Politics, Legal & Regulation

Policy and regulations impacting innovations in Finance.

Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger to Step Down, Founder Kristin Smith Returns as Interim Leader

The Blockchain Association, one of Washington’s most prominent digital-asset advocacy groups, is preparing for a leadership change. Current chief executive Summer Mersinger will leave the role on October 16, 2026. Founding leader Kristin Smith is expected to return the next day as interim CEO while… Read More

Canadian “Crypto King” Will Face Fraud Trial without Lawyer After Judge Denies Delay

Aiden Pleterski, the Ontario man who branded himself a “crypto king” on social media, is scheduled to stand trial next week on fraud and money-laundering charges without a lawyer. An Ontario Superior Court judge rejected his last-minute bid for more time to hire counsel, meaning… Read More

Comptroller Issues Statement Explaining Vote Against Resolution Plan Feedback for American Express, Reasserts Need for Reforms to Resolution Planning

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This post was originally published on OCC.gov WASHINGTON—Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan V. Gould today issued a statement on his vote against a joint resolution plan letter from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Federal Reserve Board to American Express and reaffirmed the need… Read More

Senator Warren Asks Big Tech Firms, AI to Disclose Tax Breaks

Senator Elizabeth Warren and other Democrats are targeting big tech once again, as they have sent a missive to the CEOs of firms Amazon, Meta, Alphabet, and Microsoft, demanding that they share any tax breaks that have been received as they build out their AI… Read More

Prediction Markets Platform Kalshi Loses Sixth Circuit Fight Over Ohio and Tennessee Gambling Rules

A federal appellate panel has cleared the way for Ohio and Tennessee to apply their sports-wagering statutes to Kalshi, a prediction markets operator that lists contracts tied to sporting outcomes. On September 25, 2026, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the… Read More

Bitcoin ETFs Draw $2.4 Billion as Investors Look Past Rates, Regulation, Geopolitics

Institutional money returned to bitcoin in force last week, even as policy and geopolitics offered little comfort. U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded products absorbed about $2.4 billion in net new capital during the five sessions through September 25, 2026 according to SoSoValue. That was the strongest… Read More

Beijing Warns Criminals that Blockchain Transfers Leave Traces That Can Reveal Real Identities

China’s top intelligence agency has recently issued yet another pointed reminder that cryptocurrency does not place users beyond legal scrutiny. In a public warning released on September 28, 2026, the Ministry of State Security argued that digital assets have been adopted by offenders seeking to… Read More

CFTC Registers Coinbase Clearing for Fully Collateralized Derivatives

Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) has recently secured registration from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for Coinbase Clearing LLC as a derivatives clearing organization, a step that closes a long-running gap in the company’s regulated US derivatives business. The CFTC recorded the status as registered… Read More

Bitcoin (BTC) Price and Nasdaq Futures Slip After Trump Leaves Further Iran Strikes on the Table

Risk assets started the week on weaker footing after President Donald Trump declined to close off the chance of further US military action against Iran before November’s midterm elections. Speaking Sunday, he said he expected the conflict to be won “very soon” and that oil… Read More

Circle’s Patrick Hansen Warns Germany’s 50% Crypto Tax Fallback Would Hit Everyday Investors Hardest

Germany’s draft crypto-tax reform has drawn a pointed warning from Circle’s (NYSE:CRCL) Patrick Hansen, who says one overlooked clause could overtax ordinary retail holders who cannot reconstruct clean purchase records. Hansen, Circle’s senior director for EU strategy and policy, focused on a planned 50 percent… Read More

OpenAI Agents Improperly Accessed Multiple US Government Websites

OpenAI has confirmed that its autonomous AI systems improperly interacted with websites belonging to numerous organizations worldwide, including several US federal agencies. The company notified dozens of institutions after discovering that its agents had attempted to retrieve information from government bodies, universities, and public-sector sites…. Read More

DOJ Targets $84 Million in Capstone Accounts Linked to Tether Partner Bank

The Citizens Jury Wheel Legal Court Trial Justice Judge Law

Federal prosecutors in California have moved to keep tens of millions of dollars taken from accounts and digital wallets tied to Capstone Ltd., a Montana-registered payments company that authorities say handled large transfers connected to crypto clients. The action, laid out in a civil forfeiture… Read More

Bill Gates Urges Congress to Mandate AI Safeguards, Warning Self-Policing Is Not Enough

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates has added his voice to a growing push for government oversight of artificial intelligence, arguing that companies cannot be left to police themselves as the technology becomes more powerful. In a recorded conversation with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” later… Read More

Strategy ($MSTR) and Bitmine ($BMNR) Add to Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) Holdings Amid Iran Tensions and AI Uncertainty

Corporate digital asset treasury firms kept expanding their positions even as bitcoin and the wider crypto market opened the week with a modest pullback. The buying underscores a structural trend that has persisted through 2026: publicly listed companies treating bitcoin and ether as core balance-sheet… Read More

Remarks by Comptroller Gould before the Military Banking Summit 2026

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This post was originally published on OCC.gov WASHINGTON—Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan V. Gould today discussed the importance of a regulatory and supervisory framework that supports the military community in remarks at the Military Banking Summit. Excerpts from Comptroller Gould’s remarks are below. His full… Read More

Tether Freezes Over Half a Billion in Iran Affiliated USD₮ in 2026

Tether is touting its countermeasures against the rogue regime of Iran in line with the ongoing sanctions being applied by the US. According to a post by Tether, nearly $550 million in Iran-linked USD₮ has been frozen since the beginning of the year. Around $344… Read More

FCA secures money back for victims of crypto fraud

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This post was originally published on fca.org.uk  At a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 28 September 2026, Raymondip Bedi was ordered to pay £603,404.28 and Patrick Mavanga £247,997.99. Between February 2017 and June 2019, Bedi and Mavanga operated a fraudulent investment scheme, cold-calling consumers… Read More

FCA secures bankruptcy order against Arthur Temlett

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This post was originally published on fca.org.uk  As Abacus stopped regulated activities in January 2025, we expect that most previous policies will have expired or been renewed with another provider by now. However, if customers are concerned, they should contact their insurance providers directly to… Read More

Revolut Obtains Central Bank Approval to Acquire Banco Cetelem in Argentina

Revolut has secured a key regulatory milestone in Latin America after Argentina’s central bank approved its purchase of Banco Cetelem Argentina from BNP Paribas Personal Finance. The decision, announced by the London-based fintech on 24 September 2026, allows the company to complete a deal first… Read More

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