Hong Kong2026-10-06 10:45:27Hong Kong reiterates plan to submit crypto licensing bill amendments by end-2026Hong Kong has reiterated that it will submit amendments to its crypto-asset licensing bill by the end of 2026, keeping in place a timeline previously outlined by local officials. The proposed changes are intended to create a licensing regime covering digital asset trading, custody, advisory and management services. Christopher Hui, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, said the amendments are meant to respond to developments in the fintech sector. His latest remarks echo a statement he made in January, when he said regulators were planning to put forward a crypto regulatory proposal before the end of 2026. The update also comes as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, or HKMA, has already begun processing license applications from stablecoin issuers. In April, the HKMA granted the first stablecoin issuer licenses to Anchorpoint Financial and Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. The report was cited by Cointelegraph and carried by BlockBeats on Oct. 6.110
Hong Kong2026-10-06 10:33:37Hong Kong reiterates plan to submit crypto licensing bill amendments by end-2026Hong Kong has restated that it will submit amendments to its crypto-asset licensing bill by the end of 2026, setting out a licensing regime that would cover digital asset trading, custody, advisory, and management services. Christopher Hui, the city’s Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, said the amendments are intended to respond to developments in financial technology. Hui had already said in January that regulators were aiming to put forward a crypto regulatory proposal before the end of 2026. Separately, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority has begun processing license applications from stablecoin issuers. In April, it granted the first stablecoin issuer licenses to Anchorpoint Financial and Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, according to the report cited by Odaily.90
Binance2026-09-18 08:50:38Binance declines to address Lagarde report, says it still seeks MiCA authorization in EuropeBinance said it would not comment on reports that European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde intervened in the exchange’s failed Greek crypto license application, while reiterating that it remains committed to securing authorization in Europe under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, or MiCA. The latest report, published by The Wall Street Journal on Friday, said a vice chair of Greece’s Hellenic Capital Market Commission told Binance that Lagarde had asked Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis not to approve the application. The report also said Greek officials had informed the European Securities and Markets Authority in early June that the regulator intended to approve the license. Binance later withdrew its Greek application and said, just days before the July 1 MiCA deadline, that it would seek authorization in another EU jurisdiction. The European Central Bank declined to comment, and Cointelegraph said it had also contacted the Greek regulator but had not received a response by the time of publication.460
Japan regulat2026-08-26 13:26:11Nomura’s Laser Digital wins a rare Japan crypto license and heads straight for institutional flowJapan has added its first new licensed crypto trading operator since 2022, with Laser Digital Japan, a unit of Nomura Holdings, completing its crypto-asset exchange registration on Aug. 21. The approval ends a nearly four-year stretch without a new entrant and stands out not only because of the scarcity of licenses, but because of what Nomura plans to do with it. Laser Digital is not starting with retail. Its initial plan is to provide liquidity to licensed domestic virtual asset service providers in Japan, then expand into digital asset trading for institutional investors. That approach reflects the structure of Japan’s market, where established platforms such as Coincheck, bitFlyer, bitbank, SBI VC Trade, GMO Coin and Binance Japan already dominate retail channels with existing users, apps, brands and payment rails. The move also lands as Japan is reshaping how crypto fits into its wider financial system. Legal amendments passed in July 2026 set a direction for shifting crypto trading oversight from the Payment Services Act to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. Tax reform proposals for fiscal 2026 also point to a 20% separate tax rate for qualifying crypto trading gains, with losses allowed to be carried forward for three years, subject to the regulatory changes taking effect. At the same time, a new intermediary framework introduced in June is lowering the cost for financial institutions to offer crypto-related services without operating a full exchange themselves.1060
Pakistan2026-08-24 05:32:59Pakistan opens crypto licensing portal, sets Sept. 5, 2026 deadline for existing VASPsPakistan has opened a licensing application portal for virtual asset service providers, or VASPs, according to Techub News, which cited Cointelegraph. Under the country’s new regulatory framework for crypto assets, existing VASPs are required to submit applications for a no-objection certificate, or NOC, by Sept. 5, 2026. Firms that fail to do so face the prospect of being forced to stop operations. The update points to a formal application process now being put in place for crypto service providers already operating in the market. No additional details on the scope of the portal, the application process, or the number of affected firms were provided in the source item.680
Pakistan2026-08-24 05:36:50Pakistan opens virtual asset licensing portal, sets Sept. 5 deadline for existing providers to seek NOCPakistan’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, or PVARA, has opened its licensing portal and set a compliance deadline for firms already operating in the country’s crypto sector. Companies that were providing virtual asset services on or before March 5 must apply for a no-objection certificate, known as an NOC, by Sept. 5. Firms that do not apply by that date must stop operating, and those that continue to run their business without filing after the deadline will be acting illegally. The new framework covers a broad range of services tied to virtual assets. That list includes exchanges, custody, brokerage trading, lending, derivatives, asset management, token issuance, and mining-related services. PVARA also laid out two entry routes for providers: they may first apply for an NOC, or test products in a regulatory sandbox supervised by the authority before seeking a full license. Licensed firms will face several operating requirements. They must keep client assets separate from their own funds and may not lend or stake customer assets without written consent. They are also required to meet standards on governance, market conduct, cybersecurity, operational resilience, anti-money laundering, and counter-terrorist financing. According to Cointelegraph, PVARA has already issued NOCs to companies including Binance and HTX.1230
ESMA2026-07-27 16:06:40ESMA adds 15 crypto asset service providers to MiCA registerThe European Securities and Markets Authority updated its Markets in Crypto-Assets register on Thursday, adding 15 crypto-asset service providers, or CASPs. The new entries include newly compliant firms from Bulgaria, Denmark and Latvia, according to the update cited by Cointelegraph. The move marks the latest step in the rollout of the MiCA framework after earlier batches of authorized entities were added following the July 1 deadline. ESMA is still processing applications from providers seeking authorization, while companies continue moving through licensing procedures needed to operate in the European market. The latest additions show that the approval pipeline remains active as more firms work toward regulatory clearance under the EU’s new crypto regime.2060
Canada regula2026-07-24 09:55:16Canada Revokes 47 Crypto MSB Licenses in Broad FINTRAC Enforcement PushCanadian regulators revoked 50 MSB licenses, including 47 tied to crypto firms, as FINTRAC tightened enforcement on AML controls, reporting failures, and record-keeping standards.310
