Tag Archives: Regulations

Germany’s financial regulator has come down hard on Bitcoin ATMs that are operating in the country without a license.BaFin Clampdown on Unlicensed Bitcoin ATMsAccording to a report by Handelsblatt, the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) targeted operators of Bitcoin ATMs that were working in the country illegally. Only BTC machines with a BaFin license according to the German Banking Act can function in Germany.The report further reveals that the operator of BTC ATMs under...

Top Japanese financial bureaucrat Ryozo Himino thinks that promoting cryptocurrency trading will not necessarily accelerate technological innovation. Rather it will spark increased speculative trading, the regulator said. Himono has, therefore, cautioned against the same.Deregulating Bitcoin & Cryptocurrencies Will Fuel’ Speculative Trading’As per a Reuters article, the Japanese Financial Services Agency boss has shared fresh thoughts regarding his stance on crypto trading practices in...

President Vladimir Putin of Russia has signed a new law that will prohibit the use of cryptocurrency as a payment means in the country by 2021. Meanwhile, the Russian government recently deployed blockchain technology for its constitutional amendment.Crypto as Payment to Become Illegal in 2021According to a report by local news outlet RIA on Friday (July 31, 2020), the bill signed by President Putin will prevent citizens from using crypto to pay for goods and services in Russia. The bill...

A US federal court ruled that Bitcoin is a form of “money” covered under the District of Columbia’s (D.C.) Money Transmitter Act. The conclusion is part of a criminal action involving the U.S. versus Larry Dean Harmon, who operated a Bitcoin mixing platform.U.S. Court Regards Bitcoin as Money in Charges Against Helix OperatorIn the U.S., financial regulators have used to debate over the status of Bitcoin as a commodity or security. A federal court set a precedent when it called Bitcoin...

National banks and federal saving associations can now offer crypto custody services to customers following approval from regulators in the country.OCC Okays Crypto Custody Operations for US Federal BanksAccording to a letter issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) on Wednesday, U.S. Federal banks can now offer crypto custody services. The decision follows last month’s request by the OCC for public input on the matter.As part of the letter, the OCC explained the...

Yesterday, in an online discussion with India’s leading cryptocurrency industry players, the country’s former Finance Secretary, Mr. Subhash Chandra, said that ‘crypto assets’ should be regulated, but with ‘rules.’ Garg previously headed the Inter-Ministerial Committee that drafted a draconian bill banning cryptocurrencies in India.Maybe We Can Try to Regulate it (Crypto) as a Commodity: GargAs per the draft of the crypto ban bill that surfaced in 2019, anyone possessing Bitcoin or other...

The US government is still working on regulations on third-party reporting for cryptocurrency trades. The transactions will be reported by crypto exchanges in accordance with Section 6045 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), a Treasury attorney said.Cryptocurrency Exchanges Will Share Client Data as Stipulated in Section 6045Erika Nijenhuis, senior counsel at the US Treasury’s Office of the International Tax Counsel, said in a webinar that the government was still preparing rules on...

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) published a new set of regulations for derivatives assets, including cryptocurrencies. The agency is developing comprehensive rules for digital assets to promote innovation in the field.CFTC’s New Legislation For CryptocurrenciesThe CFTC is the US’s derivatives regulator. According to the chairman, Heath P. Tarbert, derivatives, including futures, swaps, and options, “provide critical risk management and price discovery tools that can promote...

Kraken’s London-based subsidiary, Crypto Facilities, has reportedly become the first firm to get a trading license from the UK regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).Kraken’s Crypto Facilities Becomes First in Europe With Trading LicenseAccording to Financial News on Monday (July 6, 2020), the Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF) license will enable the crypto futures platform to offer its derivatives market to institutional investors. Timo Schlaefer, Chief Executive at Crypto...

In its most comprehensive report on cryptocurrencies to date, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) outlined that they have increased in popularity and ownership since 2018, with up to 2.6 million people on the island holding digital assets.The UK Watchdogs Advance On CryptoAccording to the report from the FCA published earlier this week, the UK population and local authorities have become much more knowledgeable on digital assets since the first paper in 2018. Two years ago, the watchdog...