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Visa has partnered with WeFi, an on-chain banking company founded by former Tether CEO Reeve Collins, aiming to enable digital asset payments through WeFi's on-chain banking infrastructure. WeFi allows users to hold assets in self-custodial wallets and retain control of their private keys, while ensuring they can spend at any merchant that accepts Visa payments.The project will initially launch in select markets in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, with plans to expand to other regions pending regulatory approvals. WeFi CEO Maksym Sakharov stated that stablecoins will be directly embedded into the underlying infrastructure, with settlement processes handled in the background, eliminating the need for users to manually perform conversions.
According to The Block, Visa has partnered with WeFi—a “blockchain-based bank” founded by Reeve Collins, former CEO of Tether—to enable users to hold digital assets in self-custodial wallets and spend them directly across the global Visa acceptance network, without depositing assets into centralized exchanges. Maksym Sakharov, Co-Founder and CEO of WeFi, stated that stablecoins are natively embedded into the underlying infrastructure, with settlements processed automatically in the background, delivering a user experience indistinguishable from conventional payments. This partnership will initially launch in select markets across Europe, Asia, and Latin America, with further expansion contingent upon regulatory approvals.
Odaily News, Web3 security company CertiK has released its "2026 State of Digital Asset Regulation" report, systematically reviewing global regulatory trends. The report indicates that as of April 2026, regulatory frameworks in major jurisdictions such as the United States, the European Union, Hong Kong SAR, and Singapore have been largely established, and the industry is entering a phase of comprehensive compliance.The report shows that anti-money laundering (AML) enforcement has replaced securities classification as the primary regulatory risk. In the first half of 2025, global AML-related fines exceeded $900 million, making transaction monitoring capabilities a core compliance requirement. Meanwhile, smart contract security audits are evolving from industry best practices into access conditions, becoming a prerequisite for license approval and token listings. Additionally, global stablecoin regulatory frameworks are converging, with principles such as full reserve backing and licensed issuance becoming widespread, though cross-jurisdictional regulatory differences still pose compliance challenges.The report states that with regulatory convergence and strengthened enforcement, the industry has entered an "era of strong compliance." CertiK indicated that the core challenge for enterprises is shifting from "whether to comply" to "how to quickly build and implement compliance capabilities." Multi-jurisdictional licensing, AML investment, and continuous security audits are becoming fundamental entry requirements for institutional development.
CFTC Chairman Mike Selig, in an interview with CoinDesk, stated that the CFTC is developing tools leveraging AI to review registration applications for the U.S. crypto market and monitor trading activity. Mike Selig noted that due to federal government layoffs, which have reduced the agency's workforce by more than one-fifth, AI and automation technologies will be used to fill the manpower gap and improve the efficiency of document review. Currently, his employees are undergoing training on Microsoft Copilot, while the agency is also developing internal tools for reviewing swaps data and market surveillance.Furthermore, Mike Selig stated that the digital asset classification guide jointly released by the CFTC and the SEC is the most important initiative during his tenure, aimed at providing regulatory clarity for market participants. Regarding prediction markets, Mike Selig reiterated the CFTC's exclusive jurisdiction and emphasized that strict enforcement actions will be taken against violations such as insider trading.
Amber Premium (NASDAQ: AMBR), an institutional-grade crypto financial services provider, today announced its full-year 2025 financial results. The report shows the company achieved annual total revenue of $66.1 million, setting a new historical record; full-year client trading volume exceeded $11 billion, with average platform assets per active client reaching $1.3 million. On the compliance front, following an in-principle approval in Q4 2025, the company officially received the Dubai VARA VASP license in April 2026, completing its strategic "Pan-Asia Tri-Pole" layout across Singapore, Dubai, and Hong Kong.
the Israel Capital Market Authority has approved Bits of Gold to issue the country's first shekel-pegged stablecoin, BILS. The token is a regulated asset launched by Bits of Gold after a two-year evaluation and pilot program, with support from the Solana network, Fireblocks, and Ernst & Young. Bits of Gold stated that bringing the shekel on-chain aims to position it alongside currencies such as the euro, the Japanese yen, and the Singapore dollar, which have already entered the blockchain financial system. Currently, the stablecoin market size has exceeded $300 billion. This issuance aims to address the dominance of dollar-pegged tokens in on-chain payments and safeguard digital sovereignty.
According to the official announcement, Binance will update its Independent Broker (Cryptocurrency-as-a-Service, or CaaS—Basic/Advanced tiers) offering by imposing a cap on the number of KYC-verified sub-accounts that each Independent Broker’s end users may create. This change aims to standardize service requirements across the platform, thereby enhancing compliance and security for all products and users. Starting from 08:00 (UTC+8) on April 29, 2026, each KYC-verified user under an Independent Broker may link up to five sub-accounts.
on Sunday that after the Department of Justice concluded its investigation into Powell, Republican Senator Thom Tillis dropped his opposition to Kevin Warsh's Federal Reserve Chair nomination confirmation process. The Senate Banking Committee ultimately voted 13 to 11 in favor of sending Kevin Warsh's nomination as Federal Reserve Chair to a full Senate vote. According to the official website of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, the vote is scheduled for April 29th at 10:00 AM Eastern Time.On the same day, the Federal Open Market Committee will also announce its latest interest rate decision. Current Chair Jerome Powell will preside over his 63rd—and potentially final—press conference since taking the helm of the Federal Reserve eight years ago. Powell's term as Federal Reserve Chair expires on May 15th, but his term as a Board member runs until January 31, 2028. Whether Powell will also step down from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors has become a key focus for the market.
According to an announcement by the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), LianLian Digital announced that it has successfully obtained a Money Services Business (MSB) license from Canada’s Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FINTRAC) through an acquisition vehicle, enabling it to conduct regulated activities including foreign exchange, remittance, virtual currency, and payment services. The specific acquisition amount has not yet been disclosed.
U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis stated at the "Bitcoin 2026" conference that she plans to push the CLARITY Act into the deliberation process in May and work towards its final implementation, establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for the U.S. crypto market.Lummis also stated that Bitcoin, with its characteristics of not requiring a trusted third party and its limited total supply, is "true freedom money," and believes that the United States should become the global core for this asset.
South Korean crypto exchange Coinone has filed a lawsuit against the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) regarding its penalties and has applied for a stay of execution with the Seoul Administrative Court, attempting to suspend the relevant measures before the sanctions take effect on April 29.The core of the sanctions is to restrict new users from depositing and withdrawing crypto assets to and from external exchanges. Previously, the FIU imposed a three-month partial business suspension and a fine of 5.2 billion Korean won on Coinone for violating the Specific Financial Information Act. (Naver)
According to Bits.media, Russia’s Government Legislative Committee has approved a proposal by the Ministry of Finance to include cryptocurrency-related activities—including cryptocurrency exchanges—within the scope of personal income tax. The draft law proposes calculating transaction costs using the FIFO (First-In, First-Out) method and prohibits carrying forward losses from cryptocurrency transactions to future tax periods. Meanwhile, certain services and transactions would be exempt from value-added tax (VAT), including services provided by digital custodians and cryptocurrency exchange operators, as well as certain foreign digital rights transactions that do not involve physical delivery. For debt-type digital financial assets (e.g., tokenized bonds), the draft law establishes separate rules for profit tax calculation and permits loss carryforwards. Previously, Russia’s State Duma had approved the “Digital Currency and Digital Rights” bill at its first reading.
SEC Chairman Paul Atkins and CFTC Chairman Mike Selig stated at the Bitcoin 2026 Conference that U.S. digital asset regulation is entering a "new phase." The two agencies are working together to advance a regulatory framework for crypto assets and encourage related businesses to remain based in the United States.The two officials mentioned that a jointly released token classification guide has already distinguished between digital commodities, collectibles, and tokenized securities, and will push for clearer, forward-looking regulatory rules. Paul Atkins also said the SEC is preparing to launch an "innovation exemption," which could allow companies to test on-chain tokenization and securitization tools in a regulated environment within the coming weeks.
According to Cointelegraph, Israel’s Authority for Capital Markets, Insurance, and Savings has approved the virtual asset trading platform Bits of Gold to launch BILS, a stablecoin pegged to the Israeli shekel. BILS previously completed a two-year pilot on the Solana blockchain. Per the announcement, BILS reserve assets will be held in designated, segregated accounts within Israel. This initiative is also part of the Israel Tax Authority and Ministry of Finance’s efforts to establish a regulatory framework for the crypto industry, specifically covering certain stablecoin activities.
with the revision of the Clarity Act expected to move forward in May, the crypto industry is closely watching its legislative window before the August congressional recess. Ji Kim, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, stated that the Senate has limited time remaining, and the industry hopes to get the bill to President Trump's desk for signature before August.However, after accounting for recess periods and other legislative agendas, the Senate effectively has only about 9 to 10 working weeks left to advance the bill. Currently, the bill still needs to first pass through the Senate Banking Committee, with disagreements over stablecoin yield and rewards remaining key obstacles.
U.S. Representative Nick Begich stated at the Bitcoin 2026 conference that he plans to reintroduce his Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Act in the coming weeks, renaming the original "BITCOIN Act" to the "U.S. Reserve Modernization Act." The bill aims to codify President Trump's executive order into law, establishing a permanent Bitcoin reserve. It requires Bitcoin to be held for an "extended period" and to acquire 1 million BTC over five years through a "budget-neutral strategy." Begich stated that the renaming is intended to help Congress and the American people better understand the bill's objectives, ensuring Bitcoin is treated as a reserve asset. He also noted that given the uncertainty surrounding the next administration's stance on digital assets, now is the opportune moment to lock in gains by having Congress take action. (The Block)
The Canadian House of Commons has passed the second reading of Bill C-25, which proposes to ban political parties and candidates from accepting cryptocurrency political donations. Introduced on March 26 as part of electoral law reforms, the bill aims to enhance transparency, strengthen enforcement, and reduce the risk of foreign interference. It will proceed to committee review and may still be subject to amendments. No fixed review date has been set yet.Meanwhile, Canada is advancing a regulatory framework for stablecoins and refining rules related to crypto investment funds, custody, and cold storage. (Cointelegraph)
According to an official announcement, ZetaChain stated that its GatewayEVM contract was attacked today, with the impact limited solely to internal wallets controlled by the ZetaChain team. The official statement confirmed that the attack vector has been blocked and no further funds are currently at risk. As a precautionary measure, ZetaChain has suspended cross-chain transactions. Meanwhile, the investigation remains ongoing; according to the official statement, no user funds have been affected by this incident, and a detailed post-mortem report will be released upon completion of the investigation.
Canada’s Bill C-25, the “Stronger Democracy for Canada Act,” passed second reading in Parliament and has moved to committee review. The bill proposes banning the use of cryptocurrencies for political donations. It classifies crypto assets alongside instruments such as bank drafts and prepaid payment instruments as “hard-to-trace sources of funds,” applying this restriction to political parties, candidates, and third-party election advertising entities. Violating donations must be refunded to the donor or remitted to the Receiver General within 30 days. While Canada has permitted cryptocurrency donations since 2019, actual usage has been minimal. The UK has already implemented a similar ban, whereas the U.S. continues to allow crypto-based political contributions.
A research report released by a16z Crypto states that stablecoins have evolved from niche trading tools into the foundational layer of a new global financial infrastructure, giving rise to a new generation of “Banking-as-a-Service” (BaaS) models. Unlike the previous wave of BaaS, this new model is built on onchain infrastructure and integrates account management, payments, foreign exchange, and credit functions via self-custodial wallets—significantly reducing reliance on traditional intermediaries. The report classifies blockchains into three categories: general-purpose public chains (e.g., Solana and Ethereum), purpose-built chains optimized for payment use cases (e.g., Stripe’s Tempo and Circle’s Arc), and compliance-focused networks designed for regulated institutions (e.g., Canton). On the regulatory front, following the passage of the GENIUS Act, stablecoin issuers are competing aggressively for national trust charters from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), aiming to gain direct access to the Federal Reserve’s payment rails and secure a central position within the payments stack. The report also notes that stablecoins have made significant progress in the “middle mile” of cross-border payments; however, liquidity bottlenecks between stablecoins and local fiat currencies remain unresolved in emerging markets. Looking ahead, as stablecoin scale grows, the onchain credit market is poised to become the next major opportunity after payments—providing capital to borrowers underserved by traditional financial systems. Moreover, the widespread adoption of stablecoins is expected to further reinforce the U.S. dollar’s global dominance.