Thailand's Personal Data Protection Committee ordered World, the iris-scanning project backed by Sam Altman, to delete more than 1.2 million records collected in the country and halt all operations, Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob said Monday, DL News reports. An expert panel found that collecting biometric data in exchange for cryptocurrency violates national data protection laws. World has ceased its iris-scanning activities in Thailand.

Spain's Sumar parliamentary group filed a bill amendment on Nov. 26 to increase taxation on cryptocurrency gains to rates up to 47%, Criptonoticias reports. The proposal would modify the 2006 Personal Income Tax Law to tax crypto assets not classified as financial instruments under the general income tax base, compared to the current savings tax base capped at 30%. The amendment also expands seizure provisions under the 1987 Inheritance and Gift Tax Law to all crypto assets, sets a 30% corporate income tax rate on crypto gains, and requires Spain's National Securities Market Commission to create a visual risk indicator system for cryptocurrencies on investor platforms.

Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council, has emerged as a leading candidate to chair the Federal Reserve, sources familiar with the matter said on Nov. 26. White House advisors view Hassett as a trusted figure who could advance rate-cut policies at the central bank, the sources said. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said no decisions can be predicted before official action is taken, while a senior U.S. official confirmed no final candidate list has been submitted.

Market pricing now shows roughly 80% odds of a 25-basis-point rate cut at the Federal Reserve's December meeting, up from approximately 30% just days earlier, Jin10 reports citing market data. The shift followed delayed September employment data released last week and comments from New York Fed President John Williams on Friday, who indicated room for rate cuts "in the near term" amid labor market softness. Futures contracts tied to the Fed's benchmark rate have seen a sharp increase in open interest over the past three trading sessions, with January contracts posting consecutive daily volume records last week. "There's serious division within the Fed, but it appears doves have overwhelmed hawks," said Tracy Chen, portfolio manager at Brandywine Global Investment Management.

Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council, has become the top choice for the next Federal Reserve Chair among President Trump's advisors and allies as the selection process enters its final weeks, sources familiar with the matter said. The appointment would place a close Trump ally in the Fed leadership. In a November 20 Fox News interview, Hassett said he would "cut rates now" if he were Fed Chair, citing data support for such action.

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell 6.8 points to 88.7 in November, marking the steepest decline in seven months and missing economist forecasts, data released Tuesday show. Dana Peterson, Chief Economist at the Conference Board, said consumer commentary increasingly cited prices, inflation, tariffs, trade policy, and political factors, with growing mentions of potential federal government shutdowns. References to labor market conditions moderated but remained prominent, with overall sentiment turning slightly more negative compared to October.

South Korea's Financial Intelligence Unit imposed a $25 million penalty on Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, on November 25, the regulatory agency said. The FIU also suspended new customer registrations for three months. The regulator identified approximately 5.3 million customer verification violations and 15 unreported suspicious transactions at the exchange. Dunamu is considering an appeal, citing precedents where FIU decisions were overturned by courts.

A Federal Reserve Governor said on Nov. 25 that substantial interest rate cuts are necessary, arguing current monetary policy is dragging on economic activity, Jin10 reports. The official called for the Fed to reduce rates to neutral levels as quickly as possible and expressed hope that employment data will persuade other members to support cuts. The Governor noted difficulty in quantifying artificial intelligence's economic impact.