Digital Assets

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Key Takeaways 

  • The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated six individuals and entities tied to Cartel del Noreste (CDN)—one of Mexico’s most violent drug trafficking organizations—including two CDN-affiliated casinos used for money laundering and drug operations near the U.S.-Mexico border. 
  • OFAC’s actions are the latest examples of a broader national security strategy to use sanctions, AML authorities, criminal prosecutions, and other tools to counter cartels on the U.S.-Mexico border. These efforts have targeted in particular non-traditional financial institutions such as casinos, public-facing professionals, and disinformation actors. 
  • The State Department designated CDN as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) on February 20, 2026, and today’s designations were issued under both Executive Order 14059 (narcotics trafficking) and Executive Order 13224 (terrorism), underscoring the U.S. government’s treatment of major cartels as hybrid criminal-terrorist threats.
Continue Reading OFAC Sanctions Cartel-Linked Casinos and Financial Enablers on the Southern Border 

On Jan. 14, New York state Sen. Zellnor Myrie proposed legislation in the New York State Senate that would amend New York law to make it a criminal offense to operate a virtual currency business in the state without the proper license.

By introducing the possibility of criminal penalties, S.B. 8901 — the Cryptocurrency Regulation…

Overview

On March 12, 2026, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) took formal steps toward establishing additional regulations for prediction markets. The agency issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) soliciting public input on potential new rules, and separately, released staff guidance outlining its views on how existing rules apply to prediction market platforms currently in operation. These developments signal a significant shift in the regulatory landscape for an industry that has grown rapidly over the past year.

Continue Reading CFTC Takes Additional Steps Toward Prediction Market Regulation: What You Need to Know

On January 14, 2026, State Senator Zellnor Myrie proposed legislation in the New York State Senate that would amend New York law to make it a criminal offense to operate a virtual currency business in New York without the proper license. By introducing the possibility of criminal penalties, Senate Bill S. 8901, the Cryptocurrency Regulation Yields Protections, Trust, and Oversight Act (CRYPTO Act), would mark a significant regulatory shift in the state’s oversight of virtual currency businesses, given New York’s prominence in virtual currency regulation in the U.S.

Continue Reading Proposed NY Legislation May Mean Potential Criminal Charges for Unlicensed Crypto Firms