Recent headlines from the sources AlphaScala monitors. AlphaScala analysis is published in the main market section.
PBOC adds 26 bank branches to CBETS platform for cross-border settlements in digital yuan, as the currency's SWIFT share drops to 2.85%.
Custodia and Vantage built a token that works as FDIC deposit or stablecoin. 600+ community banks can join by 2026. The mechanism uses Ethereum and Infinant's platform.
G7 leaders at Évian-les-Bains ranked North Korea's crypto thefts alongside nuclear programmes. Two 2026 hacks totalling $285M provide fresh evidence. Expect faster freezing of flagged wallets.
Solana- and Ethereum-based meme coins tied to GTA 6 exploded in hours after Rockstar confirmed June 25 pre-orders. On-chain data showed $8M in volume on the largest token within two hours.
Illinois' Digital Asset Tax Act imposes a 0.2% privilege tax on crypto exchanges and custodians, effective Jan 2027, targeting firms with over $100k in gross receipts.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed the Digital Asset Tax Act, imposing a 0.2% privilege tax on crypto transactions starting 2027, projected to raise $60M annually.
Ireland's updated risk assessment raises the crypto money laundering threat rating for the first time since 2019, with a 30-point action plan that tightens compliance expectations for CASPs.
Zelle operator Early Warning Services will launch a proprietary stablecoin and allow U.S. users to send money to India by year-end, challenging PayPal and Circle.
Four men arrested in Marseille for holding two women hostage for crypto wallets. First such case in the region, police say.
Grayscale Research sees a 67% chance the CLARITY Act becomes law in 2026, naming Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain and Canton Network as likely beneficiaries of institutional capital.
EU's MiCA transition ends July 1. An estimated 75-83% of crypto service providers lack licenses. Users should check if their platform is authorized now.
YC's S26 batch can take $500k in USDC, and the first fully on-chain seed went to Totalis. The move turns 196 startups into a live test for stablecoin venture workflows.
Range closes $8.3M Series A for pre-execution stablecoin risk controls, protecting $30B+ in assets. Institutional demand grows for crypto-fiat compliance.
Four men arrested in Marseille after a crypto extortion turned hostage. France records 40 organized kidnappings of crypto holders since 2023, and new DAC8 data rules may be feeding the problem.
Kraken users can now trade Solana DEX assets from the main buy-sell screen. The exchange uses Privy embedded wallets to capture onchain order flow without leaving the app.
South Korea's crypto trading volume fell 28% YoY to $69B in Q1, the steepest decline among major markets, as retail investors pivoted to AI semiconductor stocks.
The Fed's KYC proposal for stablecoin issuers follows the GENIUS Act, requiring identity verification and suspicious-activity reporting similar to bank rules.
Crypto card payments hit $9.9B through June, up from $2.3B a year ago. A monthly record of $866M was set. The sector is $102M from $10B, AlphaScala data show.
With 31 Senate session days left before recess, lawmakers are racing to pass the most comprehensive crypto market structure bill in US history.
The lawsuit challenges the CFTC's treatment of crypto perpetuals as swaps. CME says the regulator exceeded authority, risking market structure.
The 130-page proposed rule forces Tether, Circle to build bank-grade ID checks. Fed's Barr warns secondary market gap remains, leaving peer-to-peer stablecoin transfers outside the framework.
TeraWulf's next earnings will include HPC revenue for the first time, testing whether its pivot from Bitcoin mining to data center workloads can overcome power and infrastructure constraints.
Fed and four partners propose CIP rules for stablecoin issuers. Governor Barr warns GENIUS Act may not prevent illicit finance via secondary markets. Stablecoin supply exceeds $300B.
Illinois becomes the first U.S. state to tax every crypto transaction. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Andreessen Horowitz's Miles Jennings lead pushback. Penalties include up to five years in prison.
MicroStrategy's new STRK preferred offers a 10% yield but a 44% conversion premium. The terms make it a poor substitute for common stock or direct Bitcoin exposure.
Binance Wallet confirmed RE token circulation begins June 18 at 12:00 UTC, allowing Prime Sale Key holders to trade on Binance Alpha from the start.
Range closed an $8.3M Series A backed by fintech and crypto funds. Its platform covers $30B in assets and tracks 99.41% of stablecoin payments globally.
Binance turns on QR payments in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru, converting crypto to local fiat instantly as millions of football fans travel for the World Cup.
Illinois' new 0.2% tax on digital asset transactions, signed into law July 2025, applies to trading, storage, and transfers. Brokers face felony penalties for non-compliance. The measure takes effect January 2027, giving firms three years to adapt or leave the state.
Binance's SPCXUSDT pre-IPO perpetual hit $5.7B in single-day volume as retail paid a 33% premium over SpaceX's $135 IPO price. Cumulative volume across platforms topped $9B since the May 21 launch.