Regulation

A group of high-level U.S. government attorneys has oulined their priorities for the enforcement and prosecution of individuals and companies that have committed crypto-related crimes. Enforcement officials from the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) spoke about the direction their agencies will take at a …

US gov attorneys to target individuals and gatekeepers for crypto prosecutions Read More »

Acting chairperson of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or CFTC, Rostin Behnam has likened the government agency’s enforcement of the digital asset space to a beat cop on duty. At an Oct. 27 hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry to assume his position on a permanent basis, Behnam said to …

Biden’s pick for CFTC chair wants the agency to be a ‘beat cop’ with the authority to oversee 60% of digital asset market Read More »

Jelena McWilliams, the chairperson of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, has said the agency is working with other regulators in the United States to explore “under what circumstances banks can engage in activities involving crypto assets.” In a speech at the Money20/20 fintech conference on Oct. 25, McWilliams said the FDIC, in coordination …

US regulators are exploring policy for banks to handle crypto, says FDIC chair Read More »

The central bank of Spain is introducing new registration guidelines for local virtual currency service providers, or VASPs, including banking institutions. The Bank of Spain has issued instructions on VASP registration for Anti-Money Laundering, or AML, purposes, requiring institutions to submit their registration requests through an electronic registry, Cointelegraph en Español reported Oct. 25. Issuing …

Bank of Spain issues registration guidelines for crypto services Read More »

U.S. regulatory bodies have reportedly agreed that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will lead the United States’ efforts to regulate the stablecoin sector. According to an Oct. 26 Bloomberg report citing anonymous sources “familiar with the matter,” the SEC has reached an agreement with other U.S. agencies to take the reins on proposing legislation …

SEC expected to head U.S. stablecoin regulation and enforcement Read More »

The biggest regulatory story of the week, if not the year, has been the United States Security and Exchange Commission’s lack of opposition to the launch of the first-ever Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds, which took eight long years to materialize. While the first ETFs are tracking CME-traded Bitcoin futures rather than the asset’s spot price, the …

Law Decoded: Post-ETF policy landscape and Novi fears, Oct. 18–25 Read More »

New York-based decentralized prediction market Polymarket has come under investigations from the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). According to an Oct. 23 report from Bloomberg citing anonymous sources, the CFTC is investigating whether Polymarket is allowing its customers to trade binary options and swaps that should be registered with the financial regulator. The …

CFTC reportedly investigating decentralized prediction platform Polymarket Read More »

We ask the buidlers in the blockchain and cryptocurrency sector for their thoughts on the industry… and we throw in a few random zingers to keep them on their toes! This week, our 6 Questions go to Jennifer Wines, vice president of Fidelity Private Wealth Management. Jen grew up between Mexico, Canada and the United …

6 Questions for Jennifer Wines of Fidelity Private Wealth Management Read More »

On the opening day of Messari Mainnet 2021, New York City’s long-awaited first crypto conference since the start of COVID-19, reports came blazing in via a viral tweet that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission had served a subpoena to an event panelist at the top of an escalator in broad daylight. While it’s …

Fear of the unknown: A tale of the SEC’s crusade against synthetics Read More »

The proposal was filed with the Texas Secretary of State, which sought to address and clarify the reporting requirements of political contributions made with cryptocurrencies. According to the filing: “The new rule permits candidates, officeholders, and political committees to accept cryptocurrency. It does not distinguish between any types of cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin.” If approved, cryptocurrency …

Texas Ethics Commission seeks pro-crypto rule for political contributions Read More »

But others, like Arca CEO Rayne Steinberg, had “mixed feelings” about the events. While pleased that a much-awaited crypto investment vehicle finally received regulatory approval — ending eight years of futility on the part of U.S. fund issuers — he had some misgivings about the product that finally met the approval of the SEC, specifically …

Crypto breaks Wall Street’s ETF barrier: A watershed moment or stopgap? Read More »

It’s been said that “Blockchain technology is not as decentralized as we think” and that critical decisions are made, not democratically, but by a small group of “agents of influence” often including founders, software developers, miners and other parties with a monetary interest in the matter.  This notion is open to debate, of course, but …

Crypto as a “public good” in the 22nd century Read More »

Wally Adeyemo, the Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury, said the department would likely be enforcing more sanctions on companies involved in illicit transactions related to ransomware payments. Speaking at an online event hosted by the Center for a New American Security with former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Ambassador Paula …

Treasury official acknowledges most crypto transactions are ‘legitimate’ but still anticipates additional sanctions Read More »

The odds of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approving a Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund (ETF) before a physical Bitcoin ETF are higher than ever, courtesy of Chairman Gary Gensler’s now oft-repeated preference for the former. But here’s the issue: an ETF built around crypto futures isn’t the most efficient, economical or easiest …

Bitcoin futures ETFs: Good, but not quite there Read More »

After dipping below $30,000 in June, Bitcoin (BTC) went on a nearly four-month rally, appreciating by more than 100%. On Oct. 15, it was able to recapture the $60,000 level after closing the day with a 7.56% spike. The ensuing rally was attributed to the excitement around the SEC giving the green light on the …

Cointelegraph Consulting: ETFs listed — What’s next for Bitcoin? Read More »

Platon, the British photographer famous for his close-up portraits of world leaders, is using NFT photos of the human iris to show how humans can be reduced to a unique but unrecognizable image. He even did one self-portrait of his own iris — but, if placed in an iris lineup, he could not tell his …

Famed Brit photographer Platon’s NFTs have stars in their eyes Read More »

A high-profile blockchain lobby group is urging United States lawmakers to adopt a “technology-neutral” approach when it comes to stablecoin regulation, arguing that dollar-pegged cryptocurrencies do not pose a system risk to the financial system. In a 17-page letter addressed to the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets, which includes regulators from the Department of …

Powerful blockchain lobby group urges Washington not to overregulate stablecoins Read More »

As Russia continues pushing de-dollarization, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA Russia) is reportedly considering replacing the United States dollar with not only traditional fiat currencies but also digital currencies. Aleksandr Pankin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, reiterated the country’s plans to reduce the U.S. dollar share in Russia’s international reserves and its …

Russia aims to replace US dollar reserves with digital assets in long term Read More »

Ghana is working to develop offline capabilities for its forthcoming central bank digital currency (CBDC) in a bid to promote its use across all segments of Ghanan society. According to a Oct. 18 report from Bloomberg, Kwame Oppong, head of fintech and innovation at the Bank of Ghana (BoG), revealed that the country’s digital currency …

Ghana to explore offline transactions for upcoming CBDC Read More »

The first Bitcoin (BTC) futures-linked exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the United States, ProShares’ Bitcoin Strategy ETF, will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Oct. 19 under the ticker BITO. ProShares CEO Michael Sapir said the launch marks an important milestone for cryptocurrency ETFs in the United States following several years of …

ProShares Bitcoin ETF to debut on NYSE on Oct. 19 Read More »