Last week, New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) left no doubt that it will continue to actively regulate cryptocurrency despite the pullback in law enforcement efforts by the federal government, including...more
8/13/2025
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
BitLicense ,
Consent Order ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
New York ,
NYDFS ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Stablecoins
On July 30, 2025, the White House released a 166-page report titled “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology” (the “Report”).[1] Authored by a working group of cabinet members and federal agency...more
8/7/2025
/ AML/CFT ,
Banking Sector ,
Biden Administration ,
Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cybersecurity ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
FinTech ,
IRS ,
Multi-Factor Authentication ,
NIST ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Stablecoins ,
U.S. Treasury
On May 14, 2025, Deputy Enforcement Director Antonia Apps told those gathered at an anti‑money laundering conference in Washington, D.C. to expect a more measured approach from SEC Enforcement. That may include, she...more
6/25/2025
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Fraud ,
International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Penalties ,
Popular ,
Real Estate Development ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Fraud ,
Securities Regulation ,
Settlement
Each month, we publish a roundup of the most important SEC enforcement developments for busy in-house lawyers and compliance professionals. For the month when Paul Atkins was sworn in as SEC Chairman, we examine:
• The SEC’s...more
5/28/2025
/ Corporate Counsel ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fraud ,
Investment ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Funds ,
Receivership ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Fraud ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Violations ,
Stablecoins
Each week of the first 100 days of the new Trump administration, we will publish updates on key federal financial services regulatory and related developments. This week, we review the following developments as of Wednesday:...more
On April 7, 2025, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a memo (the “Blanche Memo”) announcing the Trump administration’s Department of Justice (“DOJ”) refocus of enforcement policies related to investigations and...more
4/11/2025
/ CFTC ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Money Laundering ,
Regulatory Violations ,
Securities Fraud ,
Trump Administration
On March 26, 2025, the House Financial Services Committee Subcommittee on Financial Institutions held a hearing, entitled “A New Era for the CFPB: Balancing Power and Reprioritizing Consumer Protections.”...more
Each week of the first 100 days of the new Trump administration, we will publish updates on key federal financial services regulatory and related developments. This week, we review the following developments as of Wednesday:...more
Each week of the first 100 days of the new Trump administration, we will publish updates on key federal financial services regulatory and related developments.
This week, we review the following developments as of Wednesday:...more
On February 27, 2025, the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporate Finance (the “staff”) released its views on “meme coins,” stating that under certain circumstances, the offer and sale of “meme...more
On January 17, 2025, a few days before the presidential inauguration, the SEC reported a record-breaking first quarter of fiscal year 2025 (October through December 2024) with 200 total enforcement actions, including 118...more
2/27/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Governance ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fraud ,
Investment Adviser ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Violations ,
Whistleblowers
On February 7, 2025, newly confirmed Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Russell Vought replaced Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as acting director of the CFPB....more
2/14/2025
/ CFTC ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Funding ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
OMB ,
Regulatory Agenda
The establishment by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of a Crypto Task Force and the issuance by President Trump of an executive order entitled “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology”...more
1/29/2025
/ Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
CFTC ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Executive Orders ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
FinTech ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Each month, we publish a roundup of the most important SEC enforcement developments for busy in-house lawyers and compliance professionals. This month, we examine:
•Accounting fraud charges for allegedly concealing costs;...more
11/29/2024
/ Accounting Fraud ,
Aerospace ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Bribery ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
ETFs ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Fraud ,
Greenwashing ,
Misleading Statements ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Unregistered Brokers
Given the recent news about President-Elect Trump’s cabinet appointments , it is a safe bet that the SEC Division of Enforcement’s priorities will change under the new administration. Under President Biden, SEC Chair Gary...more
11/15/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Board of Governors ,
Corner Post Inc v Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cybersecurity ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Insider Trading ,
Loper Bright Enterprises v Raimondo ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Share Buybacks ,
Trump Administration
On October 21, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) Division of Examinations (“EXAMS”) announced its 2025 Examination Priorities (the “2025 Priorities”), highlighting areas that it expects to target...more
11/4/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Compliance ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cybersecurity ,
Investment Adviser ,
Popular ,
Private Funds ,
Registered Investment Advisors ,
Registered Investment Companies (RICs) ,
Regulation S-P ,
SEC Examination Priorities ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act
Each month, we publish a roundup of the most important SEC enforcement developments for busy in house lawyers and compliance professionals. This month included the SEC’s fiscal year end and a large number of enforcement...more
10/25/2024
/ Bribery ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Media ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Form 10-K ,
John Deere ,
MNPI ,
Political Corruption ,
Regulation FD ,
Scams ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Social Media
Each month, we publish a roundup of the most important SEC enforcement developments for busy in-house lawyers and compliance professionals. This month, we examine:
•The SEC’s case against crypto firm Kraken is permitted to...more
9/25/2024
/ Collateralized Loan Obligations ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Cybersecurity ,
Digital Assets ,
Instant Messaging Apps ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Contract ,
MNPI ,
Popular ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Registered Investment Advisors ,
Securities Act of 1933 ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Unregistered Securities
Each month, we publish a roundup of the most important SEC enforcement developments for busy in-house lawyers and compliance professionals. This month, we examine:
•Judge Paul Engelmayer’s decision on defendants’ motion to...more
8/22/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Hedge Funds ,
Illegal Trading ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Firms ,
Online Platforms ,
SEC v Jarkesy ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
SolarWinds
Each month, we publish a roundup of the most important SEC enforcement developments for busy in-house lawyers and compliance professionals. This month, we examine:
•The SEC’s first “Shadow Trading” trial;
•SCOTUS’s...more
5/21/2024
/ Books & Records ,
Breach of Duty ,
Climate Change ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Data Privacy ,
Insider Trading ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
Macquarie Infrastructure Corp v Moab Partners LP ,
Marketing ,
Misappropriation ,
Non-Public Information ,
Omissions ,
Regulation S-K ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Rule 10b-5 ,
SCOTUS ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Stays
Each month we publish a roundup of the most important SEC enforcement developments for busy in-house lawyers and compliance professionals. This month, we examine:
•The SEC’s expanded definition of securities dealers; -
•An...more
3/26/2024
/ Arbitrary and Capricious ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
New Amendments ,
Private Funds ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ,
Traders
Each month we publish a roundup of the most important SEC enforcement developments for busy in-house lawyers and compliance professionals. This month, we examine:
•The SEC’s approval of spot bitcoin ETPs; -
•SEC charges...more
2/27/2024
/ Bitcoin ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Initial Public Offering (IPO) ,
PCAOB ,
Ponzi Scheme ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs)
On January 9, a hacker posted from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) official X account. The post announced that the SEC had officially approved exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to hold spot bitcoin. Within 30...more
To provide an overview for busy in-house counsel and compliance professionals, we summarize below some of the most important and interesting SEC enforcement developments from the past month, with links to primary resources....more
1/18/2024
/ Coinbase ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
ICFR ,
Repurchases ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Stock Repurchases ,
Unregistered Securities
Each month, we publish a roundup of the most important SEC enforcement developments for busy in-house lawyers and compliance professionals. This month, we examine:
• The SEC’s announcement of its Fiscal Year 2023 enforcement...more
12/18/2023
/ Charter Communications ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Governance ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cyber Crimes ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Hackers ,
Internal Controls ,
Remedies ,
SCOTUS ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Securities Regulation ,
Share Buybacks ,
Whistleblowers