Crypto Regulation and Compliance Updates

Gate News message, on April 2, Wormhole posted on the X platform in response to the Drift Protocol attack incident. Wormhole said that user assets are not currently at risk, and the cross-chain bridge functionality can still be used normally. However, due to the built-in security mechanisms configured for Solana, some cross-chain transfers may experience delays. Wormhole’s core contributors have been in communication with the Solana ecosystem team and will continue to provide support as needed.

Li Xiong, a core member of the Taizi Group, has been escorted back to China on suspicion of multiple crimes. Since 2021, the Huiwang Pay company he established in Cambodia has been involved in large-scale cryptocurrency transactions, becoming the largest online illegal marketplace.

Solana Foundation Chief Product Officer Vibhu Norby responded to the Drift Protocol security incident, confirming that an attack occurred. The cause of the attack is still under investigation. The incident is related to operational security or social engineering, highlights the potential risks of multisig mechanisms, and says that this incident does not represent a systemic issue with Solana DeFi.

Australia passed the “2025 Corporations Amendment Act” on April 1, establishing the nation’s first digital asset regulatory framework. All cryptocurrency exchanges and custody service providers must obtain a financial services license within six months, and comply with asset custody and information disclosure standards, with the aim of reducing the risk of crypto platforms collapsing in the past. Research forecasts that this regulation could create AU$24 billion in economic value for Australia each year and accelerate development in the digital asset and payments sectors.

Chainalysis research reports that organizations linked to Russia and Iran have been buying low-cost drones and accessories through cryptocurrencies to bypass Western sanctions. Since 2022, pro-Russia groups have raised more than $8.3 million, and wallets associated with Iran show transactions with suppliers in Hong Kong. Although the anonymity of cryptocurrencies helps evade monitoring, blockchain transparency provides important leads for investigations.

Ledger CTO Charles Guillemet noted that Drift Protocol’s exploitation method is similar to a 2025 CEX hack incident, and that the security issues mainly stem from people and operations rather than code defects. The attacker infiltrated a multisig device to trick the signer into approving a malicious transaction.

Magic Eden is discontinuing its wallet app, transitioning to an export-only mode, which means users must export their private keys to avoid losing access to their funds. This change emphasizes the importance of self-custody and key preservation for cryptocurrency users.

Key Insights GENIUS Act defines state-regulated stablecoin compliance, allowing smaller issuers to operate locally while meeting federal oversight standards. OCC guidance establishes federal benchmarks, guiding stablecoin issuers transitioning from state to federal supervision after $10 billion

Former FTX engineer Nishad Singh agreed to pay a $3.7 million penalty to the CFTC to resolve its regulatory issues stemming from the FTX collapse. This case highlights the growing accountability that regulators are demanding from the digital asset industry, as well as the importance of internal industry cooperation in reducing legal risk. Singh’s cooperation demonstrates the impact that transparency and compliance can have on the industry’s development, reminding executives that they must take legal responsibility seriously as they grow.

Alabama has officially granted decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) legal standing, becoming the second state to recognize DAOs as legal entities. The newly passed DUNA Act provides DAOs with limited liability protection, reducing operational risk, increasing trust, enabling interaction with traditional businesses, and driving innovations in blockchain governance. This move marks a new stage in which decentralized finance gains legal recognition in the real economy.

The Australian Prime Minister announced that, starting in 2027, gambling advertisements will be strictly limited to reduce children’s exposure. The new rules ban ads from being shown during live sports broadcasts, and they also do not allow celebrity endorsements. Despite the tighter advertising restrictions, the ban has not yet been fully achieved. Meanwhile, a cryptocurrency prediction platform is facing a crackdown, traditional gambling exposure will decline, and legal developments need to be monitored.

On April 1, 2026, Drift Protocol in the Solana ecosystem was hacked, resulting in losses of about $285 million. The attacker obtained administrator permissions for a multisig wallet, swiftly withdrew funds, and transferred them cross-chain to Ethereum, becoming the largest single security incident in the DeFi space. The investigation found that the attack was caused by a multisig management configuration flaw: the lack of a time-lock mechanism allowed the attacker to execute malicious actions immediately. The incident caused Drift’s total value locked to drop sharply, significantly impacting the Solana ecosystem.

Google's quantum AI team research indicates that the quantum computing power required to break Bitcoin is far lower than expected, potentially less than 500,000 qubits. Research simulations show that hackers could intercept ongoing Bitcoin transactions within 9 minutes, and that about one-third of the Bitcoin is stored in already exposed wallets, increasing the risk of quantum attacks. While Bitcoin's Taproot upgrade strengthens privacy, it also increases the exposure of public keys, raising the risk to assets.

The Executive Yuan approved a draft bill of the “Virtual Asset Services Act,” establishing dedicated regulatory rules for Taiwan’s virtual asset market, setting up a licensing system for virtual asset service providers, and strengthening penalties for fraud and market manipulation. The bill follows a principle of gradual opening, ensuring transaction safety, and requiring the Financial Supervisory Commission and the Central Bank to approve stablecoin issuance, to protect users’ transaction rights and interests.

Li Xiong was extradited back to China from Cambodia, involving a cross-border money laundering case tied to the $4 billion Weiwang Group. The case has exposed the links between the Southeast Asian scam industry chain and crypto funds. Experts noted that the group, as a scam infrastructure provider, supports online scams and the movement of funds. Despite intensified international crackdown efforts, the money-laundering network remains highly adaptable, making it extremely difficult to trace.

All-chain stablecoin protocol USDT0 responded rapidly after the Solana Drift security incident, pausing its cross-chain communication network within 90 minutes. Tether’s CEO praised its team’s handling, while Z achXBT criticized Circle for not freezing USDC transfers.

Taiwanese investigators and prosecutors cracked the first Polymarket cryptocurrency election betting case, arresting two bettors. Because they admitted their wrongdoing, they were granted deferred prosecution, and authorities reminded the public not to place illegal bets. The case shows that identity can be verified through tracing the flow of funds, emphasizes the Election and Recall Law’s provisions and potential criminal liability, and calls on the public to comply with the law.

Gate News message, the Drift Protocol exploiter has purchased an additional 1,195 ETH for $2.46M USDC. The hacker's wallet now holds 130,262 ETH valued at $267.67M. According to Onchain Lens, Drift Protocol was exploited for over $270M, with the stolen funds converted into 129,067 ETH worth $277.4

In 2026, Russia will accelerate cryptocurrency regulatory reforms to address fiscal pressure. It plans to ban citizens from trading on platforms without local authorization and to strengthen taxation on licensed entities. Regulators intend to restrict access to overseas platforms through technical means, but industry insiders are cautious about the policy’s fiscal impact.

In 2026, Australia will pass new regulations for crypto assets, bringing digital asset platforms under financial oversight, requiring them to apply for financial services licenses and comply with ASIC supervision. This marks a transition toward standardized management in the crypto industry, improving investor protection, but it also increases operating costs for smaller platforms and could lead to changes in the competitive landscape of the market.