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According to Jinshi reports, the Financial Secretary Paul Chan stated in the "2026 Budget" that the government will submit a draft digital asset policy bill within the year, establishing a licensing system for service providers involved in digital asset trading and custody.Hong Kong has implemented a licensing system for fiat-backed stablecoin issuers, with the first batch of licenses to be issued in March. The government and financial regulators will continue to promote licensed issuers to explore more application scenarios under compliance and manageable risk conditions.

According to Coinpost, the Financial Services Agency of Japan has released the "Cybersecurity Enhancement Guidelines (Draft) for Cryptocurrency Exchanges" and has begun a public consultation, with a deadline of March 11. The draft indicates that the methods of cyber attacks targeting cryptocurrency exchanges are becoming increasingly complex, with a rise in indirect attack methods such as social engineering and breaches through outsourced service providers. Relying solely on cold wallets is no longer sufficient to ensure security, and there is a need to strengthen overall supply chain security management.The draft also mentions suspected state-sponsored attacks and emphasizes the importance of asset protection from the perspective of national wealth preservation. The plan is based on three pillars: self-help, mutual assistance, and public assistance. In terms of self-help, it proposes to impose cybersecurity self-assessments on the cryptocurrency exchange industry starting from the fiscal year 2026 and to enhance security standards; for mutual assistance, it will strengthen the functions of industry self-regulatory associations and promote corporate participation in information-sharing organizations; for public assistance, it will continue to conduct international joint research, aiming for full industry participation in cybersecurity exercises within three years and conducting real environment penetration tests on some operators in 2026.

The chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Mike Selig, announced on Wednesday the formal withdrawal of the "event contract" regulatory proposal put forward in 2024, and the repeal of a related guidance issued during the Biden administration.The proposal originally aimed to prohibit prediction contracts based on the outcomes of political events, equating them with contracts related to war, terrorism, and other "contrary to public interest" matters. Selig stated that the 2024 proposal was a manifestation of the previous administration's "overreach in value-judgment regulation." The CFTC will reintroduce a set of new rules based on the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) that are more consistent and rational, to support responsible innovation in the derivatives market and align with the legislative intent of Congress. This policy adjustment sends a clearer regulatory signal for prediction markets.Previously, the CFTC lost a lawsuit against Kalshi, which forced it to allow political prediction contracts to launch. With the new administration in place, institutions including Coinbase and Cboe have also begun actively engaging in prediction market-related businesses. The withdrawal of the old regulations is seen as a significant turning point in the direction of U.S. prediction market regulation.

According to GlobeNewswire, digital asset management company CoinShares and special purpose acquisition company Vine Hill (VCIC) announced that they have submitted a revised F-4 registration statement draft to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).This submission follows the confidential submission of the initial registration statement draft and represents a continued progress in the transaction regulatory review process. The merger transaction is still proceeding as planned, but it must meet customary closing conditions, including obtaining the approval of CoinShares and Vine Hill's respective shareholders, securing the necessary acts from the Royal Court of Jersey, the effectiveness of the F-4 form, and obtaining approval from local regulatory authorities.It is reported that the relevant hearing is scheduled to be held on February 17, 2026.

According to The Block, the Financial Services Agency (FSA) of Japan has opened a public consultation period to solicit opinions on draft rules regarding the types of collateralized bonds for stablecoins, with a deadline of February 27, 2026.This move aims to implement the Payment Services Act of 2025 by defining the "specific trust beneficiary rights" of the issuer's reserves. The Financial Services Agency stated that the finalized standards will specify the asset composition of all regulated, yen-pegged stablecoins issued within that jurisdiction.

Coinbase will continue to advance the U.S. crypto market structure bill during this week's World Economic Forum and meet with several bank CEOs to discuss how to achieve a win-win situation.It pointed out that stablecoins should provide a level playing field for crypto companies and traditional banks, and will provide feedback on the discussion progress to the Senate and the government. Previously, due to the bill's draft proposing to prohibit crypto companies from paying interest on idle stablecoin balances, Coinbase withdrew its support for the bill. In addition, Brian Armstrong will also engage with global leaders on the potential of crypto to update the financial system and tokenization in capital markets.

SolanaFloor posted on platform X that the latest draft of the cryptocurrency market structure adopts the stablecoin yield processing method advocated by banks, prohibiting interest payments solely for holding a balance.Rewards linked to activities such as trading, staking, liquidity provision, or governance participation are still allowed.

Reporter Eleanor Terrett stated that the Senate Agriculture Committee has been working for months to ensure that the CLARITY bill draft has bipartisan support. Although there is still uncertainty as it approaches a critical juncture, such efforts are not common within Congress.She also recalled that last summer, the CLARITY bill provisions pushed by the House Agriculture GOP passed with significant bipartisan support, with 47 votes in favor and 6 against.

According to The Block, Congressman Max Miller (R-OH) and Steven Horsford (D-NV) are drafting a cryptocurrency tax bill called the Digital Asset PARITY Act.The bill will provide tax benefits for certain stablecoin transactions and delay taxation on rewards for validating blockchain transactions. The legislation will exempt capital gains tax on stablecoin transactions below $200. As a compromise between the IRS's current guidance and industry demands, taxpayers will have the option to defer taxes on staking and mining rewards for five years, after which they will be taxed as ordinary income at fair market value.The bill will extend wash sale rules (which prevent investors from selling at a loss and immediately repurchasing to claim tax credits) to digital assets and allow traders to use the mark-to-market method for accounting.

The sports betting giant DraftKings announced on Friday that it has launched a standalone prediction app, officially entering the federally regulated prediction market overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.Reportedly, the new product launched by DraftKings, DraftKings Predictions, will allow eligible users to trade event contracts tied to real-world outcomes, covering both sports and financial markets at launch.

The UK Treasury is drafting new regulations aimed at bringing cryptocurrencies and digital assets under regulatory oversight.Under this legislation, cryptocurrencies will be regulated in a manner similar to other financial products, expected to take effect in 2027. The new rules will require cryptocurrency companies to meet a series of standards overseen by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated that bringing cryptocurrencies under regulation is a key step in ensuring the UK remains a leading global financial center in the digital age.This move will provide clear rules for businesses while offering stronger protections for consumers and excluding criminals from the UK market. According to the proposed amendments, companies providing cryptocurrency services will fall under the FCA's jurisdiction, and their services will be regulated like other financial products, including compliance with transparency standards. These companies include cryptocurrency exchanges and digital wallets, which must register with the FCA if their services fall within the scope of UK anti-money laundering regulations.

New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Wyoming Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis introduced at the Blockchain Association Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. what direction the U.S. Congress will take in comprehensive regulation of the cryptocurrency industry. Cynthia Lummis stated that the goal is to release the draft of the "CLARITY Act" (Market Structure Bill) before the weekend and hold hearings next week to amend and vote on the bill. Democrats and Republicans are continuing negotiations, with the first bipartisan meeting held last week, making significant progress. "Nothing is standing in the way of this bill."The U.S. Congress has been trying for years to push for a broader cryptocurrency market structure bill, but progress has been slow. This summer, the House passed its version of the "Digital Asset Market Clarity Act" (referred to as Clarity) in July, bringing new momentum to the legislation. The Senate has since begun to advance similar legislation.The Senate Banking Committee already has a draft that clearly defines the regulatory jurisdiction between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and creates a new term "ancillary assets" to clarify which cryptocurrencies do not fall under securities. Meanwhile, the Senate Agriculture Committee also released its draft last month, proposing to grant the CFTC more new powers.

According to official news, Kraken has announced that it has submitted a draft S-1 registration statement to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, intending to issue common stock, with the number of shares and price range yet to be determined.This initial public offering is expected to take place after the SEC completes its review process, with the specific timing depending on market conditions and other factors.

According to Crypto In America, the Senate version of the "Cryptocurrency Market Structure Bill" draft is still incomplete, and the U.S. Senate may continue to meet for discussions this weekend. Once the government resumes, the Senate Banking Committee and the Agriculture Committee can immediately begin planning their respective versions of the market structure bill's review dates.An industry insider involved in the bipartisan discussions of the Banking Committee revealed that all relevant parties are "working hard and fully committed" this week, tirelessly addressing key disagreements. Progress seems to be smooth, but there is still no clear timeline for when the draft will be released. Meanwhile, the Agriculture Committee's draft remains in flux. Last week, several sources indicated that the bipartisan version was close to finalization, with the text possibly being published as early as this week.White House crypto and AI director David Sacks spoke with the two main authors of the bill—Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (Republican-Arkansas) and Senator Cory Booker (Democrat-New Jersey)—on Wednesday. After the call, he expressed that he was "encouraged by the progress" and looked forward to seeing a bipartisan joint draft "soon."Clearly, the senators' earlier goal of reviewing the bill before Thanksgiving has become increasingly unrealistic, and a December review now seems more likely. However, as is customary in the U.S. Congress—anything is subject to change.

ChainCatcher news, according to crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett, multiple sources have revealed that the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee is set to release its bipartisan joint draft, which pertains to the commodity-related aspects of the cryptocurrency market structure bill, although the specific release time varies among sources.Some say the committee may act as early as tomorrow; others indicate that the final preparations mean the draft's release could be delayed until next week. In any case, this upcoming draft, along with the resumption of bipartisan staff negotiations in the banking committee, suggests that the progress on market structure-related matters has gotten back on track following last week's industry roundtable.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, Polymarket founder Shayne Coplan stated that after DraftKings acquires the CFTC-regulated Railbird, if it launches a prediction market, Polymarket Clearing will serve as the designated clearinghouse. This move will promote the expansion of Polymarket's B2B business and further strengthen its role in the prediction market infrastructure sector.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bloomberg, DraftKings announced the acquisition of the exchange Railbird Technologies, which is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), to lay out a strategy for prediction markets and event contract trading. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.After the news was released, DraftKings' stock price rose by as much as 8.3% in after-hours trading.

ChainCatcher news, according to Decrypt, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea has established a digital asset task force to draft comprehensive stablecoin and cryptocurrency legislation.The task force aims to enact digital asset laws during this year's regular session and the National Assembly meeting at the end of the year. The country is facing increasing pressure from capital outflows, with $40.6 billion in digital assets transferred abroad in the first quarter of 2025, half of which are stablecoins.

ChainCatcher news, according to market news, Australian Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino announced on Wednesday that the government has released a draft of the regulatory bill for digital asset platforms. The bill extends the Financial Services Act to cryptocurrency businesses, requiring major crypto platforms to obtain an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL).Licensed entities will need to manage conflicts of interest, provide dispute resolution systems, and meet minimum custody and settlement standards. The bill also establishes rules for emerging areas such as tokenized custody platforms, public token infrastructure, and staking to adapt to industry developments. Small businesses and non-financial service-related businesses may be exempt.