Web3 Operators Weekly Update (May 16 - May 23)

Author

Austin Heaton
May 23, 2025

From Hong Kong’s stablecoin lead to U.S. regulatory shifts, Ethereum upgrades, and smarter growth tools, this week’s highlights cut across strategy, compliance, and innovation.

Whether you’re leading at the C-level or scaling from the ground up, these are the signals that matter.

Let’s get into it.

FOR C-LEVELS | Strategy, Innovation & Regulation

Hong Kong Moves Fast on Stablecoin Licenses A landmark stablecoin bill just passed in Hong Kong, requiring issuers to register with the HKMA. It’s a signal to global markets that Asia isn’t slowing down on crypto regulation or innovation.

U.S. Senate Pushes GENIUS Stablecoin Bill The GENIUS Act advances through the Senate, banning interest-bearing payment stablecoins and restricting non-U.S. issuers. Compliance, clarity, and control are the new keywords for stablecoin operators.

Ethereum’s Pectra Upgrade Introduces Major EIPs Ethereum continues improving with 11 new EIPs set for rollout. EIP-7251 and EIP-7002, in particular, reshape validator economics and optimize network performance.

FOR MARKETING & GROWTH | Campaigns, Tools & Trends

CryptoVirally Revamps Its Platform A new Campaign Planner and a simplified service model are making waves. Expect more transparency, faster GTM, and better ROI for crypto marketing teams.

Top 5 Airdrop Tools You Should Know Airdrop marketing isn’t dead, it’s growing. Better watch out for these tools because they are redefining campaign targeting, fraud protection, and performance tracking for 2025.

FOR FINANCE & COMPLIANCE | Tax, Treasury & Regulation

UK Tightens Crypto Reporting Laws for 2026 Crypto firms in the UK will soon face mandatory transaction reporting under new tax transparency rules. It’s time to update your accounting workflows.

Web3 Compliance Symposium Tackles Automation ACFCS hosted a deep dive into AI's role in financial crime prevention across Web3. If you’re building compliance tooling or policy, this is your blueprint.

FOR TALENT & HR | Hiring, Compensation & Legal

Compliance Hires Are Up 40% New laws across the US and EU are making compliance talent one of the most in-demand verticals in crypto. If you're hiring, expect competition to be fierce.

Token-Based Pay Is Becoming Standard 75% of Web3 orgs are now using tokenized compensation. It’s not a trend, it’s the new normal for aligning contributor incentives.

FOR OPERATIONS | Tools, Workflow & Security

AI Agents Now Go Cross-Chain The oMCP framework is enabling multi-chain operations for AI agents across Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, and more. If you’re running automated ops, this unlocks serious efficiency.

Must-Have Dev Tools for 2025 From smart contract platforms to contributor dashboards, here’s the current stack top builders are using to scale secure Web3 applications.

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