The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recommended that Kenya overhaul its cryptocurrency regulations to establish a transparent, reliable framework. The agency highlighted the country’s outdated financial rules that inadequately cover digital assets, leading to increased vulnerability to scams and illicit financial activities.

During a visit in Nairobi, IMF experts noted a lack of consensus among Kenyan legislators on crypto regulation. They emphasized the need for Kenya to define clear legal terms, align its rules with international anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) standards, and learn from global frameworks like the Bali Fintech Agenda and Financial Stability Board guidelines.

The IMF’s recommendations include short-term steps—conducting empirical market studies, enhancing coordination among regulators, and clarifying the legal scope of crypto assets. They also proposed mid- to long-term measures, such as licensing virtual asset service providers (VASPs), establishing robust supervisory bodies, and ensuring consistency in legal terminology.

Ultimately, the IMF stressed that Kenya should engage with international regulatory counterparts to better oversee cross-border exchanges, protect consumers, and promote financial innovation without sacrificing market stability.

Institutional investors funneled $296 million into Ethereum-focused funds over the past week, marking the largest weekly inflow since the U.S. presidential election in November. With these inflows, Ethereum has overtaken Bitcoin in terms of weekly gains in crypto investment vehicles.

The surge is part of a broader upswing in crypto asset allocations. Digital asset funds logged a total of $7.05 billion in net inflows during May, pushing crypto fund holdings to a record $167 billion. Within this, Bitcoin funds gathered $5.5 billion while Ethereum products attracted $890 million.

Analysts point to growing interest in Ethereum as it reels in capital seeking exposure to DeFi, smart contracts, and next‑generation blockchain infrastructure. Over the last 30 days, Ether’s price trended upward, and its ETH/BTC valuation ratio strengthened considerably.

Recent inflows into Ethereum products appear driven by supportive macroeconomic signals, improved technical price patterns, and rising adoption of spot Ether exchange‑traded funds (ETFs). Meanwhile, Bitcoin-focused funds saw outflows totaling around $56.5 million.

Tokyo-based Metaplanet has unveiled plans to significantly boost its Bitcoin reserves, targeting the acquisition of 100,000 BTC by the end of 2026—up from its previous goal of 21,000 BTC. The announcement, shared via X on June 6, follows a recent purchase increasing its holdings to 8,888 BTC and signals a bold move to expand its crypto presence .

The firm intends to buy at least an additional 91,112 BTC over the next 18 months. CEO Simon Gerovich emphasized that this accelerated acquisition is a deliberate response to global financial shifts, including geopolitical tensions, excessive sovereign debt, and growing doubts over traditional safe-haven assets like bonds and gold.

To fund this plan, Metaplanet will issue up to 555 million new shares via stock acquisition rights, supplementing its existing 210 million-share program. The issuance is expected to raise around ¥770.3 billion (approximately $5.32 billion) at an initial strike price of ¥1,388 per share.

Looking ahead, the company aims to hold over 210,000 BTC by the end of 2027—roughly 1% of Bitcoin’s fixed supply cap. This ambitious growth trajectory cements Metaplanet’s status as Asia’s leading corporate Bitcoin holder—a strategy that echoes the approach taken by U.S. firm MicroStrategy.

As Metaplanet positions itself for further expansion, its aggressive accumulation strategy and large-scale capital raising mark a transformative shift in how non-financial firms are using corporate treasury to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies.