On 4 March 2026, South Korea's Financial Services Commission proposed capping individual and corporate ownership in major crypto exchanges at 15–20%, with limited exemptions up to 34%. Large shareholders at platforms such as Upbit, Bithumb, and Coinone could be required to divest significant stakes over three to six years, while industry groups argue the plan violates property rights and may push businesses abroad. The initiative is part of the Digital Asset Basic Act (Phase 2), which will be reviewed by parliament in early 2026.

U.S. banking trade associations have criticized the Federal Reserve's decision to grant Kraken Financial a limited-purpose master account, arguing it could expose the payment system to risk without traditional bank-level safeguards. The approval has intensified calls for the Fed to finalize and clarify its framework for so-called "skinny" accounts for nontraditional financial institutions. Some crypto industry participants view the move as a significant step toward enabling payment-focused firms that do not rely on conventional deposit-lending models.

On March 4, 2026, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City approved a limited master account for Kraken Financial, giving the crypto-focused bank unit direct access to core payment rails like Fedwire. Kraken can now move U.S. dollars without an intermediary, though it will not receive full bank privileges such as interest on reserves or access to the discount window.

A U.S. banking lobby has objected to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's decision to grant Kraken Financial a limited-purpose master account for an initial one-year term. The group warns the move could increase payment-system risks, set a precedent for crypto-focused institutions and was approved before a broader access framework is finalized.

Crypto exchange MEXC has expanded its tokenized equity lineup through Ondo Finance, adding 17 new onchain stock pairs that trade against Tether and waiving trading fees on them for the first 30 days. A separate announcement this week introduced seven additional tokens linked to US defense and energy companies, with withdrawals for the new assets scheduled to open on March 5. The latest listings build on a tokenized equity product MEXC and Ondo first launched in September 2025.

In a March Truth Social post, President Donald Trump accused banking groups of trying to weaken the GENIUS Act, a stablecoin regulation law passed in July, and of blocking broader U.S. crypto market structure legislation. He argued that banks, despite strong profits, should not influence rules for digital assets and warned that delays could drive crypto firms to move to countries like China with clearer regulations. At the center of the dispute are restrictions on stablecoin yield payments, which have divided banks and crypto industry representatives and slowed progress in the Senate.

Kraken’s banking unit has reportedly obtained a Federal Reserve master account, becoming the first crypto-native company to gain direct access to the U.S. central bank’s core payment systems. The approval enables direct U.S. dollar settlement on Fed infrastructure but does not grant full banking privileges such as earning interest on reserves.

Kraken’s banking subsidiary, Kraken Financial, has obtained a limited-purpose master account from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas, becoming the first crypto-linked firm with this type of access. The account lets Kraken connect directly to core Fed payment rails and reduce dependence on intermediary banks, although it does not include commercial-bank privileges such as interest on reserves or Fed lending facilities. The move is seen as a key infrastructure milestone for integrating digital asset businesses into the traditional US dollar payments system and broader financial markets.