Politics, Legal & Regulation

September 17, 2025 @ 5:54 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) made some rule changes today, and one of them will impact Regulation A (Reg A), a securities exemption utilized for online capital formation. Reg A requires an offering to be qualified by the SEC before commencing a funding round…. Read More

September 17, 2025 @ 5:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, cryptocurrency advocates, including Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor and Marathon Digital Holdings CEO Fred Thiel, will converge on Capitol Hill to champion legislation that could position the United States as a major holder of Bitcoin. The proposed bill, if enacted, would… Read More

September 17, 2025 @ 5:39 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In an escalation of efforts to curb Iran’s illicit financial activities, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions on September 16, 2025, targeting a sophisticated shadow banking network. This operation, valued at over $600 million in cryptocurrency inflows,… Read More

September 17, 2025 @ 3:37 pm By JD Alois  |  

Taking the other side of the rate cut discussion, Cato Institute Research Fellow Jai Kedia, believes no rate cut is necessary and there is a risk of greater inflation, which could necessitate a rate increase. “The Fed cut its target for the federal funds rate… Read More

September 17, 2025 @ 2:41 pm By JD Alois  |  

As was expected, the US Federal Reserve cut its benchmark rates by 25 basis points, to 4% to 4.25% percent. The FOMC noted that while inflation remains somewhat evelated, economic activity has slowed along with job growth. Voting for the rate cut were Chairman Jerome… Read More

September 17, 2025 @ 12:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Tether, the issuer of the world’s largest stablecoin in terms of market cap and overall adoption, has played a pivotal role in helping Canadian law enforcement recover 460,000 USDT—equivalent to about $640,000 CAD—from an investment scam targeting an Ontario resident. The operation, executed by the… Read More

September 17, 2025 @ 9:31 am By JD Alois  |  

Today, it is widely anticipated that the US Federal Reserve will cut interest rates for the first time since December 2024, when the FOMC decided to cut rates by 25 basis points. The bigger question is how much the Fed will cut and expectations for… Read More

September 16, 2025 @ 5:05 pm By JD Alois  |  

The SEC has scheduled an open meeting for tomorrow where the members of the Commission will discuss and vote on certain regulatory items. The topics of discussion include: The Commission will consider action relating to the compliance date for the amendments to Form PF that… Read More

September 16, 2025 @ 3:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The US Senate has confirmed Stephen Miran, a supporter of the Trump Administration’s tariff policy and “crypto-friendly economist,” to join the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. The vote approving Miran took place Monday, September 15, 2025, and comes just ahead of the central bank’s interest rate meeting this… Read More

September 16, 2025 @ 2:22 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) says it has added four new members to fill vacancies on its Investor Advisory Committee, joining 16 other current members. The Committee aims to advise the  Commission on issues impacting investors and the regulatory needs of securities markets. SEC… Read More

September 16, 2025 @ 8:54 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a move that’s sparking heated debate within the cryptocurrency world, the Bank of England (BoE) is facing significant opposition to its plans for limiting how much stablecoins people and firms can possess. Stablecoins, which are digital currencies designed to hold steady value by tying… Read More

September 16, 2025 @ 7:56 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a move that brings closure to years of litigation, UK-based Metro Bank has reached an out-of-court settlement with American software developer Arkeyo LLC. The agreement addresses claims that Metro improperly shared proprietary code for its innovative coin-processing systems with a third-party vendor, potentially breaching… Read More

September 15, 2025 @ 5:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

The state of Massachusetts filed a lawsuit against prediction market Kalshi last week, alleging the platform was conducting illegal sports betting. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell stated that sports wagering comes with significant risk and must be strictly regulated by the state to mitigate… Read More

September 14, 2025 @ 1:27 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is intensifying its oversight of emerging technologies and persistent financial frauds. The agency has launched a sweeping inquiry into AI chatbots that function as digital companions, while recently securing settlements that permanently ban operators of a notorious student loan forgiveness… Read More

September 14, 2025 @ 10:31 am By Michael Wong  |  

The U.S. Department of Justice announced charges against two men accused of orchestrating a securities fraud scheme that netted over $100 million by targeting American retail investors through manipulation of Ostin Technology Group Co. Ltd. (OST) stock. An indictment unsealed in the Eastern District of… Read More

September 13, 2025 @ 9:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) continues to demonstrate its commitment to consumer protection, transparency, and innovation. Recent announcements highlight key developments: a thematic review exposing gaps in payment account offerings by financial institutions, and the launch of an academic journal to foster global supervisory… Read More

September 13, 2025 @ 9:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Regtech Sumsub has acknowledged the rise of deepfakes as well as AI being used in deceptive ways to target unsuspecting UK consumers. The firm noted in a blog post that after over a month from the Online Safety Act coming into force, websites hosting mature… Read More

September 13, 2025 @ 9:09 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The latest economic insights from KPMG UK highlight growing concerns about the UK and Eurozone economies, as voiced by Yael Selfin, Chief Economist at KPMG UK. In two recent statements, Selfin commented on the UK’s GDP figures and the European Central Bank’s (ECB) latest interest… Read More

September 12, 2025 @ 12:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

Brian Quintenz, a former Commissioner at the Commodity  Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Trump nominee to take over the regulator as its new chair, shared an online conversation this week he had with Tyler Winklevoss, founder of Gemini Space Station, a crypto exchange expected to… Read More

September 11, 2025 @ 12:04 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Investor Choice Advocates Network (ICAN) has filed a lawsuit to challenge the current definition of an Accredited Investor. Under current rules, only affluent investors may participate in certain private securities offerings. Typically, the most successful private firms leverage Regulation D (Reg D) to raise… Read More