Politics, Legal & Regulation

July 7, 2026 @ 6:23 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The United Kingdom’s Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has announced that its mandatory reimbursement rules for authorised push payment (APP) fraud are producing clear overall benefits for consumers and the wider payments sector. Authorized push payment scams occur when individuals are tricked into authorizing transfers directly… Read More

July 6, 2026 @ 5:20 pm By JD Alois  |  

The digital asset industry expected the newest version of the CLARITY Act to drop this weekend but unfortunately it seems the legislation is still under construction. Meanwhile the Senate returns from the July 4th recess on July 13th with hope springing eternal that when the… Read More

July 6, 2026 @ 4:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Bridge, Stripe’s stablecoin infrastructure platform, announced it has obtained a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorization under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation together with an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from Luxembourg. These dual approvals enable Bridge to deliver its services throughout all 27… Read More

July 6, 2026 @ 1:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a report on artificial intelligence (AI) called the Mills Review, named after Sheldon Mills, the Executive Director of Competition at the FCA who Chaired the initiative. The FCA claims this is the first type of review by… Read More

July 6, 2026 @ 1:11 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

A recent investigation has alleged that Reform UK leader and Clacton MP Nigel Farage received significant practical support from a longtime associate in the cryptocurrency sector without making the required declarations under parliamentary rules. The report, published in early July 2026, centers on benefits provided… Read More

July 6, 2026 @ 11:45 am By JD Alois  |  

UK businesses are not so certain about their future, at least according to the Business Confidence Index which dropped to -14.6, the lowest since Q4 2022. This aligns with multiple other reports that echo the concern. According to the report, exports have slowed while domestic… Read More

July 6, 2026 @ 9:58 am By JD Alois  |  

President Donald Trump simultaneously rang the NYSE and NASDAQ opening bells today to officially launch the advent of “Trump Accounts.” These new accounts were part of the One Big Beautiful Bill signed into law in 2025.  As it stands today, children born between 2025 and… Read More

July 6, 2026 @ 7:46 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Ripple announced it has secured full authorization as a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) from Luxembourg’s Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF). This approval completes the company’s compliance process under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation and enables its regulated crypto payments… Read More

July 5, 2026 @ 7:05 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

During a recent discussion at the Natixis CIB Private Debt Forum, Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee member Catherine L. Mann outlined how recent geopolitical developments have reshaped her assessment of the UK economy and influenced her policy stance. She described an evolving picture marked… Read More

July 5, 2026 @ 5:08 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has sounded a clear note of caution about the accelerating adoption of tokenization across financial markets. In its latest analysis, the organization stresses that monetary policy frameworks must evolve to keep pace with this technological transformation and the resulting relocation of… Read More

July 5, 2026 @ 11:12 am By Omar Faridi  |  

UK Finance has shared a blog post authored by Craig Oliver, Third-Party Risk Management and Supplier Assurance Lead, PA Consulting and Karan Chao, Third Party Risk & Digital Trust Expert, PA Consulting. As clarified in an update shared with CI,  the opinions expressed here are… Read More

July 4, 2026 @ 8:44 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Maxim Moris, Co-Founder and CEO at Cicada, highlighted what he calls a sweeping consolidation in Europe’s crypto sector following the full rollout of the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. According to Moris, MiCA has effectively forced the closure or exit of roughly 80% of… Read More

July 4, 2026 @ 7:35 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published its first post-transition update to the interim Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) register. This latest refresh incorporates 37 newly authorized crypto-asset service providers (CASPs), bringing the overall count of MiCA-compliant entities across the European Union to 280…. Read More

July 4, 2026 @ 6:39 am By Omar Faridi  |  

CoinShares (NASDAQ: CSHR) has indicated that Bitcoin demonstrated notable sensitivity to U.S. economic data this week, rebounding from a cycle low near $57,000 following weaker-than-expected employment figures. According to CoinShares’ latest analysis, June nonfarm payrolls added just 57,000 jobs against consensus expectations of 115,000, while… Read More

July 3, 2026 @ 5:09 pm By JD Alois  |  

The State of Illinois has approved legislation that will dampen crypto activities in the state. The Digital Asset Privilege Tax Act, was signed into law by controversial Governor JB Pritzker. The legislation is part of the states’ budget for 2027. Beginning January 1, 2027, Illinois… Read More

July 3, 2026 @ 3:11 pm By JD Alois  |  

Several years ago the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) sought out to update its aging CHESS or Clearing House Electronic Subregister System, using blockchain technology. While the thought process may have made sense but the execution was lacking to the point that Australian Securities and Investment… Read More

July 3, 2026 @ 12:58 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Piero Cipollone, a member of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) Executive Board, addressed the Generali Executive Series on the accelerating digital transformation of money, payments, and finance. His remarks highlighted how technological shifts are reshaping the payments landscape and outlined the Eurosystem’s strategic response to… Read More

July 3, 2026 @ 12:45 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee have backed draft rules that could enable the launch of a digital euro as early as 2029. The committee’s decision on 23 June 2026 marks another milestone in the long-running effort to create a central-bank-issued digital version… Read More

July 2, 2026 @ 1:12 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has published an update on markets during the first quarter of 2026. The SEC holds a mission of maintaining efficient markets, facilitating capital formation and the protection of investors. During the prior administration more emphasis was placed on investor… Read More

July 2, 2026 @ 12:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

On July 1, 2026, blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis published a detailed examination of a major sanctions update targeting the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K). The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added 134 cryptocurrency wallet addresses linked to the group… Read More