Aptos Launches Encrypted Mempool; US Eyes Stablecoin Accounting Rules

Aptos has activated an Encrypted Mempool feature on its mainnet, giving users the option to keep pending transactions hidden until block ordering is finalized. The Layer-1 blockchain said the tool is designed to shield traders from maximal extractable value (MEV) attacks, including frontrunning and sandwich attacks, which exploit the public visibility of unconfirmed transactions. According to Cointelegraph's analysis of EigenPhi data, sandwich attacks cost Ethereum traders roughly $60 million over the 12 months through October 2025, while Bitquery identified nearly 6.9 million such attacks on Solana affecting about 2.2 million wallets. Aptos is targeting institutions executing large transactions, retail traders, AI agents, and DeFi builders who face exposure to bot-driven extraction strategies.

In regulatory news, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) is weighing a proposal that would allow qualifying stablecoins to be classified as cash equivalents on corporate balance sheets. A report from Stripe-backed blockchain Tempo noted that the treatment would hinge on whether companies hold direct redemption rights with stablecoin issuers, meaning two firms holding identical USDC could receive different accounting treatment based on their redemption arrangements. The change could remove a key barrier preventing corporations from holding stablecoins without distorting liquidity ratios or breaching loan covenants.

Meanwhile, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) has flagged gaps in stablecoin oversight and emerging AI-related risks in a report prepared ahead of a G20 finance ministers meeting. The FSB warned that inconsistent regulatory frameworks across jurisdictions could undermine financial stability as stablecoin adoption grows, and that rapid AI integration in financial services demands coordinated supervisory action. The three developments underscore an intensifying focus on market integrity, corporate adoption pathways, and cross-border regulatory coordination in the maturing digital asset sector.