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The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has announced the agenda for the inaugural meeting of the Innovation Advisory Committee (IAC). The committee will hold its first meeting on August 20, focusing on regulatory issues in emerging areas such as crypto assets, artificial intelligence, and prediction markets.CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig stated that the U.S. has long been a global center for financial innovation and hopes to explore how emerging technologies and financial products can drive market development through discussions with innovative entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry builders, and to jointly explore the "new frontiers of finance." The meeting will be live-streamed on the CFTC official website. Committee members and attendees will discuss topics such as the regulatory framework for digital assets, the impact of AI technology on financial markets, and the development of prediction markets. The public can submit relevant opinions by August 27, and these opinions will be publicly released through the U.S. Federal Regulations website Regulations.gov. The CFTC indicated that the meeting agenda may be adjusted based on the committee's subsequent focus.The Innovation Advisory Committee aims to provide the CFTC with recommendations on emerging technologies, financial products, and trends in market innovation, covering important areas such as digital assets and artificial intelligence that may influence the structure of future financial markets.

The Monaco government submitted Bill No. 1131 to the National Council, intending to replace Law No. 1.528 passed in 2022, and to align the regulatory framework for crypto assets more closely with the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards.The proposed regulation will clarify the crypto asset services that can be conducted in Monaco and enhance corporate governance, prudential safeguards, and professional conduct requirements. Service providers must obtain prior approval from the Commission de Contrôle des Activités Financières (CCAF), and the relevant licenses must also be jointly reviewed by the Autorité Monégasque de Sécurité Financière and the Agence Monégasque de Sécurité Numérique. The bill also expands the supervisory and enforcement powers of the CCAF. If approved by the National Council, Monaco will further develop supporting implementation rules; Monaco has been placed on the FATF grey list starting in the summer of 2024 and has been included in the European Commission's list of high-risk countries for money laundering.

AI code verification startup Blacksmith announced the completion of a $45 million Series B financing, led by Peak XV Partners, with follow-on investments from GV and Y Combinator, bringing the company's valuation to $550 million.

According to bits.media, the Central Bank of Russia has included Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT in the list of cryptocurrencies approved for trading in the Russian market. This list is included in the draft guidelines for public consultation published by the Central Bank. The Central Bank briefly attributes the list to the standards set forth in the new Russian law: high market capitalization, high average daily trading volume, and at least five years of pricing history on overseas platforms.Non-professional investors can only purchase these three cryptocurrencies. The guidelines also set an annual purchase limit for non-professional investors: a maximum investment of 300,000 rubles per year through a single intermediary. Professional investors face fewer restrictions and can purchase any cryptocurrency offered on exchanges and over-the-counter markets without any limits. However, all investors, regardless of their status, must undergo mandatory testing before trading. Previously, Russian President Putin signed the "Digital Currency and Digital Rights Law" on August 4, establishing a regulatory framework for the circulation of cryptocurrencies, with relevant rules taking effect on September 1.

The cryptocurrency industry organization BlockchainAssn has submitted an amicus brief in support of Custodia Bank's application to the U.S. Supreme Court, urging the Court to review whether regional Federal Reserve Banks have the authority to deny access to master accounts for qualified state-chartered banks. The organization warns that lower court support for the Federal Reserve's ruling grants the central bank broad powers to disqualify industries or companies it does not recognize from receiving banking services, effectively vetoing which state-chartered banks can operate.Meanwhile, the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank has been granted an extension until September 11 to respond to Custodia's application.

Japan's largest banking group, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), plans to utilize blockchain technology to provide instant settlement services for certain Japanese Government Bonds (JGB) transactions.According to reports, MUFG plans to conduct blockchain-based Japanese Government Bond repurchase transactions using tokenized money market funds and stablecoins to shorten the settlement process of traditional securities transactions.

The B.AI platform is now offering a limited-time 40% discount on the GLM-5.2 model for all users.During the event, whether deploying through the API or interacting on the web, all calls can enjoy a 40% settlement price. The discounted prices are: Input 0.84, Cache Write 0.84, Cache Read 0.168, Output 2.64 (Unit: Credits/Token).As a next-generation open-source flagship model, GLM-5.2 features a 1M ultra-long context window, designed for high-performance scenarios such as large-scale code development, complex reasoning, and agent tasks. Users can directly use it through the official API standard channel or the web interface, achieving seamless integration across all workflow scenarios. This event aims to unleash top-tier AI productivity at a lower cost, and users can log in to the B.AI platform to experience it starting today.

As the Qixi Festival approaches, the globally leading digital asset trading platform Gate has launched a Qixi-themed limited edition gift box, specifically for global partners and VIP users, to strengthen interaction and connection with users and partners worldwide through festive gifts.The Qixi gift box contains Gate's Qixi limited edition couple pajamas, with an overall design that cleverly blends elements of traditional Eastern culture with Gate's brand characteristics. Through this thoughtful gift, it conveys festive blessings and deep sentiments, enriching the communication methods between the brand and its core users and partners.As a global digital asset platform, Gate has always valued communication with users and partners, and strengthens community and ecosystem partner interactions through diverse methods such as festive gifts and brand activities. This Qixi limited edition gift box not only reflects Gate's attention to traditional cultural festivals but also further conveys the warmth of the brand and festive blessings.

Bitcoin News posted on platform X that the OCC stated that companies engaged in legally permitted activities such as digital assets and emerging technologies should have a pathway to apply to become a national bank. OCC Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould stated that the regulatory agency had effectively hindered new bank applications for over a decade, but that period has now ended.The OCC has received 40 new bank applications in the past 18 months and stated that many complete applications have decisions made within 120 days.

According to Bloomberg, Singapore data center operator DayOne has secretly submitted an initial public offering (IPO) application to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), planning to go public in the U.S. as early as next quarter.The company aims to raise approximately $5 billion, with a listing valuation of about $20 billion; however, relevant details are still under discussion, and the scale and timing of the offering may change.

CryptoQuant founder Ki Young Ju posted on the X platform, correcting the previous analysis of CME Bitcoin futures positions, stating that "Total Reportables (large institutional traders)" was mistakenly labeled as "Leveraged Funds," leading to the belief that CME hedge funds rarely turned into net long positions in BTC futures. However, the actual situation is that leveraged funds still maintain net short positions in BTC futures.Ki Young Ju provided CFTC futures position data as of August 4: 1. Large institutional traders overall show a slight net long position, which includes asset management institutions, market makers, dealers, etc. Ki Young Ju stated that although the net long extent is limited, the previous judgment about institutional direction being bullish still holds. 2. Leveraged funds still maintain net short positions in BTC futures, but over the past year, their standard BTC futures net short position has decreased by about 50% (measured in BTC), mainly due to the decline in basis trading returns. When the futures basis returns fell below U.S. Treasury yields, the arbitrage space narrowed. Leveraged funds currently show a net long position in Micro BTC futures, but the scale is small, only about +394 BTC, which is approximately 1% of the standard BTC futures net short position. Ki Young Ju indicated that leveraged funds overall have not yet turned into net long positions, but their long-term structural shorts are clearly weakening, which may reflect the closing of arbitrage trades and adjustments in directional positions.

Patrick Witt posted on the X platform stating that the government is still committed to pushing the CLARITY Act through in September. He mentioned that only legislation can provide lasting rules, and there is a greater need for relevant legislation now more than ever.In addition, Patrick Witt criticized that every time the Democrats delay the bill, it further puts the U.S. behind in the competition in the crypto space, undermines its leadership in the global financial market, weakens national security, and deprives law enforcement of tools to combat crypto crime. He stated that the CLARITY Act is a true bipartisan achievement years in the making, and the Democrats still have the opportunity to shape U.S. digital asset policy by assisting in the legislation. The government will maintain an open attitude and continue good-faith negotiations until the vote in September.

Zach Pandl, the head of research at Grayscale, published an analysis stating that although the Clarity Act may still reach an agreement on a technical level, the Senate schedule and the political reality of an election year make the likelihood of passing it this year very low, but the impact is limited. The failure of the bill will not immediately affect the operation of major blockchains, the demand for Bitcoin as a store of value, or the growth of stablecoin payments— the industry has been developing without this bill for nearly 17 years. However, the lack of comprehensive market structure legislation may hinder new investment activities in the U.S., including the development of the tokenized securities market and the regulatory framework for digital asset intermediaries. Under the current administration, regulatory guidance has supported the industry through measures such as new rules for institutional custody, improved bank access, staking policies, and the crypto ETP framework. The SEC and other regulatory agencies are expected to continue filling gaps through rulemaking. The lack of comprehensive regulation may lead to more entrepreneurial activities flowing overseas.

Hyperliquid Policy Center issued a statement, and HPC attended the CFTC Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting, submitting a formal statement. The statement revolves around three points: first, agricultural end users need diversified market choices, and the historical ban on agricultural options has proven to be overly restrictive; second, the CFTC's phased approach to perpetual contracts is the correct path, and end user demand should drive the adoption of new derivatives; third, public blockchains contribute to modernizing clearing and settlement infrastructure, while enhancing collateral liquidity and preserving the market integrity protection mechanisms of the Commodity Exchange Act.HPC stated that it will continue to collaborate with the agricultural community to promote the regulatory implementation of perpetual contracts in the U.S. market.

According to the expected plan compiled by the Korea Digital Convergence Industry Association, the secondary regulations for Security Token Offerings (STO) in South Korea may include: allowing "pooling" issuance of similar types of underlying assets, setting over-the-counter trading limits for general investors, clarifying the licensing conditions and business scope for non-standard securities over-the-counter exchanges, and developing a phased roadmap for the tokenization of standard securities. In addition, the technical and financial requirements for issuer account management institutions are also expected to be included in the regulations.This expected plan is based on publicly available policy directions and industry discussions and is not an official version. Specific standards still need to be determined through legislative announcements, regulatory reviews, and other procedures. Previously, the STO market was primarily focused on single assets; if pooling is allowed, it could promote the issuance of multi-asset composite products such as music copyrights and real estate. The over-the-counter trading limits for general investors are expected to be higher than existing sandbox cases, but the final limits still need to balance investor protection and market liquidity. The status of non-standard securities over-the-counter trading platforms and existing operators, as well as the future path for the tokenization of standard securities (stocks, bonds), will be key focuses moving forward. The industry warns that after the regulations are implemented, the preparation time for related companies' systems and internal controls may be quite urgent.

According to BeInCrypto, Tim Scott, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, stated that the CLARITY Act, aimed at regulating the cryptocurrency market, will be voted on before Congress goes into recess, and "there will undoubtedly be a vote."In an interview with Fox News, Scott mentioned that the Senate might extend its working hours, not limited to the next two days, to push forward the relevant legislation. He noted that there is a consensus forming within the Republican Party regarding the bill and believes that advancing a cryptocurrency regulatory framework "is in the interest of the United States."Tim Scott stated, "We will get this done."The CLARITY Act aims to further clarify the regulatory framework for digital assets in the United States, delineating the regulatory responsibilities of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the cryptocurrency market. Supporters believe that the bill will provide clearer rules for the industry and help the U.S. maintain its competitiveness in the digital asset space.Currently, the bill still faces internal congressional disputes regarding consumer protection, regulatory authority, and market risks. If ultimately passed, it will be an important step in building the U.S. cryptocurrency regulatory system.

According to Jinshi reports, an informed source emphasized that if the agreement between Iran and Oman is finalized, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will require separate arrangements, which also include the United States fulfilling related commitments.