The European Commission recently published a proposal to amend the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, the legislation that specifies the anti-money laundering, or AML, and counter terrorist financing rules for EU Member States. The proposal seeks to introduce stricter rules on the reporting and identification around the users of virtual currencies,…
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), showing continued regulatory interest in digital currency companies, issued an Order and settled charges against Hong Kong-based digital currency exchange Bitfinex. The CFTC found that Bitfinex was offering illegal off-exchange financed retail commodity transactions in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, and failed to register…
On June 2, 2016, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued a discussion paper seeking feedback from Fintech companies and financial institutions on the possible use of blockchain technology in securities markets, including the potential benefits, challenges and risks involved. The ESMA indicated that the responses will help it…
In a span of two years, India has done a 180-degree turn on virtual currencies. In December 2013, the Reserve Bank of India issued a press release “caution[ing] users of Virtual Currencies against Risks.” The release highlighted the danger of hacking, the absence of “an authorised central agency which regulates…
This week Cubits.gr and BTCGreece began a partnership aimed at providing a solution to Greek capital controls. Part of that solution entails supporting voucher payments backed by bitcoin and installing one thousand Bitcoin ATMs throughout the country. Cubits, a UK Registered company founded in 2014, is a Bitcoin platform where…
Coindesk recently published Citi Bank’s response to the UK Treasury’s call for information on digital currency, in which Citi Bank told the UK government it should consider creating its own digital currency. Citi’s Treasury and Trade Services Technology and Innovation Team stated, “[t]o be a key participant may mean that…
Before a government agency issues regulations implementing a new law—or applies existing regulations to a new technology—it has to do some groundwork. The agency will interpret its authorizing legislation and executive orders before gathering evidence to support the exercise of its rulemaking and enforcement authorities. Some agencies are subject to…
On April 22, 2015, the European Securities and Markets Authority (“ESMA”) – the European Union’s (“EU”) securities watchdog agency – issued a formal call for evidence regarding investments using virtual currency or distributed ledger technology. ESMA is an independent EU authority responsible for safeguarding the stability, integrity, transparency, and efficiency…
MtGox Co., Ltd., once the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange company, is insolvent, bankrupt, and now history. This bankruptcy (which I discussed yesterday) offers lessons to cryptocurrency startups. Mt. Gox’s fundamental lack of professionalism has become painfully clear since it filed for bankruptcy. According to a Wired expose last year, former…
Thousands of creditors may receive disbursements from the bankruptcy of MtGox, Co. Ltd., a Japanese corporation that once ran the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange. The bankruptcy filing last year was a rude awakening to Mt. Gox account holders who believe they collectively owned 750,000 Bitcoin, worth nearly a half billion…