Politics, Legal & Regulation

June 4, 2026 @ 7:27 am By Omar Faridi  |  

During an address to the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, ECB Executive Board Member Piero Cipollone underscored the central bank’s commitment to preserving payment freedom amid rapid technological change. Delivered on 3 June 2026 in Brussels, the statement highlights how the ECB… Read More

June 4, 2026 @ 12:34 am By Omar Faridi  |  

During a recent speech that was reportedly delivered on 2 June 2026 at the University of Derby Business School, Bank of England Deputy Governor Megan Greene highlighted the challenges posed by the latest energy price surge triggered by conflict in the Middle East. Titled “Here… Read More

June 3, 2026 @ 12:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

The US House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services has sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting the termination of conflict mineral disclosure requirements, as they threaten US strategic interests and create unintended humanitarian harm. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act,… Read More

June 3, 2026 @ 10:26 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Bitcoin (BTC), the leading digital currency in terms of market cap and global adoption, has experienced a rather sharp decline. It’s currently trading at around $66,000 after dropping even lower (earlier) to about $65,000. Currently, the Bitcoin price is even lower than its all-time high… Read More

June 3, 2026 @ 10:11 am By JD Alois  |  

The United Kingdom has been slow to adopt innovations in stablecoins. While frequently lumped alongside crypto, stablecoins are better described as the future of payments and transfers: improved technology to the current tech rails that enable businesses and consumers to pay bills, purchase items, and… Read More

June 3, 2026 @ 9:02 am By JD Alois  |  

Last week, Senator Elizabeth Warren stated in an Op-Ed that she wants to tax the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and “invest in people,” warning that AI will “break society, “creating a “permanent underclass.” In brief, Warren fears the creation of billionaires who are building… Read More

June 2, 2026 @ 6:01 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Blockchain Association has submitted a letter it sent to the US Department of the Treasury regarding the regulation of stablecoins. Treasury has requested feedback on details pertaining to the issuance and management of stablecoins as defined by the GENIUS Act. The Blockchain Association agrees… Read More

June 2, 2026 @ 5:40 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Hong Kong’s monetary authority said it will develop a Digital Asset Platform later this year to support the issuance and settlement of digital bonds and, in the future, other digital assets. The move comes as the city looks to deepen its role as a “super… Read More

June 2, 2026 @ 3:58 pm By JD Alois  |  

Following approval in the Senate Banking Committee, everyone is waiting for the CLARITY Act (HR 3633)to advance to a full Senate vote. The legislation was approved in the House of Representatives in 2025 but stalled in the Senate for many months as behind-the-scenes negotiations saw… Read More

June 2, 2026 @ 3:29 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The PitchBook distressed credit report for the week ending May 29, 2026, highlights significant frictions in U.S. Chapter 11 proceedings, particularly around liability management exercises and their impact on minority creditors. PitchBook also pointed out in the research report that specialty materials producer Trinseo Plc… Read More

June 2, 2026 @ 12:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

The White House has posted an Executive Order addressing artificial intelligence (AI) development. Signed by President Trump, the document declares that the United States continues to lead the world in AI. The EO states that the US policy is to support AI innovation and security… Read More

June 2, 2026 @ 9:00 am By Omar Faridi  |  

UK based financial institutions are getting behind a collaborative effort to strengthen local payment options and lessen the influence and dependency on international card schemes. This latest development focuses on expanding direct account-to-account transfers, which could transform how consumers and businesses handle everyday transactions across… Read More

June 1, 2026 @ 4:20 pm By JD Alois  |  

Prediction market Kalshi has created an “American Power Index” that is designed to be an Index like the S&P 500 for the political ecosystem. Kalshi allows betting on events on just about anything. The political index is an interesting extrapolation of the platform’s services that… Read More

June 1, 2026 @ 4:08 pm By JD Alois  |  

Visiting with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business last week, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon slammed the CLARITY Act and, specifically, Coinbase. Dimon also speculated that stablecoins may become a “huge problem.” Dimon kicked things off by stating that if you take deposits like a bank, you… Read More

June 1, 2026 @ 2:32 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

A US federal court directive has led stablecoin issuer Circle (NYSE:CRCL) to blacklist the Ethereum smart contract powering Zama’s confidential USDC (cUSDC) wrapper, effectively locking up about $12.6 million in pooled funds. This move, carried out around May 30, 2026, has disrupted users of the… Read More

June 1, 2026 @ 11:26 am By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), during the Biden Administration, sought to add “climate disclosure” to the growing list of compliance demands for public companies. This obtuse policy was derided by some as turning the SEC into the Securities and Environment Commission. Climate Disclosure, falling under the… Read More

June 1, 2026 @ 9:23 am By JD Alois  |  

FINRA, the SRO that regulates broker-dealers in the US, has created a new private placement information portion of its website as private markets evolve. Private securities are dominated by Reg D, including Reg D 506 (c), which permits online capital formation (securities crowdfunding) and general… Read More

June 1, 2026 @ 6:04 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken legal action against Nathan Fuller, a resident of Cypress, Texas, accusing him of masterminding a significant cryptocurrency fraud that defrauded approximately 150 investors of around $12.3 million. The SEC has filed its complaint on May 28,… Read More

May 31, 2026 @ 4:26 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The US government has continued to adopt an overly aggressive financial strategy against Tehran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has recently disclosed that American authorities have confiscated roughly $1 billion worth of cryptocurrency linked to Iran. The announcement underscores the effectiveness of ongoing efforts to disrupt… Read More

May 31, 2026 @ 3:05 am By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore’s central bank said it has issued a circular guiding financial institutions to establish a client’s source of wealth in a risk-proportionate way, as part of efforts to make account opening in the wealth management industry more efficient while maintaining sound regulatory standards. The Monetary… Read More