It was a busy week for digital assets with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as the agency was sued by a digital asset exchange hopeful and faces responses in its pending litigation against existing digital asset...more
3/14/2024
/ Blockchain ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FinTech ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Violations ,
Smart Contracts
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
2/23/2024
/ Blockchain ,
Broker-Dealer ,
BSA/AML ,
Congressional Investigations & Hearings ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Financial Crimes ,
FinTech ,
Money Laundering ,
New Rules ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Transactions ,
Stablecoins
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
2/9/2024
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cyber Crimes ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
ETFs ,
FinTech ,
Hackers ,
Investment Opportunities ,
Mining ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Virtual Currency
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
1/26/2024
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Coinbase ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ,
ETFs ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Smart Contracts ,
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs)
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
1/12/2024
/ Blockchain ,
Commodities Traders ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ,
Financial Markets ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
FinTech ,
Investment ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Smart Contracts ,
Tax Liability
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
12/14/2023
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
BSA/AML ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Extradition ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Gaming ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Smart Contracts
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
11/30/2023
/ Blockchain ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Services Committee ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Smart Contracts
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
11/17/2023
/ Blockchain ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Currency ,
Digital Wallets ,
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ,
EFTs ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Markets ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Investment Opportunities ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Fraud
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
11/2/2023
/ Blockchain ,
Coinbase ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FinTech ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Ripple ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Violations ,
Smart Contracts
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
10/19/2023
/ Blockchain ,
Coinbase ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Digital Currency ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Fraud ,
Financial Markets ,
Financial Transactions ,
Ripple ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
9/21/2023
/ Blockchain ,
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
Ethereum ,
IOSCO ,
Listing Rules ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
9/8/2023
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Coinbase ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Exchange-Traded Products ,
Financial Services Industry ,
First Amendment ,
Fourth Amendment ,
IRS ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Pump and Dump ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Violations ,
Smart Contracts ,
Tax Liability ,
Unregistered Securities
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
8/24/2023
/ Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Coinbase ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FinTech ,
Investment ,
PayPal ,
Ripple ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins ,
Token Sales ,
Virtual Currency
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
8/10/2023
/ Blockchain ,
Coinbase ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Violations ,
Smart Contracts ,
Stablecoins
The Blockchain Bi-Weekly presented by the Polsinelli Blockchain+ team is a rundown of some of the key stories in the Web3, blockchain and crypto ecosystems curated by our attorneys navigating the intersections of code, smart...more
7/28/2023
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Blockchain ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ,
FinCEN ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Smart Contracts
The long battle between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and Ripple reached a partial resolution with the Court ruling the digital asset at issue (“XRP”) is not itself a security and certain sales of the...more
On February 9, 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) charged Kraken with offering and selling Kraken’s Staking Program – its staking-as-a-service product – as an unregistered security. Kraken, more...more
2/16/2023
/ Blockchain ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Investment Opportunities ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Violations ,
Token Sales ,
Trading Platforms ,
Unregistered Securities
In July of 2022, the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) each alleged insider trading violations against a former Coinbase employee Ishan Wahi (“Ishan”), his brother...more
2/14/2023
/ Coinbase ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Insider Trading ,
Investment Contract ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Violations
While the blockchain crypto community is processing the latest round of “crypto contagion,” potentially lost in the busy news week was a significant legal development regarding what digital assets qualify as securities under...more
11/17/2022
/ Blockchain ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Instruments ,
Howey ,
Investment Contract ,
Payment Tokens ,
Securities Act ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Violations ,
Summary Judgment ,
Token Sales ,
User-Generated Content
On September 15, 2022, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (the “Ag. Committee”) held a hearing to discuss Senate Bill 4760, titled the Digital Commodities Consumer Protection Act of 2022 (the “Bill”)...more
9/19/2022
/ Bitcoin ,
CFTC ,
Congressional Investigations & Hearings ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
Ethereum ,
Financial Instruments ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Stablecoins
On July 21, 2022, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) each alleged insider trading violations against a former Coinbase employee, his brother, and another alleged acquaintance...more
8/5/2022
/ Coinbase ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Criminal Investigations ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Insider Trading ,
Investment ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Fraud ,
Securities Violations ,
Wire Fraud
On November 9, 2021, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Examinations (the “Division”) released a Risk Alert regarding various compliance issues for investment advisory firms offering robo-advisory...more
Thoughts on Recent SEC statements and Action on Enforcement Related to Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAO) -
On November 10, 2021 the US Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) announced that it had halted...more
On April 14, 2021, the U.S. Senate confirmed Gary Gensler as the new Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Over the last few years the SEC has taken an assertive position in considering many digital assets to...more
4/26/2021
/ Administrative Agencies ,
Administrative Appointments ,
Biden Administration ,
Bitcoin ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Currency ,
ETFs ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Senate Confirmation Hearings
Earlier this month the staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) published a statement in response to a letter issued by the Wyoming Division of Banking on the custody of digital assets. The SEC staff...more