In a significant development for cryptocurrency regulation, U.S. senators have submitted more than 130 amendments to a pending digital asset market structure bill. The proposed changes reportedly address key areas including yield-generating activities and decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, signaling intensive legislative scrutiny as the bill advances. Separately, DZ Bank, Germany’s second-largest bank, has obtained regulatory approval under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) to operate a cryptocurrency trading and custody platform. This move represents a major step in the institutional adoption of digital assets within the European Union’s regulated framework. In other regulatory news, the state of Rhode Island has introduced a bill seeking to exempt Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies from state capital gains taxes, potentially fostering a more favorable environment for digital asset holders. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin published reflections on his original 2014 blockchain vision, emphasizing the network’s foundational goals. In a separate statement, Buterin argued that Ethereum must pass an “exit test,” achieving long-term stability and sustainability independent of its original creators. In corporate and infrastructure developments, blockchain-based real estate firm Titl announced a $2.5 million seed funding round led by FIT Ventures. Prediction market data platform Noise secured $7.1 million in seed funding led by Paradigm. Digital asset exchange Backpack has expanded its services to include prediction markets. Financial technology company Figure Technologies launched a new platform enabling direct stock lending over a blockchain network. Meanwhile, the Zcash Foundation enhanced its network infrastructure by deploying five new DNS seed nodes across the United States and Europe to improve node discovery and network resilience. The news roundup also highlighted several featured articles discussing cryptocurrency regulation, including analyses of stablecoin oversight, clarifications on California’s dormant asset laws, and examinations of privacy risks associated with crypto transactions.
