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According to The Block, the Ethereum Foundation has recently experienced another wave of talent attrition: researchers Carl Beek and Julian Ma announced their departures this Monday. Beek had worked at the Foundation for seven years and led the development of Ethereum’s Beacon Chain, making significant contributions to Ethereum’s transition to the Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism; Ma had been with the Foundation for approximately four years, contributing to mechanism design, cryptoeconomics, and protocol scalability, and co-authored EIP-7805—a proposal aimed at enhancing Ethereum’s censorship resistance. Earlier this year, in February, Co-Executive Director Tomasz K. Stańczak resigned; multiple other senior figures—including Josh Stark, Barnabé Monnot, and Tim Beiko—have also departed in succession.
According to The Block, GalaxyOne Prime NY, a subsidiary of Galaxy Digital, has obtained both a BitLicense and a money transmitter license from the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), officially authorizing it to provide digital asset trading and custody services to residents, institutions, and businesses in New York State.
According to The Block, crypto infrastructure provider Zerohash Europe has obtained an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from the Dutch Central Bank (DNB), becoming the first company to hold both a European MiCAR license and EMI authorization. Zerohash previously secured its MiCAR license in October 2025; this dual licensing enables it to legally provide crypto-asset services and process traditional electronic money flows across the European Economic Area (EEA), and to directly serve institutional clients such as banks, brokers, fintech firms, and payment platforms. The company is already collaborating with partners including Interactive Brokers Europe and has applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust bank charter. Additionally, Zerohash is reportedly seeking $250 million in funding at a $1.5 billion valuation.
OdailyOdaily reports that Standard Chartered expects the market capitalization of tokenized on-chain assets to reach $4 trillion by the end of 2028, split evenly between stablecoins and real-world assets.Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research at Standard Chartered, stated that established DeFi protocols with strong risk metrics will be the primary beneficiaries. The composability of DeFi is a core advantage, citing BlackRock's BUIDL fund, which has approximately $2.85 billion in assets under management, as an example. BUIDL allows investors to earn yield while using the fund as collateral and maintaining liquidity. The passage of the Clarity Act is seen as a near-term catalyst accelerating the shift from traditional channels to DeFi.Data shows that Aave, the largest DeFi lending protocol, once ranked 38th among US banks in terms of asset size. Daily on-chain stablecoin lending volume stands between $1.5 billion and $2 billion. The lending product offered by Coinbase in partnership with Morpho has reached a loan size of $1.75 billion. (The Block)
Odaily. Bernstein stated in its latest research report that the newly reached compromise on stablecoin yields under the U.S. CLARITY Act is structurally beneficial for Circle and the USDC ecosystem.The report notes that the current version of the bill prohibits stablecoin issuers from paying interest to passive holders that is "economically equivalent" to bank deposits, but allows reward mechanisms tied to actual transaction, payment, and usage activities to continue. Bernstein believes this means Circle's current model, which relies on partners like Coinbase to provide USDC reward programs, will gain regulatory recognition, while also limiting the industry's ability to compete for market share through high yields.Bernstein points out that the bill effectively reinforces the positioning of stablecoins as "payment tools" rather than "deposit substitutes," helping to protect Circle's current business model that relies on reserve income. The firm maintains an "Outperform" rating for Circle with a $190 target price.Data shows that the total global supply of dollar-pegged stablecoins has surpassed $300 billion, with USDT and USDC collectively accounting for approximately 97% of the market share. Bernstein notes that USDC's share in on-chain payments and wallet transfers is steadily increasing, and its share of payments in the AI Agent payment protocol x402 has exceeded 99%.Additionally, Bernstein mentioned that Circle's ARC chain has cumulatively completed 244 million testnet transactions. The ARC token pre-sale previously raised $222 million, with investors including a16z crypto, Apollo Funds, ARK Invest, and BlackRock.However, the report also points out that the CLARITY Act still needs to complete multiple legislative procedures before it takes effect, including a 60-vote threshold in the full Senate and coordination with the House version. Polymarket currently estimates its probability of passage by 2026 at approximately 62%. (The Block)
According to The Block, Bitcoin Depot (BTM), a Nasdaq-listed Bitcoin ATM operator, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on the 18th in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, announcing an orderly liquidation and asset sale. CEO Alex Holmes stated that increasingly stringent state-level compliance requirements, transaction limit restrictions, and operational bans in certain regions have rendered the company’s existing business model unsustainable. Previously, the company suffered a security breach in April 2026, resulting in a $3.7 million loss; its Q1 2026 revenue declined 49.2% year-on-year, with a net loss of $9.5 million. Currently, all over 9,000 Bitcoin ATMs operated globally by Bitcoin Depot have been taken offline, and its overseas entities—including those in Canada—will also be shut down.
Bitcoin has fallen below the $77,000 mark, hitting a low of approximately $76,720. Analysts attribute the market decline primarily to multiple macroeconomic pressures, including the renewed escalation of tensions between the US and Iran, rising inflation concerns, and increased risk aversion across risk assets. Former US President Donald Trump issued a strong warning to Iran on social media, intensifying geopolitical uncertainty.Meanwhile, rising oil prices have further elevated inflation expectations, with Brent crude climbing to around $111 and WTI rising above $107. This has sparked concerns that the Federal Reserve may maintain higher interest rates for a longer period.The current selling pressure is also compounded by factors such as rising US Treasury yields, a strengthening US dollar, and ETF outflows. Data shows that Bitcoin ETFs saw net outflows of approximately $1 billion in the week ending May 17, ending six consecutive weeks of net inflows.In terms of market sentiment, the Bitcoin Fear and Greed Index has fallen back to 27, re-entering the "fear zone." Analysts believe that short-term trends will remain highly dependent on macroeconomic data and policy expectations. However, some institutions view the current correction as a "healthy digestion" period, suggesting the long-term structure remains unchanged. (The Block)
VanEck filed the fifth amendment to its BNB ETF registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on May 15. Grayscale also submitted the second amendment to the Grayscale BNB ETF prospectus on the same day.Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart stated that the simultaneous submission of amended documents by both institutions indicates they are responding to SEC feedback and may be planning to advance product launches in the near term.James Seyffart also noted that BNB could become the next crypto asset to pass SEC review and potentially be listed in the United States. (The Block)
the U.S. Senate Banking Committee has advanced the crypto market structure bill, the Clarity Act, by a vote of 15 to 9. The bill aims to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for the crypto industry at the federal level for the first time, garnering support from Democratic Senators Ruben Gallego and Angela Alsobrooks.While the industry generally views the committee's passage as positive progress, analysts believe the bill still faces significant obstacles before becoming law. TD Cowen has raised the bill's passage probability from approximately one-third to 40%, noting that some Democratic lawmakers are showing willingness to find a path to support it, though substantive disagreements have not been fully resolved.Previously, the bill had long been affected by issues such as stablecoin yield arrangements, conflicts of interest, and ethical provisions. Additionally, to overcome a filibuster in the Senate, the bill will need to secure more Democratic support than it currently has. Benchmark analysts also pointed out that the current number of supporting votes is insufficient to ensure its eventual passage. (The Block)
According to The Block, Myanmar’s military government has released a draft of the “Anti-Online Fraud Act,” which proposes imposing the death penalty on individuals who force others to engage in online fraud and life imprisonment for those operating fraud centers or committing cryptocurrency-related fraud. The draft also proposes establishing a dedicated committee to coordinate international efforts against fraud. Myanmar’s parliament is expected to review the bill in early June. Earlier, in September 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on multiple entities in Myanmar and Cambodia suspected of involvement in cryptocurrency investment fraud. FBI data shows that cryptocurrency-related fraud losses in 2025 reached $11.4 billion—more than half of all internet crime losses.
According to The Block, B2C2 has obtained a crypto-asset service provider license from Luxembourg’s Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), enabling it—under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework—to offer over-the-counter (OTC) spot trading services across all EU member states and three European Economic Area (EEA) countries via the “passporting” mechanism. B2C2 stated that it has become the first globally operating OTC liquidity provider authorized under MiCA. Previously, B2C2 completed its registration as a virtual asset service provider (VASP) in Luxembourg in 2024.
the deliberation of the "Cryptocurrency Market Structure Act" (i.e., the CLARITY Act) has commenced in the U.S. Senate Banking Committee. As of now:1. An amendment proposed by Senator Mike Rounds to create an AI regulatory sandbox was passed with 15 votes in favor and 9 against, indicating some bipartisan support, despite Senator Elizabeth Warren urging Democratic members to vote against it.2. An amendment proposed by Elizabeth Warren, aimed at "preventing high-risk assets from entering retirement accounts," was rejected with 11 votes in favor and 13 against.3. An amendment previously proposed by Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, which would have allowed certain retirement accounts to invest in pooled investment vehicles, was withdrawn before the vote.It is reported that one of the most contentious amendments comes from Elizabeth Warren, concerning the strengthening of sanctions authority over cryptocurrency mixers. In her remarks, she referenced the U.S.-sanctioned mixing protocol Tornado Cash, stating it has been used to launder over $7 billion for criminal organizations and North Korean hacker groups, including over $450 million in related funds. Warren argued that the current bill does not grant the U.S. Treasury Department sufficient legal authority to isolate or restrict mixer services, potentially creating loopholes in anti-money laundering oversight. In response, Cynthia Lummis countered that the illegal financial activities are already covered in Parts Two and Three of the bill.
According to The Block, the T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU), jointly established by Tether, TRON, and TRM Labs, announced that since its founding in 2024, it has frozen over $450 million worth of illicit crypto assets globally. In 2025, the unit’s interception of illicit proceeds increased by 43.9% year-on-year, covering 23 jurisdictions including the United States, Spain, and Germany, and has been recognized by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as “a critical resource for global law enforcement agencies.” The T3 FCU has participated in investigations across multiple crime categories, including exchange hacks, North Korea–related activities, terrorist financing, and violent crimes, and assisted Brazil’s Federal Police in freezing over $5.989 billion in assets—including 4.3 million USDT.
According to The Block, Anchorage Digital announced a partnership with Grupo Salinas, the conglomerate owned by Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego. Grupo Salinas will access Anchorage Digital’s USD-pegged stablecoin infrastructure through its crypto division, Coinpro, to shorten cross-border payment settlement cycles, enable programmable real-time settlement, and meet the compliance and security requirements of large financial institutions.
According to The Block, Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise, noted that three enterprise-grade blockchains—Arc (by Circle), Canton Network, and Tempo (by Stripe)—have collectively raised over $1 billion in funding recently. All three funding rounds occurred after the signing of the GENIUS Act in July 2025. Hougan believes this legislation broke a prior regulatory stalemate that had discouraged institutional capital from entering the space. Hougan identified three key signals: First, all three blockchains prioritize native privacy-preserving transactions as a core design feature, addressing institutions’ need for transaction confidentiality. Second, the implementation of the GENIUS Act has significantly reduced regulatory uncertainty; the next critical variable is the pending Clarity Act, from which stablecoins and tokenization infrastructure stand to benefit. Third, these blockchains are backed by top-tier institutions—including Goldman Sachs, Citadel, BlackRock, Stripe, and Visa—marking a stark contrast to Ethereum and Solana, which emerged from grassroots origins. Hougan stated that his firm’s capital remains primarily allocated to native crypto projects, and he believes these emerging enterprise chains will raise the overall competitive bar and attract additional capital inflows.
According to The Block, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit held oral arguments in the appeal filed by Roman Sterlingov, the alleged operator of Bitcoin Fog. The court focused on whether prosecutors presented sufficient evidence that Bitcoin Fog operated in Washington, D.C., and whether U.S. unlicensed money transmission laws apply to global cryptocurrency service platforms serving U.S. users. Judges also questioned the reliability of FBI evidence linking Sterlingov to Bitcoin Fog based on “IP address overlap” analysis. Sterlingov was previously convicted in 2024 of conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmission business. The outcome of this case may influence the scope of U.S. enforcement actions—under Section 1960—against developers and service providers of cryptocurrency privacy tools.
According to The Block, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, Speaker of the Polish Sejm (lower house of parliament), announced that the Sejm has officially launched debates on four competing cryptocurrency-related bills—submitted respectively by the government, President Karol Nawrocki, the Poland 2050 party, and the Coalition Party—with the second reading scheduled for this Thursday. Previously, President Nawrocki had vetoed cryptocurrency legislation twice. The main point of contention between the government’s and the president’s proposals concerns the account-freezing authority of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) and the upper limit for fines: the president’s proposal retains the maximum fine at 20 million PLN (approximately USD 5.5 million), whereas the Ministry of Finance’s draft raises it to 25 million PLN (approximately USD 6.9 million). Meanwhile, lawmakers from the Law and Justice Party (PiS) withdrew their earlier market-regulation bill—originally submitted in April—on Monday and instead introduced a new proposal that would comprehensively ban cryptocurrency activities within Poland. Speaker Czarzasty stated that the ban proposal will only enter the legislative process after the four primary regulatory bills have been reviewed. He also raised questions regarding financial ties between the cryptocurrency exchange ZondaCrypto and Polish politicians, and probed the underlying motivations behind President Nawrocki’s two vetoes of cryptocurrency legislation.
Polish Sejm Speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty announced the parliament has officially begun deliberations on four competing bills for crypto asset regulation, following President Karol Nawrocki's two vetoes of related legislation. The review involves legislative proposals from the government, the Presidential Office, the Poland 2050 party, and the Confederation party, with the second reading vote expected on Thursday. Key disagreements center on the scope of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority's (KNF) power to freeze accounts and the maximum penalties for violations. The president's draft sets a maximum fine of approximately 20 million zloty (about $5.5 million), while the Treasury's version raises it to 25 million zloty (about $6.9 million).Meanwhile, the opposition Law and Justice party (PiS), after withdrawing support for an earlier regulatory proposal, submitted a separate bill on Monday advocating for a complete ban on crypto asset-related activities in Poland, further complicating the regulatory debate. Speaker Czarzasty stated that the PiS ban draft will enter the deliberation process only after the four main regulatory bills are completed, and questioned the links between crypto industry funds and political activities, specifically naming potential political funders including zondacrypto. (The Block)
According to The Block, global asset management firm Franklin Templeton and Payward—the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken—have announced a partnership to jointly explore tokenization pathways for traditional investment products. The collaboration spans tokenized equities, compliant custody, actively managed yield products, and institutional crypto liquidity services. The two parties plan to launch tokenized Franklin Templeton financial products targeting institutional clients, with potential expansion to Kraken’s broader user base depending on circumstances. Arjun Sethi, Co-CEO of Payward, stated that this partnership will pioneer entirely new product categories that were not feasible just three years ago. Meanwhile, Payward has applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust company charter to further expand its access within the U.S. financial system.
Odaily Planet Daily reported that Starknet, the Ethereum Layer 2 network developed by StarkWare, has officially launched strkBTC. This is a new Bitcoin-based asset designed to achieve private balances and anonymous transfers through zero-knowledge proof (ZK) technology while maintaining composability with DeFi applications. After its launch, strkBTC supports "re-anonymization," allowing assets to be bridged back to entirely new, unlinked Bitcoin addresses, and also provides compliance audit and asset screening features. (The Block)