The idea that crypto is “untraceable money” took another beating this week. The U.S. Treasury froze $131 million in USDT tied to Iran’s central bank and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The funds were traced through four wallets on the Tron blockchain using on-chain analysis and a direct call to Tether. No elaborate heist, no mystery. Just a paper trail that led straight to sanctioned entities. The tools to follow the money exist, and governments are getting better at using them.
That enforcement action happened the same week the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published its latest annual review, warning that stablecoins now account for the majority of identified illicit on-chain activity. That clearly wasn’t a coincidence. It’s becoming harder to argue that crypto remains outside the reach of regulators, and this week just happened to make the point louder than usual.
On the regulatory front, it looked like a good week.
- Japan formally reclassified crypto as a financial product, putting it in the same legal category as stocks and bonds and opening a path to spot ETFs and lower taxes
- Ripple backed the UK’s plans to bring tokenized finance into wholesale financial markets.
- Bitget launched a unified margin account that lets users trade crypto and tokenized US stocks from a single account.
This same week, Solana hit a new all-time high of 300,000 unique real-world asset holders, extending its lead as the dominant chain for RWA activity.
The AI space had a few notable moments this week. The EU ordered Google to open parts of Android and Search to OpenAI and rival developers under the Digital Markets Act, a ruling that chips away at Google’s grip on two of its most powerful platforms. Google wasn’t pleased, with its Chief Legal Officer warning that the decision risks undermining privacy and security protections for millions of Europeans. The changes don’t kick in until 2027, but the writing is on the wall.
It’s been quite a week. Let’s unpack.
Lead Story of the Week:
U.S. Freezes $131M in Crypto Linked to Iran’s Central Bank (Read More)
The United States has frozen more than $130 million in cryptocurrency linked to Iran’s central bank. The action is part of Operation Economic Fury, the U.S. campaign targeting Iran’s digital asset infrastructure. (Read The Full Story)
Market Highlights
- Bitcoin Open Interest Remains Far Below October Peak
Bitcoin open interest across major centralized exchanges remains well below the record levels seen during the market’s 2025 peak, suggesting traders have yet to return to aggressive leveraged positions. (Read More)
- Ripple Backs UK Plan to Bring Tokenized Finance into Mainstream Markets
Ripple has backed a new UK plan to accelerate the use of blockchain technology in wholesale financial markets, as the country pushes to become a global hub for tokenized assets. (Read More)
- Bitget Launches Unified Margin Account for Crypto and Tokenized US Stocks
Bitget has introduced a Cross-Asset Unified Account (UTA), a new trading system that allows users to manage cryptocurrencies and tokenized US stocks under a single margin account. (Read More)
- Japan Approves Law Recognizing Crypto as Financial Products
Japan has approved amendments to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act that formally classify cryptocurrencies as financial products, marking one of the country’s biggest digital asset policy changes in recent years. (Read More)
Latest News For You
Solana Leads Real-World Asset Tokenization as Active Holders Pass 300,000 (Read More)
Solana has officially become the top blockchain network for real-world asset holders, hitting a brand-new all-time high of over 300,000 active users. (Read Full Story)
AI News Highlights
- EU Tells Google to Give OpenAI and AI Rivals Access to Android and Search (Read More)
The EU has ordered Google to give OpenAI, competing AI developers, and rival search engines access to parts of its Android platform and search services under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
- Strategy Strengthens AI Business With UAE InsuranceMarket.ae Partnership (Read More)
Strategy, the company formerly known as MicroStrategy, has partnered with UAE-based insurance platform InsuranceMarket.ae to expand the use of its enterprise AI technology.
Market Movers
Top Gainers 📈
- iota (SN9) +5,205.48%
The iota (SN9) is rising due to increased enterprise demand and the public rollout of its decentralized “Train at Home” app.
Top Losers 📉
- LAB (LAB) −75.13%
LAB (LAB) plunged this week as heavy selling by insider-linked wallets flooded the market with tokens, triggering a sharp price decline and panic selling.
Source: CoinGecko
Project Spotlight
OKX Launches Unified Market for 40+ Tokenized US Stocks and ETFs
Crypto exchange OKX has launched over 40 tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs, allowing eligible users across Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, the CIS, MENA, and Türkiye to trade assets like Apple, NVIDIA, Tesla, the S&P 500, and Nasdaq-100 directly from their crypto accounts.
Disclaimer: This roundup is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein should be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading or investing in cryptocurrencies carries a considerable risk of financial loss. Always conduct due diligence
Enjoyed this? Bookmark DeFi Planet, explore related topics, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and CoinMarketCap Community for seamless access to high-quality industry insights.
Take control of your crypto portfolio with DEFI PLANET PRO, DeFi Planet’s suite of analytics tools.
