About this event
Crypto-related fraud is now one of the fastest-growing threats facing financial institutions, regulators, and consumers, and these scams dominate the landscape in Southeast Asia and elsewhere. This session will take a practical, inside look at how organized networks structure crypto investment scams, move illicit funds across borders, and exploit regulatory and technological gaps. It will also explore how government, law enforcement, and industry are fighting back.
The illustrative agenda will cover:
Our audience will include financial regulators, compliance leaders, banking and fintech professionals, law enforcement and cybercrime investigators, policy analysts, researchers, and consumer protection advocates. The goal is to move beyond general awareness and equip participants with concrete insights they can apply immediately within their institutions.
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Desmond Chia is Director of Digital Assets (AML) at MetaComp, the MAS-licensed Major Payment Institution and digital payment arm of Alpha Ladder Group, where he leads anti-money laundering operations and on-chain financial crime investigations for the firm's digital asset business. He brings a dual perspective to the fight against crypto scams. Desmond served with the Singapore Police Force from 2007, across frontline policing, community engagement, and investigations, before specialising in crypto-related scam enforcement — including intelligence-led engagement with stablecoin issuers on wallet freezing and victim asset recovery. Now working at the intersection of compliance, blockchain analytics, and agentic product development, he draws on his experience across both the public and private sectors to advance how law enforcement and industry can partner more effectively to protect victims and disrupt illicit fund flows.
Akbar A. is a Senior Regional Advisor for the APAC region at Binance, specialising in crypto-enabled financial crime, cybercrime, and transnational organised crime. He brings over a decade of experience across both the public and private sectors. In his current role, Akbar works closely with law enforcement agencies across this region to support investigations involving cryptocurrency, fraud, money laundering, and emerging criminal threats. He was also among the industry contributors supporting Operation Trust No One, a major anti-scam operation for seizure of approximately US$277 million by the Royal Thai Police.
The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) is a non-profit dedicated to protecting consumers from online scams. We unite governments, industry, and experts to share insights, strengthen collaboration, and advance effective anti-scam solutions worldwide. Learn more at gasa.org.