Poland’s parliament approved a government-backed bill to implement the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) on Friday, as the country faces a July deadline to adopt the rules. The move came while prosecutors expanded an investigation into the collapse of Zondacrypto, where authorities estimate customer losses exceeded 350 million zlotys (about $96 million). Political disputes over how strictly to regulate crypto also continued, including debate over competing proposals and a separate push to ban cryptoasset activity entirely.

On May 17, 2026, a sweeping U.S. crypto market-structure proposal known as the CLARITY Act moved forward after the Senate Banking Committee voted 15-9 to advance it. The bill would split oversight between the SEC and CFTC and set federal rules for trading platforms, token issuers and DeFi, but ethics disputes, Democratic skepticism and CFTC staffing concerns could still complicate its path to a final Senate vote.

On May 15, 2026, Corpay said it will add embedded stablecoin wallets and blockchain-based settlement tools to its global payments platform through a partnership with BVNK. The rollout is designed to let more than 800,000 customers store, convert and transfer stablecoins alongside fiat, while extending stablecoin settlement into Corpay’s treasury operations. Corpay also reported processing over $12 billion in corporate payments each month and about $26 billion in FX volume across more than 145 currencies.

On May 14, 2026, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee voted 15-9 to advance the Senate version of the CLARITY Act, sending the crypto market-structure bill toward a full Senate vote. The proposal would split oversight of digital assets between the SEC and CFTC and set federal rules for trading platforms, DeFi projects, and token issuers. More than 100 amendments were filed ahead of the vote, and a failed 13-11 ethics amendment highlighted ongoing disputes that could resurface on the Senate floor.

On May 14, 2026, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued a blanket no-action letter that relaxes certain swap data reporting and recordkeeping duties for firms offering prediction-market event contracts. The relief applies to designated contract markets and clearinghouses tied to products linked to sports, politics, and economic events, and covers 19 entities including Kalshi, Polymarket, Gemini, and Bitnomial. The agency said the approach lets some event contracts be reported through futures- and options-style systems rather than swap frameworks, as legal disputes with states over whether sports-related contracts are gambling continue.

On May 15, 2026, the US Senate Banking Committee voted 15-9 to advance the proposed CLARITY Act, sending the crypto market structure bill toward a full Senate vote in the coming weeks. Democratic senators Ruben Gallego and Angela Alsobrooks backed the committee move but said they may oppose final passage unless ethics rules around digital-asset holdings by senior officials and their families are strengthened. Disputes over stablecoin rewards programs and protections for noncustodial DeFi software developers remain unresolved ahead of the floor vote.

US banking groups are pressing lawmakers ahead of a May 14, 2026 Senate Banking Committee markup of the Clarity Act and related stablecoin language, arguing that loopholes on stablecoin rewards could pull deposits from insured banks. The American Bankers Association says some reward structures can resemble interest payments even if issuers are barred from paying interest directly. Crypto firms counter that stricter limits could curb innovation and weaken US competitiveness as negotiations continue.

On May 14, 2026, the US Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the Federal Reserve, approving President Donald Trump's nominee in a 54-45 vote. Warsh is set to start a four-year term replacing Jerome Powell, whose chair term ends Friday, while Powell is expected to stay on the Fed's Board through 2028. Observers said Warsh's past comments on Bitcoin and disclosed ties to crypto-related firms could influence expectations for digital-asset policy.

On May 13, 2026, Kraken introduced CFTC-regulated spot crypto margin trading for eligible US retail customers, expanding access to leverage on domestic regulated venues. The exchange said users can trade with up to 10x leverage by posting existing crypto as collateral rather than selling holdings, following Payward's recent acquisition of Bitnomial to bolster its US derivatives infrastructure.