As new technologies reshape the way business is conducted, the world becomes more interconnected. The advent of decentralized blockchain technology has created new opportunities to take advantage of the borderless nature of this technology. As with many new technologies, there has been a rush to obtain patent protection for innovations…
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.
On August 9, 2018, Kenneth A. Blanco, Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), delivered remarks at the 2018 (Legal) Tech Conference at Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Institute of Technology. Director Blanco’s remarks focused on FinCEN’s approach with respect to digital currency and financial innovation. Several days…
The OCC announced on Tuesday, July 31, that it would begin accepting applications for special purpose national bank (SPNB) charters from Fintech companies engaged in the business of banking. The agency released a Policy Statement and a Supplement to its Licensing Manual addressing how it would consider applications from Fintech companies seeking…
On Monday, August 6, 2018 Goodwin will host an hour-long webinar on crypto considerations for regulated entities in Vermont. Michael Pieciak, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, will join Goodwin Partner Bill Stern and Counsel David Solander for a discussion of relevant topics for investment advisers, broker-dealers and banking institutions….
Earlier today, Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein announced that the President issued an executive order establishing a new Task Force on Market Integrity and Consumer Fraud, comprised of a number of divisions of the Department of Justice (DOJ), including the FBI and various United States Attorney’s Offices as designated…
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finally provided some good news, and guidance, regarding permissible token sales. On June 14, 2018, William Hinman, Director of the SEC Division of Corporation Finance, speaking at the Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit: Crypto, shared remarks that filled in some gaps surrounding the security…
This past week was a busy one for state securities regulators, the CFTC and the SEC as they continue their focus on rooting out fraud from the digital currency space and crypto- and blockchain-based ventures. Noteworthy developments included (1) the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) announcing a “cryptosweep” –…
Goodwin is a proud sponsor of Consensus 2018, taking place May 14-16, 2018 at the Hilton Midtown in New York. For more information on the conference, visit CoinDesk’s show website. We will have a booth setup in the exhibit hall for the duration of the conference and members from our team will…
In the fall of 2017, the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) each filed actions against Maksim Zaslavskiy for securities fraud in connection with two token offerings, through which he promised token purchasers profits from his companies’ investments in real estate and diamonds. …