Background and Scope -
The Assessment was drafted by Treasury’s Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes (“TFFC”), in consultation with multiple U.S. agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security,...more
“Z” Doors Are Open: Rival Zero Knowledge EVMs Launch -
Earlier this week, a technology innovation lab reportedly released a public Alpha version of its “zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine” (zkEVM), which has been...more
4/3/2023
/ Banks ,
CFTC ,
Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Depository Institutions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Ethereum ,
Federal Reserve ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Proof of Stake Alliance Publishes Analysis, Advocates for Industry Standards -
This week the Proof of Stake Alliance (POSA), a nonprofit industry alliance focused on proof of stake (PoS) ecosystems, announced their newly...more
2/27/2023
/ CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Financial Transactions ,
Howey ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Unregistered Securities
Reports Address Crypto Ownership, Stablecoins and Dapp Adoption -
Recent reports provide new data on various areas of the digital asset market. In one report, a survey published by a cryptocurrency trading platform found...more
1/30/2023
/ Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
FBI ,
Hackers ,
New Guidance ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
NYDFS ,
Request For Information ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins
New Data Published on 2022 Crypto Exchange Trading Volume, NFT Royalties -
According to recent reports, Binance, currently the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, controlled 92 percent of global...more
1/16/2023
/ CFTC ,
Criminal Investigations ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Data-Sharing ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Royalties
CBDC Report Published, Blockchain Settlement and Payment Initiatives Launch -
This week the New York branch of the U.S. central bank published a report on the Phase I results of Project Cedar, “a multiphase research effort...more
11/14/2022
/ Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
CFTC ,
Commercial Bankruptcy ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Fraud ,
Hackers ,
Information Reports ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
New Crypto Products Launch; Singapore Completes DeFi Pilot with Major Banks -
In a press release published this week, a major U.S. cross-border payments and money transfer company announced a new service in its existing...more
11/7/2022
/ Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
Ethereum ,
Hackers ,
IRS ,
New Guidance ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Risk Management ,
Royalties
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
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
Financial Firm Launches Crypto Group, MakerDAO Votes to Integrate with Bank -
A major multinational financial institution recently “announced the formation of its Digital Assets and Financial Markets group.” According to...more
7/11/2022
/ Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) ,
Brand ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cyber Crimes ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Action Task Force ,
Financial Institutions ,
Fraud ,
Hackers ,
Infringement ,
IP Litigation ,
New Guidance ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
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
Our fifth episode provides an overview of the key legal issues facing cryptocurrencies and blockchain in the U.S....more
3/30/2022
/ Bank Secrecy Act ,
Banking Sector ,
Biden Administration ,
Blockchain ,
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
CFTC ,
Commodities ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Derivatives ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Executive Orders ,
FinCEN ,
IRS ,
Money Transmitter ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins ,
Unregistered Securities ,
Virtual Currency
This week, President Joe Biden signed “Executive Order on Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets” (EO). According to a fact sheet published with the EO, the EO calls for measures to accomplish the following...more
3/14/2022
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Banking Sector ,
Biden Administration ,
Bitcoin ,
CFTC ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Executive Orders ,
FinCEN ,
Russia ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins ,
Virtual Currency
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
CBDCs Explored by the U.K., New Zealand and Major Payments Network - This week, the Bank of England and Her Majesty’s Treasury announced the members appointed to its central bank digital currency (CBDC) Engagement and...more
Crypto Market Develops in DeFi, Payments, Compliance and Consumer Adoption - A large institutional financial and media conglomerate recently announced a partnership with a major financial services and investment management...more
8/30/2021
/ Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Financial Markets ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Online Marketplace ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Virtual Currency
Rob Musiala, a Counsel in the Digital Assets and Data Management group and the co-leader of our Blockchain Technologies and Digital Currencies team, breaks down everything you need to know about NFTs, all in 10 minutes or...more
7/26/2021
/ Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Ethereum ,
FinCEN ,
Investors ,
IRS ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Royalties ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Smart Contracts
US Institutional Financial Firms, and Fintech Startups, Launch Crypto Products - A major U.S. financial services corporation announced this week that it would begin to settle transactions over the Ethereum Network in USD Coin...more
4/5/2021
/ Bitcoin ,
Broker-Dealer ,
CFTC ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Currency ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinCEN ,
Fraud ,
IRS ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Virtual Currency
NFTs Make Headlines, Global Payments Firm Launches Cryptocurrency Unit - Nonfungible tokens (NFTs) rule the blockchain world this week, with numerous high-profile campaigns making headlines. Digital artist Beeple sold a JPG...more
FinCEN Proposed Rule Creates New Cryptocurrency Record-Keeping Requirements - On Dec. 18, 2020, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, published a notice of...more
Major U.S. Payments Firm Launches Cryptocurrency Service as Adoption Grows - This week a major U.S. Internet payments firm announced the launch of “a new service enabling its customers to buy, hold and sell cryptocurrency...more
Blockchain Used in IPO and ATS, Bitcoin Fund Announced, APAC Trade Data Published - According to reports, this week a Gibraltar-based cryptocurrency exchange, INX Ltd., has announced that the U.S. Securities and Exchange...more
8/28/2020
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Currency ,
Fraud ,
Initial Public Offering (IPO) ,
Popular ,
Quorum ,
Ransomware ,
Stablecoins ,
Virtual Currency
Monetary Authority of Singapore and World Bank Publish Blockchain Payments Reports - The fifth and final phase of Project Ubin, a blockchain project spearheaded by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, concluded this week. ...more
CFTC Approves Bitcoin Futures and Prosecutes Fraud, Amicus Brief Filed in Kik Case - The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued an Order of Designation to Bitnomial Exchange, LLC, granting it status as a...more
Telegram, Kik and Tezos Cases Reach Milestones in Blockchain Token Litigation -
On May 24, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) motion for a...more