On Thursday, Austria's Financial Market Authority barred KuCoin EU from onboarding new clients or signing new products, citing shortcomings in AML, CTF and sanctions oversight. The action comes months after Austria granted the exchange a MiCA licence, and KuCoin says it has already paused onboarding and begun recruiting to restore key compliance roles.

Gemini co-founder Tyler Winklevoss has publicly stated he is optimistic at what he describes as peak crypto pessimism, even as filings and market data show mounting challenges for the exchange. SEC documents outline sharply higher operating expenses alongside modest revenue growth and a shrinking market value, while onchain data indicates Winklevoss Capital has cut its Bitcoin holdings by more than half over the past year. Gemini has also announced sizable layoffs, exited multiple regions and reshuffled senior leadership as it pivots toward new regulated products and services.

Democrats in the US House Financial Services Committee have sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent raising concerns about World Liberty Financial's pursuit of a national trust bank charter tied to a dollar-backed token. The lawmakers cited systemic risk, foreign ownership including an almost half stake reportedly bought by a senior UAE royal for about $500 million, and potential political pressure on the chartering process.

Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich has publicly rejected accusations from anonymous online critics that the firm concealed losses and key details related to its leveraged Bitcoin trades. He argued that all major BTC purchases, options strategies and BTC-backed borrowings in 2025 were disclosed in a timely manner, and pointed to strong revenue growth from Bitcoin-related activities despite large accounting losses.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde is reportedly considering stepping down before her term ends in October 2027, just as the EU prepares key decisions on the digital euro and stablecoin oversight. Potential successors share a cautious view on crypto, while the ECB is planning a 12‑month digital euro pilot from the second half of 2027 and aims to be ready for a possible first issuance in 2029, subject to EU lawmakers' approval.

A Tuesday SEC amendment shows Peter Thiel-linked Founders Fund entities now report owning zero ETHZilla shares, after disclosing a 7.5% stake on Aug. 4, 2025. ETHZilla raised $425 million in July 2025 and later sold 24,291 ETH for $74.5 million in December 2025 to repay debt, leaving about 69,800 ETH.

Onchain analyst and early Bitcoin adopter Willy Woo recently argued that markets are beginning to factor in quantum computing risk, challenging Bitcoin's multi-year valuation outperformance versus gold. He warned that around 4 million "lost" BTC and roughly eight years of enterprise accumulation could potentially re-enter circulation in a future "Q-Day" scenario, affecting Bitcoin's scarcity narrative and long-term pricing.

The US National Credit Union Administration proposed its first GENIUS Act rules to license payment stablecoin issuers operating as subsidiaries of federally insured credit unions. The draft sets a 120‑day decision clock and bars denial solely for public‑chain issuance, with a 60‑day comment period starting after Federal Register publication.

The European Parliament has approved the European Central Bank's annual report, including language that brands the planned digital euro as essential to strengthening EU monetary sovereignty and the single market. Lawmakers stressed that both cash and the future digital euro should remain legal tender, while underlining that the ECB must stay independent from political pressure. Several MEPs and experts framed the digital euro as public digital money that could reduce reliance on non-EU payment providers and private stablecoins in Europe's retail payments.