Welcome to Nofinity

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (Clarity Act) is the most significant crypto bill in a decade. It aims to end the SEC vs. CFTC turf war, provide clear rules for digital assets, and categorize them into three buckets. On May 14, 2025, it passed the Senate Banking Committee with a 15-9 vote.

However, behind the scenes, alarm bells are ringing. The committee win is merely the easy part. The bill has no scheduled floor vote yet—and that's exactly where many bills die. Even Democrat Ruben Gallego, who voted 'yes' in committee, said: "My vote there does not guarantee a vote on the floor." He even threatens a 'no' vote if the bill isn't softened.

• 53 Republican seats in the Senate – not enough to break a filibuster (60 votes needed).
• 7 Democrats are required, but only two uncertain 'yes' votes exist: Gallego and Angela Alsobrooks – both have already hedged their support.
• An election year (2026) makes a 'yes' vote politically toxic for Democrats: they would either be seen as helping the crypto industry or aiding the Trump family's personal finances (e.g., World Liberty Financial).
• Crypto PACs spent over $271 million this cycle – but only 3% went to Democrats. No incentive to take the political risk.

Democrats Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand demand ethics guardrails (conflict-of-interest rules). These would bar top officials from holding private crypto stakes while in office. The target is World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's crypto venture.

• The White House flatly refuses any rule singling out Trump: "Ethics rules must apply across the board."
• Senator Cynthia Lummis warns: if the bill is used as a "cudgel against the President", he will veto it.
• Result: Negotiations frozen. Neither side can move without losing face.

After the committee vote, the American Bankers Association (ABA) launched an emergency campaign. Bank CEOs from JP Morgan (Jamie Dimon) to local lenders are attacking two key provisions:

1. Stablecoin Yields: Crypto platforms could offer rewards that function like deposit interest but without bank regulations. Dimon calls it "fake bank deposits" – the ABA fears a massive deposit outflow.
2. CFTC Jurisdiction: The bill would expand the CFTC's power, which banks see as a competitive disadvantage.

Ironically, JP Morgan is itself building a tokenized deposit platform called Kinexus. The banks don't want to stop the game; they want to be the only ones allowed to play. The White House's own economists debunk the panic: a full yield ban would reduce bank lending by only 0.02%.

The Senate has only four weeks in June remaining. Prerequisites for success:

• Merging with the Senate Agriculture Committee's version
• Resolving the ethics deadlock
• Winning over five more Democrats
• Surviving the banking blitz

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has not yet scheduled a vote. Analysts call a July 4th target highly ambitious. If the bill fails now, it could be delayed until 2030 – because the 2026 midterms could flip the crypto-friendly majority in the House.

Realistic Paths Forward:

1. Track 1 (Optimistic): Thune schedules a June vote. The ethics issue is spun off into a separate bill. The market structure bill moves on its own.
2. Track 2 (Likely): The bill slips to fall, loses momentum in midterm chaos, and dies this Congress.
3. Compromise: A narrower bill emerges, stripping out contested yield provisions. Less for the industry to love, but less for banks to fight.

Four Key Signals for the Next Weeks:

1. ✅ Thune schedules floor time – otherwise, the bill is likely dead.
2. ✅ Movement on an ethics carveout – Warren and Gillibrand signal a compromise structure.
3. ✅ An uncommitted Democrat (e.g., Warner, Booker, Kim) goes public.
4. 📉 Prediction markets: Polymarket at ~60% (retail hope), Kalshi at ~50% (institutional skepticism). When smart money is more pessimistic than the crowd – pay attention.

Bottom line: The Clarity Act is not dead, but no longer favored. The next three weeks decide whether 2026 becomes the year crypto got its rules – or whether we wait until 2030.

Summary follows...

Summary follows...

Summary follows...

Summary follows...

Why Heating is Getting More Expensive (And What You Can Do About It)

• Gas price increase: The gas price has risen by two and a half times since January 2025.
• Main reason: The conflict in Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a quarter of the world's shipped oil and a fifth of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) passes.
• Global impact: Although Germany is hardly directly affected, global market prices are rising for everyone.
• Gas storage: The targeted fill level of 80% before winter is not expected to be reached.

Important: The average gas price is falling temporarily for existing customers because utilities purchased cheaply and the gas storage levy was dropped. However, new customer tariffs are over a third more expensive. Price increases of 10-20% are expected for existing customers at the turn of the year.

• Network charges: Make up about one-fifth of the gas price and have risen by 10%.
• CO₂ price: Was 55 € per ton in 2025, currently between 55 and 65 € per ton in 2026.

Free & Easy Tips

1. Bleed your radiators: Especially important on upper floors. Air in the system reduces efficiency. Easily done with a radiator key from a hardware store.
2. Ventilate properly: Open windows wide several times a day instead of leaving them tilted constantly. A hygrometer helps monitor humidity and prevent mold.
3. Heat strategically: Every degree you lower the thermostat saves roughly 6% heating energy. Heat rooms according to their use (see recommendations from the German Environment Agency).
4. Circulate the air (with high ceilings): A fan on a low setting distributes warm air more effectively in the room.
5. Close stairwell and apartment doors: Prevents cold drafts and heat loss.

Tips with a Small Budget & Effort

6. Seal windows and doors: Check for drafts (e.g., with a strip of paper) and seal them with draft excluder tape from a hardware store. Savings: approx. 13 € per window per year.
7. Use a low-flow shower head: Reduces hot water consumption (approx. 12% of energy use) and saves money.

Financial & Strategic Tips

8. Secure current prices: If you have your own gas contract, switch to a tariff with a price guarantee to lock in the current rate for a year.
9. Check your utility bill!
   • Deadline: Your landlord must present the bill for 2025 by Dec 31, 2026. If it is late (due to their fault), you don't have to pay the balance.
   • Apportionment: Check if costs are distributed fairly.
   • Disallowed costs: Repair costs, bank charges, or postage cannot be passed on by the landlord.
   • Right to reduce payment: If heating costs are not billed based on consumption, you can reduce your share by 15%.
10. Adjust monthly advance payments: Increase your monthly payments or build a small reserve in a savings account to avoid unexpected large bills.

You are not helpless against the price increases. With the tips mentioned alone, an average of 465 € per year per apartment can be saved. Act now, because your consumption this winter will determine the amount of your additional payment in 2027/2028.

Further Information:

• The full interview with energy economist Malte Küper is available on the Finanzus podcast.
• A detailed guide on checking your utility bill is available in the newsletter.

This video presents a refined brewing method for the Moka pot (stovetop espresso maker), based on modern coffee science and the physics of the device. It aims to improve the traditional technique without losing its essence. Key points:

• Water temperature: Start with room temperature water (exception: stainless steel Moka → ca. 50 °C). This prolongs extraction and gently releases volatile aromas at 50‑60 °C.
• Grind size: Use a medium‑coarse to coarse grind (similar to a coarse V60). Finer grinds create too much pressure and push temperatures above 110 °C – harming flavor.
• Dosage & ratio: Fill the basket level (not heaped). Water in the base just below the valve. A ratio of about 1:5 (water:coffee) in the base yields roughly 1:3 in the cup.
• Aeropress filter: A paper filter on top of the coffee bed produces clearer coffee and removes sediment.
• Active flow control: Once coffee emerges, briefly lift the pot from the heat or lower the heat to slow flow to about 1 gram per second. This keeps temperature lower and extraction even.
• Avoid the Stromboli effect: Stop brewing before heavy sputtering (air bubbles in the riser tube). The final sputtering often adds bitterness and leathery notes – better to discard it.
• Adjust aftertaste: If the Moka tastes too sour or intense, dilute with hot water. This reduces perceived acidity and unfolds aromas.

Conclusion: The classic Moka pot can produce exceptional coffee if you actively control temperature, start with cool water, and avoid over‑fine grinding. This technique requires attention but rewards you with a much better cup – even with light roasts.