Politics, Legal & Regulation

January 19, 2026 @ 9:56 am By JD Alois  |  

President Donald Trump is rattling world markets once again as his quest to acquire Greenland, one way or another ratchets ups with declarations of added tariffs on various European countries. On Saturday, Trump stated that until a deal regarding Greenland was not reached, the following… Read More

January 19, 2026 @ 8:34 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has introduced the Innovation Advisory Committee (IAC). Announced this month, by Chairman Michael S. Selig, this initiative aims to provide expert guidance on emerging technologies shaping derivatives and commodity markets. The committee represents a rebranding and revitalization of the… Read More

January 18, 2026 @ 8:43 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The ongoing debate over stablecoin yields in the US cryptocurrency regulation highlights a familiar tension between innovation and established financial interests. Bill Hughes, Senior Counsel and Director of Global Regulatory Matters at Consensys, recently addressed this issue, noting that the current pushback echoes past regulatory… Read More

January 18, 2026 @ 6:12 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Chainalysis revealed in a report that in the midst of escalating geopolitical strife and internal upheaval, Iran’s cryptocurrency landscape has expanded dramatically, reaching a valuation exceeding $7.78 billion throughout 2025. Chainalysis also mentioned that this growth outstripped the previous year’s pace for much of the… Read More

January 17, 2026 @ 12:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

The crucial crypto  market infrastructure legislation remains in limbo. Following the declaration that Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN)  was pulling its support of the bill, the fallout was immediate as other crypto insiders expressed their chagrin and the Senate Banking Committee canceled its markup hearing without  scheduling a… Read More

January 17, 2026 @ 9:33 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Central Bank of Ireland has been actively advancing its regulatory landscape and fostering innovation in the financial sector. In late 2025 and early 2026, the institution unveiled key initiatives that highlight its focus on efficiency, collaboration, and new approaches to enabling frictionless payments and… Read More

January 16, 2026 @ 4:17 pm By JD Alois  |  

California has a lot going for it. Beautiful beaches, mountains, and parks. Awesome weather. And the most powerful startup and innovation ecosystem in the world. And for some reason, the state of California is working hard to destroy its entrepreneurial hub of prosperity and growth… Read More

January 16, 2026 @ 2:38 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

The independence of the Federal Reserve, the world’s largest economy’s central bank, is under attack and markets won’t stand for it, cautions deVere Group CEO Nigel Green. The warning comes as Chairman Jerome Powell says he is now under federal criminal investigation related to the… Read More

January 16, 2026 @ 11:36 am By Omar Faridi  |  

London’s High Court has dismissed a legal challenge brought by major payment processors Mastercard (NYSE: MA), Visa (NYSE: V) and digital bank Revolut against proposed limits on cross-border card transaction fees. The ruling, issued on January 15, 2026, affirms the authority of the UK’s Payments Systems… Read More

January 15, 2026 @ 12:43 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) in France has published its goals for 2026 with a lot of technology on the list of projects. Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani, Chair of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, stated: “In 2026, the AMF’s action will focus on confidence. The uncertainties… Read More

January 15, 2026 @ 8:48 am By JD Alois  |  

Following criticism from multiple digital asset firms of the current draft of the crypto market infrastructure bill, the Senate Banking Committee announced late last night that the markup hearing scheduled for today has been delayed. Via X, Senator Tim Scott, the Chairman of the Senate… Read More

January 15, 2026 @ 8:32 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Ripple has secured initial approval for an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from Luxembourg’s financial watchdog, the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF). Announced recently this month, this development comes hot on the heels of similar clearances from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)… Read More

January 14, 2026 @ 10:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a recent move to enforce consumer protection standards in the US financial services sector, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has petitioned a federal court to declare a payment processing company and its top executives in contempt of court. The action targets Cliq, Inc., previously… Read More

January 14, 2026 @ 9:23 pm By JD Alois  |  

Reports indicate that legislation on crypto market infrastructure has been delayed. The bill had been scheduled for a markup hearing tomorrow (January 15th) at the Senate Banking Committee, but following criticism from Coinbase and a statement that they no longer support the bill, Senator Cynthia… Read More

January 14, 2026 @ 6:23 pm By JD Alois  |  

Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) CEO Brian Armstrong took to X today to slam the crypto infrastructure bill, which is scheduled for a markup hearing tomorrow at the Senate Banking Committee. Armstrong did not mince his words: “After reviewing the Senate Banking draft text over the last 48hrs,… Read More

January 14, 2026 @ 12:45 pm By JD Alois  |  

While there have been multiple reports regarding horse trading related to the crypto infrastructure legislation, at this moment, the Senate Banking Committee still has a markup hearing tomorrow, January 15th, at 10AM ET. Reports emerged yesterday of dozens of amendments to the bill as members… Read More

January 14, 2026 @ 11:44 am By Omar Faridi  |  

UK Finance has recently commented on how Europe is currently witnessing a considerable shift in the cryptocurrency and web3 sector, with digital assets increasingly integrating into everyday financial operations. Regulatory advancements, such as the European Union‘s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, are paving the way… Read More

January 14, 2026 @ 9:34 am By Nick Morgan  |  

Crypto markets have been volatile in recent weeks, but beneath the price action, a more important shift is underway. Institutional engagement with digital assets is not retreating.  It is maturing. And the policy debate is only beginning to catch up. That was the central theme… Read More

January 14, 2026 @ 8:24 am By JD Alois  |  

The Senate Banking Committee, which will soon hold a markup hearing on the crypto infrastructure bill, has posted a “Myth vs. Fact” document sharing its perspective on the legislation, which aims to create a regulatory ecosystem to enable digital asset innovation. The Committee, controlled by… Read More

January 14, 2026 @ 8:08 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Fenergo noted that in 2025, the worldwide landscape of financial regulatory enforcement is said to have underwent a transformation, with total fines for breaches in anti-money laundering (AML), know-your-customer (KYC), sanctions, and customer due diligence (CDD) rules amounting to $3.8 billion. Regtech firm Fenergo also… Read More