within Financials, Communications, Consumer Discretionary, and Manufacturing.

Opportunities in European & Japanese Equities

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

ja research

ja research is an independent research platform focused exclusively on Japanese equities. Leveraging data and graphic analysis provided by Japan Analytics, we provide insights on small and medium-sized companies that have been ignored by the sell-side as well as challenging conventional wisdom on larger companies. We also offer analyst and corporate access, the latter with translation if required. 

<div class="content-caption">
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/083/132/original/2019-03-25_18-58-11.png?1553507902" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="83132"></figure>Source: Japan Analytics
</div>There are currently 241 listed Japanese companies that can be categorised as Internet businesses. Our classification overlaps with the TOPIX-33 Information &amp; Communication sub-Sector but is broader in that it encompasses all companies listed on all sections and exchanges but is also narrower in that we have excluded Telecommunications (including <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/315" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:315:1">S</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/315" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:315:1">oftbank Group (9984 JP)</a>) and Information Technology companies. We have adopted a 'quantamental' approach which covers the long-term and current trends for Japan's Internet Sector as a whole, as well as eight sub-Sectors or Peer Groups and the Sectors' leading companies by market capitalisation.  Our focus is exclusively on the locally-listed universe and is based on disclosed financial and market data. We do not provide any forecasts, other than the companies' own forecasts and we do not attempt to make any business model or strategic judgments. Our focus is purely on financial and market performance. We do not cover unlisted and defunct companies such as Livedoor and, therefore, there is implicit survivor bias in the data. The broad themes that are developed in DETAIL below are grouped into six topics as follows: - • SUMMARY •  • FUNDAMENTAL OVERVIEW •  • SCORING - RESULTS &amp; REVISIONS / RELATIVE PRICE •  • RESULTS TRENDS •  • VALUATION • • RECOMMENDATIONS •<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/083/206/original/2019-03-25_17-46-58.png?1553565764" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="83206"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>OVERVIEW - As will be covered in greater DETAIL below, Japan has failed to evolve a substantial Internet Sector and, in many business models, has been passed by global competitors including in the home market. Although Internet Sector revenues have grown steadily and now account for close to 1% of the total for all listed companies, operating margins have declined by half in the last seven years and are now only four percentage points higher than the market average. Accordingly, as measured by our Results &amp; Revision Score, the Sector is close to a twelve-year low. The market's response is an unchanged Sector weight in the market composite despite the addition of 111 new companies in the last six years, and a Relative Price Score that has moved in a narrow range over that period. The Sector averages disguise the weak business and market performance of a handful of Sector leaders as well as the overvaluation of the Sector's more successful business models, which is partly a result of a lack of alternatives. Despite the world's most significant Internet investor - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/315" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:315:1">Softbank Group (9984 JP)</a>'s Vision Fund - being based in Japan, this fund and other global investors in Internet business have been right to give Japan a 'pass'.


Source: Japan Analytics
There are currently 241 listed Japanese companies that can be categorised as Internet businesses. Our classification overlaps with the TOPIX-33 Information &amp; Communication sub-Sector but is broader in that it encompasses all companies listed on all sections and exchanges but is also narrower in that we have excluded Telecommunications (including Softbank Group (9984 JP)) and Information Technology companies. We have adopted a 'quantamental' approach which covers the long-term and current trends for Japan's Internet Sector as a whole, as well as eight sub-Sectors or Peer Groups and the Sectors' leading companies by market capitalisation.  Our focus is exclusively on the locally-listed universe and is based on disclosed financial and market data. We do not provide any forecasts, other than the companies' own forecasts and we do not attempt to make any business model or strategic judgments. Our focus is purely on financial and market performance. We do not cover unlisted and defunct companies such as Livedoor and, therefore, there is implicit survivor bias in the data. The broad themes that are developed in DETAIL below are grouped into six topics as follows: - • SUMMARY •  • FUNDAMENTAL OVERVIEW •  • SCORING - RESULTS &amp; REVISIONS / RELATIVE PRICE •  • RESULTS TRENDS •  • VALUATION • • RECOMMENDATIONS •Source: Japan AnalyticsOVERVIEW - As will be covered in greater DETAIL below, Japan has failed to evolve a substantial Internet Sector and, in many business models, has been passed by global competitors including in the home market. Although Internet Sector revenues have grown steadily and now account for close to 1% of the total for all listed companies, operating margins have declined by half in the last seven years and are now only four percentage points higher than the market average. Accordingly, as measured by our Results &amp; Revision Score, the Sector is close to a twelve-year low. The market's response is an unchanged Sector weight in the market composite despite the addition of 111 new companies in the last six years, and a Relative Price Score that has moved in a narrow range over that period. The Sector averages disguise the weak business and market performance of a handful of Sector leaders as well as the overvaluation of the Sector's more successful business models, which is partly a result of a lack of alternatives. Despite the world's most significant Internet investor - Softbank Group (9984 JP)'s Vision Fund - being based in Japan, this fund and other global investors in Internet business have been right to give Japan a 'pass'. 

🇯🇵 Japan • Internet Sector Review - 'Japan Passing'

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Supun Walpola

Equity Analyst

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

Equity Bottom-Up

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/22772" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22772:1">LINE Corp (3938 JP)</a> is one of the top Japanese names in our "Watchlist" of listed companies in Japan and South Korea that are adopting blockchain technologies or have exposure to cryptocurrencies. 
Since being added to the "Watchlist" in May last year (2018), LINE has launched a cryptocurrency, a cryptocurrency exchange, and a blockchain venture fund. In this note, we revisit LINE's blockchain and cryptocurrency plans.
<div class="content-highlight">
In our opinion, potential synergies between LINE’s cryptocurrency business and its other business ventures are quite enticing. LINE could very well lure “millions” of its existing messaging and LINE Pay users to be a part of its blockchain eco-system. 
</div>

LINE Corp (3938 JP) is one of the top Japanese names in our "Watchlist" of listed companies in Japan and South Korea that are adopting blockchain technologies or have exposure to cryptocurrencies. 
Since being added to the "Watchlist" in May last year (2018), LINE has launched a cryptocurrency, a cryptocurrency exchange, and a blockchain venture fund. In this note, we revisit LINE's blockchain and cryptocurrency plans.

In our opinion, potential synergies between LINE’s cryptocurrency business and its other business ventures are quite enticing. LINE could very well lure “millions” of its existing messaging and LINE Pay users to be a part of its blockchain eco-system. 


This Week in Blockchain & Cryptos: Revisiting LINE's Crypto Plans

Japan

Digital Garage, Inc. is a web solution provider and a business incubator.  The Company provides Internet communications and strategy planning, electronic commerce solution tools, web creation and enhancement, and Internet advertising consulting services.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Digital Garage (4819 JP)

This Month in Blockchain & Cryptos: Bitcoin Price Rally in 2020, OverFuture's Digital IPO, & Vakt

Both Bitcoin and gold prices are rallying this year and this is probably a sign of a HEDGE against political instability in China, in our view....

Douglas Kim

This Week in Blockchain & Cryptos: Xi Jinping Embraces Blockchain & Bitcoin Price Surges Higher

The past few days have been monumental in the short history of blockchain as China's president Xi Jinping stated that the country should "seize the...

Douglas Kim

Opportunities in European & Japanese Equities

As global equity markets pull back amid the U.S./China tariff saga we continue to believe this is an attractive time to add exposure. This view is...

Vermilion Research

🇯🇵 Japan • Internet Sector Review - 'Japan Passing'

There are currently 241 listed Japanese companies that can be categorised as Internet businesses. Our classification overlaps with the TOPIX-33...

Campbell Gunn

This Week in Blockchain & Cryptos: Revisiting LINE's Crypto Plans

LINE Corp (3938 JP) is one of the top Japanese names in our "Watchlist" of listed companies in Japan and South Korea that are adopting blockchain...

Supun Walpola

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)