Politics, Legal & Regulation

Policy and regulations impacting innovations in Finance.

Texas Governor Orders Audit of Data Centers Seeking Grid Access, Heightening Oversight of AI and Bitcoin Mining Facilities

Texas is intensifying its examination of large-scale power users as Governor Greg Abbott has instructed state regulators to thoroughly review every data center project seeking to connect to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid. The August 3, 2026 directive requires the Public Utility… Read More

Fintech Teya Accepted by UK Financial Conduct Authority “Scale Up Unit”

Teya has been selected by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for its Scale-up Unit, according to a note from the company. Teya is a payments, accounts and expense management Fintech that reportedly serves over 75,000 smaller businesses across Europe, including 30,000 in the UK. The… Read More

Germany Considers Backing Bitcoin (BTC) Critic Nagel Joachim for ECB Presidency

German authorities are currently evaluating whether to put forward Joachim Nagel, the head of the country’s central bank, as a candidate to lead the European Central Bank (ECB). This internal deliberation stems from growing talk that the current ECB president, Christine Lagarde, could step down… Read More

Bybit Sues North Korea, Lazarus Group Over 2025 Crypto Heist

Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has filed a civil lawsuit against North Korea, its Reconnaissance General Bureau, and the Lazarus Group over a February 2025 cyberattack described by a U.S. court as “one of the largest cryptocurrency thefts in history.” The lawsuit was filed in the U.S…. Read More

Crypto Exchange Bybit Files Lawsuit Against North Korea and Lazarus Group, Wins Court Order to Freeze Stolen Digital Assets

Bybit, one of the global cryptocurrency platforms, has taken significant legal steps against entities linked to a major digital asset heist. On August 7, 2026, the exchange announced a civil lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. The defendants include… Read More

Ripple Labs Anticipates Accelerated EU Crypto Expansion After Securing Full MiCA Authorization

Enterprise blockchain firm Ripple has recently indicated that its long-running push into the European cryptocurrency sector is poised to advance significantly now that it has cleared a major regulatory hurdle under the Markets in Crypto-Assets framework. In early August 2026, the company outlined how securing… Read More

Majority Leader Thune Files Cloture Motion for the CLARITY Act

While the crypto industry is disappointed that the Senate was unable to advance crypto infrastructure legislation in August, the CLARITY Act, Senator John Thune, Majority Leader, has filed cloture on the motion to proceed to HR 3633, or the CLARITY Act. Thune has indicated that… Read More

CFTC Advises Prediction Markets to Avoid American-Style Moneyline Odds in Pricing Displays

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued a formal reminder to regulated prediction market platforms, instructing them against presenting event contract prices in the manner of traditional American-style moneyline gambling odds. This guidance comes as the agency continues to defend its oversight of these… Read More

US Sanctions Iranian Cryptocurrency Exchanges as Part of “Economic Fury” Campaign

The United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed fresh restrictions on two digital asset platforms linked to Iranian activity. The measures, announced on August 7, 2026, form part of the broader “Economic Fury” initiative designed to intensify economic… Read More

European Union Moves Forward with MiCA Review to Address Non-EU Stablecoin Guidelines

The European Union is advancing a formal review of its Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), with particular attention directed toward rules governing stablecoins issued outside the bloc. Officials view the exercise as necessary to close gaps that have become more visible since the framework entered… Read More

FDIC Advances Plans for Independent Standards Body to Certify Banking Service Providers

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is advancing plans to create an independent organization dedicated to developing and applying uniform benchmarks for third-party vendors that supply services to banks. Working alongside banking and financial technology industry groups, the agency aims to establish a body that… Read More

Strategy’s ($MSTR) Michael Saylor Declares Bitcoin (BTC) Adoption Success Independent of CLARITY Act as Senate Defers Vote

Strategy’s (NASDAQ:MSTR) Michael Saylor asserts Bitcoin can progress independently as the U.S. Senate postpones a vote on the CLARITY Act. Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy Inc., the publicly traded company formerly known as MicroStrategy and the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, has drawn a… Read More

24 Hour Trading: SEC to Discuss Something that is Already Happening

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has scheduled a roundtable for next month that will discuss 24 hour trading for US equity markets. The roundtable will address challenges and opportunities for an updated approach in markets that are largely automated. While the SEC will discuss,… Read More

No Vote on the CLARITY Act as Bill is Pushed to September

Hope springs eternal. Yesterday, Senate leadership decided they did not have sufficient support to hold a floor vote on the CLARITY Act, key crypto market infrastructure legislation that aims to protect consumers while enabling digital asset innovation. The Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI) expressed their… Read More

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould Highlight Community Bank Comeback at Arizona Bankers Association Roundtable

This post was originally published on OCC.gov Local banks on the front lines of economic and national securityOCC acts to eliminate risks posed by extending financial services to illegal aliens WASHINGTON—Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan V. Gould today… Read More

GUARDD Meets with SEC to Discuss Secondary Trading of Tokenized Exempt Securities

GUARDD, founded by Sherwood Neiss who is also the co-founder of Crowdfund Capital Advisors (CCA) and one of the authors of the JOBS Act which approved online capital formation, recently met with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to discuss secondary trading of tokenized exempt… Read More

SEC Boosts Enforcement Division With New Financial Reporting Unit

The Securities and Exchange Commission has added a new Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit to its Division of Enforcement that is described as working across the agency to make certain all divisions are aligned in enforcing securities laws and the SEC’s goals. Accounting and forensic… Read More

Russian President Vladimir Putin Approves Framework for Digital Assets

Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally approved legislation creating the nation’s first comprehensive rules governing the circulation of digital currencies and digital rights. The measure, signed on August 4, 2026, establishes clear operational standards for a range of market participants, including cryptocurrency exchanges, digital asset… Read More

Tribal Gaming Authorities Urge CLARITY Act Protections for Prediction Markets

Tribal gaming regulators and members of Congress are pressing for specific language in the pending CLARITY Act to prevent prediction markets from offering sports and casino-style contracts outside existing state and tribal oversight. The call came during a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs roundtable held… Read More

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