AdvantageEvans FinTech News & Trend Report
July 17, 2025 | Expert Analysis on FinTech, IP & Web3
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INTRO
#CryptoWeek in the United States has been an epic advancement of clarity and confidence for digital assets, market structure and keeping central bank digital currencies at bay. I break all of this down in this week’s article.
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THIS WEEK’S PREMIUM CONTENT:
Includes access to microlessons, archive, chat, comment threads, and Lives Q&As
🎓 Micro Lesson: Crypto Market Structure & the Legal Showdown Ahead
🎓 Micro Lesson: Crypto Clarity at Last? What this Week’s House Vote Means for You
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Each week, premium members get a micro-lesson with actionable insights on crypto law, markets, and strategy—designed for professionals navigating Web3 with purpose and precision.
This week, we’re breaking down the House passage of the CLARITY Act—a sweeping digital asset bill that could reshape how crypto is regulated in the U.S. What happens next in the Senate, and how should lawyers, advisors, and investors prepare?
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📰LEAD STORY
Crypto Week 2025: This Week Marks Historic Legislative Wins, Signals Industry's Legitimacy
By Tonya M. Evans
How three groundbreaking bills and bipartisan support are reshaping the digital asset landscape
This week marked a watershed moment for the cryptocurrency industry. What House of Representatives leaders dubbed "Crypto Week" culminated in the passage of three landmark bills that represent the most significant federal crypto legislation in U.S. history. For legal and financial professionals, these developments signal a fundamental shift from regulatory uncertainty to structured legitimacy.
The Legislative Victories
The House delivered decisive victories on three major fronts:
The GENIUS Act (308-122) - The Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act creates the first comprehensive federal framework for payment stablecoins, requiring full backing by high-quality liquid reserves and monthly public disclosures. President Trump is expected to sign this into law on July 18, making it the first major federal crypto law in U.S. history.
The CLARITY Act (294-134) - The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act addresses the industry's most pressing need: defining when digital assets are securities versus commodities. This legislation clarifies SEC and CFTC jurisdiction, with most decentralized blockchain tokens treated as commodities unless clearly issued as investment contracts.
The Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act - This bill prohibits the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency, reflecting concerns about government overreach and financial surveillance.
Bipartisan Support Despite Initial Turbulence
The path to victory wasn't smooth. A Republican revolt initially blocked the procedural rule needed for debate, with conservatives demanding that House-crafted bills not be sidelined for Senate versions. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and other House Freedom Caucus members used the procedural vote to express broader grievances with GOP leadership.
President Trump's personal intervention proved decisive. After summoning holdouts to the Oval Office, he secured commitments for passage. The resulting votes demonstrated remarkable bipartisan support - approximately 78 Democrats joined Republicans on the CLARITY Act, while roughly 80 Democrats supported the GENIUS Act.
The CBDC Controversy: A Teaching Moment
The Anti-CBDC bill's closer margin highlights a crucial distinction that legal and financial professionals must understand: digital assets are not a monolith. The varying levels of support stem from fundamentally different approaches across the aisles to digital currency laws and policy priorities and reveal where partisan divides persist versus where consensus exists.
Understanding the Digital Asset Spectrum … Continue reading here.
NEWS & TRENDS DIGEST
1. SEC Issues Guide for Crypto ETP Disclosures
The SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance released detailed guidance to assist sponsors of crypto asset exchange-traded products (ETPs) in preparing disclosures. The guide focuses on:
Asset classification & valuation methods
Custody and security risks (especially in smart contracts)
Market manipulation and pricing concerns
Tax treatment and investor exposure
Why it matters: This is a major step toward greater regulatory transparency for crypto ETPs. Issuers like BlackRock, Fidelity, and VanEck are expected to align future filings with this guide. The SEC is sending a clear message: disclosures must match the risk and complexity of crypto-backed products.
2. $9.3B Russian-Linked Token Under Scrutiny
A cryptocurrency token allegedly created to help Russian actors evade sanctions has moved $9.3 billion through a dedicated exchange in just four months. Reports indicate:
It’s linked to a Moldovan fugitive oligarch and a Russian defense-sector bank.
Funds were moved via a purpose-built exchange and masked by pseudo-anonymous infrastructure.
U.S. and European officials are investigating potential OFAC violations and systemic risks.
Why it matters: This case amplifies global concerns about the use of digital assets for geopolitical evasion, reinforcing arguments for stronger AML/KYC standards—especially from voices like Sen. Warren and Rep. Waters.
3. Market Volatility: Fed Watch, Powell Under Fire
Crypto markets surged early this week as the House passed the GENIUS and CLARITY Acts. But volatility returned due to:
Speculation that President Trump may attempt to fire or sideline Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Mixed signals on interest rate policy amid stubborn core inflation
Global macro uncertainty as Bitcoin briefly crossed $123K, then retraced below $118K
Why it matters: Policy risk now plays a central role in crypto price action. Legal professionals advising institutional clients should expect increased hedging, repricing of digital asset ETFs, and more rapid fund rotation.
💡 FUN FACT
The SEC approved the first spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024. In just over a year, BlackRock’s $IBIT has grown so rapidly it now holds more Bitcoin than MicroStrategy—the corporate king of BTC since 2020.
Wall Street didn’t just show up. It’s scaling in.
THIS WEEK ON CONFIDENTLY CRYPTO™ with DR. TONYA
"How To Build an IP Portfolio for Blockchain Success
In this episode of Confidently Crypto, Dr. Tonya M. Evans breaks down why your intellectual property (IP) portfolio is one of the most overlooked but absolutely essential assets in the crypto and blockchain economy. From NFT platforms and DeFi protocols to tokenized real estate and DAO tooling, Web3 innovation is booming. But so are IP lawsuits, patent trolls, and high-stakes litigation. If you’re not building an IP strategy into your crypto business model, you’re putting your innovation—and valuation—at risk.
🎧 Where to Listen:
📺 LATEST VIDEO
Before you scale your crypto project, you need to protect it. And that starts with your IP. In this exclusive VIDEO episode of Confidently Crypto, I explore why your intellectual property portfolio is your most overlooked strategic asset in Web3—and how to build one that attracts investors, defends against patent trolls, and multiplies your market value.
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THIS WEEK’S MICRO-LESSON: Crypto Clarity at Last? What this Week’s House Vote Means for You
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