Individuals and groups would be required to register with the Bank of Russia before offering certain crypto services, or potentially face fines and prison time. Russia’s government submitted a bill to its parliament’s lower house in an effort to amend the country's legal code to attach criminal liability for crypto services offered without regulatory approval or licensing. In a draft law sent to the State Duma on Friday, Russian lawmakers proposed that entities "carrying out activities related to the organization of digital currency circulation,” that operate without a license from Russia’s central bank, could be subject to criminal liability. Without registration with the Bank of Russia, individuals could face up to $4,000 in fines and up to four years in prison, or more severe penalties if part of an organized group. Read more
Traders on the Polymarket prediction market platform place the odds of the Strait returning to normal traffic by May 31, 2026, at 73%. Polymarket prediction market odds of the Strait of Hormuz “returning to normal” by the end of May spiked to 73% on Friday, following news that Iranian officials have temporarily opened up the Strait of Hormuz as part of a ceasefire deal. The odds climbed to a high of 82% on Friday, after Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi announced that the Strait of Hormuz is open. Since that time, the odds have fallen back down to 73%. He said in an X post: However, traders on the platform placed the odds of the Strait returning to normal activity by the end of April at just 40%. Read more
JPMorgan, the largest bank in the United States by assets, served as the financial advisor to Premier Energy (PE.RO) in the approximately EUR700 million deal to acquire Distributie Energie Oltenia (DEO), according to a press release.