News linked to this event type.
: The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Hockey League (NHL) to strengthen the regulation of prediction markets. The two parties will enhance information sharing and collaboration to safeguard the fairness and integrity of the market for contracts related to professional hockey games and related events. This includes strengthening their existing event integrity monitoring systems and improving their ability to identify, prevent, and respond to potential risks. As platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket continue to gain traction, especially following the 2024 U.S. election cycle, sports and event-based prediction markets are increasingly moving into the mainstream financial and regulatory spotlight. (The Block)
a16z Crypto published an article exploring the fundamental contradiction between blockchain “censorship resistance” and “low latency,” pointing out that any Byzantine Fault Tolerant (BFT) blockchain protocol with censorship resistance, where more than one-fifth of validators could be malicious, requires at least 5 rounds of communication for its optimal good-case latency, whereas traditional BFT consensus only requires a minimum of 3 rounds.The article notes that in traditional BFT protocols, the block proposer holds the power for both block construction and consensus progression, allowing them to censor by excluding specific transactions. This is also a major source of the MEV problem. To address this issue, Ethereum is researching FOCIL / EIP-7805, while Solana is exploring mechanisms like Constellation and MCP. The core idea behind these approaches is to have validators proactively collect "Inclusion Lists" of transactions that cannot be ignored before a block is formally proposed.a16z Crypto states that achieving censorship resistance requires two additional rounds of communication: first, user transactions must be broadcast to all validators, and then the validators need to confirm and write these into an inclusion list before the consensus process can begin. Therefore, in a partially synchronous network environment, there is no protocol design that can achieve both BFT and censorship resistance in just 4 rounds; 5 rounds represent the mathematical lower limit.The article emphasizes that while a censorship-resistant mechanism increases protocol latency, it can significantly reduce the "effective latency" users actually experience. In a system lacking censorship resistance, transactions may be indefinitely delayed due to validator censorship. Conversely, in a system with censorship resistance guarantees, transactions will be included in a block within a maximum of 5 rounds of communication, making transaction confirmation times more predictable.
Odaily Reports: According to market sources, Blockchain.com has confidentially submitted a U.S. IPO application.
Former U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Christopher Giancarlo will join investment bank Jefferies Financial Group in July as a senior advisor focusing on investment banking. During his tenure, Giancarlo led the approval of the first batch of bitcoin futures contracts listed on CBOE and CME, and held a relatively lenient stance on crypto regulation, earning the industry nickname "CryptoDad."In recent years, Jefferies has positioned itself as a "full-stack crypto and blockchain investment bank," having completed approximately 14 digital asset transactions totaling around $9 billion; since 2011, it has completed about 100 transactions in market structure and technology sectors, totaling roughly $141 billion; currently, about 15 employees are dedicated to crypto business. Giancarlo stated that he will leverage his regulatory network to help Jefferies deepen its digital asset-related investment banking business layout. (Bloomberg)
Seturion, a tokenized securities settlement platform under the Stuttgart Stock Exchange Group, is collaborating with Société Générale, its crypto subsidiary SG-Forge, and online broker flatexDEGIRO to build a blockchain-based securities settlement system in Europe. Société Générale will issue tokenized structured securities—such as Turbo warrants and investment certificates—on its Seturion platform. SG-Forge, which holds a crypto-asset market operator authorization from French regulators, will use its CoinVertible euro and U.S. dollar stablecoins (EURCV and USDCV) for transaction settlement. Meanwhile, flatexDEGIRO will connect the platform to its European retail distribution channels for tokenized securities trading.
Odaily Odaily News According to the updated information on the official website of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, NewBX Limited’s digital asset trading platform Bixin has obtained a virtual asset trading platform operating license. The institution is authorized to conduct regulated activities of Type 1 (dealing in securities) and Type 7 (providing automated trading services), and has also been licensed under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance to operate a virtual asset trading platform. As of now, the total number of licensed virtual asset trading platforms in Hong Kong has increased to 13, with 6 applicants for virtual asset trading platform licenses.
According to Businesswire, Payward, the parent company of Kraken, announced that it has received preliminary approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) in the United Arab Emirates for brokerage, trading, investment, and management licenses. Payward plans to expand its crypto business in the UAE and expects to offer spot, margin, and OTC trading, staking services, and Kraken Prime—its institutional offering—through a locally regulated entity. It will also support peer-to-peer crypto-asset transfers.
According to TASS, Ivan Chebeskov, Deputy Minister of Finance of Russia, stated that the Ministry of Finance is jointly refining the cryptocurrency market regulation bill with the Central Bank of Russia, and revisions are expected to be completed before its second reading in the State Duma next week. Under the regulatory framework previously proposed by the Central Bank of Russia, digital currencies and stablecoins will be classified as monetary value—allowing them to be bought and sold—but they may not be used as payment instruments within Russia. Non-qualified investors who pass a test may purchase highly liquid cryptocurrencies worth up to 300,000 rubles per year through a single intermediary.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has filed a lawsuit against CoinFlip operator GPD Holdings, alleging that the cryptocurrency ATM network facilitated fraudulent transactions while charging high fees, violating the state's consumer protection laws.Over the past two years, Missouri has reported approximately 350 cases related to cryptocurrency ATMs, with losses potentially reaching millions of dollars. The lawsuit seeks consumer restitution, civil penalties of up to $1.826 million, and an injunction barring the company from operating in the state. (The Block)
According to The Block, the wife of Sebastien Borget, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of the metaverse project The Sandbox, was the target of an attempted kidnapping this week at their residence in Villenoy, France. As reported, the suspect gained access to the property posing as a delivery person; subsequently, five other masked accomplices broke in and attempted to forcibly take her to a vehicle. The attempt failed after neighbors heard her cries for help and intervened. French authorities have arrested two suspects, while four others remain at large. French media report that preliminary investigations suggest the incident may be linked to cryptocurrency. Data shows that since January 1, 2026, France has recorded 41 kidnappings or attempted kidnappings related to cryptocurrency.
FocusAI, the largest shareholder of the Busan Digital Asset Exchange, is moving forward with the acquisition of the South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Flybit. Both parties are in the final stages of discussions regarding details such as the share transfer from Flybit's largest shareholder and representative director, Kim Seok-jin.Flybit registered as a virtual asset service provider in 2021 but has since exited the Korean won market after failing to establish a real-name account partnership with a bank. Through this acquisition, FocusAI plans to build a composite digital asset platform that manages cryptocurrencies, real-world assets, and tokenized securities. The transaction is still subject to a review by the Financial Intelligence Unit regarding the change of major shareholder. (bizwatch)
According to The Block, IG Europe has partnered with Bitpanda to expand its digital asset product offerings across the European Union, driven by rising client demand for exposure to crypto assets. IG Europe stated that this move will provide European investors with a broader range of asset classes. IG Europe is part of IG Group and is regulated by Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). Recently, IG Group acquired Australian crypto exchange Independent Reserve, secured a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license enabling it to offer crypto products and services across the EU, and sold its previously acquired futures trading platform Small Exchange Inc. to Kraken. As of the end of 2025, Bitpanda had at least 7.4 million registered users.
According to K33’s official announcement, K33 AB (publ) released its Q1 2026 interim report on May 21, 2026. Revenue for the quarter reached 739,822 kSEK, representing a 64% year-on-year increase and a 73% sequential increase, despite an approximately 15% decline in overall spot market trading volume during the period. K33 Markets’ rolling 12-month trading volume amounted to approximately SEK 2.7 billion. Impacted by the decline in Bitcoin’s price, the quarter’s net loss widened to -35,815 kSEK (compared to -4,033 kSEK in the same period last year), with EBITDA at -6,103 kSEK. Operationally, K33 launched a crypto-asset collateralized lending service this quarter, completed a major platform upgrade with full bank integration, and expanded its Bitcoin strategic exposure through the acquisition of a 46% equity stake in Sixty Six Capital. The company stated it is prepared for MiCA compliance approval, which is expected in late Q2. Following the end of the quarter, Bitcoin’s price rebounded significantly, positively impacting the valuation of the Group’s Bitcoin exposure.
the U.S. SEC is seeking public comments on prediction market ETFs and has postponed the approval process for related "new-type ETFs."SEC Chairman Paul Atkins stated, "New products bring new questions," indicating that regulators need to further assess the impact of such products. Previously, Bitwise, Roundhill, and GraniteShares have submitted applications for prediction market ETFs, which would track the outcomes of events such as U.S. elections.Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas noted that the SEC is currently evaluating prediction market ETFs cautiously, similar to its previous approach to spot crypto ETFs. (Cointelegraph)
According to Cointelegraph, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has filed a lawsuit against GPD Holdings—the parent company of cryptocurrency ATM operator CoinFlip—accusing it of “intentionally facilitating fraudulent transactions and profiting from them,” with victims including elderly residents and veterans in the state. The lawsuit stems from a targeted investigation launched by Missouri in December 2025 into multiple crypto ATM companies, which alleged “deceptive fee structures” and fraudulent conduct. The Attorney General’s Office is asking the court to rule that CoinFlip violated the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, prohibit it from continuing operations in the state, impose a $1,000 fine for each violation over the past five years (capped at $1.826 million), and provide restitution to affected consumers. CoinFlip currently operates 136 crypto ATMs in Missouri and 4,229 nationwide. Notably, Bitcoin Depot—another major crypto ATM operator—filed for bankruptcy earlier this month, and regulatory pressure is intensifying across the entire industry.
Bitcoin treasury company Nakamoto plans to implement a 1:40 reverse stock split to push its share price back above $1, thereby meeting Nasdaq listing compliance requirements.According to the plan, the company's outstanding shares will be reduced from approximately 696.1 million to about 17.4 million after the split, which is expected to take effect on May 22.Previously, Nakamoto reported its Q1 2026 financial results, with a net loss of $238.8 million. Of this amount, approximately $107.7 million came from write-downs related to the acquisition of pre-paid options, while another approximately $102.5 million in losses resulted from the book loss on its holdings of 5,058 BTC during a 23% decline in Bitcoin prices that quarter. (Decrypt)
James Seyffart, ETF analyst at Bloomberg, revealed that Defiance ETFs has filed an application for a new money market ETF compliant with the GENIUS Act. The Act establishes a federal regulatory framework for reserve requirements applicable to payment stablecoin issuers in the U.S., imposing more conservative standards on underlying assets than traditional money market funds. The fund’s investment strategy is designed to meet the qualified reserve asset requirements stipulated under the U.S. stablecoin legislation.
Eric Balchunas, Bloomberg ETF analyst, stated in a post that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair is soliciting public comments on prediction market ETFs. Balchunas noted that the Commission is clearly researching and evaluating such products and seeks additional time and input. He believes prediction market ETFs are a novel concept—akin to cryptocurrencies—and regulators aim to ensure their safety before formally approving them.
Singapore's Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has revoked the Major Payment Institution license of crypto liquidity provider Bsquared Technology (BSQ) due to serious violations in its digital payment token business.MAS stated that the issues included weak risk management and conflict of interest controls, breaches of outsourcing regulations, and repeated submission of false or misleading statements during the licensed period. The revocation took effect on May 14.MAS noted that BSQ currently holds no outstanding customer assets but is still required to submit a closure certificate from an auditor. The regulator also said it is reviewing the responsibilities of BSQ's key management personnel. Currently, Singapore has 37 digital payment token service providers holding relevant licenses. (TechinAsia)
Odaily Odaily News: Flipcash, an app created by Kik founder Ted Livingston, has launched a native stablecoin USDF on Solana, based on Coinbase's "Stablecoin as a Service" platform.According to reports, USDF is pegged 1:1 to the US dollar and fully backed by USDC. Coinbase handles issuance, reserves, and compliance matters. Flipcash has become the first application to use the Coinbase stablecoin-as-a-service platform.It is understood that USDF will primarily be used for cash-like payment scenarios within the Flipcash app. Flipcash is a digital payment application built on Solana, allowing users to create and trade "community currencies" with a fixed supply.Coinbase launched its stablecoin-as-a-service platform in late 2025, aiming to help enterprises issue branded stablecoins without needing to build their own infrastructure. (The Block)