Politics, Legal & Regulation

January 23, 2026 @ 8:48 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, has once again become a focal point for discussions on the future of finance, with digital assets taking center stage in 2026. Amid panels exploring stablecoins, blockchain integration, and regulatory frameworks, Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) CEO Brian Armstrong delivered… Read More

January 22, 2026 @ 2:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Brazil’s central bank has ordered the extrajudicial liquidation of Will Financeira SA Crédito, Financiamento e Investimento, commonly known as Will Bank, a digital banking fintech previously under the control of the now-defunct Banco Master SA. This move marks a significant escalation in the repercussions stemming… Read More

January 22, 2026 @ 12:41 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Senate Agriculture Committee is still on track to hold a markup hearing next week. Following last week’s pause on the Senate Banking Committee hearing on crypto market infrastructure legislation, insiders hope this newest version may reanimate prospects for a bill’s approval in the Senate…. Read More

January 22, 2026 @ 12:04 pm By JD Alois  |  

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), the lobbying group that represents state securities regulators, has issued a statement opposing the Restoring the Secondary Trading Market Act. This legislation, which is in markup today (January 22, 2026), aims to preempt state regulation of off-exchange secondary… Read More

January 22, 2026 @ 10:55 am By JD Alois  |  

Today (January 22, 2026), the House Financial Services Committee is holding a markup hearing to address a litany of issues that impact the financial services sector, including online capital formation. While the path to possible approval is long, the Republican-dominated House has a good shot… Read More

January 22, 2026 @ 10:17 am By Michael Wong  |  

A bipartisan pair of US senators introduced legislation that would ease a key compliance cost for early-stage companies raising money online, lifting the point at which small businesses must pay for an independent accountant review when using securities crowdfunding. Similar legislation in the House has… Read More

January 22, 2026 @ 8:37 am By JD Alois  |  

The CLARITY Act, crypto market infrastructure legislation, imploded last week after Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN)  announced it could not support the bill in its current form. Other insiders chimed in, and Senate Banking Committee leadership decided to hit the pause button, regroup, and try to modify the language to be more… Read More

January 21, 2026 @ 5:58 pm By JD Alois  |  

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the most popular and successful governor in the US and a potential Presidential candidate, posted on X today, criticizing central banker François Villeroy de Galhau, who was speaking at the WEF in Davos about central bank digital currency (CBDC) and a digital Euro…. Read More

January 21, 2026 @ 5:26 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Small Entrepreneurs Empowerment and Development Act of 2025, or SEED Act (HR 4171), heads to a markup hearing this week at the House  Financial Services Committee. The SEED Act aims to create a micro-exemption that allows firms to raise up to $250,000 over a… Read More

January 21, 2026 @ 11:46 am By JD Alois  |  

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins recently addressed the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, lauding the country’s unique innovation ecosystem. Israel has the nickname “Innovation Nation” due to the number of early-stage, venture-backed firms and the technology and products that become commercialized. Small in size in land mass, resources, and… Read More

January 21, 2026 @ 9:22 am By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is soliciting new members of the Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee (SBCFAC). The Committee was created by the Small Business Advocate Act of 2016, signed into law by President Obama. The goal is to receive input and recommendations… Read More

January 21, 2026 @ 8:38 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Erica Stanford, an advisor on digital assets and AI, has recently shared some practical insights indicating that the United Kingdom, like most other major global jurisdictions, is steadily positioning itself as a key player in the global digital assets ecosystem, with a somewhat balanced approach… Read More

January 20, 2026 @ 2:56 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan nonprofit that produces research on taxes, says the California wealth tax may be far more punitive than the stated 5% on the affluent’s holdings. As it stands now, a 5% tax on an individual’s worth will be applied if the… Read More

January 20, 2026 @ 10:50 am By JD Alois  |  

The City of London Police reports that cyber crime and fraud are now the most common crimes in the United Kingdom. Digital fraudsters are benefiting from the advent of digital finance. It has been estimated that in the first half of 2025, UK cyber crime and… Read More

January 20, 2026 @ 10:14 am By JD Alois  |  

Legacy banks have lobbied hard and effectively to undermine the future and potential of digital assets. More specifically, the possibility that stablecoins could generate interest for users, thereby challenging the traditional banking model. As it stands now, stablecoin issuers may not pay users interest on… Read More

January 20, 2026 @ 8:09 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a turbulent start to the week, the cryptocurrency market faced significant upheaval, with over $864 million in liquidations recorded in the past 24 hours, as reported by data aggregator CoinGlass. This wave of forced sell-offs affected more than 241,000 traders, predominantly those holding optimistic… Read More

January 20, 2026 @ 12:07 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has initiated a collaborative effort to advance the integration of stablecoins into the payments landscape. This “Stablecoin Sprint,” scheduled for March 4-5, 2026, in London, aims to convene a group of participants—including fintechs, traditional banks, payment providers, technology firms,… Read More

January 19, 2026 @ 5:21 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The US Department of Education has announced a temporary halt to seizing tax refunds and wages from individuals with delinquent student loans. This decision arrives shortly after the agency indicated it would begin issuing garnishment orders to an initial group of about 1,000 borrowers this… Read More

January 19, 2026 @ 2:13 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a dramatic turn in the ongoing legal feud between tech billionaire Elon Musk and artificial intelligence focused OpenAI, prediction markets are signaling increased confidence in Musk’s potential victory. According to data from Kalshi, a platform allowing users to wager on real-world events, the probability… Read More

January 19, 2026 @ 10:08 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Trump administration has indicated it might abandon its backing of a pivotal crypto market structure bill unless Coinbase resumes negotiations. This development stems from Coinbase’s abrupt decision to withhold support for the proposed legislation, which has sparked tensions between the White House, the crypto… Read More