News linked to both this project and an event.
Cointelegraph posted on X platform, stating that the Philippines is tightening cryptocurrency regulatory rules and banning privacy coins from trading on licensed exchanges.
law enforcement agencies from 11 countries have jointly shut down the money laundering network AudiA6, which processed over 336 million euros in illicit funds between 2022 and 2025. On June 10, law enforcement arrested two administrators of Russian and Ukrainian nationality in Georgia, seized 25 domain names, over 30 servers, and 80 vehicles, and froze approximately 778,000 euros in cryptocurrency. Operating as a "mixer-as-a-service," AudiA6 provided services to cybercriminals involved in ransomware attacks, helping them cash out crypto assets and conceal the flow of funds, charging commissions of 3% to 10% and claiming to complete the "cleaning" process within about an hour.Since 2021, the AudiA6 wallet has received approximately 10,333 BTC, valued at around $389 million at the time of the transactions. The investigation also revealed that the money laundering network used thousands of fake accounts created with stolen or purchased identities, involving over 6,000 KYC records; many of these accounts were linked to Russian-speaking intermediaries and were used to transfer criminal proceeds through cryptocurrency exchanges. The clearnet and darknet domains of AudiA6 and Dark2Web have been replaced with seizure banners. (Cointelegraph)
According to Cointelegraph, Delaware and New Jersey have advanced legislation to impose a comprehensive ban on cryptocurrency ATMs. Specifically, Delaware’s House Economic Development Committee has approved House Bill 441, which prohibits the ownership, installation, or operation of cryptocurrency ATMs and mandates the removal of such devices within 90 days after the bill takes effect; violations carry a maximum fine of $10,000.
Odaily News: South Korean police recently raided cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb to investigate allegations that independent lawmaker Kim Byung-gi used his influence to secure a job for his son. According to reports, Kim’s son joined Bithumb in January 2025 and worked there for about six months. Police are investigating whether external pressure or preferential treatment was involved in the hiring process. Additionally, the case has also implicated Dunamu, the operator of South Korea’s largest crypto exchange Upbit, with the investigation scope expanding from simple hiring issues to potential abuse of power and conflicts of interest.Investigators noted that during his tenure on the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee, Kim Byung-gi raised multiple inquiries against Dunamu during committee meetings, sparking external speculation that he may have been seeking benefits for the company where his son was employed.It is understood that police have previously questioned executives from several cryptocurrency firms and have conducted search and seizure operations at Bithumb’s headquarters and Bithumb Financial Tower. Kim Byung-gi himself is under investigation on 13 charges, including allegations related to job placements, bribery for nominations, and requests concerning university transfers. He has stated that he believes he will ultimately be able to prove his innocence.Notably, Bithumb has been facing sustained regulatory pressure recently. In March this year, South Korea’s financial regulator fined Bithumb approximately $24.5 million for violations related to KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) regulations, and issued a six-month partial business suspension order. However, the Seoul court temporarily suspended the penalty in late April, and the relevant legal proceedings are still ongoing. (Cointelegraph)
According to Cointelegraph, Coinbase and Better Home & Finance announced they will launch a cryptocurrency-backed mortgage program in summer 2026, enabling qualified borrowers to use bitcoin (BTC) or USDC as collateral to fund down payments on mortgages backed by Fannie Mae. This initiative follows the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) directive in June 2025 instructing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to include crypto assets in mortgage risk assessments—without requiring conversion into fiat currency. Other lenders, including Newrez, have already begun adopting similar measures. However, some U.S. senators have expressed concerns that cryptocurrency price volatility could threaten housing market stability. Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis has introduced the “21st Century Mortgage Act,” aiming to codify this policy into law.
: Nine Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives have called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate prediction markets, reviewing whether their advertising campaigns are consistent with the statements they make to regulators. Representatives Kevin Mullin and Gabe Vasquez stated that prediction market platforms present themselves to regulators as financial instruments offering investment products, yet advertise to the public as gambling platforms. This contradictory information could mislead consumers.The lawmakers have requested that the FTC provide a detailed response by June 29 on whether it plans to launch an investigation or take enforcement action against prediction markets. Prediction markets have recently come under scrutiny over insider trading issues, and Congress launched investigations into Polymarket and Kalshi in May. (Cointelegraph)
According to Cointelegraph, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced on June 4 the repeal of its nearly 30-year-old “neither admit nor deny” policy. Introduced in 1998, this policy required defendants to agree not to publicly deny the CFTC’s allegations as a condition of settlement. CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam stated that the move aligns with the broader direction across federal regulatory agencies and grants the Commission greater flexibility in enforcement settlements. Earlier in May, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had already repealed a similar policy. Several crypto firms had criticized the rule for restricting their freedom of speech.
According to Cointelegraph, the transitional period for the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) will end on July 1, 2026. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) stated that, as of that date, crypto-asset service providers not yet authorized under MiCA—even if their applications are still under review—must cease providing services to EU customers and initiate business wind-down and customer migration arrangements.
According to Cointelegraph, U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis stated that if Congress fails to pass the digital asset market structure bill—the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (the “CLARITY Act”)—the United States risks falling behind other countries, including China, in leadership on crypto regulation. She noted that enacting a comprehensive crypto regulatory framework would help ensure that other nations do not write the rules for the next era of finance. Earlier, in May, the Senate Banking Committee voted to advance the bill; however, it still requires passage by both chambers of Congress and the President’s signature before becoming law.
Odaily Celsius founder Alex Mashinsky has filed a motion with a New York court, seeking to overturn his 12-year sentence for fraud and market manipulation.Court documents show that Mashinsky chose to proceed pro se after his lawyers withdrew, claiming they 'stopped communicating' with him, forcing him to file documents personally with the court. He argues that his previous defense constituted 'ineffective assistance of counsel' and invokes the 'fruit of the poisonous tree' doctrine, challenging the legality of certain evidence in the case.In his filings, Mashinsky also accused Sam Bankman-Fried of intending to 'destroy Celsius' and attributed market manipulation related to the CEL token to FTX. Additionally, he publicly disclosed text messages with former Celsius Chief Revenue Officer Roni Cohen-Pavon, alleging that Cohen-Pavon attempted a 'hostile takeover' of the company.In 2025, Mashinsky pleaded guilty to commodities fraud and securities fraud, was ordered to forfeit $48 million, and must also pay a $10 million settlement to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Cohen-Pavon, who previously testified as a cooperating witness for the prosecution, has been sentenced to 'time served' and ordered to pay over $1 million in fines. (Cointelegraph)
Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, is calling on regulators to create a level playing field, allowing licensed institutions to offer around-the-clock on-chain perpetual contracts. ICE executives stated that while platforms like Hyperliquid are already conducting such trading, traditional institutions are restricted by regulations and unable to follow suit.ICE has engaged in discussions with Hyperliquid to explore areas of synergy between traditional finance and the crypto industry. Additionally, ICE recently partnered with OKX to launch crude oil-related perpetual contracts, while also teaming up with institutions to build a blockchain-based securities trading system, comprehensively deploying 24/7 on-chain trading operations. (Cointelegraph)
blockchain infrastructure platform and stablecoin issuer Paxos has announced that its subsidiary, Paxos Securities Settlement Company, has obtained registration as a clearing agency with the U.S. SEC, allowing it to provide clearing and settlement services as a central securities depository in the United States. In October 2019, the SEC issued a no-action letter to Paxos, permitting a pilot for blockchain-based U.S. stock settlement services, which went live in February 2020. Paxos stated that the pilot achieved same-day settlement, reduced costs, and improved operational efficiency within a regulated framework. Stablecoins and digital assets issued by Paxos include PayPal USD, Global Dollar, and Pax Gold. The SEC issued a Wells Notice to Paxos in 2023 regarding the issuance of Binance USD and concluded its investigation in 2024. Additionally, Paxos reached a $48.5 million settlement with the NYDFS in August 2025 concerning compliance issues related to Binance and BUSD. (Cointelegraph)
Polymarket's Vice President of Engineering, Josh Stevens, clarified in a post on X that the prediction market platform will not introduce mandatory Know Your Customer (KYC) checks on its existing services. Stevens stated that KYC is only applicable to the early testing of a new Beta product for some users, and none of the existing products will require KYC as a result. The product will not require KYC after it exits Beta testing either. Polymarket currently faces access restrictions in several jurisdictions, including bans on users placing orders or only allowing position closures. In April, Brazil blocked 27 prediction market platforms, including Polymarket and Kalshi, while Spain's gambling regulator also restricted local users' access to Polymarket and Kalshi in May. (Cointelegraph)
Chainalysis has released a report indicating that overall compliance standards in the crypto industry are improving, but significant deficiencies remain in the monitoring of indirect fund flows.The report shows that among new institutions entering the crypto industry in 2026, approximately 47% adopted alert standards that would have ranked among the strictest top 10% in the industry five years ago. Chainalysis states that while industry standards for "direct monitoring" (funds coming directly from known illicit sources) have become largely unified, gaps remain in "indirect monitoring" (funds flowing through intermediate addresses).Data indicates that in 2020, only about 10% of institutions met top-tier industry compliance requirements. However, since 2023, this proportion has significantly increased, with newcomers generally adopting stricter monitoring standards. Nevertheless, for risk categories such as ransomware, scam shops, and darknet markets, industry thresholds for indirect monitoring are still commonly 10 to 20 times higher than those for direct monitoring. (Cointelegraph)
Odaily Odaily, Robinhood has received final regulatory approval to acquire Canadian company WonderFi for $180 million. (Cointelegraph)
According to Cointelegraph, Binance has officially re-entered the Philippine market through a partnership with BlockShoals, leveraging the regulatory sandbox framework of the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Binance was previously banned by the Philippine SEC in 2024. Its return is facilitated by the compliant sandbox mechanism.
prediction market platform Kalshi has announced support for the establishment of a new prediction market lobbying organization, Americans for Fair Markets, and has appointed Taylor Budowich, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff under the Trump administration, as a strategic advisor. The organization will confront the sports betting and casino industries, which it alleges are "trying to maintain their monopoly and spread misinformation about prediction markets to policymakers."According to reports, Americans for Fair Markets will push for federal-level regulatory policy for prediction markets and launch paid advocacy campaigns to counter what it calls "false narratives" about the industry. The organization will also join a broader industry lobbying camp, including the Coalition for Prediction Markets, which was founded in December 2025 with support from Coinbase, Crypto.com, and Robinhood.On the same day, the U.S. House of Representatives launched an investigation into Kalshi and its main competitor, Polymarket, focusing on how the platforms handle insider trading issues. As prediction markets face increased scrutiny in the United States and globally, related regulatory controversies continue to escalate.Kalshi stated that the new organization will support the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) regulation of prediction markets and will advocate for KYC requirements, a ban on insider trading, and restrictions on markets related to violence and terrorism under a federal regulatory framework. John Bivona, Head of Government Relations at Kalshi, said: "We will not be outspent or out-organized by established interests trying to protect their monopoly." (Cointelegraph)
Odaily Odaily報道， multiple senior officials at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) who had raised compliance concerns regarding prediction market platforms were subsequently suspended, subjected to internal investigations, and ultimately forced to leave their positions. The report states that these officials had expressed concerns about the following companies: Polymarket lacking adequate anti-fraud mechanisms; Crypto.com not treating small bettors fairly; and a Gemini-affiliated company having not yet completed necessary regulatory reviews.The investigation noted that all the aforementioned companies are believed to have business ties with the Trump family. Sources said that the then-acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham and her senior advisor intervened to help these companies secure regulatory approvals.As of the end of 2025, two officials who raised the questions were placed on administrative suspension and subjected to internal investigations, while three other officials responsible for crypto enforcement faced similar treatment, none of whom were informed of the specific reasons. The report suggests this has created a signal within the CFTC to "avoid creating trouble for the relevant industry."The CFTC significantly scaled back crypto enforcement during the Trump era: the agency initiated over 80 crypto enforcement actions during the Biden administration, but only two during the Trump administration, both targeting individual operators rather than large corporations. Furthermore, Caroline Pham left the CFTC to join MoonPay, which has a partnership with Polymarket; her former senior advisor, Brigitte Weyls, joined Gemini Titan as General Counsel. The current CFTC Chair, Michael Selig, previously worked as a corporate lawyer for several crypto companies. (Cointelegraph)
According to Cointelegraph, Binance CEO Richard Teng denied a Wall Street Journal report claiming that the platform processed approximately $850 million in Iran-related transactions ultimately destined for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), calling the report “completely inaccurate.” The report stated that Babak Zanjani—a figure recently re-sanctioned by the U.S.—and his associated network transferred funds via Binance accounts over a two-year period. Richard Teng stated that Binance has never permitted sanctioned individuals to trade on its platform, and any flagged activity occurred prior to the imposition of U.S. sanctions. Previously, the Wall Street Journal also reported that Binance’s internal compliance team had issued multiple alerts regarding these accounts.
According to Cointelegraph, prediction market platform Polymarket is seeking entry into the Japanese market and aims to obtain regulatory approval for prediction markets from the Japanese government by 2030. The report states that Polymarket has appointed Mike Eidlin, Japan Head of crypto firm Jupiter, to lead its local operations in Japan and advance related compliance efforts. Japan maintains strict regulation over online gambling, permitting only a limited number of government-authorized activities—such as horse racing and public lotteries. Although Polymarket has not yet received authorization to operate in Japan, its Japanese regional X (formerly Twitter) account has already amassed over 53,000 followers. Meanwhile, under regulatory pressure and amid competition from platforms like Kalshi, Polymarket’s monthly nominal trading volume declined nearly 15% month-on-month in April.