ChainCatcher news, according to the official announcement from OpenAI, the Operator feature is now fully available to Pro users in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland.

ChainCatcher news, OKX responded on social media regarding the scrutiny of its Web3 services by EU regulators, stating, "The Bloomberg article is misleading. Like all other major cryptocurrency exchanges, OKX offers self-custody wallet services/exchange functions, acting as an aggregator to create efficiency for users. When Bybit was hacked, we took two measures: froze the relevant funds entering the CEX; developed a new feature that can detect and block hacker addresses from using our DEX or wallet services.Bybit's statement spread misinformation among journalists. OKX clarifies to the community: OKX is not under investigation; this is merely a case of Bybit's lack of security knowledge; our Web3 wallet services are no different from those offered by other industry participants."Previously, Bloomberg reported that sources familiar with the matter said that European cryptocurrency regulators are reviewing the usage of a service provided by the cryptocurrency exchange OKX, which hackers used to launder $1.5 billion in stolen funds from the trading platform Bybit. These individuals requested anonymity as the review process is confidential. They stated that national regulators from the 27 EU member states discussed the issue at a meeting hosted by the European Securities and Markets Authority's Digital Finance Standing Committee on March 6. OKX is regulated under the EU's new Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, European Stability Mechanism (ESM) President Pierre Gramegna stated at a press conference following the Eurogroup meeting on Monday that the support for cryptocurrencies by the U.S. government under President Trump could undermine Europe's monetary sovereignty.Gramegna said: "The U.S. government's supportive stance on cryptocurrencies, especially dollar-denominated stablecoins, may raise certain concerns in Europe. U.S. support could ultimately lead to American and foreign tech giants launching popular payment solutions based on dollar stablecoins—its success could undermine Europe's monetary sovereignty and financial stability. The ESM supports the European Central Bank's efforts to realize a digital euro to maintain Europe's strategic autonomy. Today, digitizing Europe is more necessary than ever."It is reported that the ESM is an intergovernmental institution that provides financial assistance to member countries facing financial crises, aiming to maintain the long-term financial stability of the eurozone.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, ECB President Lagarde stated that the EU plans to launch the digital euro in October.Previous news, the ECB President said that the digital euro cannot be advanced unless legislation is completed.

ChainCatcher News: U.S. President Trump stated that he will soon announce tariffs on the European Union. A 25% tariff may be imposed, which will apply to cars and all other items.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) framework, 10 institutions including Circle, Crypto.com, and Société Générale have been authorized to issue euro and dollar stablecoins, involving a total of 10 euro stablecoins and 5 dollar stablecoins. However, the world's largest stablecoin issuer Tether (USDT, with a market cap of over $141 billion) is not on the list.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Deutsche Börse CEO Stephan Leithner has called for the establishment of a permanent digital euro, pointing out that this central bank digital currency will play an important role in financial stability, efficiency, and EU autonomy.He believes that the launch of a permanent CBDC is a key element of the EU's digital agenda and an important part of its financial strategy.

According to ChainCatcher news and analysis from Glassnode, on-chain activity dominated by retail investors in the Asia-Pacific region is growing significantly faster than in the United States and the European Union.Since the cycle low in December 2022, the Bitcoin supply in the Asia-Pacific region has increased by 6.4% year-on-year, while the United States and the European Union have seen declines of 5.7% and 0.7%, respectively, indicating a sustained increase in demand for Bitcoin from retail investors in the Asia-Pacific region.

ChainCatcher news, Zhao Changpeng stated on social media that the EU needs Bitcoin.Previous news, ECB President Lagarde said that Bitcoin will not be included in the EU reserves.

ChainCatcher news, according to Veronika Rinecker, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has ordered crypto asset service providers (CASP) to delist stablecoins that do not comply with the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). Although ESMA did not specify which non-compliant issuers or stablecoins should be restricted, this move follows the guidelines from the European Commission in July 2024, aimed at clarifying how MiCA applies to crypto assets involving non-compliant stablecoins.Prior to this, the European Banking Authority (EBA) had urged stakeholders to assess the MiCA compliance of the tokens they offer and to cease providing services related to non-compliant assets.It is reported that MiCA will come into effect on June 30, 2024, establishing a regulatory framework for the issuance and trading of asset-referenced tokens (ART) or stablecoins and electronic money tokens (EMT).

ChainCatcher news, according to Politico, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has called on incoming U.S. President Trump to intervene and stop the European Union from imposing antitrust fines on American tech companies.He stated on Joe Rogan's podcast that the EU has fined American tech companies over $30 billion in the past 20 years, describing these fines as "almost like tariffs," and accused the Biden administration of failing to effectively address the issue.Zuckerberg believes that the strength of American tech companies is a strategic advantage for the country, and the new government should take measures to protect these companies from overseas restrictions. He also hinted that Meta's recent termination of its third-party fact-checking program and its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives may be aimed at aligning with the policies of the Trump administration.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, the cryptocurrency exchange Gemini has appointed a new executive team for Europe to drive its regional expansion plans for 2025, which mainly includes:Mark Jennings has been appointed as the head of Europe, previously serving as the Chief Operating Officer of Kraken's European operations;Daniel Slutzkin has been appointed as the head of the UK, previously from the UK brokerage Stake.Vijay Selvam will serve as the International General Counsel, responsible for licensing and regulatory strategy in Europe and the UK, having been transferred from Gemini's Asia-Pacific team to work in the UK.It is reported that this appointment comes as EU member states face the December 30 deadline for the implementation of the MiCA regulation, which sets new rules for cryptocurrency service providers.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Standard Chartered has obtained a Luxembourg license to launch digital asset custody services in the EU.

ChainCatcher news, according to cryptonews, European Crypto Initiative (EUCI) co-founder Marina Markezic stated that MiCA could accelerate the institutionalization and integration of the EU crypto market, driving mergers and acquisitions between traditional finance and crypto-native enterprises, while potentially leading to the exit of some companies or products from the market.Although MiCA largely excludes DeFi from direct regulation, its interfaces or service access points may face additional regulation from member states, and this uncertainty could lead to friction.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, major global markets are strengthening tax regulations on cryptocurrencies. According to the latest policy, the U.S. IRS classifies crypto assets as digital assets and adopts a taxation method similar to that of stocks and bonds. Specifically, simply buying and holding is not taxed, but actions that "realize gains," such as selling, exchanging between cryptocurrencies, and using cryptocurrencies for shopping, are subject to capital gains tax; mining income, staking rewards, and wages received in cryptocurrency are taxed as income.The UK's HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) imposes a capital gains tax of up to 24% on cryptocurrency transactions, with a basic rate taxpayer applicable to a 10% rate and a tax-free allowance of the first £3,000. Additionally, mining income and salaries paid in cryptocurrency are subject to income tax, and employers must pay national insurance on salaries paid in cryptocurrency.The EU has not yet unified tax standards, and there are significant policy differences among member states. Germany exempts cryptocurrencies held for more than a year from tax, while selling within a year incurs a maximum income tax of 45%, plus a 5.5% solidarity surcharge. Spain imposes a unified tax rate of 19%-28% on crypto gains. Portugal's tax rate ranges from 14.5%-53%, with a standard capital gains tax rate of 28%.