The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced proposed rule changes that its chair said would “help clarify the regulatory framework for crypto assets and provide greater certainty to the market” as part of its annual agenda.In a Tuesday notice, SEC Chair Paul Atkins said that the agency’s 2026 agenda was intended to align with the Trump administration’s policy goals on crypto, which included clarification on tokenized securities and capital raising with digital assets. The agenda included three proposed rule changes addressing crypto broker-dealers, digital assets on alternative trading systems and national securities exchanges, and potential exemptions and safe harbors for digital assets.“The proposed rules may provide greater certainty to the market, facilitate capital formation, and accommodate innovation within the crypto asset markets while, at the same time, ensuring that investors are adequately protected and provided with the information they need to make informed investment decisions,” said the SEC on one of the proposed rules “relating to the offer and sale of crypto assets.”The proposed rules came as the US Congress is debating provisions in a crypto market structure bill expected to shift much of the oversight and enforcement of the industry from the SEC to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. In March, Atkins said that the SEC would move forward with an agency “bridge” to clarify crypto regulation, but signaled that he would defer to legislation if it was passed by Congress.Related: Warren claims SEC’s Atkins likely misled Congress over enforcement dataThe SEC’s approach to crypto under US President Donald Trump and Atkins has many critics accusing the administration of a “pay-to-play scheme.” Democratic lawmakers said in a January letter that Trump and those associated with him had financially benefited from companies that had previously been subject to enforcement actions or potential regulatory entanglements, including Binance, Coinbase, Ripple Labs and Kraken, that were later dropped.“The SEC’s decision to let those who violated the securities laws go without consequences, together with recent statements by Chair Atkins that ‘most crypto tokens are not securities,’ despite holdings by federal district courts that at least some tokens are securities, has left a vacuum whereby securities violations by crypto firms are not enforced and US investors are not protected,” three Democratic House members said in a January letter to Atkins.Trump says he partly promoted crypto ‘for politics’Answering questions from reporters on Monday, Trump said that he “got involved in [crypto] a little bit for politics” after calling Bitcoin (BTC) a “scam” following his first term. He initially said that he was “not a fan” of cryptocurrencies, but in the lead-up to the 2024 election, began speaking with industry leaders and promoting the technology in public appearances.Related: AI is banking the unbanked in Africa… faster than crypto

Vanguard is hiring a head of digital assets to lead the asset manager’s strategy on tokenization, stablecoins, blockchain infrastructure and client-facing digital asset products, signaling a broader push into the sector after years of resisting crypto investment offerings.According to the job description on Vanguard’s website, the executive will be responsible for determining how Vanguard participates in digital assets, including evaluating client-facing products, tokenization, stablecoins, custody models, blockchain-based settlement and digital asset operating infrastructure. The role will also represent Vanguard in discussions with regulators, clients and industry groups.Hiring announcement for Vanguard head of digital assets. Source: Vanguardjobs.com The move marks a notable shift for the asset manager, which has long resisted crypto investment products. In August 2024, CEO Salim Ramji said the company would not launch crypto exchange-traded funds, arguing Vanguard would not “copy competitors” despite the rapid adoption of spot Bitcoin ETFs.ETF analyst Nate Geraci highlighted the contrast in an X post on Tuesday, noting Vanguard had previously blocked customers from purchasing spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs through its brokerage platform. “Life moves pretty fast,” he wrote.Founded in 1975, Vanguard manages approximately $12.5 trillion in global assets, according to the company.Related: Broadridge rolls out crypto, tokenized asset platform for Canada wealth managersAsset managers expand into tokenized financeVanguard’s hiring comes as asset managers push deeper into tokenization. According to RWA.xyz data, the tokenized real-world asset market has grown to $33.5 billion, including $14.9 billion in tokenized US Treasury products. Franklin Templeton manages about $2.5 billion in tokenized assets, BlackRock oversees roughly $2.3 billion and WisdomTree’s tokenized Treasury fund has grown to more than $700 million.Top tokenized treasury managers. Source: RWA.xyzIn March, Franklin Templeton partnered with Ondo Finance to offer tokenized versions of its ETFs accessible through crypto wallets, and then launched a dedicated cryptocurrency investment division following its acquisition of crypto asset manager 250 Digital.JPMorgan and State Street have also entered the market for tokenized cash products. JPMorgan filed in May to launch a tokenized money market fund for stablecoin issuers, while State Street introduced a government money market fund for stablecoin reserves and a tokenized liquidity product the following month.Also in May, Fidelity launched a blockchain-based liquidity fund, which received its first crypto-native investment last month after Theo allocated $20 million to the product.Magazine: AI is banking the unbanked in Africa… faster than crypto

The New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office announced that lawmakers would discuss issuing $100 million in bonds backed by Bitcoin (BTC) at a public hearing.In an update to the New Hampshire governor and executive council agenda, the state’s Business Finance Authority (BFA) has scheduled a meeting for Wednesday regarding the proposed issuance of $100 million in BTC-backed bonds. The BFA approved the bond in November 2025, saying that it planned to issue the vehicles upon approval from Governor Kelly Ayotte and the state’s five-member executive council.“This is an innovative way to bring more investment opportunities to our state and position us as a leader in digital finance without risking state funds or taxpayer dollars,” said Ayotte on the bonds, following the BFA approval. The potential high-value Bitcoin-backed bonds signaled the US state’s move toward friendlier digital asset policies. New Hampshire was the first state to approve a law establishing a strategic Bitcoin reserve in May 2025, allowing the government to invest 5% of public funds in digital assets with a market capitalization exceeding $500 billion.New Hampshire governor signing the May 2025 crypto reserve bill into law. Source: Kelly AyotteRelated: Bank of Korea governor outlines tokenized bond vision, unified ledger planUnlike traditional municipal bonds, a BTC-backed bond could be an innovative financial instrument, but one that potentially introduces “substantial risk,” according to David Krause, an emeritus associate professor of finance at Marquette University. Krause authored an analysis of the proposed bond in April, saying that while a private borrower, CleanSpark, was putting up the funds for collateral, this approach offered “no recourse to state funds or taxpayers.”“While the bond may serve as a proof of concept for integrating digital assets into structured finance, it is not well suited as a general-purpose public finance tool,” said the professor. “Its primary significance lies in highlighting the challenges of adapting traditional financial frameworks to highly volatile digital assets.”In March, Moody’s assigned the Bitcoin bond a provisional Ba2 rating, falling under the company’s “speculative grade” category for vehicles with substantial credit risk.El Salvador’s Bitcoin-backed bond project fizzled outAlthough New Hampshire may become one of the first US states to issue Bitcoin-backed bonds, the idea previously gained traction in El Salvador. Under President Nayib Bukele, who also pushed for a law that later established Bitcoin as legal tender in the country, El Salvador’s government announced $1 billion in Bitcoin-backed “Volcano Bonds” to fund a proposed Bitcoin City project. Proposed in 2022, the idea never came to fruition following a crypto market downturn. Magazine: Guide to the top and emerging global crypto hubs: Mid-2026

Payward, the parent company of crypto exchange Kraken, has won a $22 million arbitration award against former auditor Mazars USA and asked the Delaware Court of Chancery to enter judgment on the award, according to a letter published Tuesday by co-CEO Arjun Sethi.Payward said Mazars withdrew from the exchange’s nearly completed 2022 audit despite finding no fraud, raising no concerns about management’s integrity and reporting no disagreements with the company.”An audit is not a favor. It is oxygen,” Sethi wrote, arguing that independent audits are essential for obtaining banking services, licenses and other business relationships.Sethi said Mazars’ resignation was part of what he described as Operation Chokepoint 2.0, a broader campaign that pressured banks, auditors and other institutions to cut ties with lawful crypto companies.The letter cited a series of regulatory developments from 2023 as evidence supporting that claim. These included joint guidance from US banking regulators, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s since-rescinded Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121 and the collapse of crypto-focused banking networks Silvergate SEN and Signature’s Signet.Sethi also called on Congress to pass the CLARITY Act, arguing that a comprehensive market structure framework would provide clearer rules for digital asset companies and reduce reliance on regulatory enforcement.Related: Kraken lets traders use tokenized stocks as collateral for leveraged tradesKraken executives reflect on auditor disputeKraken co-CEO Dave Ripley said on X Tuesday that “this story is worth surfacing despite its PTSD-inducing nature,” adding that “only a fraction of the stories from that era have ever been told.” Ripley described the $22 million arbitration award as compensation for financial harm caused by what he called a coordinated campaign against the crypto industry.Meanwhile, US regulators continue to address concerns around crypto-related debanking. In February, the Federal Reserve sought public feedback on a proposal to formally remove “reputation risk” from bank supervision, following its 2025 directive to stop pressuring banks to close customer accounts over reputational concerns. Critics said the move could help bring an end to Operation Chokepoint 2.0.Source: Dave RipleyKraken was founded in 2011 and has been widely expected to pursue an initial public offering. In November 2025, the company said it had confidentially submitted a draft Form S-1 registration statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. However, it was reported in May that its public debut may not come until 2027, citing weaker crypto market conditions and the exchange’s ongoing cost-cutting efforts.Magazine: China’s 107 Bitcoin memory thief, Bithumb CEO booked: Asia Express

The world’s biggest stablecoins are increasingly becoming chain-specific financial products, with Tether’s USDt (USDT) and Circle’s USDC (USDC) serving distinct roles across the crypto ecosystem rather than competing head-on.Dune’s Digital Asset Brief found that USDT overwhelmingly dominates onchain payments. During the first half of 2026, the biggest stablecoin settled about $95 billion in identified commerce payments, compared with $14 billion for second-biggest USDC. It also accounted for roughly 92% of the $48 billion in business-to-business payment volume. On Tron, USDT’s largest network, around 93% of the token’s supply is held in ordinary wallets rather than on exchanges, underscoring its role as a payment and remittance asset.USDC, meanwhile, has established itself as the dominant stablecoin in decentralized finance. USDC on Base processed roughly $2.6 trillion in transfer volume in June, the highest of any token-chain pair, while on Ethereum, that stablecoin handled another $1.6 trillion. USDC on Base recorded daily velocity of about 20 times its circulating supply in June, reflecting its extensive use in trading and DeFi. Source: DuneThe findings suggest the traditional USDT-versus-USDC narrative is becoming less useful. Instead, each stablecoin is carving out its own niche, with USDT dominating payments and USDC underpinning much of crypto’s trading and DeFi activity.USDT’s supply is split almost evenly between Tron and Ethereum, while USDC remains heavily concentrated on Ethereum despite expanding to newer blockchains. Source: DuneThe findings come as the two digital assets continue to dominate the stablecoin market. Together, they account for roughly 83% of the sector’s approximately $315 billion market capitalization, according to Dune, which tracked more than 200 stablecoin tokens across multiple blockchains.Related: UN agency moves Stellar blockchain payment initiative beyond pilot stageUS lawmakers reshape stablecoin rulesThe stablecoin sector has gained momentum in the United States following the passage of the GENIUS Act. Signed into law in 2025, GENIUS established the first federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, paving the way for banks and other companies to issue US dollar-pegged digital assets.Lawmakers are now debating the CLARITY Act, which would establish a broader market structure for digital assets by defining when crypto assets fall under the jurisdiction of the US Securities and Exchange Commission or the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission. While the bill does not regulate stablecoins directly, it would shape the broader regulatory environment in which stablecoin issuers, exchanges and DeFi platforms operate.CLARITY cleared the Senate Banking Committee in May and could receive a full Senate vote before the August recess, although Galaxy recently trimmed its odds of passage before the break to 50% as lawmakers run short on time.Magazine: Kraken’s $600M stablecoin firm, Huione scandal deepens: Asia Express

Tether has invested $20 million in Brazilian crypto platform Mercado Bitcoin to support the company’s expansion into tokenized assets, stablecoin payments, lending and other blockchain-based financial services across Latin America.Since its 2013 launch, Mercado Bitcoin has expanded beyond crypto trading into regulated financial services, including tokenized assets, credit, stablecoin payments and cross-border services. The company said it has more than 4.5 million users, has issued more than 2 billion Brazilian reais (about $370 million) worth of tokenized assets, and operates under nearly a dozen licenses across Brazil and Europe, including a payment institution license from Brazil’s central bank.Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said Mercado Bitcoin has built one of Latin America’s most comprehensive regulated onchain financial platforms, citing its licensing, tokenization infrastructure and integrated financial services.In February, Mercado Bitcoin announced it had deployed more than $20 million in tokenized private credit, one segment of its broader tokenization business, on Bitcoin (BTC) sidechain Rootstock.Related: Former Tether CIO seeks to sell stake in stablecoin issuer, Bloomberg reportsTether using profits for strategic investmentsThe Mercado Bitcoin investment aligns with Tether Investments’ strategy of backing companies developing blockchain-based financial infrastructure.Tether issues USDT (USDT), the world’s largest stablecoin, with about $184 billion in circulation. In the first quarter of 2026, the company reported approximately $1.04 billion in net profit, which it is tapping for strategic investments.In April, the firm participated in a $134 million funding round for Stablecoin Development Corporation, a NYSE American-traded company focused on expanding access to the stablecoin economy and digital asset infrastructure.A month later, Tether invested in remittance platform LemFi to support the integration of USDT as a settlement layer for cross-border payments across Africa and Asia. The companies said the partnership would expand stablecoin-based payment infrastructure across key remittance corridors.Later in May, Tether announced plans with the Government of Georgia to launch a stablecoin pegged to the Georgian lari under the country’s digital asset framework. Beyond stablecoin-related initiatives, Tether has also invested in sectors including artificial intelligence, energy, biotechnology and digital media through its investment arm.Despite speculation about a potential listing, CEO Paolo Ardoino has said the company has no plans to go public.Source: DefiLlamaMagazine: AI is banking the unbanked in Africa… faster than crypto

Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK’s Reform party, announced that he would resign as a member of Parliament and stand in the by-election that could replace him.On Tuesday, Farage announced that he would resign as MP representing Clacton in response to what he called “foul means” by established politicians. The UK lawmaker’s resignation followed reports that he had personally received millions of dollars’ worth of donations and gifts from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne and George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster linked to a crypto casino.“Let me be absolutely clear: I have done nothing wrong,” said Farage in an X livestream. “I have not broken the law in any way at all. I have not misused public money.”  Source: Nigel FarageFarage already had ties to the crypto industry before reports of the scandal. He spoke at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas and is an investor in London-listed Bitcoin (BTC) treasury company Stack. When reports began circulating in May that the Reform leader had received a $6.7 million gift from Harborne, he initially called it a “reward” for campaigning for Brexit, the 2016 referendum that led to the UK’s exit from the European Union.Related: Crypto billionaires bankroll Nigel Farage’s pro-crypto partyThe UK lawmaker confirmed that he was the subject of two probes by the UK’s parliamentary standards commissioner following reports of what he called “gifts” from Harborne and Cottrell, which he claimed were given “on an unconditional basis.” He said that he would use Harborne’s gift for funding related to his security, describing threats and attacks, and that the by-election triggered by his resignation would give voters the opportunity to choose whether or not he will continue to represent them:“I’ve decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions […] I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election.”According to The London Standard, the election determining Farage’s fate as an MP could take weeks or months given the logistics of his stepping down and calling for a by-election. He won in Clacton with 46.2% of the vote in July 2024 against the Conservative and Labour candidates.Countdown to US elections with crypto money hanging over candidatesWhile Farage faces probes in the UK, money from crypto companies and figures tied to the industry could continue to influence US races in November’s midterm elections. According to a June report from US consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, the crypto industry had spent about $189 million to support candidates considered favorable to digital asset policies as part of the 2026 election cycle. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump faces criticism from many lawmakers over his 2025 financial disclosures, which included reporting $1.4 billion in earnings related to crypto.Magazine: Nobody knows if quantum secure cryptography will even workCointelegraph 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.