WuBlockchain Weekly: Fed Hikes Rate First in 3 Years, CoinEx Shuts on 9th Anniversary and Clarity Act Vote Fails, etc

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has introduced a temporary 'Innovation Exemption' framework, allowing for the pilot trading of tokenized National Market System (NMS) stocks on permissioned Tokenized Securities Venues. This regulatory milestone permits these venues to operate without being classified as traditional exchanges under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, provided they adhere to strict conditions including OFAC compliance and the prohibition of synthetic assets. Tokenized stocks must grant holders identical voting and dividend rights as conventional shares, and issuers retain the right to block their securities from being traded on these platforms. SEC Chair Paul Atkins emphasized that this five-year pilot program aims to foster innovation while maintaining mandatory investor protections. The move is significant for the RWA market as it provides a clear, albeit temporary, legal pathway for on-chain equity trading in the United States. Meanwhile, the broader financial landscape remains influenced by Federal Reserve interest rate adjustments, which analysts suggest will increase income for stablecoin issuers and drive capital inflows into tokenized bonds and money market funds. These developments collectively signal a maturing regulatory environment for the integration of traditional financial assets onto blockchain infrastructure.