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The Fintech Landscape of Kazakhstan in 2026

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The Fintech Landscape of Kazakhstan in 2026

The following is a fintech and wider digital and economic development overview of the Asian nation of Kazakhstan in 2026.

Kazakhstan’s fintech evolution in 2026 reflects a country that has moved decisively from resource dependence towards digital ambition. Once defined primarily by oil, gas and mineral wealth, the nation is now positioning itself as a regional digital finance leader. This is bridging Central Asia, Europe and Asia through infrastructure, regulation and innovation.

Kazakhstan’s economy is valued at $270billion, making it the largest in Central Asia. Its core sectors remain oil and gas, mining, manufacturing and services, with hydrocarbons continuing to dominate exports. Its gross domestic product (GDP) per capita stands at around $13,000, reflecting upper-middle-income status and relatively high purchasing power compared to regional peers.

Digital economic transformation: from nomad trails to digital rails

Kazakhstan’s digital transformation has been guided by long-term national strategies, including Digital Kazakhstan, which aims to modernise the economy through technology, innovation and connectivity.

The strategy focuses on expanding digital infrastructure and broadband connectivity, supporting innovation ecosystems and startups, digitising government services and public administration, and developing the financial technology sector.

Internet penetration exceeds 90 per cent and smartphone usage is widespread, enabling strong adoption of digital services.

Kazakhstan has also invested in positioning itself as a regional financial and fintech hub, with the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) offering a regulatory environment based on English common law and attracting international investment. The country’s transformation is less about catching up and more about leapfrogging into a digitally integrated financial system.

Financial services sector: platformisation and digital leadership

Baiterek Tower in Astana, Kazakhstan, rises over a vibrant cityscape with modern skyscrapers and colorful autumn trees IMAGE SOURCE GETTY

The country’s financial hub is Almaty, alongside the growing role of the AIFC. Among the largest banks are Halyk Bank, Kaspi Bank, and Bank CenterCredit. They have been central to both traditional banking and digital financial innovation.

Kazakhstan’s financial services sector has undergone one of the most rapid digital transformations in the region. Unlike many emerging markets, where fintech operates alongside traditional banking, Kazakhstan has seen the rise of bank-led digital ecosystems.

Mobile banking, digital wallets and super apps have become central to daily financial activity, with banks offering integrated services spanning payments, e-commerce, lending and lifestyle services.

The National Bank of Kazakhstan (NBK – the country’s central bank) and associated regulatory bodies have played a critical role in shaping this ecosystem.

Key initiatives include:

  • Expansion of instant payment systems – Kazakhstan has continued to develop real-time payment infrastructure, enabling faster and more efficient transactions across the economy.
  • Open banking and API development – The country has advanced open banking frameworks, encouraging data-sharing and collaboration between banks and fintech firms.
  • Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) development – The NBK has progressed its digital tenge project, moving into pilot phases and exploring use cases for retail payments, government transfers and financial inclusion
  • Regulatory innovation via the AIFC – The AIFC has provided a sandbox environment for fintech companies, enabling experimentation and attracting both domestic and international firms
  • Strengthening fintech regulation – Authorities have refined licensing and oversight frameworks to balance innovation with financial stability.

These initiatives reflect a coordinated approach to building a digitally native financial system, where infrastructure, regulation and innovation are closely aligned.

Financial inclusion: high access, deep usage

Kazakhstan has achieved relatively high levels of financial inclusion. Estimates suggest that around 90 per cent of adults have access to a bank account, reflecting widespread availability of financial services.

More importantly, usage levels are also high. Digital payments, mobile banking and online financial services are widely adopted, particularly in urban areas.

Government programmes and digital infrastructure have helped extend access to rural populations, micro and small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and younger, digitally native users. This has shifted the focus from access to quality, convenience and ecosystem integration.

Fintech ecosystem: bank-led innovation with growing diversity

Kazakhstan’s fintech ecosystem is relatively compact but highly dynamic, with an estimated 300 fintech companies operating across payments, lending, insurtech and digital banking.

Several players illustrate the evolution of the sector include: Kaspi.kz (The country’s flagship fintech platform, integrating payments, e-commerce and financial services into a single ecosystem), Halyk Bank (A leading bank driving digital banking and financial services innovation), Freedom Finance (Expanding digital investment and brokerage services), and ForteBank (Investing in digital banking platforms and customer experience).

Unlike many markets, Kazakhstan’s fintech growth has been driven by large, established institutions evolving into digital platforms, rather than purely startup-led disruption.

Conclusion: a digital-first financial future

Kazakhstan’s fintech journey reflects a country that has embraced digital transformation with clarity and intent.

In 2026, financial services are increasingly seamless, integrated and accessible. While challenges remain, Kazakhstan is demonstrating how coordinated policy, infrastructure and innovation can turn a resource-based economy into a digitally driven financial ecosystem. This is one that is both inclusive and forward-looking.

Paystand Launches USDb Stablecoin On Bitcoin Layers For $100T B2B Payments

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Paystand Launches USDb Stablecoin On Bitcoin Layers For $100T B2B Payments

Paystand announced the launch of USDb, a stablecoin designed specifically for commercial-scale business finance, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, and treasury operations, on the Bitcoin network.

Paystand is a Bitcoin-powered B2B payments network that processes accounts receivable and accounts payable for more than one million businesses across North America and Latin America. The company has handled over $20 billion in payment volume and built a full-stack CFO platform through acquisitions of Yaydoo, Teampay, and Bitwage, covering AR automation, spend management, LATAM compliance, and cross-border payroll. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, Paystand operates Paystand.org, a non-profit advancing financial inclusion through Bitcoin.

According to a press release shared with Bitcoin Magazine, USDb is backed 1:1 by USD reserves and is native two Blockstream’s Liquid network as well as Rootstock, both layers on top of Bitcoin. The company is pursuing a dual licensing strategy to support both U.S. and international growth. In the U.S., Paystand expects to launch in a GENIUS-aligned manner and achieve full compliance by the end of 2026. Internationally, the company “already maintains licenses enabling digital asset and wallet operations in relevant jurisdictions” according to Meredith Petty, GM at Paystand. Both the U.S. and international offerings are intended to be fully backed 1:1 by USD, with any distinctions relating only to regulatory structure, distribution, and use case rather than reserve backing.

The announcement was made on stage at Bitcoin Las Vegas. Paystand positions USDb as infrastructure for the roughly “$100 trillion B2B economy”, rather than for crypto trading or retail transfers. Its integration with Rootstock and the Liquid Network should bring a significant volumes and market activity to the Bitcoin ecosystem, with Ibex serving as USDb’s first minting partner and liquidity provider. 

“AI is eating labor. Bitcoin is eating capital. Stablecoins are eating financial services. USDb is where those three forces converge, and we’re launching it with the largest real-world business use case on the planet. USDb gives businesses a programmable digital dollar that works where they actually work. This isn’t infrastructure waiting for customers. This is the moment the B2B economy goes on-chain,” said Jeremy Almond, CEO of Paystand.

USDb launches with immediate adoption through Paystand’s acquisition of Bitwage in November 2025. Bitwage supports payroll and workforce payments for more than 90,000 workers and 4,500 businesses in nearly 200 countries, providing an initial cross-border payment corridor.

The stablecoin is engineered for integration with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and existing business workflows. It is also designed to “support AI-driven, machine-to-machine transactions as agentic systems handle more financial operations,” according to the press release.

Paystand will initially roll out USDb to its own network. Expansion to external partners, additional enterprise customers, and broader Bitcoin infrastructure providers is planned throughout 2026.

Editorial Disclaimer: We leverage AI as part of our editorial workflow, including to support research, image generation, and quality assurance processes. All content is directed, reviewed, and approved by our editorial team, who are accountable for accuracy and integrity. AI-generated images use only tools trained on properly licensed material. In Bitcoin, as in media: Don’t trust. Verify.

Allianz UK and LV= Announce New Long-Term Partnership

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Allianz UK and LV= Announce New Long-Term Partnership

Investment, protection and retirement specialist LV= is one of the UK’s leading life and pensions mutual insurers, and is a widely recognised and trusted brand. Allianz acquired LV’s General Insurance business in 2019.

The agreement with LV= is an important step in Allianz’s strategy to continue growing its presence in the UK retail insurance sector using a multi-partner distribution strategy. Collaborating with trusted brands enables Allianz to expand its distribution footprint and deliver a wide range of tailored insurance solutions and exceptional service for a wide range of customers.

Ulf Lange, Managing Director for Personal Lines at Allianz UK, said: “We are delighted to have agreed this new partnership, which will enable us to continue to offer customers home, motor and pet insurance using the popular LV= brand.

“This partnership strengthens the relationship between two trusted organisations who look after millions of customers across the UK and who share a passion for excellent customer service. Allianz has made great strides in the UK retail market over the past year, and this agreement highlights the strength of Allianz UK and the high-quality insurance and claims services that we provide. We will continue to offer customers innovative and flexible insurance products and services that meet their changing needs.”

David Hynam, LV= Chief Executive, said:  “As one of the leading mutual insurers in the UK, the extension of our successful long standing relationship with Allianz is a positive outcome for both businesses and for LV= members. This new agreement ensures the LV= brand continues to have a strong presence in the UK personal lines market.

“The LV= brand remains highly trusted and recognised, and is consistently ranked amongst the most recommended by customers. This partnership reflects our shared values of putting service excellence at the heart of our much loved brand.”

What next as Ripple-linked token drops under $1.40

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What next as Ripple-linked token drops under $1.40

XRP finally gave way at $1.40, and the way it broke matters more than the move itself. This wasn’t a slow drift lower. It was a high-volume push that cleared a level buyers had defended for weeks. Once that kind of support goes, it usually doesn’t snap back quickly. It tends to flip, and that’s exactly the test now.

News Background

• Bitcoin dominance pushed toward 60%, reinforcing a rotation out of altcoins and limiting follow-through demand for XRP.

• The multi-month triangle structure that had been compressing price finally resolved, with the move breaking lower instead of triggering the expected upside expansion.

Price Action Summary

• XRP dropped from $1.44 to $1.39, breaking cleanly through the $1.40 support zone.
• The move was driven by a sharp spike in participation, not thin liquidity.
• Price is now stabilizing just below the breakdown level, trading in a tight $1.39–$1.40 range.

Technical Analysis

• The key shift is structural. $1.40 was support, now it’s resistance unless reclaimed quickly.
• Volume expanding into the breakdown confirms real selling pressure, not just positioning noise.
• The triangle pattern that held price for weeks has resolved lower, removing the compression support.
• Short-term bounces are showing up, but they’re reactive, not strong enough to reverse the move yet.

What traders should watch

• $1.40 is now the pivot. Reclaim it with volume, and the breakdown starts to look like a fakeout.
• $1.37 is the next downside level. Losing that opens the path toward deeper support near $1.31.
• If price keeps holding below $1.40, sellers stay in control and rallies are likely to get sold.

SEC, CFTC Chiefs Signal ‘New Day’ For Onshore Crypto

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SEC, CFTC Chiefs Signal ‘New Day’ For Onshore Crypto

SEC Chair Paul Atkins and CFTC Chair Mike Selig used back‑to‑back fireside chats on the Nakamoto Stage at The Bitcoin 2026 Conference to signal a reset in Washington’s approach to digital assets, tokenization, and market structure. 

Atkins described it as “a new day at the SEC,” while Selig said regulators are “turning over a new page” and need to harmonize their efforts.

Atkins said the SEC is taking a new approach to digital assets and wants that activity onshore rather than pushed to foreign jurisdictions. He said the SEC and CFTC are now working together on digital assets and aim to set a new benchmark for inter‑agency collaboration.

That cooperation underpins the joint token taxonomy guidance, which draws lines between digital commodities, collectibles, and tokenized securities and offers a framework market participants can use as they classify assets.

Atkins revisited the long‑running debate over how the Howey test and existing securities laws apply to crypto. Atkins said the SEC is trying to apply that framework to digital assets, tokens, and related instruments while grappling with the boundary between securities and commodities. 

Atkins: “Innovation exemption” is coming

He indicated that an “innovation exemption” is coming, designed to give crypto projects room to build within a defined regulatory lane instead of staying in a gray area or moving offshore.

Atkins tied that effort to Congress and said legislators need to speak clearly on digital assets so there are durable rules and so entrepreneurs can pursue their goals in the United States.

He argued that it is important to have a statute that is future proof for this space and said nothing future proofs of a market like clear statutory law drafted with emerging technology in mind. He pointed to token taxonomy guidance as a step in that direction but stressed that a statute from Congress would anchor policy across administrations.

On the recent guidance, Atkins said the agencies wanted to provide principles and definitions without publishing a prescriptive list of tokens or implying recommendations about what investors should buy. He cited President Donald Trump’s GENIUS Act on stablecoins as an example of a principles‑based regulatory model that leaves room for innovation while drawing firm boundaries around risk. 

He said the SEC is focused on tokenized securities through a principles‑based approach rather than detailed product‑by‑product prescriptions.

Atkins also addressed the Clarity Act and broader crypto market structure legislation. He said there could be movement on that package in May, with the possibility of passage in June, but he cautioned that nothing is guaranteed. 

If crypto structure reform does not pass, he said, industry participants should remember that elections have consequences, pointing to pivots at both the SEC and CFTC as evidence of how quickly supervisory priorities can shift.

Looking ahead, Atkins framed crypto and blockchain technology as the most exciting aspect of the current transition. He highlighted the prospect of instantaneous settlement and said faster settlement can reduce risk in the financial system.

Instant or near‑instant settlement, he argued, can shrink counterparty and settlement risk and free up capital that is now tied up in back‑office processes. He said regulators are trying to foster that outcome rather than stand in its way.

Atkins said “this is a new day at the SEC” and previewed the agency’s next step: an initiative that will allow firms to experiment on‑chain with tokenized and securitized instruments over the next few weeks. 

Under that effort, companies will be able to test tokenization in a supervised environment while staying within federal securities law. He framed this as part of the coming innovation exemption, intended to open a sandbox for tokenized securities under clear parameters rather than through informal no‑action relief.

Selig: CFTC is turning a new page on crypto

In his own session, Selig echoed the theme of regulatory reset. He said the CFTC is “turning over a new page” in its approach to digital assets and emphasized the need to harmonize the agency’s work with the SEC. For markets that trade products with both commodity‑like and security‑like features, he said, the two agencies need a coordinated framework instead of overlapping or conflicting rules.

Selig also grounded his remarks in a broader principle, saying “our country was founded on the idea of private property.” In the context of crypto, that line underscored his view that token holders and innovators should have clear, enforceable rights in law. 

He suggested that a coherent crypto market structure for digital assets should respect property rights and give market participants predictable rules, rather than drive activity into less regulated jurisdictions.

Prices pressured by Fed uncertainty, oil, and AI slowdown

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Prices pressured by Fed uncertainty, oil, and AI slowdown

Bitcoin BTC$77,642.53 is down 3% in Asian morning trading, holding near $77,000 as markets brace for a week packed with macro catalysts. The move appears driven more by caution than a shift in sentiment.

In a note to CoinDesk, Singapore-based Enflux, a market maker, said traders are reluctant to push bitcoin higher ahead of Wednesday’s rate decision and a cluster of data releases later in the week, including GDP, PCE inflation, and the Employment Cost Index. Together, those prints will shape expectations for when, or if, the Fed can begin cutting rates in the second half of the year.

For now, the biggest constraint is oil. Brent crude remains above $100, complicating the inflation outlook and raising the bar for a dovish signal from Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

According to Enflux, the market is operating under two competing assumptions: that geopolitical tensions will eventually ease, but any resolution will not arrive quickly enough to influence near-term policy. That combination has effectively priced out rate cuts for June (Polymarket bettors give a 95% chance of ‘no change’) and created a more ambiguous backdrop for risk assets.

In that environment, bitcoin has struggled to break above key technical levels. The cryptocurrency is trading roughly 4% below its short-term holder cost basis near $80,700, a level often viewed as a proxy for marginal buyer conviction.

Moving decisively above it would likely require a clear signal from the Fed that oil-driven inflation will prove temporary. Absent that, Enflux expects bitcoin to trade tentatively into Thursday’s data releases, with a sharper move more likely tied to the macro prints than to the Fed statement itself.

Looking beyond this week, a less visible force may also be shaping bitcoin’s next moves. The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that OpenAI has missed key revenue targets, raising questions about the pace of AI demand.

Listed BTC mining companies have taken on significant debt while also selling portions of their treasuries to pivot to hosting AI data centers – a venture believed to be more profitable than mining.

A slowdown in this pivot could, in theory, slow selling.

When demand for compute is strong, miners have both the incentive and the financing to keep building, often leading to continued BTC sales to fund capex and service debt.

But if OpenAI’s miss signals that AI growth may not keep pace with those expectations, the dynamic becomes more complex. A slowdown in AI expansion could ease that miner-driven selling over time, removing a source of supply.

The problem is timing: sell pressure on semiconductor and data stocks, because of weaker tech and risk appetite, would likely bring down the crypto market, while any relief from slower miner selling would come later.

In that sense, the AI story only reinforces Enflux’s broader point. The market is stuck between competing macro forces, and any slowdown in AI demand adds another layer of uncertainty without immediately resolving the ones that matter most for price.

For now, that keeps bitcoin trading in the same narrow band, waiting for a clearer signal.

Lawmakers Warn Crypto Leadership Will Decide U.S. Leadership

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Lawmakers Warn Crypto Leadership Will Decide U.S. Leadership

U.S. lawmakers and White House officials used a Nakamoto Stage panel to argue that clear crypto rules will decide whether the United States leads or cedes ground in the next phase of financial innovation.

The discussion, titled “Are We Getting More Clarity?”, focused on the Clarity Act, enforcement under past administrations, and the risk that political swings could undo progress on crypto regulation.

Senator Cynthia Lummis warned that another hostile administration would mean “game over for sensible regulation,” framing the 2026 election cycle as a direct test of whether Congress can lock in a durable framework for digital assets. 

She argued that predictable rules are now essential for builders and capital, and said the industry cannot plan around policy that shifts with each change in the White House. Lummis also pushed back on concerns about crypto and crime, saying “it’s easier to solve crimes in digital assets than fiat currencies” because transaction records give law enforcement a trail that cash does not.

Witt:USA should dominate in crypto

White House digital asset adviser Patrick Witt set out an aggressive vision for U.S. leadership. “We want to dominate,” he said, calling crypto “the future of financial infrastructure” and tying that claim directly to passage of the Clarity Act. He said that once lawmakers deliver a clear regime for digital assets, “Bitcoin and crypto will take off like a rocketship,” with greater integration into markets and the banking system. 

Witt described the bill’s focus as defining obligations for exchanges that list exchange-traded products, wallet providers, and developers who build on Bitcoin, and said that set of rules is “critically important” so market participants understand their responsibilities and can connect Bitcoin more deeply to the broader financial system.

Witt also criticized earlier policy and enforcement choices. He said the industry “got wrongly targeted and criticized” in recent years, which he argued pushed innovation offshore and let foreign hubs claim core parts of the market. 

He pointed to the location of the largest centralized exchanges outside the United States as “a failure of U.S. leadership,” and cast the Clarity Act as a chance to reverse that trend. In his view, the measure could bring trading venues and developers back onshore and support a domestic ecosystem around Bitcoin exchange-traded products, custody, and payments infrastructure.

Across the panel, speakers returned to the same question: whether Washington will offer lasting clarity or continue to rely on fragmented enforcement. Lummis framed the stakes in terms of investor protection and national competitiveness, while Witt stressed the opportunity to anchor the next wave of financial infrastructure in the United States. Both cast the coming legislative window, and the election that follows it, as a turning point for Bitcoin, broader crypto markets, and the country’s role in them.

U.S. Tops Global Crypto Interest Ranking as Investors Keep Buying Despite Bitcoin Pullback

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U.S. Tops Global Crypto Interest Ranking as Investors Keep Buying Despite Bitcoin Pullback

The United States remains the world’s most active market for cryptocurrency investor interest, according to a new CoinInsider study, even after Bitcoin’s retreat from last year’s record highs.

The report ranked 30 countries by search activity, ownership growth, exchanges, wallet providers and crypto-related companies. It placed the U.S. first, followed by Singapore, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Canada.

The findings point to a broader shift in crypto markets.

Retail interest has not disappeared after the latest price correction. But it is becoming more uneven across countries, with mature markets showing steadier demand while financial hubs such as Hong Kong and Switzerland appear more sensitive to price cycles.

Bitcoin climbed above $120,000 for the first time in July 2025, reaching a record $123,153.22, Reuters reported at the time. It has since fallen sharply, trading around $76,734 on April 27, 2026, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

CoinInsider said the U.S. ranked first because of a mix of search activity and market infrastructure.

The study found 5,300 monthly U.S. searches for “buy digital currency” and 28,000 monthly searches for “digital currency wallet.” It also cited 169 digital currency exchanges, 54 registered wallet services and 155 crypto companies operating in the country.

That ranking does not necessarily mean the U.S. has the highest crypto ownership rate.

Triple-A estimated that 562 million people globally owned digital currencies in 2024, equal to about 6.8% of the global population. Its data also showed Singapore among the leading major economies by ownership rate, at 24.4%.

The distinction matters.

CoinInsider’s ranking measures “obsession” through investor behavior signals, including searches and infrastructure availability. Chainalysis, by contrast, ranks grassroots adoption using transaction activity, web traffic and purchasing-power-adjusted metrics across 151 countries.

Singapore ranked second in CoinInsider’s study.

The report said the number of Singaporean digital currency holders rose from 664,000 to more than 1.4 million in one year, meaning roughly one in four residents now owns at least one digital asset. It also cited more than 80 exchanges and a 9% increase in crypto-related search interest.

Hong Kong ranked third, reflecting both investor demand and regulatory change.

CoinInsider said digital currency ownership in the city rose from 181,000 holders to more than 1 million. It linked the jump partly to rising crypto prices and Hong Kong’s formal licensing framework for virtual asset trading platforms.

Public regulatory data, however, suggests the licensed-exchange count should be treated carefully.

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission lists formally licensed virtual asset trading platforms and separately lists applicants whose approvals are still pending. The SFC also warns that applicants are not licensed and may not comply with its requirements.

Switzerland ranked fourth.

CoinInsider said ownership there grew to more than 1 million people in a year, making it one of the fastest-growing crypto ownership markets in the top five. The country has long positioned itself as a digital-asset hub through its “Crypto Valley” ecosystem and comparatively clear rules for blockchain companies.

Canada completed the top five.

The report said the number of Canadians holding digital assets rose from 2.7 million to just over 4 million in 12 months, a 49% increase. It also pointed to strong monthly search demand for “buy digital currency” and “digital currency wallet.”

A digital currency market expert from CoinInsider said the study found two different kinds of investor behavior.

“We also looked at how consistent digital currency interest is across different countries,” the expert said. “Some markets stay steady no matter what prices are doing. Germany, the US, and Canada are good examples of this. Others jump sharply when digital currency rises and go quiet when it drops.”

The expert added that Hong Kong and Switzerland showed more price-sensitive interest, while U.S. investors appeared to show stronger conviction.

“Steady interest usually means people are buying regardless of the price,” the expert said. “So in the case of the US, digital currency investors are more serious about their holdings and have real convictions about them. On the other hand, changing interest means people there are more likely to be just chasing the hype.”

The study comes at a complicated moment for crypto markets.

Bitcoin’s drawdown has tested retail confidence, but search interest in wallets and buying activity suggests new users are still entering the market. The more important signal may be that crypto participation is no longer limited to price speculation alone.

In the U.S., a large exchange base, wallet infrastructure and public-market access through ETFs have made digital assets easier to access. In Singapore, Hong Kong and Switzerland, regulatory positioning continues to shape investor confidence.

Still, the ranking should not be read as a definitive adoption table.

Search demand, exchange counts and company registrations show market attention and infrastructure. They do not show the size of actual holdings, trading volume, or whether users are buying for long-term use, short-term speculation, or both.

That is why the U.S. result is notable.

It suggests that even after Bitcoin’s pullback, the world’s largest capital market continues to provide the deepest pool of retail curiosity, financial infrastructure and crypto company activity. For the crypto industry, that may matter more than a single price cycle.

The article “U.S. Tops Global Crypto Interest Ranking as Investors Keep Buying Despite Bitcoin Pullback” was first published on AlexaBlockchain. Read the complete article here: https://alexablockchain.com/us-tops-global-crypto-interest-ranking-as-investors-keep-buying-despite-bitcoin-pullback/

Read Also: MoneyGram, Pairpoint and eToro Back Midnight’s Privacy Blockchain Before Mainnet

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House Republicans Warn That Bitcoin Weakness Benefits China

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House Republicans Warn That Bitcoin Weakness Benefits China

Three members of Congress positioned digital asset regulation as a matter of national security and economic competition during a panel discussion at The Bitcoin 2026 Conference in Las Vegas on Monday.

Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) spoke on “The Bitcoin Bloc: A New Force in American Politics,” moderated by Faryar Shirzad, Chief Policy Officer at Coinbase.

Miller-Meeks described Bitcoin as “financial democracy” and linked cryptocurrency adoption to America’s 250th anniversary, framing support for digital assets as patriotic. She cited the Chinese Communist Party as a threat and characterized crypto policy as a national security issue.

The Iowa congresswoman shared her background working through medical school and highlighted Bitcoin’s potential to protect women experiencing domestic abuse or violence. 

She said digital assets can provide women with resources beyond government reach, citing Canada’s trucker protest as an example of government intervention in financial accounts. Miller-Meeks acknowledged that older Americans express concerns about digital asset safety.

Chinese is driving bitcoin policy urgency

Both Miller-Meeks and Nunn emphasized competition with China as a driver for U.S. crypto policy. Miller-Meeks stated that China continues to pursue leadership in the digital asset sector but said the United States remains the best environment for innovation.

Nunn warned that failing to advance American leadership in Bitcoin and digital assets creates national security risks. He called for holding China accountable and said losing the November midterm elections could reverse 18 months of legislative progress, allowing adversaries to gain ground while the U.S. falls behind.

“Decisions and elections have consequences,” Nunn said, pointing to specific anti-crypto Democrats as he discussed the stakes of the upcoming midterm elections.

Nunn highlighted progress in Congress and the crypto sector, noting that the SEC under former Chair Gary Gensler imposed fines in the millions of dollars for violations involving concepts Gensler did not understand. Gensler was fired earlier in the Trump administration.

Lawler referenced the GENIUS Act as a positive step but said Congress must establish a comprehensive federal regulatory framework. 

He cited Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s op-ed in The Wall Street Journal and stated that passing regulatory clarity will position America at the forefront of the digital asset space. Lawler said SEC regulations should serve the crypto industry’s best interests.

As a New Yorker, Lawler said he wants the crypto industry to remain in New York and feel secure operating in the state.

The ‘double taxation’ of bitcoin mining

Nunn criticized double taxation on Bitcoin mining operations, questioning why the U.S. taxes Bitcoin mining differently than other forms of asset extraction. He said excessive taxation drives innovation to other countries and emphasized the need to avoid making it difficult to conduct business in the United States.

The panel discussion reflected a broader shift in congressional Republican attitudes toward digital assets, with lawmakers framing crypto policy through the lens of geopolitical competition and individual financial freedom rather than consumer protection or financial stability concerns that dominated earlier regulatory debates.

Bitcoin Stalls Below $80K as Geopolitical Risk Returns Ahead of Fed

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Bitcoin Stalls Below $80K as Geopolitical Risk Returns Ahead of Fed

Crude oil jumped as Trump called off Iran peace talks, dragging BTC back below $77,000 and triggering $288 million in long liquidations.

Bitcoin failed at the $80,000 level for the third time this month on Monday, briefly tagging $79,500 before reversing sharply, as a renewed move higher in oil prices amid stalling U.S.-Iran peace talks pushed risk assets into the red ahead of this week’s FOMC decision.

BTC last changed hands at around $76,800 per CoinGecko, down 1.8% over the past 24 hours but still up 1.2% on the week. Ether (ETH) led losses among the majors, falling 3.3% to $2,287. Meanwhile, SOL traded near $84, down 3%, XRP at $1.39, down 2.8%, and BNB at $623, down 2%.

BTC Chart

Total crypto liquidations reached $435 million over the past 24 hours, according to CoinGlass, with more than 108,000 traders liquidated.

Stalled Peace Talks

President Donald Trump on Sunday called off a planned Pakistan trip by two senior U.S. negotiators, stalling a fresh round of peace talks even as Iran reportedly sent Washington a new proposal over the weekend. The Strait of Hormuz remains under a U.S. naval blockade.

The risk-off backdrop is unfolding two days before the April 28-29 FOMC meeting. CME FedWatch puts the odds of a rate hold at 100%, with the federal funds rate expected to remain in the 3.50-3.75% range. April carries no fresh dot plot or Summary of Economic Projections, leaving Chair Jerome Powell’s tone the focal point for traders. The Bureau of Economic Analysis releases its advance Q1 GDP estimate on Thursday, with PCE and the Employment Cost Index expected the same morning.

ETFs

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in $823.7 million in net inflows during the week ending April 24, the fourth consecutive positive week, per SoSoValue. April month-to-date inflows now exceed $2.4 billion, nearly double March’s total. Total BTC ETF AUM stood at $102.64 billion as of Friday, with the products holding 1,322,094 BTC, or roughly 6.3% of the circulating supply.

Spot Ether ETFs added $155 million for the week, their third consecutive positive week, while spot Solana ETFs added $9.4 million and spot XRP ETFs added $15.7 million.

Elsewhere

Strategy disclosed its fourth consecutive weekly Bitcoin purchase, adding 3,273 BTC for $255 million at an average price of $77,906, with the latest fill now sitting roughly 1.4% above spot. Total holdings stand at 818,334 BTC, acquired for roughly $61.81 billion at an average cost basis of $75,537, with chairman Michael Saylor citing a 9.6% year-to-date BTC yield. The buy follows last week’s $2.54 billion accumulation of 34,164 BTC, the firm’s largest since 2024.

In DeFi, Aave founder Stani Kulechov said the DeFi United recovery fund has reached the level needed to fully re-collateralize rsETH following the April 18 KelpDAO bridge exploit, subject to pending governance votes. Consensys and Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin committed up to 30,000 ETH, while the Solana Foundation said it would lend USDT on Aave for the first time.

Outlook

With oil at multi-week highs, and four mega-cap tech names (Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, Amazon) reporting Wednesday evening after the FOMC decision, the path of least resistance for crypto this week runs through the macro tape rather than crypto-native catalysts.

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