Regulatory Policy

Focuses on global regulatory developments, policy changes, and compliance requirements. It provides in-depth analysis of government regulations and their impact on the cryptocurrency and blockchain industries, helping businesses and investors proactively manage policy-related risks.

No Crypto Payments: Russia Draws Line On Bitcoin, Ethereum

Russia has definitively rejected the use of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum for domestic payments, according to Anatoly Aksakov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Financial Markets. He stated that cryptocurrencies "will never" function as money within the country and can only be used as an investment tool, with the ruble remaining the sole legal tender for all domestic transactions. This stance aligns with the central bank's position, drawing a clear line between domestic use and international trade. While crypto is banned for payments inside Russia, the country has established an experimental legal regime that permits its use for cross-border settlements under foreign trade contracts. Officials have openly admitted to using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin for international trade to circumvent sanctions. The policy also allows for limited crypto investment by qualified wealthy investors, but the domestic payment ban remains firmly in place. The government has demonstrated a willingness to block crypto-related services that violate these rules. The overarching message is that speculation and authorized foreign trade are permitted, but the ruble is the only acceptable currency for domestic commerce.

bitcoinist12/17 18:17

No Crypto Payments: Russia Draws Line On Bitcoin, Ethereum

bitcoinist12/17 18:17

Silvergate Bank lawsuit calls for FTX, Alameda clients to weigh in on $10M settlement

A class-action lawsuit against Silvergate Bank in California is calling for FTX and Alameda Research clients to file claims for a $10 million settlement. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of California, alleges Silvergate aided FTX and Alameda in tortious conduct. Investors who deposited fiat into FTX or Alameda accounts between 2019 and 2022 have until January 30 to opt out or submit a claim. A final hearing is scheduled for February 9. Silvergate, a major crypto-friendly bank linked to FTX, collapsed and voluntarily wound down operations in 2023. The settlement offers additional relief beyond the ongoing FTX bankruptcy proceedings.

cointelegraph12/17 17:45

Silvergate Bank lawsuit calls for FTX, Alameda clients to weigh in on $10M settlement

cointelegraph12/17 17:45

Crypto ETP Boom Set To Go Into Overdrive In 2026, Bitwise Says

More than 100 new crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) are expected to launch in 2026 due to a recent US regulatory change, according to Bitwise researcher Ryan Rasmussen. The SEC's new generic listing standards eliminate the need for lengthy individual approvals, streamlining the process. This shift allows issuers to file a wider variety of products, including spot crypto, index funds, and equity-linked ETPs. While this will significantly expand investor choice, analysts caution that success will depend on real demand, liquidity, and clear use cases. The market will likely see a wave of new listings, but assets are expected to concentrate in a few large funds, mirroring the broader ETF market.

bitcoinist12/17 17:03

Crypto ETP Boom Set To Go Into Overdrive In 2026, Bitwise Says

bitcoinist12/17 17:03

Buryatia Supports Strengthening the Ban on Cryptocurrency Mining

The government of Buryatia has supported the introduction of a year-round ban on cryptocurrency mining, citing a severe existing electricity deficit. The regional Ministry of Transport, Energy, and Road Infrastructure stated that the ban is a measure to stabilize the power supply and ensure the rational use of resources. The energy deficit in Buryatia and two neighboring regions—Irkutsk Oblast and Zabaykalsky Krai—reaches nearly 3,000 MW. Previously, restrictions were only in place during the high-load winter period from November 15 to March 15. This follows a previous report that the Russian government plans to introduce a year-round mining ban in southern Buryatia and Zabaykalsky Krai starting in 2026. Earlier in 2025, mining was restricted until spring 2031 in several energy-deficient Russian territories, including regions of the North Caucasus and occupied Ukrainian territories, where the ban is year-round. Seasonal restrictions were applied in Buryatia, Zabaykalsky Krai, and southern Irkutsk Oblast during the heating season, though the governor of Irkutsk later secured a full ban for his region. Buryatia and Zabaykalsky Krai had previously requested a full ban, but a decision was postponed in June to first assess the financial impact on the power grid and prepare a regulatory framework for redistributing miners' power capacity to social facilities. Despite this, the Ministry of Energy stated in September that it saw no grounds for new mining bans, claiming it had received no requests from regional authorities and that the national power system was handling the load.

RBK-crypto12/17 15:38

Buryatia Supports Strengthening the Ban on Cryptocurrency Mining

RBK-crypto12/17 15:38

Former SEC counsel explains what it takes to make RWAs compliant

Former SEC counsel Ashley Ebersole explains that regulatory engagement, not technology, has been the main constraint for real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. While the SEC initially took an enforcement-heavy approach after its 2017 DAO Report, the agency is now more open to dialogue. Compliant RWA models, such as tokenized equities that confer actual shareholder rights through regulated intermediaries, are feasible. However, challenges remain due to jurisdictional fragmentation—securities laws vary globally, and structures valid in the U.S. may not comply in the E.U. or Asia. Yield-bearing tokens also face scrutiny, as passive returns often trigger securities regulations. Despite these hurdles, growing institutional interest and regulatory shifts are enabling more compliant RWA products to advance.

cointelegraph12/17 13:46

Former SEC counsel explains what it takes to make RWAs compliant

cointelegraph12/17 13:46

CAR’s crypto push fueled ‘state capture’ by elites, criminal networks: Report

A report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) claims that the Central African Republic’s (CAR) cryptocurrency initiatives have deepened elite control and exposed the country to foreign criminal networks. Despite adopting Bitcoin as legal tender in 2022 and launching projects like Sango Coin and a national memecoin, the efforts were deemed unrealistic in a country with limited electricity, internet access, and low GDP per capita. The report argues these projects benefited foreign investors and a small circle of insiders—including individuals linked to illegal activities—rather than the local population. CAR repealed its Bitcoin law in 2023 after international pressure. Its crypto ventures, including Sango Coin, performed poorly, with the memecoin losing over 93% of its value in a year.

cointelegraph12/17 12:21

CAR’s crypto push fueled ‘state capture’ by elites, criminal networks: Report

cointelegraph12/17 12:21

Central African Republic Government Accused of Using Crypto to Extract Millions While Citizens Suffered

The Central African Republic (CAR) government, under President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, has been accused of using cryptocurrency initiatives as a front for corruption and fraud, rather than for genuine economic development. An investigation by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Crime (GIATC) found that national projects like Sango Coin and the $CAR memecoin were used to extract millions of dollars, with funds going directly into officials' pockets instead of public budgets. Despite being promoted as tools for modernization and financial sovereignty, these schemes failed to benefit citizens in a country where most lack basic infrastructure like electricity and internet. Evidence suggests the $CAR token was a pump-and-dump scheme orchestrated by government insiders, while AI was used to fabricate proof of development projects. The report also warns that these crypto activities create risks of state capture by criminal networks, including sanctioned entities linked to illegal mining and Russian mercenary groups.

ccn.com12/17 10:50

Central African Republic Government Accused of Using Crypto to Extract Millions While Citizens Suffered

ccn.com12/17 10:50

‘DeFi will win!’ Aave founder celebrates as SEC has ends 4-year probe

Aave, a leading DeFi lending protocol, announced the closure of a four-year SEC investigation. Founder Stani Kulechov expressed relief, stating it ends a period of "unfair regulatory pressure" and allows developers to focus on building the future of finance. This follows a similar conclusion to Uniswap's probe, though the timing of Aave's announcement raised questions. It came amid community criticism that Kulechov and Aave Labs were diverting potential DAO revenue from AAVE token buybacks. Despite an internal struggle, Aave remains the top lending protocol with over $800M in fees this year. Although the AAVE token price dropped 4% after the news, on-chain data suggests accumulation at lower prices. The team has an ambitious 2026 roadmap, including tokenization and a new protocol version.

ambcrypto12/17 10:35

‘DeFi will win!’ Aave founder celebrates as SEC has ends 4-year probe

ambcrypto12/17 10:35

Selling Assets While Racing for a Bank Charter: What's the Rush at PayPal?

Facing intense pressure from the shifting financial landscape, PayPal is making two seemingly contradictory moves: selling off $7 billion in "Buy Now, Pay Later" loan assets while simultaneously applying for an industrial bank charter (ILC) to establish "PayPal Bank." The core reason is a strategic pivot to escape the vulnerabilities of its current "rent-a-license" model. For years, PayPal's massive lending business relied on WebBank's charter, making it a "middleman" whose core operations were dependent on a partner. A recent crisis involving a similar intermediary, Synapse, which froze user funds, highlighted the extreme risk of this model. Furthermore, in a high-interest-rate environment, PayPal is missing out on billions in profit by parking its 430 million users' funds at partner banks instead of leveraging them as low-cost deposits to earn interest and lending revenue itself. The urgency is amplified by the existential threat of stablecoins. PayPal's own stablecoin, PYUSD, is issued by a partner, Paxos. As regulators move to grant such partners official banking status and new legislation like the GENIUS Act takes shape, control over stablecoin issuance—and its near-zero-fee model—is shifting to licensed entities. This directly threatens PayPal's core business, which relies on high transaction fees for e-commerce payments. To survive, PayPal must control the entire financial stack. The asset sale was a crucial prerequisite for the bank application. By offloading the risky loan assets, PayPal presented a "clean" balance sheet to regulators (the FDIC), drastically increasing its chances of approval for the highly coveted ILC charter. This charter is a rare "backdoor" that allows commercial companies like PayPal to operate a bank without the parent company becoming a heavily regulated bank holding company. PayPal is racing against time. Regulatory scrutiny on ILCs is increasing, and this window of opportunity may soon close. The bank charter is not just about loans; it's an option for the future—allowing PayPal to legally custody crypto assets, connect to DeFi protocols, and transform from a payment processor into a full-scale asset manager for the Web3 era. This is a desperate bid for survival: to become the J.P. Morgan of crypto or risk becoming a relic of the early internet.

marsbit12/17 10:15

Selling Assets While Racing for a Bank Charter: What's the Rush at PayPal?

marsbit12/17 10:15

SEC Closes 4 Year Long Investigation Into Aave, Here’s Everything You Should Know About the Case

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has closed its four-year investigation into Aave without recommending any enforcement action. The probe, which began around 2021–2022, examined whether the AAVE token or the protocol’s lending and borrowing pools constituted unregistered securities. Aave CEO Stani Kulechov announced the decision on December 16, 2025, calling it a significant victory for the DeFi ecosystem and a sign of reduced regulatory pressure. The closure aligns with a broader trend of the SEC ending several high-profile crypto investigations in 2025 under the new administration. While not an exoneration, the decision allows Aave and similar DeFi platforms to operate without immediate legal threat.

ccn.com12/17 09:25

SEC Closes 4 Year Long Investigation Into Aave, Here’s Everything You Should Know About the Case