The hottest Regulation Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways

Tokenized Trading Finally Comes

Points And Figures • 426 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26

💰 Finance Regulation

Tokenized stocks are becoming real and come in three forms — native, wrapped, and synthetic — which can enable 24/7 trading and programmable features that may not exactly match traditional shareholder rights.
Tokenization reduces friction and costs by speeding settlement, enabling easy fractional ownership, simpler lending/shorting, and broader global access, which should make markets more liquid and capital more efficient.
Tokenization will shift market structure and risks: it can change who has the trading edge, create arbitrage between token and regular markets, embed AML/KYC and other rules into tokens, and introduce legal and governance uncertainties.

Rich businessmen have remembered they're Republicans

Slow Boring • 5051 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation

Biden administration announced new regulatory caps on overdraft fees to protect consumers from financial exploitation.
CEOs like Jamie Dimon are more concerned with business-friendly regulations for profit than political ideologies.
The Biden administration's stance on bank regulation highlights a shift in priorities from the Trump era.

On Crypto Crashes and Fake Money

The Future, Now and Then • 211 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26

🔮 Crypto Regulation

The reported $2 trillion crypto 'loss' mostly reflects falling market prices, not actual dollars moving somewhere else, because many crypto valuations were speculative rather than real wealth.
Speculative tokens masquerading as assets can be used as collateral and tied into the real financial system, so when prices fall they can expose scams and create contagion across lenders and counterparties.
This crash may partly reflect rich backers diverting capital (for example into AI), which reduces buyers-of-last-resort; prolonged low prices could reveal systemic cracks unless big players choose to prop the market back up.

BOMBSHELL: Potential Criminal Activity Revealed in the Kroger-Albertsons Merger

BIG by Matt Stoller • 34149 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24

💼 Business Regulation

The Kroger-Albertsons merger faces challenges due to potential criminal activity discovered, leading to antitrust suits and trials to block the deal.
The merger could worsen the grocery market situation with fewer stores, higher prices, and data implications for suppliers, consumers, and workers.
Evidence found of Kroger and Albertsons colluding in wage suppression by avoiding hiring each other's workers, raising concerns and prompting legal action.

Dear Conservatives: Shape the AI Future Before It's Shaped for You

The Dossier • 121 implied HN points • 13 Feb 26

🕹 Technology Regulation

Conservatives should stop treating AI as an enemy and actively engage as entrepreneurs, investors, technologists, and customers to help shape its direction.
If conservatives don’t participate, AI systems will be designed by a narrow tech elite and their philosophical assumptions will get baked into training data, safety rules, and product norms.
The window to influence AI is closing because power and infrastructure are consolidating and regulation will be slow, so act now to insert conservative values into mainstream systems rather than waiting or building isolated alternatives.

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Four Rules for the New Fed Chair

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 255 implied HN points • 31 Jan 26

💰 Finance Regulation

Kevin Warsh is well qualified for Fed chair, with the intellect and experience to engage with complex policy and market issues.
His confirmation should depend on clear commitments to protect the Fed’s independence and on the President taking visible steps to resolve legal or political uncertainty around the central bank’s leadership.
The Fed’s success rests on credibility and autonomy, not just technical mastery, because markets only function well when they trust the central bank.

How To Launder A Billion Dollars Using Tether

Fintech Business Weekly • 252 implied HN points • 25 Jan 26

🔮 Crypto Regulation

A Miami-based executive is accused of using Tether and U.S. shell companies to launder over a billion dollars by converting stablecoins to dollars and moving the proceeds across borders.
Regulators and law enforcement are tightening up: crypto firms face fines and audits, payment processors are cutting risky partners, and some fintechs are seeking bank charters to change their funding and compliance profiles.
Weaknesses in AML and onboarding—like easy account opening without clear nationality checks and misleading MSB registrations—make the financial system vulnerable and are driving calls for stronger monitoring and enforcement.

This Is A Story About Power

Teaching computers how to talk • 57 implied HN points • 02 Mar 26

🕹 Technology Regulation

The government tried to force AI firms to accept "all lawful uses"—which could include mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. Anthropic refused and faced punitive actions while another firm quickly made a deal, raising concerns about influence and favoritism.
AI is now deeply integrated into military and state operations, already used in strikes, raids, surveillance, and cyberwarfare. Private AI companies will be repeatedly pressured to choose between commercial, ethical, and national security demands.
Public reaction matters: Anthropic's refusal won praise and drove many users to switch to its Claude app, while the other firm faced backlash and lost some trust and subscriptions. Ethical stances can translate directly into market and reputational consequences.

The NRC is more radiophobic than the public

Gordian Knot News • 87 implied HN points • 23 Feb 26

🕹 Technology Regulation

Regulators and the nuclear industry often act more fearful of radiation than the public. That fear drives designs and policies—like fail‑closed vent valves and 'late venting'—which delayed critical actions and made accidents worse.
Radiophobia favors vague language over dose numbers. That prevents sound risk assessment and leads to overly conservative, costly, or harmful responses like broad evacuations or panic advice.
This widespread radiophobia both increases nuclear costs many times over and can turn natural disasters into larger nuclear disasters. A more balanced, numbers‑based approach would reduce harm and expense.

The Bear Cave #306

The Bear Cave • 489 implied HN points • 28 Dec 25

💰 Finance Regulation

There were no new activist short reports.
Several notable executives left their posts, including Coty’s CEO who received a large cash payout and stock vesting, and board/C-suite departures at ProFrac that point to management turnover.
News coverage centered on legal and fraud issues—high‑profile investigations, big legal bills, and a DOJ indictment tied to a ramp‑and‑dump scheme—while market commentary and relevant tweets were also highlighted.

Build the Rail! Save the Snails!

Comment is Freed • 125 implied HN points • 16 Feb 26

🌞 Climate & Environment Regulation

The core problem isn’t the environmental rules but an adversarial, litigation‑driven planning system that makes developers over‑engineer projects to avoid rare but ruinously expensive judicial reviews, driving up time and cost.
Fix the process by having government set clear standards early and create a central Infrastructure Directorate to coordinate consultees and produce a full project specification, plus an early "Statement of Key Issues" so objections are raised and dealt with up front and money shifts from costly pre‑construction work into real mitigation and building.
Change the culture by expanding state planning capacity (funded by an industry levy) and increasing secondments between industry, regulators and environmental bodies so professionals share incentives and focus on cooperative, long‑term problem solving rather than adversarial legal tactics.

OSD 365: The government doesn’t like being a prohibited person

Open Source Defense • 66 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26

🕹 Technology Regulation

The Defense Department can brand an AI firm a “supply chain risk,” which would ban the firm from selling to the government and bar contractors from using its products — a designation that can effectively kill a company.
Private companies can and sometimes do refuse to sell to government customers to force the government to earn their cooperation, but that stance risks losing access to the biggest buyers and can be a corporate death sentence.
AI is becoming a new frontier for civilian defense, like a Second Amendment arm, so whether companies or the government set product rules now will shape who has the advantage in the future.

Land, Debt, and Crises

In My Tribe • 850 implied HN points • 29 Nov 25

💰 Finance Regulation

Home ownership in the U.S. has faced many challenges over time. Policies have changed, but finding a solution everyone agrees on is still tough.
During the Great Depression, many farmers couldn't pay back their mortgages, leading to important reforms like the introduction of 30-year amortized loans that helped stabilize home financing.
Past regulatory changes meant to prevent financial crises often backfired, leading to more issues. Reducing reliance on debt and promoting savings for down payments could help make finance more stable.

On Mark Zuckerberg's Speech Announcement

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 11159 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation

Mark Zuckerberg's call for free speech suggests a conflict between the U.S. and other countries over censorship laws. This highlights the challenges tech companies face globally.
Zuckerberg believes the U.S. has a strong foundation for free expression, but countries like Europe and China are enforcing more censorship. This creates a tough environment for innovation.
The recent changes in speech laws and agreements may lead to more battles over free expression. Zuckerberg's insights indicate that discussions on these topics are becoming more urgent.

Q&A (July 2024 pt. 2)

DeFi Education • 459 implied HN points • 27 Jul 24

🔮 Crypto Regulation

July 2024 has been a very volatile month for cryptocurrencies. Many people are looking for detailed updates on the market and different sectors.
The Q&A sessions are designed to help subscribers understand the current trends and insights in the crypto market.
This particular post is meant for paid subscribers who want in-depth analysis and exclusive content.

Welcome Back, Wells Fargo!

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 4266 implied HN points • 02 Jul 25

💰 Finance Regulation

Wells Fargo has a long history of financial misconduct, many of which have resulted in significant penalties and settlements. Despite this, they have now been released from a seven-year growth restriction imposed by the Federal Reserve.
The bank has faced multiple lawsuits and fines for wrongdoing, including illegal fees, overcharging customers, and unauthorized account openings. These actions highlight a pattern of exploitation and a lack of trustworthiness.
Despite being part of the 'Too Big to Fail' club, Wells Fargo's release from federal sanctions raises concerns about whether they have truly changed. Many believe their past behavior suggests they may continue questionable practices in the future.

Decarbonization and climate change hysteria died this winter

Unreported Truths • 57 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26

🌞 Climate & Environment Regulation

The EPA's endangerment finding was revoked, removing a key legal basis for aggressive U.S. decarbonization, and this policy reversal drew surprisingly little public protest.
Many decarbonization policies depended on expensive subsidies and immature technologies like intermittent wind and solar without cheap storage, and Europe’s energy crisis plus China’s rising coal use undermined those efforts.
Political and cultural momentum for radical climate action has faded: voters rejected big green subsidy programs in 2024, legal fights over regulation will likely shift decisions to Congress, and climate activism no longer mobilizes mass protests.

URGENT: Big Pharma wins again

Unreported Truths • 44 implied HN points • 07 Mar 26

🏥 Health Politics Regulation

A senior FDA medical official who publicly challenged certain mRNA vaccine makers is leaving their post amid intense pressure. Shares of the companies he criticized jumped after the announcement.
Powerful industry and institutional forces pushed back on criticism and can derail internal reformers. That shows it’s very hard to change drug regulation from inside the current system.
The market rewarded the outcome, signaling that investors favor moves that help pharmaceutical companies. This dynamic undermines confidence in regulatory independence and efforts to hold companies accountable.

Is Marc Andreessen just flat-out dumb?

Nonzero Newsletter • 1061 implied HN points • 22 Nov 25

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation

Marc Andreessen, a tech investor, believes that faster tech progress is always better and that government regulation is often unnecessary. This mindset raises questions about whether these ideas are wise given the risks of AI.
Concerns exist about AI concentrating power among a few companies or individuals, yet Andreessen claims AI is 'hyperdemocratizing' because of its wide usage. However, this doesn't address the real risk of who controls this powerful technology.
There are worries about how AI could shape our lives and influence our decisions. People need to be cautious about who controls AI systems and what their intentions are, as this could impact our freedoms.

Inside the Algorithms Sportsbooks Use to Track Bettors, Limit Winners, and Push Losers to Bet More

Huddle Up • 185 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26

🎾 Sports Regulation

A tiny share of bettors — VIPs and high-volume losers — produce most sportsbook profits, so operators design products and margins around that long-tail revenue curve.
Sportsbooks use AI plus required KYC/AML and behavioral data to profile every account from signup, tracking things like age, address, device, geolocation, social links, payment method, and app usage patterns.
Those profiles drive targeted tactics — push notifications, personalized bonuses, VIP perks, A/B tests, product nudges, and limits or bans for winners — to press losing customers to bet more and protect the house.

The Same Tool, The Same Week

Anima Mundi • 267 implied HN points • 18 Jan 26

🕹 Technology Regulation

People are losing trust in old institutions and turning to friends and local networks, so we need new, transparent ways to build trust that can still coordinate at large scale.
The same AI can be touted as a military asset and banned for abuse in the same week, which shows global norms for governing tech are fractured and risks an unconstrained arms race if not addressed.
Climate data points to accelerating warming and the era of 'warnings' is ending, so we must shift to serious adaptation, systemic transformation, and holding the biggest emitters accountable.

A Year On: The DOGE Disaster

Can We Still Govern? • 311 implied HN points • 16 Jan 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation

DOGE acted as a vehicle for tech billionaires to capture state power, pushing deregulation of crypto and AI, securing favorable appointments, and creating business opportunities for allies.
DOGE’s actions hollowed out government capacity through mass layoffs and contract cancellations; cuts like those to USAID weakened services and likely caused hundreds of thousands of deaths while protecting ideologically aligned agencies and donors.
DOGE failed to deliver promised savings or service improvements, routinely exaggerated its achievements, misunderstood how government budgeting and public services work, and operated with little public accountability.

Did Google, Facebook, and Amazon Endorse Jim Crow?

BIG by Matt Stoller • 25210 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation

The Supreme Court is currently considering a case involving tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon and the question of whether economic regulations for these platforms are unconstitutional under the First Amendment.
The case has broad societal implications, touching on antitrust, privacy, civil rights, and speech liability claims against big tech firms. The argument raised questions about the extent of tech companies' rights to make decisions like racial segregation or account deletions based on political views.
The case illustrates how the influence of Robert Bork, a conservative antitrust lawyer, has shaped modern American corporate state, particularly the broad support for a society run by big tech, challenging the traditional role of democratically elected officials in regulating private tech platforms.

227 | Food Fraud ↔ Food Safety: Lessons from the Peanut Supply Chain |

The Rotten Apple • 84 implied HN points • 23 Feb 26

🍲 Food & Drink Regulation

Unsafe crops (like aflatoxin‑contaminated peanuts) can push sellers to commit fraud, shipping goods through illicit routes so contaminated food reaches consumers. This kind of fraud raises both economic and health risks because it often involves forged certificates and bypassed testing.
Sudden trade spikes in transit countries, unexplained price drops, and porous borders or corrupt officials are clear red flags and enablers of food fraud. Businesses should watch trade data and supply chains for these warning signs.
Glyphosate is used widely and remains controversial: legal rulings, scientific debate, and political pressures show its safety is uncertain while residues can enter food when sprayed on crops before harvest. That uncertainty makes it a major food‑safety and policy issue for the food system.

19 Anti-Populist Takes on AI

The Algorithmic Bridge • 509 implied HN points • 29 Dec 25

🕹 Technology Regulation

Generative AI destroys the scarcity that supported many careers, causing short-term harm to workers and initial gains for consumers, but over time the benefits concentrate with incumbents and sellers of low-quality abundance.
The problem is human choices and institutions, not the machine; AI mainly mirrors our biases and amplifies people’s existing dispositions rather than changing who they are.
Regulation, fear-based marketing about existential risk, and the black-box nature of models tend to favor big firms and create moats, so creators remain responsible for how AI is built and deployed and schools resisting AI often protect outdated systems.

Plumbing Notes: A Faulty Relief Valve

Concoda • 599 implied HN points • 09 Dec 25

💰 Finance Regulation

The Federal Reserve's changes to the supplementary leverage ratio (SLR) will not significantly boost demand for U.S. Treasuries from banks. This is because the adjustments provide only minimal benefits for banks to increase their Treasury holdings.
Banks are still mainly influenced by risk-weighted capital requirements, which could prevent them from buying more U.S. Treasuries. Even with a lowered SLR, banks might not feel compelled to increase their inventory of government debt.
A stronger emphasis on growing deposits and other market factors are likely to drive bank demand for Treasuries more than the new regulatory changes. So, the real growth in Treasury buying might come from broader economic improvements rather than just regulatory easing.

The FTC Sues to Break Up Amazon Over an Economy-Wide "Hidden Tax"

BIG by Matt Stoller • 34378 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation

Amazon's 'free' shipping is not actually free, but a hidden tax on consumers
Amazon's prime focus is on third-party sellers, not retail customers
Amazon employs anti-discounting algorithms to prevent lower prices outside its platform

The Most Dismal News Possible

Gordian Knot News • 769 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation

The Korean APR1400 nuclear reactor is much cheaper and more efficient to build compared to the American AP1000, which has become overly expensive.
Westinghouse has used legal tactics to hinder the APR1400's export, claiming it involves American technology, despite the Koreans having rights to it.
A recent settlement means Koreans now have to pay high licensing fees to Westinghouse, significantly increasing the cost of exporting the APR1400 and impacting the future of affordable nuclear energy.

Are Insiders Making a Killing on Polymarket?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 282 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26

🔮 Crypto Regulation

A Polymarket user turned a $32,000 wager into about $400,000 by betting Nicolás Maduro would be out of power, then deleted their account, prompting questions about who knew what.
Prediction markets can let people with access to sensitive information make large, fast profits, raising concerns that insiders may be emboldened to cash in.
Prediction markets are not new: economists like Robin Hanson proposed them decades ago and even suggested using them for governance (a concept called futarchy), which makes their rise both influential and controversial.

FDA refuses to review Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine application

Force of Infection • 153 implied HN points • 11 Feb 26

🏥 Health Politics Regulation

The FDA refused to start reviewing Moderna’s mRNA seasonal flu vaccine application, removing a potential new mRNA option for influenza.
The agency said the trial used a comparator that didn’t reflect the best standard of care, and Moderna says that contradicts prior FDA guidance, meaning the application was dismissed for study-design reasons rather than safety or effectiveness.
Regulatory unpredictability like this raises the financial risk of doing clinical trials, which can push companies away from R&D and ultimately reduce patient access to new vaccines.

Crypto Markets: Reality is Stranger Than Fiction

DeFi Education • 799 implied HN points • 19 Jun 24

🔮 Crypto Regulation

Big investors are pushing for an Ethereum ETF, which could change the market. This is something to keep an eye on if you're into crypto.
There's been drama around a 'Trump' memecoin, showing how wild the crypto world can be. It’s proof that reality in crypto can be stranger than what we see in movies.
It's important to stay updated on the latest in the DeFi market, as changes can happen quickly. Understanding these shifts can help you make better investment decisions.

Rating Trump's FDA's "Top 10" Year-1 Reforms

Cremieux Recueil • 229 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26

🏥 Health Politics Regulation

The FDA published a top-10 list of first-year reforms covering things like a food supply reset, eliminating unnecessary animal testing, public decision letters, priority vouchers, HRT, tighter pharma ad rules, agency-wide AI, easier biosimilars, expanded cell and gene therapies, and more domestic manufacturing.
The piece focuses on what the FDA actually accomplished with these initiatives and whether those changes matter in practice.
Each of the ten items is rated individually, and the FDA receives an overall pass-or-fail grade for its first year based on those ratings.

Fintech’s Dumbest Lawsuit: Mastercard-Backed TomoCredit Flouts Trademark Dispute Settlement

Fintech Business Weekly • 148 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26

💰 Finance Regulation

Regulatory barriers protecting incumbent banks are being dismantled as many companies—from automakers to foreign neobanks—push for bank charters and deposit insurance.
Tether launched an 'onshore' USA₮ and markets it as 'federally regulated.' U.S. stablecoin rules and issuer licenses aren't finalized yet, so that label is mainly marketing positioning.
Several fintechs are failing or facing serious legal and compliance problems: Seis shut down from weak economics and churn, Kontigo faces sanctions and licensing issues, and TomoCredit is accused of deceptive practices and flouting a trademark settlement.

Is Social Media the New Big Tobacco?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 533 implied HN points • 22 Dec 25

💼 Business Regulation

Social media companies are accused of exploiting children’s attention for profit and helping fuel a youth mental health crisis.
Internal documents reportedly show platforms knew their apps caused addictive, compulsive use that harmed kids’ attention, sleep, and worsened depression and anxiety.
Recommendation algorithms can trap users in harmful content silos and carry a high risk of exposing people to suicide and self‑harm material.

⚔️☠️ The billionaire war against death

Faster, Please! • 731 implied HN points • 07 Dec 25

💼 Business Regulation

Rich people have always tried to cheat death, but now they’re putting real money into technologies that could actually extend life.
Huge private investments are funding longevity work like cellular reprogramming and age‑reversal drugs, making radical life extension a plausible goal.
That shift raises big social and economic questions about who gets access, how societies change if only the wealthy can postpone death, and what it means for the rest of us.

Private Equity and Insurance? You Bet Your Life... and Maybe Your Pension!

TK News by Matt Taibbi • 2940 implied HN points • 28 Jul 25

💰 Finance Regulation

Private equity (PE) firms are increasingly buying into the life insurance and pension sectors, aiming to manage large pools of capital for investment. This can lead to potential financial instability for retirees relying on these funds.
Pension Risk Transfers (PRTs) are a common practice where companies shift their pension responsibilities to insurance providers, which may impact the safety of pensioners' funds. This could leave retirees vulnerable if the providers fail.
There is growing concern about how PE firms, focused on profits, may not prioritize the financial security of pensioners. Lawsuits are rising as retirees challenge the safety of their benefits after these transfers.

Insurers and Private Equity Look to Join Forces to Further Consolidate Control of Americans' Access to Health Care

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 759 implied HN points • 19 Jun 24

🏥 Health Politics Regulation

Insurance companies and private equity firms are teaming up to gain more control over healthcare access for Americans. This partnership can lead to less competition and more power in deciding patient care.
The trend of private equity buying up medical practices is rising, and this shift could make it harder for independent doctors to operate. Insurance companies are noticing this and are looking to profit from these partnerships.
As more people enroll in Medicare Advantage plans, insurers like CVS/Aetna are pushing to own key healthcare services. This could steer patient referrals to their own facilities, limiting choices for patients.

Law Wars

Doomberg • 8057 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Regulation

ExxonMobil is working on a new way to recycle plastic that turns trash into useful materials. They are investing a lot of money to increase this recycling ability.
California's Attorney General is suing ExxonMobil, claiming they misled people about recycling plastics. This lawsuit has sparked a lot of debate about the truth behind recycling claims.
ExxonMobil has also sued the Attorney General and environmental groups, saying they are being unfairly accused and that their actions are harming the company's reputation.

"No KYC" Crypto Cards Tap Corporate Issuing Loopholes

Fintech Business Weekly • 104 implied HN points • 08 Feb 26

🔮 Crypto Regulation

Some crypto "no KYC" card services exploit a corporate card issuing loophole to let users fund and spend with crypto without proper identity checks, and some even market this to sanctioned countries like Iran.
Layered fintech partnerships, weak beneficial-ownership rules, and gaps in onboarding mean banks and regulators often can't see the true users or owners of cards, making it easy for bad actors to hide.
Enforcement and fixes have been spotty so these schemes keep reappearing across many BINs and issuers. Separately, Varo raised $123.9 million despite still being unprofitable, showing mixed outcomes in the fintech market.

Eight Years After I First Exposed Fraudulent Monsanto Paper, Corrupt Journal Retracts It

The DisInformation Chronicle • 580 implied HN points • 05 Dec 25

🏥 Health Politics Regulation

The journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology has a history of publishing studies that favor corporate interests rather than genuine science. This can mislead public health policies.
High-profile reports, like those from the National Academies, often include studies from this journal, potentially influencing perceptions about the safety of products like genetically modified organisms.
There's a call for more accountability in scientific publishing, particularly to shut down journals that consistently promote corrupt research funded by industries instead of unbiased science.