Politics, Legal & Regulation

May 4, 2021 @ 11:47 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Uppsala Security has reportedly conducted the very first “Virtual Assets AML Training Program” for partners and government agency compliance officers. Uppsala Security, the provider of tools for Crypto Risk Management and Cybersecurity, revealed on May 4, 2021, that it has begun its Virtual Assets AML… Read More

May 4, 2021 @ 7:05 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Bank of Thailand has published a paper on central bank digital currency (CBDCs) entitle the Way Forward for Retail Central Bank Digital Currency in Thailand. Thailand has been a fairly innovation-friendly nation in regards to Fintech. Several years ago, Thailand participated in Project Inthanon,… Read More

May 4, 2021 @ 5:51 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last week the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SECs) Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee held a meeting to discuss access to capital in underserved markets. The goal is to improve access to capital for underrepresented founders. The Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital… Read More

May 3, 2021 @ 10:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Authorities in China have reportedly told 13 of the nation’s largest tech firms to “rectify prominent problems” on their platforms, according to a recent report. These developments appear to be a sign that China continues to increase its regulatory scrutiny and pressure of its Fintech… Read More

May 3, 2021 @ 1:35 pm By JD Alois  |  

The House Committee on Financial Services has disseminated the May 2021 calendar of hearings that cover a wide range of financial services issues. As has been previously reported, this coming Thursday (May 6), beginning at 12Noon ET, will see the GameStop phenomenon discussed once again…. Read More

May 2, 2021 @ 7:27 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

China’s virtual yuan has been in development for the past 7 years (since 2014). Recently, Chinese officials had noted that Bitcoin (BTC) was not really a currency but they do think it’s a form of investment. Regulators in China are also eager to explore the… Read More

May 2, 2021 @ 4:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Turkey has reportedly decided to add digital currency trading platforms to its list of companies that will come under the nation’s anti-money laundering (AML) and terrorism financing regulations. This, according to a presidential decree that was released on Saturday (May 1, 2021). The Official Gazette… Read More

May 2, 2021 @ 1:20 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Tether (USDT), the world’s largest stablecoin (or digital asset that’s supposed to be backed 1-to-1 with major fiat currencies like USD and cash equivalents) now claims a market cap of over $51.7 billion at the time of writing (according to available data). Notably, Tether (USDT)… Read More

May 1, 2021 @ 9:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The UK has reached a key stage for the ongoing development of Open Data initiatives.  The Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE) is now nearing the completion of creating Open Banking guidelines and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has finalized a consultation on the updated… Read More

May 1, 2021 @ 7:39 pm By JD Alois  |  

Later this week, the House Committee on Financial Services will hold a hearing addressing the GameStop trading phenomenon. This will be the third hearing the Committee will have held on the short squeeze that was partly orchestrated by individual chatting on Reddit. Many of the… Read More

May 1, 2021 @ 7:16 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), a United Kingdom financial services regulatory body that’s responsible for the prudential regulation and supervision of banks, building societies, credit unions, insurers, and major investment firms, has released a discussion paper that looks into developing a simpler and resilient prudential… Read More

April 30, 2021 @ 11:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has announced a new grant program targeting Regulatory Technology or Regtech that is said to be an enhancement of the Digital Acceleration Grant (DAG) scheme to accelerate technology adoption.  In a public statement, MAS said it will commit S$42… Read More

April 30, 2021 @ 4:55 pm By JD Alois  |  

Earlier today the SEC Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee held a meeting on facilitating access to capital to underserved segments of the country. As most people understand, small businesses and entrepreneurs drive the majority of job growth and wealth creation. While policies that encourage… Read More

April 30, 2021 @ 2:38 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Biden administration has just completed its first 100 days in office. Since January, the Administration has proffered a whirlwind of policy changes and legislation from massive spending in the trillions of dollars to profound changes in the tax system. Meanwhile, the economy has already… Read More

April 30, 2021 @ 7:38 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Central bank digital currencies or CBDCs might offer new types of businesses improved access to cost-effective reserve bank funding while potentially reducing the role of large banking institutions when it comes to settling big transactions, according to recent statements from a senior Bank of France… Read More

April 29, 2021 @ 3:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Leading digital investment platform Robinhood is facing numerous lawsuits from clients. The Fintech firm’s clients have been complaining about the lengthy delays when it comes to resolving their account issues. These problems have led to many users being unable to access their funds for months,… Read More

April 29, 2021 @ 10:48 am By JD Alois  |  

Following a Call for Input (CFI) that sought feedback on the promotion of consumer investments, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published its proposal designed to safeguard retail investors.  The proposals in the Discussion Paper (DP) may impact new asset classes such as investment… Read More

April 29, 2021 @ 10:04 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Jeremy Hogan, Parnter at Hogan & Hogan, reveals that CryptoLaw has shared American Fintech Ripple’s response to the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) letter which is disputing (essentially) “parts of the Court Order” from earlier in April 2021 that are “related to internal communications.”… Read More

April 29, 2021 @ 9:53 am By JD Alois  |  

A mere week after being announced as the new Director of the Division of Enforcement, Alex Oh has resigned for personal reasons, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Reportedly, Oh resigned due to a complication from a case that occurred while in private… Read More

April 28, 2021 @ 11:00 am By Andrew L. Lee and Daniel Bernard  |  

The sudden prevalence of Non-Fungible Tokens has raised important legal considerations for issuers and purchasers alike. While intellectual property rights remain essential, securities laws should not be overlooked. Non-Fungible Tokens, or “NFTs”, are digital assets with unique identifying characteristics that distinguish one from another.  Unlike… Read More