As cryptocurrency, decentralized finance (DeFi), and other uses of blockchain technology continue to proliferate, global regulators are grappling with how best to regulate their use. We have previously written about the...more
11/23/2021
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Blockchain ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Enforcement ,
FATF ,
Investigations ,
Licensing Rules ,
New Guidance ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Peer-to-Peer ,
Popular ,
Registration
Even those who are most suspicious of the rise of cryptocurrency will likely admit that the underlying blockchain technology and its potential uses are exciting. One use of this technology, decentralized finance, or DeFi, is...more
9/1/2021
/ Bitcoin ,
BitMEX ,
Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Ether ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Hackers ,
Popular ,
Securities Act of 1933 ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
As cryptocurrency’s market cap surpasses the $2.5 trillion mark and continues to climb, global regulators have turned their attention to understanding and addressing the risks surrounding digital assets.
In recent years,...more
7/16/2021
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Customer Identification Program (CIP) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
FinCEN ,
Know Your Customers ,
NDAA ,
Popular ,
Risk Assessment ,
Terrorism Funding
With offerings across a growing number of online platforms and increased trading volume, NFT issuers, promoters, and buyers should consider the legal and regulatory implications relating to NFTs and federal securities laws....more
6/16/2021
/ Blockchain ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
FinHub ,
FinTech ,
Howey ,
Investment ,
Investment Contract ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Securities ,
Securities Act of 1933 ,
Smart Contracts
As NFTs gain popularity, buyers and sellers should consider the potential issues related to federal anti-money laundering laws.
While non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”) have existed for several years, the market for NFTs grew...more
5/19/2021
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Bank Secrecy Act ,
Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Compliance ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Customer Due Diligence (CDD) ,
FinCEN ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Peer-to-Peer ,
Popular
In October of last year, we wrote about the challenges faced by virtual currency businesses in complying with the Travel Rule following new guidance from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Financial Crimes...more
11/5/2020
/ Bank Secrecy Act ,
Compliance ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
FATF ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Institutions ,
FinCEN ,
Proposed Rules ,
Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) ,
Travel Rule ,
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) ,
Virtual Currency ,
Wire Transfers
In the past, sanctioned jurisdictions like Venezuela have embraced virtual currency as a way to bypass channels that involve U.S. dollars, blunting the impact of U.S. economic sanctions policies aimed at isolating those...more
3/12/2020
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Bitcoin ,
Blockchain ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cyber Crimes ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) ,
Iran ,
Law Enforcement ,
National Security ,
North Korea ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Virtual Currency
The Travel Rule is an old friend for those familiar with banking regulations and anti-money laundering rules. The Rule, first issued by FinCEN in 1995 with fiat currency in mind, requires banks and nonbank financial...more
10/2/2019
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Bitcoin ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Data Security ,
FATF ,
FinCEN ,
Money Services Business ,
New Guidance ,
Public Comment ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Travel Rule ,
Virtual Currency
The SEC signaled last week that it appears to be growing more comfortable approving certain digital asset activities, qualifying the first two initial coin offerings ever to proceed as registered securities....more
For the past several years, advocates of crypto assets and other public uses of blockchain technology have sought guidance from U.S. regulators regarding the legal implications of new or novel uses of that technology....more
5/21/2019
/ Anonymization ,
Anti-Money Laundering ,
Bank Secrecy Act ,
Blockchain ,
BSA/AML ,
CFTC ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Wallets ,
FinCEN ,
Initial Coin Offering (ICOs) ,
Money Services Business ,
New Guidance ,
Peer-to-Peer ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Virtual Currency
Stepping outside of SWIFT -
Since its inception more than a decade ago, cryptocurrency has been viewed as a way to supplant traditional global methods of exchanging money. Today, as virtual currencies proliferate,...more
2/19/2019
/ Corruption ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Currency ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Initial Coin Offering (ICOs) ,
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) ,
Iran ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Popular ,
SDN List ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Self-Regulatory Organizations ,
SWIFT ,
Virtual Currency
On October 24, 2018, Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) gave the country’s cryptocurrency industry self-regulatory status, allowing the Japan Virtual Currency Exchange Association (JVCEA) power to police and penalize...more