European regulators are tightening crypto tax reporting through the EU’s DAC8 framework, aligning with the OECD’s Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) and focusing enforcement on identifiable intermediaries like exchanges and custodians. For now, decentralized finance (DeFi) largely sits outside these reporting rules because protocols often lack a clear reporting entity, but that exclusion is fragile as authorities explore AML-style accountability.

Washington is preparing a January markup for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) of 2025, a major U.S. crypto regulation proposal designed to reduce the long-running SEC vs CFTC jurisdiction fight and create clearer rules for digital assets trading.

South Korea’s top securities bourse, the Korea Exchange (KRX), has declared it is technically and operationally ready to list Bitcoin ETFs and other virtual asset ETFs, as well as move toward 24/7 trading starting in 2026. Chairman Jeong Eun-bo announced plans to introduce new crypto investment products and derivatives as part of a broader strategy to tackle the long‑standing “Korea Discount” and modernize the country’s capital markets.

Hong Kong is expanding its crypto licensing regime to cover a broader range of virtual asset dealers and custodians, marking a major step in tightening oversight of its digital asset market. Following months of consultation, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) confirmed that firms offering virtual asset dealing or custody services in Hong Kong will be required to obtain licenses under a new framework.

The CLARITY Act, which already passed the House alongside the GENIUS stablecoin bill, is now parked in the Senate Banking Committee. There, two separate Senate drafts (Banking and Agriculture) must be merged before any formal markup can even occur.

Japanese financial giant SBI Holdings and Web3 infrastructure firm Startale Group have signed an MoU to develop a regulated Japanese yen stablecoin targeted for launch in Q2 2026. The stablecoin will be issued and redeemed by Shinsei Trust & Banking, a subsidiary of SBI Shinsei Bank, while SBI VC Trade, a licensed crypto asset exchange, will handle its circulation.

The SEC’s Crypto Task Force has scheduled a public “Roundtable on Financial Surveillance and Privacy” at its Washington, D.C. headquarters. The session, led by Commissioner Hester Peirce, will gather regulators, technologists, market participants, and civil-liberties advocates to discuss how oversight should work in an on-chain world where transactions are transparent by default but users still expect some level of privacy.

France is weighing two contradictory crypto policies that signal a split vision in Paris: treating digital assets as taxable “unproductive” wealth while pursuing a strategic national Bitcoin reserve. A first-reading amendment in the French National Assembly rebrands the real-estate-focused wealth tax into a broader tax on “unproductive wealth,” explicitly including digital assets.

The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has initiated a civil lawsuit against HTX, formerly Huobi, in London's High Court. The regulator accuses the global crypto exchange of illegally promoting cryptoasset services to UK consumers without proper authorization or registration, marking a significant escalation in the FCA's efforts to enforce its new financial promotions regime for digital assets.

BlackRock has launched the iShares Bitcoin ETP (ticker: IB1T) on the London Stock Exchange, giving UK retail investors regulated, direct exposure to spot Bitcoin for the first time. The physically backed ETP removes the need for self-custody while tracking BTC’s spot price, and debuted at $11.10, rising 5.54% on day one. BlackRock set a temporary total expense ratio (TER) of 0.15% through 31 December 2025, increasing to 0.25% thereafter, and confirmed reserves are held with r

The U.S. SEC approved 21Shares’ Form 8‑A (12B) for its Solana Spot ETF, officially registering it on the Cboe BZX Exchange and signaling trading could begin soon. This SEC approval has fueled bullish market sentiment, with investors debating whether Solana (SOL) can rally to $300 and set new all‑time highs.

The Bank of England (BoE) has clarified that its proposed caps on stablecoin holdings and transaction sizes are intended to be temporary safeguards, not permanent barriers to digital asset adoption. Speaking at DC Fintech Week, Deputy Governor Sarah Breeden emphasized the BoE’s aim to support a role for regulated stablecoins within a “multi‑money system” while preserving financial stability during the transition.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse is urging U.S. policymakers to treat compliant crypto companies on par with traditional finance (TradFi) institutions. Speaking at DC Fintech Week, he said firms that meet Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Know Your Customer (KYC), and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) standards should receive the same regulatory benefits as banks—most notably access to a Federal Reserve “master account.”

Kenya’s Parliament has approved the Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Bill in a major push to legitimize cryptocurrencies, with the measure now awaiting President William Ruto’s assent. The law aims to create a licensing and supervisory framework for crypto exchanges and wallets, strengthen consumer protection, and align with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) standards.

The Bank of England (BoE) plans to exempt crypto exchanges and other operationally critical firms from proposed stablecoin holding limits, a move that could channel significant liquidity into Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). By granting waivers for market-making and settlement operations—and allowing stablecoins for settlement in the Digital Securities Sandbox—the BoE addresses industry concerns that previous caps were unworkable.

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has lifted its ban on crypto exchange-traded products for retail investors, opening the door to Bitcoin and Ethereum-linked exchange-traded notes (cETNs) as part of the country’s push to become a global “crypto hub.” However, despite headlines that the “UK crypto ban is lifted,” retail investors still can’t buy immediately due to administrative holdups.

Going forward, crypto stakeholders should closely watch whether this no-action letter becomes a precedent for other token projects that link blockchain incentives to real-world services. If so, DePIN adoption could accelerate, transforming how global infrastructure—from internet bandwidth to IoT devices—is deployed and monetized, while reassuring builders and investors that innovation can coexist with regulatory compliance.

South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party (DP) has officially launched a crypto policy task force, signaling a more proactive stance toward shaping the country’s digital asset industry. The task force is tasked with drafting policies aimed at fostering innovation and promoting growth in blockchain, cryptocurrency, and fintech sectors.

Australia has unveiled draft legislation to tighten oversight of crypto exchanges, bringing digital asset platforms under the same rules as traditional financial services. The proposal, described by Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino as the cornerstone of the government’s digital asset roadmap, would create two new financial products under the Corporations Act: “digital asset platforms” and “tokenized custody platforms.”

The price of Bitcoin (BTC) slipped below the critical $115,000 level after the U.S. Federal Reserve executed a widely anticipated 25-basis-point interest rate cut, lowering the benchmark range to 4.0%–4.25%. Despite the dovish shift, Bitcoin’s immediate reaction was muted, as traders weighed the Fed’s cautious stance on inflation, employment, and growth.