A major obstacle to advancing the federal Clarity Act has been removed after the National Sheriffs' Association withdrew its objections, clearing a key path toward comprehensive digital-asset legislation. The shift follows extended negotiations focused on anti-money laundering (AML) requirements and law enforcement access to blockchain transaction data. The association had been one of the bill's most prominent critics, formally opposing the measure in July 2026.

FinCEN has tied an estimated $12.7 billion in illicit proceeds to cryptocurrency scams run by networks operating out of compounds across Asia.

AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron has publicly criticized Robinhood's "AMC Stock Token," saying AMC has no connection to the product and has not authorized or endorsed it. Aron called the practice "contemptible, outrageous, disgusting, inexcusable." He added that the tokens are not registered under U.S. securities laws and said outside securities counsel is reviewing the matter. Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev responded by asking, "What's the concern?" Robinhood disclosures describe Stock Tokens as tokenized debt securities issued by its Jersey entity. The products are designed to provide economic exposure to the underlying shares without granting actual ownership rights. Separately, the Robinhood Chain meme token MEME, which is paired with tokenized AMC in its liquidity pool, jumped to a market capitalization of about $125.6 million and briefly peaked near $151.2 million.

House Republican leaders have canceled eight House voting days in September, sharply narrowing the runway for the CLARITY Act and making passage before the midterm elections highly unlikely. Under the revised schedule, lawmakers return to Washington on September 14 for four days of votes, then depart until the post-election session begins in November. That compressed calendar is now the central hurdle, because even if the Senate advances its version, the bill cannot be sent to President Donald Trump without final House approval. The CLARITY Act would split digital-asset oversight between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). It also includes restrictions barring government officials and their spouses from holding or promoting cryptocurrencies while in public office. In the Senate, lawmakers are expected to take up a cloture motion on September 15. Reaching cloture would require 60 votes to open debate, but would not by itself complete passage or deliver the legislation to the president. The House passed its version in July 2025 by a bipartisan 294-134 vote. Senate committees, though, have drafted separate language that would need to be reconciled before a final measure could clear Congress. Political divisions have already surfaced, including a narrow 12-11 party-line vote in the Senate Agriculture Committee to advance its proposal. SEC Chair Paul Atkins said in a recent Fox News interview that the bill represents the most significant step toward positioning the U.S. as the "crypto capital of the world," and urged Congress to move the legislation to the president's desk. Any Senate amendments would require the House to vote again, and with the House absent for most of the remaining pre-midterm period, Senate action in September would likely leave the bill waiting until November. The cancelled sessions shift the approval window into the post-election agenda, when congressional priorities could change.

Rep. French Hill said Democrats and Republicans are continuing talks to narrow remaining differences over the CLARITY Act, the long-anticipated crypto market structure bill. The legislation is expected to come to a vote in the House on Sept. 15. Hill said sustained bipartisan cooperation is essential to creating clearer rules for the digital asset industry. A key sticking point remains ethics provisions addressing government officials' cryptocurrency-related activities. Democrats have objected to the current wording, while Republicans say the bill should advance. If enacted, the CLARITY Act would spell out when digital assets are regulated as securities, commodities, or under stablecoin oversight. Source: Fox Business

Brazil's central bank reported that domestic cryptocurrency purchases totaled $572 million in July, down nearly 80% from $2.6 billion in June and almost 60% lower than $1.4 billion in July 2025, according to Mars Finance. Fernando Rocha, head of statistics at the Banco Central do Brasil (BCB), said the shift points to crypto exchanges adjusting to a new digital-asset regulatory framework. He highlighted tighter anti-money-laundering controls and governance requirements as key drivers behind the drop in transaction volumes. Since the start of 2026, cumulative crypto purchases in Brazil have reached $15.25 billion, more than double the $7.6 billion recorded over the same period in 2025. The BCB added that most of the activity has been concentrated in stablecoins.

The National Sheriffs' Association, a leading U.S. law enforcement organization, said it no longer opposes the Clarity Act. The group stated that "the most appropriate course is to step back and allow the legislative process to proceed" in order to establish a "much needed regulatory framework."

South Korea's financial regulators on Friday set out a roadmap to build the infrastructure needed to tokenize traditional securities and enable settlement using stablecoins. Officials from the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said the plan would support tokenization of assets such as stocks, bonds and funds, and broaden security token offerings (STOs) beyond fractional investment products by February 2027. FSC Vice Chairman Kwon Daeyoung said authorities aim to "lay foundations" for tokenized issuance and secondary circulation across mainstream securities, with the longer-term objective of upgrading capital-market plumbing for a digitally connected market. South Korea is one of the world's most active retail investment hubs, with 11.3 million verified crypto users. Its stock market often posts daily turnover levels comparable to major crypto exchanges. Extending tokenization from niche fractional products to conventional securities would move the country closer to a fully digital capital-market infrastructure. The policy push comes as Asia's role in crypto markets expands. An Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report said the region recorded the fastest growth globally and accounted for 30% of worldwide stablecoin trading activity in 2025. Japan last week unveiled plans for a national blockchain settlement system for stocks and government bonds, targeting rollout in the early 2030s. Singapore this week finalized its stablecoin licensing framework. Under Korea's roadmap, phase one begins in February 2027 and covers securities governed by the Electronic Registration Act, money market funds and bonds for institutional investors, unlisted shares issued via trust structures, and publicly offered fractional investment securities. Phase two would extend tokenization to all publicly offered securities. Phase three would establish an onchain payment infrastructure linked to stablecoins. The timing of phases two and three will depend on phase one outcomes, market adoption of the technology and pending stablecoin legislation. Investor protections include caps on individual subscriptions set at the lower of 30 million won ($22,000) or 5% of total issuance volume, the FSC said. Annual net purchases on over-the-counter (OTC) exchanges will be limited to about $74,000. Licensed financial firms will be permitted to handle tokenized securities under their existing licenses. Issuers that manage their own securities accounts must maintain at least $3 million in equity capital and satisfy designated IT and cybersecurity requirements. The FSC said it plans to submit proposals to revise subsidiary legislation by the end of September.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance on Thursday renewed public pressure on the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, framing a cut as an appropriate response to recent inflation data even as Fed officials signal a more cautious stance. Speaking at a White House press briefing on Sept. 3, Vance said, \"We believe the Federal Reserve should cut interest rates,\" calling it a \"correct and responsible\" move in light of recent inflation figures. He added that the administration is working to push borrowing costs down but would welcome assistance from the central bank: \"We are doing a lot to bring down rates, but it would be better if we could get some help from the Federal Reserve.\" Vance tied the administration's push for lower rates directly to housing affordability, saying the president is focused on helping Americans buy homes and that higher rates raise borrowing costs. CNBC reported the comments were made in response to a question about how the Trump administration views swings in the U.S. bond market. The remarks come less than two weeks ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting scheduled for Sept. 15–16. Market expectations remain split. CME Group's FedWatch shows traders are currently pricing nearly even odds on whether the meeting results in a rate hike, underscoring heightened uncertainty. Vance's call diverges from recent messages from inside the Fed. Less than a week ago at the Jackson Hole symposium in Wyoming, Chair Jerome Powell — nominated by Trump — reiterated his commitment to returning inflation to the 2% target and described short-term interest rates as the \"primary tool\" for meeting the Fed's dual mandate, language investors took as potentially pointing toward further tightening. Fed officials remain divided. On Tuesday, Governor Michael Barr said he is prepared to support additional rate increases if inflation stays elevated. Earlier Thursday, Governor Christopher Waller signaled a preference to keep rates unchanged. This is not Vance's first public intervention. In June, after the Bureau of Labor Statistics released May CPI data, Vance and Trump posted on X urging the Fed to cut rates. May headline CPI rose 0.1% month over month, with core CPI also up 0.1%; the year-over-year rates were 2.4% and 2.8%, respectively, still above the Fed's 2% goal. At the time, Vance said, \"The president has said this all along, but it's now clearer than ever: the Fed's refusal to cut rates is a failure of monetary policy.\" During the same period, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the Fed should cut rates by a full percentage point, arguing it would materially reduce interest costs as U.S. debt matures. CNBC said Vance's latest comments could amplify concerns about political pressure undermining the Fed's independence. Trump previously pressed Powell's predecessor to sharply cut rates and is now seeking to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook. The Fed last lowered interest rates in December 2024. Since then, policymakers have held steady, repeatedly warning that tariff policies could lift prices in the future.