“Shall we play a game?” Those innocuous words “spoken” by Matthew Broderick’s computer in John Badham’s sci-fi techno-thriller War Games stunned audiences at the time. A computer that could “talk” and “think” and engage in...more
4/12/2023
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Bots ,
Brand ,
Confidential Information ,
Copyright ,
Copyright Infringement ,
Ethical Duties ,
Machine Learning ,
Privacy Concerns ,
Risk Mitigation ,
Technology
“Z” Doors Are Open: Rival Zero Knowledge EVMs Launch -
Earlier this week, a technology innovation lab reportedly released a public Alpha version of its “zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine” (zkEVM), which has been...more
4/3/2023
/ Banks ,
CFTC ,
Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Depository Institutions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Ethereum ,
Federal Reserve ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Staking Market Launches, ‘Defi Cover’ Data Published, DAO Buys Golf Course
According to a recent press release, MetaMask Institutional, “the web3 wallet for organizations,” has launched its “institutional staking...more
3/27/2023
/ Biden Administration ,
Blockchain ,
Celebrities ,
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Fraud ,
Hackers ,
IRS ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Russia ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Wells Notice
Reserve Bank of Australia and BIS Commence Efforts to Advance CBDCs -
In a recent announcement, the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre (DFCRC) released details on an ongoing...more
3/13/2023
/ Bitcoin ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FinTech ,
PCAOB ,
Risk Assessment ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
DeFi, Stablecoin Products Launch; Bitcoin Network Spikes Due to NFTs -
According to reports, a new decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol recently launched that allows users to deposit the stablecoins USDC or DAI in a...more
2/13/2023
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
FASB ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Money Laundering ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
North Korea ,
Ransomware ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Tokens ,
Stablecoins
On February 1, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed a putative class action brought by customers of Coinbase Global Inc. and its subsidiary Coinbase Inc. (together, Coinbase), alleging the...more
White House Addresses Crypto Risks; Blockchain Firm Wins Air Force Contract -
The White House issued a statement last week briefly outlining the Biden administration’s road map to mitigate the risks of cryptocurrencies,...more
2/6/2023
/ Biden Administration ,
Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Ethereum ,
Executive Orders ,
Fraud ,
Hong Kong ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
SDN List ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins ,
UK
Reports Address Crypto Ownership, Stablecoins and Dapp Adoption -
Recent reports provide new data on various areas of the digital asset market. In one report, a survey published by a cryptocurrency trading platform found...more
1/30/2023
/ Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
FBI ,
Hackers ,
New Guidance ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
NYDFS ,
Request For Information ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins
Crypto Apps Launch New Features, Custody Firm Achieves CCSS Certificate -
According to recent reports, Uniswap V3 was the most used Ethereum contract in 2022, seeing over 15.5 million transactions throughout 2022 and using...more
1/9/2023
/ Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Fraud ,
Fundraisers ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Risk Alert ,
Risk Assessment ,
Scams ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Unregistered Securities
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Division of Corporation Finance (CorpFin) recently issued guidance (Guidance), including a “Dear Issuer” Sample Letter (Sample Letter) to assist companies in meeting their...more
New Research and Surveys Address CBDCs, Institutional Crypto Investment -
Staff from the board of governors of the U.S. central bank recently published a research paper addressing central bank digital currencies (CBDCs)....more
12/5/2022
/ Banking Sector ,
Bitcoin Mining ,
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Data Collection ,
Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Wallets ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Fraud ,
Initial Coin Offering (ICOs) ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Money Laundering ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
USPTO
Crypto Developments Emerge in Payments, Trading, Staking and Accounting
This week, a global financial services and payment technology firm announced that it has partnered with a major U.S. cryptocurrency custody and...more
Crypto Products Launch, Reports Detail CBDC Pilots and Bank Crypto Exposure -
Last week, Circle Internet Financial, the issuer of USD Coin (USDC), announced plans “to make USDC available on five additional blockchain...more
10/10/2022
/ Blockchain ,
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
Corporate Bonds ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FinTech ,
Fraud ,
FSOC ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins ,
U.S. Treasury
Non-Fungible Marketing: Brands Continue to Launch NFTs -
A South Korean technology company has reportedly launched a weeklong promotion in the metaverse. According to reports, the virtual events occurred across multiple...more
9/26/2022
/ AML/CFT ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Fraud ,
Hackers ,
Information Reports ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
SDN List ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
U.S. Treasury
Fashion Brands Score with NFTs, but Market Trends Show Threats Abound -
According to a recent report, iconic fashion brands from ready-to-wear sportswear to haute couture have been reaping the financial rewards of their...more
8/29/2022
/ AML/CFT ,
Cease and Desist ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
European Central Bank ,
False Statements ,
Fashion Industry ,
FDIC ,
Fraud ,
New Guidance ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular
NFTs Expand on Social Media, Celebrity NFT Endorsements Scrutinized -
According to reports, one of the world’s largest social media platforms recently expanded its NFT (non-fungible token) initiative, allowing users in...more
8/22/2022
/ Banking Sector ,
Celebrity Endorsements ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Endorsements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fraud ,
Initial Coin Offering (ICOs) ,
Insider Trading ,
Money Laundering ,
New Guidance ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Tax Evasion
From Eminem to Snoop Dog, Tony Hawk to Lionel Messi, William Shatner to Brie Larson, music, sports, and Hollywood celebrities have eagerly jumped on the NFT (non-fungible token) bandwagon. Whether launching their own...more
8/17/2022
/ Advertising ,
Celebrities ,
Celebrity Endorsements ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Endorsements ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Failure To Disclose ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Influencers ,
Initial Coin Offering (ICOs) ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Warning Letters
NY DFS Approves Crypto Platform, Prepaid Crypto Card to Launch in Argentina -
According to a press release this week, the New York State Department of Financial Services (NY DFS) has authorized two subsidiaries of Zero...more
8/15/2022
/ Consent Order ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
MasterCard ,
Money Laundering ,
NYDFS ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Prepaid Payment Products ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Virtual Currency
New NFT Initiatives Announced in Jewelry, Automobile and Liquor Industries -
A U.S. luxury jeweler has reportedly partnered with the popular NFT (non-fungible tokens) collection CryptoPunk to transform the digital...more
8/8/2022
/ Banking Sector ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Deposit Insurance ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Regulatory Agencies ,
Fraud ,
Hackers ,
New Guidance ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Regulatory Violations ,
Virtual Currency
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) often involve two areas with known money laundering and terrorist financing risks: cryptocurrencies and high-value assets, like art. As detailed below, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial...more
Bitcoin Network Mining Difficulty Continues Downward Trend Amid Heat Wave -
A recent analysis of Bitcoin mining activity has shown that Bitcoin Network mining difficulty dropped by 5 percent recently, continuing a...more
Foreign Regulators Approve Crypto Platforms; Ethereum Approaching PoS -
According to recent reports, several major cryptocurrency platforms have obtained regulatory approval from Italy’s Organismo Agenti e Mediatori (OAM)...more
7/25/2022
/ CFTC ,
Coinbase ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Darknet ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Platforms ,
Ethereum ,
Fraud ,
Ransomware ,
RED List ,
Trading Platforms
Financial Firm Launches Crypto Group, MakerDAO Votes to Integrate with Bank -
A major multinational financial institution recently “announced the formation of its Digital Assets and Financial Markets group.” According to...more
7/11/2022
/ Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) ,
Brand ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cyber Crimes ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Action Task Force ,
Financial Institutions ,
Fraud ,
Hackers ,
Infringement ,
IP Litigation ,
New Guidance ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
In 2021, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) generated overall sales of close to $25 billion and became one of the year’s most defining cultural phenomena. This trend has continued with NFT sales topping $2 billion in the first...more
6/23/2022
/ Advertising ,
Advertising to Minors ,
Brand ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Copyright ,
Digital Media ,
E-Commerce ,
Influencers ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Social Networks ,
Targeted Digital Advertising ,
Trademarks
Fintech and Crypto Firms Announce Myriad New Crypto Product Launches -
This week, a major global payments firm announced the launch of a stablecoin settlement solution that leverages technology by Fireblocks, a digital...more
6/10/2022
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
CFTC ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Currency ,
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ,
Embezzlement ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
FinTech ,
Fraud ,
Hackers ,
NYDFS ,
Popular ,
Scams ,
Stablecoins ,
Virtual Currency