News linked to this event type.
According to Bitcoin.com, Binance's investigation team, jointly with India's Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), successfully dismantled the darknet drug trafficking organization "Team Kalki". Reportedly, the gang used cryptocurrencies, the encrypted communication platform Session, the darknet forum Dread, and "dead drop" methods to distribute drugs within India, with supply originating from overseas suppliers; authorities have seized a large quantity of drugs from domestic and international packages. Binance and DSCI assisted law enforcement officers in identifying and freezing crypto assets related to the gang through blockchain analysis and wallet tracking technology. Binance Asia-Pacific Head S.B. Seker stated that the public transparency of blockchain makes illegal transactions easier to track and investigate.
Odaily Odaily News Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas posted on the X platform that during the hearing, Lee Jongwook, a lawmaker from the South Korean People Power Party, told Koo, "This country has turned into a casino. These products should never have been allowed on the market. I believe this is a policy failure."Eric Balchunas stated that South Korean politicians are using 2x leveraged ETFs to criticize the government, but the real cause of the bubble and correction is the AI boom driving massive interest in memory chip manufacturers, with 2x leveraged ETFs merely being a tool to gain related exposure. He also noted that South Korea might not be the best market for 2x single stock ETFs, as the underlying stocks have insufficient liquidity, making it easier for derivative products to inversely affect the underlying assets.
Bitcoin News posted on platform X, stating that New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte has signed HB 639 into law to enhance legal protections for Bitcoin and digital assets. The law protects self-custody rights, prohibits state and local governments from restricting blockchain use, bans discriminatory cryptocurrency taxes on purchases, exempts miners from money transmitter licensing requirements, and establishes a dedicated court docket for blockchain disputes. This measure further solidifies legal certainty for Bitcoin users, miners, and the broader digital asset industry.
According to Forbes, consulting firm EY conducted a survey of 500 U.S. business owners with annual revenues exceeding $5 million. The results show that over 75% of respondents have integrated AI into business processes at least partially, with 10% having achieved full implementation. Entrepreneurs' expectations for AI center on three major areas: driving revenue growth through sales and marketing (57%), reducing operating costs (55%), and improving customer experience (49%). However, due to the difficulty in quantifying the actual benefits of AI, over one-third of respondents reduced technology spending, including AI, in the past year, generally exhibiting a prudent attitude of "seeing returns first, then increasing investment." In terms of talent and organization, 88% of respondents expect employee headcount to expand within the next 12 months, 42% are redesigning job responsibilities to integrate human-machine collaboration capabilities, but 46% of respondents also point out that insufficient talent and professional expertise are the main obstacles to implementing AI at scale.
据 Cointelegraph 报道，韩国金融服务委员会拟制定一项涵盖稳定币和加密货币交易所的综合性加密资产法案；议员正考虑废除原定于 2027 年实施的 22% 加密资产税。
According to Bitcoin.com, digital asset wealth platform Nexo announced the completion of an upgrade to its European Economic Area (EEA) operational structure to comply with the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR). Nexo chose to partner with two entities regulated by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) rather than directly applying for a single MiCAR license: Tangany holds a MiCAR license and is responsible for providing segregated digital asset custody infrastructure; DLT Finance holds both MiCAR and MiFID II authorizations and is responsible for providing brokerage and execution infrastructure. Currently, all of Nexo's services in the EEA are operating seamlessly without any interruption.
According to Yonhap News, economists at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) warned in an analysis in their monthly bulletin that the AI boom is blurring economic signals, increasing the risk of central banks making serious policy errors. The analysis pointed out that AI's impact on investment, trade, and asset prices has reached an "observable" scale, sufficient to influence global economic prospects in real time, and continues to support economic growth amidst trade disputes and geopolitical shocks; U.S. spending on data centers and IT manufacturing facilities has risen to 0.8% of GDP, and the wealth effect from AI-driven stock price increases is also stimulating consumption. Meanwhile, if AI boosts productivity or triggers unemployment concerns, it may produce a disinflationary effect. BIS economists warned that short-term inflationary effects may already be emerging, while disinflationary effects will be more gradual; once central banks overestimate productivity gains or underestimate underlying demand growth, they will face the risk of keeping interest rates too low and inflation spiraling out of control.
hardware wallet company Trezor stated there is a distinction between Bitcoin self-custody and holding Bitcoin credit exposure. When users store assets on exchanges, brokerages, or funds, they are actually relying on third-party ledger records and withdrawal arrangements. The company noted that after the full implementation of new EU crypto regulations, some exchanges that failed to obtain licenses in time have stopped offering regulated services to EU users. Trezor stated that its founders Marek Palatinus and Pavol Rusnák launched the first hardware wallet 12 years ago, moving private keys from internet-connected computers to dedicated devices. Trezor explained that private keys are generated on the device and never leave it, with transactions being signed inside the device before being sent. Trezor CCO Danny Sanders previously stated that if users put Bitcoin into ETFs and call it Bitcoin ownership, it would be one of the worst outcomes for the industry. Trezor estimates that among approximately 600 million global crypto users, about 10% self-custody their private keys, and around 12 to 13 million people use hardware wallets.
Circle's Senior Director of EU Strategy and Policy Patrick Hansen (@paddi_hansen) stated in a post that since the implementation of the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), approximately 35 Electronic Money Tokens (EMT) from 21 institutions have obtained compliance certification, with banks and electronic money institutions entering the market and strong momentum in local issuance. However, among the top 50 global stablecoins, currently only USDC, USDG, and EURC comply with MiCA requirements; the rest remain outside the regulatory framework, leaving EU users facing a dual dilemma of lacking protection or having access forcibly cut off. Hansen believes that for MiCA to truly become a global regulatory blueprint, it must achieve two goals simultaneously: first, to promote local EMTs to go global through a competitive regime; second, to establish a recognition mechanism for overseas compliant stablecoins, attracting global issuers into the MiCA regulatory framework, rather than making local issuance the only access path.
Binance has launched commodity options, which are USDT-settled European-style cash-settled contracts. Traders can trade Gold (XAUUSDT) and Silver (XAGUSDT) options, with 1-day and 1-week expiration structures available for each underlying. Retail users can only go long. The relevant options were listed on July 29 at 18:00. The relevant products are traded on Nest Exchange Limited, regulated by the Abu Dhabi FSRA, and cleared by Nest Clearing and Custody Limited.
According to Cryptopolitan, the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) has released a draft of supporting regulatory rules for the cryptocurrency market, covering registration and operational requirements for crypto exchanges, digital depository institutions, and token issuers. The draft stipulates that the minimum net assets of digital depository institutions must range between 50 million and 250 million rubles (approximately $600,000 to $3 million), depending on the nature of the business. These rules will supplement the "Law on Digital Currency and Digital Rights" passed by the Russian State Duma earlier this month, which is expected to officially take effect on September 1, 2026. Under the new framework, non-qualified investors are limited to purchasing mainstream assets such as BTC, ETH, and USDT annually, with a cap of $4,000; industry participants will have a transition period until March 1, 2027, to complete compliance and approval procedures.
Binance will launch Gold and Silver European options, settled in USDT, through Nest Exchange, which is regulated by ADGM. There has been strong demand for Binance's precious metals perpetual futures ahead of this product launch. The new contracts reference a benchmark derived from multiple third-party price sources. Retail investors can buy call and put options, but are not permitted to sell options, with their downside risk limited to the premium paid. Binance stated that the metal options are part of its plan to offer compliant, crypto-native exposure to traditional assets. Binance intends to expand its options product line and may allow retail investors to sell options on a limited basis under stricter regulations.
the Hungarian Parliament has voted to abolish the crypto verifier requirement, eliminating the need for third-party approval for certain crypto transactions. This requirement originated from Hungary's 2024 Crypto Asset Act, which was originally set to mandate that from July 1, 2025, licensed verifiers must check asset sources, wallet ownership, and client information before issuing compliance statements. Hungarian Finance Minister Kármán András stated that the previous rules disrupted Hungary's crypto market, with some service providers ceasing local operations, leading the government to cancel the verification requirement. Broader licensing and compliance requirements continue to apply. On July 20, the Hungarian National Bank (MNB) granted authorization to Tiwala Solutions, the operator of the crypto platform CoinCash, under the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). The authorization covers custody, exchange between cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies, exchange between cryptocurrencies, transfers, investment advice, and portfolio management. CoinCash plans to gradually resume its services.
According to Cointelegraph, the Hungarian parliament voted to abolish the crypto asset verification requirements previously set to take effect on July 1, 2025, which mandated that specific cryptocurrency conversions could only be executed after licensed third parties verified asset sources, wallet ownership, and customer information. Finance Minister Kármán András stated that the previously strict regulatory provisions had caused multiple service providers to exit the Hungarian market, and the market is currently showing signs of recovery. Meanwhile, the Hungarian National Bank (MNB) officially granted Tiwala Solutions, operator of the Budapest crypto platform CoinCash, the first domestic license under the EU MiCA framework on July 20, with authorization covering custody, cryptocurrency-to-fiat and cryptocurrency-to-cryptocurrency exchange, transfers, investment advice, and portfolio management services.
According to The Block, 44 state attorneys general led by Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson jointly submitted a public comment letter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), stating that the CFTC's proposed rules exceed the authority granted by the Commodity Exchange Act and requesting them to redraft new rules compliant with the Constitution. The letter emphasized that sports betting has historically fallen under state-level regulatory jurisdiction, and the federal government has never intervened. Meanwhile, the NFL also wrote to CFTC Chairman Michael Selig, requesting to curb the expansion of sports prediction markets, arguing that the current proposed rules are insufficient to protect the integrity of events. Currently, the legal battle between states and the CFTC continues to intensify: a Minnesota court ruled to suspend the enforcement of the state's prediction market ban, allowing Kalshi and Polymarket to continue operations; however, a New York federal judge again refused to block New York State from enforcing gambling laws against Kalshi, and Michigan and Washington states have also issued temporary injunctions restricting Kalshi from conducting sports event contract business locally.
According to Cointelegraph, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has released a "Stablecoin Sprint" policy research report, consolidating opinions from industry participants such as banks, payment companies, and stablecoin issuers. The report indicates that stablecoins currently demonstrate the most prominent advantages in the cross-border payment sector, particularly offering significant benefits to emerging markets with limited access to US dollars; however, in UK domestic retail payment scenarios, due to the existing payment system being relatively fast and low-cost, consumers lack the motivation to switch, and adoption is expected to be relatively slower. The aforementioned research findings have been incorporated into the final regulatory rules released by the FCA on June 30, requiring stablecoins issued in the UK to be fully backed by reserve assets and redeemable at par value.
: Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh will announce the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) interest rate decision on July 29. The market widely expects the benchmark interest rate to remain unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75% for the fifth consecutive time. Data from CME FedWatch shows the probability of a rate hold is between 95% and 98%. TD Securities stated that traders are still overestimating the probability of a surprise rate hike, and the related pricing includes a risk premium due to the Iran situation. The institution believes that if the Fed holds rates steady as expected, the deviation between current market pricing and actual policy action will narrow. TD Securities predicts that if the Fed keeps rates unchanged for an extended period, the dollar could fall by about 2% in the second half of 2026. The institution believes that the Fed needs to see clearer evidence of sustained inflation and a strong labor market before considering a rate hike.
the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published the results of its March Stablecoin Sprint policy initiative, which brought together banks, payment companies, stablecoin issuers, and other industry participants to explore the use of stablecoins. Participants indicated that cross-border payments are the clearest near-term use case for stablecoins, particularly in emerging markets with limited access to US dollars. In major payment corridors where existing systems are already fast and relatively low-cost, stablecoins offer fewer advantages. Participants also noted that the incentive for domestic UK consumers to shift to stablecoin payments is limited, given that existing payment methods are already fast and low-cost. However, merchants could benefit from lower costs and faster settlement times. The feedback has been incorporated into the FCA’s final rules on June 30 and will influence its subsequent stablecoin payment policies.
According to the Seoul Economic Daily, Korea Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Lee Bok-hyun stated that regulatory authorities are studying a proposal to further raise the investment threshold for single-stock leveraged products. Future restrictions on investment qualifications cannot be ruled out; retail investors may be prohibited from participating, with access limited to professional investors only.
Benchmark partner Chetan Puttagunta posted on X, expressing confusion over Anthropic's public call for stricter regulation on AI model distillation. He noted that Anthropic is currently a company valued at approximately $1 trillion with vast technical and financial resources. At the scale described, so-called "large-scale distillation attacks" should theoretically be easier to identify and track. If Anthropic chooses to restrict such activities, the real cost may not be a lack of technical capability, but rather the sacrifice of some API revenue. "The only cost required seems to be reducing revenue from related API businesses."Previously, AI companies like Anthropic have been paying close attention to the issue of model distillation. Model distillation typically refers to using the output of a large model (the teacher model) to train another model (the student model), aiming to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Some AI companies are concerned that competitors might obtain model outputs by calling a large number of APIs, which could then be used to train their own models, thereby bypassing the original R&D investment. According to Puttagunta's perspective, the controversy surrounding model distillation in the AI industry essentially involves the balance between commercial interests, open competition, and intellectual property protection. For leading AI companies, finding the balance between protecting core technology and maintaining an open ecosystem will become an important issue for future industry competition.