TLDR

• The U.S. Treasury Department has proposed new stablecoin rules to address money laundering and terrorism financing risks.
• The rules, released by FinCEN and OFAC, require stablecoin issuers to implement robust AML and CFT programs.
• Issuers will need to maintain risk-based internal controls and undergo regular audits to comply with sanctions regulations.
• The Treasury Secretary emphasized that the rules would protect the U.S. financial system without hindering innovation.
• The proposed regulations align with the GENIUS Act and set a compliance deadline of January 2027 for stablecoin issuers.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s financial crimes bureau and sanctions agency have proposed new rules for stablecoin issuers. These rules aim to strengthen measures against money laundering and terrorism financing. The joint proposal, released by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), follows the new GENIUS Act and seeks to ensure compliance with national security concerns while fostering innovation.

FinCEN’s Focus on Anti-Money Laundering (AML)

The proposed rules from FinCEN are designed to safeguard the U.S. financial system from illicit activities. Stablecoin issuers would need to implement comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) programs. These programs would involve risk identification, monitoring, and mitigation procedures.

According to FinCEN, it would take a “measured supervisory approach” to enforcement. The agency emphasized that it would not take action unless there was a “systemic failure” in a payment stablecoin issuer’s AML or CFT program. The rule aims to keep stablecoin issuers in line with legal standards while avoiding unnecessary regulatory burdens.

New Stablecoin Rules Focus on Sanctions and AML

Alongside FinCEN’s AML/CFT requirements, OFAC’s proposed rules focus on sanctions compliance. Issuers would be required to develop risk-based internal controls to prevent sanctions violations. These controls would include regular testing and auditing of their systems to ensure they comply with OFAC regulations.

The Treasury Department also made it clear that the rule would not impede innovation. Treasury Secretary Bessent stated, “This proposal will protect the U.S. financial system from national security threats without hindering American companies’ ability to forge ahead in the payment stablecoin ecosystem.” The rules are part of a broader initiative to regulate stablecoins under the GENIUS Act, which mandates full backing of stablecoins with liquid assets.

The rule proposal requires public comments to be submitted within 60 days. Federal agencies are working toward a January 2027 compliance deadline. This regulatory action comes in the wake of other proposals from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, further solidifying the regulatory framework around stablecoins.

The Wisconsin election on Tuesday produced its expected winner but a striking margin: Democratic-backed appeals court judge Chris Taylor defeated conservative-backed judge Maria Lazar by roughly 20 percentage points, expanding liberals’ court majority from 4-3 to 5-2 and cementing liberal control through at least 2030.

As NBC News reported, Taylor ran up large margins in Milwaukee and Dane counties, carried Ozaukee County — a traditionally conservative Milwaukee suburb — and won more than 20 counties that voted for Trump in 2024. The race was technically nonpartisan, but both candidates ran with clear partisan backing. In her victory speech, Taylor addressed the political dimension without naming Trump directly: “Politics has no place in the judiciary, and the judiciary is not a rubber stamp for any party, group or branch of government — including the federal government.”

The most significant number from Tuesday is the gap between what was predicted and what happened. The 14th Congressional District in Georgia — another Tuesday election — showed a 17-point Democratic swing in one of America’s most Republican districts. Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race showed a 20-point Democratic margin in a contest where the majority was never in question and spending was a fraction of prior years. Both results, on the same night, in different states and different contexts, pointed in the same direction: Democratic enthusiasm running well ahead of what 2024 results would imply.

Taylor’s geographic reach was notable. She carried rural counties that voted for Trump in 2024 and held Ozaukee County in Milwaukee’s suburban ring — a county that has historically been part of the conservative base in statewide races. That cross-geographic performance without the high-stakes energy of the 2025 race suggests the enthusiasm has a structural quality rather than being exclusively issue-driven.

What the Court Will Now Decide

The Wisconsin Supreme Court under its liberal majority has already forced new legislative maps by striking down a Republican gerrymander and restored ballot drop boxes. With a 5-2 majority secured through 2030, the court is positioned to rule on congressional redistricting — Wisconsin’s congressional map remains heavily gerrymandered in Republicans’ favor — as well as voting rights cases from the 2026 and 2028 elections, and a challenge to the Scott Walker-era law that eliminated collective bargaining for most public workers.

Why Wisconsin’s Court Matters for the Broader Political and Regulatory Environment

As crypto.news has reported, the composition of Congress and state governments after November’s midterms directly shapes the pace and direction of US crypto regulation, including GENIUS Act implementation and market structure legislation. As crypto.news has noted, stablecoin legislation and digital asset market structure bills require sustained congressional engagement; the midterm environment that Taylor’s margin and Harris’s Georgia performance are signaling would produce a very different congressional calculus than the one that currently exists. Liberals will have another opportunity to expand their Wisconsin court majority in 2027, when conservative Justice Annette Ziegler will not seek a third term.

Key points:

• Bitcoin is showing signs of bottoming out, but some analysts believe a final shakeout below $60,000 is still possible over the next few months.

• Several major altcoins are showing early signs of buying, but the bulls have a lot of work to do before a trend change is signalled.

Bitcoin (BTC) rose above the $72,000 level on Tuesday following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran. Although the bulls could not achieve a close above $72,000, a positive sign is that the buyers have not ceded much ground to the bears. That suggests the bulls are holding on to their positions as they anticipate the recovery to continue.

Several analysts believe that BTC is showing signs of bottoming out. Crypto trader Quantum Ascend said in a post on X that BTC’s stochastic relative strength index (RSI) indicator is at the “exact same point on the daily as it was in 2022” before the price sprinted higher.

A slightly different view was put forth by Alphractal founder and CEO Joao Wedson, who said in a post on X that the bear trend may be ending but BTC may witness “a sharp move like a –$15K shakeout” over the next six months.

Could BTC and select major altcoins extend their relief rally? Let’s analyze the charts of the top 10 cryptocurrencies to find out.

Bitcoin price prediction

BTC cleared the moving averages and the $72,000 resistance on Tuesday, indicating solid buying by the bulls.

Sellers are expected to defend the $72,000 to $76,000 zone with all their might, as a close above it will complete a bullish ascending triangle pattern. If that happens, the BTC/USDT pair may skyrocket to $84,000. 

The first sign of weakness will be a close below the moving averages, suggesting that the bears remain sellers on rallies. A close below the support line will invalidate the positive setup, increasing the risk of a fall to the crucial $62,500 to $60,000 support zone.

Ether price prediction

Ether (ETH) turned up from the 50-day simple moving average ($2,059) on Tuesday and surged above the $2,200 resistance.

The 20-day exponential moving average ($2,110) has started to turn up, and the RSI is in the positive territory, indicating that the path of least resistance is to the upside. There is resistance at the $2,400 level, but if the bulls overcome it, the up move may extend to $2,800.

Time is running out for the bears. They will have to swiftly yank the ETH price below the moving averages to signal a comeback. The ETH/USDT pair may fall to $1,918 and potentially to the $1,750 support.

XRP price prediction

XRP’s (XRP) bounce off the $1.27 level reached the moving averages, which is a crucial resistance to watch out for.

If buyers thrust the XRP/USDT pair above the moving average, it clears the path for a rally to the breakdown level of $1.61 and then to the downtrend line of the descending channel pattern. Sellers will attempt to halt the up move at the downtrend line, as a close above it points to a potential trend change.

On the downside, a close below the $1.27 level signals that the bears remain in control. That increases the risk of a drop to the $1.11 level and eventually to the support line of the descending channel pattern near $1.

BNB price prediction

BNB (BNB) has been consolidating between $570 and $687 for several days, indicating buying near the support and selling close to the resistance.

The flattish moving averages and the RSI near the midpoint suggest that the range-bound action may continue for a few more days. If bulls pierce the moving averages, the BNB/USDT pair may reach the $687 level, where the bears are expected to step in.

The next trending move is expected to begin on a close above the $687 resistance or below the $570 support. If the $687 level is taken out, the pair may soar to $730 and later to $790. On the other hand, a close below $570 may sink the pair to $500.

Solana price prediction

Solana (SOL) is attempting to rise above the moving averages, but the bears have held their ground.

The flattish moving averages and the RSI just below the midpoint do not give a clear advantage either to the bulls or the bears. If the SOL price rises above the moving averages, the next stop may be the $98 level. Buyers will have to secure a close above the $98 resistance to gain the upper hand.

On the downside, a break and close below the $76 support tilts the advantage in favor of the bears. That increases the risk of a drop to $67 and subsequently to $50.

Dogecoin price prediction

Dogecoin (DOGE) rose above the moving averages on Tuesday, but the recovery is facing resistance at the downtrend line.

Sellers will attempt to strengthen their position by pulling the DOGE price below the $0.09 level. If they manage to do that, the DOGE/USDT pair will complete a descending triangle pattern. The pattern target of this bearish setup is $0.06.

On the contrary, a close above the downtrend line invalidates the negative setup. That suggests the bears have given up, opening the gates for a rally to $0.11 and then to the $0.12 level.

Hyperliquid price prediction

Hyperliquid (HYPE) closed above the 20-day EMA ($37.28) on Tuesday, signaling that the correction may be over.

The bulls will attempt to push the HYPE price to the $41.59 to $43.76 zone, where the sellers are expected to mount a solid defense. If buyers clear the overhead barrier, the HYPE/USDT pair may rally to $50.

This positive view will be negated in the near term if the price turns down and breaks below the 50-day SMA ($34.80). Such a move indicates that higher levels continue to attract sellers. The pair may then tumble to the $29.42 level.

Related: Oil falls, Bitcoin jumps to $72K, but is this BTC price breakout for real?

Cardano price prediction

Buyers pushed Cardano (ADA) to the 50-day SMA ($0.26) on Tuesday, indicating that the bulls are attempting a comeback.

If buyers pierce the 50-day SMA, the ADA/USDT pair may reach the downtrend line of the descending channel pattern. Sellers are expected to fiercely defend the downtrend line as a close above it signals a potential trend change.

Sellers are likely to have other plans. They will attempt to aggressively defend the downtrend line and pull the ADA price below the moving averages. If they do that, the pair may extend its stay inside the channel for a few more days.

Bitcoin Cash price prediction

Buyers are attempting to sustain Bitcoin Cash (BCH) above the breakdown level of $443 but are expected to face significant resistance from the bears.

If the BCH price turns down from the moving averages and breaks below the $420 level, it signals the resumption of the downward move. That may sink the BCH/USDT pair to the $375 level.

The first sign of strength will be a close above the moving averages. That suggests the market has rejected the break below the $443 level. The pair may then rally to the $520 to $540 zone.

Chainlink price prediction

Chainlink (LINK) closed above the moving averages on Tuesday, opening the doors for a rally to the resistance of the $8 to $10 range.

Sellers are expected to defend the $10 level, keeping the LINK price inside the range for some more time.

Buyers will have to propel and maintain the price above the $10 resistance to gain the upper hand. That may drive the LINK/USDT pair to $10.94 and thereafter to the $11.61 level. On the downside, a break and close below the $8 level signals an advantage to bears. The pair risks falling to $7.15 and then to the pattern target of $6.