Politics, Legal & Regulation

May 1, 2019 @ 6:32 pm By JD Alois  |  

We have seen this one a lot. Issuers file a Form D with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and once it pops up on Edgar (the SEC’s document database) the entity or individual claims it has been “approved” by the SEC. That’s a bunch… Read More

May 1, 2019 @ 12:09 pm By JD Alois  |  

The crypto world is still regrouping from the reality that Bitfinex/Tether is being pursued by a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Stablecoin Tether, operated by the owners of Bitfinex, is a big part of the fraud allegations leveled by the state…. Read More

May 1, 2019 @ 7:33 am By Cali Haan  |  

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has announced it is collecting, “bulk records from Australian cryptocurrency designated service providers (DSPs) as part of a data matching program to ensure people trading in cryptocurrency are paying the right amount of tax.” Data pertaining to the sale and… Read More

April 30, 2019 @ 2:13 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has opened a consultation on a proposed Innovation Pilot Program. The OCC charters, regulates, and supervises national banks and federal savings associations. The OCC has also been a proponent of a Fintech Charter but as of… Read More

April 30, 2019 @ 12:22 pm By JD Alois  |  

During a speech delivered today, Chancellor of the Exchequor Philip Hammond announced the creation of  the FinTech Alliance. The goal is to create one site to join all the aspects of the burgeoning Fintech sector of finance in the UK. The FinTech Alliance will be… Read More

April 30, 2019 @ 12:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation has provided additional details on the upcoming Roundtable scheduled for May 6th. The Roundtable was announced yesterday and is scheduled to take place the same day as the first meeting of… Read More

April 30, 2019 @ 11:24 am By JD Alois  |  

“The UK is now a Fintech powerhouse.” Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond made an appearance at UK Fintech Week today to address Fintech innovation in the United Kingdom. Noting that the City of London has always driven innovation and change, Hammond pointed to the… Read More

April 29, 2019 @ 9:22 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has scheduled a Small Business Roundtable as well as the first meeting of the Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies to take place on May 6th. Both meetings will be held at the SEC… Read More

April 29, 2019 @ 9:09 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has ordered the suspension of trading for Bitcoin Generation, Inc. The company traded under the symbol BTGN on OTC Markets Link (previously Pink). According to a profile on OTC Markets, Bitcoin Generation is an Oklahoma based company that “specializes… Read More

April 29, 2019 @ 7:42 pm By JD Alois  |  

A document recently published by the Fintech Council of the German Federal Government has outlined the country’s potential approach to blockchain technology. The document is a consultation entitled “Stellungnahme des FinTechRat zur Blockchain-Strategie der Bundesregierung im Rahmen der öffentlichen Konsultation.” The “FinTechRat” is an advisory… Read More

April 29, 2019 @ 2:04 pm By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced the first cross border tests of the Global Financial Innovation Network (GFIN) – a grouping of global regulators seeking to collaborate on Fintech innovation. The FCA states they received 44 applications for the pilot. After this initial… Read More

April 29, 2019 @ 1:47 pm By JD Alois  |  

It is UK Fintech Week in London and there has been a flurry of announcements regarding new programs designed to boost the status of London as a leading Fintech hub. In a speech this morning, Christopher Woolard, Executive Director of Strategy and Competition at the… Read More

April 29, 2019 @ 11:55 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has released a report on Fintech innovation and progress made in the last few years and so far, the feedback is encouraging. It is widely recognized that the UK is a leading, global Fintech hub. This fact would not… Read More

April 29, 2019 @ 8:30 am By JD Alois  |  

DIT Fintech Bridge As London Fintech Week kicks off, the Department for International Trade (DIT), in partnership with Her Majesty’s Treasury (HMT), have announced new programs to boost Fintech innovation. According to a release from DIT, the UK will be building upon their Fintech Bridge… Read More

April 27, 2019 @ 9:08 am By Cali Haan  |  

Two men in Nigeria have been charged in Oregon with 13 counts relating to an online scheme they allegedly executed to defraud victims out of more than 50 Bitcoins. Oregon prosecutors allege the scheme claimed three victims in the US. According to a release from… Read More

April 26, 2019 @ 10:10 am By Cali Haan  |  

The PR team at cryptocurrency company Tether has vigorously denied allegations included in a New York court order claiming the company “lost” $850 million USD in customer funds to a Panamanian entity called Crypto Capital then “co-mingled” customer and company funds to cover the loss…. Read More

April 26, 2019 @ 8:01 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Union Blockchain Observatory and Forum has published a “thematic report” on blockchain adoption. The project is an initiative by the European Commission. This first report is one of a series of documents which is expected to be published over the coming months. The… Read More

April 26, 2019 @ 7:28 am By Cali Haan  |  

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has been seeking submissions from among the “best and brightest” in the field to join the agency as its Financial Analyst, Cryptocurrencies in Washington, DC. The SEC’s chosen “Crypto Specialist,” as it were, will be expected to, “Develop and… Read More

April 26, 2019 @ 7:22 am By Cali Haan  |  

Twenty-one American Members of Congress have signed a strongly-worded letter “urg(ing)” the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), “to issue needed guidance on the tax consequences and basic reporting requirements for taxpayers that use virtual currencies,” in the United States. The letter is signed by Darren Soto… Read More

April 25, 2019 @ 9:13 pm By JD Alois  |  

New York Attorney General Letitia James has obtained a court order against crypto exchange Bitfinex ( iFinex Inc.) and stablecoin Tether alleging violations of New York law in connection with “ongoing activities that may have defrauded New York investors that trade in virtual or cryptocurrency…. Read More