Politics, Legal & Regulation

April 27, 2018 @ 4:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

In a speech delivered this week at the Eurofi Summit, Commissioner Brian Quintenz, of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), addressed the topic of cryptocurrencies and digital tokens. Specifically, Quintez posed the question as to what should the proper role of a regulator be in… Read More

April 27, 2018 @ 7:32 am By JD Alois  |  

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), along with a host of other public market advocates, published a paper yesterday urging policy makers to take action and address the decline of public companies. SIFMA stated the obvious that the decline in public companies creates… Read More

April 26, 2018 @ 12:18 pm By JD Alois  |  

It’s about time. The Commodity Futures Exchange Commission (CFTC) has published a white paper on Swaps Regulation Version 2.0. Entitled, An Assessment of the Current Implementation of Reform and Proposals for Next Steps, the unique aspect of this document is the fact that CFTC Chair J. Christopher… Read More

April 25, 2018 @ 9:49 am By JD Alois  |  

The Crypto Valley Association (CVA), based in Zug, Switzerland, has announced a new partnership with ConsenSys. According to CVA, ConsenSys will chair new Enterprise Blockchain Working Group, while joining the existing Regulatory and Policy Working Group. Consensys is a huge, global organization. Today it claims 750+ blockchain experts… Read More

April 25, 2018 @ 8:50 am By Cali Haan  |  

Reporter Jang Hyeong-tae at Chosen Ilbo shared yesterday that a number of politicians running in Korean regional elections are promising to incorporate blockchain into governance if elected. At least twelve have proposed new cryptocurrencies, said Jang. Korean regional elections are set for June 13th. The Mayor… Read More

April 24, 2018 @ 11:43 am By Erin Hobey  |  

Abu Dhabi Global Market, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, UAE (ADGM) and Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE), China’s largest securities exchange, have today entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to co-operate on the establishment of a “Belt and Road” Exchange in ADGM.  This… Read More

April 24, 2018 @ 11:03 am By Erin Hobey  |  

UK alternative finance firm Growth Street has been granted full FCA authorization,  a significant milestone for Growth Street, which had been operating as an Appointed Representative of Resolution Compliance Limited since 2016. “We’re delighted to be fully authorized and regulated by the FCA. It’s a… Read More

April 24, 2018 @ 8:21 am By JD Alois  |  

Longfin Corp. (NASDAQ:LFIN), is reporting that Judge Denise L. Cote has vacated the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that froze the assets of the company. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) obtained a court order freezing more than $27 million in trading proceeds from allegedly illegal… Read More

April 23, 2018 @ 4:18 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued another trading suspension regarding a company associated with cryptocurrency services. IBITX Software is a company that claims to operate IBITX as a “Dynamic new type of currency exchange which matches new Initial Currency Offerings (ICOs)” IBITX says it is “one… Read More

April 23, 2018 @ 7:32 am By David Felsenthal and Jesse Overall  |  

In this article we discuss a number of lessons that we believe issuers of digital tokens can draw from recent enforcement actions brought by federal and state securities regulators. But we first need to define the perimeter we will be covering. There has been a… Read More

April 21, 2018 @ 2:12 pm By JD Alois  |  

Arthur Breitman, AKA Arthur Meunier, was sanctioned by FINRA this past week for his dealings with the infamous Tezos initial coin offering (ICO) that raised approximately $232 million. Breitman signed the document on April 17th and it was accepted by FINRA on the next day. … Read More

April 20, 2018 @ 2:15 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has released additional fraud charges affiliated with the Centra Tech $32 million initial coin offering (ICO) that raised money in 2017. Ealier this month, the SEC filed a complaint against Centra Tech, Sohrab “Sam” Sharma and Robert Farkas regarding… Read More

April 18, 2018 @ 11:08 am By JD Alois  |  

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has fired off another enforcement action against a questionable cryptocurrency operation. The CFTC has charged multiple individuals, and several companies, with fraud involving ATM Coin (asset trading market coin) and binary options. The CFTC filed the Complaint in the… Read More

April 18, 2018 @ 9:34 am By Cali Haan  |  

After blogging last month about the risks of cryptographic currencies and assets, including their use in “darknet” marketplaces like AlphaBay, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde blogged this month about “the promise” of cryptocurrencies and urged an even-handed international approach to their regulation. Judicious consideration, wrote Lagarde,… Read More

April 17, 2018 @ 3:34 pm By JD Alois  |  

Lithuania has announced the creation of “Virtual Limited Liability Companies” (VLLCs). These companies would be registered and managed all using blockchain technology. The Baltic country expects to be the first country to offer this type of service and it expects to allow VLLCs as soon… Read More

April 17, 2018 @ 3:04 pm By JD Alois  |  

The New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has sent a letter to 13 different cryptocurrency exchanges. Described as a fact-finding inquiry into the policies and practices of platforms used by consumers to trade cryptocurrencies, the AG labeled the move the Virtual Markets Integrity Initiative. The… Read More

April 17, 2018 @ 7:53 am By Cali Haan  |  

Torrent Freak has reported that Russian telecom regulator Rozomnadzor has begun blocking ISP addresses used to transmit private messages using the Telegram app. The actions come after the app was added to a state register of banned services last Friday after an 18-minute trial. Telegram… Read More

April 16, 2018 @ 1:09 pm By JD Alois  |  

Speaking at Vanderbilt University Law School this past week, Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo made some interesting comments. Giancarlo, a Commodore Alum, spoke about the digitization of finance (Fintech) and the subject of virtual currencies. Giancarlo reflected on time spent with… Read More

April 15, 2018 @ 2:41 pm By JD Alois  |  

Renwick Haddow, a UK national, was extradited from Morocco to the US for committing fraud that saw over $36 million stolen from investors. The extradition is just part of a long criminal saga by Haddow. Last year, the SEC joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the… Read More

April 15, 2018 @ 2:20 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has scheduled a roundtable to discuss thinly-traded exchange-listed securities, both equities and exchange-traded products. The roundtable will take place on April 23 at the SEC’s headquarters at 100 F Street, NE in DC. The roundtable is open to the public and… Read More