On February 26, Senate Democrats held a closed-door session to revisit the CLARITY Act ahead of a March 1 deadline set by the White House. The draft would split oversight between the SEC and CFTC, while rules on stablecoin yields remain the chief sticking point. a16z escalated GOP outreach and pledged $50 million to a new $100 million super PAC.

On 26 February 2026, Wallet in Telegram launched on-chain yield vaults for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT within its messaging app. The update extends the Earn section with DeFi strategies, including a USDT vault that currently advertises up to 18% annualized returns and builds on earlier TON staking and Affluent protocol integrations. The rollout follows recent cross-chain deposit support and adds to a growing roster of supported assets and wallet options.

On 26 February 2026, the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency published a proposed rule under the GENIUS Act to set prudential standards for payment stablecoin issuers under its oversight. The draft framework covers permitted U.S. and certain foreign issuers, as well as related custody activities, while leaving BSA, AML, and OFAC requirements to be handled separately with the Treasury. Public comments on the proposal are expected to guide the final rules that will shape how stablecoins operate within the U.S. banking system.

HTX Ventures and HTX DAO set out their 2026 roadmap at Consensus Hong Kong on Feb. 11–12, highlighting investment themes in AI, real-world assets and modular blockchain infrastructure. HTX DAO said it now directs 50% of quarterly exchange revenue to HTX token burns and reported holder addresses rising from about 40,000 to more than 800,000.

Matt Western, who chairs the UK's Joint Committee on National Security Strategy, urged a temporary moratorium on crypto donations in a Monday letter to minister Steve Reed. He asked for the pause to be added to the Representation of the People Bill until Electoral Commission guidance is issued; the bill was introduced on Feb. 12 and has a second reading on March 2.

On 25 February 2026, federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of North Carolina announced the seizure of more than $61 million in Tether (USDT) allegedly tied to a large-scale "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scam. The operation, led by Homeland Security Investigations in Raleigh, relied on blockchain tracing tools and cooperation from Tether, which froze suspect wallets and moved the funds to government-controlled accounts. Authorities indicated the assets are now in federal forfeiture proceedings amid a wider surge in AI-driven and social engineering-based crypto fraud losses.

Hong Kong's 2026-27 Budget, presented by Financial Secretary Paul Chan, outlines a new licensing regime in 2026 for digital asset dealing and custodian service providers, alongside tax concessions covering digital assets. The plan builds on 2025 consultations and the Stablecoins Ordinance, and includes AI-focused initiatives and a Digital Asset Accelerator as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the city's role in global finance and technology. Changes to tax laws in the first half of 2026 will also make family office investments in digital assets, precious metals, and commodities eligible for specific tax benefits.

On 25 February 2026, researchers reported an active malware campaign using fake Windows 11 upgrade ads on Facebook to compromise cryptocurrency users. The scheme redirects victims to Microsoft-style clone sites that deliver a malicious installer hiding the "LunarApplication" infostealer. Once executed, the malware targets wallet seed phrases, exchange credentials, and saved passwords while using geofencing and sandbox checks to evade security tools.