In a move aimed at preserving the autonomy of cryptocurrency users and safeguarding their ability to self-custody digital assets, U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) has introduced the Keep Your Coins Act. This legislative proposal, which came after last year’s FTX exchange collapse, seeks to protect individuals’ rights to conduct cryptocurrency transactions without relying on third-party...Read More
An alliance of forty nations has united under the leadership of the United States to combat the growing threat of cybercrime. In a bold move, a high-ranking White House official introduced the International Counter Ransomware Initiative, which seeks to dismantle the financial lifelines that enable hackers to carry out their criminal activities. Forty Nations Unite...Read More
As different jurisdictions gear up for regulations on the digital asset sector, DeFi remains a tricky subject. The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) had recently weighed in on the matter and recommended that governments should identify the “Responsible Person” behind ostensibly decentralized finance applications and subject them to regulatory oversight similar to conventional financial...Read More
In response to the widespread interest and concern generated by its proposed crypto reporting regulations, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has decided to extend the comment period by an additional two weeks. This move grants stakeholders more time to express their opinions, with the new deadline of November 13, 2023. Previously, stakeholders were required to...Read More
In a surprising development, Senator Cynthia Lummis and Representative French Hill, popular pro-crypto lawmakers, have urged the U.S. Department of Justice to expedite the investigation against Binance and Tether for illicit financial activities. Binance, the largest crypto exchange, and Tether, the biggest stablecoin issuer, have been implicated in a scheme for facilitating terrorist financing. Accusations...Read More
North America emerged as the dominant cryptocurrency market, boasting an estimated on-chain value of $1.2 trillion between July 2022 and June 2023. According to Chainalysis’ latest report, the figure accounts for 24.4% of the global transaction activity observed during this period. Crypto, DeFi Dips in North America Data also suggest that while North America has...Read More
The proactive approach to framing crypto-specific guidelines comes as a respite after years of conversations about an outright ban on the sector that was initially mooted by the Reserve Bank of India. The Indian government may have shelved its plans to impose a blanket ban on crypto, but there’s still a long way to go,...Read More
Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBGs) from G20 nations, under the Indian Presidency, have announced unanimously adopting the ‘G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Communique’ during its meeting in Marrakesh, Morocco. This comes a month after the G20 member nations accepted the crypto regulatory roadmap outlined in a collaborative report titled “IMF-FSB Synthesis...Read More
The move follows the imbroglio at the JPEX crypto exchange last month, which resulted in multiple arrests and the platform shuttering services. The unlicensed exchange is alleged to have defrauded investors out of $204 million. The task force is comprised of the city’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and law enforcement officials, including representatives from...Read More
During his congressional testimony on Wednesday, Gary Gensler, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman, persisted in his criticism of the cryptocurrency industry. Despite partisan divisions and ongoing legal battles, Gensler did not disclose the SEC’s next moves regarding spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) following a recent legal setback. Gensler Accuses Crypto Companies Chair...Read More
In the wake of the unfolding JPEX exchange saga, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) released a blacklist of cryptocurrency firms termed as unregulated and unlicensed. Hong Kong’s SFC pledges to intensify investor education and information dissemination initiatives, responding to growing public apprehensions concerning unregulated Virtual Asset Trading Platforms (VATPs). SFC Blacklists Crypto...Read More
Amid increased regulatory scrutiny in the United States, Europe has become an attractive destination for crypto firms. Galaxy Digital, the crypto venture led by US billionaire Mike Novogratz, is now venturing into the European market for greener pastures. As part of this expansion, the company has appointed Leon Marshall, formerly an executive at the crypto...Read More
The Singapore Police Force has seized more assets in relation to an ongoing money laundering probe, bringing the total value of confiscated funds to more than S$2.4 billion. The reported figure notably doubled from the first operation in August. Seized Assets Worth Over S$2.4 Billion In a statement published on Sept. 20, the Singapore Police...Read More
US-based cryptocurrency exchange giant Coinbase continues to push forward with its efforts to seek regulatory clarity for the crypto industry, claiming that the current enforcement approach by regulators stifles innovation and puts global leadership at risk. The company has launched a new campaign to mobilize over 50 million crypto holders in the United States to...Read More
Marina Parthuisot, Binance’s French legal director, stated that due to the upcoming MiCA bill that has not yet approved any stablecoins, Binance is planning to delist all such assets in Europe on June 30, 2024. However, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the CEO of Binance, has responded to this statement on X, saying that it may have...Read More
Ukraine’s Economic Security Bureau (ESB) is investigating local cryptocurrency exchanges. This action comes in response to the bureau’s discovery that unregulated exchanges operating in the country have led to a loss of 3 billion Ukrainian hryvnia (over $80 million) in uncollected taxes. Earlier, Ukrainian regulators voted to tax crypto gains 18% as of 2024. Meanwhile,...Read More
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has issued a stern warning against the use of the crypto exchange known as JPEX. The commission has accused the platform of exhibiting “suspicious features” and promoting misleading information about its licensing status. The SFC has also denied that JPEX is regulated. SFC Issues Warning Against JPEX...Read More
Coinbase, one of the world leaders in crypto services, is currently battling accusations of improper conduct in U.S. courts. The platform’s legal representatives have denied any wrongdoing, even going so far as to request the dismissal of the case. In spite of the accusations, Coinbase – and the platform’s CEO, Brian Armstrong – are generally...Read More
Things have settled down a little since the SEC’s court losses against Ripple and Grayscale. However, the head of the federal regulator remains committed to crushing the industry by enforcement actions rather than regulation. In written testimony to the Senate Banking Committee on Sept. 12, Gensler said: “There is nothing about the crypto asset securities...Read More
The United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it will extend the deadline for crypto firms to implement the strict marketing rules created to protect consumers. According to an official release, the core rules will still come into effect from October 8, 2023, while measures that require greater technical development, like the 24-hour cooling-off period,...Read More
Linus Financial, a Nashville-based crypto platform, has settled its dispute with the SEC out of court. Previously, the project offered pooled crypto investment opportunities to its users in exchange for fiat. However, the firm voluntarily winded down its operations when a similar firm got into hot water with the securities regulator over a nearly identical...Read More
The U.S. Financial Accounting Services Board (FASB) has passed a unanimous vote to drastically change the way crypto asset values are recorded on publicly traded companies’ balance sheets. Experts predict the change will make crypto more attractive to hold by exposing big investors to the upside potential of their assets. How FASB’s Change Impacts Crypto...Read More
Under India’s Group of 20 (G20) presidency, the country is finally gearing up to provide the much-anticipated clarity around crypto regulation. As India prepares to preside over the upcoming G20 summit for the first time, the regulation of cryptocurrencies is poised to be a significant focal point. Ahead of the gathering of the world’s most...Read More
The Korea Federation of Banks (KFB) reportedly intends to require domestic cryptocurrency exchanges to hold at least 3 billion won (around $2.26 million) as a reserve. The local authorities have been quite strict with such entities lately, urging them to set up proper guidelines in terms of listing and delisting of digital assets to ensure...Read More
The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has sentenced Melbourne-based cryptocurrency lending firm Helio for falsely claiming it held an Australian credit license (ACL) in August 2019. According to an official release from the ASIC, Helio was sentenced to a non-conviction bond and entered into a recognizance of A$15,000 ($9,600) for 12 months on the...Read More
Singapore authorities have arrested 10 foreign nationals suspected to be involved in money laundering and forgery, among other illicit activities, and have seized or frozen cash, assets, and crypto worth over S$1 billion. While eight other suspects are on the run, the case could be considered one of Singapore’s largest money laundering crackdowns. Singapore Seizes...Read More
Dante Disparte, the chief strategy officer and head of global policy of the second-largest stablecoin issuer Circle, has blasted crypto firms that create counterfeits of the U.S. dollar. According to a Bloomberg report, Disparte called for relevant federal legislation around stablecoins to protect consumers and prevent investors from companies with fake USD. Circle CSO Criticizes...Read More
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is leaving securities enforcement up to the CFTC when it comes to cryptocurrency. While the commission rushes ahead of Congress to write the entire federal crypto policy by lawsuit, the CFTC is going for more clear-cut violations. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission took the lead late last week and...Read More
Following last year’s stablecoin implosion, international leaders have emphasized the importance of setting up global regulations and norms for this sector. Despite such calls, only a few have taken concrete steps to enact these measures. In contrast, Singapore’s central bank has taken a proactive approach by introducing a structured framework, outlining various prerequisites, aiming to...Read More
The leading financial technology company – Revolut – reportedly plans to increase its global cryptocurrency team by hiring up to 20% more employees by the end of 2023. The move comes somewhat unexpectedly since the firm recently disclosed that it will suspend digital asset services to US-based customers from September. As revealed by Financial News, Revolut...Read More
