- It reported that major changes to the global virtual asset regulatory environment are forecast ahead of 2026.
- It stated that major financial hubs such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong are driving changes in industry structure through regulatory reforms.
- It said this global trend of regulatory reform is expected to accelerate the integration of the virtual asset industry into the institutional framework.
- The article was summarized using an artificial intelligence-based language model.
- Due to the nature of the technology, key content in the text may be excluded or different from the facts.
The global virtual asset (cryptocurrency) regulatory environment is entering a full-scale transition phase ahead of 2026. Major financial hubs such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong are undertaking regulatory overhauls, which is expected to bring structural changes across the industry.
On the 2nd (local time), Cointelegraph, a media outlet specializing in virtual assets, reported that the United States is rapidly establishing a regulatory environment that allows banks to participate in virtual assets. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) released a draft regulatory framework at the end of last year that would permit the issuance of dollar-pegged stablecoins.
Under the draft, banks supervised by the FDIC would be able to issue stablecoins through subsidiaries and would be subject to financial soundness reviews covering capital adequacy, liquidity, and risk management. The Federal Reserve (Fed) has also withdrawn existing guidance that limited banks' virtual asset activities, which could enable banks to provide custodial, settlement, and other virtual asset services.
In the U.S. Congress, a market-structure bill (CLARITY Act) that would overhaul the regulatory framework for the virtual asset industry as a whole is also close to passage. The bill aims to clearly divide jurisdiction between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and to exempt certain virtual assets that meet specific conditions from securities registration requirements.
The United Kingdom is also accelerating regulatory preparations. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced a final virtual asset regulatory proposal and plans to fully introduce anti-money laundering (AML), know-your-customer (KYC), consumer protection, and licensing regimes. This will allow virtual asset businesses to operate under a regulatory framework similar to that of traditional finance.
In Asia, Hong Kong is pursuing stablecoin regulation. Hong Kong authorities are preparing a framework that includes issuer licensing, reserve asset requirements, and user protection rules, aiming for implementation this year. Market participants view this global wave of regulatory reform as a catalyst that will accelerate the integration of the virtual asset industry into the institutional framework.
