Law & Policy

🧵 Big week in crypto legal news! 

Let’s dive in:

First, the OCC clarified that national banks can now engage in crypto activities like custody, stablecoin ops, and use of blockchain tech without needing prior regulatory approval. A major shift easing past restrictions.

🧵 Big week in crypto legal news! 

Let’s dive in:

First, the OCC clarified that national banks can now engage in crypto activities like custody, stablecoin ops, and use of blockchain tech without needing prior regulatory approval. A major shift easing past restrictions.

https://occ.gov/news-issuances/news-releases/2025/nr-occ-2025-16.html

Last night, the President established a Strategic BTC Reserve – locking up forfeited BTC as a permanent* national asset

Some key points:

- BTC recognized as “digital gold”
- Agencies must transfer seized BTC to the Treasury within 30 days
- No sales permitted

What else? 🧵

2/ President Trump’s executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve made waves. While it confirmed U.S. government Bitcoin holdings, it stopped short of aggressive accumulation plans.

general counsel @ 1kx // co-founder @ thing3 // summoner @ hydra ventures

2/ President Trump’s executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve made waves. While it confirmed U.S. government Bitcoin holdings, it stopped short of aggressive accumulation plans.

https://warpcast.com/larryflorio.eth/0xca5c9678

3/ Meanwhile, the SEC’s new Crypto Task Force, led by Commissioner Hester Peirce, is ramping up. 

They’ve announced their staff and scheduled a roundtable for March 21 to tackle the big question: when is a digital asset a security?

Excited to see so many friends & colleagues will be repping the industry

4/ In enforcement news, the DOJ seized domains and froze assets tied to Russian crypto exchange Garantex over criminal allegations.

4/ In enforcement news, the DOJ seized domains and froze assets tied to Russian crypto exchange Garantex over criminal allegations. 

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/garantex-cryptocurrency-exchange-disrupted-international-operation

5/ Also notable: Crypto founder Richard Heart won big as a Brooklyn federal judge tossed an SEC suit against his Hex, PulseChain, and PulseX projects due to insufficient U.S. ties.

5/ Also notable: Crypto founder Richard Heart won big as a Brooklyn federal judge tossed an SEC suit against his Hex, PulseChain, and PulseX projects due to insufficient U.S. ties.

https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-judge-dismisses-sec-fraud-lawsuit-against-hex-crypto-founder-2025-03-01/

BREAKING: CRA passes 70-27 with 19 Dems joining!

Bye bye broker rule!

Enormous victory for software developers, DeFi, and crypto in general!!

6/ Next up, software developers & DeFi scored a win as Congress moved to repeal the IRS’ controversial Broker Rule, reversing burdensome tax reporting requirements on noncustodial software

6/ Next up, software developers & DeFi scored a win as Congress moved to repeal the IRS’ controversial Broker Rule, reversing burdensome tax reporting requirements on noncustodial software

https://warpcast.com/larryflorio.eth/0x942b138a

EU regulators just made a CRUCIAL call on blockchain miners/validators under MiCA – excluding them from market abuse oversight. 

Why? Forcing them to police transactions would break blockchain’s neutral infrastructure

BIG win for credible neutrality 🧵

7/ Last but not least, in Europe, common sense prevailed and ESMA declined to treat base layer blockchain infrastructure like financial institutions, a victory for credible neutrality

 You wouldn’t regulate road builders like drivers. Same thing here.

7/ Last but not least, in Europe, common sense prevailed and ESMA declined to treat base layer blockchain infrastructure like financial institutions, a victory for credible neutrality

 You wouldn’t regulate road builders like drivers. Same thing here.

https://warpcast.com/larryflorio.eth/0xf331837f

3/ Meanwhile, the SEC’s new Crypto Task Force, led by Commissioner Hester Peirce, is ramping up. 

They’ve announced their staff and scheduled a roundtable for March 21 to tackle the big question: when is a digital asset a security?

Excited to see so many friends & colleagues will be repping the industry

https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025-51