Regulation

United States District Judge Robert Shelby has cautioned the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawyers, hinting at possible sanctions due to purportedly deceptive statements in a legal action against Digital Licensing Inc., also recognized as DEBT Box, a crypto company. Lodged in the federal court of Utah, the SEC’s legal action alleged that DEBT Box

The legal duel between the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Kraken, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, looks like another misguided attempt by the SEC to exert control over an industry that fundamentally challenges an outdated regulatory playbook. The agency’s lawsuit, filed in November, accuses Kraken of operating as an unregistered securities exchange. The

Lawyers representing the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and Terraform Labs and co-founder Do Kwon sparred in court over information provided by a whistleblower in the securities lawsuit. According to a transcript of court events provided by Inner City Press on Nov. 30, the SEC reiterated its claims that Terra and Kwon “committed fraud”

The United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is considering a proposal that would have sweeping consequences for the cryptocurrency industry. Investors should be concerned, because it could significantly impact the way that individuals — both inside and outside America — are allowed to engage with digital assets. The IRS is proposing an initiative under Section

Crypto exchange Coinbase says it had recorded a 6% rise in requests from law enforcement and government agencies compared to 2022, with the number of jurisdictions issuing requests jumping by 19, according to the exchange’s annual Transparency Report. Four countries — the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain — made up nearly three-quarters

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) called on the public to comment on a proposed rule change that could allow asset management firm Fidelity to offer shares of its spot Ether exchange-traded fund, or ETF. In a Nov. 30 notice, the SEC said “interested persons” may comment on the Fidelity offering, proposing the

Binance’s $4.3 billion settlement with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) is being hailed as a positive move for the company and the wider cryptocurrency industry, according to Galaxy Digital’s Mike Novogratz. In an interview with Bloomberg on Nov. 29, the CEO of the cryptocurrency investment firm expressed his belief that the high-profile settlement should assuage

Brazilians may soon be required to pay up to 15% tax on income derived from cryptocurrencies held on exchanges outside the country, after new income tax rules were approved by the Brazil Senate on Nov. 29. The bill has already passed in the Chamber of Deputies and is expected to be approved by President Luiz

Crypto firm Paxos has secured in-principle approval from Abu Dhabi’s regulator on two fronts: to issue stablecoins and conduct digital asset services. In a Nov. 29 announcement, Paxos said the Financial Services Regulatory Authority in the Abu Dhabi Global Market had granted in-principle approval for the company to issue U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins, as well as

Embattled Thai crypto exchange Zipmex is offering its creditors 3.35 cents per dollar for initial claims, with further payouts in a recovery scenario. The proposal came as a part of the restructuring offer from the company, which owes its customers $97 million.  According to a Nov. 29 Bloomberg report, Zipmex could raise the sum from 3.35

Bitcoin (BTC) spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States now have a “clear runway” to potential simultaneous approvals after an advanced decision to delay the bids of Franklin Templeton and Hashdex ETFs, according to ETF analysts. In a Nov. 28 X (Twitter) post, Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart said the Securities and Exchange Commission

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