Politics, Legal & Regulation

October 1, 2024 @ 9:27 am By JD Alois  |  

The Draghi Report Previously, CI reported that Mario Draghi, formerly the European Central Bank (ECB) president, had hammered the EU on its lack of support for innovation, declaring that Europe is falling behind. The full report, published on the ECB website, states that European “innovation is blocked at… Read More

September 30, 2024 @ 3:55 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The consumer retail and services vertical approached a nadir through Q2 2024, according to an update from PitchBook. Looking forward, PitchBook pointed out that the buyout activity is “expected to increase following the Federal Reserve’s (the Fed’s) much anticipated 50-basis-point cut announced in Q3.” Illustrating… Read More

September 30, 2024 @ 3:54 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Rohit Chopra, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director, issued this past week a statement on the US Justice Department’s Lawsuit Against Visa (NYSE:V). CFPB Director Rohit Chopra has highlighted key points regarding the U.S. Department of Justice’s lawsuit against Visa, the payment network conglomerate…. Read More

September 30, 2024 @ 12:58 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Digital Securities Sandbox (DSS) is now open for applications. Digital securities, or tokenized assets, are widely believed to be the future of the securities sector. While anticipation of the migration to digital from more analog issuance and trading of securities has been predicted for… Read More

September 29, 2024 @ 11:15 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have seized more than $6 million in cryptocurrency from international perpetrators involved in fraudulent investment schemes, according to an official announcement. Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, along with U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III… Read More

September 27, 2024 @ 4:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed charges against Mango DAO and Blockworks Foundation for the sale of MNGO tokens which the Commission alleges were actually unregistered securities. Without admitting or denying the allegations, Mango DAO, Blockworks Foundation, and Mango Labs have all agreed… Read More

September 27, 2024 @ 10:31 am By JD Alois  |  

Senator Tim Scott, the ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee, has introduced legislation seeking to improve access to capital and assist the innovation and entrepreneurship sector of the economy. The Empowering Main Street in America Act of 2024 aims to “improve access to capital for… Read More

September 27, 2024 @ 9:34 am By Omar Faridi  |  

On September 26, 2024, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Russia-based exchange Cryptex and Sergey Sergeevich Ivanov (a.k.a. UAPS a.k.a TALEON), who facilitated laundering “for fraud shops, ransomware payments, darknet markets, and other criminal actors.” Following these developments,… Read More

September 26, 2024 @ 3:50 pm By JD Alois  |  

Anti-Fintech politicians Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Chris Van Hollen have forwarded a letter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), US Federal Reserve, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) demanding that bank regulators crack down on Fintechs providing bank-like services. Senators… Read More

September 26, 2024 @ 3:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) has posted a note on value-referenced crypto assets (VRCAs) – otherwise known as stablecoins. While stablecoins are primarily associated with fiat currency, they can also be tied to other assets. CSA states that registered crypto asset trading platforms (CTPs), as… Read More

September 26, 2024 @ 9:50 am By JD Alois  |  

As was previously reported, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against Visa (NYSE:V) claiming uncompetitive practices that stifle innovation while keeping costs high for consumers. A statement by the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) posted this week counters this argument, claiming the DOJ’s… Read More

September 26, 2024 @ 9:06 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The UK economy is said to be at a crossroads with weaker than expected growth to leave less room for the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget. This, according to an update from KPMG. According to KPMG in the UK, this weaker growth is set “to… Read More

September 25, 2024 @ 7:29 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and Treasury released a report this past week summarising research to date on central bank digital currency (CBDC) and how this has informed the RBA and Treasury’s current assessment of CBDC issues in Australia. The report also sets out… Read More

September 25, 2024 @ 7:21 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced today the establishment of a Cyber and Technology Resilience Experts (CTREX) Panel. The Panel replaces MAS’ Cyber Security Advisory Panel, with an expanded mandate to “cover technology resilience which, together with cybersecurity, significantly underpins the operational resilience of… Read More

September 25, 2024 @ 7:15 pm By JD Alois  |  

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler took a bit of a beating yesterday during a House Financial Services Committee hearing. The gathering also included all other commissioners which provided an opportunity to hear opposing perspectives held by the Republican minority. The hearing memo… Read More

September 25, 2024 @ 12:34 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) intends to launch a market study into how pure protection insurance products are sold following concerns that competition is not working well in the market. The study will be launched later in 2024/25. Pure protection products are designed “to… Read More

September 24, 2024 @ 6:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

The US Justice Department has filed a civil suit in federal court alleging that Visa (NYSE:V) is monopolizing debit network markets in violation of the Sherman Act. The DOJ claims that Visa is using its dominance to thwart competition and impede innovations. The DOJ complaint… Read More

September 24, 2024 @ 5:25 pm By JD Alois  |  

Caroline Ellison, once the CEO of Alameda Research, the hedge fund affiliated with FTX, has received a two-year sentence for her involvement in the failure of the once-popular crypto exchange. FTX collapsed into bankruptcy following a “run on the bank“-like event as investors pulled money… Read More

September 24, 2024 @ 10:58 am By JD Alois  |  

The Payments Association in the UK is calling for a national payments plan. The Payments Manifesto 2025 seeks to create conditions to support growth and innovation in payments. The Payments Association says it has urged UK authorities to “undertake a swift and well-defined review which… Read More

September 23, 2024 @ 6:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

Representative Patrick McHenry, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Senator Cynthia Lummis have sent a letter demanding the Securities and Exchange Commission rescind Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 121.  The bicameral letter has been signed by 42 members of Congress. Both Lummis and McHenry… Read More