Politics, Legal & Regulation

September 24, 2021 @ 10:37 am By JD Alois  |  

Jeremy Allaire, CEO and founder of Circle – a leading stablecoin provider that seeks to provide global payment rails for the future, has criticized China’s decision to ban cryptocurrency. In a series of Tweets, Allaire said that China “opposes the Western system of values built… Read More

September 24, 2021 @ 9:39 am By JD Alois  |  

  China has effectively banned crypto. While the news should not come as any surprise as China has been tightening the regulatory vice for years now, statements by the People’s Bank of China indicate that any hope of crypto access is now dashed for consumers… Read More

September 23, 2021 @ 4:49 pm By JD Alois  |  

Saule Omarova, a Cornell law professor, has been nominated to become the next Comptroller of the Currency – the head of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency the bureau that regulates the nation’s federal banks. The selection had been widely rumored in advance… Read More

September 23, 2021 @ 3:04 pm By JD Alois  |  

Earlier this week, the House Financial Services Committee, Fintech Task Force, met to discuss individual data when it comes to financial services. In many ways, data is the fuel for Fintech innovation and thus is a key factor for both financial service providers as well… Read More

September 23, 2021 @ 11:20 am By JD Alois  |  

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) have published an outline explaining h0ow crypto exchanges may advertise and promote their services. The CSA is the national entity that works with all provincial regulators seeking to provide a harmonized approach… Read More

September 23, 2021 @ 10:53 am By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed charges against a quant analyst for “perpetrating a years-long front-running scheme that generated illicit profits of at least $8.5 million.” Sergei Polevikov, who worked at two asset management firms, allegedly abused his position to benefit from information he… Read More

September 23, 2021 @ 9:22 am By JD Alois  |  

Fasanara Capital has closed on a €250 Million Fintech Fund that was supported by the European Investment Fund (EIF) that made a “cornerstone” investment in the fund. Fasanara Capital is a boutique alternative asset manager and an investor in Fintech lending in Europe. The fund… Read More

September 21, 2021 @ 3:20 pm By JD Alois  |  

“Fools Gold.” Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu has slammed the emerging digital asset sector as “Fool’s Gold” comparing it to the unfortunate events that led up to the 2008 financial crisis. In a speech delivered at the Blockchain Association, Hsu stated: “I have… Read More

September 21, 2021 @ 12:01 pm By JD Alois  |  

Ransomware attacks have become quite prevalent with nefarious actors targeting domestic firms, frequently demanding ransom in crypto. Today, the US Department of Treasury has announced a group of actions designed to mitigate ransomware activity including designating crypto exchange SUEX OTC as a “complicit financial service”… Read More

September 21, 2021 @ 11:47 am By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee will meet on Monday, September 27. The Committee was created by Congress to support the Commission with advice and recommendations on rules, regulations, and policy matters relating to small businesses, which have been ignored… Read More

September 20, 2021 @ 6:53 pm By JD Alois  |  

The US House Task Force on Financial Technology (Fintech) will convene for a hearing tomorrow (September 21) entitled, “Preserving the Right of Consumers to Access Personal Financial Data.” The Fintech Task Force is part of the House Financial Services Committee. The hearing will involve the… Read More

September 20, 2021 @ 4:32 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission has leveled fraud charges against TruCrowd and three issuers in allegations of fraud regarding $2 million of unregistered securities apparently offered via two investment crowdfunding offerings. As far as we are aware, this is the first significant enforcement action pertaining… Read More

September 20, 2021 @ 2:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

On September 7, 2021, Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) published a blog post stating the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had informed the company it would sue over its forthcoming Coinbase Lend service. Now, Coinbase has submitted to the significant threat of a lawsuit and abandoned its Lend… Read More

September 19, 2021 @ 7:24 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Digital assets firm Binance has expanded its Audit and Investigations team with the appointment of Nils Andersen-Röed from Europol where he served as a specialist on the Dark Web team. As mentioned in the update from Binance, Nils will be tasked with focusing on conducting… Read More

September 16, 2021 @ 6:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and Singapore Police Force (SPF) recently revealed that malicious actors overseas had been able to divert and use SMS one-time passwords (OTPs) to carry out fraudulent credit card transfers impacting 75 banking clients based… Read More

September 15, 2021 @ 11:06 am By JD Alois  |  

SEC Chairman Gary Gensler marched up to Capitol Hill yesterday to testify in front of the Senate Banking Committee in a hearing entitled “Oversight of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission”.  Gensler outlined his ambitions at the SEC in his prepared remarks. While Gensler received… Read More

September 14, 2021 @ 3:50 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has leveled fraud charges against App Annie and its co-founder and former CEO Bertrand Schmitt. The SEC says App Annie and Schmitt have agreed to settle the fraud charges and will pay a penalty of over $10 million to… Read More

September 14, 2021 @ 1:37 am By JD Alois  |  

The British Business Bank has published a list of 158 companies in which it holds equity following the Future Fund COVID support program. The Future Fund was established to backstop UK early-stage ventures that did not qualify for other COVID relief programs. The Future Fund… Read More

September 13, 2021 @ 3:37 pm By JD Alois  |  

Tomorrow (September 14, 2021), SEC Chairman Gary Gensler will testify in front of the Senate Banking Committee. The hearing is a periodic meeting for the Committee and is entitled “Oversight of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission”. In prepared testimony, Gensler focuses much attention on investor… Read More

September 13, 2021 @ 1:06 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission continues to file charges against firms that have issued digital assets that may be securities. Today, the SEC has charged New York City-based GTV Media Group Inc. and Saraca Media Group Inc., and Phoenix, Arizona-based Voice of Guo Media Inc,… Read More