Politics, Legal & Regulation

August 10, 2021 @ 4:23 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has announced a consent order against BitMEX and its affiliated entities. The order stems from a CFTC action filed on October 1, 2020, against BitMEX and its three individual founders, Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, and Samuel Reed. The CFTC’s… Read More

August 10, 2021 @ 12:03 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued a notice that the US District Court, Southern District of Texas, has issued a consent order in regards to the Global Trading Club (GTC) and affiliated individual Mayco Alexis Maldonado Garcia, and a separate consent order against Cesar Castaneda and… Read More

August 9, 2021 @ 10:40 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Pakistan Software Houses Association had recommended to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) that IT firms should be permitted to use 20% of their export earnings to pay for foreign consultants, digital service providers, vendors (among other requirements) in order to conduct operations and… Read More

August 9, 2021 @ 8:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Carole House, Director of Cybersecurity with the White House National Security Council, recently discussed online security issues at the FinCrime Virtual Week. Blockchain security firm CipherTrace notes in a recent update that headlines such as the Colonial Pipeline Ransomware attack indicate that cybercrime is “on… Read More

August 9, 2021 @ 12:23 pm By JD Alois  |  

A new amendment has been crafted by both sides regarding crypto and inclusion in the infrastructure legislation. As has been reported previously, the initial language in the legislation was deemed “unworkable” and hammered by the digital asset industry as “disastrous.” Soon a fix was in… Read More

August 9, 2021 @ 11:45 am By JD Alois  |  

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, long a supporter of Fintech innovation, has issued a statement in the wake of the enforcement action taken by the Commission against Poloniex, a crypto exchange. As was reported earlier today, Poloniex has settled the SEC’s allegations of operating an unlicensed… Read More

August 9, 2021 @ 11:26 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In April of last year, China had started testing out the the virtual yuan, becoming one of the first world governments to issue a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). CBDCs like the virtual renminbi are government-issued, blockchain or distributed ledger tech (DLT)-enabled versions of a… Read More

August 9, 2021 @ 9:17 am By JD Alois  |  

In what may be the first of many, the Securities and Exchange Commission has announced charges against Poloniex for operating an unregistered digital asset exchange. Poloniex has settled with the SEC by agreeing to pay a $10.4 million penalty. Poloniex settled without admitting or denying… Read More

August 8, 2021 @ 8:36 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced charges against Trevor R. Milton, the founder, former CEO and former executive chairman of Nikola Corporation, for repeatedly disseminating false and misleading information about Nikola’s products and technological accomplishments. Milton made the statements mostly through social media…. Read More

August 6, 2021 @ 6:10 pm By JD Alois  |  

Following the kerfuffle regarding the infrastructure bill’s inclusion of a broad definition of brokers in regards to digital assets, the blockchain industry joined in roundly criticizing the language as being extreme to the point of undermining crypto innovation. Soon, several Senators partnered to create a… Read More

August 6, 2021 @ 3:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

Infrastructure used to mean roads, airports, bridges, etc. Today, infrastructure, as defined by our elected representatives, means oh so much more. The massive spending bill being foisted upon the populace by Congress is still being dissected but one area that it may impact is digital… Read More

August 6, 2021 @ 10:03 am By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced charges against DeFi lender Blockchain Credit Partners alleging the offering of unregistered securities raising $30 million. This is the first DeFi case filed by the SEC. The complaint indicates that respondents have each submitted an Offer of… Read More

August 5, 2021 @ 7:55 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

As cryptocurrency watchers let Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler’s recent appearance before the United States Congress sink in, many are sharing the opinion that he could have done so much more. On Aug. 3, Gensler asked Congress for expanded resources and a… Read More

August 5, 2021 @ 10:21 am By JD Alois  |  

BitMEX, a crypto exchange known for active trading and derivatives, has noted in a blog post that Chainalsyis has removed it from its “High Risk Assesment” qualification. In the fall of 2020, Chainalsysis labeled Bitmex a High-Risk exchange following the announcement that the US Department… Read More

August 4, 2021 @ 10:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

Three US Senators have joined together to submit an amendment to the infrastructure bill to protect digital asset innovation. Senators Pat Toomey, Ron Wyden, and Cynthia Lummis have filed the change to clarify the definition of a broker in regards to reporting requirements impacting crypto… Read More

August 4, 2021 @ 5:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced charges alleging an unregistered securities offering in regards to digital assets by Uulala. The SEC simultaneously announced a settlement with the company along with its founders Oscar Garcia and Matthew Loughran. According to the SEC, more than… Read More

August 4, 2021 @ 5:01 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) this week charged accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP (EY) along with one current and two former partners with improper professional conduct for violating auditor independence rules in connection with EY’s pursuit to serve as the independent auditor for… Read More

August 4, 2021 @ 3:13 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler’s plan to be the new sheriff policing the Wild West of Crypto comes as no surprise to one industry watcher. Earlier this week Gensler announced that he plans on cracking down on cryptocurrency-related fraud and sought more assistance… Read More

August 3, 2021 @ 4:27 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gary Gensler, has been consistent in his comments regarding digital assets/crypto in regards to a need for more regulation. This week, Gensler addressed the Aspen Security Forum and his topic of choice was crypto and the need… Read More

August 3, 2021 @ 4:05 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced securities fraud charges against recidivist Michael Shustek, the CEO of several Las Vegas REITs, and his wholly-owned investment advisory firm, Vestin Mortgage LLC. The complaint alleges that since at least 2012, Shustek fraudulently enriched himself and The… Read More