France is taking a hardline stance against crypto firms operating under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) due to perceived regulatory loopholes. The French financial regulator, Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), warned it may block companies that use MiCA’s “passporting rights” to enter France through licenses from jurisdictions with weaker oversight.

The long-anticipated GOP crypto bill has run into political headwinds after Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) warned that lawmakers are “not ready” to move forward. The bill, designed to establish a regulatory framework for digital assets in the U.S., aimed to clarify oversight between the SEC and CFTC, while also providing guidelines around stablecoins and consumer protections.

South Korea’s two largest political parties have both introduced competing bills aimed at regulating stablecoins, reflecting the country’s push to become a leader in digital asset regulation.

The U.S. Senate Banking Committee has released a new discussion draft called the “Responsible Financial Innovation Act,” aiming to overhaul the regulatory framework for digital assets in the United States. This draft, which follows the recent CLARITY Act, seeks to provide clearer definitions and regulatory boundaries for digital assets, with a strong focus on investor protection and regulatory clarity.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Federal Reserve (Fed), and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) have jointly issued new guidance clarifying how U.S. banks can offer crypto custody services. The agencies emphasized that existing banking regulations for fiduciary duty, custody, and information security already provide a framework for safeguarding digital assets.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global financial watchdog, has issued a stark warning about the increasing misuse of stablecoins for illicit activities as international efforts to regulate cryptocurrencies continue to lag behind. In its latest report, the FATF highlighted that stablecoins have become the dominant vehicle for illegal on-chain activity, driven by their low costs, fast settlement times, and broad liquidity.