regulation

According to Cointelegraph, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global anti-money laundering regulatory body, has released a new report indicating that offshore virtual asset service providers (oVASP) pose risks of money laundering, sanctions evasion, and other illegal financial activities.The report points out that some offshore cryptocurrency companies exploit differences in regulatory and supervisory coverage, making it difficult for authorities to effectively monitor transactions and enforce anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing regulations. As many offshore crypto businesses operate across multiple jurisdictions, such as differing locations for company registration, infrastructure, and customers, regulators find it challenging to clarify regulatory responsibilities, which also limits international cooperation.FATF recommends that countries require offshore companies providing services to register or obtain licenses, even if they operate abroad, and strengthen cross-border regulatory and law enforcement cooperation. Additionally, FATF has previously warned that peer-to-peer stablecoin transactions and non-custodial wallets may undermine AML regulation, necessitating national-level risk assessments and the establishment of protective mechanisms.

According to CriptoNoticias, the Paraguayan National Tax Authority has issued Resolution No. 47/26, strengthening tax regulation on Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.The new regulations require platforms and administrators to report detailed information on each user transaction, including wallet addresses, the network used, and transaction hashes, among other sensitive data. The regulatory scope covers donations, inheritances, and NFTs exceeding $5,000 annually. This measure aims to incorporate digital assets into the national tax system while adhering to the anti-money laundering recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force.

According to Bloomberg, Bank of England Deputy Governor Sarah Breeden hinted that regulators may soften their strict stance on the holding limits for stablecoins, which had previously sparked strong opposition from the digital asset industry.The central bank proposed last year to set temporary holding limits of £20,000 for individuals and £10 million for businesses on stablecoins deemed systemically important, to prevent the risk of customer deposits suddenly shifting from banks to stablecoins. However, stablecoin issuers and the crypto industry warned that these limits would be difficult to enforce and could stifle innovation. Breeden stated during her appearance before the House of Lords committee that the central bank is "open to other ways" to achieve the goal of protecting the UK economy and is reviewing the feedback received from the consultation document issued last November.She acknowledged the technical difficulties in implementing the limits, including how to effectively track token holders and holdings in secondary market transactions, as well as the cost-effectiveness of building systems for temporary restrictions. The central bank plans to finalize the regulations by the end of the year.

The two major financial regulatory agencies in the United States, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), committing to enhance collaboration in the regulation of crypto assets and the launch of new digital asset products to support legitimate innovation and protect investors.According to the statements from both parties, the MOU aims to "guide coordination and cooperation between the two agencies," focusing on supporting legitimate innovation, maintaining market integrity, and ensuring investor and customer protection. The two agencies also plan to jointly promote the development of a federal-level policy framework to establish a "fit-for-purpose regulatory framework" for emerging technologies such as crypto assets. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins stated that the long-standing disputes over regulatory authority, redundant registration requirements, and differing regulatory rules between the SEC and CFTC have somewhat stifled innovation and prompted some market participants to turn to other jurisdictions.Under the MOU, the two agencies will also coordinate to address regulatory barriers that hinder the legitimate launch of new financial products, including those related to crypto assets. While MOUs typically do not have legal binding force, the market generally views the formal commitment of the SEC and CFTC to enhance policy coordination as a positive signal for the digital asset industry. CFTC Chairman Michael Selig stated that the reason the U.S. financial markets lead globally is their ability to continuously adapt to investor needs, and the regulatory system must evolve in tandem to achieve more unified and comprehensive market oversight.

According to Jinshi, the acting chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Hill, stated that stablecoins are not protected by U.S. government regulation.

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of South Korea has initiated sanctions against the cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb, as the exchange was found to allow users to transfer funds to unregistered overseas trading platforms and failed to implement customer identity verification (KYC) procedures. According to Seoul News, the sanctions may include a suspension of new customer services for up to six months, while existing users' deposits and withdrawals will not be affected.This penalty adds insult to injury for Bithumb, which had previously mistakenly sent out $40 billion worth of Bitcoin due to operational errors and is currently facing an investigation by advertising regulators.The exchanges GOPAX and Coinone are also under investigation by the FIU. Competitor Upbit faced a three-month ban on new customers last year for similar violations and is currently challenging this through legal means, with a court ruling expected in April.

The Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Sarah D. Morrison, ruled that there is no historical evidence indicating that Congress intended for federal law to take precedence over state regulation of sports gambling, and thus denied the preliminary injunction request filed by the prediction market platform Kalshi.Kalshi had previously sued the Ohio Casino Control Commission in an attempt to prevent it from taking enforcement action against the platform's event contracts under state gambling laws. Last year, the regulatory agency accused Kalshi of operating illegal sports gambling in Ohio.Kalshi argued that the event contracts it offers are derivatives regulated under the Commodity Exchange Act and should fall under the jurisdiction of the CFTC, thereby asserting that federal regulation should take precedence over state gambling laws.However, the judge stated that there is no evidence from historical and legislative context to suggest that Congress intended for the law to supersede state sports gambling regulations, noting that when the Dodd-Frank Act amended relevant laws in 2010, sports gambling was still widely restricted in the U.S.Kalshi announced that it would appeal the ruling. The case is seen as an important test of the legal status of prediction markets, and its outcome could affect the future compliance prospects of other prediction platforms in the U.S., including Polymarket.

The Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Mike Selig, disclosed his remarks at the FIA Global Clearing Markets Conference, stating that the U.S. is undergoing a new technological revolution driven by AI, blockchain, and prediction markets. The CFTC needs to ensure that the regulatory framework adapts to this transformation.Selig outlined the focus areas for the coming years: achieving forward-looking derivatives market regulation through principle-based oversight with minimal effective intervention; addressing the legacy issues of the Dodd-Frank Act; ending the regulatory turf battles and enforcement-style regulation between the CFTC and SEC; ensuring that the U.S. maintains its status as a global crypto hub by clarifying classification rules for real crypto perpetual contracts; establishing a gold standard regulatory framework for prediction markets; making the U.S. a leading market for AI computing; refocusing the Commission on its core responsibilities, moving away from non-core areas like climate policy; prioritizing the needs of the agricultural and energy communities; and bringing markets for critical minerals back to the U.S.

US President Trump stated at the Republican conference in Florida that he would refuse to sign any other legislation until Congress approves the "SAVE America Act" (a bill regarding voter identification, citizen verification, and restrictions on mail-in ballots).This statement may hinder the long-awaited Digital Asset Market Clarity Act for the crypto industry. This crypto bill is currently undergoing difficult negotiations in the Senate Banking Committee, having previously passed through the Senate Agriculture Committee.Although Trump has been calling for improvements to the crypto regulatory framework since early last year and considers it a White House priority, he is currently insisting that the voter identification bill is the top priority, claiming that this bill is key to ensuring Republican victories in the midterm elections and beyond.

Coinbase stated that the IRS's newly introduced digital asset tax reporting form 1099-DA rules are overly complicated and may impose unnecessary administrative burdens on a large number of cryptocurrency holders.Coinbase's Vice President of Tax, Lawrence Zlatkin, pointed out that the new regulations require reporting small transactions such as stablecoin trades and network gas fees, while stablecoins themselves have relatively stable prices and gas fees are usually only a few dollars or even lower. Reporting such information could lead to "over-reporting" in the system, making the tax framework more complex.It is reported that Coinbase is currently sending 1099-DA forms to millions of users in the U.S. This system requires trading platforms to report users' digital asset transactions to the IRS and provide users with a copy for their own reporting of gains and losses. However, in this year's reporting, Coinbase will only report the total gross proceeds from digital asset sales to the IRS and will not provide the cost basis, requiring users to calculate their actual taxable gains themselves. This may lead to confusion among some investors, and Coinbase plans to calculate the cost basis for users starting from the next tax year to simplify the reporting process.

According to The Block, the Florida legislature passed the SB 314 bill with a vote of 37 in favor and zero against, making it the first state in the U.S. to establish a state-level regulatory framework for stablecoins.The bill will align with the federal GENIUS Act standards, requiring stablecoin issuers to comply with anti-money laundering regulations, prohibiting unlicensed issuance, and clearly stating that stablecoins are not considered securities. The bill is expected to be signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis within 30 days.

According to market news, U.S. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy posted a video on the X platform stating that last Friday, someone placed a "very specific bet" on "the U.S. going to war with Iran on Saturday." He pointed out that it is clear that individuals close to Trump were aware of Saturday's actions in advance, and these bettors likely have insider information. Murphy warned that if such war gambling continues, those around the president may "push us into war" for profit.Last Saturday, multiple related bets circulated widely on Polymarket. Reuters reported that Murphy and Democratic Congressman Mike Levin are working on drafting a bill to strengthen regulation of prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi. Levin stated that profiting from foreknowledge of military actions "absolutely should be illegal." He noted that while the Commodity Exchange Act prohibits contracts related to events that "contravene public interest," such as war and terrorism, current rules grant prediction markets too much freedom.

Russian Ministry of Finance officials have stated that they are considering introducing a separate stablecoin bill, rather than incorporating stablecoins into the upcoming cryptocurrency exchange regulations. Alexey Yakovlev, head of the Financial Policy Department, stated that stablecoins have "huge, even extremely huge potential." Russia has viewed stablecoins as a potential tool to bypass sanctions.Yakovlev mentioned that after the State Duma passes a bill prohibiting citizens from trading cryptocurrencies on platforms without operating licenses, they will begin to advance stablecoin regulation. The cryptocurrency bill is expected to be submitted to the State Duma during the spring session, potentially coming into effect as early as July. Currently, stablecoins do not have a legal status under Russian law, and the Ministry of Finance has expressed a desire to resolve this issue as soon as possible. Yakovlev stated that the government aims to ensure that stablecoins "serve economic interests, especially domestic interests." Previously, the Central Bank of Russia established a category for "foreign digital rights," with the first approved stablecoin being the ruble-pegged A7A5 stablecoin, which was authorized for use in overseas trade last October.According to market news, the total value of issued stablecoins has increased by over 51% since the beginning of 2025, reaching $311 billion.

U.S. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins spoke at the Financial Stability Oversight Council's Artificial Intelligence Innovation Roundtable, pointing out that AI will reshape capital market regulation. The U.S. SEC has established an AI working group this year to promote the application of artificial intelligence in areas such as risk assessment, market anomaly monitoring, information disclosure review, and market risk analysis.In terms of regulatory approach, the SEC will adhere to a "technology-neutral" and "materiality-based" information disclosure framework, opposing simple additive mandatory disclosure requirements for new technologies. Actions that utilize AI for fraud or exaggerated claims will be held accountable under the law.Paul Atkins added that as a regulatory agency, the U.S. SEC will not shy away from the AI wave but will choose to understand, evaluate, and adopt relevant technologies when appropriate, while encouraging market participants to maintain open dialogue with regulators to jointly promote the sound development of capital markets.

According to Cointelegraph, the UK House of Lords questioned Coinbase's Vice President of International Policy, Tom Duff Gordon, on Wednesday, focusing on whether stablecoins could lead to a loss of bank deposits and pose new risks to the UK financial system.Gordon stated that fully reserved and regulated stablecoins are "safer than uninsured bank deposits" because they are backed 1:1 by cash and high-quality government securities and can be redeemed at face value. He emphasized that stablecoins can significantly reduce payment costs and accelerate cross-border payments.Members of the UK House of Lords questioned the redemption risks of stablecoins during a crisis, their potential impact on banks, and their role in criminal activities. Gordon countered that concerns about disintermediation from banks are "greatly exaggerated" and emphasized that Coinbase strictly enforces KYC and anti-money laundering measures.Adam Jackson, Chief Strategy Officer of Innovate Finance, warned that the UK could establish a regulatory regime "stricter and less competitive than the EU's MiCA framework," causing the UK to fall behind the US and Europe in the competition for stablecoin innovation.

According to CoinDesk, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has released a report warning that stablecoins have become the most widely used virtual assets in illegal transactions, calling for increased regulation of issuers.The report cites data from Chainalysis, indicating that by 2025, stablecoins will account for 84% of the volume of illegal virtual asset transactions, involving an amount of $154 billion. A report from TRM Labs shows that by 2025, illegal entities will receive $141 billion in stablecoins, reaching a five-year high, with sanction-related activities accounting for 86% of illegal crypto fund flows. Actors such as Iran and North Korea are using stablecoins like USDT for financing weapons of mass destruction and cross-border sanctioned payments.The FATF warns that peer-to-peer transfers conducted through non-custodial wallets represent a key vulnerability, as these transactions can bypass anti-money laundering controls. The FATF urges countries to impose anti-money laundering obligations on stablecoin issuers and consider requiring them to have wallet freezing capabilities and to restrict certain functionalities of smart contracts. The current market capitalization of stablecoins has exceeded $300 billion.

According to CoinDesk, despite the Clarity Act being stalled in Congress, the Trump administration is providing regulatory clarity for the crypto industry through executive actions.Analyst Brady Dale pointed out that Trump's appointment of Paul Atkins as SEC chairman could be a decisive move, as Atkins, a seasoned regulatory expert, has clearly stated that the SEC has the authority to establish the necessary rules for the crypto industry without waiting for congressional legislation. The appointment of new CFTC chairman Michael Selig further ensures coordination between the two major regulatory agencies. The two agencies are expected to submit draft rules this fall and finalize them in the spring of 2026, which will establish dedicated rules for decentralized financial networks for the first time, allowing exchanges to operate in compliance and making token sales possible.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon stated on CNBC on Monday that he welcomes competition and development in blockchain technology but emphasized that the earnings from stablecoins should operate under a fair regulatory environment.Dimon pointed out that any institution holding customer funds and paying interest is essentially engaged in banking and should be subject to the same regulatory constraints. He proposed a compromise: rewards could be allowed for transaction payments, but if it involves holding balances and paying interest, it should be regulated according to banking standards. He also listed the regulatory obligations that banks must bear, including FDIC insurance, anti-money laundering regulations, and capital liquidity requirements.In terms of legislative progress, the Senate Agriculture Committee has narrowly advanced the market structure bill by a vote of 12 to 11 on January 29, which still needs to be reviewed by the Senate Banking Committee before it can be submitted for a full vote in the chamber.