A new bipartisan bill introduced in the US Senate seeks to provide long-awaited regulatory clarity for blockchain developers by formally excluding certain crypto activities from money transmitter requirements at both the federal and state levels. The Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA), introduced by Senators Cynthia Lummis and Ron Wyden, is designed to ensure that writing software, publishing open-source code, or maintaining decentralized networks does not automatically trigger money transmission laws. The bill targets growing concerns among developers who fear criminal liability for how third parties use their technology. Lummis said in X post; Recent legal actions have intensified anxiety across…
Author: Blockto Team
The US Senate Agriculture Committee has postponed its planned markup of a major crypto market structure bill until the final week of January, signaling that negotiations are still underway as lawmakers work to secure sufficient bipartisan support. Committee Chairman John Boozman said the decision reflects ongoing discussions aimed at finalizing unresolved details. He emphasized that building broad, bipartisan agreement remains the priority before formally advancing the legislation. The markup was originally scheduled for mid-January but was pushed back to allow more time for consensus-building. The proposed legislation is closely watched by the digital asset industry because it would clarify how…
US President Donald Trump has pledged to ensure that major technology companies bear the cost of their rapidly growing electricity consumption, arguing that American households should not face higher power bills due to data centers fueling the artificial intelligence boom. Trump said the US must remain the global leader in artificial intelligence and advanced computing, but stressed that this leadership should not come at the expense of consumers. He pointed to a sharp rise in household electricity costs, noting that the average price per kilowatt-hour has increased by roughly 40% over the past five years. According to Trump, agreements with…
Meta is preparing to reduce its workforce within Reality Labs, its metaverse-focused division, as the company intensifies its push into artificial intelligence development. The reported move reflects a broader shift in strategic priorities as spending on virtual worlds continues to decline. According to reports, Meta is expected to lay off around 10% of Reality Labs staff, potentially impacting roughly 1,500 employees as early as this week. Reality Labs currently employs about 15,000 people and is responsible for Meta’s virtual reality hardware, including VR headsets, as well as its metaverse platforms such as Horizon Worlds and Horizon Workrooms. The planned reductions…
BitMine Immersion the Ethereum treasury company chaired by Tom Lee, has continued to expand its digital asset reserves, adding another 24,266 Ether in the past week. The move brings BitMine’s total ETH holdings to 4,167,768 ETH, reinforcing its position as the largest Ethereum treasury holder globally. At current market prices, BitMine’s Ethereum reserves are valued at around $13 billion while its total crypto and cash holdings stand near $14 billion. The company did not disclose the average acquisition price for the latest purchase, though the added ETH alone is estimated to be worth over $75 million. BitMine’s scale is notable…
World Liberty Financial, a decentralized finance project linked to the family of US President Donald Trump, has entered the crypto lending sector with the launch of a new onchain marketplace. The move brings its rapidly growing USD1 stablecoin, now valued at $3.4 billion, directly into digital asset lending and borrowing markets. The newly launched platform, World Liberty Markets, enables users to lend and borrow cryptocurrencies using onchain collateral. At launch, supported collateral includes Ether, tokenized Bitcoin, and major stablecoins such as USDC and USDT, allowing participants to access liquidity without selling their assets. The system integrates USD1 as a core…
The Bank of Italy has conducted a detailed analysis of the potential risks if Ether (ETH) were to collapse to zero, framing the cryptocurrency not just as a speculative asset but as critical financial infrastructure supporting Ethereum-based payment and settlement systems. The study highlights how a severe price shock could translate into operational and systemic risks for financial markets. In a research paper titled “What if Ether Goes to Zero? How Market Risk Becomes Infrastructure Risk in Crypto,” Bank of Italy economist Claudia Biancotti examined the connection between ETH price volatility and the security of Ethereum’s blockchain. The study models…
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has taken a cautious approach toward new crypto investment products, delaying decisions on two proposed crypto ETFs while simultaneously advancing the review process for options linked to a separate multi-asset crypto fund. The moves highlight the regulator’s continued focus on market structure, investor protection, and risk oversight. In recent regulatory filings the SEC extended its review period for proposed rule changes that would allow the listing of the Canary PENGU ETF and the T. Rowe Price Active Crypto ETF. The extension permitted under the standard ETF approval framework, gives the agency additional time to…
BitGo Holdings, a leading cryptocurrency custody provider, has officially launched its initial public offering (IPO) in the United States, signaling a major step in its expansion as a regulated financial services company. The IPO filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) outlines plans to raise up to $201 million while targeting a valuation of nearly $1.96 billion. The offering will consist of 11 million new shares of Class A common stock issued by BitGo, along with 821,595 shares from existing stockholders, totaling roughly 11.8 million shares. Based on the proposed price range of $15 to $17 per share,…
The public token sale for decentralized perpetuals exchange Trove Markets has come under scrutiny after last-minute contract changes and mixed communications triggered confusion across both investors and prediction market traders. The sale ultimately raised over $11.5 million, but the final moments sparked allegations of poor governance and market disruption. As the token sale approached its scheduled conclusion, onchain observers noticed a sudden update to the sale contract, extending the deposit deadline to January 20. This change appeared to allow new capital to enter the sale after many participants believed fundraising had ended. At the same time, unusual activity emerged in…