News linked to both this project and an event.
Odaily News – Andrew Park, CEO of Factblock and organizer of Korea Blockchain Week, stated that Korea's crypto market is shifting from retail-trading-driven dynamics toward institutional digital finance. The focus of global financial institutions and enterprises has moved from tokens, exchanges, and prices to custody, tokenization, stablecoins, payment and settlement infrastructure, and regulatory compliance.The Financial Services Commission of Korea has proposed a framework to open corporate virtual asset accounts to approximately 3,500 listed companies and registered professional investors. The National Assembly has officially passed amendments to the Electronic Securities Act and the Capital Markets Act, bringing tokenized real-world assets and security tokens under a unified legal framework.The Bank of Korea has completed the initial trial of Project Hangang, a real-world deposit token initiative, and plans to conduct second-phase institutional testing in late 2026. Related technical experiments have used wholesale deposit tokens to enable AI agents to execute automated conditional transactions. (Bitcoin.com News)
According to Bitcoin.com, Zach Pandl, Head of Research at Grayscale, stated that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) proposed regulations on crypto assets could increase network activity on Ethereum, Solana, and BNB Chain by reducing compliance uncertainties surrounding token financing, driving more U.S. issuers and investors to go on-chain, and potentially creating value for their native tokens ETH, SOL, and BNB.
Odaily News: Duquesne Family Office founder Stanley Druckenmiller purchased 4.1 million shares of high-performance computing company Bitdeer Technologies Group (BTDR) in the second quarter, with a position value exceeding $64.7 million and an average purchase price of $12.26. The company produces cryptocurrency mining hardware and operates data centers in the United States and other regions.Additionally, Druckenmiller bought 2.9 million shares of Hyperliquid Strategies (PURR), a digital asset treasury company in the HYPE sector, with a position value of $23.1 million, gaining indirect exposure to HYPE. Hyperliquid Strategies aims to provide U.S. and institutional investors with investment channels related to the HYPE token.Druckenmiller's moves are similar to concurrent increases in BTDR positions by Jane Street and Citadel, with Jane Street currently holding over $112 million worth of BTDR shares. BlackRock, State Street, and Citadel also increased their PURR holdings in the second quarter; HYPE previously hit an all-time high following related compliance progress news. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has issued 81,000 warning letters to cryptocurrency investors suspected of unpaid taxes over the past 12 months, a 25% increase from approximately 65,000 in the previous year. These letters are intended to prompt recipients to disclose unpaid taxes before HMRC launches formal investigations.Cryptocurrency exchanges, using tokens to purchase goods or services, and gifting tokens to others may all constitute taxable disposals. Income generated from activities such as lending and staking may be subject to income tax rules, and UK residents are generally required to pay taxes on relevant income and gains from worldwide sources.Rules scheduled to take effect in April 2027 will apply no gain, no loss treatment to qualifying crypto lending and automated market-making arrangements until an economic disposal occurs, with an estimated impact on approximately 700,000 individuals.The Crypto Asset Reporting Framework requires service providers to submit 2026 transaction data, with the reporting period running from January 1 to May 31, 2027. It is expected that 52 jurisdictions will exchange relevant data in 2027, with an additional 15 added in 2028. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News: Brian Armstrong, CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, stated that crypto regulatory clarity will be advanced either through a Senate vote on September 15 or new federal regulatory rules on September 16, with both paths expected to move forward. The procedural vote on the CLARITY Act requires at least 60 votes of support.The digital asset market structure bill, the CLARITY Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives on July 17, 2025, with 294 votes in favor and 134 against, but has since stalled in the Senate. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Mike Selig has instructed staff to establish a registration category for "crypto asset markets," which may apply to digital asset trading platforms.Armstrong also stated that Bitcoin's price could likely reach $300,000 to $400,000 by 2030. He cited increased institutional adoption, Bitcoin's fixed supply, and improved crypto regulatory clarity in the U.S. as contributing factors. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News: Injective, a Layer 1 blockchain, has had its institutional services division register as a securities transfer agent with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Injective states that this marks the first time a Layer 1 blockchain has obtained this type of registration, enabling regulated ownership records, transfers, distributions, and shareholder management services for securities.The registration covers four types of tokenized assets already launched—institutional funds, publicly listed company stocks, private company shares, and corporate accounts receivable—and allows related processes to utilize distributed ledger infrastructure while remaining compliant with U.S. securities regulatory rules.Injective has launched markets tied to digital asset treasury companies, publicly listed stocks, and shares of private companies such as SpaceX and OpenAI, and has introduced its tokenized asset issuance platform, Injective Mint Alpha.In July, South Korea's largest trading firm, POSCO International, and LG CNS, a technology company under the LG Group, selected Injective for a trade finance pilot. The plan involves tokenizing accounts receivable arising from international trade and completing their transfer, management, and settlement. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News: The Hungarian Parliament has passed Bill No. XXXVIII of 2026, abolishing legal provisions related to crypto asset conversion services, including the verification requirements that European exchanges had to pass before legally operating in Hungary. The bill was voted through on July 31 and went into effect on August 7.The abolition also removes two crypto asset-related criminal charges: unauthorized trading of high-value crypto assets, which carried a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, and providing crypto asset exchange services in violation of verification obligations, which carried a maximum sentence of 8 years in prison. These provisions were said to duplicate the EU's MiCA framework. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News - Digital asset tokenization platform Securitize, in partnership with asset management firm Neuberger, has launched the Neuberger Securitize High Income Tokenized Fund (HINC). The fund primarily invests in high-yield bonds and may also allocate to collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) and leveraged loans.HINC will be issued on four public chains—Avalanche, Ethereum, Solana, and Sui—and is available exclusively to eligible qualified investors and qualified purchasers. Investors must undergo customer identification and anti-money laundering screening, and comply with jurisdictional restrictions and securities rules.Neuberger will handle portfolio management and research, Securitize Capital will serve as investment advisor, Securitize Markets will provide fund shares, and other affiliates will manage tokenization, administration, and operational services. Neuberger's fixed income platform manages over $230 billion in assets.Securitize disclosed that its tokenized asset management scale has reached $3.4 billion, with first-quarter revenue of $19.5 million, up nearly 40% year-over-year. The company began trading on July 2, becoming the first firm to list shares on both the New York Stock Exchange and on-chain simultaneously. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News: Cryptocurrency platform Bitcoin.com has announced the integration of USDU into its self-custody Bitcoin.com Wallet, serving millions of wallet users. USDU, issued by Universal Digital Intl Limited (Universal), is the first USD stablecoin registered as a foreign payment token by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE). USDU is an Ethereum ERC-20 token, with each token backed 1:1 by liquid USD reserves held by regulated banks in the UAE. The reserves are independently attested monthly by a third-party accounting firm, with reports published on Universal's official website. Bitcoin.com Wallet's web and mobile versions will support self-custody holding, sending, and receiving of USDU. Bitcoin.com will accept USDU as payment for designated services and plans to enable its use for payments between users and merchants within its products. The wallet will also offer stablecoin education and Learn-to-Earn content. Exchange and buy/sell functionalities will be launched after support from third-party service providers, with availability varying by jurisdiction. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins introduced the "Regulation Crypto Assets" proposal on August 18, covering issuance pathways, disclosure obligations, and safe harbor conditions. Atkins stated that tailored exemptions could attract crypto issuers and investment back to the United States while preserving core investor protections, and expressed support for Congress's push for the CLARITY Act. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce noted that the proposal was developed through public comment and staff engagement, with feedback from both industry supporters and critics shaping the framework's design. SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda pointed out that fixed thresholds and disclosure obligations could enhance issuers' compliance expectations; the proposal has not yet taken effect. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News: Since the launch of Sui's Hashi Bitcoin lending protocol testnet on July 22, it has processed over 1.1 million Bitcoin deposits and 165,000 withdrawals within three weeks. As of last week, more than 25 institutions had participated in the system's stress testing. Participating institutions include digital asset custodian BitGo, trading firm Cumberland, as well as Swissborg, Fluid, and Ledger, covering areas such as trading, custody infrastructure, and wealth management platforms. Hashi allows users to deposit native Bitcoin, which is confirmed by Sui validators before minting hBTC for on-chain lending and stablecoin borrowing. Deposits utilize a 2-of-2 multi-signature mechanism with MPC validator signatures, while withdrawals require review by the Guardian Layer; the project team will proceed with the 2026 mainnet launch only after this security layer completes its security audit. (Bitcoin.com News)
According to Bitcoin.com, the EU adopted the 21st package of sanctions against Russia on July 23, further tightening controls in the cryptocurrency sector. The new regulations impose trading bans on 14 crypto service platforms in Georgia, Panama, the UAE, Belarus, and other locations, and starting from August 25, prohibit Russian and Belarusian citizens from holding any position or ownership in crypto service providers under the EU's MiCA framework. Additionally, new provisions authorize the EU to impose comprehensive trading bans on third countries that "systemically and persistently fail to prevent" sanctioned crypto activities, granting extraterritorial effect to the relevant regulations.
Odaily News: The Russian Central Bank has released a draft regulation stipulating that professional market participants, including brokers, trust management firms, forex dealers, and cryptocurrency exchanges, must include crypto assets in their equity calculations. Crypto assets approved for trading on exchanges may account for no more than 25% of total equity value. The draft requires that relevant crypto assets be registered with a crypto-asset custodian so that regulators can verify their existence. The Russian Central Bank stated that this ratio will be used to assess credit risk and market risk, ensuring that intermediaries have the capacity to cover potential losses. The Russian State Duma has approved a cryptocurrency regulatory framework that allows both qualified and unqualified investors to trade cryptocurrencies, though the latter are subject to an annual purchase limit of 300,000 rubles (approximately $3,800). Cryptocurrencies still cannot be used as a domestic payment instrument, but import and export enterprises are permitted to use them for cross-border settlements without restrictions. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News, August 14 — The Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) announced a €70,000 fine against crypto asset trading platform Bitpanda. The FMA stated that this is the first legally binding penalty case under the MiCA framework. The FMA noted that Bitpanda violated Article 8 of MiCA by failing to notify the authority and submit a whitepaper at least 20 days before the relevant crypto assets were approved for trading. Additionally, Bitpanda issued marketing notices without first publishing the required whitepaper, in violation of Article 1 of MiCA. The FMA stated that MiCA has moved from mere regulation to the enforcement phase, emphasizing that even though Bitpanda is the first publicly penalized case, it will not receive special treatment. Markus Miller stated that a license can only build trust if the relevant rules are continuously complied with. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News: A survey conducted by the European Central Bank (ECB) across 8,205 companies in the eurozone shows that only 0.2% of surveyed businesses accept cryptocurrencies or stablecoins for online payments, while the acceptance rate at physical points of sale stands at 1%. Among businesses with physical points of sale, 92% accept cash payments and 88% accept card payments. Mobile payment acceptance rose from 36% in 2024 to 68% in 2026. (Bitcoin.com News)
: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is reviewing a rule change proposal submitted by Cboe BZX Exchange, involving six leveraged commodity ETFs that track 3 times the benchmark's single-day performance. The SEC's initial review period is 45 days after publication in the Federal Register. Volatility Shares LLC is the sponsor of the relevant funds, with products including 3x Gold, Silver, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Crude Oil, and Natural Gas ETFs, all of which are intended to operate as commodity pools and are not registered as investment companies. Among these, the Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs will primarily invest in near-month and next-month futures contracts on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) rather than directly holding Bitcoin or Ethereum, and will allocate cash and cash equivalents as collateral or margin. Before the relevant products can be listed, the SEC must approve the exchange's rule change, and the trust's Form S-1 registration statement must also become effective. Each fund must have at least 100,000 shares at the time of listing, and authorized participants may submit cash creation or redemption orders in increments of 10,000 shares. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News: Cryptocurrency exchange Binance will stop processing transactions involving 16 crypto asset service providers, with restrictions taking effect in three batches on August 7, August 13, and August 23. Users will not be allowed to send or receive assets directly or indirectly with the relevant entities after the corresponding dates. The affected platforms include Shelbit, Aban Tether Exchange, A7 Nigeria, A7 Africa, HTX, EXMO, Rapira, Bitpapa, and Exnode, among others. Transactions initiated after the effective dates may be temporarily withheld and subject to compliance review, and affected wallets may face temporary restrictions. The United States has imposed sanctions on Shelbit and Aban Tether, which are linked to an Iranian crypto network; the UK has also imposed sanctions on Russia-related trading platforms and the A7 network. A7 claims it transferred over $90 billion in funds last year. (Bitcoin.com News)
: Digital asset firm Galaxy Digital has lowered the probability of the CLARITY Act passing this year from 75% in May to 10%. The bill proposes that two U.S. federal regulatory agencies each oversee crypto asset regulation separately. U.S. Senators will return to Washington on September 14, followed by a working period of approximately three weeks. According to the Senate schedule, the motion to invoke cloture to advance the bill will be eligible for a vote at 2:15 PM on September 15. The motion requires the support of at least 60 senators. Republicans currently control 53 seats; if all Republican senators support the bill, support from at least 7 senators from other parties would still be needed. Galaxy Digital stated that unresolved ethics concerns, declining Republican support due to banking lobbying, and the shorter legislative window in September constitute the main obstacles to the bill's passage this year. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News: Bank Leumi, Israel's largest and oldest commercial bank, has announced a partnership with cryptocurrency company Galaxy Digital, planning to launch Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana trading services on the Leumi Trade investment app and mobile banking platform PEPPER in early 2027, subject to approval from the Bank of Israel. Customers will be able to buy, hold, and sell related crypto assets through their bank accounts, without needing to open accounts on separate exchanges or use personal wallets. Galaxy Digital will provide institutional trading platforms and custody infrastructure, while Bank Leumi intends to operate under a white-label model where customers do not hold private keys. Bank Leumi previously announced a partnership with Paxos in 2022 to offer crypto trading services, but it did not receive regulatory approval. Fees, trading limits, the asset list, and external wallet withdrawal rules for this service have not yet been disclosed, and custodied crypto assets do not enjoy the same deposit insurance coverage as shekel deposits. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has once again postponed its plan for a tokenization "innovation exemption." The framework was intended to allow companies to test blockchain-based tokenized trading of U.S. stocks without meeting full exchange and broker-dealer standards. The delay is tied to unresolved negotiations over Section 10505 of the draft CLARITY Act in the U.S. Senate. That provision stipulates that tokenized securities remain securities and requires the SEC to study custody, consumer protection, cross-border issues, and regulatory coordination. The SEC also postponed a vote scheduled for Friday on a proposed exemption for crypto startup fundraising, citing scheduling issues, with no new date announced. The House version of the CLARITY Act passed in July 2025, and the Senate Banking Committee version advanced by a 15-9 vote in May of this year. A procedural Senate vote is not expected before September 15. (Bitcoin.com News)