News linked to both this project and an event.
Odaily news, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated at a Senate Finance Committee hearing that the Treasury Department is steadily advancing the establishment of a strategic Bitcoin reserve. Meanwhile, Scott Bessent urged lawmakers to support the digital asset regulatory bill "Clarity Act" and expressed hope that it would pass this summer, in order to bring US best practices home and make America the world’s innovation capital.Regarding the strategic Bitcoin reserve, Scott Bessent noted that while the process is complex, it is moving forward, ensuring the adoption of best practices amid the complexities so that it can be sustainable in the future. (The Block)
According to the Central Bank of Russia’s “Financial Stability Review,” Russian private investors currently hold approximately 3.8 billion rubles in cryptocurrency-linked financial instruments—a figure nearly unchanged from 3.7 billion rubles six months earlier—indicating stagnation in market interest growth. Of this amount, 1.7 billion rubles flowed into crypto-linked corporate bonds; 5,600 investors collectively held cryptocurrency futures positions worth 1.7 billion rubles; and roughly 3,800 investors allocated 354 million rubles to digital financial assets pegged to Bitcoin and Ethereum. Major issuers include large banks such as Sber and VTB. Meanwhile, the Moscow Exchange has progressively launched Bitcoin and Ethereum futures, along with related ETFs, and will introduce Solana, Ripple, and TRON futures in May 2026.
According to Cryptopolitan, Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Blockchain Promotion Group recently submitted a proposal to Finance Minister Kayoko Shiozawa, calling for the establishment of a legal framework for cryptocurrency ETF trading and promoting the yen-pegged stablecoin as a payment instrument in Asian markets. The proposal states that cryptocurrency ETFs are easier to operate than direct holdings of crypto assets and should receive formal recognition in the Japanese market. Meanwhile, LDP member Junichi Kanda expressed hopes of promoting the yen-pegged stablecoin policy during the 2027 Asian Development Bank Annual Meeting, which will be hosted in Tokyo. Currently, Japanese startup JPYC launched Japan’s first licensed yen-pegged stablecoin in October 2025, while Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and Mizuho Financial Group have jointly initiated a stablecoin pilot project. Previously, Japan’s Cabinet approved reclassifying cryptocurrencies as financial products, laying the groundwork for implementing the ETF framework.
the US Senate has returned from its Memorial Day recess, but with only about a four-week legislative window remaining before entering a two-week recess related to the July 4th Independence Day holiday, the crypto market structure bill, the Clarity Act, is facing time pressure to advance.The report indicates that during this period, the Senate must prioritize several agenda items, including the Department of Homeland Security appropriations, Pentagon budget supplements, and the extension of FISA Section 702 authorization, creating a highly congested legislative schedule. Even if the bill enters the deliberation phase, the associated voting process could take one to two weeks.Meanwhile, the bill itself is still in the coordination phase between versions from the Senate Banking Committee and the Agriculture Committee, with disagreements remaining on some key provisions, making negotiations relatively complex. The prolonged battles over issues such as stablecoin yields have already consumed significant political capital, while the current focus has shifted to unresolved clause differences within the Agriculture Committee's version.As the bill needs 60 votes in the Senate to overcome a filibuster, bipartisan consensus is critical. Several Democratic senators have indicated that ethical constraints on government officials' crypto asset holdings and the regulatory authority of enforcement agencies in the DeFi sector will be important prerequisites for supporting the bill.Analysts point out that even if it fails to pass before July 4, the bill could still advance before the August recess. However, if it is postponed deeper into the election cycle, its political momentum may face uncertainty. (Crypto In America)
According to independent analyst Markus Thielen, Bitcoin is down 16% year-to-date and is entering its historically seasonally weak June window—over the past decade, June’s average return has been just +0.7%. However, this year’s May rally significantly underperformed the historical average, raising the probability of a seasonal reversal. Meanwhile, several catalysts are set to materialize soon, including U.S.-regulated crypto perpetual futures products and Nasdaq CME Crypto Index Futures (scheduled for launch on June 8). If these bring new buying support, Bitcoin could stage a short-term rebound.
According to CoinTelegraph, Kraken announced on May 30 that it plans to launch CFTC-regulated Bitcoin perpetual futures contracts via its subsidiary Bitnomial exchange within the next 30 days, targeting U.S. institutional clients. Earlier the same day, the CFTC formally approved perpetual futures contracts linked to the Bitcoin spot price, with KalshiEX becoming the first exchange to receive approval for listing such products. Meanwhile, Coinbase Financial Markets swiftly followed suit, leveraging Deribit—the world’s largest crypto options exchange, which it acquired in August 2025—to provide U.S. institutional clients with access to global crypto options and perpetual futures markets.
“New Stock God” Serenity posted on X, seemingly responding to the potential investigation into Sivers, stating that Sivers (SIVE) should fully transform into a U.S. company, with Nasdaq listing as the first step—given that the company already possesses a U.S. capital structure, a significant equity stake, and support under the CHIPS Act. Such a transformation would deliver higher valuation premiums and M&A opportunities. Meanwhile, negative reporting by Swedish local media—allegedly influenced by short sellers—is hindering the development of AI photonics, whereas the U.S. market offers greater financing opportunities and support from institutions, funds, and indices.
: John Wang, head of Kalshi's crypto business, posted on X platform, saying in a joking tone that "Kalshi is not a cryptocurrency company."John Wang stated that Kalshi is the first regulated platform in the United States to legally offer crypto perpetual contract trading; cryptocurrency-related prediction market trading volume accounts for approximately 70% of the platform's total trading volume, making it the second-largest business category. Meanwhile, Kalshi also serves as a liquidity layer for Coinbase and Phantom's frontend, and only accepts cryptocurrency for international deposits.He once again joked at the end: "That's right, Kalshi is not a cryptocurrency company."
as AI trading agents enter financial markets, structural problems in retail trading are facing potential transformation. The current business models of exchanges and brokerages rely on customers trading frequently. Regardless of whether the customer profits or loses, the platform profits through commissions, spreads, and order flow. Research shows that 74% to 89% of retail traders ultimately lose money, and the Payment for Order Flow (PFOF) mechanism hidden behind zero-commission trades ensures that the platform's profits are unrelated to customer returns.Independent, programmable AI trading agents can change this structural contradiction: by linking the agent's returns to the customer's portfolio returns, they encourage disciplined trading rather than trading frequency. Agents can choose to reduce positions, avoid impulsive moves, and protect customer assets in highly volatile markets, achieving true alignment of interests.As the US eliminates minimum asset requirements for day trading and the EU prepares to implement a PFOF ban, traditional exchange models are facing regulatory pressure. Meanwhile, AI agents are restructuring trading infrastructure through innovative channels such as on-chain payments, gas-free transactions, and decentralized exchanges, providing retail investors with transparent, fair, and verifiable trading intermediaries. (CoinDesk)
According to Livecoins, a joint survey by Mercado Bitcoin and Opinion Box found that cryptocurrencies are now included in the investment portfolios of 16% of Brazilian investors, while another 56% of respondents—who have never invested in crypto assets—indicated they intend to enter this market in the future. The survey states that digital assets are viewed more as a tool for portfolio diversification rather than a replacement for traditional investments. Meanwhile, 61% of Brazilian respondents consider Bitcoin’s price declines as buying opportunities; this figure rises to 79% among investors who already hold crypto assets. However, market adoption still faces obstacles: 62% of respondents say they struggle to understand technical terminology in the crypto space, 76% find the market overly complex, and 55% cite platform regulation as the top factor when selecting a crypto investment platform.
Hyperliquid has recently significantly outperformed the broader market. Its token, HYPE, hit an all-time high following the launch of two related ETFs in the United States. Meanwhile, European traders are accelerating their migration to the platform due to restricted access to perpetual contracts on regulated exchanges. Market analyst Michael van de Poppe stated that with Hyperliquid's continued rally and renewed interest in AI-related crypto projects, signs of improving risk appetite are emerging in the altcoin market. Hyperliquid’s expansion into tokenized stocks, commodities, and pre-IPO assets is strengthening the on-chain asset tokenization trend. He suggested that if market sentiment continues to improve, HYPE’s price could target $100 or even higher.However, Michael van de Poppe also stressed that while Hyperliquid holds a short-term advantage, Solana offers greater long-term investment certainty, transitioning from a "speculative ecosystem" to institutional-grade infrastructure. In the AI track, he noted that NEAR Protocol and Bittensor remain significantly undervalued, citing a disconnect between their fundamental growth and valuations. He pointed out that NEAR’s revenue growth potential and Bittensor’s subnet expansion could support higher valuation ranges. Additionally, he indicated that the privacy sector retains long-term demand, but fully anonymous systems face regulatory pressure. The future is more likely to be dominated by zero-knowledge proofs and compliant privacy solutions.On the macro level, Michael van de Poppe highlighted that bond yields and central bank policies remain the core drivers of the crypto market, with changes in Japanese government bond yields potentially serving as a key barometer. (CoinDesk)
According to Caixin Global, Tiger Brokers issued a statement clarifying that recent claims accusing the company of “refusing to cooperate with regulators” or “confronting regulators head-on” are entirely false. The company emphasized that regulatory compliance is the lifeline of its operations and stated that it will strictly adhere to guidance from the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) and other relevant regulatory authorities to implement rectifications in response to the latest regulatory requirements. Since 2023, Tiger Brokers has fully ceased opening accounts and conducting marketing activities for mainland Chinese users. As of the end of Q1 2026, mainland Chinese clients accounted for approximately 10% of the company’s total client assets. Meanwhile, its overseas client base and asset scale have grown steadily. The company will continue advancing its compliance efforts in a steady and orderly manner to safeguard client asset security.
JPMorgan announced its blockchain platform Kinexys has exceeded $1.5 trillion in cumulative transaction volume since its launch in 2020, processing over $2 billion in daily transaction volume.Additionally, in May 2026, JPMorgan applied to launch a tokenized Treasury fund, built using the Kinexys blockchain infrastructure, designed to meet the reserve asset requirements for stablecoin issuers under the GENIUS Act. Its Q3 2025 13F filing shows JPMorgan increased its holdings of iShares Bitcoin Trust shares by 64% to 5.28 million shares, valued at approximately $343 million.Meanwhile, Kinexys and Digital Asset plan to bring JPM Coin to the Canton Network in 2026 to enable institutional deposit token settlements on public infrastructure. (financefeeds)
According to Cointelegraph, prediction market platform Polymarket is seeking entry into the Japanese market and aims to obtain regulatory approval for prediction markets from the Japanese government by 2030. The report states that Polymarket has appointed Mike Eidlin, Japan Head of crypto firm Jupiter, to lead its local operations in Japan and advance related compliance efforts. Japan maintains strict regulation over online gambling, permitting only a limited number of government-authorized activities—such as horse racing and public lotteries. Although Polymarket has not yet received authorization to operate in Japan, its Japanese regional X (formerly Twitter) account has already amassed over 53,000 followers. Meanwhile, under regulatory pressure and amid competition from platforms like Kalshi, Polymarket’s monthly nominal trading volume declined nearly 15% month-on-month in April.
According to Cointelegraph, a petition in South Korea calling for the abolition of the 22% tax on cryptocurrency investment gains has surpassed the 50,000-signature threshold, triggering the mandatory review mechanism of the National Assembly’s Committee on Strategy and Finance. The petition currently has over 52,000 signatures. This tax policy is scheduled to take effect in January 2027. Petitioners argue that taxing crypto assets is significantly heavier than taxation applied to other asset classes, which will increase investors’ burdens, restrict upward mobility—especially for younger demographics—and potentially lead to industry contraction and capital and talent flight. Meanwhile, South Korea’s cryptocurrency market continues to shrink: total crypto asset holdings have declined from approximately 121.8 trillion KRW (about $83.3 billion) in January 2025 to roughly 60.6 trillion KRW (about $41.4 billion) in February 2026. Daily trading volume across the country’s top five exchanges has also plummeted—from $11.6 billion in December 2024 to $3 billion.
Seturion, a tokenized securities settlement platform under the Stuttgart Stock Exchange Group, is collaborating with Société Générale, its crypto subsidiary SG-Forge, and online broker flatexDEGIRO to build a blockchain-based securities settlement system in Europe. Société Générale will issue tokenized structured securities—such as Turbo warrants and investment certificates—on its Seturion platform. SG-Forge, which holds a crypto-asset market operator authorization from French regulators, will use its CoinVertible euro and U.S. dollar stablecoins (EURCV and USDCV) for transaction settlement. Meanwhile, flatexDEGIRO will connect the platform to its European retail distribution channels for tokenized securities trading.
fintech company Mercury has announced the completion of a new $200 million funding round, led by TCV with participation from Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Coatue Management, and other institutions.Mercury primarily provides banking services to startups. It currently serves over 300,000 clients and has achieved approximately $650 million in annualized revenue. The company stated that the recent surge in AI entrepreneurship has significantly driven demand for new company registrations and account openings, serving as a key growth driver.Meanwhile, Mercury also announced that it has received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to apply for a federal banking charter. This would enable it to expand lending capabilities, gain access to payment networks like Zelle, and reduce its reliance on partner banks. The company's founder stated that the long-term goal remains an independent IPO rather than an acquisition. (CNBC)
According to CoinDesk, German stablecoin startup AllUnity plans to launch SEKAU—a Swedish krona-pegged stablecoin—in June, following final regulatory and operational approvals, and will issue it under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework. Meanwhile, AllUnity has also launched Agentic Payments, enabling businesses to receive transactions initiated autonomously by AI software agents and settle funds directly into local bank accounts. The system adopts Coinbase’s x402 payment standard and targets online digital services, content, and data sales. AllUnity is backed by DWS, Flow Traders, and Galaxy Digital, and is regulated by Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).
According to Bits.media, Alexei Yakovlev, Head of the Financial Policy Department at Russia’s Ministry of Finance, revealed that the draft cryptocurrency regulation bill currently under revision will introduce new provisions during its second reading, authorizing the Central Bank of Russia to impose compliance requirements on anti-money laundering (AML) review services for cryptocurrency transactions. Under the proposed provisions, AML service platforms must ensure that transactions involving Russian crypto wallets comply with domestic laws and regulations. Additionally, these platforms must assess—“from an international perspective”—how Russian wallets are perceived by foreign services, in order to understand how the global community views Russia’s cryptocurrency ecosystem. Meanwhile, such platforms are required to maintain strict confidentiality regarding the internal operational mechanisms of Russia’s financial infrastructure and must not disclose this information externally. The bill, titled “Digital Currency and Digital Rights,” has already passed its first reading and is now undergoing revisions ahead of its second reading.
According to CoinDesk, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a virtual currency bill that will allow state-chartered banks and credit unions to offer cryptocurrency custody services to customers starting August 1. Minnesota thus becomes the first Midwestern U.S. state to establish a unified legislative framework for this purpose. The law explicitly requires that customers’ digital assets be segregated from the institutions’ own assets, and mandates that institutions submit risk management and cybersecurity plans to the Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce at least 60 days prior to offering such services. Meanwhile, Walz separately signed another bill banning cryptocurrency ATMs and kiosks statewide effective August 1, citing their widespread use as tools for fraud—particularly harmful to elderly populations.