Fidelity Investments submitted a letter on March 20, 2026 urging the SEC to create a framework that allows broker-dealers to offer, custody, and trade crypto assets on Alternative Trading Systems. The firm also called for clearer standards for tokenized securities, updated reporting rules for DeFi, and guidance on using distributed ledger technology for recordkeeping without being labeled a "clearing agency."

On 23 March 2026, major international banks advanced pilot programs for tokenized deposits across multiple jurisdictions as they look to bring bank money onto blockchain rails. The initiatives emphasize that tokenized deposits retain bank-style safeguards such as AML compliance, capital rules, and deposit insurance, while Europe works to connect distributed ledgers with existing payment systems by the second half of 2026.

On Tuesday, the SEC and CFTC issued joint guidance that reclassifies most digital assets as commodities or "digital tools," narrowing the SEC's enforcement-heavy role. The shift has prompted conflict-of-interest concerns tied to World Liberty Financial, a DeFi project described as being controlled by the Trump family, as the new framework could reduce disclosure and registration burdens.

The House Financial Services Committee will meet Wednesday at 10:00 AM ET to examine how securities could be moved onto blockchain-based rails and whether current securities laws impede tokenized assets. Lawmakers are set to question witnesses from Nasdaq, DTCC, SIFMA, and the Blockchain Association while reviewing two draft bills tied to SEC-CFTC coordination and blockchain record-keeping for regulated firms.

On March 23, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced sanctions targeting a North Korea-linked network accused of using data-extortion tactics against businesses. The action covers six individuals and two companies tied to an alleged $800,000,000 fraud haul in 2024, including a Vietnam-based entity said to have converted illicit proceeds into crypto assets.

Hong Kong-listed Web3 gaming firm Boyaa Interactive International said it will seek shareholder approval to expand its crypto treasury, planning as much as $70 million in token purchases over the next year. The company said it would deploy idle cash during weaker market conditions, adding to a treasury that includes 4,091 BTC and 302 ETH.

US lawmakers and White House officials agreed in principle on Friday to settle rules for yield on stablecoins, aiming to unblock broader crypto legislation in the Senate Banking Committee. The framework would still prohibit issuers from paying interest directly, while allowing platforms to offer regulated rewards tied to reserve-backed instruments, with caps linked to Treasury rates under discussion. The compromise is expected to be put into formal text before an April committee vote.

Fidelity Investments urged the U.S. SEC to speed up rulemaking that would integrate crypto assets into existing market structures, with a focus on alternative trading systems. The firm said broker-dealers still need clearer guidance to offer, custody and trade crypto assets and to support crypto-security trading pairs. Fidelity also pressed for clearer standards for secondary trading of tokenized securities and for clarification on using blockchain for recordkeeping and on-chain settlement.