[News Brief] Jun 16, morning | Bank of Ghana Orders Halt to Support for Unapproved Foreign-Currency Digital Wallets on Crypto Platforms

Bank of Ghana Orders Halt to Support for Unapproved Foreign-Currency Digital Wallets on Crypto Platforms

The Bank of Ghana has instructed regulated financial institutions to immediately stop supporting unapproved foreign-currency digital wallet services offered by crypto platforms.

According to PANews, citing Bitcoin.com on the 16th, the central bank issued the directive to banks, deposit-taking institutions, electronic money issuers, and payment service providers. The central bank said some crypto platforms have been offering foreign-currency-denominated digital wallets, including U.S. dollar wallets, linked to the local banking system without obtaining the required approvals.

The central bank explained that such services must comply with the requirements of Ghana’s Payment Systems and Services Act and foreign exchange regulations. Institutions found violating the directive could face regulatory or enforcement action.

U.S. GAO Urges FDIC to Strengthen Coordination on Virtual Asset Oversight

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has urged the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to strengthen coordination on virtual asset oversight.

According to Odaily, in a letter sent on June 8 to FDIC Chairman Travis Hill, the GAO said blockchain-related financial products and services have increased significantly and that blockchain technology has been included on the high-risk list.

The GAO recommended establishing a coordination framework so that the FDIC and other regulators can jointly identify related risks and swiftly implement necessary supervisory responses.

It also explained that under the GENIUS Act passed last year, the FDIC is the primary regulator supervising stablecoin issuers affiliated with banks.

The GAO further proposed rotating case managers assigned to individual banks in order to reduce concerns over impaired supervisory independence.

Debate had previously arisen over whether regulators responded adequately after the collapse of three banks tied to the virtual asset industry in 2023.

U.S. Congress Pushes to Establish DOJ Task Force Dedicated to Crypto Theft

The U.S. Congress is pushing to establish a dedicated crypto theft task force within the Department of Justice. The bill aims to strengthen coordination in the investigation and prosecution of crypto asset theft, hacking, and fraud.

According to Odaily, the bill introduced by Representatives Lance Gooden and Josh Gottheimer would create a Federal Crypto Theft Task Force within the DOJ responsible for evidence collection, digital evidence analysis, asset tracing, and establishing victim support procedures.

Previously, in April 2025, the DOJ disbanded the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and ended its broad enforcement-focused strategy toward the crypto industry. The new bill explicitly states that it would not alter the existing regulatory framework or criminal law, and that crypto markets, financial institutions, and financial products would be excluded from the task force’s oversight.

According to an FBI report, there were 181,565 crypto-related complaints in 2025, with reported losses exceeding $11 billion. However, the bill does not include detailed provisions on budget, staffing, or victim response systems.

Spain’s CNMV Issues Urgent Warning to Crypto Service Providers and Investors Ahead of MiCA Transition End

Spain’s National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) has issued an urgent warning to virtual asset service providers (VASPs) and investors ahead of the end of the MiCA transition period, PANews reported citing Bitcoin.com.

The CNMV said the transition grace period will end after June 30, and only authorized crypto asset service providers will be allowed to operate in Spain. It advised investors not to transact with firms that have not completed the authorization process.

Firms operating without approval may prepare migration plans for customer funds and virtual asset transfers. This process may include entering into agreements with other authorized providers.

ATH21 CEO Chris Carrasco said that with little time left before implementation, fewer than half of providers have secured MiCA licenses, raising the possibility of service disruptions across parts of Europe.

President Trump and Vice President Vance Sign U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding

President Trump and Vice President Vance have signed a U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, Odaily reported citing Reuters.

According to the report, the Speaker of Iran’s Islamic Consultative Assembly also signed the memorandum. Specific details of the memorandum were not disclosed.

U.S. Spot Bitcoin ETFs See $64.09 Million Net Outflow, Ethereum ETFs Post $22.50 Million Net Inflow

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a net outflow of $64.09 million on the 15th (local time), Wu Blockchain reported citing SoSoValue.

On the same day, U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs posted a net inflow of $22.50 million. Spot ETF fund flows are widely used as a key gauge of institutional demand and market sentiment.

MARA Purchases 1,000 BTC From FalconX

On-chain data shows that Bitcoin mining company MARA purchased 1,000 BTC from FalconX.

Odaily, citing Onchain Lens, reported that the transaction was worth about $66.7 million. Large Bitcoin purchases by major miners tend to draw investor attention in terms of treasury strategy and market supply-demand dynamics.

Digital Yuan International Operation Center Signs Direct Participation Service Agreements With 26 Financial Institutions

The Digital Yuan International Operation Center signed direct participation service agreements with 26 financial institutions at the 2026 China International Finance Exhibition, which opened on June 16, according to PANews citing Shanghai Securities News.

The contracted institutions include ICBC Asia. They plan to use the Digital Yuan International Operation Center system to provide customers with low-cost and highly efficient cross-border digital payment services.

The move is seen as part of efforts to expand the use of the digital yuan in cross-border payments and support the opening of China’s financial market across trade, investment, and finance.

DTCC to Demonstrate Asset Tokenization Based on Securities Held in Custody

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) is set to soon demonstrate asset tokenization using securities held in its custody.

PANews reported on the 16th, citing Cointelegraph, that DTCC had announced plans for the demonstration. The initiative is viewed as an effort to examine the potential use of blockchain-based tokenization within traditional financial settlement and custody infrastructure.

USDC Treasury Mints Additional 250 Million USDC on Solana

PANews reported, citing Whale Alert monitoring, that the USDC Treasury minted an additional 250 million USDC on the Solana blockchain.

The minting was confirmed at 9:29 a.m. Beijing time on June 16.

USDC is a dollar-pegged stablecoin, and Solana is one of the major blockchains on which USDC circulates.