legislation

According to Cryptopolitan, U.S. Senator Lummis stated in an interview with CNBC that large banks are trying to block the advancement of clear cryptocurrency regulatory legislation because they cannot compete with the crypto industry.She emphasized that the popularity of Bitcoin is unstoppable, "this will become the financial system of the future."

According to The Block, Rob Nichols, the CEO of the American Bankers Association (ABA), sent a letter to bank executives on Sunday evening urging them to contact senators to further tighten the provisions related to stablecoin rewards before the Senate Banking Committee's markup vote on Thursday.Nichols warned that the current draft fails to effectively prevent crypto companies from offering "interest-like rewards" to users, which could lead to significant outflows of bank deposits, threatening economic growth and financial stability.The current draft, negotiated by Senators Angela Alsobrooks and Thom Tillis, prohibits paying interest or returns to users holding stablecoins but allows rewards linked to real activities or transactions, a provision that has received support from Coinbase. The banking industry groups believe that the related exceptions contain loopholes that could be exploited and jointly sent a letter on May 8 to Committee Chairman Tim Scott and Democrat Elizabeth Warren, requesting technical revisions to the wording of the provisions.

Crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett revealed that according to the latest polls in the United States, the issue of supporting cryptocurrency market structure legislation crosses party lines, with 52% of voters in favor of the bill and only 11% opposed. The Cryptocurrency Market Structure Bill (the CLARITY Act) has received majority support from Democrats, Republicans, and independents, highlighting the widespread demand among voters for clearer rules and enhanced consumer protection for digital assets, while preparing for a key vote in the Senate Banking Committee next week.

According to Bitcoin Magazine, U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno stated that they will review legislation on Bitcoin and the structure of the cryptocurrency market "next week."Moreno said, "We will send it to the president's desk by the end of June, and he will sign it into law before July 4."

TD Cowen pointed out that the disagreements surrounding the stablecoin yield mechanism remain difficult to bridge, which may delay the advancement of the U.S. crypto market structure bill and even affect its chances of passing within the year.Several banking organizations, including the American Bankers Association, have formally opposed the relevant compromise proposals, arguing that allowing crypto platforms to offer stablecoin yields to users would impact traditional banks. Analysts state that the positions of banks and crypto platforms on this issue are opposed, and in the short term, "there is unlikely to be a middle ground," which has become a key obstacle in the current legislative process.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse stated that the next two weeks will be a critical window for advancing cryptocurrency legislation in the United States.He pointed out that if the Senate Banking Committee fails to complete the bill review in the near term, the probability of the bill passing will "significantly decrease," especially with the midterm elections approaching, as related issues may become further politicized. Currently, the U.S. is pushing for the first federal-level cryptocurrency regulatory framework, involving the regulatory division of responsibilities between the SEC and the CFTC. Although the House version has passed, progress in the Senate has been relatively slow, but recent compromises around stablecoin yield issues may bring a turning point for advancement this month.

According to Jinshi, U.S. President Trump warned bankers at a cryptocurrency conference not to obstruct the advancement of cryptocurrency legislation.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has signed a bill that bans the operation of cryptocurrency ATMs statewide, becoming the second state after Indiana to implement a comprehensive ban. The bill (HB 2505) has officially taken effect and will be enforced starting July 1.According to the regulations, installing or operating "virtual currency kiosks" (i.e., Bitcoin ATMs) will be classified as a Class A misdemeanor, with a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. At the same time, merchants that allow the installation of such devices will also bear legal responsibility. Currently, most states in the U.S. have strengthened regulation through measures such as establishing licensing systems and transaction limits, but comprehensive bans remain rare. Data shows that since 2026, 30 states have proposed related legislation, with 20 states having passed laws, indicating a continued tightening of regulations against the risks of cryptocurrency ATM scams.

According to Cointelegraph, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated in the Senate that it is crucial to legislate on the structure of the cryptocurrency market, emphasizing that "the United States is a global technology leader and should also be a global payments leader."

Kim Hyun-jung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea's Digital Assets Special Task Force, stated that they plan to submit the basic law on digital assets related to stablecoins (Phase Two legislation) after the local elections and simultaneously advance the review of the bill in the subcommittee.He pointed out that there are still differences regarding issues such as the shareholding restrictions for major shareholders of exchanges, which need further discussion. At the same time, he believes that, in the context of the Bank of Korea Governor Shin Hyun-sung's positive attitude towards stablecoins, relevant legislation is expected to progress. In addition, the task force is considering meeting with him after the elections to advance the design of the CBDC and the Korean won stablecoin system.

According to Cointelegraph, the Polish parliament has not yet passed the domestic bill associated with the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), making Poland the last EU member state to complete the relevant legislation.As the MiCA transition period is set to end on July 1, if the bill remains stalled, local crypto businesses may face greater obstacles to compliance in the European market, with some companies considering relocating to countries like Latvia and the Czech Republic. Previously, Polish President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the bill twice, citing the regulatory burden it would impose and the potential impact on small businesses.

According to Bloomberg, 39 signatories, including Nasdaq, Stuttgart Stock Exchange Group, and various financial technology associations, are calling on the European Commission and the European Parliament to treat the distributed ledger technology pilot system as an independent legislative fast track and to separate it from the EU market integration and supervision scheme.The signatories stated that if the overall negotiation process takes too long, Europe may fall behind the United States in DLT applications, and they demand the removal of asset class restrictions, an increase in the total trading volume cap to €150 billion, and the elimination of license time limits. The letter also mentioned that the United States has established a stablecoin regulatory framework through the Genius Act and is rapidly establishing a leading position in the tokenized asset field.The European Commission is currently promoting a rapid resolution of the entire regulatory scheme and views it as a key part of the Capital Markets Union plan. Financial Services Commissioner Maria Luis Albuquerque has previously called for all legislative proposals to be passed in sync.

According to The Block, Thom Tillis, a key negotiator for the U.S. Senate Banking Committee and a Republican senator from North Carolina, stated that the committee is unlikely to schedule a hearing to revise and vote on the cryptocurrency market structure bill within April.The main disagreement in the current legislation centers on how to handle rewards for stablecoins. The existing draft proposes to prohibit rewards for idle stablecoin accounts but allows earnings from trading activities; banking representatives are concerned that such earnings will attract deposits away from traditional banks, while cryptocurrency companies argue that limiting rewards will hinder innovation. Tillis suggested that the committee postpone the review until May.Previously, Senator Bernie Moreno warned that if the bill fails to pass before May, "digital asset legislation will not advance in the foreseeable future."

According to Edaily, Kim Sang-hoon, the chairman of the Digital Assets Special Committee of the People Power Party of Korea, expressed concerns about the restrictions on equity in cryptocurrency exchanges at an academic conference. He called for the prioritization of advancing the basic law on digital assets related to stablecoins (Phase Two legislation) to avoid getting caught in equity regulatory disputes and missing the golden legislative opportunity.He pointed out that the reality of the issuance and circulation of the Korean won stablecoin KRWQ has emerged overseas, posing a severe challenge to monetary sovereignty. Kim Sang-hoon emphasized that the law should provide market predictability, offer clear guidance for operators, and establish effective safety mechanisms for users.

Circle Chief Strategy Officer Dante Disparte published a response regarding the over $270 million theft incident involving Drift Protocol. Disparte stated that Circle only freezes USDC when legally mandated to do so, and this is not a unilateral decision, nor is it a backdoor or algorithmic monitoring. This reflects the rule of law in internet-native financial activities.He pointed out that the core issue facing open systems is that the legal framework's response speed lags behind technological development. Protocols, wallets, exchanges, and stablecoin issuers should regard security and accountability as a shared obligation, and DeFi protocols can develop on-chain technical protection measures by referencing the circuit breaker mechanisms of traditional markets.He also called for the legislative processes of the U.S. GENIUS Act and CLARITY Act to incorporate due process, property rights, and financial privacy protection standards into law before the next major security incident occurs.

According to The Block, Anchorage Digital and Chainlink Labs jointly funded the newly established political action committee "Blockchain Leadership Fund," marking Anchorage Digital's first involvement in PAC financing.The fund plans to support candidates who promote digital asset and blockchain policies ahead of the midterm elections and actively engage in voter education. Currently, the U.S. Congress's cryptocurrency legislative process is stalled, with the Senate Banking Committee still at odds with the banking industry over stablecoin reward regulation issues. Meanwhile, the crypto advocacy organization Stand With Crypto has also launched a legislator digital asset position scoring system to continue building momentum for the industry ahead of the 2026 elections.