An executive order and related legislation centralizes Bitcoin and digital asset holdings across the federal government to optimize oversight and management of crypto as a US reserve asset.
On March 6, 2025, President...more
In a break from restrictive Biden-era policies, OCC-supervised banks may now engage in crypto without supervisory nonobjection, potentially opening new avenues for innovation....more
The Staff stated that most meme coins are not subject to federal securities laws or SEC fraud enforcement; who will oversee meme coins remains an open question.
On February 27, 2025, the Securities and Exchange...more
3/12/2025
/ CFTC ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Cryptoassets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Investors ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
NYDFS ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Retail Investors ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Token Sales
Under its new acting chairman appointed by President Trump, the FDIC charges ahead with its new agenda by rolling back key Biden-era regulatory efforts.
On March 3, 2025, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)...more
Stablecoin regulation is a top priority for lawmakers, and three recent proposals reflect differing perspectives on how to achieve regulatory clarity while balancing safety and innovation....more
The SEC’s move is part of a recent shift toward a less enforcement-centric approach that is set to reshape the regulatory framework for digital assets in the US....more
Commissioner Hester Peirce outlined 10 priorities for the Crypto Task Force, aiming for regulatory clarity while promoting innovation in digital asset markets....more
2/11/2025
/ Blockchain ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Exchange-Traded Products ,
FinTech ,
Investment Adviser ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
On January 22, 2025, New York Attorney General (NYAG) Letitia James announced a judgment and settlement against cash advance provider Yellowstone Capital, its officers, and two dozen affiliates (Yellowstone) for more than $1...more
The FDIC seeks to stick to its statutory mandate while reducing impediments to fintech, innovation, mergers, bank formation, and efficient supervision....more
With its pro-crypto stance and urgent posture, the executive order promises to make the US the “crypto capital of the planet.”
On January 23, 2025, President Trump issued a highly anticipated executive order on digital...more
1/28/2025
/ Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
FinTech ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Stablecoins ,
Trump Administration
The CFPB’s proposal, its first attempt to regulate cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, is unlikely to survive the administration change....more
1/24/2025
/ Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Electronic Fund Transfer Act ,
Financial Institutions ,
FinTech ,
Gaming ,
Online Gaming ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulation E ,
Stablecoins
A Republican Congress and the incoming Trump administration may employ the CRA to quickly overturn recent rules that faced heavy criticism from the financial services industry....more
1/22/2025
/ Congressional Review Act ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Deregulation ,
Digital Assets ,
FDIC ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinCEN ,
IRS ,
OCC ,
Open Banking ,
Trump Administration
“Fair access” banking laws, at the epicenter of the debates between ESG and “anti-woke” regulation and federal/state preemption, may see a resurgence under the incoming administration.
In recent years, the landscape of...more
1/8/2025
/ Banking Sector ,
Biden Administration ,
Compliance ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Fair Access to Credit ,
Fair Lending ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
OCC ,
Preemption ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Freeze ,
State and Local Government ,
Trump Administration
As AI use proliferates, the advisory reminds CFTC-regulated entities of their existing obligations and the CFTC’s intention to monitor for ongoing risks.
On December 5, 2024, the staff of the Commodity Futures Trading...more
The court ruled OFAC overstepped its authority in sanctioning Tornado Cash, holding that its smart contracts are not “property” under the governing statutes....more
With appropriate safeguards, distributed ledger technology may expand the use of non-cash assets as derivatives collateral, while mitigating certain market infrastructure inefficiencies....more
12/13/2024
/ Blockchain ,
Books & Records ,
CFTC ,
Collateral ,
Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) ,
Compliance ,
Derivatives ,
Digital Assets ,
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ,
Information Reports ,
Tokenization
On October 24, 2024, the Office of Financial Innovation (OFI) of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) published “The Metaverse and the Implications for the Securities Industry” (the Report)....more
The rule aims to reduce market concentration by guaranteeing consumer access to personal financial data, but faces strident criticism and immediate legal challenge....more
10/30/2024
/ Consumer Data Requests ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Depository Institutions ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Final Rules ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Open Banking ,
Personal Data ,
Sensitive Personal Information
Regulators seek to provide clarity and transparency on the bank merger review process, but changes may increase application complexity and unpredictability.
Consistent with ongoing initiatives to strengthen US antitrust...more
Remittance service providers would need to update their disclosure statements under a narrowly tailored proposed amendment which aims to resolve issues more efficiently and save consumers time....more
In its third action involving NFTs, the SEC targets a restaurant membership token tied to fundraising and promises of potential price appreciation for buyers....more
9/23/2024
/ Cease and Desist Orders ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Cryptoassets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Howey ,
Investment Contract ,
Marketing ,
Membership Interest ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Settlement ,
Token Sales ,
Unregistered Securities
The proposal would make key changes to the definition of “deposit broker” with significant ramifications for banks, fintechs, bank-fintech partnerships, and other third parties in the financial services industry....more
Paycheck advance products that are deemed consumer loans under the CFPB’s new proposal would be subject to increased disclosure and regulatory protections....more
9/6/2024
/ Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Earned Wage Access ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Payday Loans ,
Popular ,
Proposed Standards ,
Public Comment ,
Regulation Z ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA) ,
Wages
The proposal would establish stricter oversight of certain transactions and responds to concerns that large asset managers may be exerting influence on FDIC-supervised institutions.
On July 30, 2024, the Board of...more
8/9/2024
/ Acquisitions ,
Banking Sector ,
Banks ,
Change in Control ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Depository Institutions ,
FDIC ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Institutions ,
NPRM ,
OCC ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Publicly-Traded Companies
On July 19, 2024, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the National Credit Union Administration...more
8/5/2024
/ AML/CFT ,
Anti-Money Laundering ,
Anti-Terrorism Financing ,
Bank Secrecy Act ,
Banks ,
Compliance ,
Customer Due Diligence (CDD) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Agencies ,
FinCEN ,
NPRM ,
Proposed Rules ,
Risk Assessment ,
Risk Management