Important information last night and this morning (October 16th - October 17th)

SEC Commissioner Peirce Emphasized the Importance of Financial Privacy, Calling Tokenization a "Current Focus." According to The Block, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Commissioner Hester Peirce stated that the agency is focusing on several different areas, including rules for token distributions, guidance on what constitutes a transaction, and issues related to cryptocurrency custody. She stated that the SEC is working with Congress to draft legislation to regulate the entire digital asset industry. Peirce also stated that tokenization is currently "a major area of focus" for the SEC. Peirce also addressed the need for privacy protections and called on the government to "vigorously defend people's right to live a private life." She suggested that cryptocurrencies could be an opportunity to re-examine provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) regulations. Florida Legislative Proposal Proposes to Include Bitcoin and ETFs in State Funds and Pension Fund Investments According to The Block, Florida lawmakers have begun the 2026 legislative session with a proposal to include Bitcoin in the state's arsenal of financial instruments. House Bill 183, introduced in the Florida House of Representatives, would allow the state's chief financial officer to invest up to 10% of designated public funds (including the general revenue fund, the budget stabilization fund, and various trust funds) in "digital assets" and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). If passed, the bill would also authorize the state board of governors to invest up to 10% of the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund in digital assets. The bill defines digital assets as including Bitcoin, tokenized securities, and NFTs, and sets strict custody and control requirements. Assets can be held in the custody of the chief financial officer, a qualified custodian, or through an SEC-registered ETF. HB 183 positions Bitcoin as a potential store of value and inflation hedge for state funds and would also allow Florida residents to use digital assets to pay certain taxes and fees. HB 183 is currently awaiting House committee assignment and hearing. If advanced, it would still require Senate approval and the governor's signature before becoming law. Ghana Plans to Introduce Cryptocurrency Laws by Year-End According to Bloomberg, Johnson Asiama, Governor of the West African nation's Central Bank, said on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting in Washington on Thursday that Ghana expects to introduce a law regulating cryptocurrencies and virtual assets by the end of December. Asiama stated, "This is an important area, and we must strengthen supervision and monitoring of these transactions. We have developed a regulatory framework and introduced a new bill to regulate virtual assets. This bill has been submitted to Parliament and we hope to pass it by the end of December, which will enable us to regulate cryptocurrencies in Ghana." He stated that Ghana, Africa's largest gold producer, is establishing a new department and developing relevant expertise to assist in regulatory efforts in this area. Laos Plans to Stop Supplying Power to Cryptocurrency Mines in Early 2026 According to Reuters, Laos' Deputy Energy Minister, Chanthaboun Soukaloun, revealed that Laos is considering