Nikhilesh De
Nikhilesh De is CoinDesk's managing editor for global policy and regulation, covering regulators, lawmakers and institutions. He owns < $50 in BTC and < $20 in ETH. He won a Gerald Loeb award in the beat reporting category as part of CoinDesk's blockbuster FTX coverage in 2023, and was named the Association of Cryptocurrency Journalists and Researchers' Journalist of the Year in 2020.
33 articles
Congress Faces Challenges in Passing the Clarity Act Before Midterms
The Clarity Act has not passed as the July deadline approaches, raising concerns about its future amid upcoming midterm elections, according to CoinDesk. Although some are optimistic about its chances, the timeline is tight as Congress is out of session and must address several complex issues to achieve bipartisan support.
20 hours ago·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
Trump Earned Over $1 Billion from Crypto Amid Market Decline
U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly earned more than $1 billion from cryptocurrency-related activities in 2025, according to his recent financial disclosures, as reported by CoinDesk. Despite Trump's financial gains, the broader crypto market faces significant challenges, with the value of many assets, including Bitcoin, plummeting in recent months.
6 days ago·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
Chainalysis Proposes Standards for Blockchain Tracing
Chainalysis introduces a proposed ontology aimed at improving blockchain analytics, as reported by CoinDesk. The initiative focuses on developing standards that help investigators trace transactions more effectively by linking clusters of cryptocurrency addresses.
7 days ago·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
CZ Advocates for U.S. Crypto Leadership in Recent CoinDesk Interview
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, known as CZ, shares his vision for the United States as the potential 'capital of crypto' in an interview with CoinDesk. He discusses his insights on the crypto market, including its bear market causes and strategies for Binance.US to enhance liquidity.
last week·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
Binance Founder CZ Links Crypto Market Decline in 2026 to AI and Global Tensions
Binance founder Changpeng "CZ" Zhao attributes the crypto market's downturn in 2026 to various factors, including the rise of artificial intelligence investments and ongoing geopolitical tensions, according to an interview with CoinDesk. He remains optimistic about the long-term growth of the crypto industry despite the current circumstances.
last week·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
CZ Seeks to Reshape Image and Boost U.S. Crypto Liquidity
Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, aims to clarify misconceptions about himself and the exchange. He emphasizes the importance of enhancing liquidity for U.S. crypto traders in an interview with CoinDesk.
2 weeks ago·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
CME Group Sues CFTC Over Approval of Kalshi's Perpetual Futures
CME Group filed a lawsuit against the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on June 21, 2026, claiming the approval of Kalshi's perpetual futures contracts was improper. The suit highlights regulatory concerns regarding the categorization of such products and its implications for the futures market, as reported by CoinDesk.
2 weeks ago·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
CME CEO Plans to Sue CFTC Over Perpetual Futures Approval
CME Group CEO Terrence Duffy announces plans to sue the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) following its approval of perpetual futures products, which he claims do not align with the Dodd-Frank Act's swap definitions. This statement surfaced in an interview with CNBC, bringing regulatory clarity into question, as reported by CoinDesk.
3 weeks ago·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
Illinois Implements New 0.2% Tax on Digital Asset Transactions
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has approved a new 0.2% tax on businesses holding or transferring digital assets as part of a broader $56 billion budget for fiscal year 2027. This last-minute addition has drawn considerable backlash from the crypto industry, according to CoinDesk.
3 weeks ago·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
Crypto Regulations Heat Up as Lawmakers Address Tax Legislation and Prediction Markets
CoinDesk reports that lawmakers are actively debating cryptocurrency tax legislation, while the Commodity Futures Trading Commission proposes regulating prediction markets. Recent developments also include an amicus brief from former regulators in ongoing prediction market lawsuits and Sam Bankman-Fried's appellate court appeal rejection.
3 weeks ago·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
Sam Bankman-Fried Loses Appeal Against Fraud Conviction
Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of FTX, loses his appeal to overturn a criminal conviction on fraud and conspiracy charges, as ruled by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, according to CoinDesk. The panel found his claims that the trial was unfair unpersuasive and concluded that the evidence against him was strong.
3 weeks ago·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
Gary Gensler Argues Prediction Markets Should Abide by State Regulations
Former SEC and CFTC Chair Gary Gensler argues in an amicus brief that sports-related prediction markets violate state regulations, as reported by CoinDesk. Gensler's filing alongside various organizations contends that federal law does not grant the CFTC authority over these markets, which impacts revenue collection and regulation oversight across multiple states.
3 weeks ago·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
House Committee Circulates Seven Draft Crypto Tax Bills Ahead of Hearing
The House Ways and Means Committee has released seven draft bills focusing on crypto tax policy, signaling progress in legislative discussions. This update comes as the committee prepares for a hearing on crypto tax issues, set for June 9, as reported by CoinDesk.
4 weeks ago·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
U.S. Sanctions Major Iranian Crypto Exchanges Amid Ongoing Pressure Campaign
The U.S. Treasury Department blacklisted four Iranian crypto exchanges, including Nobitex, citing links to terrorism and sanctions evasion, as reported by CoinDesk. This action supports a broader strategy to counter Iran's use of digital assets amid its economic turmoil following recent military actions.
last month·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
House Financial Services Committee Focuses on Tokenization and Crypto Policy
Rep. French Hill, chair of the House Financial Services Committee, discussed the upcoming focus on tokenization in a recent CoinDesk interview. He stressed the importance of bipartisan support for digital asset policies, including the Clarity Act, as lawmakers explore the implications of tokenizing real-world assets.
last month·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
Google Engineer Arrested for Alleged Insider Trading on Polymarket
Michele Spagnuolo, a Google security engineer, faces charges of insider trading involving Polymarket, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. Allegations include using confidential Google data to place bets on trending searches resulting in approximately $1.2 million in profits, as reported by CoinDesk.
last month·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
Trump Advocates for CFTC's Authority Over Prediction Markets Amid Legal Challenges
U.S. President Donald Trump emphasizes the need for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to maintain exclusive authority over prediction markets. His statements, made through his social media platform, come as various state-level legal challenges regarding the classification of these markets as gambling products arise, according to CoinDesk.
last month·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
Federal Reserve Updates Proposal for Crypto Integration with Payments
The Federal Reserve published an updated proposal for a 'skinny' master account aimed at granting crypto firms access to its payment systems, while President Donald Trump directed regulators to enhance the integration of digital assets into existing payment frameworks, according to CoinDesk.
last month·CoinDesk·Reported by Nikhilesh De
