Crypto News Round-Up — September 2025

September 2025 saw a flurry of activity in the crypto industry, with regulators proposing sweeping changes and markets reacting to new developments. Key events include transatlantic cooperation on crypto rules, U.S. regulators streamlining crypto ETF approvals, and a massive hack blamed on North Korean-linked actors. Below is a concise roundup of the top stories and why they matter.

• US-UK Launch Transatlantic Crypto Taskforce
• SEC Eases Rules for Crypto ETFs
• Binance Temporarily Halts Futures Trading
• $1.5B Crypto Hack Blamed on North Korea
• Major Banks Expand Crypto Offerings
• Crypto Adoption Hits Record High

US-UK Launch Transatlantic Crypto Taskforce

The United Kingdom and United States announced the creation of a joint “Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future” aimed at harmonising crypto regulation and easing cross-border market access. The initiative, unveiled during President Trump’s state visit to the UK, brings together senior finance ministry officials and regulators from both countries. The taskforce is charged with delivering a report within 180 days outlining short-term collaboration and longer-range solutions for digital finance and crypto regulation (Reuters).

• It signals unprecedented US-UK coordination on crypto policy, potentially clearing conflicting rules between two major markets.
• By aligning approaches, it could reduce compliance costs and uncertainties for crypto businesses operating internationally.
• The 180-day report timeframe suggests relatively quick progress, raising hopes of clearer global standards (Reuters).

SEC Eases Rules for Crypto ETFs

In a landmark move, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved rule changes to simplify the listing of cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds. The new rules allow major stock exchanges (NYSE, Nasdaq, Cboe) to adopt generic listing standards for crypto ETFs, slashing the approval process from up to 240 days down to as little as 75 days (Reuters). Notably, the change makes it easier to list funds tracking coins beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum – including Solana, XRP and others – without seeking special exemptions. Industry insiders expect a wave of new spot crypto ETFs to launch soon under the streamlined regime (www.reuters.com) (www.reuters.com).

• The rule changes open the door for altcoin ETFs for the first time, broadening investment choices beyond just bitcoin and ether (Reuters).
• Faster approvals should accelerate the arrival of crypto funds on mainstream exchanges, drawing more institutional and retail capital into digital assets.
• Officials say this regulatory shift is part of the current administration’s push to integrate crypto into traditional finance (Reuters).

Binance Temporarily Halts Futures Trading

On August 29, cryptocurrency exchange Binance briefly suspended all futures trading after a technical issue impacted its platform. The exchange later reported that the problem was resolved and futures trading resumed, but not before traders experienced forced liquidations and volatility in leveraged positions. Binance stated it had adjusted its systems to prevent a repeat of the error (Reuters).

• The outage highlights the technological and operational risks in crypto markets, even at major exchanges.
• Traders were reminded that sudden disruptions can have outsized effects on leveraged positions, underlining the usual volatility.
• Regulators and customers will closely watch Binance’s system upgrades, given the platform’s central role in global crypto markets (Reuters).

$1.5B Crypto Hack Blamed on North Korea

U.S. authorities announced that a North Korea–linked hacking group stole about $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency from a Dubai-based exchange earlier this year. The FBI accused the Lazarus Group (TraderTraitor), tied to Pyongyang, of orchestrating the high-profile heist by exploiting modified trading software. Prior disclosures had noted an Ethereum transfer of this size from Bybit, a Dubai crypto venue, but this official attribution ties the incident to state-backed cybercrime (AP News).

• The scale of the theft makes it one of the largest crypto heists on record, raising concerns about exchange security and oversight.
• Authorities link the attack to a sanctioned regime, underscoring cryptocurrency’s role in global state-level conflicts and money laundering (AP News).
• Such incidents often prompt regulators to tighten AML/KYC rules and push exchanges to bolster cybersecurity practices.

Major Banks Expand Crypto Offerings

Around the world, traditional financial institutions are moving deeper into crypto. For example, Morgan Stanley recently allowed its wealth-management clients to invest in newly launched Bitcoin funds, while multiple global banks are reportedly exploring crypto custody and trading services (Bloomberg). These shifts come as some regulators signal a more accommodating stance: a February announcement from the CFTC will allow cryptocurrency spot contracts to trade on regulated futures exchanges (Reuters).

• Bank entry into crypto brings substantial capital and credibility to the digital-currency space, potentially attracting more institutional investors.
• Services like custodial wallets, ETFs and advisory for crypto investments indicate that digital assets may soon be part of mainstream retail and retirement portfolios (Bloomberg).
• However, this mainstreaming also means that banking regulators and legislators will likely keep a closer eye on investor protections and systemic risks.

Crypto Adoption Hits Record High

New industry data suggests that global cryptocurrency adoption and usage are at all-time highs. For example, analytics firm Chainalysis reported that metrics such as trading activity and local-market peer-to-peer volumes saw significant growth across Asia and emerging economies this quarter (CoinDesk). Despite recent price pullbacks, many regions – including parts of Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia – are seeing growing miner and trader participation. These trends are fueled by remittances, decentralized finance and inflation hedging demand (CoinDesk).

• Rapid adoption in multiple regions signals that crypto is no longer a niche phenomenon but a component of the broader financial ecosystem.
• Higher usage rates put pressure on global regulators to establish clear rules, which could lead to more countries legalizing or tightening crypto oversight.
• Steady demand from new users underpins long-term market expansion, but also reminds investors that price volatility can be amplified by retail sentiment (CoinDesk).

Risk Warning: Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile and involve significant risk. This roundup is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research before making any financial decisions.

Bottom Line

This week’s developments show that crypto is increasingly entwined with mainstream finance and policy: governments are actively shaping digital-asset regulation, and big banks and exchanges continue to build infrastructure around digital currencies. At the same time, security breaches and system outages demonstrate the industry’s growing pains. Overall, September’s news underscores that crypto is maturing rapidly – but investors must stay cautious and heed the clear reminder of volatility and risk.