EU ends MiCA transition for virtual asset service providers on 1 July 2026
Crypto-asset service providers serving EU customers must hold CASP authorisation or wind down EU operations, blocking onboarding, account openings and advertising
Cryptocurrency
28 briefs
OFAC sanctions PCC-linked Brazilian crypto and payments network and adds ISIS-K crypto addresses
US-nexus sanctions and crypto-monitoring teams must block the PCC-linked Brazilian network (incl. a Pix payments firm) and add ISIS-K's newly listed XMR and TRX addresses to on-chain screening
FCA publishes final crypto rules — authorisation, capital, market-integrity and stablecoin standards, mandatory from October 2027
Crypto trading platforms, intermediaries, custodians, stablecoin issuers and staking firms must obtain FCA authorisation — the gateway opens 30 September 2026 and the mandatory regime takes effect 25 October 2027
VARA fines KuCoin (Peken Global) for providing virtual asset services in Dubai without a licence
VARA fined KuCoin (Peken Global) for serving Dubai customers without a VARA licence — a perimeter-enforcement signal for any offshore VASP with UAE exposure.
OFAC designates 35 Prince Group TCO-linked persons
U.S. persons must block and report property of the 35 designated Prince Group TCO persons and cannot transact with them
U.S. Treasury OFAC adds ISIS-linked individuals and money-exchange entities to SDN List
Bank sanctions-screening teams must block payments and freeze US-jurisdiction property involving the newly listed ISIS-linked SDNs
VARA fines MEXC operator for unlicensed virtual asset services and KYC failures in Dubai
Offshore VASPs serving Dubai without a VARA licence or UAE KYC face fines and cease-and-desist enforcement.
VARA fines licensed VASP CoinMENA for AML programme control failures in Dubai
VARA-licensed VASPs face financial penalties where supervisory inspection finds AML programme control failures, regardless of full cooperation.
CFTC issues no-action relief for DCMs converting perpetual-style digital commodity futures, expiring 30 June 2026
DCMs can convert perpetual-style digital commodity futures to true perpetuals only by meeting the letter's conditions and filing before the relief expires 30 June 2026
OFAC designates Iran-linked financial firms and DR Congo individuals
Sanctions-screening teams must add six individuals and four Iran-based crypto exchange entities to SDN filters immediately — NOBITEX network carries secondary sanctions exposure affecting non-US counterparties.
CFTC approves bitcoin perpetual contract as futures, requires Regulation 40.3 review for all other perpetual listings
KalshiEX must operate BTCPERP under full CEA and CFTC compliance; all other DCMs must obtain separate Regulation 40.3 approval before listing any perpetual contract on assets outside the Order.
CFTC staff advisory sets pre-conditions for DCMs, SEFs, DCOs, and FCMs extending to 24/7 trading, clearing, and settlement
DCMs, SEFs, DCOs, and FCMs must satisfy CFTC staff expectations and conduct asset-class suitability assessments before extending operations to 24/7 trading, clearing, or settlement — proceeding without that pre-compliance creates enforcement exposure.