Politics, Legal & Regulation

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

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