Politics, Legal & Regulation

September 26, 2024 @ 3:50 pm By JD Alois  |  

Anti-Fintech politicians Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Chris Van Hollen have forwarded a letter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), US Federal Reserve, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) demanding that bank regulators crack down on Fintechs providing bank-like services. Senators… Read More

September 26, 2024 @ 3:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) has posted a note on value-referenced crypto assets (VRCAs) – otherwise known as stablecoins. While stablecoins are primarily associated with fiat currency, they can also be tied to other assets. CSA states that registered crypto asset trading platforms (CTPs), as… Read More

September 26, 2024 @ 9:50 am By JD Alois  |  

As was previously reported, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against Visa (NYSE:V) claiming uncompetitive practices that stifle innovation while keeping costs high for consumers. A statement by the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) posted this week counters this argument, claiming the DOJ’s… Read More

September 26, 2024 @ 9:06 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The UK economy is said to be at a crossroads with weaker than expected growth to leave less room for the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget. This, according to an update from KPMG. According to KPMG in the UK, this weaker growth is set “to… Read More

September 25, 2024 @ 7:29 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and Treasury released a report this past week summarising research to date on central bank digital currency (CBDC) and how this has informed the RBA and Treasury’s current assessment of CBDC issues in Australia. The report also sets out… Read More

September 25, 2024 @ 7:21 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced today the establishment of a Cyber and Technology Resilience Experts (CTREX) Panel. The Panel replaces MAS’ Cyber Security Advisory Panel, with an expanded mandate to “cover technology resilience which, together with cybersecurity, significantly underpins the operational resilience of… Read More

September 25, 2024 @ 7:15 pm By JD Alois  |  

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler took a bit of a beating yesterday during a House Financial Services Committee hearing. The gathering also included all other commissioners which provided an opportunity to hear opposing perspectives held by the Republican minority. The hearing memo… Read More

September 25, 2024 @ 12:34 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) intends to launch a market study into how pure protection insurance products are sold following concerns that competition is not working well in the market. The study will be launched later in 2024/25. Pure protection products are designed “to… Read More

September 24, 2024 @ 6:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

The US Justice Department has filed a civil suit in federal court alleging that Visa (NYSE:V) is monopolizing debit network markets in violation of the Sherman Act. The DOJ claims that Visa is using its dominance to thwart competition and impede innovations. The DOJ complaint… Read More

September 24, 2024 @ 5:25 pm By JD Alois  |  

Caroline Ellison, once the CEO of Alameda Research, the hedge fund affiliated with FTX, has received a two-year sentence for her involvement in the failure of the once-popular crypto exchange. FTX collapsed into bankruptcy following a “run on the bank“-like event as investors pulled money… Read More

September 24, 2024 @ 10:58 am By JD Alois  |  

The Payments Association in the UK is calling for a national payments plan. The Payments Manifesto 2025 seeks to create conditions to support growth and innovation in payments. The Payments Association says it has urged UK authorities to “undertake a swift and well-defined review which… Read More

September 23, 2024 @ 6:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

Representative Patrick McHenry, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Senator Cynthia Lummis have sent a letter demanding the Securities and Exchange Commission rescind Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 121.  The bicameral letter has been signed by 42 members of Congress. Both Lummis and McHenry… Read More

September 23, 2024 @ 8:41 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Frankfurt am Main Public Prosecutor’s Office – Central Office for Combating Internet Crime (ZIT) – and the Federal Criminal Police Office ( BKA ) have shut down 47 exchange services hosted in Germany that were “being used for criminal purposes.” These were platforms on… Read More

September 22, 2024 @ 9:09 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Ahead of a “painful” Budget expected this autumn, new research from independent SME funder Bibby Financial Services (BFS) reveals that UK SMEs consider tax incentives and access to finance as two critical areas that need “to be addressed by the Government to unlock growth.” Data… Read More

September 21, 2024 @ 1:04 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

As the global focus on sustainability intensifies, Malta’s financial sector is embarking on green initiatives also when designing new financial products. A recent review by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) has shed light “on the need for greater transparency and consumer protection in the… Read More

September 21, 2024 @ 11:00 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Ontario’s financial services regulator (FSRA) and Fintech Cadence have announced a new partnership to foster fintech innovation in Ontario. This one-year partnership is supported “through FSRA’s Innovation Office.” It will empower and support fintech startups “to identify opportunities and address barriers to help them bring… Read More

September 20, 2024 @ 10:16 am By JD Alois  |  

The Payments Association has released an “investigative documentary” regarding the impact of Authorised Push Payments (APP) fraud. The project was released in partnership with Cardaq and We Fight Fraud. The documentary aims to explore how fraudsters pilfer money from the innocent. The documentary, entitled The… Read More

September 20, 2024 @ 9:38 am By JD Alois  |  

ICAN, or the Investors Choice Advocacy Network, is reporting its first legal victory over the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Founded by attorney Nick Morgan, ICAN is “dedicated to serving as a legal advocate and voice for small investors and entrepreneurs whose efforts are too often… Read More

September 19, 2024 @ 11:28 am By JD Alois  |  

Last week at the Digital Commonwealth’s Mansion House Summit Series, Tom Kiddle, co-founder of Palisade – a digital asset custody firm, spoke about his opinion on MiCA. Palisade is a regulated firm based in France. The European Union has approved MiCA, or Markets in Crypto Assets regulation. MiCA aims… Read More

September 19, 2024 @ 10:59 am By JD Alois  |  

Rari Capital has settled charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which claims the firm engaged in unregistered crypto offerings, misleading investors and acting as an unregistered broker. This is another victory in the SEC’s ongoing battle with digital asset firms and offerings that… Read More