Regulation

Many predicted that Binance would never embrace regulation — it would only pretend to comply in jurisdictions like the United States.  No more. Binance pleading guilty to money laundering and other federal charges on Nov. 21 means it’s giving up its free-booting ways. It will also pay a $4.3 billion fine, the largest in the

The secretary-general of Amnesty International, Anges Callamard, released a statement on Nov. 27 in response to three European Union member states pushing back on regulating artificial intelligence (AI) models.  France, Germany and Italy reached an agreement that included not adopting such stringent regulations for foundation models of AI, which is a core component of the

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission is still looking for evidence that Binance.US had a backdoor to potentially control customer assets in a similar style to FTX, according to a Nov. 27 report by the Wall Street Journal. In June, the SEC filed a lawsuit against Binance and Binance.US, alleging that the exchange was

According to Japan’s tax authorities, the average value of undeclared income in crypto fell by 19% in 2022. On Nov. 24, the Japanese National Tax Agency (NTA) released its yearly summary of tax investigations. The 13-page document also contains data on the probe into crypto tax evasion. Related: Circle and SBI Holdings partner to boost

A recent court filing suggests that Changpeng “CZ” Zhao’s legal challenges are just beginning, despite pleading guilty to violating the United States Anti-Money Laundering requirements in a settlement with the Department of Justice.  Zhao is expected to be sentenced in February 2024. He is currently challenging the government’s efforts to prevent his return to the

Circle, the stablecoin issuer behind USD Coin (USDC), is teaming up with Tokyo-based financial services firm SBI Holdings to boost the adoption of USDC and Web3 services in Japan. Circle said it concluded a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SBI Holdings on Nov. 27, which will underpin the strategic expansion of USDC into Japan. Circle

The European Union’s banking regulator, the European Banking Authority (EBA), wants to update existing anti-money laundering rules and focus on combatting the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) for crypto providers.  In a consultation paper published on Nov. 24, the EBA explains that current European regulations are no longer sufficient to govern AML/CFT standards compliance among crypto

Cryptocurrency exchange Zipmex has announced it is taking immediate action by suspending all digital asset trading in Thailand as part of its efforts to comply with regulations. According to a statement issued on November 25, Zipmex has opted to temporarily halt its operations to align with regulatory requirements with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Recent events surrounding the crypto exchange Binance sparked significant debate about the United States’ crackdown on crypto firms. According to Omid Malekan, adjunct professor at Columbia Business School and author, the Department of Justice’s approach in the case is very different from what is seen in traditional finance. “People who sincerely believe that crypto is

India is formulating regulations to oversee deepfakes, the country’s Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Nov. 23, expanding on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement the day before about his concerns about the technology. According to a Reuters report, during discussions with academics, industry associations and social media firms, Vaishnaw said

Former Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has opposed the United States government’s efforts to block his return to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to be with his family while awaiting sentencing following his guilty plea. In a court filing on November 23, Zhao’s lawyers urged a US District judge to reject the proposed alteration of

As expectations grow that a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) will be approved in the United States, it remains one of the hottest topics heading into 2024. In Episode 38 of Cointelegraph’s Hashing It Out, Elisha Owusu Akyaw talks to Joel Kuck, CEO of Decentralized ETF (D-ETF), about how ETFs work, the potential impact of

The Data Act — a contentious piece of European Union legislation that includes a clause requiring the ability to terminate smart contracts — has been approved by the European Parliament. If introduced, the legislation will require a smart contract to have a “kill switch.” In a Nov. 9 press release, the parliament announced that the legislation

Netherlands-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitvavo is set to expand its services to French users after successfully registering as a digital asset service provider with France’s Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF). The expansion into France comes just weeks after Bitvavo secured regulatory approval to offer its services in Austria. The exchange expanded its offering to Italy in

The crypto trading days of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried are over, and the recently convicted founder has found a new thing to trade while in jail — fish.  The Wall Street Journal reported on Nov. 23 that Bankman-Fried recently traded four packets of Mackerel — known in prison as “macks” — for a haircut

The Singaporean crypto-fiat payment gateway, Alchemy Pay, announced a further expansion into the United States market on Nov. 23 with the acquisition of its money services license in the state of Iowa.  According to local state regulations, any entity or individual engaged in currency exchange or money transmission business in Iowa must hold such a

Kraken co-founder Jesse Powell has welcomed the result of the Binance investigation in an X (formerly Twitter) post and has highlighted the need for long-term-oriented visionaries and shareholders. Over the last 12 months, leaders of major crypto exchanges, such as FTX and Binance, have come under federal scrutiny by United States government agencies for allegations

FTX founder and convicted fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried will stay jailed after failing to convince a United States appellate court that he should be freed while his legal team appeals his conviction. In a Nov. 21 mandate, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit said Bankman-Fried’s previous attempts to tamper with two witnesses while

Although documented statistics about cryptocurrency trading and substance abuse are hard to come by, addiction experts are treating an increasing number of crypto traders. Abdullah Boulard, founder and CEO at The Balance Luxury Rehab, tells Magazine that a number of crypto traders struggle with substance abuse. “Our client base is diverse, but this is a

Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao will pay a $175 million release bond and agree to return to the United States 14 days before his Feb. 23, 2024 sentencing — possibly allowing him to return to Dubai. In a Nov. 21 bond document filed in a Seattle federal court, Zhao agreed to share with the court