transition

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will hold a roundtable on September 17 to discuss matters related to the transition of the U.S. stock market to 24-hour trading, including preparations for supporting overnight trading, 24-hour market operations and resilience, as well as opportunities and challenges of expansion. This roundtable will be open to the public, and the meeting will be broadcast live on the SEC website. The agenda and speaker information for the roundtable will be announced prior to the event.

The privacy blockchain Zano announced that Zenith has entered the implementation phase, with plans for a network transition in 2027, depending on the results of testing, analysis, and review. Zano has not yet announced an activation date, and the proposed operating parameters still require verification at the network level.Zenith will transition Zano from a hybrid PoW and PoS mechanism to a privacy-protecting pure PoS protocol, with the block time proposed to decrease from about 1 minute to about 15 seconds, and the recommended number of confirmations reduced from 10 blocks to 4 to 6 blocks, with a typical confirmation time of about 60 to 90 seconds. Zano co-founder and core developer Andrey Sabelnikov stated that Zenith is based on over 12 years of privacy research and aims to provide the network with the advantages of modern PoS while retaining the privacy protection that Zano users expect.PoW miners currently receive about 720 newly issued ZANO daily, which amounts to approximately 21,600 monthly and 262,800 annually. After the activation of Zenith and the end of PoW mining, this portion of issuance will be canceled; Zano will also launch the official Zano Forum for technical discussions and community support.

The chairman of AMLA pointed out that the large-scale migration of users after the transition period of MiCA may bring compliance pressure to EU crypto service providers, and AMLA will strengthen regulatory coordination.

The Berachain mainnet PoL Next has officially launched, and the contract upgrade marks the first step in transitioning from the original BGT model to a more simplified and sustainable incentive system centered around sWBERA. The complete transition is divided into two phases: on July 7, the contract changes will take effect, and WBERA will begin to be issued as a replacement for BGT; on July 8, the hard fork will completely stop BGT production, and the old mechanism will officially close.After the transition is complete, BGT LST Reward Vaults and BGT LST incentives will gradually be phased out in the coming days. The official will provide migration tools for all users on the Portfolio page of the Hub, but the migration will not be executed automatically; users will need to manually exchange BGT and BGT LSTs for sWBERA. Early APR may fluctuate, with an estimated maximum increase of up to 3 times the original. The hard fork time is July 8 at 16:00 UTC (12:00 PM EDT).

According to TASS, Vladimir Chistyukhin, the First Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Russia, stated that the law regarding cryptocurrency regulation may officially take effect on September 1, 2026. He also clarified that a transition period will be set until July 1, 2027.During this period, market participants need to prepare documents, apply for registration in the regulatory directory, obtain new licenses, and adjust internal processes, with formal operations expected to begin from late 2026 to early 2027. From July 1, 2027, the relevant criminal and administrative liability provisions will take effect, strictly distinguishing between legal and illegal cryptocurrency operations by clarifying legal responsibilities.

According to the Korea Exchange (KRX) announcement on July 2, to further improve the KOSDAQ market system, KRX has officially revised the relevant listing rules and implementation details, aiming to strictly control the deviation of technology special listing companies from their main business.The new regulations clearly state that companies listed through technology exceptions that change their main business direction within 5 years after listing (excluding businesses similar to or subsidiary to the original main business) will be subject to substantial delisting review. KRX officials specifically cited an example where a related biotechnology company transferred its management rights to an overseas digital asset company after listing last year and illegally transformed into a "cryptocurrency vault" and other digital asset professional investment institutions. KRX emphasized that such behavior has caused the company to deviate from the technical and growth assessment basis approved at the time of listing, and therefore must undergo strict delisting review.In addition, the new regulations have added additional restrictions to the grace period for delisting conditions enjoyed by special listing companies (i.e., exemption from revenue insufficiency or large-scale losses within 3 to 5 years), requiring relevant companies to publicly disclose their "corporate value enhancement plans" during this period to ensure future growth and strengthen communication with investors. This revision of regulations also includes measures to optimize the capital market, such as expanding customized qualitative review standards for innovative companies and establishing a low PBR (price-to-book ratio) company disclosure system.

Bitwise Research Director André Dragosch posted on the X platform that July could be a key month for Bitcoin to switch from a bear market to a bull market. He pointed out that if semiconductor stocks significantly reverse from their current position, the Federal Reserve may respond with a dovish stance. Bitcoin is likely to complete its reversal ahead of the market's general expectation of a bottom in October.

Binance's co-CEO Richard Teng issued a statement regarding the MiCA regulatory transition, stating that user asset security is a priority, and affected users can continue to use the notified options, including withdrawal functions. Binance is directly communicating with affected users about the next steps and available options, and advises users to contact customer service through official channels. Teng stated that the team's focus is on providing clear guidance, service continuity, and confidence for users during the transition period.

According to a report by Reuters, Carlos San Basilio, the chairman of Spain's market regulator CNMV, stated that for cryptocurrency companies that fail to obtain the EU MiCA license by the end of June, the regulator will not grant any extensions or exemptions, and large platforms must exit the EU market in accordance with regulations.The regulator is maintaining close communication with unauthorized companies, focusing on their exit plans and arrangements for the transfer of customer assets to protect investor rights. He also warned that investors who engage in new transactions on unauthorized platforms will no longer enjoy protection under the MiCA framework.

According to Cointelegraph, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announced an extension of the temporary enforcement exemption period for digital asset businesses applying for an Australian Financial Services (AFS) license until September 30, 2026, extending the previous deadline of June 30 by three months.This extension also broadens the scope of the exemption, including digital asset businesses operating through authorized representatives or arrangements with licensed company intermediaries in the transitional protection period. ASIC stated that since the update of the digital asset regulatory guidelines in October 2025, approximately 30 license applications have been received.It is noteworthy that this extension is independent of Australia's "Digital Asset Framework," which was passed by Parliament in April this year and is scheduled to officially take effect on April 9, 2027. ASIC warned that businesses licensed under the current guidelines may still need to obtain additional authorizations after the new framework is implemented.

According to CoinDesk, VanEck released a report stating that Bitcoin mining companies face a short-term funding gap of about $50 billion as they transition to AI infrastructure, with long-term capital needs of approximately $221 billion. Analysts indicate that the market focus is shifting from contract signing to execution risk, as the industry has only delivered about 25% of the leased AI and high-performance computing capacity, and companies that miss construction milestones face "structural downgrades" from investors.Bitcoin mining companies are turning to AI infrastructure due to declining mining profitability, with Core Scientific signing multi-billion dollar hosting agreements with CoreWeave, and companies like TeraWulf, Hut 8, Iren, and Cipher also announcing AI and high-performance computing plans. VanEck points out that the clearest valuation metric currently is the available operational power infrastructure, with companies that have signed AI leases valued at more than 10 times their operational power. The report suggests that HIV E, Bitdeer, Keel, and IREN have potential upside, while MARA, CLSK, and RIOT remain more closely tied to Bitcoin prices.

According to Bitcoin.com, the Spanish National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) issued a statement on Monday warning virtual asset service providers (VASP) to pay attention to the upcoming consequences of the MiCA framework. The agency emphasized that after June 30, the grace period for VASP benefiting from the transitional period will end, and only authorized VASP will be able to operate in the country. CNMV stated, "Investors should not deal with entities that have not completed the authorization process, as they will not be able to enjoy the protections and oversight mechanisms provided by the aforementioned regulations."VASP that are not authorized to operate in Spain under MiCA can design migration plans to manage customer funds, including agreements with other authorized VASP to allow customers to continue receiving crypto services. The regulatory agency emphasized, "The migration plan will set a reasonable timeframe for investors to withdraw, and after completion, any unwithdrawn crypto assets and funds may be transferred to authorized entities, with affected customers being notified." ATH21 CEO Cris Carrascosa revealed that with only 15 days left until the rules take effect, less than half of the VASP have obtained MiCA licenses, indicating that European companies and users may face serious service disruptions.

According to Cointelegraph, the transitional period for the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) will end on July 1, 2026.The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) stated that at that time, crypto asset service providers that have not obtained MiCA authorization, even if their applications are still under review, will not be allowed to continue providing services to EU customers and should initiate business winding down and customer migration arrangements.

10x Research published on platform X that amidst the slump in Bitcoin, the mining and AI infrastructure sectors have surged significantly. KEEL rose by 30%, CIFR rose by 29%, IREN rose by 29%, WULF rose by 24%, and HUT rose by 22%, mainly driven by large hyperscale data center transactions, park acquisitions, and new institutional support.This week's catalysts include IREN's $1.6 billion purchase of Dell Blackwell systems, TeraWulf's acquisition of a 1 GW park in Kentucky, and Hut 8 signing a $9.8 billion leasing agreement in Texas, indicating that Bitcoin mining companies' transition to AI infrastructure is accelerating.

Bitcoin mining company TeraWulf announced its Q1 financial report, showing that its high-performance computing (HPC) business has for the first time surpassed Bitcoin mining revenue, marking a critical stage in the company's transformation towards AI and cloud computing infrastructure.The company's total revenue for Q1 was $34 million, roughly flat compared to the same period last year. Among this, HPC leasing revenue reached $21 million, surpassing the less than $13 million from digital asset mining for the first time, becoming the main source of income. The financial report also indicated that the company's net loss widened to $427.6 million, mainly due to the impact of non-cash warrant revaluation. However, CFO Patrick Fleury emphasized that the company is transitioning from "volatile mining revenue" to "stable long-term computing power contract revenue." Currently, TeraWulf has 60 MW of HPC capacity generating revenue at its Lake Mariner data center in New York and plans to continue expanding within the year. At the same time, the company is transforming part of its mining infrastructure into AI/HPC computing resources to support massive computing power demands. This trend is spreading throughout the industry, with Bitcoin mining companies like Riot Platforms also expanding their revenue structure through data centers and AI contracts, gradually transforming into "computing power infrastructure companies."

According to Cointelegraph, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong stated that due to market conditions and the company's transition to an AI-native architecture, Coinbase is laying off about 14%.

According to market news, at the "9th BCCC Collaborative Day" held on April 21, 2026, Shigeru Shimizu, the head of the Risk Analysis Division of the Financial Services Agency (FSA) of Japan, delivered a special speech revealing significant progress in cryptocurrency regulation. The FSA has submitted a bill to the extraordinary Diet, proposing to transition cryptocurrencies from the Payment Services Act to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, mainly involving four core aspects: regulations on information disclosure, the establishment of new classifications for independent operators, strengthening penalties for unregistered operators, and preparing regulations against insider trading.At the same time, the FSA is advancing three "Payment Innovation Projects (PIP)" empirical experiments: first, a cross-border payment trial using yen stablecoins involving three major banks; second, on-chain settlement of securities such as government bonds, corporate bonds, and stocks based on blockchain, aiming for 24/7 continuous trading; third, an interbank tokenized deposit transfer experiment that just received support on April 3 of this month, which will be promoted in conjunction with the Bank of Japan's central bank digital currency tokenization sandbox project. Mr. Shimizu stated that blockchain has great potential in enhancing the convenience of financial services and diversifying products, and the FSA will continue to promote institutional development and practical support.

ChainCatcher reported live that Fan Wenzhong, Executive Director of the Chinese Financial Society and former Chairman of Beijing Financial Holdings Group, delivered a keynote speech at the 2026 Hong Kong Web3 Carnival. He pointed out that we are currently at a historical turning point similar to the transition from pawnshops to modern banking, where AI is an advanced productive force in the physical world, and Web3 represents a new type of production relationship in the digital world. The integration of the two will give rise to a Decentralized Agent Economy (DAE).He analyzed that AI Agents have execution capabilities but lack independent identity, accounts, and trust mechanisms, while Web3 addresses these pain points through smart contracts, on-chain identities, and programmable currencies; conversely, AI Agents significantly lower the barriers to using Web3. He proposed that DAE has four major characteristics: agent sovereignty and 24/7 operation, high-frequency atomic exchanges, a collaboration mechanism based on technological trust rather than moral or legal frameworks, and the organizational evolution from companies to DAOs and then to Decentralized AI Companies (DACs).He warned that this transformation will impact the labor market, with white-collar workers being replaced before blue-collar workers. AI quantitative funds have already achieved returns far exceeding those of retail investors, and he suggested that the government proactively advance social security reforms. Finally, he recommended that Hong Kong develop a self-controllable high-performance public chain, pilot limited digital persona registrations, attract Web3+AI composite talents, establish a digital finance industry fund, and promote collaborative innovation between the Hong Kong dollar stablecoin and digital renminbi.