Welcome to the NiceHash crypto news digest. Let's see what happened these last few days.

A Play-to-Earn model featuring crypto may come to Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6

There were rumors  that the upcoming video game GTA 6 could adopt play-to-earn gaming mechanics so gamers could earn crypto in real life. Recent leaks suggest that this approach could see gamers convert funds made during gameplay to money usable in real life.

Observers say the rumored GTA 6 play-to-earn approach will include crypto rewards that revolutionize how players play and earn. The previous GTA V was first released in September 2013 on the PS3 and Xbox 360. However, Rockstar re-released an enhanced and upgraded version for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in March 2022. In GTA 5, players could enter the game’s fictionalized stock markets through their smartphones and trade in-game shares in real life. GTA 5 players could also make money in “Stock Market Assassination Missions”.

In the future a progressive game like GTA 6 could offer more sophisticated play-to-earn transactional offerings that feature crypto. None of the game specifics were officially announced yet and so far GTA 6 has no official release date, but recent comments from Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Rockstar’s parent company Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games’ developer sound like something extraordinary is coming.

The legislative session in Texas ends with a victory of pro-Bitcoin legislation

In the recent quarter Bitcoin policy advocates celebrated several victories. The biggest ones are the success of Texas SB 1929, a pro-mining bill, and the defeat of Texas SB 1751, an anti-mining bill. 

Additionally, HB 591 was approved, providing a tax incentive for utilizing gas that would otherwise be flared into the atmosphere for on-site Bitcoin mining, promoting emissions reduction. Another significant development was the passing of HB 1666, which introduced a proof-of-reserves regime, positioning Texas as a leader in building confidence within the digital asset ecosystem.

While these successes mark important milestones, advocates acknowledge that their work is far from over. But the Bitcoin community remains optimistic and hopes that Texas will continue to be a Bitcoin country, and the Texas Blockchain Council is pushing for more.

EU Formally Signs New Crypto Licensing, Money Laundering Rules Into Law

On Wednesday the European Union formally signed its landmark Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulation into law. The law was signed by the European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and Swedish Rural Affairs Minister Peter Kullgren, alongside a separate anti-money laundering law that requires crypto providers to verify their customers' identity when they transfer funds.

MiCA will enter into force in a few weeks after being published in the EU’s official journal, which is likely in June. Its provisions – offering crypto exchanges and wallet providers a license to operate across the 27-nation bloc, and requiring stablecoin issuers to hold appropriate reserves – will take effect between 12 and 18 months later.

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