Politics, Legal & Regulation

May 5, 2025 @ 11:36 am By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Technology Association (FTA) has distributed an update on their policy position alongside Small Business Week. According to the FTA, the following are its top priorities regarding legislation that impacts Fintechs and smaller firms. Help Businesses Start: New businesses must navigate complex compliance and… Read More

May 5, 2025 @ 9:25 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The European Union’s framework for systemically important payment systems (PSs) and central securities depositories/securities settlement systems (CSDs/SSSs) has been deemed complete and consistent with the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures (PFMI), according to a recent report by the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI)… Read More

May 4, 2025 @ 10:11 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The financial services landscape in the European Union and the United Kingdom has undergone significant transformation since the UK’s departure from the EU, marking the end of a harmonized regulatory framework that once relied on passporting rights across EU Member States. This divergence, coupled with… Read More

May 4, 2025 @ 7:55 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has reportedly updated its App Store guidelines, loosening restrictions on iOS apps that facilitate crypto and NFT transactions. This change comes in response to a U.S. District Court ruling in the ongoing antitrust case brought by Epic Games, marking a pivotal moment for digital… Read More

May 4, 2025 @ 7:15 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed Senate Bill 1025, a measure that would have allowed the state’s retirement fund to invest in virtual currencies such as Bitcoin. The veto effectively halts a legislative effort that could have made Arizona the first U.S. state to hold… Read More

May 2, 2025 @ 5:10 pm By JD Alois  |  

While crypto trading has boomed globally, few jurisdictions have bespoke rules that regulate it like more traditional exchanges. The UK Financial Conduct Authority is now seeking to bring crypto exchanges into a better-structured regulatory remit, and it is seeking feedback from interested parties. Earlier this… Read More

May 2, 2025 @ 8:25 am By JD Alois  |  

Stablecoins are poised to become payments 3.0 as the technology represents an upgrade to the existing global payments rails. In the UK, the government has just released draft legislation which is deemed to be nearly complete, designed to support privately issued digital currency. Today, the… Read More

May 2, 2025 @ 7:15 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Deloitte’s latest initiatives underscore the critical role of transparency, digitalization, and artificial intelligence (AI) in navigating increasingly complex economic, regulatory, and technological challenges. Two recent updates from the firm—a 2025 Global Tax Policy Survey and the launch of AI Advantage for CFOs—reveal how organizations are… Read More

May 1, 2025 @ 8:12 am By JD Alois  |  

  In the midst of UK Fintech Week, ClearBank has published a report on the UK Fintech ecosystem, addressing its status in the country and what it needs to move forward and grow. The UK has long been a top global Fintech hub, supported by… Read More

May 1, 2025 @ 7:00 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The United Kingdom is taking decisive steps toward regulating the evolving crypto-asset sector with the release of its draft crypto regime, a move that integrates key activities such as trading, custody, lending, and staking into the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) framework. Laura Talvitie,… Read More

April 30, 2025 @ 9:20 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a significant development for India’s startup ecosystem, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reportedly detained Puneet Singh Jaggi, co-founder of BluSmart, from a Delhi hotel on April 25, 2025. The detention is said to be linked to an ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities at Gensol… Read More

April 30, 2025 @ 12:20 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Alex Mashinsky, the former CEO of crypto firm Celsius Network, has pleaded guilty to fraud charges, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal scrutiny of the collapsed crypto lending platform. The U.S. Department of Justice is said to be seeking a 20-year prison sentence… Read More

April 30, 2025 @ 10:32 am By JD Alois  |  

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has announced new crypto rules, where crypto exchanges, dealers, and others will be brought into the regulatory perimeter. Clear regulation is vital to allow digital asset technology to develop responsibly. In a public statement, Reeves noted that new rules will… Read More

April 30, 2025 @ 8:39 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The European Crypto Initiative (EUCI) has ushered in a transformative phase for cryptocurrency regulation with the release of The AML Handbook: A Guide for Crypto Activities. This comprehensive guide introduces 13 pivotal compliance pillars that crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) must adopt to align with the… Read More

April 29, 2025 @ 9:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Arizona’s legislature has passed legislation that could position the state as a pioneer in Bitcoin and cryptocurrency adoption within the United States. The bill, which authorizes the state treasurer and retirement system to allocate up to 10% of their available funds to Bitcoin and other… Read More

April 29, 2025 @ 4:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

While there has been chatter that some Republicans may look for tax increases, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) expects a pro-growth tax bill to be signed into law. Earlier this month, the SBE Council joined dozens of other pro-business groups telling Congress… Read More

April 29, 2025 @ 10:56 am By JD Alois  |  

Last week, FCA Chief Data, Information, and Intelligence Officer Jessica Rusu delivered a speech on the regulation of digital assets. Delivered at the CityUK International Conference 2025, Rusu said the regulator is supporting growth via innovation while reducing regulatory burdens. She noted that entrepreneurs are “looking for predictability,… Read More

April 28, 2025 @ 6:08 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Mike Cagney, Co-founder and CEO of Figure Markets, who also founded SoFi, has outlined transformative changes on the horizon for financial markets driven by upcoming stablecoin legislation and blockchain innovations. These developments, expected to take shape by the August recess, could redefine the banking system,… Read More

April 28, 2025 @ 6:05 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Just a few days prior to US President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, financial technology firm Ramp had released a detailed blog post titled “The Efficiency Formula,” outlining strategies to curb wasteful government spending. The 4,000-word blog post, authored by Ramp’s CEO and a key investor,… Read More

April 28, 2025 @ 7:19 am By Omar Faridi  |  

BitGo, the infrastructure provider of digital asset solutions, is pleased to announce that its Dubai subsidiary, BitGo Custody MENA FZE, has received a Virtual Assets Service Provider (VASP) operating license to provide Virtual Asset Custody Services and Staking, from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA)…. Read More