U.S. lawmakers are advancing major crypto legislation, with the House scheduling “Crypto Week” in mid-July to debate bills on stablecoins, market structure, and central bank digital currencies, while Senator Cynthia Lummis introduces a standalone crypto tax reform bill. The SEC has issued new compliance guidance for crypto ETPs, and industry groups like SIFMA are urging clearer regulations, as global players from China to Abu Dhabi push for greater adoption of tokenized assets and stablecoins.
Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming has introduced a standalone bill aimed at clarifying the tax treatment of cryptocurrency activities, including staking, mining, and lending. Filed on July 3, the legislation proposes rewriting sections of the Internal Revenue Code to address how crypto users calculate, defer, and report taxable income. Key provisions include a $300 exemption for small Bitcoin and crypto transactions and deferral of taxes on mining and staking rewards until the assets are sold, with the goal of ending double taxation and providing clearer definitions for crypto-related tax obligations.
The U.S. House of Representatives, led by Republican leaders, has designated the week beginning July 14 as “Crypto Week” to advance three significant cryptocurrency-related bills. Lawmakers will consider the GENIUS stablecoin bill, the CLARITY Act focused on crypto market structure, and a third bill aimed at blocking central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The legislative push is intended to establish a clearer regulatory framework for digital assets and address financial privacy concerns. All three bills are at different stages in the legislative process and will be reviewed by Congress during this period.
The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), a major traditional finance industry group, met with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday to discuss the need for open and progressive rules governing digital asset issuance, digital commodities, and tokenized securities.
Bitpanda's public affairs lead, Benedikt Faupel, stated that although the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation provides long-awaited regulatory clarity, its enforcement across the European Union is still fragmented and lacks full harmonization.
A watchdog report found that between December 2023 and January 2025, the IRS Criminal Investigation division did not consistently follow guidelines for seizing and holding cryptocurrency in cases. The report highlighted poor documentation and oversight of billions of dollars in seized crypto assets.
A newly launched crypto ETF in the U.S., BLOX, which provides diversified exposure to digital assets and options income, is attracting increased investor interest. The fund's momentum suggests a shift among investors toward products that go beyond traditional single-spot crypto offerings.
The SEC has released comprehensive guidance for crypto exchange-traded product (ETP) issuers, detailing stringent disclosure requirements under federal securities laws. This move aims to streamline the approval process for compliant crypto ETP offerings and potentially broaden institutional access to digital assets.
Grayscale has stated it "remains committed" to pursuing the listing of its cryptocurrency exchange-traded fund (ETF) following the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's decision to pause its application. A company spokesperson confirmed Grayscale's intention to continue efforts toward ETF approval.
The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) announced it is preparing to list the first blockchain-based bond in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, partnering with HSBC and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB). This move highlights increasing momentum for tokenized finance and real-world asset (RWA) adoption in the region.
Officials from the UK and Singapore have announced a new partnership to explore cooperation in digital finance, including areas such as asset tokenization and artificial intelligence, following talks held in London.
Ant Group and JD.com have urged the People's Bank of China to authorize yuan-backed stablecoins for offshore use, in addition to existing Hong Kong dollar-pegged tokens, according to Reuters. The companies are reportedly seeking to boost the yuan's global role and challenge the dominance of US dollar-pegged stablecoins.
China is reportedly seeking to reassert its influence in the cryptocurrency sector by positioning the yuan as a contender against the U.S. dollar in the rapidly growing $2 trillion stablecoin market. This move comes after China imposed a ban on cryptocurrencies several years ago, signaling a potential comeback in the global crypto space.
Europe's largest asset manager, Amundi, has raised concerns that the United States' GENIUS Act could trigger a boom in dollar-backed stablecoins, potentially causing a major shift in money flows and destabilising the global payment system. Amundi also warned that the policy could unintentionally weaken the US dollar's dominance and disrupt global payments.
Marco Santori, former legal chief at Kraken, stated that decentralized finance (DeFi) is the future over centralized finance (CeFi), emphasizing, "Let's burn it all down." He noted that recent U.S. policy changes are unlocking growth and sees this as the right time to invest in the convergence of DeFi and CeFi.
Nexus has launched the final testnet for its AI-ready blockchain, described as a "distributed supercomputer" designed to support agentic AI. The platform incorporates technologies such as succinct universal proofs, zkVM, and incrementally verifiable computation.
BlueYard's head of crypto research has developed FreePay, an open-source tool designed to enable fee-free, tap-to-pay cryptocurrency payments, addressing the need for more accessible, no-fee payment solutions in the crypto sector.
Consumer crypto applications are experiencing notable success, with casino gaming also performing well, according to Tom Schmidt of Dragonfly.
Cryptocurrency markets saw gains as inflows into exchange-traded funds and increased speculative interest drove prices higher. Analysts were split on the short-term outlook for Bitcoin, despite its recent breakout.
JPMorgan Chase is initiating a pilot program to tokenize carbon credits, working in collaboration with three major carbon registries. The initiative aims to enhance transparency and efficiency in carbon markets by building a blockchain-based system that leverages existing carbon trading infrastructure.
The decentralized finance (DeFi) market has rebounded at the start of July, with total value locked (TVL) climbing to $116.416 billion—a level last reached in April. The TVL rose 4.95% in 24 hours, driven by higher crypto asset prices and increased deposits into lending protocols, restaking services, and yield-generating platforms.
A large-scale malicious campaign has been uncovered involving over 40 fake Firefox extensions impersonating popular cryptocurrency wallets such as Coinbase, MetaMask, and Trust Wallet. According to cybersecurity firm Koi Security, these extensions are being used to steal users' wallet credentials, contributing to crypto losses that have reached $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025.
North Korean threat actors have developed and deployed new macOS malware, including a strain called NimDoor, to compromise Apple devices. Disguised as fake Zoom updates, the malware is used to extract sensitive crypto wallet credentials and infiltrate cryptocurrency companies, according to security researchers.
Attackers executed what may be the largest hack in Brazilian banking history, stealing $180 million and cashing out through cryptocurrencies. They used USDT and bitcoin to move funds via exchanges and crypto institutions, exploiting instant payment systems like Pix, according to local media reports.
Get access to institutional-grade market intelligence every weekday in your email: