News linked to both this project and an event.
Odaily Odaily Planet Daily reports that U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Michael S. Selig announced the appointment of Dr. Patrick J. Schorno as the agency's Chief Economist. In this role, he will provide economic advisory support to the Commission and integrate regulatory cost-benefit analysis and related research work. It is reported that this appointment aims to strengthen economic analysis capabilities for the U.S. derivatives market, enhance the transparency and scientific rigor of regulatory policies, and support ongoing regulatory coordination efforts with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).Dr. Schorno previously served as Deputy Chief Economist at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), held the position of Executive Director at Ally Financial, and worked as a Financial Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. His research has been published in journals such as the Journal of Banking & Finance, the Journal of Financial Intermediation, and the Journal of Corporate Finance.The CFTC stated that this appointment will further enhance its economic analysis capabilities in the formulation of financial regulatory policies.
“New Stock God” Serenity posted on X, seemingly responding to the potential investigation into Sivers, stating that Sivers (SIVE) should fully transform into a U.S. company, with Nasdaq listing as the first step—given that the company already possesses a U.S. capital structure, a significant equity stake, and support under the CHIPS Act. Such a transformation would deliver higher valuation premiums and M&A opportunities. Meanwhile, negative reporting by Swedish local media—allegedly influenced by short sellers—is hindering the development of AI photonics, whereas the U.S. market offers greater financing opportunities and support from institutions, funds, and indices.
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)
: The United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that it has jointly filed for an exemption from judgment with Gemini Trust Company LLC regarding the lawsuit initiated against Gemini in 2022.It is reported that the case was filed in June 2022, and both parties reached a settlement agreement in January 2025. After a comprehensive review, the CFTC concluded that the case should not have been brought and would not be pursued under current enforcement standards.The review report identified six major issues, including: the lawsuit was primarily based on statements from a whistleblower known to lack credibility; the investigation targeted Gemini as the victim rather than focusing on the alleged fraudsters; doubts existed regarding the strength of evidence against Gemini; key evidence was not provided to commissioners during their vote; litigation attorneys used deliberative privilege to prevent Gemini from accessing defense materials; and personnel involved were suspected of using regulatory authority to pressure Gemini into a settlement.
: Payment giant Mastercard has announced that it has obtained a BitLicense from the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), allowing it to conduct digital asset-related businesses under a strict regulatory framework, including stablecoins and blockchain settlement infrastructure. The license was obtained by Mastercard Transaction Services (U.S.) LLC, marking the company's further expansion into digital payments and on-chain settlement infrastructure. BitLicense is one of the strictest crypto regulatory frameworks in the United States, requiring firms to meet multiple standards for capital reserves, compliance, security, and consumer protection.Mastercard stated that this approval will support its strategic layout in stablecoins and tokenized payments. Company executives pointed out that a clear regulatory framework helps drive digital assets from the experimental stage toward practical applications.Recently, several institutions, including Galaxy Digital and Strike, have also successively obtained BitLicenses, indicating that U.S. regulatory approvals are accelerating the opening up to compliant digital asset enterprises. (CoinDesk)
Abu Dhabi-based investment company International Holding Company (IHC) has completed a $30 million (approximately AED 110 million) transaction using the UAE dirham-pegged stablecoin DDSC on the ADI Chain—marking DDSC’s first major institutional-level application following its regulatory approval. DDSC was jointly launched by IHC, First Abu Dhabi Bank, and Sirius International Holding, and has received approval from the Central Bank of the UAE. The project team stated that this milestone demonstrates the UAE’s digital payment infrastructure is now capable of supporting institutional-grade transactions, and paves the way for establishing digital trade and payment corridors linking the Middle East with global markets.
According to E-Company, Longbridge Securities has issued a further statement regarding recent regulatory developments concerning cross-border securities business in China. Longbridge Securities stated that the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong and mainland regulators—including the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC)—have recently released updated regulatory requirements for cross-border securities business, establishing industry-wide standardized rules for services offered to mainland investors. These new regulatory rules apply to all overseas financial institutions. Longbridge Securities actively responds to the regulatory guidance from both jurisdictions and will steadily advance its compliance efforts strictly in accordance with the relevant requirements. Longbridge Securities clarified that the scope of accounts subject to this regulatory cleanup is limited and clearly defined, targeting two specific categories: (1) investment accounts opened using suspicious or forged documents; and (2) dormant investment accounts with zero balances. Customer accounts that were properly and compliantly opened and hold genuine assets and positions are not included in this cleanup. Longbridge Securities firmly supports the regulators’ zero-tolerance stance toward fraudulent account openings and will handle such cases strictly in line with regulatory requirements.
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)
According to Cointelegraph, Yorkville America—the asset management firm behind Trump’s Truth Social—has announced the withdrawal of its three previously filed cryptocurrency ETF applications with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The withdrawn applications were for the Truth Social Bitcoin ETF, the Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF, and the Crypto Blue-Chip ETF. The company stated it will shift from the regulatory framework of the Securities Act of 1933 to that of the Investment Company Act of 1940 to offer more innovative products while providing stronger investor protections and tax advantages. However, it did not clarify whether it plans to pursue cryptocurrency ETFs under the new framework.
The Zcash Foundation released its Q1 2026 report, disclosing total liquid assets of approximately $36.7 million, including roughly $12.11 million in cash, 506,556 USDC, 85,412 ZEC (valued at ~$21.2 million), 41.8 BTC (valued at ~$2.85 million), and 12.02 ETH (valued at ~$25,000). The Zcash Foundation added that, although the first quarter of this year saw personnel changes within the Electric Coin Company’s development team and governance-related disputes, network operations remained unaffected, with transactions and block production continuing normally. On the regulatory front, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has concluded its investigation without taking any enforcement action, thereby resolving long-standing regulatory uncertainty.
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has called on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate the cryptocurrency company of President Donald Trump's family. (Jin10)
According to CoinPost, Japanese blockchain infrastructure company Nihon Blockchain Kiban has officially decided to issue the trust-based JPY-pegged stablecoin EJPY. The stablecoin is planned to be deployed on Japan Open Chain (JOC) and Ethereum, with the goal of launching issuance and circulation on JOC within fiscal year 2026. The announcement states that the trust-based architecture required for EJPY has achieved phased progress. The company noted that EJPY will primarily serve inter-corporate settlements, digital asset payments, fund transfers, and various Web3 payment use cases, and that it will advance a multi-chain strategy centered on JOC. Specific details—including the actual launch date, issuance terms, partner institutions, and supported blockchains—will be announced separately after consultations with regulatory authorities and relevant organizations and completion of necessary procedures.
According to The Block, global asset management firm Franklin Templeton and Payward—the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken—have announced a partnership to jointly explore tokenization pathways for traditional investment products. The collaboration spans tokenized equities, compliant custody, actively managed yield products, and institutional crypto liquidity services. The two parties plan to launch tokenized Franklin Templeton financial products targeting institutional clients, with potential expansion to Kraken’s broader user base depending on circumstances. Arjun Sethi, Co-CEO of Payward, stated that this partnership will pioneer entirely new product categories that were not feasible just three years ago. Meanwhile, Payward has applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust company charter to further expand its access within the U.S. financial system.
Genius Group, a Nasdaq-listed bitcoin treasury company, has disclosed a strategic investment of $5 million in digital bank Jewel Bank, acquiring a 9.9% equity stake in the company. It is reported that Jewel Bank is developing a U.S. dollar stablecoin, JUSD, planned to be backed by a 1:1 reserve of cash and U.S. Treasury bonds, with a target launch in the second half of 2026. The bank will also launch a real-time settlement system and offer white-label banking and stablecoin infrastructure services for enterprises. Following this investment, Genius Group will enter the regulated digital banking and stablecoin issuance sector. (Globenewswire)
According to an official announcement, the 21Shares Hyperliquid ETF (THYP) will launch on May 12, 2026, Eastern Time. The announcement also notes that this fund is not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and therefore is not subject to regulation under that Act—unlike most ETFs or mutual funds. 21Shares US further states that investing in THYP involves significant risks and high volatility, making it unsuitable for investors who cannot afford to lose their entire investment. Moreover, investing in THYP is not equivalent to directly investing in HYPE.
According to CoinDesk, Payward, Kraken’s parent company, announced on May 9 that it has submitted an application to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust company charter. If approved, Payward National Trust Company (PNTC) will be established to provide federally regulated digital asset custody and fiduciary services to institutional and individual clients.
Payward (Kraken's parent company) has applied to the OCC for a national trust company charter, planning to establish Payward National Trust Company (PNTC).The entity will offer regulated, bank-grade digital asset custody and trust services to both institutional and individual clients.Previously, Coinbase and Ripple have received conditional approval for similar charters, indicating that crypto institutions are accelerating their alignment with compliant financial systems.
: According to official sources, the Jito Foundation is partnering with Solana Company (NASDAQ: HSDT) to provide institutional-grade Solana infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region. The two parties will operate BAM validators using Pacific Backbone in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea. This low-latency infrastructure network supports staking, validation, and trading services in the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, they will jointly develop an institutional-grade JitoSOL staking product, delivered through Solana Company's consulting service model, to meet the compliance requirements of large capital allocators. The head of the Jito Foundation for the Asia-Pacific region stated that this collaboration aims to combine Jito's market layer technology with Solana Company's regional experience and institutional network, laying the foundation for scalable and compliant participation within the Solana ecosystem.
According to Fox News, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in collaboration with law enforcement agencies in Dubai, China, and Thailand, conducted a large-scale multinational joint operation that successfully dismantled at least nine overseas cryptocurrency scam centers and arrested 276 suspects, involving millions of dollars in illicit funds. In this operation, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California filed federal charges of wire fraud and money laundering against six suspects. Those charged include nationals from Myanmar and Indonesia, who operated scam organizations under names such as “Sanduo Group” and “Giant Company.” Dubai police arrested 275 suspects, while the Royal Thai Police apprehended one additional fugitive. These scam networks employed the “pig-butchering” scheme—building fake friendships or romantic relationships to gain victims’ trust, then luring them into transferring funds to fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms, after which the proceeds were laundered and transferred to criminal accounts. This operation aligns with the executive order signed by Trump on March 6, 2026, aimed at combating overseas criminal networks that exploit U.S. citizens. The FBI’s dedicated initiative, “Operation Level Up,” has notified approximately 9,000 victims and recovered roughly $562 million in losses for U.S. citizens. The FBI urges victims to report incidents through the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
According to an official announcement by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand (SEC), the Thai SEC is soliciting public comments on proposed amendments to the regulations governing futures contract business licenses. The key proposals include permitting existing digital asset service providers to directly apply for futures contract business licenses without having to establish new entities, and formally including digital assets within the scope of underlying assets eligible for futures contracts.