India’s 2025 crypto crackdown saw 49 exchanges register with regulators and $3.1M in fines issued to non-compliant platforms. | Credit: Getty Images. Key Takeaways In 2025, 49 crypto exchanges registered with India’s FIU, including 45 local and four offshore platforms. The FIU imposed fines totaling approximately $3.1 million on non-compliant exchanges, with major penalties levied against platforms like Bybit. The overhaul cracked down on illicit activities, blocked unregistered offshore sites, and pav ...

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act passed the House in July 2025 with bipartisan support but remains pending in the Senate. Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott confirmed a January 2026 markup session, with floor vote expected Q1-Q2 2026. The legislation would formally divide oversight between the SEC and CFTC, clarifying which assets are commodities (like Bitcoin) versus securities.The GENIUS Act creates a federal framework where banks can issue stablecoins under regulatory oversight. Clear rules mean banks ...

California is planning to hit billionaires with a new one-time wealth tax in 2026, and it sparked loud warnings from tech and crypto founders about an “innovation exodus.” However, crypto markets did not swing on the headlines, but the battle over where builders live and launch still shapes where new projects list, hire, and pay tax. For us, this fight decides whether the next big exchange, wallet, or DeFi app launches in the US or somewhere more crypto friendly. Investor Chamath Palihapitiya says Calif ...

The US derivatives watchdog is bringing back a familiar face from Bitcoin’s first leap into regulated markets, as Amir Zaidi returns to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as chief of staff ahead of what Washington calls a pivotal year for crypto rules. The CFTC said on Dec. 31 that Chairman Michael S. Selig appointed Zaidi to the role, after Zaidi spent nearly a decade at the agency before leaving for the private sector. “Amir brings to this role deep experience both at the Commission and in the f ...

South Korea’s long-awaited Digital Asset Basic Act (DABA), a sweeping framework meant to govern crypto trading and issuance in one of Asia’s most active digital asset markets, has been delayed amid disagreements among regulators over stablecoin issuance. The most significant disagreement centers on who should have the legal authority to issue KRW-pegged stablecoins, according to a Korea Tech Desk article. The Bank of Korea (BOK) argued that only banks with majority (51%) ownership should be permitted to i ...

South Korea’s next major step toward comprehensive crypto regulation has been pushed into 2026, as regulators remain divided over how tightly stablecoin issuance should be controlled. Key Takeaways: South Korea’s comprehensive crypto law has been delayed to 2026 due to a dispute over who should be allowed to issue stablecoins. Regulators are proposing strict stablecoin rules, including 100% reserves held in banks. The draft law would raise compliance standards across crypto. While authorities bro ...

Stablecoins are poised to surpass $1 trillion in circulation by 2026, more than triple today’s market, according to a forecast last week by crypto ETF issuer 21Shares.“All this paves the way for far greater engagement by institutional investors and major Wall Street firms to allocate to crypto,” he says.Crucially, the bill would divide and define oversight between the SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). This will allow regulators to issue guidance for how financial services can engage with ...

crypto regulation cover. Photo by BeInCrypto A small EU nation is set to enforce one of Europe’s strictest crypto crackdowns, warning that hundreds of unlicensed digital asset firms could face fines, website blocks, and even prison time starting next week. The central bank has made it clear that any platform continuing to onboard users or handle crypto without proper MiCA authorization after December 31 will be considered illegal. Lithuania Draws a Hard Line on Crypto Starting January 1 The Bank of Lit ...

A pro-business Russian lawmaker has welcomed the central bank’s remarkable U-turn on crypto regulation as Moscow prepares to let retail investors buy Bitcoin and other high-cap tokens. Anton Gorelkin, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma’s IT committee, noted that the Central Bank had been advocating a “ban on cryptocurrencies for four years,” Russia’s Parliamentary Gazette reported. “The central bank is now demonstrating a more balanced position,” Gorelkin said. “The bank’s stance remains unchan ...

Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority, known as OJK, has formally published a whitelist of 29 licensed crypto and digital financial asset trading platforms, officially noting a public record of companies that are legally allowed to operate in the country. The move is part of a broader regulatory effort to tighten oversight, strengthen consumer protection, and bring order to one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing crypto markets. Who Made the Cut? A list of crypto platforms that made the OJK Whitelist ...