On September 4, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued a settlement order (the Order) against Universal Navigation Inc. d/b/a Uniswap Labs (Uniswap).1 The Order asserted that Uniswap, through its front-end...more
Ether ETFs Begin Public Trading, Generate $1.07B in Cumulative Volume - According to reports, on July 23, nine different spot ether (ETH) exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from eight different issuers began public trading on...more
While the nation was preoccupied with the significant developments in the Presidential race, advocates and promoters of the blockchain ecosystem were particularly attentive to the news, given the perception that the current...more
On July 22, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) declared nine registration statements effective under the Securities Act of 1933 for spot Ether ETFs, clearing the way for the ETFs to begin trading on July 23....more
Stablecoin Demand Increases with Initiatives Announced in Germany, Hong Kong - Recent reports highlight an increasing demand for stablecoins. According to one report, the market cap of the PYUSD stablecoin recently...more
In a recent press release, Grayscale Investments announced “the creation and public launch of two new crypto investment trusts: Grayscale Near Trust and Grayscale Stacks Trust.” According to the press release, “The trusts...more
AI Protocols Merge, VC Crypto Funding Increases, Tether Completes SOC 2 Audit - According to a recent press release, “SingularityNET (SNET), the world’s first decentralized Artificial Intelligence (AI) network, Fetch.ai, a...more
The legislation allows decentralized autonomous organizations to gain legal entity status and operate within the bounds of applicable law. ...more
Opening the door for retail Investors: SFC-authorized virtual asset funds On 22 December 2023, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) issued a circular on SFC-authorized funds with exposure to virtual assets...more
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved proposals from three stock exchanges to list and trade shares of 11 spot bitcoin-based products (the “Spot BTC Approval”). Following the Spot BTC Approval, the...more
Non-fungible tokens, crypto tokens, cryptocurrencies, and other digital assets generally cannot be held in your physical hands, but they may now be legally possessed, under the Uniform Commercial Code in Delaware and other...more
Starting May 31, National Futures Association (“NFA”) Members and Associates that engage in digital asset commodity activities must comply with NFA Compliance Rule 2-51 (“Rule 2-51” or the “Rule”) regarding anti-fraud, just...more
Lately there has been some skepticism regarding the stability of cryptocurrencies. This may be in part due to the spectacular Q3/Q4 crypto had in 2022 after a meteoric rise earlier that year. With the disclaimer that I am an...more
On 26 January 2023, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (ISDA) published new standard documentation for the trading of digital asset derivatives (the Digital Asset Definitions), and a whitepaper titled...more
On January 26, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (“ISDA”) published the ISDA Digital Asset Derivatives Definitions (the “Definitions”). The Definitions are intended for documenting privately negotiated...more
Perhaps the most challenging (and intimidating) part of Decentralized Finance is understanding all the terms and industry jargon—many of which are new and technical, while others are as old as time but commonly misunderstood....more
Just as cryptocurrency markets are attempting to thaw out from a “crypto winter,” a joint committee of the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) and the American Law Institute (ALI) has finalized a significant and wide-ranging...more
Regulatory Developments - CFPB Issues Interpretive Rule: Tech Firms and Digital Marketers Acting as Service Providers Are Subject to CFPA - On August 10, the CFPB issued an interpretive rule clarifying that tech firms...more
Following the announcement DOJ/SEC enforcement actions alleged insider trading against a former Coinbase employee, many cried foul at the perceived "regulation by enforcement." The SEC Complaint, alleged – for the first time...more
As recently discussed in FinTech Nostradamus, the SEC recently doubled the size of its Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit. Since its inception in 2017, the SEC’s Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit has launched more than 80 investigations...more
On March 9, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the “Executive Order on Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets” (the order), outlining his administration’s intention to begin a strategic review of potential...more
A recent study found that 16 percent of Americans have invested in, traded or used cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ether. This widespread use, coupled with the cryptocurrency industry having limited to no regulatory...more
As the global digital asset industry continues to grow, regulators worldwide have increased efforts to define and shape the legal landscape through various approaches. In the UAE, for example, the Financial Services...more
Even those who are most suspicious of the rise of cryptocurrency will likely admit that the underlying blockchain technology and its potential uses are exciting. One use of this technology, decentralized finance, or DeFi, is...more
On August 1, 2021, the US Senate unveiled the draft text of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bill), a highly anticipated $1 trillion infrastructure package negotiated by the White House and a bipartisan group of...more