The EU is now the first major jurisdiction in the world to introduce a comprehensive crypto law.

Lawmakers voted 517-38 on Thursday in favor of a new crypto licensing regime, MiCA, with 18 abstentions.

The European Parliament also voted 529-29 in favor of a separate law known as the Transfer of Funds regulation, which requires crypto operators to identify their customers in a bid to halt money laundering, with 14 abstentions.

The Markets in Crypto Assets regulation was first proposed by the European Commission in 2020, and to pass into law has to be approved by the parliament and the EU’s Council, which represents the bloc’s member states. Its main provisions start to apply just over 12 months after publication in the EU’s official journal, likely in June.

EU Parliament Approves Crypto Licensing, Funds Transfer Rules](https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2023/04/20/eu-parliament-approves-crypto-licensing-funds-transfer-rules/))
The vote clears the way for landmark MiCA regulation to take effect in 2024.

Solana has announced the launch of its crypto-focused Saga smartphone on May 8.

Pre-ordered phones are already being shipped currently.

Solana to Launch Crypto-Focused 'Saga' Smartphone on May 8th](https://watcher.guru/news/solana-to-launch-crypto-focused-saga-smartphone-on-may-8th))
Solana Labs has announced that their highly-anticipated crypto-focused Saga smartphone is set to launch on May 8th

Why Bitcoin Is a Buy Right Now?

There’s a reason why many investors believe Bitcoin is a viable investment in 2023. There are the defensive attributes BTC provides relative to USD-denominated investments in times of currency crisis. There’s the decentralized nature of the network and Bitcoin’s size relative to other digital assets. And then there’s the upcoming halving event, which I anticipate more investors will watch closely.

Bitcoin Halving 2023: The Final Chance to Buy Cheap Bitcoins](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bitcoin-halving-2023-final-chance-200232494.html))
The world’s largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, Bitcoin (BTC-USD), remains in focus among many investors seeking growth. One of the key potential upcoming growth drivers for this key crypto will be the upcoming Bitcoin halving, set for some time in 2024. With this Bitcoin halving event on the horizon, the window of opportunity to buy “cheap” Bitcoins may be closing. For this reason, many experts have pointed to 2023 as a great period to start loading up on this top crypto. Let’s div