Flash News

TREE NEWS update: OG.com, recently spun out of Crypto.com, has filed for CFTC approval to offer perpetual futures on individual US stocks. The company joins Coinbase, Kalshi and Kraken parent Payward in pursuing regulatory clearance for the product. No decision or timeline was disclosed.

TREE NEWS update: SEC staff said in a crypto FAQ that promoting a network’s current uses generally would not create an expectation of profit for token buyers. The guidance also addresses token buybacks and network upgrades, signaling how the agency views such activities under securities law.

TREE NEWS update: The Federal Reserve Board announced approval of an application by Peoples Bancorp Inc. The approval clears the way for the bank holding company to proceed with the transaction it applied for. The Fed’s notice did not disclose the size or specific terms of the application.

TREE NEWS update: Former CFTC Commissioner Summer Mersinger is leaving the Blockchain Association, following the failure of the CLARITY vote. Mersinger had joined the industry group in 2025 after resigning during her second term at the federal commodities regulator. The departure marks a leadership change at the Washington-based crypto trade association.

TREE NEWS update: The SEC staff issued new FAQs clarifying that qualifying staking receipts fall outside securities categories, while reaffirming its earlier position on tokens used to fund maintenance and development. The guidance addresses token buybacks and liquid staking, signaling how the agency views staking-related receipts under existing rules.

TREE NEWS update: The European Banking Authority called for new requirements on crypto firms that connect users to DeFi lending, and raised the option of barring those firms from facilitating lending with stablecoins that lack EU authorization. The regulator also floated leverage caps and a certification regime for DeFi.

TREE NEWS update: Uniswap founder Hayden Adams said the SEC’s newly issued crypto asset FAQ clarifies that token buybacks do not cause commodity tokens to be classified as securities, and that liquid staking tokens for commodity tokens are likewise not securities. Adams cited the guidance in a post on X.

TREE NEWS update: A three-judge panel of the US Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that Ohio and Tennessee regulators may pursue enforcement action against Kalshi Inc. over alleged evasion of the two states’ sports betting laws. The court rejected Kalshi’s argument that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is the sole federal regulator of its business and that federal law bars state action against it.

TREE NEWS reports: The Federal Reserve takes a “securities-led” approach to supplying marginal reserves to the banking system, while the European Central Bank and the Bank of England rely on a “repo-led” model, the New York Fed’s Teller Window blog said. The post described the divergence as clear among the world’s central banks in how they manage reserves. No policy change was announced.

TREE NEWS update: A New Mexico state court jury ruled Friday that Meta Platforms Inc. misled the public about its content moderation and data privacy policies during the Cambridge Analytica scandal, violating New Mexico law. The case now moves to Judge Francis Mathew of the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe, who will determine civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation.

TREE NEWS update: Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger will step down next month, with Kristin Smith returning as interim CEO, the crypto industry trade group said. Mersinger took the top job at the Washington-based lobbying group, which represents major crypto firms before US policymakers. Smith previously led the association before Mersinger’s appointment.

TREE NEWS update: Tether said less than 0.034% of its assets are held at EQIBank, an offshore bank whose funds US prosecutors are moving to seize. Prosecutors are seeking to forfeit about $83 million held by a payments firm that EQIBank says was keeping the bank’s money. The disclosure puts Tether’s exposure to the bank at a fraction of a percent of its reserves.

TREE NEWS update: The US Securities and Exchange Commission will vote Wednesday on proposals to widen retail access to private markets, including a rulemaking that would expand the definition of an accredited investor. The current thresholds are more than $1 million in net worth, excluding a primary residence, or annual income above $200,000 for individuals and $300,000 for couples. The SEC said it will seek public comment on the proposed rule.

TREE NEWS update: US Defense Secretary said the department has confirmed a supply chain risk posed by Anthropic AI, stating the Pentagon will make choices consistent with the interests of the nation and its service members. The statement did not specify the nature of the risk or any action taken against the AI company.

TREE NEWS update: SEC staff released a new FAQ explaining how the Commission’s March digital-asset interpretive release applies to token functionality, staking receipt tokens and investment contracts. The guidance states that services provided to maintain, improve or develop a network that is already functional generally do not constitute “essential managerial efforts” under the Howey test. The FAQ reflects staff views only and carries no legal force.

TREE NEWS update: Tether said its exposure is “limited” to EQIBank, the lender named in a US case tied to an $84 million seizure. US prosecutors alleged a payments business illegally moved hundreds of millions of dollars at EQIBank’s direction, and Tether holds some assets at the bank. The stablecoin issuer did not disclose the size of its holdings.

TREE NEWS reports: Germany has discussed with industry the idea of imposing mandatory natural-gas storage filling quotas next year, after a slow summer refill season. The plan could set minimum injection quotas for utilities, power plant operators or traders, requiring them to hold set volumes of gas by specified deadlines to ensure adequate buffer stocks before winter. German storage facilities are currently only 57% full, low for this time of year.

TREE NEWS update: A man has been charged over his role in a “massive pig butchering” scam that defrauded a victim of millions of dollars’ worth of crypto, with the loss put at $16 million. Pig butchering schemes build long-term fake relationships to lure victims into fraudulent crypto investments. The charge covers the man’s part in the fraud, which ran into the millions.

TREE NEWS update: The chair of the US Federal Trade Commission said there is no reason to believe the agency’s long-standing anti-fraud standards do not apply to artificial intelligence companies. The commission currently has only Republican members and no Democratic commissioners, though internal discussion on the matter is described as constructive.

TREE NEWS update: An attacker drained $387.5 million from Bitget’s hot and warm wallets by faking internal transfer requests, the exchange said. Bitget’s CEO said the fingerprints of the attack point to North Korea. The loss figure has climbed to $387 million as details of the incident emerged.