Crypto World
CLARITY’s stablecoin yield ban shifts bargaining power from Coinbase to Circle
Circle (CRCL) was hit far harder than Coinbase (COIN) in Tuesday’s sharp selloff due to the crypto bill CLARITY Act’s latest stance on stablecoin yield, but one analyst says the regulatory shift may ultimately favor the stablecoin issuer.
Both names are seeing modest bounces on Wednesday, but remain solidly lower since the news leaked Monday evening.
The market may be missing the longer-term implication, argued Markus Thielen, founder of 10x Research: in the current form, the bill weakens Coinbase’s distribution-driven model more than Circle’s infrastructure role.
Coinbase currently captures the majority of USDC economics through its distribution agreement with Circle, Thielen explained. For USDC held on Coinbase, the exchange receives nearly all of the associated interest income, while off-platform balances are generally split about 50%-50. In practice, Thielen estimates that Circle pays Coinbase more than $900 million in revenue share each year, roughly half of Circle’s total revenue.
That arrangement has made stablecoin revenue a high-margin business for Coinbase. But if regulators shut down yield-like rewards on balances, part of that advantage may fade, Thielen said.
“The setup increasingly favors Circle on a relative basis,” Thielen wrote, arguing that the federal framework would shift value toward regulated issuers with compliance, scale and a credible balance sheet.
That could matter even more ahead of the two companies’ next commercial renegotiation in August 2026. Under a stricter federal regime, Thielen sees a better chance that Circle wins improved terms.
Circle could be worth double
Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, meanwhile, said the selloff in Circle looks “overblown” as the CLARITY Act doesn’t change the long-term investment case.
Yield hasn’t been the main draw to stablecoins, he wrote in a Wednesday note. Most stablecoins don’t pay interest, yet adoption has surged because they make it easier to move dollars across borders, settle trades and access blockchain-based financial rails. In that sense, restricting yield doesn’t change the core use case.
Hougan points to forecasts projecting the market could grow to $1.9 trillion, or even $4 trillion, by the end of the decade. Circle, with a strong position in regulated stablecoins, stands to benefit if more activity shifts toward compliant, onshore players.
He also sees a potential upside from regulation itself. Limiting yield passthrough could reduce the revenue Circle shares with partners like Coinbase, helping improve margins over time.
Altogether, Hougan sees a path for Circle to grow to a much larger valuation — potentially around $75 billion, roughly double its current level.
“If stablecoins play out the way people think,” Hougan wrote, “you can be fairly conservative on most assumptions and still find Circle looking attractive.”
Crypto World
Blockchain Association urges SEC to treat DeFi as infrastructure, not intermediary: Blockchain Association
Summer Mersinger from the Blockchain Association told a House Financial Services Committee hearing that DeFi systems should receive tailored regulatory treatment distinct from intermediary-based compliance regimes.
Summer Mersinger of the Blockchain Association testified before the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday, advocating for regulatory differentiation between DeFi protocols and traditional financial intermediaries. Mersinger stated that DeFi systems should receive “appropriately tailored equivalent consideration by the SEC” rather than being subjected to intermediary-based compliance frameworks, to preserve their role as open, neutral infrastructure while maintaining oversight of activities presenting traditional financial risks.
The statement reflects ongoing efforts by the crypto industry to shape SEC policy around DeFi regulation. The distinction between infrastructure and intermediaries has become a focal point in broader debates over how financial regulators should approach decentralized protocols versus centralized service providers.
Sources: Blockchain Association (@fund_defi)
This article was generated automatically by The Defiant’s AI news system from publicly available sources.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Free Bitcoin cloud mining gains traction as users seek low-cost entry into crypto mining.
As Bitcoin mining difficulty continues to fluctuate and hardware costs remain high, more users are searching for free Bitcoin cloud mining without investment as a practical way to enter the crypto economy.
Traditional mining requires ASIC machines, stable electricity, and technical expertise. In contrast, modern cloud mining platforms allow users to access remote mining infrastructure through free bonuses, trial contracts, or no-deposit mining plans, making it possible to earn daily Bitcoin passive income without owning any equipment.
In 2026, increased competition among providers has introduced more accessible entry models, including free mining credits, limited-time contracts, and zero-cost hashpower allocations.
This guide reviews the top 10 free Bitcoin cloud mining platforms, focusing on contract transparency, earning potential, and real mining infrastructure.
1. AngelBTC – Free cloud mining with real contracts and $100 bonus
AngelBTC stands out as one of the most relevant platforms for users searching:
- free Bitcoin cloud mining without investment
- earn Bitcoin daily passive income
- legit cloud mining sites 2026
Unlike simulation-based platforms, AngelBTC connects users to real mining farms powered by renewable energy across Canada, Texas, Norway, and Iceland.
Key Features
- $100 free mining bonus (no deposit required)
- Fixed-term mining contracts with transparent returns
- Daily automated BTC payouts
- Beginner-friendly dashboard with real-time tracking
Example mining contracts
This fixed-return + defined duration model aligns with users seeking predictable crypto passive income.
View Full Contract & Claim $100 Free Hash Power!
2. BitFuFu – Institutional-grade cloud mining access
BitFuFu provides access to large-scale mining infrastructure backed by industrial operations.
Highlights
- Short-term contracts (1–30 days)
- Hashrate-based pricing model
- Daily Bitcoin payouts
Best for users searching:
legit bitcoin cloud mining platform with real contracts
3. ECOS – Regulated cloud mining platform
ECOS operates within a regulated economic zone and offers structured mining solutions.
Features
- Free demo mining contract
- Long-term plans (12–36 months)
- Built-in wallet and mobile app
Ideal for users focused on compliance and long-term stability.
4. StormGain – Free Bitcoin mining simulator
StormGain offers a free mining feature, but it functions more like a simulation.
Limitations
- No real mining contract ownership
- Earnings tied to trading activity
- Limited withdrawal potential
Suitable for beginners testing mining workflows, not for serious income generation.
5. NiceHash – Open hashpower marketplace
NiceHash enables users to buy and sell computing power in a flexible marketplace.
Key Points
- Real-time hashrate pricing
- No fixed returns
- High flexibility
Best for:
- Bitcoin mining without hardware
- Flexible setup
6. Binance Pool – Mining + exchange ecosystem
Binance Pool integrates mining services with trading infrastructure.
Advantages
- Occasional mining bonuses
- Strong global infrastructure
- Competitive fees
Best suited for users already active in crypto trading.
7. BeMine – Shared ASIC mining ownership
BeMine allows users to own fractional shares of ASIC miners.
Features
- Real ASIC hardware participation
- Transparent allocation system
- Daily BTC payouts
Matches keyword intent:
Cloud mining with real ASIC hardware
8. IQMining – Multi-crypto cloud mining contracts
IQMining supports multiple cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin.
Highlights
- BTC, LTC, and other assets
- Flexible contract durations
- Built-in profitability calculator
Suitable for diversified crypto mining strategies.
9. Kryptex – Software-based mining entry
Kryptex uses local computing power rather than cloud infrastructure.
Characteristics
- No upfront investment
- Easy setup
- Lower profitability
More suitable as an entry-level mining experience.
10. Hashing24 – Long-term bitcoin mining contracts
Hashing24 focuses on industrial-grade mining infrastructure.
Features
- Fixed long-term contracts
- Transparent pricing
- Consistent payouts
Ideal for long-term Bitcoin accumulation strategies.
How free Bitcoin cloud mining works
Most platforms offering free bitcoin cloud mining without investment use one of the following models:
- Sign-up bonuses (e.g., $100 mining credit)
- Trial mining contracts
- Free hashpower allocation
These models allow users to test mining performance before upgrading to paid plans.
Is free Bitcoin cloud mining legit in 2026?
Yes — but only when certain conditions are met.
Legitimate platforms typically:
- Provide clear contract terms
- Show transparent payout records
- Explain mining profit calculations
Red flags to avoid:
- Unrealistic guaranteed profits
- No contract transparency
- Lack of verifiable mining infrastructure
Final thoughts
The rise of free Bitcoin cloud mining platforms reflects a broader shift toward accessible crypto income solutions.
Platforms that combine:
- Free entry incentives
- Transparent mining contracts
- Daily payout systems
The best strategy in 2026:
Start with free mining, verify the contract model, then scale gradually.
FAQ – Free Bitcoin Cloud Mining
1. Can someone really earn Bitcoin without investment?
Yes, but typically through free bonuses or trial contracts. Earnings are small unless they upgrade to paid plans.
2. What is the safest cloud mining model?
Fixed contracts with transparent daily returns are generally the most predictable.
3. How do I choose a legit cloud mining platform?
Look for:
- Real mining infrastructure
- Public contract details
- Consistent payout history
4. What are the trending keywords in 2026?
- Fee bitcoin cloud mining without investment
- Earn bitcoin daily passive income
- Legit cloud mining sites 2026
5. Do I need hardware for cloud mining?
No. All mining operations are handled by remote data centers.
Disclosure: This content is provided by a third party. Neither crypto.news nor the author of this article endorses any product mentioned on this page. Users should conduct their own research before taking any action related to the company.
E-commerce platform Whop has launched its Treasury feature, enabling creators to earn yield directly on balances through integrations with Aave, Plasma, and Veda.
Whop has launched Whop Treasury, an on-chain earning feature for its e-commerce platform powered by Aave, Plasma, and Veda. The feature allows creators to generate yield directly on their account balances. According to the announcement, millions of users can now access on-chain earning capabilities through the platform.
The launch represents an integration of DeFi infrastructure into a mainstream fintech platform. Aave founder Stani Kulechov highlighted the development as a milestone for bringing Aave into broader fintech adoption, with the Treasury feature giving creators direct yield-generation capabilities on their platform balances.
Sources: Stani Kulechov on X | Stani Kulechov on X
This article was generated automatically by The Defiant’s AI news system from publicly available sources.
Bitpanda said Wednesday it is building Vision Chain, an Ethereum layer-2 that the Vienna-based broker said is aimed at helping European banks and fintechs issue and manage tokenized assets using infrastructure designed for compatibility with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA) and the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) II.
Bitpanda is pitching Vision Chain as a layer-2 for tokenized assets, combining Optimism’s OP Stack with institutional custody and compliance tooling so that regulated companies in Europe can tokenize and trade traditional assets such as stocks, bonds and funds on an Ethereum-based rollup.
Bitpanda argued that this positioning, along with its existing bank partnerships in Germany and Austria, will make it easier for traditional institutions to go onchain than building their own infrastructure from scratch.
The company is also leaning on a broader macro case around asset tokenization. Market research company Mordor Intelligence estimated that the asset tokenization market will grow from around $2.08 trillion in 2025 to $13.55 trillion by 2030, implying a compound annual growth rate of roughly 45% as more real-world assets (RWAs) move onchain.
Related: Bybit launches yield-bearing tokenized gold product tied to XAUT
Tokenization goes from crypto thesis to capital markets agenda
Vision Chain joins an increasingly crowded tokenization race that now includes trading names like Robinhood and incumbents such as Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange, which are piloting blockchain-based infrastructure and extended trading hours to attract more institutional flows.
Earlier this week, Nasdaq teamed up with Talos on a tokenized collateral platform that aims to unlock more than $35 billion of currently trapped collateral, while institutional networks like Canton are running live experiments with tokenized US Treasurys, money market funds and other RWAs for banks and market infrastructure giants.
Founded in Vienna in 2014, Bitpanda says it now serves over seven million users across Europe through its investing platform and B2B infrastructure offerings.
The company also presents itself as one of Europe’s most regulated crypto companies, though an International Consortium of Investigative Journalists-linked investigation published in January, citing internal documents and audit findings at Bitpanda’s German subsidiary, reported deficiencies including information security weaknesses and poor oversight of outsourced functions.
Cointelegraph reached out to Bitpanda for additional information, but had not received a response by publication.
Big Questions: Is China hoarding gold so yuan becomes global reserve instead of USD?
TLDR:
- Franklin Templeton and Ondo Finance are tokenizing five ETFs spanning equities, bonds, and gold.
- Tokens trade 24/7 through crypto wallets, removing the need for traditional brokerage accounts.
- The tokenized real-world asset market has surged 360% since 2025, now valued at $26.5 billion.
- US availability remains on hold pending regulatory clarity on on-chain fund distribution rules.
Tokenized ETFs are entering a new phase as Franklin Templeton teams up with Ondo Finance on a new product line. The partnership will bring blockchain-based versions of Franklin’s exchange-traded funds to international markets.
These products will trade around the clock through crypto wallets, removing the need for traditional brokerage accounts.
Initial availability covers Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America. US access depends on further regulatory guidance from authorities.
How the Tokenized ETF Structure Works
Under the arrangement, Ondo Finance will purchase shares of the Franklin Templeton ETFs directly. It will then issue tokens through a special-purpose vehicle that transfers financial exposure to holders.
Investors will own rights to the return stream, not the underlying fund shares. This structure allows the tokens to serve as collateral or within decentralized finance applications.
Five funds are lined up for tokenization as part of this rollout. They include a growth-oriented US equity strategy, a systematic large-cap equity fund, and a gold fund.
A high-yield corporate bond fund and an income-focused US equity strategy also make the list. These products span equities, fixed income, and commodities.
Ondo’s market makers will provide liquidity for the tokens at all hours. This includes periods when traditional stock and bond markets remain closed.
As a result, investors gain continuous access without the trading restrictions tied to standard ETFs. The setup also removes the need for cross-border brokerage accounts entirely.
Franklin Templeton already offers international versions of its US strategies through conventional brokerage channels. However, those products still require investors to hold brokerage accounts.
The tokenized versions remove that barrier entirely. Sandy Kaul, Franklin’s head of innovation, described the initiative plainly: “You can think of this as a new distribution channel. These ETFs represent a good mix of different exposures.”
Market Growth and Regulatory Challenges
The tokenized real-world asset market has grown roughly 360% since 2025, reaching $26.5 billion according to rwa.xyz. Despite this growth, the US has not established formal rules for distributing registered funds on-chain.
This regulatory gap remains the primary obstacle for products targeting US investors. Both firms are watching how regulators respond before expanding further.
Ian De Bode, president of Ondo Finance, addressed the regulatory gap directly. “This is an area where the US risks falling behind other jurisdictions,” he said.
He also described the potential user base as “meaningful,” with millions of investors relying on crypto wallets. Franklin Templeton manages approximately $1.7 trillion in assets, while Ondo holds around $2.7 billion in tokenized assets.
Other major firms are also pursuing tokenized fund strategies. BlackRock and WisdomTree have announced plans for tokenizing ETFs in the US.
The New York Stock Exchange recently partnered with Securitize to support tokenized securities. Nasdaq also teamed up with digital-asset firm Talos to connect crypto trading tools.
Integrating blockchain ownership with traditional ETF systems remains a technical challenge. Broker-dealers and authorized participants handle share creation under current market rules.
Accommodating non-KYC wallets while complying with securities laws adds further complexity to product design. Still, firms continue advancing these structures as demand from crypto-native investors grows.
Franklin Templeton is teaming with Ondo Finance to bring tokenized versions of its exchange-traded funds onchain, allowing investors to access them through crypto wallets.
The partnership opens a new distribution channel beyond brokerage accounts as asset managers experiment with blockchain-based delivery and 24/7 market access. The tie-up was first reported by Bloomberg and later confirmed by Ondo on X.
The products will initially be available across Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America, with US access dependent on regulatory clarity.
Under the structure, Ondo will purchase shares of Franklin Templeton ETFs and issue tokens through a special-purpose vehicle that transfers economic exposure to holders, Bloomberg reported. Investors receive rights to returns rather than the underlying shares, allowing tokens to be used as collateral or integrated into DeFi applications.
The offering targets investors operating primarily through crypto wallets and stablecoins, bypassing traditional brokerage infrastructure. Liquidity will be provided by Ondo’s market makers, including outside standard trading hours.
The initial rollout will include five funds spanning US equities, fixed income and gold, with tokens distributed through Ondo Global Markets, according to Bloomberg. Requests for further information from both companies were not immediately answered.
The launch follows increased regulatory clarity for Ondo. In December, the US Securities and Exchange Commission closed a multi-year investigation into the company without bringing charges.
Related: Binance and Franklin Templeton join forces on tokenization ventures
Tokenized equities expand, but US access lags
The move by Ondo Finance and Franklin Templeton comes as tokenized equity markets have expanded rapidly over the past year, with total value rising from roughly $500 million in early 2025 to about $950 million as of March 2026, according to RWA.xyz data.
At the time of writing, Ondo Finance leads the sector, accounting for roughly $562 million in value, or about 60% of the market. Other platforms, including Backed Finance and its xStocks products, as well as Securitize, account for significant but smaller portions of the market.
However, as tokenized equity products expand and total value grows, access remains limited, with most offerings concentrated outside the United States.
In February, Kraken introduced tokenized equity perpetual futures on its regulated derivatives platform, offering eligible non-US clients 24/7 leveraged exposure to US stock indexes, gold and companies such as Nvidia, Apple and Tesla.
Last week, Coinbase launched stock perpetual futures for eligible non-US users, extending round-the-clock access to equities alongside crypto and prediction markets.
Still, efforts are underway within the US to build regulated infrastructure for tokenized equities. On Tuesday, the New York Stock Exchange signed an agreement with Securitize to explore blockchain-based trading of stocks and ETFs, though it remains unclear when or how such products would become available to US investors.
Magazine: Are DeFi devs liable for the illegal activity of others on their platforms?
Bitcoin (BTC) is testing the $71,500 pivot, a key level across multiple timeframes and analysts noted that price action is tilted toward a possible rally to $80,000.
As traders remain split between futures-driven speculation and weak spot demand, Bitcoin has tested the $71,500 inflection point four times in the past seven days. A positive is that the price has held above the 50-period exponential moving average (EMA) on the four-hour chart, but the 50-day EMA on the daily chart continues to act as a level of resistance.
Will $80,000 be Bitcoin’s next stop?
Crypto trader Skew described the position as a “compression zone,” where the tightening price range and trading may lead to a strong directional move.
A bullish inverse head and shoulders pattern is also forming on the four-hour chart, with $71,500 acting as the neckline.
A confirmed breakout places the immediate technical target near monthly highs at $76,000, a 7.35% move from current levels. Market analyst Mikybull extends this projection toward $80,000.
Another onchain signal points to the possibility of a 10% to 14% Bitcoin rally. The seven-day standard deviation of short-term holder realized profit and loss flows to Binance dropped to 255 on March 24, returning to a level seen before prior rallies.
A similar reading near 277 on Feb. 27 was followed by a 14% rise, while a level around 289 in late December preceded a near 10% gain. The current compression shows a decline in sell-side volatility, with the short-term holder distribution becoming more controlled.
Related: Bitcoin holders shift from panic to cash-buffer discipline as volatility deepens
Bitcoin orderflow data remains split
The recent price strength followed market optimism tied to a potential ceasefire in the US and Israel-Iran war, but on Wednesday, Iran rejected the US peace proposal and outlined its own conditions for ending the conflict, according to the Kobeissi Letter.
BTC held steady through the update, while sensitivity to the US dollar strength and energy prices continues to guide short-term reactions.
The derivatives positioning shows increased activity. BTC open interest (in terms of USD) has risen by $500 million to $16.5 billion over the past 24 hours, with funding rates turning positive at 0.03% since Monday. The latest rally toward $70,000 was driven largely by futures markets.
The spot participation lags, with a weak aggregate cumulative volume delta of -$87 million and a negative Coinbase premium signaling softening US-based demand. Thus, the order flow data points to a distributive nature between buyers and sellers across the spot and futures markets.
Skew explained that for Bitcoin to sustain a breakout above $71,500, the rally needs to be backed by stronger underlying demand, specifically, strong buyer support, steady accumulation, and continued absorption of selling pressure from short traders.
A $60 million bid was filled during the New York session, highlighting renewed demand, but a clear follow-through is needed for the price to retain a bullish structure above $71,500.
Related: Bitcoin rebounds during Iran war, but safe haven role unproven
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
A breakdown of DeFi’s yield sources reveals that borrowing demand, trading fees, and funding rates drove the bulk of returns, while more than half of stablecoin deposits in the Ethereum ecosystem are earning less than U.S. Treasuries.
Decentralized finance (DeFi) produced roughly $8 billion in onchain yield in 2025, according to a detailed analysis published by researcher Vadym that maps the full spectrum of where DeFi returns actually originate. The breakdown reveals that yield is abundant in aggregate but unevenly distributed, often circular, and in many cases difficult to package into structured products.
The findings land as yields across DeFi have dried up. Borrowing rates on major lending platforms have converged with the Federal Reserve’s policy rate, and “safe” stablecoin supply rates now average roughly 3% — below U.S. Treasuries and the Secured Overnight Financing Rate. On Aave, the 30-day average yield on USDC and USDT sits around 2%. Out of more than $20 billion in stablecoin vaults across Ethereum and its Layer 2s, 58% of TVL is earning under 3% APY, the report notes.
Where the $8 Billion Comes From
The analysis identifies five primary yield sources, each with distinct risk profiles and scalability constraints.
AMM trading fees were the largest single category at roughly $4.2 billion, with Uniswap, Meteora, and Raydium accounting for 62% of the total. But the analysis cautions that these fees are notoriously difficult to capture in structured products. Liquidity providers — particularly those using concentrated liquidity — frequently lose money to toxic order flow, and LP-manager vaults have failed to gain meaningful traction.
Borrow interest generated approximately $1.76 billion across money markets, including Aave, Morpho, Spark, Maple and Fluid. Money markets account for more than 60% of total DeFi TVL, making lending the sector’s economic backbone. However, the analysis found that roughly half of all borrowing demand is recursive — users borrowing to loop back into other yield sources, such as liquid staking tokens or yield-bearing stablecoins. On Aave’s Ethereum deployment, about 39% of borrowing demand goes toward leveraging ETH staking rewards, while another 11.6% loops Ethena’s sUSDe.
Perps funding fees, largely pioneered onchain by Ethena, contributed around $300 million. Ethena’s sUSDe derives its yield from staking rewards and short funding rates — a mechanism that drew both praise and alarm when it launched in 2024.
Real-world assets generated an estimated $600–900 million, with U.S. Treasuries holding the largest share of the RWA market at about 41% and private credit at 25%.
Network staking rewards and MEV comprise the remainder, with Ethereum’s issuance totaling roughly one million ETH in 2025. The MEV-derived portion of staking yield has been trending downward as private order flow routing — now handling about 90% of swaps — has reduced frontrunning opportunities.
Untapped and Underdeveloped Sources
The analysis also highlights categories where yield capture remains negligible. Insurance underwriting generated just $5.5 million in premiums in 2025, mostly through Nexus Mutual. Options — despite CeFi open interest of $30–50 billion — have roughly $1.8 billion in onchain OI with no breakout structured product. Volatility selling and protocol risk transfer remain largely untapped, which the analysis flags as a potential opportunity as risk curation grows more competitive.
Sky’s Balancing Act
As a case study in how protocols assemble these disparate yield sources, the analysis examines Sky (formerly MakerDAO), whose 3.75% USDS Savings Rate has attracted significant capital amid the compression. Sky’s TVL surged 38% in March, making it the fourth-largest DeFi protocol, with the sUSDS savings pool alone accounting for approximately $6.5 billion in deposits.
The breakdown reveals that approximately 70% of Sky’s income derives from offchain origination — primarily USDC earning Coinbase rewards through the peg stability module (PSM), and RWA exposure through products like BlackRock’s BUIDL and Janus Henderson funds. The remaining 30% flows from onchain sources, with Spark acting as Sky’s primary allocation arm, routing capital into Sparklend, Maple’s institutional lending, Anchorage, and other yield-bearing opportunities depending on prevailing rates.
The implication, the analysis argues, is that even as TradFi yield increasingly flows through permissioned channels, its redistribution happens onchain, providing a floor for DeFi rates and potentially setting the stage for a next generation of yield derivatives, including fixed-rate products, interest-rate swaps and structured tranches.
This article was written with the assistance of AI workflows. All our stories are curated, edited and fact-checked by a human.
Crypto industry executives on Wednesday told the US House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services that existing investor protections and financial surveillance regulations should apply to tokenized securities.
The hearing was held as legislators consider the Capital Markets Technology Modernization Act of 2026 and are exploring the impact of asset tokenization on capital markets and the “need to balance innovation with investor protection and market integrity,” according to a statement by panel chairman, Representative French Hill.
Tokenized real-world assets (RWA), traditional financial instruments represented by tokens on blockchain networks, reduce transaction costs and settlement times, Summer Mersinger, CEO of crypto advocacy organization Blockchain Association, told the committee.
“By replacing flawed manual record-keeping processes with more transparent timestamps and stamped records, tokenization lowers the cost and re-imagines US financial markets,” she said.
Mersinger and the other witnesses agreed that existing securities laws apply to tokenized instruments, arguing that the technology and the medium used to record securities transactions do not fundamentally alter investor protection laws or jurisdictional oversight.
Supporters of RWA tokenization contend the technology removes intermediaries from the settlement and clearing process, reducing transaction costs and improving capital velocity by introducing near-instant settlement times.
AML provisions and sanctions compliance remain lawmaker priority
Lawmakers questioned the panel about how tokenized asset issuers and platforms could enforce know-your-customer (KYC) checks, anti-money laundering provisions, and sanctions compliance.
Illinois Representative Bill Foster asked: “Once things are tokenized, are they going to be treated on a private, permissioned blockchain, or a variety of public blockchains, which often allow anonymous participation through self-hosted wallets?”
John Zecca, Nasdaq executive vice president and global chief legal, risk, and regulatory officer, told Foster that the exchange can collect KYC information at the protocol level because its system runs on a permissioned blockchain network.
Christian Sabella, managing director and deputy general counsel of the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC), the world’s largest clearinghouse company, said it was also possible to embed identifying information at the token level.
These identifiers would be immutable and would remain regardless of whether the RWA token was trading on a permissioned or a permissionless network, Sabella added.
Salman Banaei, general counsel for Plume Network, a permissionless RWA-focused blockchain, said the network embeds anti-money laundering (AML) and sanctions compliance checks at the token level, which allows tokens to be frozen.
However, Banaei told Foster that government regulators do not yet have a technological solution to identify wash trades or identify market participants with 100% confidence.
Magazine: Meet the onchain crypto detectives fighting crime better than the cops
Crypto World
Market structure bill compromise draws wide-ranging reaction from fractured crypto crowd
Coinbase is walking a tightrope in the negotiation over the Clarity Act, telling the staffs of U.S. senators that the company is not happy with where the lawmakers landed in their latest compromise, according to people familiar with the situation, but it hasn’t openly declared its opposition.
The proposed agreement was shown to stakeholders in the crypto industry on Monday and the banking industry on Tuesday. From the crypto industry side, it received mixed reactions, according to people familiar with the meeting on Monday. Some stakeholders were dissatisfied — most notably Coinbase — but others were “pleasantly surprised,” one of the people said. No one was able to take a copy of the text with them, and it has not yet been released for circulation.
Those familiar with the Monday gathering said there were still issues to work out, and suggested the proposal might impede stablecoin-related products and services beyond what they’d hoped for.
The new proposal would direct some regulatory agencies to draft rules establishing how, exactly, issues like rewards might be overseen. Some have had concerns about regulators issuing subjective criteria for how permissible activity would be governed, noting that there may end up being different types of rewards programs. Any rulemaking would need to be neutral, they said.
And the language was also said to potentially restrict firms’ ability to tie rewards to the scale of stablecoin transactions in an account, which could be an obstacle for a program akin to credit card rewards.
Through the months of negotiation, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has been a leading voice, and his opposition of an earlier effort at stablecoin yield compromise helped derail a planned Senate hearing. A White House favorite in the crypto sphere, Armstrong leads the company that potentially has the most to lose from narrowing its stablecoin rewards programs.
On an industry call this week, people said Coinbase clashed with others over the bill, suggesting a fracturing of crypto views on how to proceed. Giving up certain stablecoin rewards could be costly for some, but losing the Clarity Act’s full-fledged establishment of crypto within the U.S. financial system is — for others — seen as a bigger risk.
The updated text that is released — expected either late this week or early next week — will likely have been revised from the text shared Monday and Tuesday, though lawmakers are unlikely to want to rewrite too much of the long-debated text.
So far, the bankers haven’t publicly shared their views on the proposal.
The crypto industry’s potential concerns with the approach pitched this week, first reported by CoinDesk, already caused chaos in the market for leading U.S. stablecoin issuer Circle and Coinbase’s stock. Circle stock dropped 20% on Tuesday, though it ticked up slightly on Wednesday. However, Tuesday’s news from its chief rival, Tether, about submitting to an audit may have been another factor in the hit to Circle’s shares, observers noted.
Despite negative responses to the Clarity Act revisions, Patrick Witt, the White House’s crypto adviser, criticized the “uninformed” people making predictions about the Clarity Act’s status.”It’s all going to work out,” he posted Wednesday on social media site X (formerly Twitter). “Bullish.”
One of the people advocating taking a step back:
“Everyone should take a chill pill and stay off Twitter,” the person said.
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