U.S. Senator Expects Crypto Bill to Clear by 2026

U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis has said she expects Congress to pass two key cryptocurrency-related bills by the end of 2025. Speaking at the Bitcoin Policy Summit in Washington DC, she highlighted progress on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act in the House and the GENIUS Act on stablecoins in the Senate.

Lummis, who chairs the Senate Banking Committee’s digital assets subcommittee, said she would be extremely disappointed if the bills are not passed by 2026. She also acknowledged the challenge of achieving bipartisan support, citing concerns about potential advantages to individuals connected to the current administration.

According to a report by CoinTelegraph, the GENIUS Act received 68 votes in the Senate on June 17, including support from 18 Democrats. However, some lawmakers remain hesitant, pointing to US President Donald Trump’s growing involvement in the crypto space. Trump has launched memecoins, is associated with World Liberty Financial, and has received political donations from crypto executives.

While Republicans have a narrow majority in the House, bipartisan cooperation is still needed. Trump has said he would sign the GENIUS Act without amendments if passed swiftly.

Kraken Receives MiCA License in Ireland, Enabling EU Operations

Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has obtained approval under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulations, with the license issued by Ireland’s central bank. The approval allows Kraken to offer regulated crypto services across all 30 European Economic Area (EEA) member states.

In its announcement, Kraken said the MiCA license builds on its earlier regulatory milestones, including a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) license in February and an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license obtained in 2023. Kraken’s co-CEO Arjun Sethi said the company has put in consistent effort to align with Ireland’s strict regulatory framework, emphasizing that in the crypto space, trust remains the most critical asset.

The exchange now joins large companies such as Coinbase, OKX, Crypto.com, and Bybit, all of whom have MiCA licenses till 2025. The development follows Kraken’s decision to shift its global headquarters to Wyoming, while it continues to navigate evolving U.S. crypto regulations around market structure and stablecoins.

Crypto ATM Crackdown Uncovers $281K Bitcoin Scam Targeting Elderly Woman

Australian authorities have revealed that an elderly woman lost 433,000 Australian dollars (around $281,000) in a Bitcoin scam linked to an online dating fraud. Over 18 months, she was duped into putting her life assets through Bitcoin ATMs, thinking she was investing with someone she met on a dating app.

As reported by CoinTelegraph, the scammer provided fake documents showing large returns, and even guided her through her first Bitcoin ATM transaction. She told investigators she eventually became “quite expert” at using the machines.

The case was part of a broader sting by the Australian Federal Police and AUSTRAC, which contacted over 90 individuals tied to suspicious ATM usage. Most transactions were found to involve scam victims. One person was charged with property laundering, and four received formal cautions.