ChainCatcher news, according to Decrypt, despite the International Monetary Fund (IMF) requesting El Salvador to freeze government cryptocurrency purchases under a $1.4 billion loan agreement, the country still purchased an additional 8 bitcoins on Tuesday.Previously, IMF staff reached an agreement with El Salvador authorities on the first review of the 40-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF), praising the progress made in economic reforms and macroeconomic stability, while also warning to ensure that the total amount of bitcoins held in the government wallet remains unchanged, and reiterated the deadline to gradually stop public sector participation in the state-owned Chivo wallet before July.According to Arkham Intelligence data, El Salvador currently holds nearly 6,200 bitcoins, worth over $674 million.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, South Korea will allow certain non-profit organizations and registered cryptocurrency exchanges to sell their crypto assets starting in June, and announced strengthened anti-money laundering (AML) and know your customer (KYC) regulatory measures for institutional clients.This move paves the way for gradually lifting the ban on institutional investment in cryptocurrencies. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) requires exchanges and partner banks to "thoroughly" review the source of funds and transaction purposes of new institutional clients, and plans to allow listed companies and others to trade on exchanges in the second half of 2025.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Dubai's cryptocurrency regulator has required licensed digital asset companies to comply with its latest version of the activity-based rulebook by June 19, in order to enhance market integrity and risk regulation.On May 19, the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) announced the release of the Rulebook 2.0.The Dubai regulator stated that it has strengthened the oversight of margin trading and token distribution services, enhanced the consistency of compliance requirements for all licensed businesses, and provided clearer definitions for collateral wallet arrangements.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Wall Street Journal, the enthusiasm of U.S. President Trump and his family for cryptocurrencies has made the industry one of the biggest winners in his second term. Given Trump's vast business interests, critics have raised ethical concerns.Representatives of the Trump family have discussed investing in Binance.US. This would involve the U.S. president conducting business with a company that has acknowledged violations of anti-money laundering laws. Binance executives have also met with officials from the U.S. Treasury to discuss easing government regulations on the company. Binance founder and major shareholder Changpeng Zhao recently stated that his lawyers have formally applied for a pardon. Last year, he served four months in prison due to related charges.The Trump family also owns a company called World Liberty Financial, which was established last September. Trump's sons Donald Jr., Eric, and Barron are all involved in this venture, with the Trump family controlling about 60% of the company's equity. Sun Yuchen invested $75 million in the project, further propelling this momentum. In February, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requested the court to suspend a lawsuit accusing Justin Sun and his companies of fraud.Trump's team is trying to push Congress to pass two cryptocurrency bills in the coming months: one to establish the first regulations for stablecoins, and another to specify which crypto products are regulated as securities by the SEC and which are regulated as commodities by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The Senate is expected to vote soon on its version of the stablecoin bill. Some Democrats oppose the bill, citing potential conflicts of interest for Trump and the activities surrounding stablecoins.

ChainCatcher news, according to DL News, starting from January 1, 2026, cryptocurrency companies operating in the UK will be required to collect and report detailed user and transaction data in accordance with a new regulation introduced by the UK tax authority.This change stems from the UK's adoption of the Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) — a global standard aimed at combating tax evasion and aligning the transparency of the crypto industry with that of the banking system.Under the new regulation, crypto platforms must identify each user and record their legal identity information, address, and taxpayer identification number.Additionally, platforms must record every transaction involving UK users or users from other CARF participating countries, including details such as transaction amount, asset type, quantity, and nature of the transfer.These requirements also apply to overseas companies providing services to UK customers. If the reported information is incorrect or incomplete, each user may face a fine of up to £300.

ChainCatcher news, according to the Financial Times, Hong Kong crypto investment company Animoca Brands plans to go public in New York. Animoca Brands co-founder Yat Siu stated that Trump's lenient regulation on digital assets provides a "unique opportunity" to enter the world's largest capital market.The company was valued at nearly $6 billion in 2022, currently holds $300 million in cash and stablecoins, digital assets worth $538 million, with an EBITDA of $97 million and revenue of $314 million in 2024.

ChainCatcher news, CryptoQuant founder and CEO Ki Young Ju posted on the X platform that "dark stablecoins" are likely to emerge in the future. Stablecoins serve as a bridge between the internet and the real world, so there needs to be someone to manage them. So far, companies like Tether and Circle have achieved this by depositing cash reserves in banks. Aside from combating money laundering, governments have not really intervened in stablecoins, allowing various groups, including miners, to use them as a safe asset storage.However, this situation is changing, and stablecoins may face strict government regulation, similar to traditional banks. Those who use stablecoins for large international transfers may start looking for "dark stablecoins" that can withstand censorship. There are two ways to create dark stablecoins: algorithmic stablecoins not controlled by the government and stablecoins issued by countries that do not censor financial transactions.USDT itself was once considered a censorship-resistant stablecoin, and if Tether chooses not to comply with U.S. government regulations under a future Trump administration, it could become a dark stablecoin in an increasingly censored internet economy.

According to ChainCatcher news, as reported by Decrypt, Paschal Donohoe, the President of the Eurogroup and the Irish Minister for Finance, stated at the European Anti-Financial Crime Summit that the EU is advancing new Anti-Money Laundering Regulations (AMLR), which will require crypto asset service providers to record information about the sender and receiver of transactions to achieve transparent regulation of crypto transfers.Previous news indicates that the EU will completely ban anonymous crypto accounts and privacy coin transactions starting in 2027.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, the UK government released a consultation document for a cryptocurrency legislation draft on April 29, planning to add regulated activities, including operating cryptocurrency asset trading platforms and issuing stablecoins.In addition, the draft also covers regulatory frameworks such as market abuse, listing, and disclosure systems. Although relevant consultations were initiated during the Conservative government's term in 2023, the Labour government has stated that it will continue to advance the previous government's cryptocurrency plans. This initiative aims to regulate the cryptocurrency industry, protect investor interests, and promote healthy market development.

ChainCatcher news, the Federal Reserve announced on Thursday the withdrawal of regulatory guidance regarding banks' cryptocurrency assets and dollar token businesses, and simultaneously updated the relevant business expectation standards. This move aims to ensure that regulatory requirements keep pace with the evolution of risks and further support innovation in the banking system.The announcement shows that the Federal Reserve has officially abolished the regulatory letter issued in 2022, which previously required state member banks to report in advance on proposed or existing cryptocurrency asset businesses. After the withdrawal, the Federal Reserve will no longer require banks to fulfill reporting obligations, instead opting to monitor related activities through regular regulatory procedures. Also abolished is the 2023 guidance document regarding the "no objection" procedure for state member banks participating in dollar token businesses.In addition, the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation jointly decided to withdraw two policy statements regarding banks' cryptocurrency asset businesses and risk exposures, which were jointly issued by federal banking regulators in 2023. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency had previously withdrawn from that statement. The Federal Reserve stated that it will collaborate with other regulatory agencies in the future to assess whether new guidance frameworks are needed to support innovation, including cryptocurrency asset businesses.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinGape, Binance has begun requiring all Indian users to re-verify their identities (KYC) to comply with anti-money laundering (AML) regulations.

According to ChainCatcher, as reported by The Block, Bank of America is actively lobbying for regulations on stablecoin issuance that favor banks rather than tech companies. Currently, there is a high-stakes power struggle between traditional banks, tech giants, and cryptocurrency companies like Tether.According to insiders, Bank of America is primarily lobbying lawmakers through industry organizations such as the Bank Policy Institute and the American Bankers Association to establish rules that benefit mature banks in issuing stablecoins, while restricting large tech companies (non-banks) like Amazon and Meta from issuing dollar-backed crypto tokens.

ChainCatcher news, according to Decrypt, after the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) passed the new regulation "allowing licensed institutions to provide staking services," the Ethereum staking ETF launched by Huaxia Fund (Hong Kong) in collaboration with OSL Digital Securities has been approved and is set to be listed by May 15 at the latest. This Ethereum staking ETF operates through the custody of the licensed platform OSL and the node verification by the French staking service provider Kiln, allowing investors to indirectly earn staking rewards from Ethereum.Last month, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) released the "ASPIRe" roadmap, which clearly outlines five pillars—Access, Safeguards, Products, Infrastructure, and Relationships—aiming to build a complete virtual asset ecosystem. Hong Kong's first Ethereum staking ETF is scheduled to launch on April 25, with the Hong Kong government approving two staking-type crypto ETFs within three months, indicating that the regulatory framework is gradually becoming internationally competitive.

ChainCatcher news, according to the Daily News, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of South Korea has reiterated its commitment to the smooth and timely development of a regulatory framework for stablecoins. Previously, the South Korean government announced plans to review the second phase of legislation for its broader virtual asset framework, with stablecoin regulation listed as a top priority.The FSC confirmed that it will adhere to the original timeline, aiming to draft specific content for the second phase of regulation in the second half of this year. A dedicated working group composed of relevant government agencies will be responsible for organizing this process. The commission also stated that, in light of recent market volatility, it will enhance monitoring of the broader virtual asset market, including stablecoins. These efforts aim to strengthen protection for cryptocurrency users.

ChainCatcher news, Federal Reserve Chairman Powell: A "partial easing" of cryptocurrency-related bank regulations is expected.

ChainCatcher news, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, Binance executives met with officials from the U.S. Treasury Department last month to discuss easing government regulations on the company. Meanwhile, Binance is exploring the possibility of a business partnership with the Trump family's cryptocurrency project. Some insiders have indicated that Binance executives proposed to Treasury officials in Washington the removal of the independent monitor position overseeing the company's anti-money laundering compliance. This move would be the first step for Binance to return to the U.S. market.

ChainCatcher news, according to Fortune magazine, the U.S. Department of Justice notified employees on Monday evening that it is disbanding a department specifically responsible for cryptocurrency-related investigations. In a four-page memo reviewed by Fortune, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the decision, stating, "The Department of Justice is not a digital asset regulatory agency. However, the previous administration used the Department to implement a reckless regulatory strategy through prosecutions."Blanche is the second-in-command at the Department of Justice and was a defense attorney during Trump's 2024 criminal trial. He wrote that as part of the Department's efforts to comply with Trump's January executive order on digital assets, the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) is being "immediately" disbanded, with the order aimed at "establishing regulatory clarity for the industry." As part of the memo on Monday, Blanche instructed DOJ employees to focus on "prosecuting those who harm digital asset investors," rather than pursuing cases against cryptocurrency exchanges, mixers like "Tornado Cash," and "offline wallets."

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, the issuer of the stablecoin USDT, Tether, may launch a new token specifically for the United States. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated in an interview that the company has been involved in discussions regarding U.S. stablecoin regulations and may create a token solely for the U.S., depending on the progress of these discussions. Paolo Ardoino mentioned that the Trump administration viewed stablecoins as "an important tool for America," and if new rules are introduced to make U.S. stablecoins competitive, Tether may be interested in creating a "domestic" stablecoin, which would essentially be a "settlement currency."