MiCA Takes Full Effect; Taiwan Passes Crypto Law; BlackRock Deposits $295M BTC

EU MiCA takes full effect, forcing unlicensed crypto firms out of Europe The EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) goes into full effect across all 27 member states on July 1, with no extensions or grace periods. Firms without licenses are being forced to suspend or exit operations, marking the industry's transition from regulatory arbitrage to regulated financial infrastructure. 1

Taiwan passes sweeping crypto law with licensing, stablecoin reserves, and prison penalties Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed the Virtual Asset Service Act, requiring all crypto service providers to obtain licenses from the Financial Supervisory Commission. Stablecoin issuers must maintain 100% asset reserves and gain approval from both the central bank and FSC. Unauthorized operations face up to seven years in prison and fines up to NT$100 million ($3.14 million). 23

BlackRock deposits $295M in Bitcoin to Coinbase Prime amid market downturn Lookonchain reported that BlackRock deposited approximately 4,984.56 BTC (worth ~$295 million) and 30,725 ETH (~$48.58 million) to Coinbase Prime. The move signals strong institutional interest despite Bitcoin trading near yearly lows around $58,000. 4

UK FCA finalizes crypto rules as firms face 2027 access deadline The UK Financial Conduct Authority finalized its crypto regulatory framework, setting a 2027 deadline for firms to comply with access requirements. The rules aim to bring crypto activities under standard financial oversight. 5

Bank of England publishes joint stablecoin regulation framework with FCA The BoE published its approach to regulating systemic stablecoin issuers jointly with the FCA. The FCA will oversee all UK-issued non-systemic stablecoins and their use in retail payments, while the BoE handles systemic stablecoins. 6

MetaMask launches Money Account combining stablecoin yield, spending, and trading MetaMask launched a self-custodial Money Account on the Monad blockchain that lets users earn up to 4% variable yield on stablecoins, spend via the MetaMask Card (Mastercard), and trade from one account. The account uses MetaMask's proprietary mUSD stablecoin. 7

Ethereum Foundation stakes $7.86M in ETH via Lido Finance On-chain data shows the Ethereum Foundation staked 4,938 ETH (worth ~$7.86 million) through Lido Finance. The move comes as ETH price holds above $1,500 with rising staking activity and falling exchange balances. 8

StarkWare unveils quantum-resistant roadmap for Starknet StarkWare released a three-phased quantum-resistant roadmap for Starknet, arguing the crypto industry has 'no excuse' for remaining vulnerable to future quantum computing attacks. The roadmap leverages Starknet's zero-knowledge STARK proofs, which are inherently post-quantum safe. 9

JPMorgan warns rushed US crypto rules could create market loopholes JPMorgan warned that rushed US crypto regulation could create market loopholes as the Senate races toward a July vote on the CLARITY Act. The bank cautioned that hasty rulemaking might leave gaps that could be exploited. 10

US starts clock on KYC checks for dollar-to-stablecoin conversions, DeFi exempt The US has begun implementing identity verification requirements for converting dollars to stablecoins, but decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms remain outside the new rules for now. 11

Webull Canada to offer crypto trading Webull Canada announced it will begin offering crypto trading services, expanding retail access to digital assets in the Canadian market. 12

UniswapX launches, aiming to reshape DeFi interoperability and MEV UniswapX launched with a focus on improving interoperability and addressing maximal extractable value (MEV) in decentralized exchanges. The launch is gaining traction in the DeFi community for its potential to attract liquidity and innovative trading strategies. 13