Court orders EminiFX and founder to pay over $288 million in CFTC Ponzi case
A New York federal court has granted the CFTC summary judgment against Eddy Alexandre and EminiFX, which promised weekly returns on crypto and forex trading to tens of thousands of investors.
Markets digest, 16 October 2026: US stocks fall as the VIX rises to 19.99
The S&P 500 closed at 7,659.44 and the Dow at 52,002.41, both lower. The VIX rose to 19.99 and Bitcoin ended Friday at $81,475.05 on Coinbase, while the euro firmed to 1.1253 dollars.
Markets digest, 19 October 2026: S&P 500 and Nasdaq rise as the VIX eases to 18.44
The S&P 500 closed at 7,690.73 and the Nasdaq Composite at 26,430.890, both higher, while the Dow slipped. The VIX fell to 18.44 and the euro eased to 1.1225 dollars.
World Gold Council values digital gold market at US$45–55bn and sees larger latent demand
Research with Boston Consulting Group values digital gold at US$45–55bn and estimates up to US$700bn of latent demand if barriers to adoption such as trust, access, utility and cost were removed.
Markets digest, 15 October 2026: US stocks close higher as the VIX eases
The Dow rose to 52,177.69 and the S&P 500 to 7,744.06. Bitcoin closed at $82,140.24 on Coinbase, and the EIA reported an 8.6 million barrel fall in US commercial crude stocks.
FSB tells the G20 that cross-border oversight of global stablecoins is still immature
A Financial Stability Board note sent to G20 finance ministers finds that rules for foreign-issued stablecoins are uncertain in many jurisdictions and that stablecoin data are hard to rely on.
Markets digest, 9 October 2026: stocks and Bitcoin rise as the VIX eases
The S&P 500 closed at 7,811.54 and the Dow at 51,654.95. Bitcoin rose to $82,543.30 on Coinbase, and the EIA reported Gulf of Mexico oil output shut in ahead of Hurricane Isaias.
Markets digest, 12 October 2026: Bitcoin and the Nasdaq slip as the Dow edges up
The S&P 500 closed at 7,807.24 and the Dow rose to 51,850.55. Bitcoin fell to $81,782.78 on Coinbase, and the FSB sent the G20 a note on cross-border gaps in stablecoin oversight.
ESMA asks for evidence on tokenised collateral at EU clearing houses
The EU markets regulator wants views by 15 January 2027 on whether, and under what conditions, central counterparties could safely accept tokenised collateral.
Markets digest, 8 October 2026: Nasdaq and Bitcoin fall as the Dow edges up
The S&P 500 closed at 7,765.36 and the Nasdaq Composite at 27,193.340. Bitcoin fell to $81,657.19 on Coinbase, and the ECB's euro reference rate rose to 1.1186 dollars.
ESMA tells EU crypto firms to stop services in non-MiCA stablecoins
In an opinion published on 8 October, ESMA says MiCA-authorised crypto-asset service providers should stop offering EU clients services in stablecoins that do not comply with MiCA, and remediate existing exposures within three months.
Markets digest, 7 October 2026: Bitcoin and Ether fall as the euro eases
The S&P 500 closed at 7,801.77 and the Dow at 51,179.87. Bitcoin fell to $83,239.49 on Coinbase, and the ECB's euro reference rate eased to 1.1177 dollars.
CFTC seeks comment on a federal framework for retail crypto asset trading
The CFTC has published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on retail crypto asset transactions and a new kind of exchange registration built for them. Comments are due 60 days after Federal Register publication.
Markets digest, 6 October 2026: US stocks close higher as the euro firms
The S&P 500 closed at 7,818.93 and the Dow at 51,521.28. Bitcoin ended slightly lower on Coinbase, and the ECB's euro reference rate rose to 1.1269 dollars.
Markets digest, 2 October 2026: US stocks close higher as the VIX eases and the euro slips
The S&P 500 closed at 7,722.72 and the VIX fell to 15.31. Bitcoin ended slightly lower on Coinbase, and the ECB's euro reference rate fell to 1.1225 dollars.
ECB's Pontes now settles tokenised trades in central bank money, with 24/7 hours planned
Pontes went live on 21 September 2026. ECB board member Isabel Schnabel set out its next steps in London on 1 October, and the Governing Council published its go-live record on 2 October.
SEC obtains final judgments against three BitConnect promoters
A New York federal court has ordered BitConnect promoters Michael Noble, Craig Grant and Trevon Brown to pay disgorgement, interest and civil penalties, the SEC said on 30 September.
Markets digest, 1 October 2026: stocks and Bitcoin edge higher as the euro slips against the dollar
The S&P 500 closed at 7,666.45 and Bitcoin at $84,759.64 on Coinbase, both higher. The ECB's euro reference rate fell to 1.1298 dollars.
SEC proposes crypto custody rules for investment advisers and funds
The SEC proposed rules on 1 October 2026 that would let advisers and regulated funds self-custody crypto assets in some cases and use state trust companies as custodians.
ESMA asks for tighter crypto marketing rules and new DeFi service in MiCA review
The EU markets regulator wants stricter rules on influencer promotion of crypto, disclosure for staking and lending, more powers against unauthorised firms, and a regulated DeFi access service.
FCA wins confiscation orders against two men convicted over £1.5 million crypto investment fraud
Southwark Crown Court ordered Raymondip Bedi and Patrick Mavanga to pay £603,404.28 and £247,997.99, which the FCA says will go back to victims of the scheme.
Markets digest, 30 September 2026: Dow and S&P 500 slip as US commercial crude stocks rise
The Dow closed at 50,906.05 and the S&P 500 at 7,651.54, both lower, while the Nasdaq rose. EIA reported a small build in US commercial crude stocks.
Court orders Fundsz promoters to pay over $31 million in CFTC digital assets and precious metals fraud case
A Florida federal court has entered a default judgment against two Fundsz board members and consent orders against two others, resolving the CFTC's remaining claims over the scheme.
FCA opens authorisation for crypto firms ahead of UK regime starting 25 October 2027
Crypto firms that want to keep serving UK customers can now apply to the FCA, and should do so by 28 February 2027. Authorisation is not automatic.
Perpetual futures explained: funding rates, leverage and liquidation
Crypto perpetuals never expire, so a funding payment between longs and shorts does the job expiry does for ordinary futures. How that works, what mark price and liquidation mean, and where retail traders can use them.
SEC charges Cryptoaiml and TSAI entities over alleged WhatsApp and AI trading-bot scams
The SEC alleges four overseas-linked entities took more than $15 million from hundreds of retail investors with fake trading platforms, bogus AI signals and bots, and forged SEC filings.
Spot bitcoin and ether ETFs: what the SEC approvals changed for traders
Since January 2024, US investors have been able to buy exchange-listed shares in trusts that hold bitcoin, and later ether. Here is what the SEC actually approved, how the funds work, and how owning a share differs from owning the coin.
Statement on Proposed Regulatory Framework for Stablecoins by Governor Michael S. Barr
Fed Governor Michael Barr backs the Board's GENIUS Act stablecoin proposal as a first step, stresses redemption at par under stress and voices concern about its anti-money-laundering enforcement standard.
CFTC Staff Releases Updates to FAQs Concerning Registrants and Registered Entity Activities Relating to Crypto Assets and Blockchain Technologies
Three CFTC divisions update their crypto FAQs to cover investing customer funds in tokenized forms of permitted investments and using blockchains to meet registrants’ recordkeeping requirements.
Federal Reserve Board requests public comment on two proposals related to establishing a regulatory framework for Board-supervised payment stablecoin issuers under the GENIUS Act
The Fed Board proposes reserve, capital and risk-management rules for the stablecoin issuers it supervises under the GENIUS Act, plus an application process for banks that want to issue them.
Looking for Change in Haystacks: Remarks before SIFMA’s Digital Assets Conference
In her penultimate week at the SEC, Commissioner Hester Peirce explains the Innovation Exemption for tokenized stocks and argues that zero-knowledge proofs and shared identity checks could shrink KYC data haystacks.
SEC Issues “Innovation Exemption” to Facilitate the Trading of Tokenized NMS Stock and Request for Comment
The SEC grants temporary, conditional exemptions letting Tokenized Securities Venues trade tokenized NMS stock through permissioned automated market makers, with limits on symbols and volume and a five-year sunset.
Operation Economic Outcast Disrupts Digital Asset Exchange Enabling the Iranian Regime
Treasury's OFAC sanctions BitBank, an Iranian crypto exchange it says moved hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin to the IRGC, together with its developer and three associates of Babak Zanjani.
Pause Before You Pay: Unusual Money Transfer Instructions May Signal Fraud
A CFTC advisory on scams that push victims to pay through crypto ATMs, gift cards, couriers, unfamiliar apps or fake trading platforms, with red flags to watch for and how to verify before paying.
Keynote Address by Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham, FIA EXPO
Acting CFTC Chairman Caroline Pham on the agency’s 2025 record and its 12-month Crypto Sprint: listed spot crypto trading, tokenized collateral including stablecoins, and rules for blockchain infrastructure.
A Global Stablecoin Glut: Implications for Monetary Policy
Fed Governor Stephen Miran examines how growth in dollar stablecoins could add to foreign demand for Treasury bills and other dollar assets, and what that could mean for the neutral rate, the dollar and monetary policy.
Innovation and Market Structure: Keynote Address by Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham, Piper Sandler Global Exchange and Trading Conference 2025
Then-Acting CFTC Chairman Caroline Pham on the agency’s regulatory agenda, exchange self-certification, and public comment on 24/7 trading, perpetual derivatives and direct retail clearing.
The Mother: Opening Remarks for Trading Roundtable
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce opens the Crypto Task Force’s second roundtable with questions on pairs trading of securities against stablecoins, jurisdictional gaps and limited-scale market testing by intermediaries.
Use Caution Responding to Messaging Apps
The CFTC warns about crypto trading scams that begin with unsolicited messages and group chats on WhatsApp, Telegram and other apps, and explains how to respond and tighten privacy settings.
Customer Advisory: AI Won’t Turn Trading Bots into Money Machines
A CFTC customer advisory on schemes that use AI hype to sell trading bots and signal services promising huge or guaranteed returns, with a case study and four checks to make before trusting a platform.
Exercise Caution with Crypto Asset Securities: Investor Alert
The SEC’s investor-education office on why crypto asset securities and the platforms that trade them may lack registration, audited financials, custody rules and SIPC coverage, and why “proof of reserves” is no audit.
The U.S. Dollar and Central Bank Digital Currencies
Governor Waller argues the dollar's dominance rests on fundamentals rather than technology, so neither foreign CBDCs nor a US CBDC would change it, while dollar stablecoins may increase the dollar's primacy abroad.
Social Media and Investment Fraud – Investor Alert
The SEC’s investor-education office on how fraudsters use social media: impersonation, “crypto” scams, romance scams, pump-and-dumps, scalping, touting and affinity fraud, and how to check who you are dealing with.
Customer Advisory: Beware Virtual Currency Pump-and-Dump Schemes
The CFTC's first advisory on crypto pump-and-dumps: how anonymous chat groups count down to a coordinated buy in a thinly traded coin, why the cycle can be over in minutes, and how customers can protect themselves.
Customer Advisory: Understand the Risks of Virtual Currency Trading
The CFTC's advisory on buying bitcoin and other virtual currencies in the cash market and trading their futures and options: unregulated platforms, flash crashes, hacking, cash settlement and leverage.