Tag Archives: Regulations

Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) reportedly instructed local cryptocurrency-related firms to require a license from the watchdog before advertising their products. The initiative could secure maximum protection for investors and limit the spread of misleading marketing campaigns focused on digital assets. Over the past several months, Dubai has emerged as a global cryptocurrency center where numerous companies and leading players set foot. Sam Bankman-Fried’s...

In an attempt to stay afloat, Zipmex has asked for meetings with the Securities Exchange Commission in Thailand as well as other government agencies as it works on a recovery plan. The firm intends to introduce its investors to the watchdogs. In a statement, Zipmex said, “We have requested meetings with Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission and regulators in the country where we operate to introduce our investors to regulators and present our recovery plan to...

Tether – the issuer of USDT, the world’s largest stablecoin – is yet to freeze addresses associated with the privacy protocol Tornado Cash. That means USDT holders can still technically use the smart contract to obfuscate their funds.  However, it remains unclear whether Tether’s permissiveness amounts to a violation of U.S. sanctions. Tether and Tornado According to a statement from Tether on Wednesday, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has established no...

On August 19, The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) issued various cease and desist letters to five cryptocurrency companies including FTX US, owned by the crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried, along with news outlets Cryptonews.com, Cryptosec.info, SmartAsset.com, and the site FDICCrypto.com. The FDIC asked the aforementioned companies to cease making “false or misleading statements” regarding their relationship with the FDIC. According to the FDIC, FTX US and the...

Coin Centre – a non-profit crypto policy think tank – is considering a court challenge against the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).  The challenge is a response to the OFAC’s recent addition of privacy protocol Tornado Cash to its Specially Designated Nationals And Blocked Persons (SDN) List. Coin Centre has provided extensive legal analysis arguing that this exceeds the office’s statutory authority. Why Was Tornado Sanctioned? Per the think...

On August 10, the Dutch Crime Agency (FIOD) announced the arrest of a 29-year-old developer of Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency mixer built on the Ethereum network that was sanctioned earlier this month by the U.S. Treasury Department. The U.S. banned Tornado Cash because the platform had a large-scale currency laundering lending potential and helped anonymize the funds of several individuals linked to criminal activities. According to the FIOD, the suspect is allegedly...

The Circle CEO continued to push the adoption of digital currencies as he viewed cash’s features, including portability, privacy and role in securing individual sovereignty, are what could make digital cash alluring to people. “Cash Is King” In a panel discussion hosted by the World Economic Forum, Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire elaborated his bullish thesis on the power of physical cash, saying that economic sovereignty is the predominant feature that makes people prefer it over mobile money....

Australia’s newly-elected Prime Minister – Anthony Albanese – reportedly has three top issues to deal with it as the new leader of the country. These include battling climate change, reducing the cost of living, and imposing comprehensive rules on the cryptocurrency industry. Crypto Included as a top Priority The Australian Labor Party won the government elections and will try to guide the nation through the economically turbulent times ahead. For his part, the leader of the...

The President of the European Central Bank (ECB) – Christine Lagarde – reiterated her negative stance on cryptocurrencies, claiming they are “based on nothing” and should be strictly regulated. Nonetheless, she revealed that one of her sons had distributed some of his wealth into the digital asset market. Diving Into Crypto Despite Mom’s Advice Numerous central bankers have criticized the cryptocurrency sector over the past few years. The French politician and the ECB’s...

According to James Mwangi (CEO of Kenya’s largest banking conglomerate Equity Group Holdings), the African continent will significantly develop technologically and economically if it opens its arms to the digital asset industry. To do so, local authorities should cooperate with regulators, convincing them of crypto’s benefits. Crypto Could be Africa’s Stepping Stone In a recent interview for Bloomberg, Mwangi argued that the African countries should dive into the fourth...