Welcome to issue #44 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:

🔐 Wrench Attacks Hit Record Levels
CertiK reports 34 verified physical attacks on crypto holders in the first four months of 2026.

🏛️ Senate Chair Pushes to Make U.S. the Bitcoin Capital
Senator Tim Scott publicly calls for U.S. Bitcoin leadership, signaling the CLARITY Act markup moves forward this week.

🇿🇦 Cole: South Africa’s Draft Regulations Threaten Bitcoin Self-Custody
Cole warns South Africa's 2026 draft regulations are a direct assault on sovereignty.

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Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey warns of an incoming "wrestle" with the Trump administration over stablecoin rules, cautioning that hard-to-redeem U.S. dollar stablecoins could flood UK markets during a financial crisis.

CertiK reports 34 verified wrench attacks globally in the first four months of 2026, up 41% compared to the same period last year, with 82% of incidents occurring in Europe. Family members are now increasingly targeted as leverage.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins argues current securities law doesn't fit Bitcoin software protocols, signaling the SEC may write entirely new rules for on-chain market structures, a potential regulatory reset.

Pierre Rochard (Bitcoin Advocate) notes Biden's 2024 energy survey targeted Bitcoin miners with mandatory emergency reporting. Trump's replacement is voluntary and treats all data centers equally.

Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) confirmed lawmakers resolved the stablecoin yield dispute blocking the CLARITY Act, removing the last known obstacle before the May 14 Senate Banking Committee markup.

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC, Banking Committee Chair) publicly called for making the U.S. the leading Bitcoin nation, a direct signal he intends to move the CLARITY Act markup forward this week.

Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) urges the Banking Committee to pass the CLARITY Act on Thursday and declares the U.S. will lead on Bitcoin innovation. The vote is days away.

CFTC Chairman Mike Selig declares the agency is leaving its anti-Bitcoin era behind, promising a new environment that embraces innovation and cements the U.S. as the global Bitcoin capital.

SEC Crypto Task Force Chief Counsel argues market structure legislation will "supercharge" the SEC's ability to bring legal clarity to Bitcoin markets, the clearest regulatory endorsement yet of the bill.

Cole (Southern Bitcoiner) argues South Africa's 2026 draft regulations constitute a direct assault on sovereignty, forced declarations, transaction approvals, and private key disclosure on demand.

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📅 May 14 — Senate Banking Committee sets its second attempt at a markup vote on Bitcoin market structure legislation, after canceling in January. The most consequential Bitcoin vote in congressional history is days away. The Block

✍️ 100,000 — Swiss Bitcoin reserve campaigners have collected only half the 100,000 signatures needed to force a national referendum, with weeks left on the deadline. TFTC

🇩🇪 2027 — Germany's Finance Minister plans to abolish the 12-month Bitcoin tax exemption and impose a flat 25% capital gains tax starting in 2027. Four attempts in 18 months, this one is in the budget. Atlas21

🇬🇧 May 5 — Bitcoin Policy Institute launched a UK policymaker education program on May 5, backed by Xapo Bank, to shape Britain's Bitcoin regulatory framework before the Financial Services and Markets Act takes effect in 2027. BPI

⚠️ June 18 — U.S. regulators have a rule effectively banning banks from holding Bitcoin, and the window to submit formal opposition closes June 18. Go to FixBasel.org and file your comment now. BPI

🏛️ May 12 — Roman Sterlingov Bitcoin Fog Appeal (D.C. Circuit Court) — Oral arguments before three federal appellate judges on the Bitcoin mixer conviction. One of the most important Bitcoin privacy cases in U.S. legal history. 10–20 minutes per side. Reception to follow. Support at FreePrivacyConvicts.org. 

🇪🇸 May 12 — Mad Bitcoin Summit 2026 Closes, Madrid, Spain — Final day of Madrid's flagship Bitcoin conference, focused on sovereignty, privacy, and Bitcoin adoption across Europe. Watch for closing policy announcements.

🇧🇪 May 12–13 — ACAMS Assembly Europe, Brussels — Anti-financial crime professionals gather for AML and Bitcoin compliance sessions. Signals where EU enforcement is heading next.

🇦🇪 May 12–14 — Seamless Digital Commerce ME, Dubai — Middle East's largest fintech expo: 25,000+ attendees. Cross-border payments and stablecoin infrastructure for the Gulf region on center stage.

🧡 May 13 — HRF x PubKey Fireside, Washington DC — Nicaraguan opposition leader Félix Maradiaga shares how political dissidents use Bitcoin to resist authoritarian regimes. Free and public, live Q&A included.

🏛️ May 14 — Senate Banking Committee CLARITY Act Markup — The most consequential Bitcoin legislative vote in U.S. history. The committee votes to advance comprehensive Bitcoin market structure legislation for the first time ever. Watch this one closely.

🇪🇺 MiCA Grandfathering Deadline — July 1 is closing in — Unregistered Bitcoin service providers in the EU have weeks left to comply or shut down. Expect compliance announcements to accelerate this week.

“How can it be that institutions which serve the common welfare and are extremely significant for its development come into being without a common will directed toward establishing them? ... Law, language, the state, money, markets, all these social structures in their various empirical forms and in their constant change are to no small extent the unintended result of social development.” — Carl Menger

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