Blockchain.com receives approval and registration from the UK FCA to provide regulated cryptocurrency services

A certain CEX has been approved by the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish a national trust company, which will be regulated at the federal level.

A certain CEX has received a conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in the United States, allowing it to establish a national trust institution, but without converting into a commercial bank. It will continue operating under the supervision of the New York State Department of Financial Services, strengthening the consistency of its custody business and laying the foundation for new products.

The Virtual Asset Services Act is finalized! “These violations” will be fined—here are the three key highlights of the draft in one go

Taiwan’s Executive Yuan approved the draft of the “Virtual Asset Services Act,” establishing regulatory requirements and penalties for virtual asset service providers and stablecoin issuers, emphasizing market stability and protection for traders. The draft clearly sets licensing requirements for industry operators, stablecoin issuance rules, and bans on market manipulation. In addition, it will promote the gradual opening of virtual asset derivatives, initially focusing on institutions with capital and risk-control capabilities.

Should Bitcoin and stablecoins be included in foreign exchange reserves? Yang Chin-lung: The central bank’s stance will not change, but time and circumstances will.

Legislator Ko Ru-jun proposed including Bitcoin and stablecoins in Taiwan’s foreign exchange reserves, believing their advantages are especially evident in extreme situations. Central Bank Governor Yang Chin-lung responded that, although his stance remains unchanged, he will continuously evaluate new developments. Globally, central banks generally adopt a conservative approach, believing that Bitcoin is not suitable as a reserve asset, and Taiwan’s progress in this area is unlikely to be realized in the short term.

Coinbase Pushes Back on SEC View That Issuer Approval Should Be Required for Tokenized Securities

Coinbase is advocating for the SEC to allow issuer and third-party tokenization of publicly traded securities, claiming that requiring issuer consent would conflict with U.S. securities law and limit market accessibility. The exchange argues for a balance between both approaches to maintain secondary-market openness.

Australia passes its first “cryptoasset regulatory law”! Exchanges and custodians are brought under a financial services licensing regime

Australia passed the “2025 Corporations Amendment Act” on April 1, establishing the nation’s first digital asset regulatory framework. All cryptocurrency exchanges and custody service providers must obtain a financial services license within six months, and comply with asset custody and information disclosure standards, with the aim of reducing the risk of crypto platforms collapsing in the past. Research forecasts that this regulation could create AU$24 billion in economic value for Australia each year and accelerate development in the digital asset and payments sectors.

Chainalysis report: Russian and Iran-linked organizations use cryptocurrencies to purchase military drones, but on-chain records end up exposing tracking gaps

Chainalysis research reports that organizations linked to Russia and Iran have been buying low-cost drones and accessories through cryptocurrencies to bypass Western sanctions. Since 2022, pro-Russia groups have raised more than $8.3 million, and wallets associated with Iran show transactions with suppliers in Hong Kong. Although the anonymity of cryptocurrencies helps evade monitoring, blockchain transparency provides important leads for investigations.