Regulation

Crypto payroll company Bitwage has announced that it will disable payments in USD Coin (USDC) for U.S. residents. This decision comes as financial regulators in the U.S. have increased their regulatory scrutiny of the crypto industry. Major crypto firms like Binance and Coinbase have recently faced charges. Consequences for Users Bitwage has warned its customers

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) of the United Kingdom has announced that a new financial promotions regime will be implemented for crypto assets starting October 8. In a letter dated July 4, the FCA outlined the various legal pathways that firms can use to promote crypto assets to consumers in the UK. These pathways include

Nasdaq has resubmitted BlackRock’s application for a spot-Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) on July 3. The resubmission comes after Nasdaq clarified its intention to enter a surveillance-sharing agreement (SSA) with Coinbase, which will serve as the required spot-Bitcoin exchange for the ETF. This move is similar to the applications filed by Cboe Global Markets on behalf

Mastercard’s Chief Digital Officer, Jorn Lambert, believes that blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize the payments industry. However, Lambert emphasizes that for this technology to achieve mainstream adoption, there is a need for “financially-regulated applications” and “central bank-backed money.” In an interview with PYMNTS, Lambert expresses confidence in the integration of digital assets and

Erik Voorhees, the founder of Shapeshift and a well-known advocate for Bitcoin, believes that decentralized finance (DeFi) has already addressed the issue of regulatory clarity that restricts people from possessing or trading a majority of cryptocurrencies. The crypto industry is worried that cryptocurrencies, other than the four listed on the newly launched EDX Markets, namely

Reports have emerged that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has returned recent spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications. These applications, submitted by exchanges on behalf of BlackRock and Fidelity Investments, among others, were regarded as not meeting the required standard of being “sufficiently clear or comprehensive.” The SEC’s decision was based on the

The South Korean National Assembly recently passed the Virtual Asset User Protection Act, a comprehensive piece of legislation that aims to regulate the cryptocurrency industry in the country. The act combines 19 different bills related to cryptocurrencies and focuses primarily on investor protection. The move comes in response to a series of crypto-related scandals that

The Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon) has encountered a setback in its digital asset custody business due to a regulatory hurdle. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Staff Accounting Bulletin 121 (SAB 121) mandates custodians of digital assets to include these assets on their balance sheets. This requirement poses a potential obstacle for

The Blockchain Association is urging SEC chair Gary Gensler to recuse himself from regulatory proceedings, claiming that his statements display a “clear bias” against the cryptocurrency industry. Senior counsel Marisa Coppel argues that Gensler’s assertion that all cryptocurrencies, except for Bitcoin, should be classified as securities demonstrates a prejudgment of the facts without proper assessment

The Law Commission of England and Wales has recommended that digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, should be classified under a new category of personal property. In its final recommendation report to the government, the Law Commission outlined four specific recommendations. These recommendations focus on legislation for a distinct category of personal property, the creation of an

The CEO of BitGo, Mike Belshe, recently discussed the current state of U.S. cryptocurrency regulations in an interview with CNBC. Belshe expressed his belief that regulators in the U.S. have taken a strict approach towards the crypto industry, which has led to traditional financial firms largely staying on the sidelines. While there are a few

The National Tax Agency in Japan has announced the revision of corporate tax rules for cryptocurrency issuers. The new rules exempt crypto token issuers from paying corporate tax on unrealized gains for their holdings. This move has been welcomed as a step towards easing the business environment for crypto firms in Japan. According to a

Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming has criticized the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) recent action against Coinbase, stating that it “is not the right way to do business in America.” She made the statement during an interview with Yahoo Finance on June 22. Lummis said the cryptocurrency exchange had demonstrated its willingness to cooperate

Binance, the cryptocurrency exchange already facing regulatory scrutiny in various jurisdictions worldwide, is now being subjected to increased legal pressure in Brazil. Brazilian lawmaker Alfredo Gaspar has formally requested that the National Congress compel Guilherme Haddad Nazar, General Manager of Binance Brazil, to appear for questioning. Gaspar’s formal request, which was addressed to the Parliamentary

During a hearing on June 21, Congresswoman Maxine Waters asked whether stablecoin issuers should be licensed and regulated by the Federal Reserve. In response, U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stated that the regulator views payment stablecoins as a “form of money” and believes central banks should supervise them. Stablecoins as a New Form of

Bitwise Asset Management has submitted a new filing for a proposed rule change that would accommodate its planned Bitcoin spot ETF. This comes after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rejected a previous Bitcoin spot ETF application from Bitwise in June 2022. SEC’s Reasons for Rejection The SEC had stated that Bitwise’s ETF could

The Texas State Securities Board has taken action against cryptocurrency lending firm Abra by filing an emergency cease and desist order on June 15, 2023. The regulatory agency has accused Abra and its related parties of committing fraud and making misleading statements. The regulator has found that Abra made fraudulent statements by referring to itself

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not yet made a decision regarding Coinbase’s petition for rulemaking for the cryptocurrency industry. Coinbase had requested clear regulatory guidelines in July 2022 and later submitted a court filing for a writ of mandamus in April 2023 that would compel the SEC to act on their rulemaking

Binance.US and the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) could potentially come to an agreement that would avoid a full asset freeze. This news comes after the SEC first filed charges against Binance.US and related companies on June 5th. The SEC then requested a restraining order and asset freeze on June 8th. Judge Amy Berman Jackson’s

Circle CEO, Jeremy Allaire, has announced that he will be giving testimony to Congress on June 13th regarding the draft stablecoin regulation. Allaire claims that the stablecoin bill is a crucial piece of legislation that should act as the first step in creating a regulatory framework that supports a vibrant and safe digital assets market.

The cryptocurrency industry is currently facing regulatory challenges, and lawmakers in the United States and United Kingdom are set to bring the discussion into the public sphere. On June 13, both nations will host high-profile hearings, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over digital asset regulation. The UK Parliament will debate the findings

Cameron Winklevoss, co-founder of Gemini, a crypto exchange, has warned that the regulatory crackdown on cryptocurrencies in the US could alienate an entire generation of would-be Democrats. According to a CNN analysis, the Democratic party would have lost the 2022 Presidential election without the support of young voters. Therefore, the party needs to secure the

Jay Clayton, the former chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has commented on the regulatory agency’s current treatment of cryptocurrencies. Speaking at Bloomberg Invest on June 8, Clayton was asked whether he would have taken the same actions as current SEC chair Gary Gensler, who recently filed charges against Binance and Coinbase.

During the Piper Sandler Global Exchange & Fintech Conference on June 8, SEC Chair Gary Gensler spoke extensively about the ongoing regulatory issues surrounding the cryptocurrency industry. He argued that the crypto community’s assistance on “regulatory clarity” lacks merit and defended his agency’s enforcement actions. Gensler emphasized that he has been straightforward in his approach,

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has called for “additional regulation” to protect consumers and investors from the “inherent” risks present in the cryptocurrency industry. Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Yellen said that the Treasury Department had conducted in-depth reviews of the sector in recent months under the President’s Executive Order and had identified a number

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed charges against Coinbase claiming that the company violated securities regulations. The SEC alleges that Coinbase’s main trading platform has operated as an unregistered broker, exchange, and clearing agency since 2019. The SEC also claims that Coinbase’s Prime and Wallet services have operated as unregistered brokers since

The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture recently held a hearing to discuss a draft discussion bill on cryptocurrency that was advanced by Republican lawmakers. The hearing aimed to discuss the bill with Democratic members in order to create a bipartisan legislative proposal. Testimonies from Industry Leaders During the hearing, several industry leaders provided their testimonies.