Ethiopia's central bank has again warned that virtual assets remain off-limits for the public, even as the country has become a fast-growing hub for Bitcoin mining powered by its hydroelectric surplus. In a notice published Thursday, the National Bank of Ethiopia (@NBEthiopia) said the use, trading or transfer of virtual assets is prohibited unless explicitly approved by the regulator. The statement broadens the scope beyond cryptocurrencies to cover all digital representations of value, including activities such as exchange, transfers, custody and related services. The bank did not announce new regulations or enforcement measures. The renewed stance highlights a policy contradiction: Ethiopia is reportedly selling about 600MW of hydropower to Bitcoin miners, while citizens are barred from using or accessing the asset their electricity supply helps generate.

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, known as the CLARITY Act (H.R. 3633), is moving closer to becoming the U.S. crypto market's defining rulebook. The bill passed the House in July 2025 and advanced out of the Senate Banking Committee on May 14, 2026, in a 15–9 bipartisan vote. By late July 2026, it is lined up for a full Senate vote once negotiators resolve remaining disputes, centered largely on ethics provisions. What the bill does At its core, the CLARITY Act aims to end long-running uncertainty over which regulator oversees what in crypto. It would place "digital commodities" under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), while keeping investment contracts under the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The package also lays out broader market rules, including token classification standards, disclosure requirements, trading platform regulation, custody requirements, and provisions that touch decentralized finance. The politics The bill's bipartisan momentum remains a key feature. During the Banking Committee markup, Democratic Senators Ruben Gallego and Angela Alsobrooks joined Republicans in voting yes. Why Grayscale is pushing for it Zach Pandl, Grayscale's head of research, has called the CLARITY Act a catalyst for institutional-scale adoption. His case: pension funds, endowments, and large asset managers are unlikely to allocate meaningfully to digital assets until federal rules are clearly defined. Pandl has also highlighted networks he expects to be prime beneficiaries of institutional inflows if the bill becomes law, including Ethereum, Solana, BNB, and Canton Network. Chances and remaining hurdles Polymarket odds in May 2026 pegged the likelihood of the CLARITY Act passing in 2026 at about 67%. Senate Republicans have signaled they are preparing updated bill text that includes stronger ethics language, a change viewed as important to winning enough Democratic votes. The ethics provisions are reported to address potential conflicts of interest for officials who oversee digital asset regulation while holding or trading crypto themselves.

Kazakhstan is moving ahead with new "strategic mining" rules while expanding plans for a state cryptocurrency reserve, linking regulated mining activity to national digital-asset accumulation. According to information released via official government channels, authorities are framing crypto mining as a state-relevant, strategic activity rather than a purely private business. The policy approach positions mining as a mechanism that can supply digital assets to the state, reshaping how operators and regulators interact with the sector. Key elements highlighted include: - Strategic framing: Mining is treated as an activity aligned with state objectives. - Regulated operators: The rules target miners operating within Kazakhstan's legal framework. - Reserve linkage: Mining output is intended to support the state's crypto reserve effort. The reserve plan is also evolving. Qazinform reported that Kazakhstan aims to build a national cryptocurrency reserve without using taxpayer funds. Report.az said the state intends to use digital mining as a source of assets for replenishing the reserve, directly tying the mining framework to reserve growth. This expansion follows earlier signals from Kazakhstan around establishing a state crypto reserve fund and pursuing a broader crypto investment strategy, keeping the latest steps in line with an existing national direction. By funding the reserve through mining rather than public spending or direct market purchases, officials present the program as self-sustaining. Related coverage: Kazakhstan's AFM Seizes $16.7 Million in Crypto Exchanges; Tajikistan Reports $3.52M Losses Due to Unauthorized Crypto Mining in 2025. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.

Oasis Pro Markets, the broker-dealer affiliated with Ondo Finance, has received FINRA approval to offer tokenized U.S. stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and IPO access under SEC and FINRA supervision. The authorization is seen as a meaningful step toward expanding the availability of regulated tokenized securities to both U.S. retail and institutional investors. Additional details are available in the comments.

Asset manager Grayscale said it supports advancing the CLARITY Act, arguing the legislation could move through the Senate in the near term. The firm noted the bill's prospects hinge on bipartisan negotiators resolving a handful of outstanding issues.

Ondo Finance said Thursday that its broker-dealer subsidiary, Oasis Pro Markets, has obtained regulatory authorization to offer tokenized equities and funds to U.S. investors under SEC and FINRA oversight, citing a post on the company's official X account. Ondo described Oasis Pro Markets as an SEC-registered broker-dealer. The authorization allows the unit to provide compliant U.S. access to tokenized publicly traded equities, including IPO participation, as well as fund interests such as ETFs, mutual funds and index funds. Ondo said distribution can be conducted via OTC retailing, underwritten primary offerings, private placements and other activities. The clearance broadens Ondo's tokenization footprint in the U.S. Previously, the company said its domestic offerings were focused on tokenized Treasuries products, while tokenized stocks were sold outside the country. Ondo added that Oasis Pro Markets can support omnibus account structures through existing broker-dealer and advisory channels, enabling institutional investors, registered investment advisors and retirement accounts to access tokenized securities through their current brokers. The company said its Ondo Stocks unit has processed more than $20 billion in cumulative volume and holds over $1 billion in tokenized stocks total value locked. Ondo characterized Ondo Stocks as the largest tokenized securities platform, claiming it exceeds all other platforms combined. The post did not provide an independent basis for that ranking, and the figures were presented as company-reported. ONDO traded around $0.40, down 3.73% over 24 hours, with circulating market capitalization near $1.95 billion. Bitcoin fell 1.59% over the same period to about $64,911. Ondo did not disclose a launch date for the U.S. offerings, saying only that the products will be available to American investors and institutions following the approvals.

Tokenization is moving from pilot projects to board-level strategy, according to a new survey from Broadridge Financial Solutions. The study finds 84% of financial firms now view tokenization as a strategic priority, even as regulatory uncertainty continues to be cited as the biggest impediment to broad deployment of tokenized assets. Broadridge's Tokenization Pulse Survey, released July 16, polled 200 senior executives across wealth management, asset management, capital markets, and digital asset firms in the U.S. and Canada. Results show 68% of respondents expect tokenization to partially reshape financial markets within three to five years. Over the longer term, 92% anticipate digital and traditional assets will coexist. Most firms are looking to embed tokenization into existing infrastructure rather than start from scratch. About 69% plan to integrate tokenization into current systems instead of building new platforms. Nearly one-third said they intend to increase tokenization spending by 26% to 50% or more over the next two years. Adoption levels vary sharply by segment. Among capital markets firms, 44% already have tokenization initiatives in production or operating at scale. That compares with 20% of asset managers and 9% of wealth managers. Executives also differ on which products will be tokenized first. Roughly 80% expect tokenized mutual funds and money market funds to become significant within five years, while about 50% say the same for equities. Regulatory uncertainty ranked as the top challenge, ahead of legacy system integration. Integration still remains a major hurdle, with many firms opting for hybrid approaches rather than greenfield builds. For investors, the survey's 92% expectation of long-term coexistence suggests tokenization is less about crypto displacing traditional finance and more about established markets adopting useful elements of digital-asset infrastructure. Tokenized money market funds and mutual funds are widely seen as early candidates, with potential benefits including fractional ownership, faster settlement, and lower fees. With capital markets firms further along than wealth managers (44% versus 9% in production or at scale), early movers may gain structural advantages in settlement efficiency and product distribution.

Kazakhstan on July 18, 2026 approved the "Strategic Digital Mining Implementation Rules," introducing a new regime for designated strategic digital mining companies and expanding the country's plans for a state crypto reserve. Under the rules, eligible miners can be allocated electricity quotas with tariffs capped at the maximum price applied to power producers. In return, they must transfer a portion of the digital assets they mine to Astana Hub. Those assets will be placed under the management of a state investment company operating under the National Bank of Kazakhstan and earmarked for a national strategic crypto reserve. The reserve is permitted to invest in digital assets, derivatives backed by digital assets, and equity stakes in companies engaged in digital-asset development or investment. The rules take effect 10 calendar days after official publication.

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said he is "very supportive of moving the CLARITY Act forward," in comments to Politico, as Senate Republicans circulate updated bill text ahead of a potential floor vote next week. The position sets Goldman Sachs apart from much of the banking industry. This week, six major banking trade groups—including the American Bankers Association—warned that the bill's stablecoin yield provisions could pull funds out of insured deposits and tighten credit availability for local lending. Separately, seven Senate Democrats rejected the revised text within a day, arguing that the updated ethics language still does not go far enough.