Lawyer sues US homeland dept to probe supposed Satoshi Nakamoto meeting  

A New York lawmaker has introduced legislation that would allow state agencies to accept cryptocurrency payments, signaling growing political momentum for digital asset integration in public services.Assembly Bill A7788, introduced by Assemblyman Clyde Vanel, seeks to amend state financial law to allow New York state agencies to accept cryptocurrencies as a form of payment.It would permit state agencies to accept payments in Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH), according to the bill’s text.Source: Nysenate.govAccording to the bill, state offices could authorize crypto payments for “fines, civil penalties, rent, rates, taxes, fees, charges, revenue, financial obligations or other amounts,” as well as penalties, special assessments and interest.Related: Trump’s tariff escalation exposes ‘deeper fractures’ in global financial systemCryptocurrency legislation is becoming a focal point in New York, with Bill A7788 marking the state’s second crypto-focused legislation in a little over a month.In March, New York introduced Bill A06515, aiming to establish criminal penalties to prevent cryptocurrency fraud and protect investors from rug pulls.Crypto-focused legislation has gathered momentum since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, with Trump signaling during his campaign that his administration intends to make crypto policy a national priority, as well as making the US a global hub for blockchain innovation.Related: Illinois Senate passes crypto bill to fight fraud and rug pullsNew York may mandate state “service fee” on crypto paymentsIf passed, the bill would mark a significant shift in how New York handles digital assets. It would allow state entities to integrate cryptocurrency into the payment infrastructure used for collecting public funds.The proposal also includes a clause allowing the state to impose a service fee on those choosing to pay with crypto. According to the text, the state may require “a service fee not exceeding costs incurred by the state in connection with the cryptocurrency payment transaction.” This could include transaction costs or fees owed to crypto issuers.Assembly Bill A7788 has been referred to the Assembly Committee for review and may advance to the state Senate as the next step.New York’s legislation comes shortly after the state of Illinois passed a crypto bill to fight fraud and rug pulls after the recent wave of insider schemes related to memecoins, Cointelegraph reported on April 11.Magazine: XRP win leaves Ripple and industry with no crypto legal precedent set

A member of Sweden’s parliament proposed adding Bitcoin to the country’s foreign exchange reserves, suggesting increased openness to cryptocurrency adoption in Europe following recent moves by the United States.Swedish MP Rickard Nordin issued an open letter urging Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson to consider adopting Bitcoin (BTC) as a national reserve asset.“Sweden has a tradition of a conservative and carefully managed foreign exchange reserve, mainly consisting of foreign currencies and gold,” Nordin wrote in a letter registered on April 8, adding:“At the same time, there is a rapid development in digital assets, and several international players regard bitcoin as a custodian and a hedge against inflation. In many parts of the world, bitcoin is used as a means of payment and as security against rising inflation.”“It is also an important way for freedom fighters to handle payments when under the oppression of authoritarian regimes,” he added.Open letter from MP Rickard Nordin. Source: Riksdagen.seRelated: US Bitcoin reserve marks’ real step’ toward global financial integrationThe Swedish proposal echoes a recent move by the United States. In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a national Bitcoin reserve funded by cryptocurrency seized in criminal investigations rather than purchased through market channels.The order authorized the Treasury and Commerce secretaries to develop “budget-neutral strategies” to buy more Bitcoin for the reserve, provided there were no additional costs to taxpayers.The governor of the Czech National Bank has also considered Bitcoin as part of a potential diversification strategy for the country’s foreign reserves, Cointelegraph reported on Jan. 7.Related: Bitcoin reserve backlash signals unrealistic industry expectationsEuropean lawmakers silent on Bitcoin legislation amid CBDC pushEuropean lawmakers have remained mostly silent on Bitcoin legislation despite Trump’s historic executive order and Bitcoin’s economic model favoring the early adopters.The lack of Bitcoin-related statements may stem from Europe’s focus on the launch of the digital euro, a central bank digital currency (CBDC), James Wo, the founder and CEO of venture capital firm DFG, told Cointelegraph, adding:“This highlights the EU’s greater emphasis on the digital euro, though the recent outage in the ECB’s Target 2 (T2) payment system, which caused significant transaction delays, raised concerns about its ability to oversee a digital currency when it struggles with daily operations.”ECB President Christine Lagarde is pushing ahead with the digital euro’s rollout, expected in October. Lagarde has emphasized that the CBDC will coexist with cash and offer privacy protections to address concerns about government overreach.“The European Union is looking to launch the digital euro, our central bank digital currency, by October this year,” Lagarde said during a news conference, adding:“We are working to ensure that the digital euro coexists with cash, addressing privacy concerns by making it pseudonymous and cash-like in nature.”Source: CointelegraphThis is in stark contrast to the approach of the US, where Trump has taken a firm stance against CBDCs, prohibiting “the establishment, issuance, circulation, and use” of a US dollar-based CBDC.Magazine: SCB tips $500K BTC, SEC delays Ether ETF options, and more: Hodler’s Digest, Feb. 23 –March. 1

The US Securities and Exchange Commission and blockchain payments firm Ripple agreed to pause their appeals in the ongoing XRP legal battle, signaling a potential move toward a final settlement.The SEC and Ripple agreed to put their appeals in “abeyance,” meaning the proceedings are now paused pending an anticipated settlement of the XRP (XRP) case.“An abeyance would conserve judicial and party resources while the parties continue to pursue a negotiated resolution of this matter,” the parties jointly stated in an April 10 court filing.Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse previously announced the end of the XRP case on March 19, and the new filing hints that the SEC is ready to settle once nominated and approved Chair Paul Atkins takes office, according to some community speculation.The filing cancels Ripple’s April 16 brief deadlineAccording to Ripple’s defense attorney, James Filan, the new filing supersedes the April 16 deadline for Ripple to respond to the SEC’s brief filed in January. “The settlement is awaiting commission approval. No brief will be filed on April 16,” Filan wrote in an April 10 X post.Some legal observers suggested the SEC’s willingness to pause the proceedings indicates that the agency may be prepared to drop the case after Atkins assumes office.Source: James Filan“SEC is ready to settle but is waiting for Atkins to take the helm as the new SEC chief so he can start off with dropping the biggest case of their career and start with a huge win,” one user suggested in a reply to Filan’s thread on X.When is Atkins expected to officially assume office?While the Senate confirmed Atkins as the new SEC chair on Wednesday, April 9, it’s unclear when he will take office.Related: Ripple acquisition of Hidden Road a ‘defining moment’ for XRPL — Ripple CTOIt could be several days before Atkins is sworn into office as the new SEC chair.Former SEC Chair Gary Gensler was sworn in three days after his confirmation in 2021, suggesting Atkins could take office as soon as April 12.Cointelegraph approached the SEC for comment on when Atkins is expected to be sworn in as the new SEC chair but had not received a response by the time of publication.Magazine: XRP win leaves Ripple and industry with no crypto legal precedent set