Fintech

Vietnamese authorities are investigating an alleged online gambling and money-laundering network linked to approximately VND 30 trillion (around US$1.2 billion) in transactions through a reward-based gaming operation known as PinJoy. The investigation has exposed an extensive network of bank accounts, cryptocurrency intermediaries and digital wallets allegedly used to move funds through Vietnam and transfer value to individuals operating overseas. The investigation was led by

Two prediction market operators are seeking to prevent Missouri from applying its gambling laws to sports event contracts, arguing that federal commodities law gives the Commodity Futures Trading Commission exclusive regulatory authority. Crypto.com’s prediction market exchange and Novig have filed separate federal lawsuits against Missouri officials, escalating a nationwide legal dispute over whether sports-related event contracts should be regulated as financial derivativ

French financial authorities have proposed changes to the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), seeking clearer rules for stablecoins, stronger supervision of major crypto-asset service providers and additional safeguards for decentralised finance (DeFi). The joint proposals were published in October 2026 by the French Treasury, the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), Banque de France and the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR). T

Mastercard has introduced a new risk intelligence solution designed to help financial institutions identify fraud, scams, sanctions exposure and other financial crime risks associated with stablecoin payments. The product, called Stablecoin Security, combines conventional payment information with blockchain analytics to assess transactions before funds are transferred on-chain and throughout the payment process. Announced on 19 October 2026 at the Money20/20 USA conference in

The Council of Europe and the European Union have taken a further step towards strengthening international cooperation on money laundering and criminal asset recovery, with the signing of a new protocol designed to help authorities trace, freeze and confiscate proceeds of crime, including crypto-assets. The Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism, commo

A report released by Democratic members of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has raised concerns over the use of Tether’s USDT stablecoin in financial networks linked to Iran and its regional proxies. The report analysed blockchain transaction data from 846 cryptocurrency wallets that had been sanctioned or targeted for seizure because of alleged links to Iran and associated groups. It found that 84% of the wallets had transacted exclusively or almost e

Binance withdrew its application for authorisation as a crypto-asset service provider in Greece in June 2026 after the licensing process stalled before the end of the transitional period under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). Subsequent reporting has alleged that European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde intervened with Greek authorities to prevent the application from being approved. The application was submitted to the Hellenic Capita

US federal prosecutors are investigating whether Binance knowingly allowed trading activity that violated US sanctions relating to Iran, adding a new layer of regulatory scrutiny to the cryptocurrency exchange. The reported investigation is being led by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, with the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in Washington also involved. The inquiry concerns whether transactions involving Iran or Iranian-linked parties we