Latest FinTech & Blockchain News
UK Launches £31 Million Online Crime Centre to Combat Fraud
The Online Crime Centre opens in April 2026 as a centralized intelligence hub tackling online fraud through a public-private partnership combining law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and financial, technology, and telecommunications sectors.
Swift Advances Tokenized Deposit Ledger with MVP Launch Planned
Swift has completed the design phase and begun building infrastructure for a blockchain-based ledger enabling 24/7 cross-border payments for banks using tokenized deposits, with a minimum viable product planned to go-live with real-world transactions this year. Over 40 institutions including JP Morgan Chase, HSBC, Deutsche Bank, and Bank of America shaped the design, which will be built on EVM-compatible Hyperledger Besu architecture
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Bank of Japan Tests Blockchain-Based Settlement for Reserves
On March 3, 2026, the Bank of Japan announced plans to conduct blockchain technology experiments for settling reserves held by financial institutions at the central bank as part of its 'sandbox' project.
Mastercard Launches Global Crypto Partner Programme
On March 11, 2026, Mastercard announced a Crypto Partner Programme bringing together over 100 crypto-native companies, payments providers, and financial institutions to develop scalable, compliant on-chain payment solutions.
Visa and Bridge Expand Stablecoin-Linked Card Issuance Globally
On March 3, 2026, Visa and Bridge announced expansion of collaboration to issue stablecoin-linked Visa cards to over 100 countries, enabling on-chain transaction settlement through Lead Bank.
OCC National Trust Bank Rule Removes Regulatory Ambiguity
An amendment to 12 CFR 5.20 took effect April 1, 2026, clarifying that national trust banks can conduct non-fiduciary custody activities, which crypto firms specifically require for their charter structures. Eleven companies including Circle, Ripple, BitGo, and Paxos filed for or received conditional OCC approvals in an eighty-three day window before March 5
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Congress Introduces Multiple Prediction Market Regulation Bills
Between March 25-26, 2026, lawmakers introduced three bipartisan bills regulating prediction markets, including the PREDICT Act and Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act, targeting insider trading by government officials.
California Governor Bans State Officials from Prediction Market Insider Trading
On March 27, 2026, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order prohibiting gubernatorial appointees from using confidential information to profit from prediction market contracts, marking the first state-level action on this issue.
UK to Implement Comprehensive Cryptoasset Regulation by October 2027
Cryptoasset firms will be brought under the full financial services regulatory framework by October 2027, requiring FCA authorisation and compliance standards similar to traditional financial institutions.
US Crypto ATM Crackdowns Address Rising Fraud and User Risks
Regulators across the United States have issued 60-day removal orders for crypto ATMs as concerns grow regarding scammer exploitation of these platforms and associated user losses.