Ethereum’s upgrade to proof-of-stake (PoS) may make it more vulnerable to government intervention and censorship, according to the lead investigator of Merkle Science. Speaking to Cointelegraph following the Ethereum Merge, Coby Morgan, a former FBI analyst, and the Lead Investigator for crypto compliance and forensic firm Merkle Science expressed his thoughts on some of the
Regulation
Ethereum’s upgrade to proof-of-stake may have placed the cryptocurrency back in the crosshairs of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Speaking to reporters after the Senate Banking Committee on Sept. 15, SEC chairman Gary Gensler reportedly said that cryptocurrencies and intermediaries that allow holders to “stake” their crypto may define it as a security under the Howey
The United States Department of the Treasury added five cryptocurrency addresses tied to a neo-Nazi group involved in Russia’s war on Ukraine to list of entities sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Asset Control. In a Thursday notice, the U.S. Treasury designated 22 individuals and 2 entities, including many the government department claimed had furthered
Representatives of the crypto community shared their responses to the proposed Digital Commodities Consumer Protection Act (DCCPA) on Sept. 15. Speaking at the second panel of a hearing held by the Senate Agriculture Committee, invited speakers praised the bill as a whole, but had recommendations for improvement. Definitions were an issue for all five of
The Monetary Authority of Singapore, or MAS, has granted SBI Digital Markets, a subsidiary of the digital asset arm of Japan-based financial giant SBI Holdings, a license to conduct certain regulated activities in the country. In a Thursday announcement, MAS said it had awarded SBI Digital Markets a Capital Markets Services license following the firm
According to local news outlet gynews.kr, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office’s Joint Financial Securities Crime Investigation Team says it will be contacting the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to nullify the passports of Terra Luna co-founder Do Kwon and five other project developers. Prosecutors also plan to contact Interpol and escalate the South Korean
Rostin Behnam, chair of the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or CFTC, said the Ethereum blockchain’s transition to proof-of-stake may help reduce crypto’s energy usage, but hinted legislation would likely still be needed to address the problem. Speaking at a Thursday hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee, Behnam addressed a question from Minnesota Senator
Sheila Warren, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, said the Digital Commodities Consumer Protection Act currently being considered by U.S. lawmakers was a “pivotal step” towards achieving regulatory clarity, but recommended changes to determine the role authorities will take on digital assets. In written testimony for a Wednesday hearing on the bill with the
With the Trade Ministry officially approving the use of cryptocurrencies for foreign trade, Iran will become the first-of-a-kind adopter in the world. The obvious problem with the news is that the country’s innovative policy obviously aims at circumventing financial sanctions that have been hampering its participation in the global economy for many years. These circumstances
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Thailand is preparing to take radical measures in the aftermath of crypto lending platforms’ crashes experienced in Summer 2022. Thai SEC plans to prohibit crypto platforms from providing or supporting digital asset depository services. The announcement, published on the official webpage on Sept. 15, reports that the SEC
A federal judge overseeing crypto lender Celsius’ bankruptcy case has given the green light for the motion to appoint an independent examiner to investigate aspects of Celsius’ business. In an order dated Sept. 14 from the United States Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York, the order notes the examiner’s investigation will look into
On Sept 14, Coinbase Co-Founder and CEO Brian Armstrong announced the company’s plans to begin integrating crypto policy efforts into its app. According to him, this will help the company’s 103 million verified users know where their local political leaders and representatives stand when it comes to cryptocurrency. 1/ Starting today, Coinbase will begin integrating
United States Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Gary Gensler is scheduled to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs in a hearing titled “Oversight of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission” on Sept. 15. The transcript of his speech was released in advance. Gensler called securities laws a “gold standard”
The Chamber of Digital Commerce (CDC) has requested to file an amicus brief in the case of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission v. Ripple Labs and its executives Bradley Garlinghouse and Chris Larsen. Liliya Tessler of the firm Sidley Austin filed a package of documents, including the proposed brief, with the U.S. District
The United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control has added 10 individuals, 2 entities, and several crypto addresses allegedly tied to an Iranian ransomware group to its list of Specially Designated Nationals, effectively making it illegal for U.S. persons and companies to engage with them. In a Wednesday announcement, the U.S. Treasury said
The United States Department of the Treasury said “interacting” with cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash’s open-source code, with certain provisions, would not be in violation of sanctions imposed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC. In the guidance posted to its frequently asked questions pages on Tuesday, the Treasury Department clarified some concerns previously
The Uruguayan government has introduced legislation to the parliament that accelerates the regulation of the crypto space in the country and establishes the central bank as the regulatory authority. Introduced on Sept 5, the bill strives to clarify the country’s regulatory framework for cryptocurrency assets, stating that all companies that provide digital asset-related services, including initial
The electronic payments provider ePayments is putting the final nail in the coffin of its operations. ePayments issued email notices to clients on Tuesday, stating that it is officially closing its business operations in light of local regulations. The financial services provider was one of the largest electronic payment providers in the United Kingdom. However,
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), the financial regulator of Abu Dhabi Global Market free economic zone (ADGM), published its “Guiding Principles” on its approach to digital asset regulation and supervision. Friendly in tone to the crypto industry, the principles pledge to comply with international standards in Anti-Money Laundering (AML), combating the financing of terrorism
Digital asset custodian BitGo has filed a lawsuit against Mike Novogratz’s cryptocurrency investment firm Galaxy Digital for terminating the former’s acquisition. BitGo took to Twitter on Tuesday to disclose details of its lawsuit against Galaxy after the latter terminated the $1.2 billion acquisition deal with BitGo in mid-August. Filed on Monday, the lawsuit seeks more