Crypto

Hong Kong, China - Apr 5, 2024: People walk past the Central Branch of the Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong. Standard Chartered PLC is a British multinational bank.

HSBC and a joint venture led by Standard Chartered are expected to be among the first companies to receive Hong Kong stablecoin licenses within two weeks, marking a milestone in the city’s effort to regulate the sector and strengthen its position as a global digital asset hub.

Gaps in the international oversight of offshore virtual-asset firms have made it possible for criminals to commit large-scale fraud, money laundering, and terrorism financing beyond the reach of most supervisory bodies, according to FATF.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth holds a bilateral exchange with French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., April 17, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Madelyn Keech)

An investigative news outlet on Thursday launched a searchable online database containing nearly 3,200 financial disclosure records for more than 1,500 Trump-appointed federal officials, detailing extensive financial ties between senior members of the administration and the industries they regulate.