Japan’s Lower House has passed a bill that would bring virtual digital assets (VDAs) under the country’s financial instruments framework. If approved by the Upper House, the legislation would subject VDAs to financial instrument regulations similar to those applicable to stocks and bonds. The reforms could also create a pathway for the introduction of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) linked to VDAs in Japan. The proposal also includes changes to the tax treatment of VDAs. Under the current framework, gains from VDAs can be taxed at rates of up to 55%. The proposed reforms would align VDA taxation with that of stocks and bonds, applying a flat 20% tax rate. The tax changes are expected to take effect in 2028. Source: cointelegraph.com/news/japan… #Japan #VirtualDigitalAssets #VDA #DigitalAssets #ETFs #CryptoRegulation #FinTech #Web3 #BlockchainPolicy #FinancialMarkets #DigitalEconomy

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has released its Draft Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2026–2030, setting out the agency's strategic priorities for the next five years. Among its key proposals, the Plan identifies digital assets and distributed ledger technologies as the first regulatory objective under Goal 1, reflecting the SEC's intention to establish a more structured regulatory framework for the sector. The Draft Strategic Plan outlines priorities including clarifying the application of securities laws to digital assets, facilitating compliant capital formation through tokenized offerings, supporting the development of on-chain financial infrastructure, and ensuring that custody, trading, and staking services can operate under appropriate regulatory oversight. The Plan also emphasizes the importance of coordination between the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to provide greater regulatory clarity while maintaining investor protection and market integrity. Source: [sec.gov/files/draft-strategi…](sec.gov/files/draft-strategi…) #DigitalAssets #Blockchain #CryptoPolicy #FinancialRegulation #CapitalMarkets #Tokenization #SEC

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed allowing certain authorised investment funds to hold cryptoasset exchange-traded notes (cETNs), subject to a limit of 10% of scheme property. The proposal, published as part of the FCA’s Quarterly Consultation Paper No. 52 (CP26/17), seeks to permit eligible UCITS and certain non-UCITS retail funds to gain limited exposure to cETNs. The FCA notes that the measure is intended to keep authorised funds aligned with evolving investor demand while maintaining appropriate consumer protection safeguards. The consultation follows the FCA’s earlier decision to permit retail investors to access crypto exchange-traded notes and aims to align the treatment of authorised funds with broader developments in the UK’s cryptoasset regulatory framework. Source:fca.org.uk/publications/cons… #CryptoAssets #DigitalAssets #ETNs #AssetManagement #InvestmentFunds #FCA #FinancialRegulation #UKFinance #Web3 #FintechNews

R Venkatesh, SVP & Head, Public Policy, CoinSwitch, has authored an opinion article in Moneycontrol examining the evolution of India’s VDA tax framework and the case for transitioning from tax clarity to competitive policy design. The article argues that while the 2022 framework brought much-needed certainty and compliance discipline to the digital asset sector, evolving global reporting standards and regulatory frameworks may create opportunities to reassess elements such as transaction-level taxation, treatment of losses, and alignment with broader capital market principles. Read the full article here: moneycontrol.com/news/opinio… #VDA #CryptoPolicy #Web3India #DigitalAssets #TaxPolicy

Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) has launched an accelerated licensing pathway for globally regulated digital asset firms, enabling eligible companies to move more quickly from application to operational status through an integrated regulatory and banking review process. The fast-track framework is available to firms already licensed in jurisdictions such as Singapore, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), and Hong Kong. Companies that obtain a licence in GMC will also receive access to corporate banking services through DK Bank. Source: theblock.co/post/400887/bhut… #Bhutan #GelephuMindfulnessCity #DigitalAssets #VDA #CryptoRegulation #Web3 #Fintech #Blockchain #DigitalFinance

The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Board has approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to establish Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), and sanctions compliance standards for FDIC-supervised permitted payment stablecoin issuers (PPSIs), as required under the GENIUS Act. The proposal would require affected stablecoin issuers to comply with applicable FinCEN and OFAC requirements, including AML/CFT programs, sanctions compliance programs, customer identification requirements, and reporting obligations. Public comments will be accepted for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. Source: fdic.gov/news/press-releases… #Stablecoins #GENIUSAct #DigitalAssets

The U.K. House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee has called on the Bank of England to reconsider proposed stablecoin restrictions, recommending that holding limits be imposed only if financial stability risks clearly warrant such measures. The Committee also urged a review of the requirement for stablecoin issuers to hold at least 40% of backing assets in non-interest-bearing central bank deposits. The Bank of England had proposed holding limits of £20,000 per stablecoin for individuals and £10 million for businesses. The Committee noted that the U.K.'s approach to stablecoin regulation should remain proportionate as the market develops, balancing financial stability considerations with innovation and competitiveness. Source: coindesk.com/policy/2026/06/… #Stablecoins #VirtualDigitalAssets #DigitalAssets #UK #BankOfEngland #FinancialRegulation #Web3‌‌

A group of lawmakers from the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) Parliamentary Association for the Promotion of Blockchain submitted recommendations to Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama aimed at advancing the country's digital asset ecosystem. The recommendations cover reforms to the taxation of virtual digital assets, support for the development and adoption of yen-denominated stablecoins, the establishment of a framework for virtual digital asset exchange-traded funds (ETFs), central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and broader blockchain applications. The proposals also recommend increasing the leverage cap for retail virtual digital asset derivatives trading. Source: cointelegraph.com/news/japan… #Japan #VirtualDigitalAssets #Blockchain #Stablecoins #DigitalAssets #ETFs #CBDC #Fintech #Web3 #DigitalEconomy

France’s financial regulator, the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), has announced that Virtual Digital Asset (VDA) service providers operating in France must obtain authorisation under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework by 30 June 2026. AMF President Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani stated that firms that fail to secure the required licence by the deadline will be required to implement orderly wind-down plans to transfer customers and cease operations. MiCA, which began taking effect across the European Union in 2024, establishes a harmonised regulatory framework for VDA service providers. Once authorised in one EU member state, firms can use the passporting regime to provide services across all 27 member states. Source: reuters.com/business/finance… #VirtualDigitalAssets #VDA #MiCA #CryptoRegulation #DigitalAssets #EuropeanUnion #France #AMF #Fintech #FinancialRegulation

China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) has stated that it will conduct in-depth research and formulate adjudication rules for cases involving virtual digital assets and cross-border finance, as part of broader efforts to strengthen judicial clarity around emerging digital economy disputes. The announcement was made during a State Council Information Office press conference on advancing rule of law priorities under China’s “15th Five-Year Plan” framework. The SPC also said it will accelerate judicial interpretations related to civil compensation in market manipulation cases, with a focus on safeguarding capital market stability and protecting the rights and interests of small and medium investors. Source: cointelegraph.com/news/china… #China #VirtualDigitalAssets #DigitalAssets #Fintech #Blockchain #DigitalEconomy #CrossBorderFinance #CapitalMarkets #CryptoRegulation

A group of U.S. lawmakers have introduced the Digital Asset Protection, Accountability, Regulation, Innovation, Taxation, and Yields (PARITY) Act, proposing changes to the taxation framework for digital assets and stablecoins in the United States. The bill includes provisions related to the tax treatment of dollar-pegged payment stablecoins, digital asset lending and staking, taxation of mining and staking rewards, anti-abuse measures such as wash-sale rules, tax clarity for foreign investors trading digital assets in the U.S., and mark-to-market treatment for certain digital asset traders and dealers. The proposal comes amid broader Congressional discussions on digital asset market structure and stablecoin regulation. Source: horsford.house.gov/sites/evo… #DigitalAssets #Stablecoins #Taxation #Blockchain #Web3 #FinancialRegulation #PARITYAct

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bank of England have issued a joint vision for the use of tokenisation in UK wholesale financial markets. The initiative aims to provide regulatory and infrastructure clarity for financial firms using distributed ledger technology (DLT), including guidance on prudential treatment, tokenised collateral, settlement instruments, and digital market infrastructure. The announcement also includes a consultation on extending RTGS and CHAPS settlement hours towards near 24/7 operations, alongside updated Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) guidance on tokenised assets, stablecoins, deposits, and e-money innovations. Industry feedback on the joint roadmap is open until 3 July 2026. Source: bankofengland.co.uk/news/202… #Tokenisation #DLT #DigitalAssets #BankOfEngland #FCA #WholesaleMarkets #Fintech #FinancialRegulation #DigitalFinance

The U.S. Federal Reserve has proposed the creation of limited-purpose “payment accounts” that would allow certain legally eligible financial institutions — including fintech-focused and digital asset-linked banking entities — to access Federal Reserve payment services for clearing and settlement purposes. Under the proposal, account holders would not have access to intraday credit, the discount window, or interest on balances. Payment services would also operate with automated controls to prevent overdrafts. The proposal has been released for public comment by the Federal Reserve Board. Source: federalreserve.gov/newsevent… #FederalReserve #Fintech #DigitalAssets #Crypto #Payments #Banking #Web3 #FinancialRegulation

The European Commission launched a public consultation on the functioning of the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), seeking feedback on whether the framework should be updated in light of developments in digital asset markets and global regulatory approaches. The consultation invites comments from crypto-asset issuers, service providers, financial institutions, technology firms, academia, industry associations, consumer organisations, public authorities, and other relevant stakeholders until 31 August 2026. Source: finance.ec.europa.eu/news/co… #MiCA #CryptoAssets #DigitalAssets #CryptoRegulation #EuropeanUnion #Stablecoins #Blockchain #FintechInfrastructure

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has signed House File (HF) 3709 into law, permitting Minnesota-based banks and credit unions to offer certain virtual-currency custody services beginning 1 August 2026. The law authorises financial institutions to provide virtual-currency custody services in a nonfiduciary capacity and allows the use of third-party service providers or subcustodians, subject to legal and operational segregation requirements for customer assets. The legislation amends Minnesota statutes to formally enable state-chartered financial institutions to engage in crypto custody-related activities. Source: revisor.mn.gov/bills/94/2026… #Crypto #DigitalAssets #Banking #Minnesota #CryptoRegulation #VirtualAssets

Poland’s parliament (Sejm) has approved a government-backed bill on cryptoassets to align the country’s framework with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Regulation. The legislation was adopted during the 57th sitting of the Sejm on 15 May 2026, with 241 lawmakers voting in favour and 200 against. The bill grants the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) powers to supervise crypto market participants, impose administrative sanctions, and temporarily block accounts and transactions. The vote followed consideration of multiple competing draft bills relating to cryptoassets and marks the government’s third attempt to introduce crypto market legislation after earlier presidential vetoes. Source: cointelegraph.com/news/polan… #Poland #CryptoAssets #MiCA #DigitalAssets #Blockchain #CryptoRegulation #EuropeanUnion