Biden Administration Publishes Roadmap to Combat Crypto Fraud and Protect Investors

The Biden Administration announced on January 27th that it will launch a new legal framework for cryptocurrencies in the coming months to combat the multiple cryptocurrency scams that impacted the crypto market last year, causing multi-million dollar losses.

According to a statement published by the White House, “2022 was a tough year for cryptocurrencies.” Hence, this new regulatory framework aims to ensure that cryptocurrencies cannot undermine the financial stability of the United States.

The Government Wants to Prevent Crypto-related Risks

Among the measures that the U.S. Congress may take to “redouble its security efforts” through the new cryptocurrency regulatory framework are: expanding the powers of regulators to prevent the misuse of assets; strengthening transparency and disclosure requirements for crypto companies; and toughening penalties for violating rules on illicit financing, among others.

Additionally, it seeks to protect investors through new “liability requirements” for those who commit criminal acts. Although these measures are not currently 100% contemplated in the new regulatory framework, they demonstrate that regulators will not tolerate malicious actors going unpunished.

The release has a pretty strong tone against crypto, but among the measures that could be approved, the financing of additional training for law enforcement —including international partnerships— stands out.

Biden Wants to Eliminate The Possibility of a New FTX

The White House emphasized that President Biden is working to avoid new scams similar to the FTX scandal, perpetrated by the former CEO of the company, Sam Bankman-Fried, through which thousands of Americans lost billions of dollars, according to court filings.

The Administration is committed to protecting American investors and consumers from fraud and financial crime. It is also actively working with international partners to combat the illicit use of cryptocurrency. Shortly after the White House’s announcement, the FED published a press release with new rules regarding cryptocurrencies for banks (with or without FDIC protection).

In order to achieve this goal, the Administration will also be taking steps to strengthen the regulatory structure around digital assets and cryptocurrencies, including strengthening the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements, as well as the implementation of other measures to protect consumers and investors. The White House also highlighted that it will work with Congress to provide additional regulatory oversight and enforcement tools to better protect American consumers and investors.

The goal is to create a safe and transparent environment for the growth and development of the digital asset and cryptocurrency industry. The Biden Administration’s announcement is a clear sign that the U.S. government is committed to protecting American investors and consumers from fraud and financial crime and is also actively working with international partners to combat the illicit use of cryptocurrency. But it is doing it his way, even though republicans think very differently.