News linked to both this project and an event.
According to CoinDesk, Nigel Farage, leader of the UK’s Reform UK party, is facing a parliamentary standards inquiry after receiving an undisclosed £5 million (approximately $6.7 million) grant from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne—prior to his election as a Member of Parliament in 2024. Harborne resides in Thailand and holds a 12% stake in stablecoin issuer Tether. Farage stated that the grant was intended to ensure his personal security—not for political activities. However, both the Conservative and Labour parties have accused him of violating House of Commons rules requiring MPs to register any income received within the 12 months preceding their election, and have referred the matter to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. Reform UK countered that the payment constitutes a “personal unconditional gift,” exempt from disclosure requirements and unrelated to the election. The UK government announced in March this year that it would suspend political parties’ acceptance of cryptocurrency donations to guard against foreign interference. Previously, Christopher Harborne donated £9 million to Reform UK—the largest single political donation ever made by a living individual in the UK. This year, Ben Delo, co-founder of BitMEX, also donated £4 million to the party. Additionally, Farage himself holds a 6.31% stake in Stack BTC, a Bitcoin treasury company.
Odaily Planet Daily reported that Jason Karsh, the new Chief Marketing Officer of the Stellar Development Foundation, stated that for the crypto industry to achieve mainstream adoption, it must shift from short-term speculation and "hype cycles" to long-term value creation, emphasizing that "get rich slow" is the key path to building trust.Karsh pointed out that the industry's long-standing reliance on obscure jargon and technical terminology has actually widened the cognitive gap with average users. He believes that crypto "peaked too early in the public eye" due to the speculative frenzy, distorting its true value potential. He emphasized that the real opportunity lies in rebuilding the global financial infrastructure to enable more efficient value transfer and storage. Meanwhile, the Stellar Development Foundation, which has consistently focused on payment and cross-border financial applications since 2014, is now benefiting from the gradual regulatory recognition of stablecoins and tokenized assets.Karsh called stablecoins "the first killer app," but also noted that there is still a barrier to public understanding, suggesting they be redefined as "programmable dollars." He stated that the industry's future goal is to drive trillions of dollars in assets onto the blockchain, but the key lies in rebuilding trust at both the product and narrative levels, rather than relying on token issuance to drive growth. He concluded that the next wave of crypto growth will come from replacing traditional financial infrastructure, not just speculative cycles, but in the short term, the industry must first prioritize the foundational adoption phase of "attracting 100 million real users." (CoinDesk)
CFTC Chairman Mike Selig, in an interview with CoinDesk, stated that the CFTC is developing tools leveraging AI to review registration applications for the U.S. crypto market and monitor trading activity. Mike Selig noted that due to federal government layoffs, which have reduced the agency's workforce by more than one-fifth, AI and automation technologies will be used to fill the manpower gap and improve the efficiency of document review. Currently, his employees are undergoing training on Microsoft Copilot, while the agency is also developing internal tools for reviewing swaps data and market surveillance.Furthermore, Mike Selig stated that the digital asset classification guide jointly released by the CFTC and the SEC is the most important initiative during his tenure, aimed at providing regulatory clarity for market participants. Regarding prediction markets, Mike Selig reiterated the CFTC's exclusive jurisdiction and emphasized that strict enforcement actions will be taken against violations such as insider trading.
Odaily, According to sources, CertiK has confirmed its participation as a sponsor at Consensus Miami 2026. As the world's largest Web3 security company, CertiK plans to deeply engage in industry dialogue and ecosystem building through a series of activities.During the conference, CertiK will host and co-host two side events, inviting global founders, technical professionals, and industry representatives to discuss topics such as Web3 security, AI applications, and on-chain infrastructure. Founder and CEO Ronghui Gu will also participate in relevant roundtable forums to explore security and transparency in blockchain and financial infrastructure. Additionally, CertiK will set up a booth at the venue and conduct multiple fireside chats with partners, focusing on industry pain points including institutional adoption, risk visualization, and Web3 compliance implementation.Organized by CoinDesk, Consensus Miami 2026 will be held from May 5 to 7 in Miami, USA. It is expected to bring together over 20,000 industry participants globally, making it one of the most influential conferences in the crypto and Web3 industry.
According to CoinDesk, the U.S. cryptocurrency market structure bill—the Clarity Act—has seen no significant public progress over the past month and is not expected to achieve a breakthrough in April. The report notes that if the bill is to pass before the election, May 25—Memorial Day—is viewed as a critical milestone for advancement; after that date, members of Congress will gradually shift into campaign mode, leaving less time for legislative work. At present, it remains unclear whether the Senate Banking Committee will move forward with related hearings. Issues such as stablecoin yields and other outstanding matters have also yet to be publicly resolved. Even if these disagreements are addressed, the House of Representatives would still need to vote on the bill again.
the open interest (OI) for options on the Bitcoin spot ETF, IBIT, issued by BlackRock, rose to $27.61 billion on Friday, surpassing the $26.9 billion in the Bitcoin options market on the crypto derivatives platform Deribit for the first time.According to Volmex data, the call options holdings in IBIT are primarily betting that the Bitcoin price will rise to $109,709 in the short term, approximately 41% higher than the current level of around $77,400. Meanwhile, the Deribit market mainly expects Bitcoin to rise to about $106,000. Additionally, the average time to maturity of IBIT options is about two months longer than those on Deribit, indicating that investors in the regulated U.S. market are more inclined towards long-term holdings and stronger bullish sentiment. This further highlights the accelerating trend of institutionalization in the Bitcoin market. (CoinDesk)
Odaily Odaily: U.S. President Trump stated at a private event for TRUMP Meme coin holders held at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida that the White House will not allow banking lobbying groups to hinder the progress of the crypto market structure bill, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. He said the crypto industry has entered the mainstream, declaring "America is the leader in crypto," and that banks should not obstruct the establishment of stablecoin and crypto regulatory frameworks.Dubbed the "most exclusive meeting in the world," the event invited hundreds of large TRUMP coin holders. Guests included Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, Ark Invest founder Cathie Wood, Anchorage Digital CEO Nathan McCauley, and boxing champion Mike Tyson. Previously, the U.S. banking industry had expressed concerns that stablecoin reward mechanisms could impact traditional deposit businesses, which had slowed the legislative process. (CoinDesk)
According to CoinDesk, Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM) has officially launched the “Stablecoin Reserve Portfolio” (MSNXX), a government money market fund specifically designed for stablecoin issuers. The fund invests exclusively in highly liquid instruments such as U.S. Treasury securities and repurchase agreements backed by government securities, targets a net asset value of $1.00, and offers daily liquidity. This move aims to provide stablecoin issuers with a compliant, low-risk custodial solution for reserve assets.
According to CoinDesk, the cryptocurrency market weakened overall on Friday, with BTC hovering near $77,800—its upward momentum since Wednesday’s rally from $65,000 notably slowing. ETH traded at $2,300, down approximately 0.8% over the past 24 hours, underperforming BTC. Market pressure stems primarily from two sources: First, Japan’s March Corporate Services Price Index rose 3.1% year-on-year—above expectations—and core inflation accelerated, raising market expectations that the Bank of Japan may signal an interest rate hike at its next policy meeting; a stronger yen could trigger unwinding of global risk-asset carry trades. Second, the ongoing Iran conflict continues disrupting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz; WTI crude futures have surged over 40% since the outbreak of hostilities, reaching $96 per barrel. The U.S. Department of Defense warned that mine clearance will take at least six months, implying persistent global inflationary pressures and further constraining the Federal Reserve’s room to cut interest rates.
According to CoinDesk, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit on April 24 against Kalshi, Coinbase, Polymarket, Robinhood, and Crypto.com, accusing these platforms of operating unlicensed gambling businesses under the guise of “event contracts.” The complaint cites marketing language used by the platforms themselves—for instance, Kalshi’s claim to be “the first legal sports betting platform in the U.S.,” and Polymarket’s statement that users can “bet on the outcomes of future events”—to argue that such contracts constitute wagering under Wisconsin law. The state government further noted that the platforms’ business model—charging fees per transaction—is functionally identical to casinos’ commission-based revenue structure. At the heart of this case lies a jurisdictional dispute: whether prediction market contracts fall under federal regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) or are subject to individual states’ gambling laws. Similar lawsuits have already been filed by multiple states, and this conflict is expected to ultimately be resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court.
the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has released a report stating that crypto exchanges are increasingly offering banking-like services, such as lending and yield-bearing products (Earn), but lack the regulatory oversight and deposit protection found in traditional financial systems, posing systemic risks.The report states that these high-yield products are essentially more akin to "unsecured loans." User assets are often used by platforms for high-risk operations such as lending, trading, or market making, while users only hold a claim against the platform. If the platform encounters problems, users are directly exposed to solvency risks.The BIS also noted that major crypto platforms have evolved from simple exchanges into "multi-functional intermediaries," integrating the functions of banks, brokerages, and exchanges, but with insufficient transparency and risk isolation mechanisms. The collapses of Celsius Network and FTX are typical examples of this structural risk. Additionally, the report mentions the crypto market flash crash in October 2025, which triggered approximately $19 billion in forced liquidations, highlighting the risk of cascading effects under high leverage and opaque structures. (CoinDesk)
According to CoinDesk, over 100 U.S. crypto companies and industry organizations sent a letter to the Senate Banking Committee urging advancement of the Clarity Act’s consideration to establish a federal regulatory framework for digital asset markets. Signatories include Coinbase, Ripple, Kraken, Andreessen Horowitz, Paradigm, and Consensys. Their core demands include clarifying the regulatory division of responsibilities between the SEC and the CFTC, protecting developers of non-custodial tools, simplifying disclosure requirements, and preventing fragmentation across state-level regulatory standards. The signatories warn that without a comprehensive crypto regulatory framework in the U.S., investment, jobs, and development activity may shift overseas.
According to CoinDesk, OpenAI has hired six senior marketing executives from Coinbase over the past year and a half, including former Chief Marketing Officer Kate Rouch. The report also states that, in addition to marketing staff, talent from Coinbase’s policy, product design, and data science teams has also joined OpenAI. Sources familiar with the matter said Kate Rouch played a key role in facilitating the move of several former Coinbase colleagues to OpenAI. A Coinbase spokesperson responded that its marketing team comprises more than 150 people, and such personnel movements are normal.
TechFlow News, April 22: According to CoinDesk, Kraken stated that it has filed 56 million cryptocurrency transaction tax forms with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the 2025 tax year. Of these, approximately 18.5 million forms report transactions under $1, 74% report amounts under $50, and only 8.5% exceed $600. Kraken noted that the absence of a de minimis exemption threshold for cryptocurrency payments—and the current treatment of staking rewards as ordinary income upon receipt—are imposing a significant reporting burden on investors. Kraken is urging the U.S. Congress to enact broader, inflation-indexed de minimis exemption rules and to allow taxpayers to elect whether staking rewards are taxed upon receipt or upon sale.
Odaily News Wall Street investment bank Jefferies' analysis indicates that the approximately $293 million attack on Kelp DAO on April 18 exposed critical infrastructure risks, which may prompt traditional financial institutions to reassess the pace of blockchain and tokenization advancement.Jefferies believes the attacker triggered market sell-offs and liquidity stress by minting unbacked tokens and borrowing across platforms. The incident is suspected to be potentially linked to the Lazarus Group and also highlights the single point of failure in the validation mechanisms of cross-chain bridges. As institutions accelerate the tokenization of assets (such as funds, bonds, and deposits), related risks may cause some banks and asset management firms to temporarily pause deployments, prioritizing a review of system security. Especially in scenarios reliant on cross-chain infrastructure, security vulnerabilities could lead to market fragmentation, undermining the practical utility of tokenized assets.Despite short-term confidence being shaken, Jefferies still emphasizes that the long-term trend remains unchanged. Against the backdrop of regulatory progress and continuous infrastructure improvement, use cases like stablecoins still hold growth potential. However, the industry as a whole is still in its early development stage and requires time to enhance system robustness. (CoinDesk)
According to CoinDesk, citing the Financial Times, Revolut—the largest fintech company in Europe and a crypto-friendly platform—has informed investors that its target valuation range for its IPO is $150 billion to $200 billion, with the earliest possible listing date no earlier than 2028. Previously, in November 2025, the company completed a share sale at a valuation of $75 billion—representing over a 125% increase from that figure. Meanwhile, Revolut is reportedly preparing for a secondary share sale in the second half of 2026, with an expected valuation of approximately $100 billion. Financially, the company’s pre-tax profit for 2025 rose 57% year-on-year to £1.7 billion (approximately $2.3 billion). On the operational front, Revolut obtained a full UK banking license in March this year and has applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a U.S. banking license, accelerating its global market expansion. However, insiders indicate that a formal valuation target has not yet been finalized.
According to CoinDesk, the U.S. Senate’s Digital Asset Market Clarity Act has been delayed by several months, though a path forward remains amid a tight legislative calendar. Sources indicate that the bill’s original April timeline is now largely unattainable; the earliest it could reach committee review in the Senate is May. If the Senate manages to complete its vote before July, the bill could still become law in 2026. However, analysts note that, given the limited legislative window and overlapping political priorities, the probability of the bill passing in 2026 stands at approximately 50%. Should significant disagreements emerge later, the bill risks further delay—or even being shelved entirely.
According to CoinDesk, U.S. Representatives have introduced the “PACE Act,” aimed at modernizing the U.S. payment system. The bill would allow qualified companies direct access to the Federal Reserve’s payment rails to reduce payment delays, lower transaction fees, and accelerate fund transfers for consumers and businesses. The report notes that the proposal has garnered support from fintech and cryptocurrency groups, with the goal of making the payment system faster, lower-cost, and more competitive.
According to CoinDesk, a UK economic development agency this week invited Bybit’s management team to London for meetings with the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and representatives of the House of Lords to discuss topics including cryptocurrency regulation, corporate establishment, and job creation. Bybit CEO Ben Zhou stated that the UK aims to attract major enterprises to set up local headquarters and drive innovation through stablecoins, tokenization, and payment system reforms. The report notes that this invitation coincides with the UK’s FinTech Week and reflects the UK’s intent to reverse the trend of capital and corporate migration toward the UAE.
According to CoinDesk, custody provider Fireblocks will handle the issuance and distribution of the Qivalis consortium’s euro-pegged stablecoin. The project is expected to launch in the second half of 2026, under supervision by the Dutch Central Bank and in compliance with the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). Qivalis members include 12 European banks, such as BBVA, BNP Paribas, ING, and UniCredit. The report notes that the current stablecoin market size stands at approximately $30.5 billion, of which about 99% consists of U.S. dollar–pegged stablecoins, while euro-pegged stablecoins account for roughly $650 million. Qivalis aims to boost institutional adoption of euro stablecoins through a compliant product.