Politics, Legal & Regulation

October 11, 2022 @ 11:23 am By JD Alois  |  

The US Department of Treasury has revealed two enforcement actions against the crypto exchange Bittrex. According to a statement issued by Treasury, Bittrex has settled for $24 million with the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and for $29 million with Financial Crimes Enforcement Network… Read More

October 10, 2022 @ 11:07 pm By Barry James  |  

‘Going for Growth’ Liz Truss’ Style Has Led the UK to A Precipice – Can MPs Pull it Back In Time?   Dear MPs, As Liz Truss launches her pincer movement in parliament this week – a ‘charm offensive’ coupled no doubt with a touch… Read More

October 9, 2022 @ 3:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

This past week, Singapore MP Yip Hon Weng queried public officials about the risk of money laundering and fraud in the cryptocurrency markets. Singapore has emerged as a top hub for digital asset innovation with some firms moving to the country due to its Fintech-friendly… Read More

October 7, 2022 @ 4:15 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has re-opened the commenting period due to a “technological error,” according to a statement by the regulator. Historically, when the Commission proposes new rules, there is a period of time where individuals and entities may comment as to how… Read More

October 7, 2022 @ 12:24 pm By JD Alois  |  

Sanctions continue to tighten on Russia as the war drags on with the Ukrainians rapidly regaining their territory. Russia recently held sham elections in several provinces in an attempt to show that inhabitants want to be a part of Russia. While President Putin said he… Read More

October 7, 2022 @ 8:26 am By JD Alois  |  

As initial public offerings (IPO) sink due to a one-two punch of a challenging market and the never-ending onslaught of additional regulations foisted upon issuers, the SEC’s Small Business Capital Formation Committee has scheduled a meeting to discuss IPOs as well as entrepreneurship hubs. The… Read More

October 6, 2022 @ 11:42 am By JD Alois  |  

In a letter sent to the Chair of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament, the European Council said it approved of the Parliament’s position on the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) directive as it stands and it will be adopted… Read More

October 5, 2022 @ 9:21 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Federal Reserve Board announced that it has finalized updates to the Board’s rule concerning debit card transactions. Pursuant to statute, the updates “specify that debit card issuers should enable at least two payment card networks to process all debit card transactions, including ‘card-not-present’ transactions,… Read More

October 5, 2022 @ 5:06 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last week, the Association of Online Investment Platforms (AOIP), a young group aiming to advocate on behalf of online capital formation including securities crowdfunding, visited Congressional staff as well as individuals at the Securities and Exchange Commission. The AOIP members discussed possible legislation and regulations… Read More

October 5, 2022 @ 12:30 pm By JD Alois  |  

Representative Patrick McHenry, ranking Republican on the House Financial Services Committee, along with Representative French Hill and members of the Republican Digital Asset Working Group, have sent a letter to the US Department of Justice requesting an assessment on whether or not legislation is needed… Read More

October 5, 2022 @ 9:47 am By JD Alois  |  

June 2021 Promotion by Kardashian has the potential of being viewed by 328 million followers in what many think may have been the “financial promotion with the single biggest audience reach in history.” There has been plenty of chatter about the US Securities and Exchange… Read More

October 4, 2022 @ 3:29 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has penalized Choice Money Transfer, dba Small World Money Transfer, for multiple violations of the Remittance Transfer Rule and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA), according to public statement. The CFPB claims that it found the company did not… Read More

October 4, 2022 @ 12:19 pm By JD Alois  |  

Yesterday, as was widely reported, well-known celebrity and influencer Kim Kardashian settled an enforcement action brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The infraction had to do with an Instagram post for EthereumMAX, the issuer of the EMAX token. The post, which was tagged… Read More

October 4, 2022 @ 11:26 am By JD Alois  |  

Pending digital asset legislation is piling up in the US House and Senate with some of these bills poised to move forward following the outcomes of the midterm elections. Last week, Senator Bill Hagerty, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, introduced the Digital Trading… Read More

October 3, 2022 @ 9:41 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The government in Australia has noted that it would be issuing a formal response to a report advising banking institutions in the country of their duty to keep offering banking services to Fintechs, virtual currency trading platforms as well as remittance service providers. This, after… Read More

October 3, 2022 @ 7:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in India has reportedly frozen the cryptocurrencies WRX (utility token of WazirX) and USDT (Tether, an Ethereum token that is pegged to the value of a U.S. dollar) equivalent to Rs 47.64 Lakhs (appr. $58,000) “under the provisions ofthe Prevention of… Read More

October 3, 2022 @ 7:20 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Stability Oversight Council has published the expected Report on Digital Asset Financial Stability Risks and Regulation. According to the US Department of Treasury, the Council voted unanimously to approve the report in response to President Biden’s Executive Order 14067, “Ensuring Responsible Development of… Read More

October 3, 2022 @ 2:17 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed a complaint against Adam Todd and four companies he controlled – Digitex LLC, Digitex Limited, Digitex Software Limited, and Blockster Holdings Limited Corporation. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the CFTC… Read More

October 3, 2022 @ 2:01 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently announced insider trading charges against two Canadian software engineers who reportedly “made $1.6 million by trading ahead of non-public, market-moving financial information.” According to the SEC’s complaint, from at least May 2018 to July 2021, Harpreet Saini… Read More

October 3, 2022 @ 9:38 am By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Technology Association (FTA) has hired a new Head of Policy and Government Relations, according to a release. The FTA has appointed Angelena Bradfield to help guide the association’s regulatory and legislative efforts. Bradfield previously was Senior Vice President for AML/BSA, Sanctions and Privacy… Read More