In a speech before the Aspen Security Forum on August 3, 2021, Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”) Chair Gary Gensler urged lawmakers to provide him with the power to police cryptocurrency trading,...more
The push on environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) disclosures has increased in the past several years, with these disclosures becoming a particular focus of the Biden Administration, the Securities and Exchange...more
Cryptocurrency Exchanges, ETFs and Payment Initiatives Announced - Cryptocurrency firm Bullish announced its intention to go public on the New York Stock Exchange as it prepares to launch a cryptocurrency exchange, according...more
7/19/2021
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Currency ,
ETFs ,
Fraud ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Ransomware ,
Virtual Currency
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”) recently issued a stark reminder to regulated persons that it will pursue enforcement actions if they prevent whistleblowers from communicating with the SEC or...more
Many companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”), whether as a public company, an investment adviser, or a broker-dealer, will undergo an inquiry or a formal investigation by the...more
NFT Initiatives Continue, Cryptocurrency Advertising Restrictions Ease - In New Dehli, a blockchain-powered platform is hosting an exhibition displaying 27 art pieces by Bengal-born artist Lalu Prasad Shaw. According to a...more
On June 14, 2021, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC or Commission) settled charges against an issuer for disclosure controls and procedures violations relating to a cybersecurity vulnerability that exposed...more
Reports Address CBDCs and Security Tokens, Banks Launch Crypto Initiatives - A recent report released by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) analyzes results from a survey of 50 central banks in the first quarter of...more
6/21/2021
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Financial Markets ,
Fraud ,
Initial Coin Offering (ICOs) ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Token Sales ,
Virtual Currency
On June 11, 2021, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, a division of the Office of Management and Budget, released the Spring 2021 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions,[1] which includes...more
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) is considering greatly limiting the affirmative defense that protects corporate executives against SEC prosecutions for insider trading claims when they buy or sell their...more
Bank Offers Ether-Backed Loans, Auction and Property Sales Accept Crypto - Digital asset bank Anchorage recently announced that its institutional clients will now be able to obtain Ethereum-backed loans through the bank’s...more
BD-ATS to Issue Blockchain Securities, Crypto Hedge Fund Report Published - Blockchain-based trading platform tZERO recently announced an agreement with an energy projects funding platform to digitize approximately $25...more
Reports Analyze Bitcoin Price Crash and Network Energy Consumption - A well-known blockchain analytics company has issued a report commenting on this week’s crash of the prices of cryptocurrency, including bitcoin. The report...more
Market Actors Continue to Integrate Cryptocurrency into Payment Systems - According to a press release this week, California-based Silvergate Bank announced that it will become the issuer of Diem USD, a new cryptocurrency...more
5/17/2021
/ Bitcoin ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Hackers ,
Investment ,
Investors ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Payment Systems ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Virtual Currency
CBDC Paper Released, NY DFS Grants License, Study Cites Crypto Adoption - The Digital Dollar Project, a partnership created by the Digital Dollar Foundation, released a white paper this week highlighting use cases for a U.S....more
Cryptocurrency Exchanges Forge New Paths, Bitcoin ETF Applications Continue - This week one of the largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchanges, Coinbase, completed its initial public offering through a direct listing of its shares...more
4/19/2021
/ Bitcoin ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
ETFs ,
European Central Bank ,
Fraud ,
Hackers ,
IRS ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Safe Harbors ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
On April 14, 2021, the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Gary Gensler as the 33rd Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”). This change will bring forth a Democratic majority at the...more
4/16/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
CFTC ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Fraud ,
FSOC ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs)
Central Bank Digital Currencies Explored in Thailand, Japan and Sweden - According to a recent press release, the Bank of Thailand (BOT) is seeking public comment on the issuance and development of a Retail Central Bank...more
Crypto Firms Expand CBDC and Custody Initiatives, GSA Auctions Bitcoin - Ripple Labs recently released a white paper describing its XRP cryptocurrency as a way to link different central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The...more
3/29/2021
/ Bitcoin ,
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Enforcement Actions ,
ETFs ,
Financial Markets ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Virtual Currency
Crypto Firms Launch New Services, MIT Seeks to Improve Bitcoin Codebase - A San Francisco-based cryptocurrency custody firm successfully completed an $80 million funding round, following its recent procurement of a federal...more
3/8/2021
/ Banking Sector ,
Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Hackers ,
Investment ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Virtual Currency
Payment Firms Adopt Cryptocurrencies, Company Purchases $1.5 Billion in Bitcoin - According to a press release, last week the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency provided conditional approval to Protego Trust Bank for a...more
Cryptocurrency Exchanges and Financial Firms Announce Market Developments. Last week, Coinbase signified its intent to become a publicly traded company by announcing a proposed direct listing of its Class A common stock under...more
Crypto Trust to Convert to Bank, FinCEN Extends New Rule Comment - The Anchorage Trust Company, a subsidiary of Anchor Labs, an advanced digital asset platform (Anchorage), secured conditional approval this week from the...more
NY DFS Approves New Stablecoin Company, Crypto Financial Products Continue Growth - New York’s Department of Financial Services (DFS) recently granted a charter under New York Banking Law to a Japanese cryptocurrency firm...more
1/11/2021
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Products ,
FinCEN ,
Fraud ,
NYDFS ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Popular ,
Stablecoins ,
Virtual Currency
The Telegram case is arguably the most important case of 2020 involving the legal classification of blockchain-based digital assets. Because it is often cost-prohibitive for companies to challenge the government in court, the...more