Politics, Legal & Regulation

January 17, 2025 @ 11:24 am By JD Alois  |  

MiCA, or markets in crypto markets regulation, aims to create bright-line rules in Europe to enable digital asset innovation. While not regulating digital securities, MiCA covers just about everything else, including stablecoin regulation. The EU wants to encourage the development of new products and services… Read More

January 17, 2025 @ 10:57 am By JD Alois  |  

China state-affiliated entities have been hacking both public and private organizations in the US for years now. This is part of China’s goal to usurp the US as the world’s top superpower.  In an embarrassing revelation, the US Department of Treasury was hacked, including, apparently,… Read More

January 17, 2025 @ 8:40 am By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Technology Association (FTA) has sent a letter to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) telling them to modify rules designed to address custodial deposits. The letter was sent in response to proposed rulemaking on the accounts. The FTA says it supports the FDIC’s… Read More

January 17, 2025 @ 7:39 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) reported “record-breaking” enforcement actions in 2024, while the value of fines issued by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) more than tripled year-on-year, according to SteelEye’s annual fine tracker. To create its annual… Read More

January 16, 2025 @ 6:59 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed an appeal against a US federal judge’s decision in its partially unsuccessful case against enterprise blockchain firm Ripple Labs, a move that has been heavily criticized by Ripple’s chief legal officer. In a Jan. 15 filing… Read More

January 16, 2025 @ 5:13 pm By JD Alois  |  

Scott Bessant, incoming President Donald Trump’s selection to become the Secretary of the Treasury, is not supportive of a CBDC or central bank digital currency. A graduate of Yale, Bessent is a hedge fund manager who worked for George Soros at one time, but today,… Read More

January 16, 2025 @ 8:29 am By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has shared that it has settled with crypto lender Plutus Lending, LLC by paying a civil penalty of $1.65 million. According to the SEC, Plutus, doing business as Abra, offered a retail crypto asset lending product, Abra Earn –… Read More

January 15, 2025 @ 4:45 pm By JD Alois  |  

Representative French Hill, the new House Financial Services Committee Chairman, has announced a new entity: the Monetary Policy, Treasury Market Resilience, and Economic Prosperity Task Force. Representative Frank Lucas (OK-03) will lead the new Task Force. Hill said the reason for the Task Force was… Read More

January 14, 2025 @ 9:50 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk, a move that some will undoubtedly label as politically motivated. Musk, according to the SEC, failed to file a beneficial ownership report in a timely manner when he acquired 5%+ of Twitter – now X…. Read More

January 14, 2025 @ 9:12 am By JD Alois  |  

Capital One is probably best known for its pithy commercials featuring Jennifer Garner asking, “What’s in your wallet.”  Unfortunately, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) believes that Capital One has been cheating its customers, thus questioning if consumers should keep Capital One as a credit… Read More

January 14, 2025 @ 8:57 am By JD Alois  |  

The Bank of England and HM Treasury are in the design phase for the creation of a digital pound or central bank digital currency. A consultation paper outlined the framework as a precursor to a possible digital currency. The update by the Bank is said… Read More

January 14, 2025 @ 8:22 am By JD Alois  |  

Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) won a minor victory in court regarding its ongoing legal battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal shared via X that the Third Circuit Court has chastised the SEC for its denial of rulemaking – something… Read More

January 13, 2025 @ 8:49 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has announced a default judgment regarding the case of Mosaic Exchange Ltd. and its owner and Chief Executive Officer Sean Michael, of Miami, Florida. The CFTC initiated the enforcement action alleging a fraudulent digital asset commodity scheme. The order is based on a… Read More

January 13, 2025 @ 12:03 pm By JD Alois  |  

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) has emerged as a popular type of credit which may be less expensive than traditional credit cards. Today, it is very common for BNPL services to be made available at the point of sale, thus helping to ensure a shopping… Read More

January 13, 2025 @ 11:52 am By JD Alois  |  

Senator Tim Scott, the new Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, has issued a statement on Paul Atkins, the individual selected by President-elect Trump to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission. Atkins, if approved by the Senate, will replace the unpopular SEC Chair Gary Gensler…. Read More

January 13, 2025 @ 10:31 am By JD Alois  |  

The House Financial Services Committee has released leadership positions for the Committee, including Subcommittee Chairs. Following the exit of the past Chair, Patrick McHenry, Representative French Hill has taken over the leadership of the powerful Committee, which is expected to pursue legislation that supports innovation… Read More

January 12, 2025 @ 8:14 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Central Bank of Ireland has launched its first “innovation sandbox programme,” introducing seven private-sector ventures focused on tackling financial crime. The initiative provides a controlled environment for testing new technologies, enhancing collaboration between the central bank and the fintech sector, and advancing solutions to… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 11:21 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

This week, the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) unveiled its new “Repair, Reform, and Thrive” plan for the 119th Congress and the incoming Trump administration to address what it said are “the nation’s broken banking regulations and kickstart economic growth in local communities.” The… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 11:07 am By Michael Wong  |  

The US Senate Banking Committee is reported set to establish its inaugural subcommittee focused on digital assets, marking a significant move just days after Republicans assumed control of the Senate following recent elections. According to reports, this initiative aligns with President-elect Donald Trump’s vision of… Read More

January 9, 2025 @ 8:22 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Recent legislative changes mean Danish private limited companies (ApS) can now fundraise on Republic Europe, opening up investment opportunities for all. For the “first time” in history, Danish ApS companies (Anpartsselskaber) can tap into the power of community fundraising to fuel their growth. A noteworthy… Read More