Politics, Legal & Regulation

December 12, 2022 @ 7:54 pm By JD Alois  |  

Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder and former CEO of FTX, has been placed under arrest in the Bahamas. Bankman-Fried has lived in the Bahamas since FTX became a regulated entity under Bahamanian law. FTX filed for bankruptcy protection last month under US law. Bankman-Fried was arrested… Read More

December 12, 2022 @ 6:26 pm By JD Alois  |  

Earlier today, the European Banking Authority (EBA) posted an update on certain standards that impact open banking services. One change involves authentication for individual users. CI received a comment from Jan van Vonno, Head of Industry Strategy at Tink – a leading open banking platform…. Read More

December 12, 2022 @ 4:06 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) says they are “strengthening their approach” to crypto exchanges providing services in Canada following recent events. The CSA is alluding to the bankruptcy of FTX and all of the other failures and crypto firms that have been impacted by the… Read More

December 12, 2022 @ 3:32 pm By JD Alois  |  

Tomorrow’s hearing at the House Financial Services Committee is widely anticipated across the crypto industry. Both current FTX CEO, John J. Ray, III, and former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, are scheduled to testify on the collapse of FTX. In advance of the hearing, Ray has… Read More

December 12, 2022 @ 12:07 pm By JD Alois  |  

Federal prosecutors are debating whether or not to file charges against the world’s largest crypto exchange – Binance, according to a report by Reuters. The US Department of Justice is undecided as to if they should pursue criminal charges against Binance, with an ongoing investigation… Read More

December 12, 2022 @ 10:25 am By JD Alois  |  

The Bank of England has posted a request for applicants for a contracted service to create a proof of concept digital wallet for a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). The Bank has been investigating the potential for a digital pound, similar to many other central… Read More

December 11, 2022 @ 4:51 pm By JD Alois  |  

The team at Crowdfund Capital Advisors (CCA) has issued their annual warning to firms that utilized Reg CF (Regulation Crowdfunding) to file their annual statements – as required by the exemption. If a company has not filed their annual report they are in breach of… Read More

December 11, 2022 @ 4:25 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last Friday, the Senate Banking Committee issued a statement as to whether or not, Sam Bankman-Fried will attend a Hearing on the FTX disaster and ensuing bankruptcy filing. The hearing is scheduled for next week on December 14, a day after the House Committee on… Read More

December 9, 2022 @ 12:17 pm By JD Alois  |  

The aftershocks of FTX’s bankruptcy will be felt for many months. The collapse of the crypto exchange and the potential loss of billions in value has fueled demands for regulatory oversight on Capitol Hill with renewed vigor. Earlier this week, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator… Read More

December 9, 2022 @ 10:14 am By JD Alois  |  

Yesterday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Division of Corporate Finance, revealed a “sample” letter being sent to registered firms demanding heightened disclosure on crypto assets. The new request follows a series of bankruptcies and financial stress from firms in the digital asset industry. The… Read More

December 9, 2022 @ 9:08 am By JD Alois  |  

Sam Bankman-Fried, founder and former CEO of FTX – the now bankrupt crypto exchange, has committed to testifying in front of the House Committee on Financial Services to discuss the collapse of FTX and affiliated entities. The agreement to testify came today following a back… Read More

December 8, 2022 @ 4:28 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Division of Corporate Finance, has revealed a sample letter sent to reporting companies regarding disclosure requirements under securities laws. The letter addresses digital assets, or crypto assets, and points to recent events in crypto markets, such as bankruptcies and… Read More

December 8, 2022 @ 10:33 am By JD Alois  |  

The long saga of Michael Terpin’s battle against SIM Swap fraudsters and allegations that AT&T shoulders much of the blame, saw one chapter closed this past week as the courts ordered perpetrator Nicholas Truglia (25) to repay $20.379 million Terpin. He has also been sentenced… Read More

December 8, 2022 @ 9:02 am By JD Alois  |  

Nigeria is attempting to cajole its population into using digital payments as opposed to cash, according to multiple reports. One method of encouragement is limiting ATM withdrawals to just $45, making it difficult to use physical money. Of course, some point to this harsh policy… Read More

December 7, 2022 @ 8:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

We recently caught up with Martin Dobelle, CEO at Engage Labs, which is set to launch soon, and will be leveraging technology “to empower citizens for democratic participation in the digital age.” Engage claims it is a Public Benefit Corporation. According to Engage Labs, to… Read More

December 7, 2022 @ 6:35 pm By JD Alois  |  

Congressman Patrick McHenry has been selected as the incoming Chair of the House Financial Services Committee. The House Republican Steering Committee made the move in advance of the 118th Congress, which commences in January when the Republicans take over leadership of the House. McHenry’s selection… Read More

December 7, 2022 @ 11:06 am By JD Alois  |  

This past Mondy, Silvergate (NYSE:SI) CEO Alan Lane took the extraordinary measure of posting a public letter defending his bank’s handling of the accounts of now bankrupt FTX and affiliated hedge fund Alameda Research. Silvergate is a regulated bank that has been a leader in working… Read More

December 7, 2022 @ 9:37 am By JD Alois  |  

As part of the ongoing objective of a Capital Markets Union, the European Union has announced new proposals aimed at making it easier for firms to list securities across the EU. According to a statement by the EU: Today’s proposed measures will: Make our clearing… Read More

December 6, 2022 @ 11:07 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has outlined new rules to stymie financial promotions that are misleading, illegal or unfair. Simultaneously, the FCA has kicked off a consultation to garner feedback on the new rules. The goal is to halt “rogue financial promotions.” Currently, any… Read More

December 6, 2022 @ 10:19 am By JD Alois  |  

Former Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Commissioner Brian Quintenz has joined a16z Crypto in a full-time role as its new Head of Policy. a16z Crypto is a leading VC operation investing in blockchain-based platforms, including Web3. While at the CFTC, Quintenz led the Commission’s Technology… Read More