Law and Order

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) proposed actions Thursday to sever Cambodia-based Huione Group from the U.S. financial system. “For years, Huione Group has laundered illicit proceeds from cybercrimes,” the agency said in a notice of proposed rulemaking under Section 311 of the Patriot Act, identifying Huione as a “primary money laundering […]

In brief Rep. Lance Gooden (R., Texas) has urged the GSA to install crypto ATMs in federal buildings. He described the move as in line with Trump’s ambitions for U.S. blockchain leadership. But crypto ATM-related fraud is surging in the U.S., with seniors particularly vulnerable. As Trump continues to promote crypto and meme coins, a

In brief Malaysian police seized 45 Bitcoin mining machines worth roughly $52,145 (RM225,000), alongside other equipment. The illegal operation cost the Malaysian electricity provider around $8,342 (RM36,000) in monthly losses. Malaysia has reportedly lost $722 million (RM3.4 billion) to illegal mining, as international criminals set up shop in the region. Malaysian police have cracked down

In brief The Crypto Council for Innovation has asked the SEC to clarify that staking is not an investment activity. In an open letter, it urged alignment with prior SEC positions on mining, stablecoins, and memecoins. It also proposed industry standards for transparency and user control in staking services. A coalition of major crypto firms

North Carolina’s House of Representatives passed a bill that would authorize the state to invest in digital assets, part of a push among states to adopt crypto. The measure now moves to the Senate for further debate. Dubbed the “Digital Assets Investment Act,” HB92 was introduced on February 10 and passed its third reading in

In brief Italy’s central bank is warning that crypto ties to traditional finance could spark market instability. It noted that Trump’s promotion of crypto assets could pose threats to markets and intermediaries. Despite this, Italy’s biggest commercial bank made investments in Bitcoin in January. Italy’s central bank has reiterated long-standing concerns over crypto’s growing influence

In brief Feds last year shut down Bitcoin mixer Samourai Wallet and arrested its founders. Under President Trump’s new administration, the DOJ has said it won’t target crypto mixers. But will the Samourai Wallet case get scrapped? The developers behind banned Bitcoin mixing app Samourai Wallet are hoping their case will get dropped, given the

In brief The final ruling prevents the Treasury from reinstating sanctions on Tornado Cash. The judge rejected the government’s claim that voluntary delisting in March made the case moot. The ruling reinforces the Fifth Circuit’s November decision that smart contracts aren’t sanctionable property. A federal court has permanently barred the U.S. Treasury from reimposing sanctions

In brief South Korea’s People Power Party has pledged to approve spot crypto ETFs and scrap South Korea’s “one exchange, one bank” rule if they win. The party’s crypto agenda includes corporate crypto trading, stablecoin regulation, and a new Virtual Asset Special Committee this year. The election outcome could decide the fate of reforms, with

Arizona lawmakers have passed two related bills that could make the state a leader in state-level government cryptocurrency investing, provided they are signed into law by Governor Katie Hobbs. The Arizona House passed Senate Bill 1025 on its third reading. Formally known as the “Arizona Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act,” the House approved it 31-25-4 on