Anchorage Digital has resolved a 2022 cease-and-desist order from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which required stronger anti-money-laundering compliance. The OCC said the order was no longer necessary, affirming the bank’s soundness. CEO Nathan McCauley framed the move as regulatory “feedback,” calling Anchorage “the world’s most regulated digital asset bank.” Anchorage was the first crypto firm to secure a national bank charter, and with new OCC leadership, other firms like Circle, Ripple, and Paxos are again pursuing charters.

At the same time, the U.S. GENIUS Act is reshaping the global digital payments landscape. The European Central Bank (ECB) is reconsidering its digital euro approach, now exploring public blockchains amid concerns over dollar stablecoin dominance. In Asia, South Korean banks are working with Tether and Circle on stablecoin distribution and exploring a won-based token. Meanwhile, Bitcoin ETFs saw $1.17 billion in outflows, though some analysts expect a rebound, while Ethereum ETFs attracted $287 million in inflows, showing renewed institutional demand.

On top of that, the U.S. Justice Department signaled a softer stance on crypto. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti said developers writing decentralized platform code without criminal intent will not face charges, stressing that “merely writing code is not a crime.” This comes after Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm’s conviction on licensing violations, though jurors deadlocked on money laundering and sanctions charges. The DOJ has since disbanded its crypto enforcement unit, while the SEC has dropped several cases, marking a broader easing of U.S. regulatory pressure on the sector.