Day: April 9, 2025

Russia’s businesses are testing digital assets, showing interest in crypto settlements, central bank governor says

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Key Takeaways Businesses in Russia are testing digital financial assets for cross-border transactions. The Bank of Russia plans to expand the digital ruble pilot program by the end of the year. Share this article Businesses in Russia are exploring digital financial assets and showing interest in crypto settlements under an experimental legal regime, central bank head Elvira Nabiullina told the State Duma on Wednesday. “Businesses are testing the use of digital financial assets, showing interest in settlements in cryptocurrencies within the framework of an experimental legal regime,” Nabiullina said during…

New York bill proposes blockchain study for election record security

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Blockchain may soon earn itself a role in New York State’s voting processes and procedures. New York Assemblymember Clyde Vanel introduced Bill A07716 on April 8, directing the state Board of Elections to evaluate how blockchain could help protect voter records and election results. The legislation is currently under consideration by the Assembly Election Law Committee. According to the bill’s summary, the goal is to “study and evaluate the use of blockchain technology to protect voter records and election results.“ The bill mandates that the Board of Elections produce a…

Real estate not the best asset for RWA tokenization — Michael Sonnenshein

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As more institutions explore blockchain-based finance, some industry leaders say tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) may surpass $30 trillion by the 2030s. Others are casting doubt on that projection. In June 2024, Standard Chartered Bank and Synpulse predicted that RWAs may reach over $30 trillion by 2034. The narrative remained strong in the latter part of 2024, with some analysts expressing similar sentiments. At Paris Blockchain Week 2025, a panel moderated by Cointelegraph’s managing editor, Gareth Jenkinson, brought together executives from across the tokenization ecosystem to discuss the future of RWAs.…

Crypto fintech Taurus launches interbank network for digital assets

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Swiss cryptocurrency fintech Taurus has launched an interbank network that is purpose-built for regulated institutions involved in digital asset operations. On April 9, Taurus said in an announcement shared with Cointelegraph that it had launched Taurus-Network (TN), an interbank network designed to simplify and improve digital asset transactions between regulated financial institutions worldwide. The network aims to improve collateral mobility, optimize settlement speed and reduce counterparty risk while benefiting capital and liquidity management in digital assets. Among the key benefits of the network is the ability for participants to retain…

Kraken taps Mastercard to launch crypto debit cards in Europe, UK

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Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has partnered with Mastercard to issue crypto debit cards across the United Kingdom and Europe, the company announced on April 8. The new partnership enables the crypto exchange to expand its payment offering in Europe and the United Kingdom by launching physical crypto debit cards. The partnership comes as Kraken continues to pursue a license under the European Union’s regulatory framework, the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). The new debit card will allow users to spend cryptocurrencies and stablecoins directly. Kraken said the rollout will begin in…

US gov’t actions give clue about upcoming crypto regulation

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The early days of the Trump administration saw a flurry of activity that could give the crypto industry an idea of forthcoming crypto regulations, namely that they may not be regulated as securities.  Practitioners have decried a lack of concrete change in the form of new rules and guidance. The skeptics have their reasons. The formation of the crypto task force, Trump’s crypto executive order, crypto czar David Sacks’ lone press conference, and the digital asset reserve has been criticized as mere theater. The real work of regulating comes not…

Thailand targets foreign crypto P2P services in new anti-crime laws

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Thailand is beefing up measures to combat online crimes involving digital assets by passing new amendments to several national laws. Thailand’s cabinet on April 8 passed a resolution approving amendments to emergency decrees on digital asset businesses and on measures for cybercrime prevention, the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced. As part of the new laws, Thai regulators aim to strengthen measures for combating digital asset mule accounts in banks, restrict foreign cryptocurrency peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms and introduce strict financial penalties of as much as $8,700 and imprisonment of…

Argentine lawmakers back Milei probe in Libra crypto scandal

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Lawmakers in Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies backed an investigation into President Javier Milei’s alleged involvement in the Libra (LIBRA) cryptocurrency scandal. According to an April 8 report by local news outlet Buenos Aires Times, deputies in the lower house voted 128 to 93 in favor, with seven abstentions. The same proposal previously failed to move forward in the Senate. The news follows Milei promoting the LIBRA memecoin on social media. With the Argentine president leveraging his credibility as a government official and his 3.8 million followers, the token quickly reached…

Builders beware! — The UK’s 2026 crypto regime is coming

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Opinion by: Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos, general counsel at StarkWare As Washington takes a softer stance on crypto, regulators are counting down to even stricter regulations in the UK. The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is working on plans for a new “gateway” authorization regime by 2026, targeting a broader spectrum of crypto activities.  It is easy to disregard this if you aren’t in the UK, but as frameworks are formed, regulators may look to other jurisdictions for lessons and inspiration. Crypto is global, and one of the challenges and…

BitMEX CEO explains how perpetual swaps test altcoin value

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As the cryptocurrency market matures, advanced trading instruments like perpetual swap contracts are increasingly influencing the value of altcoins, according to BitMEX CEO Stephan Lutz. Perpetual swap contracts are a type of crypto trading contract that lets traders bet on the price of a coin without actually owning it. The derivatives product functions similarly to a futures contract. However, it never expires, which means that traders can hold the position as long as they want. Lutz told Cointelegraph that perpetual swap contacts are important to track because newly launched perpetual…