The UK Plans to Introduce Comprehensive Regulation for Crypto Assets by 2027
The UK aims to include crypto assets within its existing financial services regulatory framework by October 2027. The regulation, prepared by HM Treasury, aims to link trading platforms, custody services, staking, and lending activities to an official licensing system. The FCA has published three separate consultation papers containing governance, transparency, and market manipulation protection rules for crypto companies. In addition, an independent review has been launched to assess the risks of crypto donations in political financing. The report is expected to be completed in March 2026.
Russia Plans to Criminalize Illegal Cryptocurrency Mining
The Russian Ministry of Justice is preparing to criminalize illegal cryptocurrency mining activities. According to the proposed regulation, these activities could result in fines of up to 1.5 million rubles or compulsory labor for up to two years. If the profits are large-scale or the activities are carried out in an organized manner, a prison sentence of up to 5 years could be imposed. The changes are included in the draft Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code. This step demonstrates Russia’s intention to tighten its control over crypto mining.
South Korea’s Financial Committee has defined the country’s largest crypto exchanges as “core infrastructure” of the financial system. It has proposed limiting major shareholders’ stakes in platforms such as Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, and Korbit to between 15% and 20%. Officials emphasized that some founders and shareholders have excessive control over exchange revenues and decision-making processes. Therefore, a major shareholder adequacy review similar to alternative trading systems (ATS) is being planned. The goal is to reduce systemic risks by balancing the ownership structure.
Sui to Introduce New Feature Supporting Private Transactions in 2026
Sui Network announced that it will launch a confidential transaction feature in 2026 to enhance user privacy. The new system aims to limit the visibility of transaction details to third parties. This step could facilitate the proliferation of privacy-focused use cases within the Sui ecosystem. The network is prioritizing privacy alongside performance and scalability goals. The goal is to create a more flexible and secure environment for developers.
TRON Ecosystem Hosts Special Space Event for Chinese New Year
Five major communities affiliated with the TRON ecosystem will come together for a special X Space event on Chinese New Year’s Eve. The event will begin on the evening of December 31 and last for three hours. The program will include year-end reviews, inter-community competitions, and expectations for 2026. Numerous industry representatives and KOLs will participate in the event. The organization aims to create an online festival atmosphere.
BNB Chain Unveils 2026 Technical Roadmap
BNB Chain has shared its technical roadmap for 2026 with the public. The plans focus on a transaction capacity exceeding 20,000 TPS and final confirmation in under a second. The network will continue technical improvements such as a dual-client strategy and parallel transaction execution. Additionally, a privacy-compliant transaction framework and an AI Agent payment abstraction layer will be introduced. In the long term, a new-generation transaction chain targeting 1 million TPS is planned.
PeckShield: Unleash Protocol Attacked, $3.9 Million Lost
Security firm PeckShield announced that Unleash Protocol was subjected to an unauthorized attack. The attack resulted in the loss of approximately $3.9 million in funds. Some of the stolen assets were transferred to the Ethereum network and attempted to be hidden via Tornado Cash. The incident highlights the ongoing security risks in DeFi projects. No official recovery plan has been shared by the protocol yet.
SharpLink Reveals Weekly ETH Staking Yield
SharpLink announced that it earned 518 ETH from Ethereum staking activities last week. It was stated that the current value of this amount is over $1.5 million. The company announced that almost all of its ETH assets are staked. The cumulative staking yield reached 10,219 ETH. SharpLink plans to continue its long-term staking strategy.
Web3 Foundation Restructures Funding Strategy for Polkadot
The Web3 Foundation announced that it has changed its funding approach for the Polkadot ecosystem. The plan is to move from an open funding model to a more targeted and strategic structure. Priority will be given to core protocol development and key ecosystem projects. Technical reviews and OpenGov processes will be used more effectively. This strategy aims to accelerate Polkadot’s product-focused growth.
