The continued growth of the market for nonfungible tokens (NFTs) in 2022 has helped shape the zeitgeist of what has been referenced colloquially by some as the “fourth industrial revolution,” defined largely by network effect...more
10/27/2022
/ Blockchain ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cyber Threats ,
Digital Assets ,
Financial Crimes ,
FinTech ,
Hackers ,
Insider Trading ,
Market Manipulation ,
Money Laundering ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Phishing Scams ,
Popular ,
Risk Management ,
Scams ,
Terrorism Funding
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
Exchange Reaches Agreement to Sell Assets; New Crypto Products Launch -
In a press release this week, Voyager Digital, a cryptocurrency exchange that recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, announced that it selected the...more
10/3/2022
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
FinTech ,
Fraud ,
IRS ,
John Doe Investigation ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Scams ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
U.S. Treasury ,
UK
Ethereum Network Completes Transition to Proof of Stake Consensus -
After years of development and delays, Ethereum’s long-awaited “merge” occurred this week, changing the network’s consensus mechanism from proof-of-work...more
9/19/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Blockchain ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Ethereum ,
Executive Orders ,
Impact Assessments ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Ponzi Scheme ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
NFT Initiatives Launch in Ticket Sales, Social Media and College Football -
According to a recent press release, a major ticket sales and distribution company announced that event organizers who sell tickets on its platform...more
9/12/2022
/ Banking Regulators ,
Blockchain ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fraud ,
Hackers ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
OCC ,
Popular ,
Sports
On Oct. 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the creation of a National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team to tackle investigations and prosecutions of criminal misuses of cryptocurrency. As the non-fungible...more
8/31/2022
/ Bribery ,
Counterfeiting ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Authority ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Fraud ,
Insider Trading ,
Market Manipulation ,
Money Laundering ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Spoofing
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
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
Overview of Common NFT Contractual Relationships -
Participants in the fast-moving - but legally uncertain - non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace can maximize their business opportunities and mitigate risk by delineating...more
7/7/2022
/ Commercial Contracts ,
Contract Drafting ,
Contract Terms ,
DMCA ,
License Agreements ,
Market Participants ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Service Agreements ,
Service Contracts ,
Smart Contracts ,
Vendors ,
Written Agreements
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
A major U.S. fintech firm recently announced the launch of a “crypto payouts” pilot that will allow a select group of creators to receive cryptocurrency payments through a major social media platform. According to a press...more
5/2/2022
/ 401k ,
Anti-Money Laundering ,
Bitcoin ,
Bitcoin Mining ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Wallets ,
El Salvador ,
Enforcement ,
Evasion ,
FinTech ,
Indictments ,
New Regulations ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Online Platforms ,
Popular ,
Stablecoins
Crypto Payment Initiatives Announced in Stablecoins, Lightning Network, Mining -
Late last week, the issuer of USD Coin (USDC) announced that it had selected a major U.S. bank as a primary custodian for USDC reserves....more
4/11/2022
/ Bitcoin ,
Bitcoin Mining ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
HM Treasury ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Popular ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Russia ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins ,
UK ,
Ukraine ,
United Nations
Last week a fintech company reportedly teamed with a local digital asset exchange in the Philippines to develop a blockchain-based solution for cross-border remittances. According to reports, the partnership aims to increase...more
Traditional Financial Firms Expand Reach into Cryptocurrency Sphere -
Early this week, a major investment bank announced that it plans to launch a digital asset custody platform later this year. This announcement follows...more
3/7/2022
/ Charitable Donations ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Donations ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
FATF ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Ponzi Scheme ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Ukraine
U.S. Bank Seeks to Launch Stablecoin; New Crypto Payments Data Released -
A well-known digital payments consortium sold its technology platform this week to a U.S.-based bank known for its cryptocurrency-related offerings....more
2/7/2022
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
ETFs ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Hackers ,
Money Laundering ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Scams ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins ,
Wash Trades
Crypto Payments Consortium Sells Assets; Other Crypto Firms Make Moves -
A well-known digital payments consortium announced this week that it will sell its blockchain-based technology to a large cryptocurrency-focused U.S....more
1/31/2022
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
FinTech ,
GAAP ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
From Music to Marketplaces: NFT Use Cases Continue to Expand - According to recent reports, a Philadelphia rapper has announced that the final installment of his mixtape series will drop as a non-fungible token (NFT). Details...more
Financial Messaging Network Launches Experiments in Stablecoin Sector - A global messaging network used by financial institutions to send and receive financial information recently announced that it is exploring the tokenized...more
Banks to Use Blockchain for FX Settlement, Avalanche Network Adds USDC - In a recent press release, two major banks announced an agreement to implement a new blockchain-based solution for the netting and settlement of matched...more
Multiple US Financial Services Firms Announce Cryptocurrency Initiatives - This week a major U.S. financial services firm announced the launch of a “Crypto Advisory Practice” that will leverage the firm’s work “with more than...more
US and Swiss Financial Firms Announce Decentralized Exchange, Digital Bond - A major U.S. fintech and digital payments company recently released a white paper detailing tbDEX, a new decentralized protocol for exchanging...more
12/8/2021
/ Banking Sector ,
Banks ,
Blockchain ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Financial Markets ,
IRS ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
OCC ,
Popular ,
Virtual Currency
Raising Municipal Funds and Rewarding Loyalty: New Cryptocurrency Use Cases - Earlier this week, a cryptocurrency nonprofit organization reportedly launched a Bitcoin-based digital asset designed to raise funds for New York...more
Blockchain Payment Pilots Launched by Media, Government and Crypto Firms - A leading social media and technology company recently launched pilots of its crypto wallet, which is intended to allow users to send and receive...more
On October 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced the creation of a National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (“NCET” or “Team”) to tackle investigations and prosecutions of criminal misuses of...more
Major Financial Institutions Announce Crypto and Blockchain Initiatives - According to reports this week, one of the largest money transfer services in the world will partner with the Stellar Development Foundation to...more