The UK Financial Conduct Authority has warned Premier League and other football clubs that sponsorship agreements with unauthorized crypto firms and trading platforms could leave clubs exposed to legal liability, money laundering risks and reputational harm, Reuters reported. The regulator said some unregistered companies may be using high-profile club sponsorships to market products to football fans despite not being permitted to operate in the UK. The FCA urged clubs to tighten due diligence and strengthen checks on commercial partners. Source

A group of US lawmakers, including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, is pushing back against Labor Department plans that would allow cryptocurrencies in 401(k) retirement plans. The lawmakers warned the change could expose Americans' retirement savings to heightened risk.

The U.S. Senate has officially added the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act to its legislative calendar, marking a significant milestone for cryptocurrency regulation in the United States. This procedural move makes the bill eligible for consideration and a potential vote by the full Senate chamber. The advancement follows a successful markup in the Senate Banking Committee, where the legislation received bipartisan support. While the bill's placement on the calendar is a critical step, lawmakers have yet to schedule a specific date for floor debate or a final vote. If passed, the measure would represent a major shift in the federal oversight of digital assets. Market participants are closely monitoring the Senate's next steps as the legislative session progresses, noting that the bill must clear the full chamber before proceeding to the next stage of the lawmaking process.

The Blockchain Association is calling on the U.S. Senate to pass the Clarity Act, pointing to a letter signed by 160 former security officials in support of the legislation.

According to a recent legislative push, the UK House of Lords has formally urged the Bank of England (BoE) to abandon its proposed limits on stablecoin holdings. The House of Lords argues that the BoE's planned caps could significantly stifle the growth and adoption of sterling-denominated stablecoins, potentially placing the UK at a disadvantage in the global digital asset market. By restricting the amount of stablecoins individuals and entities can hold, the legislative body fears that innovation will be hampered and users may be driven toward foreign-denominated alternatives. This recommendation highlights a growing tension between regulatory caution and the desire to maintain the UK's status as a leading fintech hub. The Lords emphasize that a more flexible approach is necessary to ensure the British pound remains competitive within the evolving Web3 and blockchain-based financial ecosystem.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has made digital assets a strategic priority in its five-year roadmap running through 2030. The plan calls for clearer rules for crypto markets, support for tokenization, and the development of a framework covering staking and on-chain market activity.

The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on a group of Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges, including Nobitex, citing alleged involvement in terrorist financing.

Bitcoin has been under pressure in recent weeks as friction between the U.S. and Iran escalates, and there are signs crypto is playing a more direct role in the dispute than many investors assume. Iran is moving to formally codify a Bitcoin-enabled toll framework for ships seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. In Washington, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. has seized nearly $1 billion in crypto tied to Iranian exchanges and wallets since the conflict began. On top of that, the U.S. has sanctioned Nobitex, Iran's largest crypto exchange, citing alleged sanctions-evasion links, IRGC-related transaction flows, ransomware activity, and efforts to move assets out of the country following U.S. military action. Treasury also reiterated that payments to secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz—including those made in Bitcoin and other digital assets—could expose parties involved to sanctions risk. U.S. officials generally use "crypto seizures" to refer mainly to stablecoins rather than Bitcoin itself. Still, Bitcoin and broader crypto infrastructure are increasingly surfacing across sanctions enforcement, maritime commerce, and geopolitical strategy—a sign that digital assets are becoming part of the battlefield. Whether Bitcoin's recent weakness can be directly attributed to the U.S.-Iran standoff is hard to prove. The trend is clearer: crypto is showing up more frequently in one of the world's most consequential flashpoints.

CryptoBizzle reposted that it was surprising Nobitex had not already been sanctioned by the United States. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Tuesday sanctioned Nobitex, three other trading platforms, and Nobitex's current CEO along with three of the exchange's co-founders. The post also flagged a detail in the U.S. Treasury's announcement: the department returned to saying it had seized "nearly $500 million" in Iranian crypto assets. That wording contrasts with comments made last Friday at the NREF, where Bessent said the total was closer to $1 billion. Read more.