Politics, Legal & Regulation

March 22, 2025 @ 10:35 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

tradias GmbH announced recently that it has successfully obtained approval by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). Following the submission of its notification at the end of last year, tradias GmbH has been “granted authorization to provide… Read More

March 21, 2025 @ 11:47 am By JD Alois  |  

The US Department of Treasury has announced that it has removed the economic sanctions applied to Tornado Cash, a crypto mixer. Tornado Cash, a decentralized platform, enables users to cloak crypto activity to a certain degree. In 2222, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)… Read More

March 21, 2025 @ 11:01 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced that it will no longer examine its regulated institutions for “reputation risk” and is removing references to reputation risk from its Comptroller’s Handbook booklets and guidance issuances. These actions reportedly aim to support the OCC’s… Read More

March 21, 2025 @ 10:25 am By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has dramatically changed its position regarding digital assets following the change in administration with President Donald Trump’s election. The Commission is now controlled by Republicans, who typically are more supportive of innovation and entrepreneurship. This includes financial services. Previously,… Read More

March 20, 2025 @ 2:17 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a statement on Proof of Work (PoW), a characteristic of some digital assets – most prominently Bitcoin. Proof of Work is a way to validate and mint new crypto. At one time, Ethereum was PoW, but it… Read More

March 20, 2025 @ 12:08 pm By JD Alois  |  

Two financial fraud experts say the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, needs to address the growing issue of financial fraud during next week’s Spring Statement. Silvija Krupena, Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit at RedCompass Labs, and Jonathan Frost, Director of Global Advisory at… Read More

March 20, 2025 @ 8:55 am By JD Alois  |  

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, will address Parliament next week with her economic plan, which she will present to policymakers. The Spring Statement is expected to include numerous policy changes aiming to boost economic growth while cutting government costs and associated red tape, which undermines… Read More

March 20, 2025 @ 7:52 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Innovate Finance has responded to the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) consultation DP 24/4 on Regulating cryptoassets: Admissions & Disclosures and Market Abuse Regime for Cryptoassets. According to UK Finance, the regime is an important one, essentially regulating so-called “Shit Coins” that offer little or… Read More

March 20, 2025 @ 6:52 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Yesterday, the US Federal Reserve issued its FOMC statement regarding interest rates and the committee voted to keep benchmark rates exactly the same. The announcement was anticipated by markets, the bigger question is when the next rate cut will take pace. The Federal Reserve noted… Read More

March 19, 2025 @ 12:24 pm By JD Alois  |  

The never-ending saga of new tech being used for good, as well as bad, continues. While enforcement agencies chase criminals for bad actions, the crooks keep upping their game making it difficult to stop the perpetrators. The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has posted… Read More

March 19, 2025 @ 12:08 pm By JD Alois  |  

Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, will deliver the annual Spring Statement next week, with expectations of dramatic changes to the UK government’s economic policy. Reeves is anticipated to seek a balancing act of slashing government red tape and reducing government expenditures while adopting policies… Read More

March 19, 2025 @ 10:37 am By JD Alois  |  

Folk2Folk, a peer-to-peer lender serving smaller businesses, has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, asking her to include IFISAs in the ISA discussion. IFISAs, or innovative finance individual savings accounts, aim to allow alternative investments in retirement accounts. An IFISA can also… Read More

March 19, 2025 @ 10:19 am By JD Alois  |  

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has announced that the Digital Gilt Instrument (DIGIT) or UK Gilts, which leverages distributed ledger technology (DLT), will move forward. The Chancellor stated: “The UK is leading the way on digital innovation, and the creation of DIGIT will help to… Read More

March 19, 2025 @ 10:09 am By JD Alois  |  

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has met with a group of top Fintechs in advance of next week’s Spring Statement, according to a report from Sky News. This follows an announcement about the UK government’s new policy of slashing red tape and reducing regulatory… Read More

March 19, 2025 @ 8:26 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A research study carried out by the Malta Financial Services Authority revealed that over 60% of clients are enrolled in mobile or internet banking. The data indicates that the usage of digital services has increased, particularly for mobile banking, while branch footfall has “overall decreased… Read More

March 18, 2025 @ 3:52 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Senator Tim Scott, as Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, has positioned the United States as a global leader in digital asset innovation through his advocacy for the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. The United States will be the country… Read More

March 18, 2025 @ 12:32 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

CertiK Chief Security Officer Kang Li has commented on the changing regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies and how it potentially brings new opportunities. During discussions held as part of the 2024 Korean Blockchain Week (KBW), Professor Kang Li, Chief Security Officer of CertiK explained how recent… Read More

March 18, 2025 @ 9:38 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has closed on a consultation that discusses changes to public offers and admissions to trading in the UK. Policymakers are looking to improve securities markets in the UK – both public and private. Any updates aim to support capital… Read More

March 18, 2025 @ 8:21 am By Omar Faridi  |  

UK Finance released its Plan for Growth, a blueprint designed to amplify the financial services sector’s role in driving the UK’s economic agenda. Submitted to the government earlier in March of this year, the suggested plan consolidates key insights from industry body UK Finance’s diverse… Read More

March 18, 2025 @ 1:23 am By JD Alois  |  

The French Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) has issued a public statement calling on the European Commission to improve capital markets  and boost retail participation away from savings and into “long-term investments.” In the US, over 60% of the population holds shares in public companies. … Read More