Search Results: Digital Currency

In the Matter of the Inquiry by Letitia James, Attorney General of the State of New York v. iFinex Inc., Case No. 450545/2019 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. filed Apr. 24, 2019)

On April 24, 2019, the New York Attorney General filed a petition in New York state court, alleging that Bitfinex (i.e., iFinex, Inc., BFXNA Inc., and BFXWW Inc.) and Tether (i.e., Tether Holdings Limited, Tether Operations Limited, Tether Limited, and Tether International Limited) hid a loss of more than US…

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Bittrex, Inc. License to Engage in Virtual Currency Business Activity

Bittrex, Inc. (“Bittrex”) is a US-based company that owns and operates one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. Bittrex’s digital asset exchange platform allows approximately 1.67 million global users to trade over 200 cryptocurrencies. Bittrex offers two separate platforms, Bittrex and Bittrex International. The former is designed for use by…

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The SEC Releases New “Framework” to Analyze Digital Assets under Securities Laws

On April 3, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) released the “Framework for ‘Investment Contract’ Analysis of Digital Assets” (the “Framework”). The Framework—published by the SEC’s Strategic Hub for Innovation and Financial Technology (“FinHub”) —is the most comprehensive guidance the SEC has provided to date with respect to a…

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On Motion for Reconsideration, SEC Granted Preliminary Injunction Against Cryptocurrency Exchange and its Founder for Acts of Alleged ICO Fraud

On February 14, 2019, the Southern District of California entered a preliminary injunction prohibiting Blockvest, LLC (“Blockvest”), a company set up to exchange cryptocurrencies, and its founder, Reginald Buddy Ringgold, III (“Ringgold”), from violating an anti-fraud provision of the federal securities laws. The decision came following the court’s initial denial…

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Basis Stablecoin Shuts Down Due to What it Deems a “Serious Negative Impact” of U.S. Securities Regulations

Basis, one of the most well-funded crypto-startups, had plans to create an algorithmic central bank that aimed to create a price-stable cryptocurrency within a decentralized monetary system. In its April 2018 fundraising efforts, Basis had secured $133 million in funding from large institutional investors.  However, citing regulatory constraints, Basis announced…

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A Second Federal Court Decides Virtual Currencies are Commodities Subject to Federal Regulation

On September 26, 2018, a federal judge in Massachusetts agreed with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (“CFTC”) view that virtual currencies are commodities under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) and subject to federal regulation.  See CFTC v. My Big Coin Pay, Inc., No. CV 18-10077-RWZ, 2018 WL 4621727 (D. Mass….

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The National Law Journal Names Goodwin’s Mitzi Chang + Grant Fondo 2018 Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and Fintech Trailblazers

The National Law Journal named partners Grant Fondo and Mitzi Chang to its 2018 Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and Fintech Trailblazers list. This inaugural award recognizes lawyers who are making great strides as finance and technology grow more and more entwined. Please click here to read The National Law Journal’s profile on Fondo and Chang.

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