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FATF report highlights stablecoins as primary vehicle for illicit crypto activity
Stablecoins accounted for 84% of illicit virtual asset transaction volume in 2025
FATF urges stricter oversight and AML obligations for stablecoin issuers
Peer-to-peer transfers via unhosted wallets identified as a key vulnerability.
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The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global standard setter, has issued a warning that stablecoins are now the most popular virtual asset used in illicit transactions, including those involving Iran and North Korea. The FATF's latest 42-page report calls for stricter oversight of stablecoin issuers due to the growing risks they pose, particularly through peer-to-peer transfers.
This follows a January 2026 statement where the FATF indicated that stablecoins accounted for the majority of illicit on-chain activity. In 2024, an estimated $51 billion in illicit stablecoin activity related to fraud and scams was recorded.
The March 2026 report reiterates concerns that dollar-pegged tokens have become a primary tool for illicit finance. Citing a Chainalysis report, the FATF stated that stablecoins represented 84% of the $154 billion in illicit virtual asset transaction volume in 2025. The report specifically highlighted instances where North Korean and Iranian actors utilized stablecoins, such as USDT, for proliferation financing and cross-border payments linked to sanctioned activities.
A mid-February report by TRM Labs indicated that illicit entities received $141 billion in stablecoins in 2025, the highest amount observed in five years. This report also noted that overall stablecoin activity surpassed $1 trillion monthly on several occasions last year, with sanctions-related activity comprising 86% of illicit crypto flows, largely through stablecoin platforms.
The FATF identified peer-to-peer transfers via unhosted wallets as a significant vulnerability, as these transactions can bypass anti-money laundering (AML) controls. While not advocating for a complete ban, the FATF urged countries to implement AML obligations for stablecoin issuers. Recommendations include considering tools for wallet freezing and restricting or banning functions embedded in smart contracts.
With the market value of stablecoins now exceeding $300 billion, the FATF emphasized the urgent need for regulators to address compliance gaps as stablecoin adoption continues to accelerate.
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Donald Trump urges passage of the Clarity Act to prevent crypto industry moving overseas. Banking industry opposes stablecoin yield offerings, fearing deposit flight. Negotiations continue between banking and crypto sectors over market structure bill language. The Clarity Act aims to regulate stablecoins and market structure, with ongoing debate on yield provisions.
Jamie Dimon states stablecoin issuers paying interest should be regulated as banks. Dimon argues for a level playing field between traditional banks and crypto firms offering similar services. The CLARITY Act discussions are ongoing in Washington regarding stablecoin oversight. Banks want stablecoin issuers to meet bank standards including capital, liquidity, and AML rules.
Trump administration is pursuing regulatory clarity for crypto via executive actions and agency rulemaking, bypassing legislative gridlock. SEC Chair Paul Atkins and CFTC Chair Michael Selig are expected to harmonize crypto regulations, potentially leading to finalized rules by Spring 2027. New SEC/CFTC rules could enable broader registration for exchanges and allow token sales with revenue distribution rights. The administration aims to create a stable regulatory environment that could last for several years, providing significant whitespace for industry growth.
The stock has risen about 20% since the U.S. strikes on Iran over the weekend.
NEAR co-founder predicts AI agents will become primary blockchain users, interacting directly with protocols. AI is expected to serve as the front-end interface, abstracting away complex blockchain elements like wallets and transaction hashes. Blockchain's role may shift to providing neutral financial rails for AI systems, focusing on settlement, ownership, and verifiability. Speculative AI tokens and memecoins are seen as detrimental to the reputation of crypto among AI researchers.
Indiana mandates crypto inclusion in state-managed retirement and savings plans. House Bill 1042 signed into law by Governor Mike Braun on March 3. State plans must offer at least one cryptocurrency as an investment option in self-directed brokerage accounts. Pension providers have until July 1, 2027, for full integration.
President Trump urges Congress to pass crypto market structure legislation (CLARITY Act) urgently. Dispute over stablecoin yield programs between banks and crypto firms stalls CLARITY Act negotiations. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon argues crypto firms offering stablecoin yield should operate as banks. The GENIUS Act, a stablecoin framework, has been enacted and is being implemented by regulators.
Crypto industry PACs are spending millions on US party primaries for the 2026 midterm elections. The outcome of these primaries could influence future crypto legislation in Congress. Super PACs like Fairshake have significant funds and a track record of influencing elections to support pro-crypto candidates. Specific races, such as the Texas Senate primary, are seeing substantial political spending.
CFTC Chair Michael Selig anticipates "true perpetual futures" for cryptocurrencies in the US within the next month. The CFTC is also preparing to issue guidance on prediction markets soon. Discussions on a market structure bill are ongoing, with a need for Congressional clarity for the SEC and CFTC. The CFTC aims to bring offshore liquidity back to the US by addressing these market structures.
Ripple Payments expanded to over 60 markets with new stablecoin and fiat collection, custody, and liquidity tools. The platform now supports unified collections and advanced liquidity features, aiming to reduce vendor complexity for businesses. Over $100 billion in volume has been processed, with more than 75 licenses globally, targeting financial institutions and fintechs. XRP price action remains volatile, with analysts suggesting a potential fractal pattern indicating a move higher later in March.
Bitcoin functions as everyday money in parts of Africa, not just a store of value. Merchants in some African economies prefer satoshis over dollars due to rapid inflation. Sub-Saharan Africa saw over $205 billion in onchain value from July 2024 to June 2025, a 52% year-on-year increase. Retail transfers under $10,000 represent over 8% of total value sent in Sub-Saharan Africa, indicating strong retail adoption.
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Shiba Inu (SHIB) price has fallen to 2023 levels with successive technical failures. XRP shows a modest attempt at stabilization with a short-term rising support line, but overall trend remains negative. Bitcoin (BTC) is consolidating below $70,000 after bouncing from $63,000, with increasing volume supporting the recovery. Market sentiment is weak due to institutional uncertainty and low retail liquidity.
X will suspend creators from its revenue-sharing program for 90 days if they post undisclosed AI-generated war videos. The policy aims to prevent manipulation and ensure access to authentic information during wartime. Violators face permanent removal from the monetization program for repeat offenses. This policy targets the financial incentives for creators to post misleading AI-generated content.
Strategy Inc. acquired an additional 3,015 BTC for $204 million, increasing its total holdings to 720,737 BTC. 470 million XRP were deposited on Binance in the past week, raising concerns of potential sell-offs. Dogecoin ETFs have recorded zero net inflows since February 3rd, indicating a lack of investor demand.
South Korean police arrested individuals paid in cryptocurrency for "private revenge" attacks. Payments ranged from $337-$675 or 500,000-1,000,000 KRW worth of crypto. Tactics included vandalism, threats, and spreading human waste. Authorities are investigating potential links to a larger Telegram-based organization.
MARA Holdings clarifies its 10-K filing allows flexible Bitcoin sales, not a mandated sell-off strategy. Company VP Robert Samuels directly refuted claims of a shift toward a Bitcoin treasury sell-down. MARA holds 53,822 BTC valued at approximately $3.7 billion, making it a significant holder among public miners. The clarification aims to address market speculation regarding MARA's Bitcoin treasury management.
Vitalik Buterin calls for Ethereum to shift focus from tech 'shininess' to sanctuary against authoritarianism. Buterin expresses frustration over Ethereum's limited role in improving lives beyond finance. He suggests Ethereum should act as a defensive perimeter for 'sanctuary technologies'. Buterin pushes back against limiting Ethereum's scope solely to DeFi.
IPO Genie ($IPO) aims to democratize private market investing by tokenizing access with a $10 minimum entry. The platform utilizes AI to identify early-stage investment opportunities, similar to traditional VC firms. The $IPO token offers tiered access, revenue sharing, staking rewards, and voting rights to holders. The project has undergone security audits by CertiK and SolidProof and uses Fireblocks for asset protection.
Visa and Bridge are expanding stablecoin card program to over 100 countries by end of 2026. MetaMask and Phantom users can spend crypto directly from self-custody wallets via Bridge's API. Visa is testing direct on-chain settlement using stablecoins on the Solana blockchain. Expansion follows recent regulatory clarity in the US with the GENIUS Act.
Aave Chan Initiative (ACI) will exit Aave DAO governance after a contested vote. ACI plans to wind down operations over four months, transferring responsibilities. The exit follows a dispute over a $42.5 million funding package and voting power concerns. Aave maintains a dominant DeFi position with $26.51 billion in total value locked.
BitGo expands MiCA-compliant crypto-as-a-service to 30 EEA countries. Service enables banks and fintechs to integrate licensed custody, payments, and trading via API. Offering includes multi-asset wallets, SEPA fiat rails, and $250 million in insured custodial wallets. Expansion follows MiCA implementation, aligning with broader European institutional adoption of digital assets.
Bitcoin shows resilience decoupling from traditional equities and gold despite US dollar strength. Robust institutional demand evident with $1.5 billion in Bitcoin ETF net inflows over 7 days. Concerns arise from potential miner liquidations and a shift in focus towards AI data centers. A definitive breakout above $75,000 is needed to confirm the end of the bear market.
OpenAI released GPT-5.3 Instant, updating ChatGPT's default model for improved accuracy and conversational flow. The new model reduces unnecessary refusals and disclaimers, aiming for more direct and helpful user interactions. Internal evaluations show hallucination rates dropped by nearly 30% with web use and 19.7% without. GPT-5.2 Instant will be retired on June 3, marking a transition period for users.
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