Politics, Legal & Regulation

July 1, 2021 @ 10:27 am By Omar Faridi  |  

On June 30, 2021, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of the US Department of the Treasury that collects and analyzes information about financial transactions in order to combat domestic and international money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes, issued its first… Read More

July 1, 2021 @ 7:57 am By Omar Faridi  |  

As part of its commitment to compliance, Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange that has been under investigation by US regulators and other international authorities due to allegations of engaging in recognized markets without authorization (and also contributing to money laundering and other illicit activities),… Read More

June 30, 2021 @ 6:53 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Californian Matthew J. Skinner and five of his companies for conducting four unregistered and fraudulent real estate offerings between 2015 and 2020. The companies involved are Empire West Equity Inc., Bayside Equity LP, Longacre Estates LP, Freedom Equity… Read More

June 30, 2021 @ 11:40 am By JD Alois  |  

FINRA has ordered Robinhood to pay a record-breaking $70 million penalty for “systemic supervisory failures and significant harm suffered by millions of customers.” In settling with FINRA, Robinhood neither admitted nor denied the charges, but consented to the entry of FINRA’s findings. FINRA said in… Read More

June 30, 2021 @ 7:55 am By Omar Faridi  |  

China’s Bitcoin mining ban has been moving forward in an aggressive manner, which has led to a rapid decline in hashrate or the amount of computing power required to secure the BTC network. The team at BitOoda notes in a blog post, dated June 29,… Read More

June 29, 2021 @ 2:41 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) today announced JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) subsidiary Neovest, Inc. has agreed to pay a $2.75 million fine for failing to register as a broker-dealer in violation of federal securities laws. This is the first time the agency has… Read More

June 29, 2021 @ 9:40 am By Omar Faridi  |  

After the receipt of its provisional banking license back in 2019, Capital International Bank has managed to acquire the full Class 1(2) banking license under the Alternative Banking Regime (ABR) from the Isle of Man’s Financial Services Authority. Obtaining this permit means that the company… Read More

June 28, 2021 @ 4:18 pm By JD Alois  |  

The House Committee on Financial Services has distributed its schedule for the month of July. Included on the schedule are several Fintech-related topics. On July 16, commencing at 12 PM ET, the Artificial Intelligence Task Force will hold a hearing entitled “I Am Who I… Read More

June 28, 2021 @ 11:02 am By JD Alois  |  

In a speech delivered last Friday, Boston Federal Reserve President Eric Rosengren pointed a finger at top stablecoin Tether as a looming risk for the economy. Tether, or USDT, is the leading stablecoin in the crypto-ecosystem. Used by traders to move in and out of… Read More

June 28, 2021 @ 8:27 am By JD Alois  |  

Gibraltar Finance, the business development arm of HM Government of Gibraltar, is partnering with NFT Vision Hack, to encourage creative solutions to the NFT [non-fungible token] sector.  The global hackathon takes place from July 3 to August 30, 2021. Gibraltar has long sought to position… Read More

June 27, 2021 @ 11:54 am By JD Alois  |  

Yesterday, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced that Binance Markets Limited is not permitted to undertake any regulated activity in the UK. Binance Markets is part of the Binance Group. The FCA stated that n other entity in the Binance Group holds any form… Read More

June 27, 2021 @ 11:42 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Digital asset exchange Binance will reportedly stop offering services in Ontario, Canada after the local government decided to launch a regulatory crackdown on crypto-related businesses. Binance’s management confirmed on Friday (June 25, 2021) that all Ontario-based customers need to close out their active positions by… Read More

June 25, 2021 @ 1:22 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Metropolitan Police have seized £114 million in crypto – said to be the largest seizure in the UK and perhaps the largest globally. According to a statement by authorities, the seizure was carried out by detectives from the Met’s Economic Crime Command on the… Read More

June 25, 2021 @ 12:16 pm By JD Alois  |  

Earlier this month, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) shared its regulatory agenda for the next couple of years. The list is quite long and includes many areas of the securities industry. At the top of the list, was the exempt offering ecosystem with the… Read More

June 25, 2021 @ 10:51 am By JD Alois  |  

A plenary of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), under the German Presidency of Dr. Marcus Pleyer took place this past week. The meeting provided several updates on key regulatory items including standards set for “Virtual Asset Service Providers” or VASPs. According to a statement… Read More

June 24, 2021 @ 11:45 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Saudi cabinet has reportedly granted a digital banking permit to STC Pay, a virtual payments solution provider that’s a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Telecom. STC Pay will now be converted into a domestic virtual bank, with a capital of SAR 2.5 billion (appr…. Read More

June 24, 2021 @ 5:28 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

A decision by the Canadian Securities Administration on June 23 to harmonize securities crowdfunding rules could be a huge blessing for Canadian business. On June 23 the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) introduced National Instrument 45-110 Start-up Crowdfunding Registration and Prospectus Exemptions.  According to Canadian online… Read More

June 24, 2021 @ 4:35 pm By JD Alois  |  

The True Lender Rule, regulation that impacts Fintech lenders, received some much-needed clarification last year from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Now there has been a change of administration, the arcane rule may reverse the progress made from the prior administration. Today,… Read More

June 24, 2021 @ 4:00 am By JD Alois  |  

EUROCROWD, the leading European advocate for online capital formation, has published a report entitled Scaling Up Partnerships: A Blueprint For the Implementation Of Match-Funding Schemes Between Public Authorities and Crowdfunding Platforms. The report explains how to manage the use of European Structural and Investment Funds in… Read More

June 23, 2021 @ 8:37 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) announced on June 21, 2021 that it has taken action against “non-compliant” international cryptocurrency trading platform, Bybit. The OSC released a Statement of Allegations against Bybit Fintech Limited for “failing to comply with Ontario securities law.” Bybit is incorporated in… Read More