ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce stated at the SEC's "Know Your Custodian" roundtable that U.S. financial institutions are playing a game of "the floor is lava" in the dark when dealing with cryptocurrency business.Peirce explained that registrants of the SEC must treat activities related to cryptocurrency as if they were playing "the floor is lava," aiming to jump from one piece of furniture to another without touching the ground, except here, direct contact with cryptocurrency is the lava. "The Washington, D.C. version of this game is our regulatory approach to crypto assets, particularly the custody of crypto assets. Due to unclear regulatory rules, companies wanting to engage in cryptocurrency must avoid directly holding cryptocurrencies.Hester Peirce stated, "Now is the time for us to find a way to end this game. We need to turn on the lights and build some sidewalks over the lava pits."

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, the Nasdaq exchange has sent a letter to the U.S. SEC's cryptocurrency working group, suggesting that regulators carefully delineate categories of digital assets and clarify the role of regulatory "referees."The document, signed by Regulatory Affairs Chief John Zecca, proposes four categories:Financial securities tokens (such as tokens linked to stocks, bonds, ETFs, which should be treated the same as the underlying assets), regulated by the SEC;Digital asset investment contracts (tokenized contracts that meet the revised Howey test), subject to securities rules;Digital asset commodities (meeting the U.S. definition of commodities), governed by the CFTC;Other digital assets (not falling into the first three categories, not mandatorily subject to securities or commodity rules).The SEC and CFTC will collaborate to clarify regulatory boundaries, and new cryptocurrency laws may serve as guiding principles. Nasdaq also suggests establishing cross-trading qualification standards for multi-type asset handling platforms and emphasizes its credibility in the digital asset field, calling for enhanced security constraints on companies that comprehensively handle investor activities, aligning with industry practices.

ChainCatcher news, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins is the best candidate to ensure regulatory certainty for cryptocurrencies.

According to ChainCatcher, as reported by crowdfundinsider, the Supreme Court of India dismissed the petitions of 54 victims of the WazirX hacking incident on April 16, 2025, on the grounds that cryptocurrency regulation falls under government policy rather than judicial jurisdiction. The hack occurred on July 18, 2024, resulting in over $235 million in user funds being stolen. The victims requested a criminal investigation into WazirX, its co-founder Nischal Shetty, Binance, and the custodian provider Liminal, but the court stated it could not intervene in the absence of a clear regulatory framework. WazirX has proposed a restructuring plan to return 85% of the stolen funds and issue recovery tokens for the remaining portion.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, on Wednesday, a federal judge in the United States agreed to pause the lawsuit filed by 18 state attorneys general and a DeFi lobbying group against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), after all parties noted that the SEC's new leadership was in place. Last November, after Trump won the 2024 presidential election, these state attorneys general (all Republicans) filed the lawsuit in conjunction with the DeFi Education Fund. They accused the federal securities regulator of overstepping its authority in suing cryptocurrency exchanges. In documents submitted on Wednesday, the SEC stated that the lawsuit could come to an end following the confirmation of Paul Atkins as the new agency chair. The judge ordered the parties to submit a joint status report within 30 days, but paused all deadlines for 60 days.On Wednesday, another lawsuit filed by the DeFi Education Fund, the Texas Blockchain Council, and the Blockchain Association against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was also dismissed. This lawsuit argued that the IRS's DeFi broker rules exceeded the agency's authority. Last week, Trump signed a resolution passed jointly by the House and Senate under the Congressional Review Act to repeal this rule. In documents submitted on Wednesday, the parties stated that the lawsuit had become "meaningless" after Trump signed the resolution.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, Bank of England (BoE) Governor Andrew Bailey has been nominated to serve as the next chair of the G20 Financial Stability Board (FSB). The FSB's nomination committee has agreed that Andrew Bailey will take up the position starting from early July, with a term of three years.The G20 has tasked the Financial Stability Board with coordinating the development of a regulatory framework for crypto assets. Andrew Bailey currently serves as the chair of the FSB's Standing Committee on Supervisory Cooperation. During his tenure, Andrew Bailey has been responsible for overseeing the development of the global regulatory framework for crypto asset activities and the implementation roadmap for crypto assets by the Financial Stability Board.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Vanuatu has passed legislation to regulate digital assets and provide a licensing system for crypto companies wishing to operate in the Pacific island nation, which a government regulatory advisor described as "very strict."The local council passed the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act on March 26, granting the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC) the authority to issue crypto licenses, as well as the power to enforce the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards for anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and travel rules on crypto companies. Under these laws, the VFSC has extensive investigative and enforcement powers and stipulates fines of up to 250 million Vatu (approximately 2 million USD) and prison sentences of up to 30 years.The law establishes a licensing and reporting framework for exchanges, NFT marketplaces, crypto custodians, and initial token offerings. Notably, the law allows banks to obtain licenses to provide crypto trading and custody services. The VFSC stated that while stablecoins, tokenized securities, and central bank digital currencies "may have some similarities with virtual assets in practice," this legislation does not affect them. The legislation also allows the VFSC commissioner to create a sandbox that permits licensed companies to offer a variety of crypto services for a period of one year, which can be renewed.In a statement on March 29, the regulatory body indicated that after years of "assessing the risks associated with virtual assets," it has developed a legislative framework that will "bring numerous opportunities" to Vanuatu and improve financial inclusion by allowing regulated services for crypto cross-border payments.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, since 2020, 47 countries around the world have relaxed or simplified regulations on cryptocurrencies, while 4 countries have tightened restrictions, even completely banning cryptocurrencies and mining.

According to ChainCatcher, Representative Adrian Boafo from Maryland and New York Assemblyman Clyde Vanel co-sent a letter to Congressional Democratic leaders, calling for the establishment of a federal cryptocurrency regulatory framework to prevent fragmented regulatory policies across states. The letter was sent to Senators Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, and Representatives Maxine Waters and Angie Craig, emphasizing that currently, 35 states have introduced various cryptocurrency legislations, ranging from legal recognition of digital assets to restrictive measures. Without federal guidance, market uncertainty will further intensify, affecting business and financial development.Boafo and Vanel are concerned that Democrats like Warren and Waters, who have long held anti-crypto positions, may hinder bipartisan cooperation and impact the implementation of the regulatory framework. The two emphasized that Democrats have consistently led in promoting technology policy and bipartisan collaboration, and they hope to continue advocating for unified and clear digital market regulation to ensure the U.S. remains competitive in the crypto economy.

ChainCatcher news, the Australian government plans to release a draft of cryptocurrency regulatory regulations in 2025 and has committed to working with the four major banks to address the issue of de-banking. The new framework will impose compliance requirements of existing financial services laws on cryptocurrency exchanges, custodial services, and more, including customer asset protection, financial services licenses, and minimum capital requirements.In addition, the government will review central bank digital currencies and launch an enhanced regulatory sandbox in 2025 to support businesses in testing new financial products without a license. The Albanese government also stated that it will focus on the intersection of cryptocurrency and de-banking issues to ensure Australia maintains its competitive edge globally.

ChainCatcher news, Paraguay's Secretariat for the Prevention of Money Laundering (SEPRELAD) signed a memorandum of understanding with El Salvador's National Digital Assets Commission (CNAD) last Friday. This is the second such agreement signed in nearly three months, following a similar regulatory cooperation between El Salvador and Argentina's National Securities Commission (CNV) last December.According to SEPRELAD's statement, both parties will work together to combat unlicensed cryptocurrency operations and strengthen anti-money laundering measures.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com News, the Cayman Islands has updated its cryptocurrency regulatory framework and established new licensing regulations that will take effect on April 1, 2025.According to the 2025 Virtual Assets (Service Providers) (Amendment) Regulations, all entities providing virtual asset custody and trading platform services are required to obtain a license issued by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA). Existing virtual asset service providers (VASPs) must submit their license applications within 90 days after the effective date.As part of the application process, crypto asset custodians must disclose the types and amounts of virtual assets they intend to hold for clients, while trading platform operators need to provide details about expected revenue and the location of their physical hardware.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cryptonews, Colombian Senator Gustavo Moreno and Congressman Julián López have introduced a bill aimed at establishing a legal framework to "protect" cryptocurrency users in the country. Moreno pointed out that the lack of regulation means that cryptocurrency exchanges and other companies operate in an unregulated space, which "brings uncertainty and risk to customers."The bill contains 16 provisions covering monitoring, marketing rules, education, cryptocurrency taxation, and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures (AML/CFT). Lawmakers stated that by "protecting users," the bill could also "encourage (cryptocurrency) investment" in the long term. The bill also seeks to introduce a licensing system for cryptocurrency operators, who will need to register as virtual asset service providers (VASP). In other countries, the VASP licensing system is typically designed to force cryptocurrency exchanges and wallet companies to comply with AML/CFT protocols.Since 2021, the Colombian Financial Superintendence has been conducting pilot projects related to cryptocurrency. However, the pilot projects of the Financial Superintendence have yet to produce a "concrete regulatory framework."

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin News, Kenya is drafting a new regulatory bill for digital assets.It is reported that nearly 10% of the country's population is involved in cryptocurrency activities. The proposed bill will focus on the licensing management of cryptocurrency exchanges and wallets.

ChainCatcher news, according to the Bangkok Post, former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced at the ASEAN Economic Forum that Thailand will launch a cryptocurrency regulatory sandbox program in Phuket in October 2025. The program will focus on the application of stablecoins to balance innovation and risk, and will initially be piloted in the tourism sector.Thaksin emphasized Thailand's leading advantage in the region, especially in the context of Trump's support for cryptocurrencies. Gulf Binance CEO Nirun Fuwattananukul stated that the sandbox model will provide a controllable environment for cryptocurrency applications for businesses and consumers while ensuring regulatory effectiveness.