Banca d’Italia told Italian crypto-asset service providers on Sept. 7 to verify that every transfer passes through sanctions screening, regardless of its value.

The central bank specifically warned firms against setting a minimum transaction threshold within their screening systems. Such a threshold could allow small crypto transfers to avoid automated checks.

The communication does not establish a new sanctions rule. It reinforces requirements already contained in European Banking Authority guidelines that have applied in Italy since Dec. 30, 2025.

The reminder follows an expansion of European Union restrictive measures and growing regulatory attention on whether financial institutions can enforce sanctions effectively in daily operations.

Banca d’Italia requires checks on every crypto transfer

Banca d’Italia instructed crypto-asset service providers, known as CASPs, to screen information about both the sender and recipient before executing a crypto transfer. The requirement applies to individual transactions and does not depend on their value.

According to a report published through Borsa Italiana’s Radiocor service, the central bank asked operators to ensure their systems contain no minimum threshold that limits which transactions undergo screening.

The policy means a transfer cannot bypass sanctions controls merely because it is worth €1 or another small amount. It does not mean compliance employees must manually approve every micro-transfer.

CASPs may use automated systems that compare customer and transaction information with applicable sanctions lists. A possible match may then require closer examination before the provider executes or rejects the transfer.

Removing minimum thresholds also addresses structuring risks. A sanctioned person could otherwise divide a larger transfer into multiple smaller transactions designed to remain below an operator’s screening limit.

The rule predates the September warning

The underlying obligations were set out in the EBA’s guidelines covering internal policies, procedures and controls for implementing EU and national restrictive measures.

Banca d’Italia formally incorporated the guidance through Note No. 52 on May 19, 2025. The document says the guidelines became applicable on Dec. 30, 2025.

The rules cover banks, investment firms, payment institutions, electronic-money institutions and authorized crypto-asset service providers. They require those businesses to maintain governance arrangements and controls capable of identifying designated people and entities.

The September communication therefore represents a supervisory reminder rather than the introduction of a fresh legal threshold. Banca d’Italia is asking firms to confirm that their existing systems are properly configured and calibrated.

Sanctions compliance is also separate from authorization under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation. MiCA establishes licensing, governance and conduct requirements, but receiving authorization does not remove obligations under EU restrictive-measures rules.

That distinction matters as national regulators complete Europe’s transition to MiCA. As crypto.news reported, more than 1,000 EEA crypto firms remained without MiCA authorization following a major transition deadline.

Instant-payment exceptions do not cover CASPs

European rules provide a different screening approach for certain instant credit transfers handled by payment service providers. Their speed makes transaction-by-transaction screening difficult without undermining the purpose of instant settlement.

Eligible payment providers may instead screen their entire customer base at least once daily and whenever new restrictive measures take effect. Banca d’Italia also permits that approach for some low-risk domestic transfers under the provider’s responsibility.

However, the central bank’s 2025 note expressly states that the exception does not cover crypto transfers processed by CASPs. Crypto providers must follow the relevant EBA provisions governing individual crypto-asset transfers.

The distinction means firms should not apply an instant-payment configuration to crypto services simply because a blockchain transaction settles quickly. CASPs must still screen the required information before execution.

Providers must also follow the EBA’s separate Travel Rule guidance. Those rules address missing or incomplete originator and beneficiary information accompanying fund and crypto transfers.

Crypto firms must now test their screening controls

Banca d’Italia’s reminder places immediate operational pressure on CASPs to review their sanctions controls. Firms need to confirm that transaction values do not determine whether screening occurs.

They must also examine how frequently their systems receive updated sanctions lists. Other controls may include matching aliases, handling transliterated names, investigating alerts and recording decisions for supervisory review.

Blockchain addresses linked to sanctioned parties present another challenge. Name screening alone may not identify exposure when a transfer involves an address associated with a designated entity, intermediary or sanctioned service.

Operators may therefore combine customer screening with blockchain analytics. However, analytics alerts require careful assessment because address attribution can change and transactions may involve indirect exposure rather than a designated party.

The central bank did not announce a new compliance deadline in its September communication. The applicable EBA requirements are already in force, meaning firms should treat the review as an existing responsibility.

Banca d’Italia also did not identify specific CASPs under investigation or announce penalties. Any enforcement action would require a separate regulatory decision based on an operator’s controls and conduct.

The reminder comes as the EU continues using financial restrictions against entities accused of supporting sanctions evasion. In related coverage, EU sanctions targeted 14 crypto platforms and 94 financial institutions, increasing the number of counterparties that compliance systems may need to identify.

For Italian crypto operators, the next step is a documented review of system settings, sanctions-list coverage and escalation procedures. A MiCA authorization alone will not demonstrate that those controls work on every transfer.

Fractal Bitcoin has completed its first halving at block 2,100,000, cutting the network’s block reward to 6.25 FB as the FIP-102 upgrade takes effect and sets aside an equivalent 6.25 FB emission budget for future distribution on the Bitcoin mainnet.

Fractal Bitcoin said in a Sept. 8 post on X that the halving had been completed successfully, with network nodes and indexing services operating normally during the first 10 minutes after activation.

The milestone activated FIP-102, a consensus upgrade that changes how future FB emissions are distributed while preparing the token for distribution on Bitcoin. The proposal does not raise FB’s total supply or create a separate supply for tokens distributed through Bitcoin.

Under FIP-102, Fractal’s first scheduled halving reduced the block reward from 25 FB to 12.5 FB. The proposal simultaneously brought forward the network’s second halving, cutting the reward available on Fractal again to 6.25 FB.

The remaining 6.25 FB per Fractal block equivalent has been allocated to a Bitcoin mainnet distribution budget. That allocation will not immediately be distributed at its full rate, with the project planning a progressive rollout after the upgrade.

Fractal Bitcoin halving activates FIP-102

FIP-102 keeps Fractal’s existing reward structure between Merged Mining, Permissionless Mining and Index Mining. Blocks on the Fractal side will continue to be assigned to the three mechanisms at a 1:1:1 ratio, meaning one block in each three-block cycle goes to each category.

Before the halving, Fractal emitted 25 FB per block. Each of the three mechanisms therefore received an average allocation of roughly 8.33 FB per block when measured across the three-block cycle.

Following FIP-102, each eligible Fractal block now carries a 6.25 FB reward. Averaged across the block sequence, Merged Mining, Permissionless Mining and Index Mining each account for approximately 2.0833 FB per Fractal block.

The second 6.25 FB allocation will eventually be distributed to users through eligible activity on Bitcoin mainnet. FIP-102 establishes the emission budget, while the specific activities, technical architecture and distribution rules are being left to the upcoming FIP-103 proposal.

Fractal said it will continue monitoring the network following the halving and asked users experiencing service-related problems to contact the team.

The reward reduction follows the same basic supply mechanism used by Bitcoin, where scheduled halvings periodically reduce new issuance. Bitcoin itself currently pays miners 3.125 BTC per block following its April 2024 halving, with its next reward reduction expected around 2028. As crypto.news previously explained, Bitcoin’s block subsidy falls by 50% every 210,000 blocks, slowing the rate at which new BTC enters circulation.

FB distribution is moving to Bitcoin mainnet

The Bitcoin allocation under FIP-102 is designed to let users obtain FB through eligible interactions directly on Bitcoin rather than limiting new distribution to activity on Fractal.

A 1:1 conversion mechanism between FB on Fractal and FB on Bitcoin mainnet is planned under the same framework. Converting a token between the two environments will not generate an extra unit of FB, according to the proposal, keeping both versions within one unified supply.

The project plans to introduce Bitcoin-mainnet distribution progressively over roughly three months. Research and implementation work will continue for three to six months, with testing scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 and a full rollout targeted for the first quarter of 2027.

FIP-103 will provide the remaining technical details, including eligible interactions, distribution mechanisms, rollout requirements and the process for converting FB between Fractal and Bitcoin.

The mainnet distribution plan expands on Fractal’s existing relationship with Bitcoin miners. In April 2025, Fractal added Foundry to its merged-mining network, giving the protocol access to computing power equivalent to 93% of Bitcoin’s hashrate at the time. Fractal and Bitcoin both use SHA-256, allowing miners to secure the two networks through merged mining without dedicating separate computing power to each chain.

Fractal uses its Cadence Mining model to prevent merged miners from receiving the entire block reward. The model divided rewards between Bitcoin merged miners and permissionless participants before Index Mining was incorporated into the current three-way allocation.

Fractal has expanded its Bitcoin mining links

Binance Pool began supporting Fractal Bitcoin merged mining in November 2024, allowing Bitcoin miners using the service to receive FB rewards in external wallets. Binance said at the time that support for FB mining did not mean the exchange planned to list the token.

Fractal’s mainnet had launched in September 2024 using Bitcoin Core code and the same SHA-256 hashing algorithm as Bitcoin. Its genesis block carried the same newspaper headline embedded by Satoshi Nakamoto in Bitcoin’s genesis block.

The network has since been used as infrastructure for Bitcoin-focused applications. UniSat, for example, built its Hexa trading engine on Fractal Bitcoin. UniSat said the infrastructure offered additional block space and 30-second confirmation times while supporting trading of Bitcoin-based assets.

FIP-102 changes the emission schedule supporting that network without increasing the approved FB supply. At full rollout, the combined target emission budget will remain equivalent to 12.5 FB per Fractal block, split evenly between 6.25 FB in Fractal-side block rewards and a 6.25 FB equivalent budget for Bitcoin-mainnet distribution.

Future reward milestones will follow the revised schedule. The next Fractal block-reward halving is set for block 4,200,000, after which the target allocations for both the Fractal and Bitcoin distribution paths are expected to decline proportionally unless a later Fractal Improvement Proposal changes the mechanism.

Bitcoin (BTC) slipped below $79,000 early on Tuesday after the odds of a Federal Reserve rate hike rose to around 60% following Friday’s jobs data. Some analysts believe the flagship cryptocurrency will remain under $82,000 until the Fed decides on interest rates.

BTC fell 1.55% on Monday and closed at $79,091. It slipped further during the ongoing session and is down nearly 1% at $78,364.

Bitcoin (BTC) Decline Continues

BTC’s latest rally took the price past $82,000 on Friday, reaching an intraday high of $82,282 before losing momentum thanks to substantial selling pressure above $82,000. However, price action wavered following Friday’s jobs report. The report revealed the US added 162,000 jobs in August against the expected 55,000, while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1%. CME’s FedWatch tool increased the likelihood of a 25 bps interest rate hike to 60% following the report.

The US Dollar and Treasury yields also rose following the report, pressuring BTC and other rate-sensitive assets. LMAX Group Market Strategist Joel Kruger believes BTC and the broader cryptocurrency market were displaying considerable resistance, stating in comments to The Block,

“The crypto market continues to display exceptional resilience despite having been presented with plenty of reasons to correct. Bitcoin is holding near $80,000 following an aggressive August rally that pushed momentum into overbought territory.”

Kruger also highlighted that crypto had faced substantial headwinds, including US-Iran tensions, rising oil prices, and higher Treasury yields.

“What stands out is that crypto has absorbed these headwinds without suffering meaningful technical damage.”

Bitcoin (BTC) Could Remain Muted Until Fed Decision

Bitfinex analysts believe BTC is consolidating with an upside bias, not a confirmed breakout. For the moment, sustained ETF demand is absorbing the pressure from the Treasury yield increase and possible interest rate hike. BTC’s latest decline comes after another attempt to reclaim $80,000, as selling pressure pushed the price lower following Friday’s move to $82,282.

Meanwhile, analysts at CoinEx believe BTC will remain pinned under $82,000 until the Federal Reserve decides on interest rates. Jeff Ko, the chief analyst at CoinEx, stated,

“I expect compression into a tight range, capped around $82,000 with support at $78,000–$79,000.”

Ko added that if BTC loses the lower end of its support range, it could slip towards $77,000, a level also flagged by Bitfinex analysts. BTC must decisively clear $80,000 before it can retest the $82,000 resistance. However, this could be difficult. The recent August rally took BTC past $79,000. Technical indicators such as the daily Relative Strength Index (RSI) have reached overbought territory, while waning momentum and upper-level resistance increase the likelihood of a pullback.

Upcoming CPI And PPI Decisions Could Dictate Bitcoin Price Action

The biggest test for Bitcoin ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting is the interest rate decision. The odds of a 25 basis point hike have increased following Friday’s employment figures, which strengthened the argument for tighter policy. Manufacturing also expanded, with the Purchasing Managers’ Index reaching 54.6. However, elevated input costs suggest inflationary risk remains elevated. The Producer Price Index (PPI) is expected on September 10, followed by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data on September 11. The Federal Reserve will announce its decision on interest rates on September 16. Ko stated,

“A hot print that pushes yields and the dollar sharply higher would be the cleanest test of Bitcoin’s resilience.”

Spot Bitcoin ETFs Help BTC Remain Near $80,000

Meanwhile, spot Bitcoin ETFs extended the weekly inflow streak, recording $986.9 million in net inflows for the week ending September 4. The latest figures have taken the three-week inflows to $3.8 billion. Sustained ETF inflows have helped the flagship cryptocurrency remain near $80,000 despite rising Treasury yields, a stronger dollar, and expectations of an interest rate hike.

However, Ko cautioned that the inflows do not confirm an accumulation phase.

“The $986.9 million of inflows brought the three-week total to roughly $3.8 billion, which is clearly constructive. But I would still like to see another few weeks of sustained net inflows, particularly if Bitcoin turns boring and trades sideways, before calling this a genuine accumulation phase.”

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao said on Sept. 7 that initial public offerings “will move on chain,” as regulated exchanges and blockchain companies expand infrastructure for tokenized securities.

Zhao offered no timeline, proposed structure or potential issuer in his brief statement. His comment was therefore a prediction rather than an announcement involving Binance or a confirmed offering.

Parts of the infrastructure needed to conduct an on-chain IPO are already operating. France completed a fully tokenized public offering in April, while Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange have established rules for trading eligible securities in tokenized form.

Market data also show growing demand for blockchain-based equities. Tokenized stocks currently represent about $2.9 billion in distributed value, according to the RWA.xyz dashboard. That figure was roughly 14% higher over the preceding month when Zhao made his statement.

Capital inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs reached $986.9 million in the week ending 5 September 2026. Over the past three weeks, cumulative inflows have totalled $3.8 billion, marking the strongest three-week performance for these funds in 2026. Over the same period, spot Ethereum ETFs attracted $218.4 million, down from $824.4 million the previous week, representing a roughly 74% decline in inflows.

Against this backdrop, Ethereum continues to prepare for the Gl Amsterdam upgrade, which is expected to launch on the mainnet in Q4 2026, although an exact date has yet to be confirmed. The upgrade is aimed at further scaling the network and improving the efficiency of transaction and data processing. These factors provide the fundamental backdrop for ETH following its strong rally in the second half of August.

Technical Analysis of ETH/USD

The four-hour ETH/USD chart shows a pronounced uptrend that began with a sharp impulse on volume significantly above the average levels seen in previous weeks. An ascending wedge formed near the top of this move, with price fluctuations gradually narrowing to create a classic pattern. At the end of August, the price attempted to break out of the wedge to the downside, but the breakout failed to develop, with the market returning to the boundaries of the developing market profile.

Trading within the current boundaries has continued for a relatively long period, which could indicate that energy is building ahead of the next significant move. The price is currently moving between the Point of Control (POC) at $2,484 and the upper boundary of the profile at $2,521.

Above the current market profile, near the top of the trend, there is a red resistance area around $2,566. Below it lies a green support area at $2,368, which would only become accessible if the price first breaks through the lower boundary of the profile at $2,428.

The RSI + MAs indicator is showing readings of 53, 55 and 53. The oscillator and both moving averages are holding below the upper boundary of the neutral zone and are attempting to move higher, while the moving-average lines are green.

Key Takeaways

The prolonged consolidation following the failed downside wedge breakout has yet to determine the pair’s next direction, while the RSI + MAs readings add to the potential recovery scenario. The flow of capital into spot Ethereum ETFs remains an additional point of reference for Ethereum.

FXOpen offers the world’s most popular cryptocurrency CFDs*, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. Floating spreads, 1:2 leverage — at your service (additional fees may apply). Open your trading account now or learn more about crypto CFD trading with FXOpen.

*Important: At FXOpen UK, Cryptocurrency trading via CFDs is only available to our Professional clients. They are not available for trading by Retail clients. To find out more information about how this may affect you, please get in touch with our team.

This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice.