Politics, Legal & Regulation

October 15, 2018 @ 7:50 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has sent a “Dear CEO letter” to lenders of high-cost, short term credit, aka payday loans, admonishing these platforms for an increase in “complaints about affordable lending.” The complaints also reference problematic “chain of loans,” or stacking, that may… Read More

October 13, 2018 @ 6:53 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Telephone scammers pretending to be representatives from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) recently used threats of deportation and a bitcoin ATM to defraud a recent immigrant in Charlottetown PEI out of $65 000, CBC reports. Now a Charlottetown court has ruled that the Bitcoin ATM… Read More

October 12, 2018 @ 7:08 pm By Cali Haan  |  

The American Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has issued an advisory warning that Iranian state actors may escalate their attempts to move money in and out of the country through “illicit” channels (including cryptocurrencies) once the US completes its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action… Read More

October 12, 2018 @ 3:07 pm By Cali Haan  |  

The American Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been following up on “scores” of subpoenas it sent in January to companies issuing ICOs (initial coin offerings) and is now focussing on those and “many more” that sold ICOs to unaccredited investors, Yahoo Finance reports. Based… Read More

October 11, 2018 @ 4:58 pm By Cali Haan  |  

South Korean Finance Minister, Yong-Joo Park told auditors from the Finance Committee of the Yeouido National Assembly in Seoul this morning that ICOs (initial coin offerings) pose undue risks to investors and should not be equated with blockchain, Yonhap News reports. “The government does not… Read More

October 11, 2018 @ 12:05 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken action against an initial coin offering (ICO) that falsely claimed to be approved by the SEC. The enforcement action was filed against Blockvest LLC and company founder Reginald Buddy Ringgold, III. Additionally, the SEC obtained an emergency… Read More

October 11, 2018 @ 10:24 am By JD Alois  |  

Templum, a regulated alternative trading system (ATS) that is operating in the security token space, has submitted written testimony to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. The document arrives just in advance of the widely anticipated Senate Hearing that will see Dr…. Read More

October 11, 2018 @ 9:43 am By JD Alois  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Financial Services Authority of the Republic of Indonesia, or “Otoritas Jasa Keuangan” (OJK), have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to boost Fintech cooperation and foster innovation in financial services between the two countries. The MOU is… Read More

October 10, 2018 @ 7:30 pm By JD Alois  |  

Dr. Nouriel Roubini, aka Dr. Doom, has posted his prepared testimony in advance of the Senate Banking Committee Hearing scheduled to take place tomorrow (October 11, 2018). As one may expect, Roubini has not held back one iota. His testimony is entitled; “Crypto is the… Read More

October 10, 2018 @ 6:51 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, has scheduled a hearing that should be a fascinating debate on the topic of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Entitled Exploring the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Ecosystem, the hearing is scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 11th… Read More

October 10, 2018 @ 3:11 pm By Cali Haan  |  

In the midst of a migratory crisis seeing more than 5000 people leaving Venezuela per day, Venezuelan vice-president Delcy Rodriguez announced that, effective immediately, passports in Venezuela must be paid for using the government’s controversial new cryptocurrency, El Petro, at a cost-equivalence of four month’s wages,… Read More

October 10, 2018 @ 8:41 am By JD Alois  |  

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, is currently at the IMF Annual Meeting taking place in Bali. While at the meeting, the Chancellor is polishing the UK chops when it comes to innovations in Fintech. According to a note from HM Treasury, Hammond will position Britain… Read More

October 9, 2018 @ 9:45 am By JD Alois  |  

The Fintech Sandbox set up by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK has now been in operation for the past two years. The trailblazing project has since been replicated multiple times around the world. The concept was simple: create a safe haven for Fintech… Read More

October 8, 2018 @ 11:16 am By JD Alois  |  

Last week, the Israeli Blockchain Forum hosted a meetup with the Israeli Tax Authority (ITA). CPA Roland Am-Shalem, Senior Deputy Director General at the Authority, participated in the meetup.  The event was shared in a post by Igal Nevo, CEO of the Forum. Acc0rding to Nevo: “Roland… Read More

October 8, 2018 @ 10:26 am By JD Alois  |  

The Autorité des Marches Financiers (AFM) in France has updated its list of scammy websites dealing with Forex, Binary Options, Derivatives and Crypto Assets. The AMF has been publishing the Black List for quite some time and now includes cryptocurrency offerings that are not compliant… Read More

October 5, 2018 @ 8:56 am By JD Alois  |  

This week N26, a Germany based digital bank, announced it has set up shop in the United Kingdom. N26 already provides banking services in 17 European markets including France, Spain, Italy, Belgium and more. The launch of the challenger bank has long been expected but… Read More

October 4, 2018 @ 10:33 am By JD Alois  |  

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) have signed a Fintech agreement to support innovations in finance and to share information within their respective jurisdictions. This is the second such agreement for the CFTC, a US regulatory agency… Read More

October 3, 2018 @ 1:49 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Ten Brazilian cryptocurrency exchanges and one OTC (over-the-counter/private) dealer have until the 19th of October to answer a questionnaire from that country’s anti-trust authority, and could face fines of up to  $25 000 USD if they fail to respond, Portal do Bitcoin reports. The Brazilian… Read More

October 2, 2018 @ 10:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

For quite some time now, the European Commission has been discussing creating a pan-European approach to investment crowdfunding. This policy move absolutely makes sense and clearly aligns with the Fintech Action Plan and Capital Markets Union. In many ways, creating a single law for all… Read More

October 2, 2018 @ 3:55 pm By JD Alois  |  

Law firm Perkins Coie has partnered with the Accord Project, a consortium for the development of smart legal contracts using blockchain technology. Perkins Coie has long been active in the blockchain and crypto sector of Fintech. Perkins Coie’s Blockchain Technology & Digital Currency industry group was… Read More