Direct ownership of crypto-assets or mere exposure to the value of crypto-assets is an investment decision, with both investment methods requiring specific approaches to mitigate and manage risks effectively....more
8/21/2025
/ Cryptoassets ,
EU ,
Exchange-Traded Products ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Markets ,
Investment ,
Investment Funds ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
UK
A hotly anticipated August 7, 2025, executive order, "Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors" ("EO"), aims to reduce regulatory barriers and significantly expand access to "alternative...more
8/13/2025
/ 401k ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Defined Contribution Plans ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Digital Assets ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Executive Orders ,
Investment ,
Private Equity ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Trump Administration
On August 5, 2025, the Division of Corporation Finance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") issued a statement ("Statement") providing interpretive clarity on the application of federal securities laws to...more
8/11/2025
/ Blockchain ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
New Guidance ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Transactions
The White House has issued an AI Action Plan that aims to position the United States as the leader in artificial intelligence ("AI"), as part of a broader pattern of boosting innovation and reducing regulatory burden, with...more
8/4/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Banks ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
FDIC ,
Federal Funding ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Innovative Technology ,
Machine Learning ,
OCC ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Trump Administration
Banking agencies and the DOJ have signaled an openness to bank M&A where the combined institutions will enhance competition, customer benefits, technological innovation, and enterprise risk management....more
7/31/2025
/ Acquisition Agreements ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Banks ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Merger Agreements ,
Merger Controls ,
Trump Administration
Following the recent focus on two major regulatory frameworks—the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act (known as the GENIUS Act) in the United States, and Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 of the...more
7/28/2025
/ Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
EU ,
Financial Markets ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
New Legislation ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Stablecoins ,
The GENIUS Act
The GENIUS Act's passage marks the first major crypto legislation approved by both chambers of Congress, signaling a significant step toward regulatory clarity for stablecoins, while the CLARITY Act's advancement by the House...more
7/22/2025
/ Bipartisan Agreement ,
CFTC ,
Commodities ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
Financial Markets ,
Investment ,
New Legislation ,
Pending Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins ,
The GENIUS Act ,
U.S. House
The vote marks the first time the U.S. Senate has passed significant digital asset legislation and puts the industry one step closer to regulatory clarity for certain stablecoins....more
6/23/2025
/ Banks ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
FinTech ,
Popular ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Stablecoins ,
U.S. Treasury
U.S. House lawmakers introduced the bipartisan CLARITY Act of 2025 proposing a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets that would delineate agencies' oversight roles, establish a provisional registration regime...more
6/4/2025
/ Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
FinTech ,
Investment ,
Popular ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform
A May 29, 2025, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Division of Corporation Finance statement explains that "Covered Crypto Assets"—crypto tokens without any inherent rights to passive income, business enterprise...more
6/3/2025
/ Blockchain ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Investment ,
New Guidance ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Securities Regulation
On April 17, 2025, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's ("CFTC") operating divisions ("Divisions") provided guidance in an advisory on the criteria they will use when determining whether to refer self-reported...more
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission's ("CFTC") new enforcement advisory introduces several major changes in policy and a matrix helping those facing potential or actual CFTC investigations quantify the extent to which...more
President Trump signed an executive order ("EO") titled "Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology" that signals a radical shift in the federal government's posture towards digital assets and the...more
Renewable power purchase agreements that do not require the physical delivery of energy between parties ("Financial Power Purchase Agreements" or "FPPAs") have been on the rise across the globe, leading many market...more
On September 10, 2024, the SEC settled charges against Keurig for "incomplete and inaccurate" ESG disclosures about the recyclability of Keurig's K-Cup pods, signaling a continued focus on environmental-related disclosures...more
Federal courts will no longer give controlling weight to agency interpretations of ambiguous laws....more
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network ("FinCEN") has issued a final rule ("Final Rule") extending the initial reporting deadline for new entities required to file beneficial ownership information ("BOI") with FinCEN to 90...more
The Situation: On January 29, 2024, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") requested comment on a proposed rule updating its bank merger rules and incorporating a policy statement (the "Proposal") on agency...more
2/15/2024
/ Bank Merger Act ,
Banks ,
BSA/AML ,
Community Reinvestment Act ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Global Systemically Important Banks (G-SIBs) ,
Merger Agreements ,
Merger Reviews ,
OCC ,
Policy Statement ,
Proposed Rules
The Situation: In October 2023, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC"), Federal Reserve System, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC," and the three agencies collectively, "Agencies") finalized...more
1/11/2024
/ Banks ,
Climate Change ,
FDIC ,
Federal Reserve ,
Final Guidance ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Joint Statements ,
OCC ,
Risk Management ,
Supervisory Guidance
In Short -
The Situation: In a December 13, 2023, Open Meeting, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission proposed amendments to the Commission's regulations concerning clearing member funds held by a derivatives clearing...more
In Short -
The Background: As voluntary carbon credits ("VCCs") have grown in popularity, questions about their integrity and quality have arisen for investors and among regulators and lawmakers. For this reason, many have...more
12/14/2023
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Carbon Pricing ,
CFTC ,
Derivatives ,
Designated Contract Markets (DCMs) ,
Energy Market ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Markets ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Investment ,
Proposed Guidance ,
Risk Management ,
SEFs
On November 7, 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB") issued a proposed rule that would grant it supervisory authority over major nonbank technology companies in the consumer digital payments space....more
11/16/2023
/ Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Credit Cards ,
Credit Reports ,
Digital Wallets ,
Electronic Payment Transactions ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Nonbank Firms ,
Peer-to-Peer ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Agencies ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Authority
In Short -
The Situation: The civil action of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") against Archegos Capital Management LP and its CFO is but one of many civil and criminal matters arising out of Archegos's...more
9/28/2023
/ CFTC ,
Consumer Protection Act ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Enforcement Actions ,
ETFs ,
Exchange-Traded Products ,
Financial Markets ,
Fraud ,
Jurisdiction ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Security-Based Swaps
Ruling concludes "unfairness" authority under the Dodd-Frank Act does not cover discrimination.
On September 8, 2023, a federal district court rejected the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's ("CFPB") interpretation...more
The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (“CSRD”) requires the most detailed and onerous ESG reporting and disclosures anywhere in the world. All told, it is estimated that more than 50,000 companies, including...more
9/21/2023
/ Air Pollution ,
Biodiversity ,
Climate Change ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Parent Corporation ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Proposed Rules ,
Sustainability ,
Water