News linked to both this project and an event.
According to The Block, Kraken has launched CFTC-regulated crypto spot margin trading for U.S. retail users. Users can use their held crypto assets as collateral to trade with up to 10x leverage—without needing to first sell assets to obtain liquidity. This product is the first offering launched by Kraken’s parent company, Payward, following its acquisition of crypto derivatives platform Bitnomial and leveraging Bitnomial’s regulatory license. Payward previously stated that it plans to roll out regulated perpetual contracts and options products for U.S. users in the future.
According to The Block, cryptocurrency exchange Bullish announced on Tuesday that it will acquire global transfer agent Equiniti from private equity firm Siris for $4.2 billion, aiming to integrate its tokenization infrastructure with a compliant shareholder services company that processes $500 billion in payments annually.
Coinbase Australia has launched a dedicated support service for Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSF), providing Australian trustees with a compliant and secure digital asset investment solution to help incorporate crypto assets like Bitcoin into retirement portfolios.According to Coinbase's official blog, the service leverages its recently obtained Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) and local team capabilities, offering entity verification processes tailored to Australian fund structures, downloadable audit reports compliant with local accounting standards, and institutional-grade security measures.Data from the Australian Taxation Office shows there are currently over 653,000 SMSFs in Australia, managing assets worth A$1.05 trillion and serving more than 1.2 million members. Coinbase stated that SMSFs are among the few retirement structures globally that allow individuals to directly manage digital assets, becoming a key gateway for investors to include cryptocurrencies in their long-term retirement strategies. (The Block)
According to The Block, Coinbase Australia announced on Monday that it will support cryptocurrency investments for self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs), providing trustees with a compliant channel for allocating crypto assets. The service offers downloadable data compliant with Australian Accounting Standards, as well as a streamlined entity verification process tailored to local fund structures.
According to The Block, on Monday, five major U.S. banking trade groups issued a statement regarding the latest compromise text of the U.S. Clarity Act, stating that the proposal “falls short of its intended goals.” This statement came just days after Senators Thom Tillis and Angela Alsobrooks finalized the compromise.
According to The Block, Payward, Kraken’s parent company, has announced the completion of its acquisition of Chicago-based crypto-native exchange Bitnomial, thereby obtaining a full suite of U.S. derivatives licenses from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), including Futures Commission Merchant (FCM), Designated Contract Market (DCM), and Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO) licenses. Payward stated that it will first launch spot margin trading on Kraken, followed by perpetual contracts and options products, all available to eligible U.S. customers. This acquisition will also provide partners—including banks, brokers, and payment service providers—with a channel to offer U.S. derivatives to their end customers. Bitnomial will operate independently under Payward while retaining its existing licenses and regulatory framework. The transaction’s value is reported to be up to $550 million, comprising cash and stock, implying a valuation for Payward of approximately $20 billion; however, the final terms have not been disclosed.
Payward (Kraken’s parent company) has announced the completion of its acquisition of Bitnomial, marking its official entry into the U.S. crypto derivatives market with full regulatory credentials. Following the transaction, Payward now holds a comprehensive set of U.S. CFTC licenses, including Futures Commission Merchant (FCM), Designated Contract Market (DCM), and Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO) status, enabling it to launch compliant derivatives services in the U.S. market.Payward stated that it will gradually roll out spot margin trading under the Kraken brand, followed by plans to launch perpetual contracts and options products, while expanding institutional-grade derivatives capabilities through the Bitnomial framework. It is reported that Bitnomial, as a Chicago-based native crypto derivatives trading platform, has long held the three core CFTC licenses and has been relatively aggressive in listing new assets. After the transaction, it will retain its existing licenses and regulatory framework, continuing operations within the Payward system.Additionally, this acquisition continues Payward’s recent expansion moves: the company had previously secured a $200 million investment from Deutsche Börse Group and filed IPO-related documents with the U.S. SEC, signaling its accelerated push into globally compliant derivatives and capital market pathways. (The Block)
BlackRock has submitted a comment letter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), opposing the reserve asset restrictions proposed in its draft rules implementing the GENIUS Act. In the comment letter, the firm specifically targets the rules for "permitted payment stablecoin issuers," calling for no quantitative cap on tokenized reserve assets.BlackRock stated that the proposed restrictions are unrelated to regulatory objectives, and the risk of reserve assets should be determined by their credit quality, duration, and liquidity rather than whether they are held or transferred on a distributed ledger. This comment letter was submitted in response to multiple rule proposals from the OCC covering reserve composition, capital requirements, custody, and other related matters. (The Block)
U.S. lawmakers have reached an agreement on stablecoin yield provisions, a point of contention that had stalled the Clarity Act in the Senate for months. Senators Tom Tillis and Angela Alsobrooks have finalized the text of the related compromise. Section 404 of the agreement stipulates that crypto companies cannot offer interest or returns that are economically or functionally equivalent to bank deposits, but allows for incentives related to the use of genuine platforms.Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong stated that the Senate Banking Committee should be urged to deliberate on the bill as soon as possible. This development could provide momentum for what has been a long-stalled review process. (The Block)
According to The Block, MoonPay has launched the stablecoin debit card “MoonAgents Card,” enabling AI agents and users to spend directly from on-chain wallets. The card is integrated with the Mastercard network and issued by Monavate, a regulated global payment platform.
this week, U.S. Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden sent letters to Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, expressing concerns over a loan provided by Tether to a family trust fund benefiting Lutnick’s children.The letter notes that prior to becoming Commerce Secretary, Lutnick led Cantor Fitzgerald, which has served as the custodian for Tether’s reserves since 2021. The senators question whether the loan may have helped Lutnick’s children obtain funds to acquire their father’s stake in Cantor Fitzgerald, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest or bribery. Additionally, the senators expressed concerns over Tether’s past compliance record and its lobbying activities during the legislative process of the GENIUS Act, emphasizing the need to ensure that politically connected crypto stakeholders do not receive special treatment. (The Block)
Bitcoin remained near $76,000 on Thursday. After the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, market attention quickly shifted to internal policy divergence and macroeconomic uncertainty. Analysts noted that Bitcoin remains suppressed below the key resistance range of $78,000 to $79,000, lacking short-term breakout momentum.Thomas Perfumo, Chief Economist at Kraken, stated that the market is currently more focused on policy uncertainty stemming from internal "divisions" within the Federal Reserve rather than the inaction itself. This is particularly true against the backdrop of Chairman Jerome Powell's continued tenure and the potential expectation of Kevin Warsh succeeding him, creating a lack of clear policy transition.Glassnode data shows that Bitcoin remains "trapped" below the True Market Mean, with resistance concentrated in the $78,000 to $79,000 range and support lying between $65,000 and $70,000. While selling pressure has eased, demand remains insufficient to support a sustained upward breakout.On the macro front, the Fed has shown rare, severe internal disagreements, interpreted by the market as rising uncertainty over the inflation path. Analysts from institutions like Bitget Wallet and 21Shares point out that the expectation of "higher rates for longer" is suppressing risk asset performance, pushing the crypto market into a wait-and-see phase.Regarding capital flows, U.S. Bitcoin spot ETFs have recorded net outflows for three consecutive days, with a single-day outflow of approximately $138 million on April 29. Ethereum ETFs saw outflows of about $87.7 million over the same period. Although individual products still saw inflows, the overall trend indicates cooling institutional demand.Meanwhile, CME open interest and ETF assets under management have stabilized but have yet to show strong signals of capital return. In the derivatives market, short positions in perpetual contracts have reached an all-time high, suggesting a potential squeeze if sentiment improves. However, the current market remains dominated by a low-volatility, low-confidence consolidation structure.Overall, Bitcoin is caught in a tug-of-war between an improving support structure and weak demand. Sustained ETF outflows, policy uncertainty, and macroeconomic risks collectively suppress its ability to break through the key resistance range. (The Block)
According to The Block, Gemini’s Olympus division has officially received a Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO) license from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), enabling it to serve as an internal clearing house for settlement, risk management, and collateral management—eliminating reliance on third-party clearing and potentially reducing operational costs. Combined with its previously obtained Designated Contract Market (DCM) license, Gemini now possesses full-stack, compliant capabilities across futures, options, perpetual contracts, and prediction markets. Gemini is currently pursuing a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) license to complete its full suite of CFTC authorizations, positioning itself for direct competition with Kraken and Coinbase.
According to The Block, South Korean credit card company Shinhan Card has announced a partnership with the Solana Foundation to jointly advance a proof-of-concept project testing a real-world stablecoin-based payment system. The project aims to explore the feasibility of stablecoins in actual payment environments, leveraging the Solana network as the underlying infrastructure for transaction processing. Meanwhile, South Korea is actively advancing the legislative process for its Digital Asset Basic Act, a bill designed to establish a comprehensive and unified regulatory framework for the digital asset industry.
According to The Block, cryptocurrency venture capital firm Hashed has obtained a Financial Services Permission from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). With this license, Hashed plans to collaborate with institutional investors in the Middle East within a regulated environment.
: Solana ecosystem multi-signature protocol Squads announced the completion of an $18 million strategic funding round, led by Solana Ventures, with participation from Coinbase Ventures, Haun Ventures, L1D, and others. Its total cumulative funding has now reached $42.9 million. According to reports, Squads' stablecoin payment platform Altitude allows enterprises to conduct 24/7 global payment settlements in stablecoins through self-custodial wallets, and connects to the global payment network via its compliance and risk control system. (The Block)
Odaily Bitcoin remained consolidating above $77,000 on Wednesday, with markets cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision. According to market data, Bitcoin fluctuated within the range of approximately $75,689 to $77,837 during the session, and is currently trading around $77,100.This FOMC meeting is seen as a pivotal event. Markets widely expect interest rates to remain unchanged, but the real focus is on whether Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will signal a "higher-for-longer" hawkish stance. Additionally, this meeting may be his last as Fed Chair, with markets simultaneously pricing in uncertainty regarding policy direction and potential power transitions.On the capital front, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a reversal after nine consecutive days of net inflows. SoSoValue data shows that on April 28, ETFs recorded net outflows of approximately $89.68 million. Among them, BlackRock's IBIT saw a single-day outflow of about $112 million. Meanwhile, Ethereum ETFs also logged net outflows of $21.8 million.On-chain data also signals caution. CryptoQuant noted that on April 27, exchange net inflows reached 9,905 BTC, the largest single-day inflow in nearly 30 days. Exchange reserves have also rebounded recently. If these inflows are not quickly absorbed, prices could retest the support range of $74,000–$75,000.On the macroeconomic front, fluctuations in crude oil prices and shifts in the Middle East energy landscape continue to influence inflation expectations. Some analysts believe this could limit the Fed's room for future easing. Meanwhile, market liquidity continues to weaken, with institutional trading volumes and perpetual contract activity both at low levels. This means any policy surprise could amplify price volatility.Overall, Bitcoin remains in a "low liquidity + high event risk" structure and may continue to oscillate within the $72,000 to $80,000 range in the short term, awaiting further clarity on the Fed's policy path. (The Block)
Odaily Macro investor and hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones stated in a recent podcast interview that Bitcoin is the "unequivocally the best inflation hedge" and called it a "knockout opportunity" in the market.Paul Tudor Jones pointed out that truly major trading opportunities often arise when market structures are imbalanced, assets are underallocated, or when policymakers misjudge the situation. He believes that due to its scarcity and decentralized characteristics, Bitcoin outperforms gold in inflation trades. He emphasized that Bitcoin's total supply is capped at 21 million coins, with less than 1 million remaining to be mined, while gold's supply continues to increase annually. Therefore, Bitcoin holds a stronger advantage in the dimension of scarcity.Paul Tudor Jones recalled that in 2020, against the backdrop of Federal Reserve and fiscal expansion, Bitcoin became one of the most outstanding inflation-hedging assets at the time, and he subsequently increased its allocation to around 5% of his investment portfolio. However, he also warned of risks: in the event of large-scale "momentum conflicts" or cyber warfare-level incidents, the electronic asset system could face systemic disruption risks, and Bitcoin may also be impacted. Additionally, future cryptographic risks driven by quantum computing and AI could become a source of long-term uncertainty. (The Block)
According to The Block, a U.S. court sentenced Maximilien de Hoop Cartier—a descendant of the Cartier jewelry family—to eight years in prison for operating an unlicensed over-the-counter cryptocurrency exchange. Prosecutors stated that the exchange transferred over $470 million in drug proceeds through U.S. bank accounts to Colombia. Prosecutors alleged that Maximilien de Hoop Cartier falsely claimed his companies engaged in software publishing and software development. In reality, these companies were used to receive and transfer drug money and other illicit proceeds: drug funds were received in cryptocurrency, converted into fiat currency, deposited into shell company accounts under his control, and then forwarded to other nodes within the money-laundering network. These funds were ultimately withdrawn in Colombian pesos in Colombia. In addition to imprisonment, Maximilien de Hoop Cartier was ordered to pay a fine of approximately $2.36 million—representing commissions he earned from participating in the fraud scheme. The court also ordered the forfeiture of specific bank accounts held in the names of shell companies used in the scheme.
According to The Block, Visa has partnered with WeFi—a “blockchain-based bank” founded by Reeve Collins, former CEO of Tether—to enable users to hold digital assets in self-custodial wallets and spend them directly across the global Visa acceptance network, without depositing assets into centralized exchanges. Maksym Sakharov, Co-Founder and CEO of WeFi, stated that stablecoins are natively embedded into the underlying infrastructure, with settlements processed automatically in the background, delivering a user experience indistinguishable from conventional payments. This partnership will initially launch in select markets across Europe, Asia, and Latin America, with further expansion contingent upon regulatory approvals.