In today's ExchangeWire news digest: Microsoft prepares its own app store to rival Google and Apple; the UK government bans ministers from using the TikTok app; and Taiwan prepares new legislation to regulate the crypto industry.

Microsoft to launch in-house app store

Software giant Microsoft has revealed plans to launch a new app store for games on iPhone and Android devices. The app store, which would rival the likes of Apple and Google, could be available as soon as next year if Microsoft’s USD$75bn (~£61.5bn) acquisition of Activision Blizzard is approved by regulators.

TikTok app banned from UK ministers’ phones

The UK government has banned ministers from using TikTok on their work phones and other government-issued devices. The move, which echoes measures from governments in the US, Canada, and the EU, follows fears that data collected by the Chinese-owned app could be accessed by the Chinese government.

Taiwan to introduce new crypto legislation

Taiwan is set to implement new legislation to regulate cryptocurrency in the aftermath of FTX’s collapse late last year. According to Bloomberg sources, Taiwan’s cabinet and Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) have been in talks with representatives of the cryptocurrency industry to prepare the legislation.

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Fact of the Day

24 - the number of crypto platforms Taiwan approved in September 2022.

Source: CoinDesk

Last week's tech teasers

Last week’s tech teasers tested you with a question on each theme of our Industry Review 2023 - Measurement, attention, and context; Privacy; Sustainability; The economy; and Redefining what’s next. See how you did below and get involved in Industry Review here:

• The US - the largest market for contextual advertising ?
• +USD$400m (+£330.9m) - the amount Meta was fined in January 2023 for EU privacy law breaches ?
• 47% - of internet users ditched products for environmental reasons ?
• 6.5% - the rate of inflation in December 2022 ?
• 5.9% - the amount by which global advertising spend is set to grow in 2023 ?

Challenge yourself on ad tech, martech, media, and commerce, by signing up to The Stack, where we publish a new quiz every Friday.