Digital Assets Download -
The Future Isn’t Coming – It’s Here
Digital Assets Download: The Future Isn’t Coming – It’s Here. President Donald Trump’s first week back in office was a momentous one for digital assets, with long-awaited repeal of SAB 121 and a sweeping executive order establishing digital assets as a priority of his Administration.
In this edition of the Digital Assets Download, our team gives a roadmap for what to expect from digital assets regulation and legislation under Trump 2.0. We also cover the European Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), a sweeping regulation that will apply to almost all EU financial entities, including banks, payment and electronic money institutions, investment firms, and crypto-asset service providers. This edition also features a wide range of insights from our friends at the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC) in their 2024 Annual Report – including some insights from our Mayer Brown team.
Not to be overshadowed, the digital assets market saw one of the world’s largest private credit managers launch a tokenized fund and one of the biggest names in stablecoins shopping in the M&A market. Oh, and Arizona may want to invest in crypto… More on these and other stories in our News Node.
For the Uninitiated: Digital Assets Download is a curated mix of insights and headlines that provide a Layer 3 Legal Perspective™ on the digital assets multiverse—created by Mayer Brown’s global Digital Assets, Blockchain & Cryptocurrency group.
The Lead Block
News Node
Arizona Advances Bill Allowing State To Invest up to 10% of Public Funds in Virtual Currencies
Apollo and Securitize Announce Partnership and Launch Tokenized Access to Credit Fund on Aptos, Avalanche, Ethereum, Ink, Polygon, and Solana Networks
Pro Take: Crypto Could Get a Boost as Barr Departs as Fed’s Supervisory Head
USDC Stablecoin Issuer Circle Acquires Hashnote, a $1.3B Tokenized RWA Firm
Judge Freezes SEC Lawsuit Against Coinbase Amid 'Conflicting' Crypto Rulings
Do New FDIC Letters Really Prove the Existence of Anti-Crypto Operation Chokepoint 2.0?
Kenya Proposes Mandatory Local Offices for Crypto Firms to Enhance Oversight
Crypto in the Courts: Five Cases Reshaping Digital Asset Regulation in 2025
Court tells SEC To lay out Why It Has Declined Coinbase's Request For Crypto Regulations
Tech Groups Sue US CFPB to Block Rule on Payment Apps, Digital Wallets
Coinshares: Digital Asset Inflows Surge to Record $2.2 Billion in a Single Week
Bitcoin Edges Higher as Investors Shake Off Initial Trump Day One Disappointment
Takeaways From SEC's Mixed Results In '24 Crypto Litigation
Zynap Raises $5.9 Million for AI-Powered Cybersecurity Platform
What are Memecoins and Why Did Trump Launch One?
Select Events
What to Expect in Financial Services Regulation
On February 6, 2025, our Mayer Brown team will present its annual What to Expect in Financial Services Regulation program. We’ll discuss developments and expectations related to digital assets and cryptocurrencies, open banking, novel bank charters, banking-as-a-service and other bank-fintech relationships, privacy, and cybersecurity. Please register to join us for this event in New York.
On January 14, our Mayer Brown team hosted its Financial Services M&A Forum, which featured a fireside chat with FTC Commissioner Melissa Holyoak and Mayer Brown partner Andrew Olmem. In a panel dedicated to M&A in the digital assets sector, Matt Homer of The Venture Dept. shared views on his involvement in significant digital assets M&A and we discussed how M&A transactions will accelerate the convergence of traditional financial services and blockchain/digital assets. In 2025, both traditional financial services companies and crypto-native and digital asset firms will utilize M&A to drive development and launch key digital assets products and services.
Global Blockchain Business Council’s 8th Annual Blockchain Central 2025
On January 21, Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero provided remarks virtually at the Global Blockchain Business Council’s Eighth Annual Blockchain Central Davos 2025. Commissioner Kristin N. Johnson participated in a fireside chat with the CEO of the GBBC, Sandra Ro.
Chairman Hill: In November, the American People Trusted Republicans; We Must Deliver
On January 22, the House Financial Services Committee hosted its organizational meeting, where Chairman Hill remarked, “We will bring legal clarity to digital assets, providing innovators with new tools to build decentralized financial products and services that empower people to help one another and ensure America remains a leader in this space.”
LEARN THE LINGO
For those new to the digital assets and DeFi world, each edition of the Digital Assets Download will highlight a different term to help you be a part of the conversation.
AIRDROP
An airdrop is a delivery of coins or tokens to wallet addresses. This delivery is made by the issuer of the coin or token, usually to promote or raise awareness of its crypto asset. Airdrops are usually made without payment or other consideration, or in exchange for an actor service in furtherance of the promotion (for example, posting about the currency on social media platforms). While some airdrops are conducted for legitimate purposes, others have been used to facilitate fraudulent activity.
Writing on the Wall, Translating ‘Crypto’ Terms with Mayer Brown
From Airdrop to Wrapped Token, our illustrated glossary, “Writing on the Wall, Translating Securities with Mayer Brown,” has been updated with additional digital assets and cryptocurrency terms. Check out our “featured” list for the crypto terms and the full list of terms.
