Politics, Legal & Regulation

July 19, 2024 @ 9:28 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has recently shared New Zealand’s progress in its efforts focused on “strengthening measures to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing.” FATF noted in a blog post that since the 2021 assessment of New Zealand’s measures to tackle money laundering… Read More

July 19, 2024 @ 2:02 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed an interpretive rule explaining that many paycheck advance products, sometimes marketed as “earned wage” products, are consumer loans subject to the Truth in Lending Act. The guidance will ensure that lenders “understand their legal obligations to disclose the… Read More

July 19, 2024 @ 1:49 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission, Division of Enforcement, has issued a statement on the new Interagency Securities Council (ISC). This new entity aims to coordinate discussions on fraud and scams and share strategies to counter nefarious activities. The ISC is expected to meet quarterly. The… Read More

July 19, 2024 @ 12:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Jared DeMatteis, Chief Legal & Strategy Officer, DailyPay has issued a statemenet regarding the CFPB Proposed Interpretive Rule. Jared DeMatteis, Chief Legal & Strategy Officer, DailyPay said: “We strongly disagree with the CFPB’s proposed interpretive rule. Characterizing employer-integrated Earned Wage Access products as loans or… Read More

July 19, 2024 @ 12:10 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Bank of England has announced the appointment of members of the Enforcement Decision Making Committee. Following an external recruitment process and consultation, the Bank of England (Bank) has appointed three new members “to its Enforcement Decision Making Committee (EDMC) taking the total to nine.”… Read More

July 19, 2024 @ 7:06 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Dave Inc. (Nasdaq: DAVE), one of the nation’s neobanks, has recently issued a statement regarding a proposal from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Dave’s management has stated: “We are closely monitoring the recently proposed interpretive ruling from the CFPB around paycheck advance and earned… Read More

July 18, 2024 @ 4:28 pm By JD Alois  |  

The House Financial Services Committee has revealed a report on Artificial Intelligence (AI). The staff report comes from the Committee’s bipartisan Working Group on AI. The report is being released in advance of a Committee hearing next week entitled “AI Innovation Explored: Insights into AI… Read More

July 18, 2024 @ 11:43 am By JD Alois  |  

Senator JD Vance is an investor in crypto, specifically Bitcoin. This week, Vance was announced as former President Donald Trump’s running mate, so he could potentially become the Vice President of the US if Trump wins the election. According to a report in Barrons, Vance… Read More

July 17, 2024 @ 4:09 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Law firm Mishcon de Reya LLP recently shared key insights impacting the Fintech and broader financial services sector. Based in London, Mishcon de Reya services an international community of clients and “provides advice in situations where the constraints of geography often do not apply.” The… Read More

July 17, 2024 @ 1:12 pm By JD Alois  |  

A consultation on the regulation of stablecoins in Hong Kong was announced in December of 2023. Stablecoins typically refer to digital assets referencing fiat currency and may be viewed as updated payment rails. Today, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has revealed the results of… Read More

July 17, 2024 @ 12:38 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Bankrupt virtual currency exchange FTX and the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have reportedly agreed to a $12.7 billion settlement. The said agreement between FTX and the CFTC is currently awaiting approval from a Delaware Judge. The parties have been actively engaging in discussions… Read More

July 17, 2024 @ 7:55 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The three European Supervisory Authorities (EBA, EIOPA, and ESMA – the ESAs) published a consultation paper on Guidelines under Markets in Crypto-assets Regulation (MiCAR), establishing templates “for explanations and legal opinions regarding the classification of crypto-assets along with a standardized test to foster a common… Read More

July 16, 2024 @ 11:08 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

ADGM’s commitment to transparency, accountability and market integrity has been “strongly reflected” through its coordinated efforts to sustain these pillars. ADGM, the international financial centre of the UAE’s capital, has announced the publication of its whistleblowing framework, “a coordinated initiative between ADGM Authorities to sustain… Read More

July 16, 2024 @ 8:30 pm By JD Alois  |  

  On June 30, 2024, the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regime went into effect in the EU. MiCA regulates non-security digital assets, including stablecoins. The EU legislation aims to create an environment where digital asset innovation may take place while providing a compliant ecosystem to… Read More

July 16, 2024 @ 3:40 pm By JD Alois  |  

The House Financial Services Committee has scheduled a hearing entitled “AI Innovation Explored: Insights into AI Applications in Financial Services and Housing.” The hearing, which is for the full committee, will take place on Tuesday, July 23rd. The Hearing may reflect the recent position paper… Read More

July 16, 2024 @ 11:51 am By JD Alois  |  

Douglas Grant, Managing Director at Conister Bank, says the new Labour government must incentivize investors to support UK SMEs. The UK already has several programs in place to provide significant tax incentives to support early-stage and private firms. These include the popular EIS/SEIS program and… Read More

July 15, 2024 @ 10:38 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), along with the Payments Systems Regulator (PSR), are seeking feedback on the rise and use of digital wallets. Today, digital wallets are ubiquitous. From smartphone-based applications to hybrid crypto wallets, the use of physical cash is on the decline. Regulators… Read More

July 15, 2024 @ 10:23 am By JD Alois  |  

The SEC Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee (SBCFAC) has posted its recommendation to the Commission, taking the stance that issuers using Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) should receive some relief under the current requirement to provide reviewed financials starting at an offering of $124,000. The… Read More

July 15, 2024 @ 7:51 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The recent election of Labour in the UK is likely to result in “major changes” to fintech and payments markets, according to an analysis shared by Juniper Research. Juniper Research notes in a blog post that as industry watchers, they wanted to “examine the new… Read More

July 14, 2024 @ 8:04 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Paxos, the regulated blockchain & tokenization infrastructure platform, announced that it received a formal termination notice from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on July 9, 2024, stating that it will “not recommend enforcement action against Paxos Trust Company in the investigation of Binance… Read More