With the GENIUS Act (stablecoins) now signed into law, and the CLARITY Act (market structure) having passed the House and entering active discussion in the Senate, the U.S. federal government’s embrace of digital asset policy...more
8/8/2025
/ Blockchain ,
Cryptoassets ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
Executive Orders ,
New Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins ,
The GENIUS Act ,
Tokenization
It was a busy two weeks in Congress, as key pieces of digital asset legislation move forward in both the House and Senate. While the stablecoin bill in the Senate looks like it may pass quickly, the overarching market...more
As the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team gears up for Consensus 2025 next week in Toronto — where Stephen Rutenberg, Daniel McAvoy and Jonathan Schmalfeld will be attending — the regulatory momentum in Washington appears to be...more
5/8/2025
/ Blockchain ,
Coinbase ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Reserve ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Reform ,
SCOTUS ,
Securities Regulation ,
Stablecoins
The last two weeks have seen federal agencies continue refining their approach to the digital asset industry, while state regulators are beginning to play a more prominent role—even as the overall pace of development appears...more
4/25/2025
/ Capital Markets ,
Coinbase ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Violations
The first weeks of February have been eventful for digital asset regulation, with major policy shifts, legal battles and legislative initiatives shaping the future of Web3. The SEC’s formation of a dedicated crypto rulemaking...more
The legal landscape surrounding blockchain technology underwent dramatic shifts in 2024, particularly in the United States, offering both remarkable opportunities and substantial compliance challenges. Governments introduced...more
1/10/2025
/ Blockchain ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Litigation ,
Securities Regulation ,
Startups
With Bitcoin hitting record highs and breaking a barrier long seen as aspirational, and with a new administration making key appointments, the year is ending with much excitement and momentum for the digital assets industry....more
12/20/2024
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
ETFs ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Investment ,
Securities ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
After a relatively quiet October for Web3 legal developments, November has kicked off with significant activity, primarily centered around ongoing lawsuits and regulatory enforcement actions. In addition to these legal...more
The SEC has been busy, both in bringing actions against digital industry participants and in defending against affirmative lawsuits brought against the agency regarding the lack of notice and rulemaking for digital assets...more
10/17/2024
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Bitcoin ,
Coinbase ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Markets ,
Investment Opportunities ,
Regulatory Violations ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Stablecoins
The last week of June saw a flurry of legal developments in quick succession. The SEC sued Consensys, the developers of the largest self-custodial digital wallet (MetaMask). The IRS released its digital asset tax rules. The...more
7/12/2024
/ Blockchain ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Wallets ,
FDIC ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FOIA ,
IRS ,
Securities ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
12/14/2023
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
BSA/AML ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Extradition ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Gaming ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Smart Contracts
With the proliferation of non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”), particularly in the art space, an interesting and potentially groundbreaking practice has developed where certain intellectual property (“IP”) pertaining to the NFTs is...more