Regulation

Regulation

Policy

Clarity's failure could speed crypto innovation while shielding incumbents

Executives see openings for tokenization, DeFi and dealmaking, while lawyers warn agency action leaves spot-market oversight and lasting certainty unresolved.

Congress

Policy

U.S. CFTC moves to fold event contracts into swaps regulations as legal fight rages

The derivatives regulator is proposing a formal rule to include certain contracts traded on platforms like Kalshi's as swaps that require the agency's oversight.

U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Mike Selig (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

Policy

Top Democrat among Senate investigators probes ties between Cantor Fitzgerald, Tether

As Democrats steadily rise in their potential to take back a Senate majority, Senator Richard Blumenthal is digging into Tether's U.S. financial partnership.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Bo Hines, a former White House adviser who is CEO of Tether U.S. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

Policy

NFL joins pushback against prediction markets as U.S. Supreme Court asked to act

In opposition to federal oversight of the prediction markets, the National Football League has sided with states, Gary Gensler and one of the authors of the relevant law.

Patriots by Getty

Policy

EU securities regulator gives crypto platforms 3 months to remove unauthorized stablecoins

ESMA said authorized platforms must block new access to stablecoins that fail to meet MiCA rules, while national authorities oversee existing customer holdings.

ESMA offices. (ESMA/Media)

Policy

U.S. CFTC joins SEC in proposing crypto regulations, though spot-market gap lingers

The derivatives regulator is proposing two rules meant to cover the waterfront of crypto activity and exchanges, as long as it's not simple, direct trading.

U.S. CFTC Chairman Mike Selig (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

News Analysis

Trump’s potential AI czar, Jay Clayton, helped pioneer the SEC’s crypto crackdown

The former SEC chairman who may be tapped to oversee the Trump administration's AI work has a potentially divisive history as a watchdog of tech innovation.

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton

News Analysis

Crypto industry gave $8 million to Clarity Act lobbyists who didn't close the deal

In the first half of this year, the sector poured millions into lobbying, with most of it tied to pushing the U.S. market structure bill to a goal it never reached.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong speaking to House Speaker Mike Johnson on July 18, 2025. (Jesse Hamilton, modified by CoinDesk)

Policy

U.S. CFTC seeks event contract definitions that may defy states' gambling claims

As it battles with states over prediction markets, the CFTC sent two related rules on swaps definitions for White House review.

U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Mike Selig (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

Policy

U.S. SEC's steadiest crypto advocate, Hester Peirce, to depart next week

The long-anticipated exit of the commissioner sometimes known as Crypto Mom is Oct. 2, announced as the agency was sending out its latest crypto work.

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce (Nikhilesh De/CoinDesk)