On July 31, 2025, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins delivered a major policy address at the America First Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., unveiling “Project Crypto”—a Commission-wide initiative to modernize securities regulation...more
This week’s consideration of H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 (CLARITY or the Act) in the U.S. House of Representatives is a pivotal moment for the development of US digital asset regulation. ...more
Coming off a busy 2024, we expect that 2025 will be a landmark year for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC or Commission). Rostin Behnam’s resignation as Chairman on January 20 marked the end of the Biden...more
3/11/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Biden Administration ,
CFTC ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Derivatives ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Executive Orders ,
Final Rules ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Markets ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Trump Administration
On February 20, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced the creation of a new specialized unit, the Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit, to “focus on combatting cyber-related misconduct and to protect...more
Crypto Currently News Center With the commencement of the Trump 2.0 Administration, the White House, Congress, agencies and certain states have each announced significant developments related to crypto. The WilmerHale...more
On February 4, 2025, Commissioner Hester Peirce offered a first glimpse at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) roadmap for establishing a regulatory framework for crypto. Tasked with leading the SEC’s...more
2/7/2025
/ Blockchain ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Clearing Agents ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Initial Coin Offering (ICOs) ,
Investors ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Tokens ,
Transfer Agents
On January 21, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda launched an agencywide “Crypto Task Force” dedicated to developing a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for...more
The election of Donald Trump as president could have a significant impact on the crypto industry given his campaign promise of a procrypto administration. Trump will be able to appoint a new chair of the U.S. Securities and...more
The election of Donald J. Trump as President could have a significant impact on the crypto industry given his campaign promise of a pro-crypto administration. President Trump will be able to appoint a new chair of the...more
11/15/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
CFTC ,
Cryptoassets ,
Election Results ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Securities ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Trump Administration ,
Unregistered Securities
The current SEC administration has expressed the view that most crypto assets are offered and sold as securities and has proposed several rules that address “digital asset securities” or “crypto asset securities.” In this...more
3/18/2024
/ Alternative Trading System (ATS) ,
Best Execution ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Cryptoassets ,
Custody Rule ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Market Participants ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Safeguards Rule ,
Securities ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Dealers ,
Securities Exchange Act
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is an umbrella term used to describe financial services provided outside of the traditional markets, that rely on blockchain technologies to create innovative products instead of relying on...more
2/9/2024
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Bank Secrecy Act ,
Blockchain ,
Broker-Dealer ,
CFTC ,
Commercial Insurance Policies ,
Cryptoassets ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinCEN ,
FinTech ,
IRS ,
Jurisdiction ,
Money Services Business ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Securities Act of 1933 ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Terrorist Financing Regulations ,
U.S. Treasury
On January 25, 2024, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Staff issued a request for comment (RFC) on the current and potential uses and risks of artificial intelligence (AI) in the markets that the CFTC...more
On Sept. 18, the New York State Department of Financial Services issued proposed guidance for companies holding virtual currency business licenses and limited-purpose trust companies — collectively referred to as virtual...more
On May 5, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a landmark legislative proposal—titled the Crypto Regulation, Protection, Transparency, and Oversight (CRPTO) Act (hereinafter, the Proposal)—to tighten regulations...more
One of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges - FTX Trading Ltd. - and many of its affiliates filed for bankruptcy earlier this month. While the full impact of the FTX bankruptcy is not yet clear, various responses from...more
12/1/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
CFTC ,
Chapter 11 ,
Commercial Bankruptcy ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Financial Regulatory Agencies ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Financial Stability Board ,
G20 ,
Market Participants ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) recently announced enforcement actions that reflected sweeping, and previously unarticulated, views of their respective...more
10/12/2022
/ CFTC ,
Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) ,
Designated Contract Markets (DCMs) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Extraterritoriality Rules ,
Futures Commission Merchants (FCMs) ,
Initial Coin Offering (ICOs) ,
Jurisdiction ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Securities Act of 1933 ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Violations
On November 1, 2021, the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets (PWG) - along with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) - published the Report on...more
11/16/2021
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cross-Border ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Exchange Rates ,
FDIC ,
FinCEN ,
FSOC ,
Information Reports ,
Legislative Agendas ,
OCC ,
Payment Systems ,
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Risk Assessment ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins