Written by Cointelegraph, Staff Writer. Reviewed by Robert Lakin, Staff Editor.
Written by Cointelegraph, Staff Writer.
Reviewed by Robert Lakin, Staff Editor.
Here’s what happened in crypto today
Latest NewsPublishedApr 28, 2026
Need to know what happened in crypto today? Here is the latest news on daily trends and events impacting Bitcoin price, blockchain, DeFi, NFTs, Web3 and crypto regulation.
Today in crypto, Paystand is launching a US dollar-backed stablecoin built on Bitcoin-linked infrastructure for use in business payments, a new CertiK report shows US Anti-Money Laundering fines hit $1.06 billion in the first half of 2025 as AML enforcement shifted from securities cases, with Basel rules and mandatory audits reshaping crypto compliance, and Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche pledged not to pursue blockchain developers if they have nothing to do with illegal activity conducted using their software.
Paystand launches Bitcoin-based stablecoin USDb for enterprise payments
Paystand is launching USDb, a US dollar-backed stablecoin built on Bitcoin-linked infrastructure for use in business payments, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll and treasury operations.
According to Tuesday's announcement, the token is issued on Bitcoin-linked rails, including Rootstock, and interoperates with infrastructure from Blockstream. It will roll out first across Paystand’s payments network, which the company says has processed more than $20 billion in volume for over one million businesses.
Santa Cruz, California-based Paystand is a blockchain payments company that provides accounts receivable and accounts payable infrastructure to businesses across North America and Latin America.
The stablecoin is launching with support from Rootstock, Blockstream and Ibex, which will act as its initial minting partner and liquidity provider, and is designed to be compatible with Bitcoin-based networks such as the Lightning Network and Liquid.
Total stablecoin market cap. Source: DeFiLlamaTotal stablecoin market cap. Source: DeFiLlama
AML eclipses securities enforcement as crypto’s top regulatory risk
Anti-Money Laundering enforcement has overtaken securities violations as the leading regulatory threat facing crypto companies, according to CertiK, with the United States Department of Justice and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network imposing over $1 billion in AML-related fines during the first half of 2025.
The shift marks a sharp break from the US Securities and Exchange Commission-led enforcement cycle that defined earlier years of crypto regulation. SEC crypto-specific penalties collapsed 97% in penalty value year over year, dropping from $4.9 billion in 2024 to $142 million in 2025, according to a Tuesday report by blockchain security auditor CertiK.
Transaction monitoring and licensing failures are now drawing penalties that rival or exceed many earlier crypto securities cases. The DOJ's February 2025 settlement with OKX reached $504 million, while KuCoin paid $297 million in January 2025, both for operating unlicensed money transmitting businesses and Bank Secrecy Act violations.
Notable AML-related penalties in 2025. Source: CertiK
The surge in AML enforcement highlights regulators’ growing focus on compliance controls and financial surveillance, with penalties increasingly targeting operational failures rather than disclosure-related violations. The shift reflects both a change in US administration policy and a broader reassessment of the SEC's jurisdictional approach to digital assets, according to the report.
Acting AG Todd Blanche confirms “code is not a crime” in DOJ pivot
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the US Department of Justice and FBI are no longer targeting blockchain developers over platforms used for illegal activity, instead shifting focus to the users engaged in financial crime.
Speaking at a Bitcoin conference in Las Vegas alongside FBI Director Kash Patel and Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal on Monday, Blanche said that the approach to enforcement has significantly changed under the Trump administration.
Source: Cointelegraph
The acting attorney general explained that as long as developers have nothing to do with illicit activity, the DOJ and FBI have no reason to go after them, noting that "we have fundamentally changed the game when it comes to our investigations."
“The basic principle is that if you are developing software, if you are a coder, if you are part of that process and you are not the third-party user, and you are not helping and knowing the third party is using what you developed to commit crimes, you are not going to be investigated and not going to be charged,” he said.
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- Industry - DeFi - Government - Stablecoin - Bitcoin Mining - Department of Justice - AML - Enforcement
