News linked to both this project and an event.
According to The Block, crypto market maker GSR has received approval from the U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to formally complete its acquisition of Portland-based SEC-registered broker-dealer Equilibrium Capital Services, which has now been renamed GSR Securities. Xin Song, CEO of GSR, stated that this acquisition will strengthen its compliant broker-dealer platform in the U.S., with a focus on serving institutional clients. GSR previously disclosed plans to position its business as a “Web3 investment bank”; following the acquisition, it will further expand its tokenized financing services. Additionally, GSR has been highly active this year: in April, it launched the GSR Crypto Core3 ETF on Nasdaq; in March, it acquired token advisory firms Autonomous and Architech, and invested in Libeara—the tokenization platform under SC Ventures; last month, SC Ventures—the fintech investment arm of Standard Chartered Bank—became GSR’s first external shareholder and completed its investment.
: Institutional-grade digital asset custody platform Zodia Custody has announced that it has obtained a payment institution license from the Luxembourg financial regulator, the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF). This authorization allows the company to compliantly provide custody and transfer services for electronic money tokens (EMTs, i.e., stablecoins) within the European Union.Zodia Custody stated that this approval represents a further expansion on its existing MiCA license, enhancing its digital asset service capabilities for institutional clients. The company believes that as the use of stablecoins in payment settlement, liquidity management, and corporate treasury operations continues to grow, stablecoin custody and transfer capabilities will become a core component of digital asset infrastructure providers.Founded in 2020, Zodia Custody focuses on the institutional client market. Its shareholders include institutions such as Standard Chartered, Northern Trust, SBI Holdings, Emirates NBD, and National Australia Bank. Following the approval of this Luxembourg license, Zodia Custody has now obtained relevant regulatory permissions in multiple jurisdictions, including the UK, UAE, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, Australia, and the EU. (The Block)
Japan's SBI Shinsei Bank will launch a pilot program on June 10, allowing customers to convert a portion of their deposit interest into BTC, ETH, or XRP. The initiative uses "interest exchange" as an entry point to introduce crypto assets into traditional deposit products, enabling users to gain cryptocurrency exposure without direct purchase. Future expansion will depend on customer participation and the regulatory environment. (The Block)
MetaMask has officially launched Agent Wallet, a self-custody wallet designed for AI agents. It enables automated trading, perpetual contracts, and liquidity provision on Ethereum, multiple EVM-compatible chains, and the Hyperliquid network. The product is equipped with multiple security mechanisms, including transaction simulation, spending limits, and address whitelisting. It integrates with Blockaid's risk scanning, requiring user secondary confirmation for high-risk transactions. The platform also introduces a transaction guarantee service, offering up to $10,000 in compensation for compliant and secure transactions. Currently, the product is only being tested by a small group of users via the command line, with plans for a full public release this summer. (The Block)
a joint letter initiated by Stand With Crypto, in collaboration with the Blockchain Association, the Crypto Council for Innovation, and The Digital Chamber, has been submitted to U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, urging a full floor vote on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (the "CLARITY Act") as soon as possible.Over 200 crypto enterprises, industry associations, and community organizations, including Coinbase, Ripple, Kraken, a16z, Circle, and Binance.US, have participated in signing the letter. The joint letter points out that the CLARITY Act would establish a comprehensive federal regulatory framework for the digital asset market, clearly delineate regulatory responsibilities, provide feasible registration pathways, protect software developer innovation, and simultaneously promote the return of more digital asset businesses to the U.S. market.The signatories stated that the bill would help retain innovation, jobs, investment, and market activity within the United States, further solidifying America's leading position in the global digital asset innovation sector.It is understood that the CLARITY Act received bipartisan support and passed committee review in the Senate Banking Committee last month. Senator Cynthia Lummis subsequently stated that the next step for the bill is to enter the full Senate deliberation stage.Additionally, 160 former national security and law enforcement officials have previously signed a letter supporting the bill. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House Crypto Advisor Patrick Witt have also publicly called for advancing the legislative process. However, the issue of conflicts of interest between the Trump family and the crypto industry is still regarded as one of the main obstacles to the bill's progress. (The Block)
the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed allowing authorized investment funds (including UCITS schemes and most non-UCITS retail schemes) to allocate up to 10% of their assets to crypto Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs). This proposal is included in the FCA's Consultation Paper 52, with a five-week public and institutional comment period ending on July 13.The FCA stated that this move aims to bridge the regulatory gap between individual retail investors and authorized funds. Since the FCA lifted its four-year retail ban on crypto ETNs in August 2025, individual investors have been able to invest directly in ETNs, but funds had remained subject to an "effective ban." The FCA emphasized that the 10% limit is intentionally set, and exceeding this threshold could force a fund to be reclassified as a restricted mass-market investment product, impacting its retail fund status.Under the proposal, professional and qualified investor schemes are not subject to the cap; long-term asset funds and non-UCITS retail schemes operating as alternative investment funds are excluded. The FCA noted that cryptocurrencies do not align with the investment objectives of these funds.On the industry side, the Investment Association supports the proposal, believing that gaining exposure to crypto assets through regulated listed products is manageable in terms of risk, and that the 10% cap helps manage fund risk. Fund managers will need to ensure that holdings are consistent with the fund's disclosed investment objectives and risk profile, and disclose significant crypto ETN holdings.The FCA emphasized that it is not currently considering allowing authorized funds to hold crypto assets directly for investment purposes, and will decide after evaluating the impact of the upcoming crypto asset regulatory regime and client asset protection rules. (The Block)
According to The Block, blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis’ latest report states that as the gray-market peptide industry’s scale exceeds an annualized $100 million, leading suppliers are accelerating adoption of Bitcoin and stablecoins as primary settlement instruments. In Q1 2026, cryptocurrency inflows into this industry reached $32 million—a 159% quarter-on-quarter surge. Due to widespread bans imposed by traditional banks and credit card payment channels on prescription-grade compounds and unregulated substances, numerous Chinese chemical manufacturers have turned to cryptocurrencies for transactions, with high-value orders especially favoring stablecoins to hedge against price volatility risk.
According to The Block, Patrick Witt, the White House’s cryptocurrency advisor, characterized the “Clarity for Digital Assets Act” as a “pro-regulation, pro-law-enforcement” bill during a virtual town hall hosted by the Blockchain Association—responding to law enforcement agencies’ concerns that the bill would weaken their ability to combat financial crime. Senator Cynthia Lummis warned that if the bill fails to pass this year, it may not be revisited until 2030. The bill currently faces multiple hurdles, including disputes over its anti-money laundering (AML) provisions, uncertainty regarding whether the “Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act” (BRCA) would exempt non-custodial developers from money transmission obligations, and unresolved conflicts of interest tied to former President Trump’s personal cryptocurrency investments. Last month, Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto voted against the bill, citing concerns that it would impede law enforcement’s ability to trace illicit funds.
White House Chief Crypto Advisor Patrick Witt stated that the U.S. crypto market structure bill, the Clarity Act, is a "pro-regulation, pro-enforcement" piece of legislation, pushing back against criticism from some enforcement agencies that it is insufficient to prevent financial crimes.With the midterm elections approaching, the window for Congress to pass the bill is narrowing. Senator Cynthia Lummis warned that if progress cannot be made this year, the bill may not be seriously considered again until after 2030.Currently, the Clarity Act still faces multiple controversies, including arrangements for stablecoin yield, conflicts of interest related to Trump-affiliated crypto businesses, and whether anti-money laundering standards are stringent enough. The latest version also incorporates the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA), pushed by DeFi advocates, which aims to clarify that non-custodial developers should not be considered money transmitters.However, some law enforcement groups and lawmakers worry that the BRCA and certain provisions of the bill could weaken the ability to trace illicit funds and recover victim assets. Witt countered that lawmakers have already responded to these concerns ahead of the Senate Banking Committee vote by adding new provisions to strengthen the regulatory and enforcement framework. (The Block)
According to The Block, several Republican U.S. Senators sent a letter to the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), urging the establishment of a new bank capital framework for digital assets.
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)
the House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee stated today that the UK is lagging behind the US and the EU in stablecoin regulation. The committee urged the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to amend several proposals, including reconsidering the holding limits of £20,000 for individuals and $10 million for enterprises, the 40% non-interest-bearing central bank deposit reserve requirement, and restrictions on commercial bank issuance. It also recommended that the FCA review the k-factor capital requirements, which scale based on issuance volume rather than risk proportionality. (The Block)
According to The Block, Payward—the parent company of Kraken—announced that it will open up access to IPO offering-price subscriptions for U.S. publicly traded companies to Kraken users and select partner platform users via the xStocks framework in the coming weeks. Users may submit non-binding subscription indications prior to listing; Payward will aggregate demand and coordinate with underwriting syndicates to allocate tokenized shares at the offering price on the listing day. These stock tokens are fully backed 1:1 by the underlying equities held in custody by regulated entities and are tradable across blockchains including Ethereum, Solana, and TON. Payward stated that it plans to expand into additional markets and onboard more partners to the xStocks Alliance in the future.
xStocks, a framework under Kraken parent company Payward, will launch services allowing users on Kraken and partner platforms to participate in US stock IPOs at the offering price. Users will receive on-chain tokenized shares with a 1:1 correspondence to the underlying stock, which will be held by regulated custodians.Users can submit non-binding subscription intentions via partner platforms weeks before the IPO. Payward aggregates demand, coordinates with the underwriting syndicate for share allocation, and completes pricing, allocation, and token issuance on the listing date. xStocks tokens will be tradable across multiple blockchains including Ethereum, Solana, and TON, and can be integrated with DeFi protocols. (The Block)
According to The Block, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has sent letters to football clubs—including English Premier League clubs—warning them to exercise caution when entering into sponsorship agreements with unauthorized cryptocurrency firms, in order to protect fans from financial risks.
Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan stated that as U.S. stocks continue to rise, AI stocks attract significant capital, and the regulatory outlook for the U.S. "Clarity Act" remains uncertain, crypto assets are transitioning from past momentum trading to longer-term fundamental "contrarian bets."Hougan pointed out that against the backdrop of the Nasdaq 100 index rising 43% year-over-year and AI concepts dominating market attention, the appeal of allocating crypto assets for institutional investors has diminished. However, this does not mean the crypto industry is disappearing; rather, the investment logic is changing, requiring a longer-term perspective and stronger fundamental judgment.He also noted that the current "crypto winter" differs from the past, as funds are no longer simply flowing into large-cap assets like Bitcoin but are beginning to reward projects with independent fundamental narratives. For instance, Hyperliquid, BNB, Zcash, and Stellar have all seen notable gains recently, indicating that the market is placing greater emphasis on the actual progress and differentiated logic of specific projects.
Coinbase Ventures stated it has invested in Ethena by purchasing ENA tokens on the open market. Following the announcement, ENA rose approximately 6% over the past 24 hours.Ethena said the two parties will collaborate to advance on-chain finance and savings products. Coinbase also mentioned that they will establish closer cooperation, which involves Circle's stablecoin USDC.Ethena founder Guy Young stated that Ethena's products will be integrated with Coinbase's user base of over 100 million for the first time next week, to support its dollar savings products. The market is watching how the two parties will subsequently collaborate around USDC and Ethena's synthetic dollar, USDe. This move also comes as the US "Clarity Act" remains deadlocked in the legislative process. The bill concerns whether platforms like Coinbase can offer users rewards for holding stablecoins, while banking lobbying groups have consistently opposed similar stablecoin yield arrangements.
According to The Block, Robinhood Markets has completed its $180 million acquisition of Canadian digital asset services firm WonderFi. WonderFi operates Bitbuy and Coinsquare—the two largest regulated crypto platforms in Canada—and existing users will be invited to migrate to the Robinhood app. This acquisition pushes Robinhood’s overseas registered user base past 1 million, adding approximately 300,000 Canadian users. Robinhood stated it will continue supporting WonderFi’s partnerships with local institutions to further expand its institutional business. The deal was initially announced in May 2025 and originally slated for completion in the second half of 2025 but was delayed until now due to technical deployment and regulatory approval requirements.
According to The Block, Strategy disclosed in an SEC filing that it sold 32 BTC between May 26 and May 31, generating approximately $2.5 million in proceeds to pay dividends on its preferred stock. This marks the company’s first Bitcoin sale since December 2022. The disclosure sparked controversy in a Polymarket prediction market—valued at over $20 million in trading volume—that had asked whether Strategy would sell Bitcoin before May 31. The dispute centers on whether the sale qualifies: “Yes” proponents argue the sale occurred before the deadline; “No” proponents contend the information was not publicly disclosed before the market closed and therefore should not count. The market has now entered its final review phase. Polymarket added that “results confirmed outside the deadline will not be recognized,” leaning toward the “No” side. If the dispute escalates further, UMA token holders will vote to resolve it—but prior reports indicate UMA voting power is highly concentrated, with over 60% of active voters linked to Polymarket accounts, raising concerns about impartiality.
House of Doge, an organization associated with Dogecoin (DOGE), has announced a partnership with regulated stablecoin and crypto infrastructure provider Paxos to integrate Dogecoin into its enterprise-grade crypto brokerage and custody network.Paxos serves as the underlying blockchain infrastructure provider for payment platforms such as PayPal, Venmo, and Mercado Libre. These platforms leverage Paxos's capabilities to offer users crypto asset buying, selling, and custody services. This initial partnership is focused on enterprise clients, and it remains unclear whether it will expand to consumer-facing applications in the future. Marco Margiotta, CEO of House of Doge, stated that this collaboration will accelerate Dogecoin's global accessibility and provide a compliant entry path for mainstream fintech platforms.Paxos stated that the move aims to provide secure and compliant access to digital assets through its regulated infrastructure, and to support enterprise clients in expanding their crypto asset product lines. (The Block)