Politics, Legal & Regulation

December 19, 2024 @ 8:02 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced actions in order to protect consumers from “illegal” credit card practices and help people save money on interest and fees. In a circular to other law enforcement agencies, the CFPB warned that some credit card companies operating rewards… Read More

December 18, 2024 @ 3:20 pm By JD Alois  |  

Even while economic data has been very choppy, the US Federal Reserve decided to match market expectations, cutting benchmark rates by 25 basis points. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) lowered the target range for the federal funds rate by 25 bps to 4-1/4 to… Read More

December 18, 2024 @ 10:03 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has published a report on Authorized Push Payment (APP) scams and how to avoid them. In brief, a fraudster pilfers money illicitly when it tricks targets into sending money to its account. The trick is presenting what looks like… Read More

December 17, 2024 @ 4:43 pm By JD Alois  |  

The SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation has published its annual report which includes data on access to capital as well as policy recommendations. The Office is relatively new, created under the SEC Small Business Advocate Act of 2016 – legislation… Read More

December 17, 2024 @ 12:42 pm By JD Alois  |  

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced sanctions against two individuals and a single entity regarding money laundering to the benefit of North Korea. OFAC says that Lu Huaying and Zhang Jian, working out of the UAE and… Read More

December 17, 2024 @ 7:33 am By Omar Faridi  |  

BitGo, the digital asset custody and security platform trusted by institutions since 2013, today announced it has entered into an agreement with FTX Trading Ltd. and its affiliated debtors to assist in distributing recoveries to both retail and institutional customers in “supported jurisdictions in accordance… Read More

December 17, 2024 @ 7:30 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Anchorage Digital—the crypto platform for institutions—is pleased to announce that the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) has approved their subsidiary, Anchorage Digital NY, LLC, for a BitLicense. The addition of BitLicense-regulated trading means Anchorage Digital can offer institutions in New York State… Read More

December 16, 2024 @ 11:14 am By JD Alois  |  

Everyone knows the definition of an Accredited Investor is broken. The rule sets a monetary hurdle for individuals who may participate in certain private securities offerings. It is obvious to all that wealth is not necessarily an indicator of sophistication. Still, the SEC has failed… Read More

December 16, 2024 @ 10:19 am By JD Alois  |  

The Committee on the Judiciary and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government issued its interim report this month outlining the abuse of financial data by the federal government. Whether you are a Republican or Democrat, you should be outraged by this… Read More

December 14, 2024 @ 3:48 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

This week, Independent Community Bankers of America president and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey spoke out against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s final rule on overdraft services. Despite the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s overdraft rule’s exemption for community banks under $10 billion in assets, Rainey said… Read More

December 13, 2024 @ 4:38 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Faced with “dense” and complex information, the AMF in France is encouraging financial institutions to continue their efforts to “improve the transparency of their Taxonomy reporting.” In a report covering the first alignment reporting of seven French banks and insurers, the Autorité des Marchés Financiers… Read More

December 13, 2024 @ 11:56 am By JD Alois  |  

Elon Musk, founder and CEO of multiple firms including Tesla and SpaceX, has leveraged X, another one of his companies, to lambast outgoing SEC Chairman Gary Gensler.   Oh Gary, how could you do this to me? 🥹 pic.twitter.com/OoooQI77ZS — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 12,… Read More

December 13, 2024 @ 11:31 am By JD Alois  |  

The initial coin offering (ICO) era came to a screeching halt following a statement made by the Securities and Exchange Commission that effectively told issuers to halt the process. During the wild and crazy days of ICOs, millions or billions were both made and lost…. Read More

December 13, 2024 @ 11:17 am By JD Alois  |  

Yesterday, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Cantor Fitzgerald, LP, and two Special Purpose Acquisition companies (SPACs) it controlled with “making misleading statements to investors ahead of their initial public offerings (IPOs).” SPACs are companies that go public with the intent to acquire a private… Read More

December 13, 2024 @ 10:44 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Bitcoin and crypto industry is now focused on blocking or preventing the re-nomination of  SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw as the Senate Banking Committee prepares to vote on her appointment to another term at Wall Street’s main regulatory authority. Crenshaw, a Democrat, was appointed to the commission by President Donald… Read More

December 13, 2024 @ 9:25 am By JD Alois  |  

The Consumer Bankers Association (CBA), American Bankers Association (ABA), America’s Credit Unions, Mississippi Bankers Association, and other individual banks have joined in a lawsuit challenging the final rules issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau impacting overdraft regulations. Yesterday, the CFPB issued rules that manage… Read More

December 12, 2024 @ 4:51 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has announced a final rule that addresses the overdraft system for consumers who need credit beyond an existing balance. The new rule allows large banks several options for overdrafts: They can choose to charge $5; To offer overdraft as… Read More

December 12, 2024 @ 4:11 pm By JD Alois  |  

Representative French Hill is slated to take over the powerful House Financial Services Committee following the exit of popular Chairman Patrick McHenry. Multiple news outlets are reporting the selection of Hill, who has edged out several others interested in the chairman position. The Digital Chamber… Read More

December 12, 2024 @ 9:16 am By JD Alois  |  

A recent report shares that Nasdaq Private Markets (NPM), a secondary trading platform for shares in private firms, has booked $6 billion in trades so far this year. In total, since its creation, NPM reports over $55 billion in transactional value and more than 250… Read More

December 11, 2024 @ 3:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) testified before the Senate Banking Committee. Chairman Rohit Chopra outlined his accomplishments while at the agency in his opening statement, mentioning that they are working on addressing the challenges of debanking. Blocking people from the banking system has emerged… Read More