United States: FinTech

On July 6, 2026, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer signed three bills modernizing the state’s regulation of banks, money transmitters, virtual currency businesses, and payment stablecoin issuers.

Federal Reserve Vice Chair Michelle Bowman emphasizes that AI governance in financial institutions should be tailored to specific use cases and materiality, while industry groups push for technology-neutral blockchain frameworks and the SEC continues to assert securities jurisdiction over crypto service agreements. FINRA proposes modernizing its communications rules with risk-based supervision, and Kalshi challenges a federal court decision that declined to shield it from state gambling regulators.

Recent enforcement activity across U.S. and international authorities reflects a continued focus on fraud and unregistered activity in the crypto sector. In April 2026, the Department of Justice (DOJ) initiated a compensation process for victims of the OneCoin scheme, which defrauded investors of more than $4 billion, and announced coordinated actions through its Scam Center Strike Force targeting Southeast Asian fraud operations.

President Trump's June 2026 Executive Orders on quantum technology establish aggressive timelines for federal agencies and contractors to transition to post-quantum cryptography by 2030, while simultaneously directing a comprehensive national strategy to advance quantum computing capabilities and protect against the imminent threat of quantum-enabled decryption of current encrypted data. The orders mandate coordination across multiple federal agencies to develop quantum applications, strengthen supply chain

Federal regulators are seeking to modernize derivatives trading frameworks while Kentucky challenges the CFTC's authority over prediction markets. The CFTC and SEC have issued multiple requests for public comment on portfolio margining harmonization and derivatives product definitions, while the House debates whether fintech firms should gain access to Federal Reserve payment systems.

New York's UCC Revision Act, effective June 3, 2026, introduces a modernized legal framework for digital assets including cryptocurrency, blockchain assets, and NFTs. The legislation establishes "controllable electronic records" as a technology-neutral mechanism for perfecting security interests in digital collateral, while creating new asset categories that reduce legal ambiguity for lenders.

As the regulatory fog lifts and margins compress, risk is migrating from abstract “policy uncertainty” to concrete points of failure: permits, power contracts, securities disclosures, and cross-border jurisdiction.

Online gaming platforms have stopped behaving like closed entertainment systems. What began as proprietary, end-user license–governed currency systems has drifted into something closer to financial infrastructure, without ever formally admitting the shift.

On May 19, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed S. 163, establishing a regulatory framework for digital assets and cryptocurrency activities in the state.