congress

According to GMGN monitoring, the market capitalization of the Solana ecosystem meme coin MAGA rebounded by 52% today, reaching a high of $9.3 million, currently reported at $8 million, with a trading volume of $1.8 million during the same period.It is reported that U.S. Congressman Eric Burlison revealed in a program yesterday that the White House plans to release a batch of new documents approximately every two weeks. This is slightly faster than the official description of "every few weeks," with 6 days having passed since the last release.Since April 17, when Trump publicly stated his intention to release government documents related to UFOs, UAPs, and possible extraterrestrial life, the market capitalization of this token peaked at $33 million but has significantly declined after the recent first round of UFO document releases.ChainCatcher reminds users that meme coin trading is highly volatile, largely relying on market sentiment and speculative hype, and has no actual value or use case; investors should be aware of the risks.

According to the SEC's official website, Paul S. Atkins, the chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), spoke at the AI+ Expo on May 8, expressing the regulatory direction for AI and on-chain financial markets.Atkins stated that the SEC will promote several regulatory initiatives around on-chain markets, including: establishing relevant rules for the definition of "exchanges" for on-chain trading systems; clarifying the applicability of the definitions of brokers and dealers in on-chain activities; delineating the applicable boundaries of the definition of "clearing agencies" for on-chain clearing and settlement activities; and providing regulatory guidance for activities related to "Crypto Vaults."Regarding AI regulation, Atkins emphasized that the SEC will not mandate companies to use specific models but will adhere to its core responsibilities of protecting investors, maintaining market fairness and efficiency, and promoting capital formation, requiring companies to be accountable for the outcomes of the AI tools they deploy.Atkins also urged Congress to promptly send the CLARITY Act to the President for signing, to provide long-term certainty for the digital asset market through legislation, and warned that forcing innovation offshore would repeat the mistakes of FTX, harming the interests of American investors.

According to CoinDesk, the American Innovation Project (AIP), a U.S. technology policy advocacy organization, has added two policy researchers, including Jacob Smagula, who has a background in the cryptocurrency industry, to join Congressman Ritchie Torres's team to participate in legislation related to digital assets.It is reported that Smagula previously worked in the government affairs team of the Bitcoin mining company MARA and is currently engaged in policy research at the DeFi Education Fund, possessing experience in communication between the cryptocurrency industry and regulators. AIP was established in 2025 with support from organizations such as the Digital Currency Group, aiming to provide Congress members with professional insights and policy support on emerging technologies like AI and digital assets. This appointment is seen as a signal of further professionalization in U.S. cryptocurrency legislation and regulation.

According to CCTV reports, on May 5 local time, U.S. Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth stated that given the current administration's determination that the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is still in effect, President Trump does not need to seek congressional approval to continue military actions.Hegseth insisted that if Trump orders the resumption of military strikes, discussions on related matters will naturally take place at that time.

Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart published an article revealing that the market ETF is expected to be officially launched next week. Roundhill's relevant application documents have been submitted, with an effective date set for May 5. The first predicted market ETFs will use the election results of the Democratic or Republican control of the House of Representatives or the Senate as the underlying asset.

According to Cointelegraph, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated in the Senate that it is crucial to legislate on the structure of the cryptocurrency market, emphasizing that "the United States is a global technology leader and should also be a global payments leader."

According to CoinDesk, Kraken stated that it has submitted 56 million cryptocurrency transaction tax forms to the IRS for the 2025 tax year, of which approximately 18.5 million correspond to amounts below $1, 74% are below $50, and only 8.5% exceed $600.Kraken pointed out that the lack of a minimum amount tax exemption rule for cryptocurrency payments, as well as the taxation of staking rewards as ordinary income at the time of receipt, is placing a heavy reporting burden on investors. Kraken is calling on the U.S. Congress to promote a broader minimum amount tax exemption policy linked to inflation and to allow taxpayers to choose to be taxed on staking rewards at the time of receipt or sale.

According to market news, U.S. Congressman proposed the PACE Act, aimed at modernizing the U.S. payment system.The bill intends to allow qualified companies to directly access the Federal Reserve payment rails to reduce payment delays, lower transaction fees, and accelerate the transfer speed for consumers and businesses. Reports indicate that the proposal has received support from fintech and cryptocurrency groups, with the goal of making the payment system faster, lower-cost, and more competitive.

According to Decrypt, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (a senior Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee) wrote to SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, stating that he may have "deliberately misled" Congress regarding the decline in the number of new enforcement actions by the SEC during a hearing, and pointed out that if there are significant false statements made to Congress, it could involve criminal liability.The report cites enforcement data disclosed by the SEC for 2025, stating that the SEC added a total of 456 new enforcement actions last year, of which about 200 were from the previous administration, and approximately 256 were added during the current administration, significantly lower than the average of about 765 per year over the past decade. Warren believes that the sharp decline in enforcement actions, staff reductions, and sudden leadership changes may weaken the SEC's ability to protect investors and maintain market order, and questions whether there is political favoritism and selective enforcement. The SEC declined to comment on this.

According to Cointelegraph, the Cato Institute, a U.S. think tank, released a report stating that the U.S. government should eliminate the capital gains tax on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to make it easier for cryptocurrencies to be used as everyday currency and to promote fair competition among different currencies.Currently, U.S. tax law treats Bitcoin as a capital asset, triggering a taxable event when users pay for goods or services with Bitcoin, requiring the calculation and reporting of capital gains. This results in even small everyday purchases potentially generating hundreds of pages of tax documents, significantly increasing the compliance burden. Cato aims to remove the current U.S. tax policy barriers to the use of cryptocurrencies as currency. Cato researcher Anthony emphasized, "Congress should simplify the tax code so that ordinary Americans can easily fulfill their obligations, which will greatly alleviate the pressure of tax season and create a more competitive economic environment."According to a 2025 survey, 39% of U.S. cryptocurrency holders have used crypto assets to purchase goods and services, and currently, about 11,000 merchants worldwide accept Bitcoin payments.

According to CoinDesk, U.S. Representatives Steven Horsford and Max Miller have reintroduced the "Digital Asset Protection, Regulation, Innovation, Taxation, and Revenue Act" (PARITY Act), aimed at revising the way the IRS handles cryptocurrency taxation.The bill was first released for discussion in December last year and was reintroduced on March 26 this year for further consideration. The bill removes the previous $200 de minimis exemption threshold for small transactions and stipulates that when trading with regulated payment stablecoins, gains or losses are not recognized unless the taxpayer's cost basis in the stablecoin is less than 99% of its redemption value, and sets a $1 recognized cost basis for exchange transactions.The bill also applies wash sale rules to digital asset transactions and distinguishes between "passive staking" and trading activities. It is currently unclear what the next steps for the bill will be, but industry insiders expect a strong push to incorporate cryptocurrency provisions into tax legislation that may become law.

Paul Atkins, the chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), stated on social media, "The design goal of Project Crypto is that once Congress takes action, the SEC and CTFC will be ready to implement the CLARITY Act. Treasury Secretary Basant is right: it's time for Congress to plan for future regulatory safeguards and advance comprehensive market structure legislation to President Trump's desk."

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessenet wrote that the United States has long dominated global financial market regulatory standards, but this leadership is not a given. He urged Congress to pass the Clarity Act as soon as possible to establish a clear regulatory framework for digital assets.Bessenet cited data indicating that the global market value of digital assets has fluctuated between $2 trillion and $3 trillion over the past year, with about one-sixth of Americans holding some form of digital asset. The application of blockchain technology in payments, settlements, and physical asset exchanges continues to expand. He emphasized that cryptocurrency is no longer a niche experiment but a technology widely adopted globally, and the U.S. must take proactive measures to continue leading in the formulation of rules in this field.

Crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett revealed that the office of U.S. Senator Thom Tillis plans to publicly release legislative text related to stablecoin yields and reward mechanisms next week, and is currently in ongoing communication with various industry stakeholders.According to reports, this move comes in response to dissatisfaction expressed by participants in the crypto industry, such as Coinbase, regarding the relevant terms presented earlier this week. Coinbase's Global Head of Investment Research, David Duong, stated that the industry is preparing a coordinated counter-proposal aimed at pushing for adjustments to the terms to protect users while maintaining a sustainable reward mechanism.

U.S. lawmakers have introduced the PREDICT Act, which aims to prohibit the President, members of Congress, and other senior government officials from participating in prediction market trading.The bill was jointly proposed by Adrian Smith and Nikki Budzinski and aims to restrict the use of insider information in prediction activities related to political events or policy outcomes, extending its scope to the spouses and family members of the relevant personnel. The bill also proposes a penalty of 10% of the total contract value for violations, with all profits being forfeited to the U.S. Treasury.

According to market news, U.S. Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has officially called for the removal of Trump from office under the 25th Amendment of the Constitution. The 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that if the president is unable to perform the duties of office, the vice president shall assume those powers.

The Bitcoin Policy Institute warns that the U.S. Congress has only a few months left to pass a micro-exemption policy for small Bitcoin transactions. The organization has met with 19 congressional offices to promote this change.

Investment bank TD Cowen stated that the U.S. Congress may be close to passing legislation to permanently prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). This move could benefit stablecoin issuers but may also introduce new complexities for cryptocurrency market structure legislation.Last week, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz proposed an amendment in the housing bill "21st Century ROAD to Housing Act," calling for a permanent ban on the Federal Reserve issuing CBDC. The amendment aims to convert the currently effective temporary ban, which lasts until 2030, into a permanent provision. The housing bill is expected to be submitted for a Senate vote as early as this week.Jaret Seiberg, Managing Director of TD Cowen's Washington research department, indicated that the housing bill ultimately submitted for the president's signature is likely to include this ban, and the possibility of a permanent ban is higher than that of a temporary one. Seiberg pointed out that the amendment is primarily aimed at solidifying the current policy stance.The Federal Reserve has repeatedly stated that it will not issue a digital dollar without explicit authorization from Congress. Meanwhile, several U.S. lawmakers have recently co-signed a letter to congressional leadership, urging for a permanent ban on CBDC. Congressman Ralph Norman stated that unlike cash, CBDC could allow the government to track transactions and monitor individual spending behavior, thus a permanent ban is necessary to protect the privacy and freedom of Americans.It is noteworthy that the U.S. House of Representatives passed the "Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act" last year, which prohibits the Federal Reserve from directly issuing CBDC to individuals. Cruz has also been actively pushing for similar legislation in the Senate.

The U.S. Treasury Department, in its report on the GENIUS Act submitted to Congress, suggested that Congress consider creating a "hold law" for digital assets. This proposal aims to provide a legal safe harbor for crypto platforms, allowing them to temporarily and voluntarily freeze digital assets suspected of illegal activity during investigations.Ari Redbord, policy director at TRM Labs, stated that this legislation would give law enforcement time to address the rapid nature of blockchain transactions. Although the Bank Secrecy Act protects institutions that submit suspicious activity reports, there is currently a lack of clear statutory provisions authorizing platforms to freeze funds without a court order. The report noted that this move would strengthen public-private partnerships in combating crypto fraud and money laundering.