News & Analysis as of

Anti-Money Laundering Money Services Business Bitcoin

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Pending Changes to Anti-Money Laundering Program Requirements for MSBs and Other Financial Institutions

Money services businesses (MSBs), a category which includes money transmitters (e.g., PayPal and other payment facilitators), as well as administrators and exchangers of convertible virtual currencies (e.g., Bitcoin...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

PA Department of Banking and Securities: Virtual Currency is “Money”

Ballard Spahr LLP on

On April 20, 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (“DoBS”) issued a policy statement (“Policy Statement”) to “clarify” that the Department’s interpretation of the term “money” in the Pennsylvania Money...more

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

Federal Reserve's New Master Account Guidelines Provide Transparent Path For Crypto Industry

State-chartered crypto banking entities and other crypto financial institutions will now be subject to a "transparent and equitable framework" when applying for direct access to the Federal Reserve's payment systems...more

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Money Services Businesses Penalized for Failure to Adopt Robust Anti-Money Laundering Practices

Two recent federal enforcement actions—announced the same day—have underlined the need for crypto companies to carefully consider their anti-money laundering (AML) obligations or else risk significant penalties....more

McGlinchey Stafford

Scared Of Your Clients’ Involvement With Cryptocurrency?

McGlinchey Stafford on

Cryptocurrency, and its most-noted asset Bitcoin, has been breaking into the mainstream press. While most lawyers have heard terms like “blockchain” and probably even know a few people who have been deeply interested in the...more

Latham & Watkins LLP

FinCEN Looks to Rein In Cryptocurrency Transactions

Latham & Watkins LLP on

A new proposal would subject financial institutions and exchanges to onerous recordkeeping and reporting requirements for certain digital currency transactions. In a surprise release in the waning days of the Trump...more

Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck, P.C.

FinCEN’s Proposed Rulemaking for Cryptocurrency – The Balance of National Security vs. Privacy

Just before the Christmas holidays, the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued proposed rulemaking entitled “Requirements for Certain Transactions Involving Convertible Virtual...more

Foley & Lardner LLP

FinCEN Takes Action Against Bitcoin Mixer for Violating the Bank Secrecy Act

Foley & Lardner LLP on

On October 19, 2020, The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced its first action against a bitcoin mixer: a $60 million civil penalty against Larry Dean Harmon. Harmon was the founder and operator of Helix...more

Polsinelli

Superman29 - Welcome to the Phantom Zone

Polsinelli on

In a lesson to everyone that the use of foolish monikers will come back to haunt you, Kais Mohammad, 36, a.k.a. “Superman29,” has met his Kryptonite - the U.S. Department of Justice. ...more

Orrick - On the Chain

FinCEN Sends Message to the Virtual Currency Industry: The Travel Rule Applies to You, Too

Orrick - On the Chain on

FinCEN Director Ken Blanco addressed this year’s Consensus Blockchain Conference on May 13, 2020. In a set of prepared remarks, Blanco recognized the unprecedented challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has created for...more

Perkins Coie

Blockchain Week in Review - October 2019

Perkins Coie on

U.S. Developments - U.S. Federal Regulatory Developments - CFTC, FinCEN, and SEC Leaders Release a Join Statement on Digital Assets - On October 11, 2019, the heads of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”),...more

King & Spalding

Fake It Till You Make It: The Travel Rule And Virtual Currencies

King & Spalding on

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

Foodman CPAs & Advisors

If you Exchange Virtual Currency, you are a Money Transmitter and must comply with the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)

FinCEN defines a Money Service Business (MSB) as any person DOING BUSINESS, whether or not on a regular basis or as an organized business concern, in one or more of the following capacities...more

Perkins Coie

Blockchain Week in Review - June 2019 #4

Perkins Coie on

U.S. Developments - Regulatory Developments - CFTC Announces Two Events Designed to Encourage FinTech Innovation - On June 27, 2019, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) announced two events designed to...more

Orrick - On the Chain

FinCEN Shows a Little Bite to Go with Its Bark

Orrick - On the Chain on

Last week, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) backed up its strong public statements about enforcing the anti-money laundering (AML) laws with respect to cryptocurrency by bringing an enforcement action against...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

FinCEN Announces First-Ever Enforcement Action Against Bitcoin Trader For Violations Of BSA

Fox Rothschild LLP on

Last week, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced its first-ever civil penalty against a cryptocurrency exchanger for willful violations of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). According to the FinCEN Assessment...more

Ward and Smith, P.A.

Should You Bank a Virtual Currency Business?

Ward and Smith, P.A. on

Virtual currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum have spawned many types of businesses that need banking services. Many banks "de-risk" -- do not provide banking services -- to these businesses. Many virtual currency...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

FinCEN Director Addresses Virtual Currency and Touts Regulatory Leadership and Value of SAR Filings

Ballard Spahr LLP on

Address Emphasizes Role of SARs in Fighting Illegal Activity, Including Drug Dealing Fueling the Opioid Crisis - Kenneth Blanco, the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), discussed last week...more

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Anti-Money Laundering Obligations for Virtual Currency Companies

Virtual currency businesses are under scrutiny by U.S. anti-money laundering (AML) regulators. Earlier this year, U.S Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin emphasized that virtual currencies are subject to AML regulations. He...more

Goodwin

FinTech Flash: So You Want to Put a Bitcoin ATM in a Coffee Shop?

Goodwin on

This writer received three cold emails in two weeks asking for legal help around operating a Bitcoin ATM (BTM). Each groundbreaker asked: “What are the legal requirements for an operator putting a BTM in, say, a coffee shop?”...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

AML/BSA Focus by U.S. Senate Committee Testimony – From Beneficial Ownership to Cryptocurrency

Ballard Spahr LLP on

This week, the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary and the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs held hearings focused in part on Anti-Money Laundering (“AML”) and the Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”)....more

Ballard Spahr LLP

Beyond Best Practices: Regulatory Compliance Now a Necessity in the Cryptocurrency Sector

Ballard Spahr LLP on

As the value of bitcoin continues to soar (USD:BTC this past weekend exceeded $19,000.00:1), we thought that now would be a good time to emphasize the need to ensure regulatory compliance with the many federal and state AML...more

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

FinCEN Action Demonstrates the Agency’s Ability to Use Anti-Money Laundering Laws Against Non-U.S. Entities

On Wednesday, July 27, 2017, the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced a $110 million fine levied against BTC-e, a digital currency exchange, for BTC-e’s alleged refusal to abide by...more

Proskauer - New Media & Technology

FinCEN Releases Two Rulings Classifying a Bitcoin Payment System and Virtual Currency Trading Platform as MSBs

In its opening salvo bringing bitcoin under the watchful eye of the federal government, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a Guidance (FIN-2013-G001) in March 2013 clarifying that anti-money laundering...more

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