Welcome to issue #37 of The Bitcoin Act, where every Tuesday and Sunday we track the legal and regulatory moves that actually shape Bitcoin, cutting through noise, narratives, and theater.

Now for today’s top stories:

🏛️ Senate Accelerates CLARITY Act Negotiations
The U.S. Senate returned from recess and immediately resumed work on the CLARITY Act.

🔧 CFTC Launches Innovation Task Force
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced a new Innovation Task Force staffed with experts to develop clear regulatory rules.

🛡️ SEC Exempts Certain Bitcoin Interfaces
The SEC issued a staff statement clarifying when user interfaces connected to self-custodial Bitcoin wallets do not need to register as broker-dealers.

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The U.S. Senate returned from Easter recess and immediately restarted work on the CLARITY Act. The Senate Banking Committee is now aiming for a markup vote in the last two weeks of April 2026. Senator Thom Tillis said he plans to release a new draft this week resolving the stablecoin yield dispute that has stalled the bill for months.

For everyday Bitcoin holders, this is the bill that has been discussed for so long. Senator Cynthia Lummis has been crystal clear, it’s now or never. If the CLARITY Act finally passes, it will deliver real federal protection for your self-custody rights. In your daily life, that means far fewer surprise enforcement actions and much more predictable rules.

The Block

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced a new Innovation Task Force made up of internal staff and private-sector experts in blockchain, and related technologies. The group’s job is to develop clear regulatory rules specifically for Bitcoin innovators.

In practical terms, it increases the likelihood of more sensible, innovation-friendly rules coming from the CFTC instead of the SEC. This could mean fewer regulatory roadblocks for developers building tools you actually use, from wallets to Lightning services, making it easier for better Bitcoin infrastructure to be built openly in America.

CFTC

The SEC’s Division of Trading and Markets issued a staff statement outlining when certain user interfaces connected to self-custodial Bitcoin wallets do not need to register as broker-dealers. The exemption applies if the interface does not solicit trades, does not recommend execution routes, and follows basic policies on trading venues.

For you as a Bitcoiner, this is concrete relief. Many simple wallet interfaces and tools you use every day to send, receive, or swap sats can now operate without the crushing cost and legal risk of broker-dealer registration. In your daily life, this means more useful, self-custody-first Bitcoin software can be built and offered in the U.S. without suddenly being shut down, so you get better tools while keeping full control of your keys and your sats.

The Block

🚨 Kraken Faces Extortion After Insider Incident
Kraken revealed a criminal group is attempting to extort the exchange by threatening to release videos of internal systems and limited client data from two insider support staff incidents affecting about 2,000 accounts.

🇪🇺 ClearBank Wins First MiCA Bank Approval
ClearBank became one of the first traditional banks approved under the EU’s MiCA framework, expanding regulated Bitcoin services across Europe.

🇰🇷 Bank of Korea Demands Circuit Breakers
The Bank of Korea called for mandatory circuit breakers on Bitcoin exchanges after the Bithumb fat-finger error exposed weak internal controls and triggered sharp market disruptions.

🇰🇷 Coinone Fined $3.5M
South Korea’s FIU fined Coinone 5.2 billion won ($3.5 million) and imposed a three-month partial suspension for 70,000 identity verification failures.

👀 Fake Ledger App Steals 5.9 BTC
Musician G. Love lost 5.9 BTC worth $420,000 after downloading a fake Ledger app from the App Store and entering his seed phrase.

🇪🇺 ECB Backs Tokenization with Safeguards
The European Central Bank stated tokenization can strengthen EU capital markets but only with central bank money, interoperable systems, and strong regulation to manage risks.

🇧🇾 Belarus Opens Door to 25 Cryptos
Belarus’ National Bank announced that around 25 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and stablecoins, may soon be allowed for licensed crypto banks.

🇰🇷 Bank of Korea Nominee Favors CBDC
Bank of Korea governor nominee Shin Hyun-song backed a central bank-led digital currency model with strict AML controls and a limited role for stablecoins.

🇯🇵 Japan Reclassifies Bitcoin as Financial Instrument
Japan passed a major amendment to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, officially reclassifying Bitcoin as a financial instrument, banning insider trading, and requiring annual disclosures from issuers.

🇰🇪 Kenya Advances VASP Regulations
Kenya’s National Treasury completed public consultations on draft Virtual Asset Service Provider regulations, moving closer to a full licensing framework for Bitcoin firms.

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“It is not the business of the law to make anyone good or reverent or moral or clean or upright.” — Murray N. Rothbard

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