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 a post by former Forbes business reporter Eleanor Terrett, the nominee for chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Brian Quintenz, has begun meeting with senators on Capitol Hill in preparation for his confirmation hearing.Quintenz met today with Republican Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa to discuss CFTC-related matters, including the cryptocurrency spot market.It is reported that Grassley is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, which oversees the CFTC and will play an important role in whether the CFTC expands its regulatory authority over the cryptocurrency spot market.

ChainCatcher news, according to Decrypt, U.S. House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill on Monday rare criticized President Trump and his family's cryptocurrency business activities, stating that these actions have made the work of drafting laws for the emerging digital asset industry "more complicated." Hill specifically pointed out the meme coin and stablecoin projects launched by Trump, saying they have a negative impact on lawmakers' work. Hill: "These projects make our job more complicated."On Monday, Hill stated that the House Financial Services Committee will review the draft of the "Stablecoin Act" on Wednesday and will soon discuss a new version of the Market Structure Act. In the Senate, the bipartisan "GENIUS Act," which received support with a vote of 18 to 6, has been submitted for a full vote. However, Trump's business activities have provided Democrats with reasons to oppose. Last week, Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized the USD1 stablecoin supported by Trump as a "scam" and attempted to link the project to the legislative process. She stated, "Congress should amend the stablecoin bill under consideration to prevent Trump and Musk from controlling people's money."

ChainCatcher news, crypto reporter Eleanor Terrett posted on social media that the House will hold a hearing on legislation regarding the structure of the crypto market. The House Financial Services Committee's Digital Assets Subcommittee will hold a hearing next Wednesday (April 9) to discuss the establishment of a federal regulatory framework for digital assets.The theme of this hearing is "The Future of American Innovation and Digital Assets: Adjusting U.S. Securities Law for the Digital Age," marking the first public push by the 119th Congress to formulate rules governing the operation of the $2.7 trillion crypto industry in the United States.

ChainCatcher news, according to Finance Feeds, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Thailand has officially filed a complaint against the cryptocurrency exchange OKX, accusing it of violating the country's digital asset regulations.The lawsuit states that OKX conducted digital asset business in Thailand without obtaining the necessary licenses, violating the provisions of the 2018 Digital Asset Business Act. The Thai SEC indicated that OKX failed to implement adequate investor protection measures, including inadequate customer identification (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) protocols, and also failed to fulfill mandatory regulatory reporting obligations.Reports suggest that if the violation allegations are confirmed, OKX may face fines, trading restrictions, or even a complete ban on operations in Thailand.

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.

ChainCatcher news, Paul Atkins, the SEC chairman nominated by Trump, will attend the confirmation hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee on Thursday morning local time.In his prepared remarks, Paul Atkins stated: "The current regulatory environment of the U.S. financial system hinders investment and often punishes the successful. Unclear, overly complex, and cumbersome regulations are stifling capital formation, while American investors are overwhelmed by a flood of disclosure information that does not help them understand the true risks of their investments. It is time to reset priorities and restore common sense to the SEC."Additionally, Paul Atkins is expected to discuss how to regulate the cryptocurrency industry, stating that this will be a top priority in his role as SEC chairman.

ChainCatcher News, American cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence czar David Sacks stated: "This is a huge victory for cryptocurrency. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) will follow the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in eliminating the practice of considering 'reputational risk' as a factor in bank regulation.'Reputational risk' may sound good in theory, but it is defined as 'the likelihood that negative publicity regarding an institution's business practices (true or not) will cause a decline in the customer base, costly litigation, or a reduction in revenue.' In practice, this vague and subjective standard has been used to justify the elimination of legitimate crypto businesses through Operation Chokepoint 2.0. Banking standards should be objective and quantifiable, not based on the possibility of untrue stories. Thanks to Senator Tim Scott for his leadership in this area through the FIRM Act."

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com, Montana is accelerating the advancement of a digital asset regulatory framework to address the surge in cryptocurrency fraud. State Securities and Insurance Commissioner James Brown cited data from the Federal Trade Commission, stating that nationwide fraud losses reached $12.5 billion in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 25%, with the elderly population becoming a primary target due to their demographic representation ranking sixth in the nation.Brown supports the "Digital Token Regulatory Act" being reviewed by the state legislature, which would authorize regulatory agencies to implement access reviews and ongoing supervision of blockchain service providers, emphasizing "promoting the coordinated development of economic innovation and consumer protection through clear boundaries of rights and responsibilities." If the bill passes, Montana will become the first jurisdiction in the U.S. to systematically regulate on-chain trading entities.Regulatory actions focus on three major risk areas:"Pig Butchering" social engineering scams: 15 cases have been filed statewide in 2024, involving over $900,000, with scammers inducing victims to invest in fake trading platforms by fabricating personal relationships;Bank transfer fraud: using cryptocurrency mixing services to obscure the flow of funds;High-yield investment traps: evading compliance reviews by promising excessive returns.Brown announced the establishment of a cross-departmental digital asset enforcement team, opening a 24-hour reporting channel, and plans to collaborate with federal agencies to trace on-chain funds. Industry insiders point out that this move may provide a paradigm reference for Web3 regulation across U.S. states.

ChainCatcher message, according to the perspective of blockchain regulatory advisors, the pressure for the de-banking of cryptocurrencies may continue until January 2026, when Trump will have the authority to appoint new Federal Reserve governors. Caitlin Long, founder and CEO of Custodia Bank, pointed out that the Federal Reserve is still controlled by the Democrats and is currently reviewing two pro-crypto banks, with a large number of examiners having entered these banks, putting pressure on their operations.Furthermore, although the U.S. OCC and FDIC may overturn previous anti-crypto policies, the Federal Reserve's stance remains unchanged, and the crypto industry may still face regulatory resistance in the future.

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, according to Decrypt, the government led by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has proposed a new regulatory framework for digital assets, aimed at enhancing industry certainty, strengthening consumer protection, and ensuring market integrity. The reforms require major crypto platforms to apply for an Australian financial services license, while small non-financial service businesses may be exempt.The policy document released by the Australian Treasury, titled "Developing an Innovative Australian Digital Asset Industry," states that the new regulations will cover exchanges, custodians, specific brokerage platforms, and stablecoin issuers, enhancing consistency with international standards and boosting the global competitiveness of the industry. Companies involved in the development of digital assets for non-financial purposes, software development, and infrastructure maintenance are not within the regulatory scope.The government is also paying attention to the trend of "de-banking" among financial institutions, stating that the new licensing mechanism is expected to improve risk management and transparency, reduce banks' service restrictions on the crypto industry, and is in communication with major banks regarding response measures.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the North Dakota Senate passed House Bill 1447 with a vote of 45 in favor and 1 against. This bill regulates cryptocurrency ATMs and reinstates the provision that sets a daily transaction limit of $2,000 per user, which had previously been removed by the state House.The bill requires cryptocurrency ATM and self-service terminal operators to obtain a money transmission license in the state, limits users' daily withdrawal amounts to $2,000 from their ATM network, and issues fraud warning notifications. The bill also mandates operators to use blockchain analysis technology to monitor suspicious activities and report them to authorities, while providing quarterly reports that include terminal locations, names, and transaction data.The bill now needs to return to the House for a vote on the amendments, after which North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong will decide whether to sign it into law. Data from the Federal Trade Commission shows that fraud losses from Bitcoin ATMs have increased nearly tenfold from 2020 to 2023, exceeding $65 million in the first half of 2024.

ChainCatcher message, David Sacks responded on the X platform to previous reports about his sale of crypto assets, stating that he did not "dump" crypto assets, but rather divested them in accordance with government ethics regulations, emphasizing that he had hoped to retain these assets but was required by policy to carry out the operation. He added that it is his honor to serve President Trump and the American people.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood hopes to put part of the company's funds on-chain as soon as the U.S. regulatory environment allows. Wood stated at the New York Digital Assets Summit on Tuesday: "We believe tokenization will be very important, and we hope to be able to tokenize our Venture Fund (ARKVX) or our Digital Asset Revolution Fund. I think regulation is gradually opening up, which will enable us to do this. Therefore, we want to seize this opportunity."Ark Invest's main holding company, Coinbase, is also exploring the issuance of security tokens, but lacks specific plans due to ongoing discussions with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Despite expectations that the market size could grow to trillions by 2030, regulatory uncertainty continues to hinder the tokenization process in the U.S.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the Argentine National Securities Commission (CNV) has finalized regulatory rules for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP).The new regulations cover registration obligations, cybersecurity, asset custody, anti-money laundering, and risk disclosure, requiring mandatory separation of company and client funds, annual audits, and monthly reports to the CNV. Starting in 2024, VASPs operating in Argentina must register with the Virtual Asset Service Provider Registry (PSAV), and violators may have their registration revoked.CNV Chairman Roberto E. Silva stated that institutions failing to comply with the regulations will not be able to operate in Argentina.

ChainCatcher news, according to documents disclosed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, financial institution on-chain operating system provider Tokeny recently sent a letter to the SEC's crypto working group, proposing recommendations for the regulation of digital securities.The company made four main recommendations in the letter:The same assets should be subject to the same rules, regardless of changes in regulatory methods due to technological forms;Acknowledge the legal status of tokens as proof of ownership;Avoid imposing additional custody requirements on digital securities;Allow the use of blockchain as a settlement layer, without hindering trade discovery.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Turkey is advancing cryptocurrency regulation, formulating new rules for crypto asset service providers (CASPs).The Turkish Capital Markets Board (CMB) today released two regulatory documents regarding CASP licensing and operations, covering crypto trading platforms, custodians, and wallet service providers. This regulatory framework grants the CMB comprehensive oversight of crypto platforms to ensure compliance with domestic and international standards.Additionally, the framework sets the standards and requirements for establishing and providing crypto asset services in Turkey, including registered capital, management background, shareholder rules, and more.