New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh takes office as May CPI rose 4.2% year over year and 0.5% month over month, the hottest since April 2023, while core CPI was 2.9%. Futures pricing shows a 63% chance of a 25 basis point hike by October 2026 ahead of Warsh’s first mid June FOMC meeting, a shift that typically supports the dollar and pressures nonyielding assets like bitcoin.

U.S. authorities arrested two men accused of operating AudiA6 and laundering 10,333 BTC since 2021, according to an update released by officials. The case centers on alleged Bitcoin laundering activity tied to the AudiA6 operation.

The US Department of Justice said prosecutors in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania charged Ruslan Igorevich Tkachuk and Alexander Vladimirovich Ledenev in Batumi, Georgia, with running the AudiA6 cryptocurrency laundering service since 2021, allegedly laundering 10,333 bitcoins worth about $390 million. Georgian authorities detained them as the US seeks extradition.

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission proposed amending Regulation 40.11 and adding Appendix F to create a formal 90 day review process for event contracts linked to gaming, war, terrorism, assassination or unlawful activity under the Commodity Exchange Act, and asked for public input while noting existing anti fraud and anti manipulation rules still apply.

According to ME News, on June 11 (UTC+8), U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Michael Selig said major banks should recognize that blockchain-based markets are now irreversible. Speaking on a program covering new rules for prediction markets, perpetual futures trading, and the CLARITY Act, Selig said the CFTC will draw clear lines for prediction markets. The agency would allow compliant products such as sports outcomes, while prohibiting casino-style games and contracts tied to events like war or assassinations. He added that regulators are working to build a clearer framework to support innovation in crypto markets, limit offshore capital flight, and reinforce U.S. leadership in digital-asset regulation. (Source: Foresight News)

The CFTC on June 10 proposed rules to clarify when prediction market event contracts may be allowed, drawing a line between contracts with potential economic purpose and games of chance. The agency signaled some sports and election contracts may pass a public interest test, while markets prone to manipulation such as injuries or referee calls could face tighter review.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis is advancing the Clarity Act, a proposal to draw a clear legal boundary between digital assets treated as securities and those treated as commodities in the United States. The framework aims to end roughly a decade of jurisdictional uncertainty that has limited large scale institutional capital allocation.

Japan's House of Representatives has passed a sweeping digital asset reform bill that would shift cryptocurrencies toward the same regulatory lane as stocks and other financial products. The legislation would bring tokens such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA), moving oversight away from a framework primarily centered on payment rules. The bill now heads to the House of Councillors for final approval. If enacted, the new regulatory regime is slated to begin in 2027. A separate tax change embedded in the reform would cut crypto gains taxation from today's progressive structure—which can reach 55%—to a flat 20%, expected to apply from 2028. Under the proposal, crypto assets would be treated as financial instruments and subject to market-style rules similar to those governing securities products. That would introduce clearer investor protections and exchange obligations, including disclosure requirements, trading restrictions and stronger enforcement authorities. Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) said crypto is increasingly used as an investment product by both domestic and overseas investors. The country has more than 14 million open crypto accounts; users earning under 7 million yen (about $43,600) make up roughly 70% of accounts. On taxation, the reform would align crypto with the treatment of stocks and bonds by replacing the current progressive income tax approach with a simpler flat 20% rate on gains. The bill also tightens penalties for unregistered crypto operators. The maximum prison term would increase from three years to 10 years, and fines could rise to 10 million yen (about $62,800). The planned shift under FIEA could also pave the way for crypto exchange-traded funds. Japan Exchange Group is reportedly considering crypto-linked ETF listings as early as 2027 if the legal framework is completed. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has argued that crypto ETFs could offer investors an easier route to gain exposure to digital assets. The legislation would further introduce insider trading-style restrictions for crypto markets. Company insiders, exchange employees and other parties with material nonpublic information would be prohibited from trading tokens based on undisclosed events such as listings and delistings, large trades or business failures. Disclosure standards for issuers would be strengthened as well. Projects would be required to provide clear information on technology, token supply and financial condition. If a token issuer raises capital without an independent audit, ordinary investors would face a 2 million yen investment cap. Japan's push comes as its digital asset infrastructure expands. Major banks are preparing stablecoin initiatives, while groups including SBI Holdings are broadening crypto trading and custody services.

Hungary's new government is moving to soften crypto rules as it aims to reduce tensions with the European Union, according to BULLISH. The shift signals a potential change in how crypto activity is regulated in the country, though no detailed measures were provided in the update.