Politics, Legal & Regulation

December 12, 2021 @ 12:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research (EMPOWR) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to enhancing independent oversight of government and corporate wrongdoing, has filed a lawsuit challenging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to disclose conflicts of interest regarding the regulation of crypto. EMPOWR has filed… Read More

December 10, 2021 @ 9:35 am By JD Alois  |  

SPACS, or special purpose acquisition companies, have had a gangbuster year boosting the number of initial public offerings that have taken place. While SPACs have been around for many years, in recent times the vehicles have surged in popularity as a shortened path to take… Read More

December 10, 2021 @ 7:49 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Fintech Plaid has been established on the principle that consumers need to be in control over where and how they share their financial details. Core or central to this principle is the customer’s ability to share their data in a secure manner and with the… Read More

December 9, 2021 @ 3:56 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, is a relatively new entity at the SEC. The Advocate was created in recognition of the fact that smaller firms in need of growth capital too frequently get ignored by… Read More

December 8, 2021 @ 10:07 pm By JD Alois  |  

Earlier today (December 8, 2021), the House Financial Services Committee held a hearing on digital assets. As was previously reported, the witnesses included top crypto executives and thus provided the opportunity for a unique discussion between House members and crypto entrepreneurs. Chairwoman of the Committee,… Read More

December 7, 2021 @ 5:57 pm By JD Alois  |  

President Joe Biden has withdrawn the nomination of Saule Omarova to become the Comptroller of the Currency, according to a statement by the Whitehouse. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is an independent bureau under the US Department of Treasury and the lead… Read More

December 7, 2021 @ 5:04 pm By JD Alois  |  

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) has scheduled a Fintech and Cybersecurity Symposium to take place on December 14, 2021. NASAA represents state, Canadian provincial, and Mexican securities regulators and thus play a key role in fraud enforcement and regulation. NASAA has 67 members,… Read More

December 6, 2021 @ 2:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Matt Kaufman, Attorney/Partner at Hathaway & Kunz, LLP, noted on December 2, 2021, that it was a big day for Wyoming, due to the official launch of the Wyoming Chancery Court. As explained by Kaufman, it is a new home court for digital asset disputes… Read More

December 6, 2021 @ 10:29 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issued a statement last week announcing rule changes designed to boost share listings on UK exchanges. At the beginning of 2021, the Kalifa Review of Fintech was published providing a roadmap for the UK to maintain and improve the… Read More

December 6, 2021 @ 7:51 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Bank of Ireland has reportedly been fined €24.5 million by the Central Bank for failing over the course of over 10 years to have a proper system in place to allow for the continuity of service to clients in the event of a major… Read More

December 3, 2021 @ 3:45 pm By JD Alois  |  

As was reported earlier this week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has published a report on overdraft fees. These usurious fees generate billions on revenue for traditional banks. Almost like a drug addict, old banks struggle to eliminate these fees that end up harming… Read More

December 3, 2021 @ 2:08 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

The State of Ohio this week passed five bills into law, including the Business Fairness Act, and one authorizing the state to use blockchain and distributed ledger technology. Governor Mike DeWine signed the bills into law including House Bill 177, sponsored by Representatives Rick Carfagna… Read More

December 2, 2021 @ 11:59 am By JD Alois  |  

During the opening comments at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s meeting of the Investor Advisory Committee, SEC Chair Gary Gensler once again rang the warning bell on the need for greater oversight of the fast-growing digital asset/crypto sector. Gensler stated in prepared remarks: “… with… Read More

December 2, 2021 @ 11:02 am By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Ivars Auzins, a citizen of Latvia with crypto asset fraud. The SEC states that the defendant also went under the names of Ron Ramsey and Daniel Gaines. According to a statement by the SEC, Auzins allegedly defrauded… Read More

December 2, 2021 @ 8:47 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Prospective users of the forthcoming large-value payment system T2 are able to begin testing the functionalities of the system as of December 1, 2021. The testing is scheduled to run over the coming year and will “allow participants to prepare for a smooth migration to… Read More

December 1, 2021 @ 3:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has consistently denied aspiring exchange-traded products that aim to offer a Bitcoin ETF based on the spot price of the world’s most popular digital asset. Recently, a Bitcoin ETF based on Bitcoin futures was approved but this was effectively… Read More

December 1, 2021 @ 2:44 pm By JD Alois  |  

The House Financial Services Committee has announced the list of witnesses scheduled to testify at a hearing entitled “Digital Assets and the Future of Finance: Understanding the Challenges and Benefits of Financial Innovation in the United States.”  The witnesses include many of the biggest names… Read More

November 30, 2021 @ 4:34 pm By JD Alois  |  

David Marcus, the lead executive at Facebook / Meta (NASDAQ:FB) heading the charge for Facebook’s botched attempt to create a digital currency is exiting the firm to “pursue other projects,” according to a report in Bloomberg. Marcus joined Facebook from PayPal in 2014. According to… Read More

November 30, 2021 @ 11:31 am By JD Alois  |  

Earlier this month, the European Crowdfunding Service Providers Regulation (ECSPR) went into effect across the entire European Union. A dramatic step forward in removing internal borders in regards to capital formation, and part of the overall Fintech Action plan, the regulation allows firms in need… Read More

November 30, 2021 @ 9:55 am By JD Alois  |  

The Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen has provided responses to questions put forth by Senator Pat Toomey – the ranking Republican on the Senate Banking Committee. The questions are in follow-up to a recent hearing at the Committee. Yellen, along with Fed Chairman Jerome… Read More