Politics, Legal & Regulation

February 12, 2026 @ 10:25 am By Omar Faridi  |  

CryptoUK, the trade association for cryptocurrency and blockchain enterprises, has issued its formal reply to the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Consultation Paper CP25/40. Released on December 16, 2025, this document outlines proposals to integrate essential crypto operations into the nation’s financial oversight system. The initiative… Read More

February 12, 2026 @ 9:26 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK government has selected HSBC for its Digital Gilt Instrument (DIGIT) pilot program. The selection was made following a competitive review process. The UK government published its invitation to tender in October of last year. Lucy Rigby KC MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said they… Read More

February 11, 2026 @ 11:52 am By JD Alois  |  

While the US financial markets are the deepest and most efficient in the world, there is always room for improvement. Public markets have been in decline for many years. Meanwhile, private markets have grown dramatically, which is good for many, but too often, retail investors… Read More

February 11, 2026 @ 11:29 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a recent development for the cryptocurrency and derivatives sectors, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has intervened in a high-profile legal battle, signaling a shift toward more supportive federal oversight of prediction markets. On February 5, 2026, the agency filed a motion to submit… Read More

February 11, 2026 @ 7:55 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The vote on the CLARITY Act, derailed by a last-minute loss of support from cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN), had been forcing the government to reevaluate its crypto policy once again. Despite the delays, could this be a good thing? Xin Yan, Co-founder and CEO of Sign believes… Read More

February 11, 2026 @ 7:51 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a recent appearance on CNBC’s Halftime Report, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized the transformative potential of the Trump Accounts program, aiming to expand access to stock market investments for millions of Americans. Speaking from the Treasury Department, Bessent pointed out that nearly two-fifths… Read More

February 10, 2026 @ 9:24 pm By JD Alois  |  

Today, the second Crypto powow at the White House took place, bringing together teams representing the digital asset sector and the establishment banking industry. The goal is to garner reconciliation between the two groups who remain in disagreement over several issues, perhaps most importantly, the… Read More

February 10, 2026 @ 9:39 am By JD Alois  |  

The California confiscation tax is doing wonders for at least one state. That would be Florida. The confiscation tax is designed to take money from wealthy residents by taxing unrealized gains and total wealth. As California remains an economy driven by innovation and entrepreneurship, wealthy… Read More

February 10, 2026 @ 1:24 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In the changing landscape of economic policy, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has reportedly navigated a complex path in combating inflation. According to insights from Luke Yeaman, Chief Economist at Commonwealth Bank, the central bank‘s early strategy of measured restraint was a sound choice…. Read More

February 9, 2026 @ 8:41 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The mysterious disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC’s Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has taken a chilling turn with ransom demands for millions in Bitcoin. This case underscores a growing and disturbing trend: the increasing involvement of virtual currencies like Bitcoin in violent… Read More

February 9, 2026 @ 5:47 pm By JD Alois  |  

The European Digital Finance Association (EDFA), a pan-European group representing over 2500 Fintechs, including investment crowdfunding platforms, has issued a letter urging the European Union (EU) to raise the securities crowdfunding threshold from the current €5 million to €12 million (~$14.3 million). The European Crowdfunding… Read More

February 9, 2026 @ 12:56 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a recent profile by Fortune, Tether, the issuer of the world’s dominant stablecoin USDT, emerges as a fast-growing global entity with around $187 billion in assets under management. The digital assets focused company is eyeing significant expansion into the US market, bolstered by partnerships… Read More

February 9, 2026 @ 12:55 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In early February 2026, Chinese regulators (again) escalated their long-standing opposition to cryptocurrencies by issuing a joint statement from the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) and seven other agencies. The directive reportedly bans unauthorized offshore issuance of yuan-linked stablecoins and imposes strict vetting on tokens… Read More

February 9, 2026 @ 11:43 am By JD Alois  |  

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins is scheduled to testify in front of the House Financial Services Committee and the Senate Banking Committee later this week. As Congress holds oversight on the SEC, these are standard hearings. This will be Chairman Atkins’s first appearance before the two… Read More

February 9, 2026 @ 11:26 am By JD Alois  |  

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Market Participants Division has reissued CFTC Staff Letter 25-40 with a slight revision to the definition of “payment stablecoin.” According to the CFTC, the revision affects national trust banks, which may be permitted to issue payment stablecoins. Under the GENIUS… Read More

February 9, 2026 @ 11:17 am By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Technology Association (FTA) and the American Fintech Council (AFC) have submitted an Amicus Brief in Vickery v. Empower Finance, Inc. and Moss v. Cleo AI, Inc., case requesting that Earned Wage Access (EWA) be distinguished from loans. The groups submitted a brief to the Ninth Circuit… Read More

February 9, 2026 @ 9:06 am By Omar Faridi  |  

France’s Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) has issued a timely reminder to digital asset service providers (DASPs) about the impending end of a key transitional arrangement under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Regulation. This update, released on February 5, 2026, emphasizes the need for prompt… Read More

February 8, 2026 @ 2:30 pm By Nick Morgan  |  

In the latest Capital Ideas episode, hosts Nick Morgan, Dara Albright, and Mark Hiraide of the Investor Choice Advocates Network (ICAN) sat down with Cliff Winston, a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, to discuss his recent book, Market Corrections, Not Government Interventions: A… Read More

February 6, 2026 @ 11:19 am By JD Alois  |  

  The European Union is falling behind in the adoption of blockchain technology, most pressingly tokenization or digital securities. Everyone acknowledges that digital securities are the future. A growing number of innovators and established financial services are utilizing or reviewing tokenized securities. Last month, the… Read More

February 5, 2026 @ 9:32 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Recent documents unsealed by the U.S. Department of Justice in February 2026 have brought to light a seemingly concerning detail from the early days of the cryptocurrency industry: Jeffrey Epstein‘s $3 million investment in Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) during its 2014 Series C funding round. This infusion… Read More