regulation

According to Bloomberg, the U.S. government is betting that stablecoins issued by private entities like Tether, pegged to the U.S. dollar, will expand to a scale of about $3 trillion in the coming years to support the international dominance of the dollar and absorb more demand for U.S. Treasury bonds.However, the article points out that the current mainstream stablecoin issuers are concentrated in Tether, which has questionable compliance and anti-money laundering practices in its registered location. In the event of a run or smart contract failure, this could impact the large amounts of U.S. Treasury assets it holds and disrupt global payments and settlements. The European Central Bank is advancing the use of central bank digital currencies and "tokenized euros" to support atomic settlements, in order to avoid being locked into critical financial infrastructure by U.S. private dollar tokens.

The General Office of the State Council has released guiding opinions on strengthening regulation, preventing risks, and promoting the high-quality development of private equity investment funds. The opinions mention adhering to goal-oriented and problem-oriented approaches, addressing issues such as the need to improve the access mechanism for the private equity fund industry, inadequate regulation, incomplete systems, insufficient coordination and cooperation among ministries, central and local governments, the failure to implement the responsibilities of some government investment funds and state-owned enterprise investment fund contributors, and the use of some private equity funds as tools for illegal activities, new forms of corruption, and hidden corruption. A system and long-term mechanism for strengthening regulation and preventing risks will be established to promote the development of the industry in a standardized manner and enhance it during development.Uphold functional positioning, coordinate the overall layout, optimize increments, revitalize existing resources, support the excellent and limit the inferior, improve quality and efficiency, and strictly prohibit private equity funds from engaging in illegal activities such as lending and disguised debt. Adhere to classified regulation, implementing "one policy for one category" regulation based on different dimensions such as contributor entities and product types. Insist on regulating both legal and illegal entities, with strict regulation for legal institutions, resolute prohibition of illegal institutions, and severe crackdowns on illegal activities.Promote the revision of the Securities Investment Fund Law. Push for the issuance of judicial documents related to criminal cases involving private equity funds. Formulate regulations for the supervision of private equity fund managers, information disclosure, fundraising, and mandatory custody rules. Introduce standardized arrangements for private equity fund betting agreements. Fully establish a regulatory system for private equity funds that is primarily based on administrative regulation and supplemented by self-regulation.

According to the official announcement, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority have published a joint consultation summary regarding the amendments to the over-the-counter derivatives trading regulations under the Clearing Rules. In light of the broad market support, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority will proceed with the legislative process to introduce the proposed amendments to the Clearing Rules, with plans to implement the relevant amendments starting from March 1, 2027 (the proposed start date for the new calculation period).

According to CoinDesk, the U.S. House Financial Services Committee held a hearing on stablecoin regulation and the bank charter application of World Liberty Financial (WLFI). Acting Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould denied any "endorsement" from Trump, pointing out that the only political pressure his agency faces comes from Democratic lawmakers, not Trump. Democrats questioned the compliance of WLFI's bank charter application, citing its connections to foreign investors and alleged regulatory violations involving entities such as Binance.Additionally, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Travis Hill stated that new rules requiring stablecoin issuers to establish customer identification programs will be proposed soon. Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman provided clarification regarding the approval of a master account for the cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, emphasizing that the account has limited authority and an initial term of 12 months, during which close monitoring will occur to gather experience for formal rulemaking.

The U.S. cryptocurrency market structure bill, the "Clarity Act," is a "support for regulation, support for enforcement" bill that rebuts criticisms from some law enforcement agencies regarding its inadequacy in preventing financial crimes. As the midterm elections approach, the time window for Congress to pass this bill is narrowing. Senator Cynthia Lummis warned that if progress is not made this year, the bill may not be seriously reconsidered until after 2030. Currently, the Clarity Act still faces multiple controversies, including stablecoin yield arrangements, conflicts of interest arising from Trump-related cryptocurrency businesses, and whether anti-money laundering standards are stringent enough.The latest version also incorporates the "Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act" (BRCA) pushed by DeFi supporters, aimed at clarifying that non-custodial developers should not be regarded as money transmitters. However, some law enforcement groups and lawmakers are concerned that the BRCA and certain provisions of the bill may weaken the ability to track illegal funds and recover victims' assets. Witt stated that lawmakers have responded to these concerns before the Senate Banking Committee vote and added provisions to strengthen regulatory and enforcement foundations.

According to a report titled "Stablecoins: Waiting for Regulation" released by the UK House of Lords Financial Services Regulatory Committee, the global market capitalization of stablecoins has exceeded $310 billion, but the UK pound stablecoin market is still in its infancy, and the construction of the regulatory framework is clearly lagging behind the United States (GENIUS Act) and the European Union (MiCAR).The report criticizes several aspects of the current regulatory proposals from the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bank of England, focusing on:• The Bank of England's requirement for systemic stablecoin issuers to deposit at least 40% of reserve assets in non-interest-bearing central bank deposits, which the industry believes will severely harm issuers' profitability and the international competitiveness of the UK market;• The proposed holding limits (individual £20,000, corporate £10 million) are considered extremely difficult to implement and may stifle the development of the pound stablecoin market;• The T+1 redemption requirement will impose a significant operational burden on issuers;• The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) restrictions on deposit-taking institutions issuing stablecoins under independent brands are deemed overly stringent.The report also acknowledges the liquidity support loan mechanism proposed by the Bank of England, considering it an innovative regulatory measure that surpasses other major jurisdictions. The committee calls on regulatory agencies to strictly adhere to the established timeline, ensuring that the complete regulatory framework comes into effect as scheduled on October 25, 2027, and recommends adopting a principle-based, technology-neutral regulatory approach to achieve a reasonable balance between financial stability and market innovation.

The State Council of China has issued the "Regulations on Foreign Investment," which will take effect on July 1, 2026. China supports investors in conducting foreign investment activities based on market principles and actively participating in international cooperation and competition.Investors have the autonomy for foreign investment according to the law, making independent decisions, bearing risks, and assuming profits and losses. Investors engaging in foreign investment and related activities must comply with laws and regulations as well as international practices, respect local customs and cultural traditions, adhere to business ethics, act honestly and with integrity, compete fairly, fulfill social responsibilities, maintain the national image, and must not disrupt market competition order, damage the ecological environment, or infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of workers. They must not endanger China's national security, harm national interests, or the public interest of society.

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of South Korea plans to no longer advance the mandatory suspicious transaction reporting (STR) requirements for large cross-border virtual asset transfers and personal wallet transfers, but will continue to expand the regulatory coverage of the Travel Rule and further strengthen the tracking of digital asset transactions.

Hyperliquid's lobbying organization, Hyperliquid Policy Center, issued a statement welcoming the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)'s latest regulatory initiatives, including the approval of the first listed perpetual contract in the U.S., the release of a policy statement on the listing of perpetual derivatives, related interpretive guidance, and a no-action relief letter, as well as staff consultation documents regarding 24/7 trading, clearing, and settlement.The Hyperliquid Policy Center stated that these initiatives represent the first time in a long while that regulators have explicitly acknowledged the legitimacy and importance of perpetual contracts in price discovery and risk management. It pointed out that past regulatory uncertainty has led to related markets and liquidity flowing overseas, weakening the U.S.'s competitiveness in the global derivatives market.The Hyperliquid Policy Center also expressed its eagerness to work closely with the CFTC to promote the establishment of a regulatory framework that applies not only to centralized intermediaries but also to on-chain protocols. Currently, most perpetual contract trading activities actually occur in on-chain markets.

According to Jinshi, the German Ministry of Finance stated that it seeks to implement EU-level regulation on important cryptocurrency service providers and stablecoins.

According to CoinDesk, Elena Carletti, an executive at UniCredit Bank in Italy, warned that Europe may struggle to cope with the financial shocks related to crypto companies and banks. Carletti pointed out that when Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank collapsed in 2023, the United States decided to protect all deposits, including funds held by stablecoin issuers, a measure that helped stabilize the crypto market.Carletti stated that Europe cannot easily take the same measures. The EU's MiCA regulations require stablecoin issuers to hold reserve assets in liquid assets such as bank deposits and government securities, which ties them more closely to traditional banks. However, the European deposit guarantee system typically only protects up to €100,000 per bank per depositor. If large stablecoin reserve accounts come under pressure, this limit may not be sufficient to absorb the shock. Carletti described this as a "double weakness."

According to CriptoNoticias, the Argentine government submitted a bill to Congress through the Ministry of Health aimed at preventing gambling addiction and regulating online gambling, which for the first time explicitly includes virtual asset service providers within the regulatory scope. The bill stipulates that banks, fintech companies, cryptocurrency exchanges, and wallet providers are prohibited from providing services or facilitating transactions for gambling platforms operating without a license in Argentina.The bill also proposes amendments to the criminal code, imposing a prison sentence of 2 to 4 years on individuals or companies that provide financial, technical, or digital asset services to these illegal platforms. Exchanges and cryptocurrency asset providers will be required to implement stricter due diligence, transaction monitoring, and KYC policies. The Central Bank of Argentina, the National Securities Commission, the National Communications Commission, and NIC Argentina will enhance inter-agency coordination to effectively block technical access and the flow of funds.

According to CoinDesk, during a recent Senate Banking Committee review, substantial progress was made in advancing the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, referred to as the "CLARITY Act," which passed into the Senate full review stage with a vote of 15 to 9.Several bipartisan lawmakers emphasized the urgent need for the United States to establish a unified regulatory framework covering digital assets to clarify asset classification, trading platform regulation, and market structure rules, thereby providing long-term certainty for the industry. Angela Alsobrooks pointed out from a family perspective that the younger generation shows a natural interest in digital assets, and the regulatory system should strike a balance between "opportunity and protection" to avoid technological development being detached from regulatory constraints. Tim Scott emphasized that legislation should be promoted from the perspective of economic opportunity and the American Dream, while Cynthia Lummis stated that the legislative process has already shown a clear foundation for bipartisan cooperation.Supporters believe that digital assets have become an irreversible trend, with approximately 68 million Americans holding related assets, but a significant amount of trading still occurs on overseas platforms. The U.S. urgently needs to establish a domestic regulatory system to enhance market transparency and investor protection levels.Analysis indicates that the CLARITY Act is seen as a key complement following the stablecoin-related legislation (GENIUS Act). Without supporting rules at the market structure level, the U.S. may lose its leading position in the competition for digital financial infrastructure. As the bill advances to the Senate full stage, there is widespread attention on whether it can achieve final legislation based on bipartisan consensus to establish the core rules of the U.S. digital asset regulatory framework.