Autor Cointelegraph by Nate Kostar

Bitwise Asset Management and the Hyperliquid Policy Center are pressing the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to revise its proposed crypto rules, seeking clearer guidance on token classifications, airdrops and secondary-market trading in comment letters submitted Monday.The requests come as the SEC closes public comments Tuesday on its proposed Regulation Crypto Assets, which would create exemptions for qualifying crypto fundraising and a conditional safe harbor for tokens associated with investment contracts.In an Oct. 19 comment letter, Bitwise Asset Management urged the SEC to clarify how investment managers should determine whether a crypto asset is subject to securities laws, arguing that managers need a standard they can apply using “publicly available information.” The firm also sought clearer rules on when managers can rely on an issuer’s proposed Form TR filing, which would certify that an investment contract has ceased to exist, and how they should assess tokens when no such filing exists.Source: US Securities and Exchange CommissionIn a separate submission, the Hyperliquid Policy Center urged the SEC to broaden its proposed safe harbor, arguing that it could come too late in a project’s development. The group called for clearer protections for airdrops that reward network participation, as well as guidance on token buybacks.Hyperliquid also warned that the proposal “fails to provide clarity” on whether unregistered intermediaries can facilitate token trading or whether tokens can trade freely through onchain protocols. It urged the SEC to address secondary-market transactions directly rather than leaving exchanges and decentralized trading venues facing regulatory uncertainty.Related: House Finance panel chair says regulator actions on crypto ‘fall short’ of CLARITY billSEC proposal faces legal and investor protection objectionsWhile industry participants sought changes to the proposed rules, former SEC enforcement official John Reed Stark and Duke University finance scholar Lee Reiners took a different position altogether. In an Oct. 16 comment letter, they urged the commission to withdraw the proposal entirely, arguing that it exceeds the agency’s statutory authority and would weaken investor protections.Stark and Reiners said that existing securities laws and the Supreme Court’s Howey test already provide a framework for regulating crypto offerings. They argued that the fundraising exemptions would weaken investor protections, while the proposed safe harbor would allow issuers to effectively remove their tokens from securities oversight through self-certification.The two also warned that adopting the rules in substantially their current form would invite an immediate legal challenge, potentially resulting in the framework being struck down.With the public comment period closing Tuesday, the SEC will review the submissions before deciding whether to revise, adopt or withdraw the proposed rules. The commission has not announced a timetable for a final decision, and any final rule would require a commission vote before taking effect.Magazine: Can the SEC and CFTC’s pro-crypto rules be overturned? Legal opinion

Strive, the Bitcoin treasury company led by chairman and CEO Matt Cole, closed its upsized initial public offering of SATS preferred stock on Oct. 20, raising $630 million gross, according to the company’s announcement. The company has not specified how much of the proceeds it will use to buy Bitcoin (BTC).Strive sold 7 million shares at $90 each. The company estimated net proceeds of $608.15 million after underwriting discounts, commissions and expenses, according to BitcoinTreasuries.net. In an SEC filing, Strive said it intended to use the funds for general corporate purposes, including Bitcoin purchases, working capital, income-generating assets, capital expenditures, share repurchases and acquisitions.SATS carry a 15% annual dividend on its $100 stated amount, equivalent to $15 per share annually if paid in full. Dividends are cumulative and payable when declared by Strive’s board. At the $90 IPO price, the stated dividend represents an annualized amount equal to 16.67% of the purchase price.At an illustrative Bitcoin price of $82,500, Strive’s estimated $608.15 million in net proceeds could purchase approximately 7,372 BTC before fees. If fully allocated to BTC, the purchase would increase Strive’s reported holdings from 36,818 BTC to roughly 44,190 BTC, potentially surpassing Metaplanet’s reported 44,000 BTC.SATS dividends are scheduled to be payable each business day beginning Nov. 9, subject to declaration. The first payment, if declared in full, will include accruals dating from the Oct. 20 closing.Strive chief risk officer Jeff Walton said the company has no debt or maturities and is focused on a single obligation: paying dividends.Magazine: Made an ‘honest’ mistake with crypto taxes? New bill offers way out

Stablecoins moved more than $400 million an hour in adjusted transfer volume during the third quarter of 2026, as quarterly activity reached $891 billion, more than quadrupling since early 2023, according to a new report commissioned by Coinbase.The report found that 73% of screened stablecoin transfer volume occurred outside US banking hours, including nights, weekends and holidays.Distribution of stablecoin transfer volume by time of day. Source: Coinbase and The Block Research, via Dune AnalyticsSeven of the 10 largest US banks have tested stablecoins or tokenized deposits for settlement, while 30% of mid-market companies conducting cross-border business are using or piloting stablecoins, up from 10% in 2024. Business-to-business payment volume also rose 36% year over year.Conducted by The Block Research, the findings identified 293 million blockchain addresses holding stablecoins, exceeding the combined number of cards issued by American Express and Discover, though researchers cautioned that addresses do not necessarily represent individual users.The report also estimated that moving 80% of international transactions onto stablecoin networks could add $155 billion to global GDP annually and free up roughly $3 trillion in liquidity currently held by banks to support cross-border payments.Those projections are based on hypothetical adoption scenarios rather than observed economic gains. Researchers also acknowledged that widespread stablecoin adoption could reduce bank lending, potentially offsetting some of the benefits of faster and cheaper payments.Related: Visa, Mesh partner to enable crypto spending at 175M merchant locationsSurvey finds growing demand for crypto services at US banksA separate survey released Monday by the National Cryptocurrency Association found that 42% of US adults, representing approximately 112 million people, would be more likely to open an account with a bank offering crypto services or use that institution for more of their financial needs.The survey found that 18% of US adults would like to buy or use stablecoins through their primary bank or financial institution. However, 64% said their bank, credit union or financial advisor had never raised the topic of cryptocurrency, while 43% did not know whether their bank offered crypto services.Americans’ interest in crypto banking services by demographic group. Source: National Cryptocurrency Association, 2026 Crypto at the Bank ReportStablecoin market cap remains flat despite rising transaction volumesDespite increasing transaction activity, the stablecoin market capitalization stood at $301.42 billion on Tuesday, a decline of about 0.6% from $303.14 billion on Oct. 20, 2025, according to DefiLlama data.Last week, Standard Chartered pushed back its forecast for the stablecoin market to reach $2 trillion from 2028 to 2030, citing slower supply growth. Citi, meanwhile, has projected a $1.9 trillion market by 2030 in its base case, with a bullish scenario reaching $4 trillion.Magazine: Agents can trade 24/7 — but Yat Siu warns you could lose access at any time

SkyAI, formerly Sharps Technology, has sold its entire Solana (SOL) treasury and launched a tender offer to repurchase up to $201.3 million in shares and warrants, reversing its cryptocurrency accumulation strategy.The company held approximately $223.8 million in cash as of Oct. 16 after liquidating its SOL holdings, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.The tender offer allows shareholders and warrant holders to sell their securities directly back to SkyAI at a fixed price. It covers up to 95% of each class of the company’s outstanding shares and warrants, funded entirely by cash on hand.The company said the tender offer is no longer tied to SOL’s price, a condition it had initially planned to include when announcing the buyback on Oct. 11. SkyAI intends to continue developing a financial platform combining stablecoin infrastructure on Solana with artificial intelligence.SkyAI shares closed Monday at $2.79, up 5.3% on the day, according to Yahoo Finance data. The stock has gained approximately 65% over the past month but remains down about 41% over the past year.Related: Solana shows resilience, but some areas need continued observation, Fidelity saysSkyAI reverses Solana treasury strategy after one yearSkyAI launched its Solana treasury strategy in August 2025 after raising more than $400 million through a private placement. The company acquired more than 2 million SOL the following month, establishing a position valued at more than $400 million at the time.By the end of 2025, the company held approximately 2.08 million SOL with a cost basis of $403.1 million, or roughly $194 per token. Its holdings were valued at $250.1 million, representing approximately $153 million in unrealized losses, according to its annual financial disclosures.The losses reflected broader pressure on companies that accumulated SOL as a treasury asset. By February 2026, publicly traded Solana treasury companies faced more than $1.5 billion in combined unrealized losses as falling token prices weighed on their holdings and share valuations.SOL fell to around $62 in June but has since recovered, trading near $104 as of Monday, according to CoinGecko data. Source: CoinGeckoMagazine: Can the SEC and CFTC’s pro-crypto rules be overturned? Legal opinionCointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

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