Weekly Blockchain Focus

  • Zelenskyy Signs Virtual Assets Bill Into Law, Legalizing Crypto in Ukraine
  • Japan Sets Penalties on Crypto Exchanges in Case of Violations of Sanctions on Russia
  • SEC Rejects Spot Bitcoin ETF Proposals From NYDIG, Global X
  • Bipartisan Praise for Biden’s Executive Order on Crypto
  • Crypto Apps break 100M Downloads in Fourth Quarter
  • EU Parliament Committee Votes Against Proof-of-Work Ban and Supports Alternative Amendment on Crypto Assets

Further Reading

  • Andreessen Horowitz Hires Michele Korver, Former FinCEN Chief Currency Advisor
  • CNBC: Senate Banking Committee holds hearing on crypto and illicit finance
  • The Block: ConsenSys raises $450 million Series D at $7 billion valuation
  • The Washington Post: Sarah Bloom Raskin withdraws nomination for Fed vice chair for supervision


Continue Reading Blockchain Week in Review: Week of March 28, 2022

Weekly Blockchain Focus

  • Senate Holds Hearing on Stablecoins
  • Senate Confirms New Commodities Futures Trading Commission Chair
  • U.S. National Credit Union Administration Clarifies Ability of Federally Insured Credit Unions to Partner With Third-Party Digital Asset Service Providers
  • IRS Revises Language on Form 1040
  • Ninety Percent of Bitcoin’s Total Supply Mined
  • Chinese Court Declares Mining Contract Void


Continue Reading Blockchain Legal Report: Week of December 17, 2021

Weekly Blockchain Focus

  • European Central Bank announces the investigation phase of a digital Euro project.
  • SEC charges Coinschedule.com with unlawfully touting digital asset securities.
  • Federal court order permanently bans PaxForex and imposes a $300,000 penalty for offering illegal leveraged transactions in Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin, and precious metals.
  • Shapeshift announces “largest airdrop in history” as it attempts to become a fully decentralized exchange.
  • Saquon Barkley announces plan to accept all endorsement money in Bitcoin.
  • Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen take a stake in cryptocurrency exchange FTX.


Continue Reading Blockchain Week in Review: Week of July 12, 2021

Weekly Blockchain Focus

  • Crypto Rating Council releases its securities law framework
  • Diem Association announces plans to shift operations to the United States
  • Tether releases a breakdown of reserve assets
  • Bank of England deputy governor calls a CBDC probable in public remarks
  • Chainalysis report states that ransomware attacks are becoming more profitable
  • Ethiopia to begin using Cardano-based blockchain IDs in its schools


Continue Reading Blockchain Week in Review: Week of May 14, 2021

Weekly Focus:

  • Bipartisan crypto bill passes House of Representatives
  • Fed leaves interest rates unchanged, while Chairman Powell says equity markets are a “bit frothy”
  • Paxos becomes third federally regulated crypto bank (& raises $300 million)
  • Wyoming DAO law to go into effect in July
  • DOJ announces arrest of Bitcoin Fog founder who allegedly laundered $335M in crypto
  • Turkey bans cryptocurrency payments, sets up central custodian
  • South Korea set to tax crypto trading gains


Continue Reading Blockchain Week in Review: Week of April 30, 2021

Weekly Focus:

  • The nominee for chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gary Gensler, testifies before the Senate Banking Committee.
  • The NY attorney general issues industry alerts citing risks in cryptocurrency investments and emphasizing registration requirement for industry members.
  • IRS clarifies and limits virtual currency disclosure question on Form 1040.
  • Kentucky legislature advances crypto mining incentives bills.
  • Kings of Leon to release its next album as an NFT.


Continue Reading Blockchain Week in Review: Week of March 5, 2021

Weekly Focus:

  • CFTC Releases Digital Asset Primer
  • Coinbase Submits Form S-1 to the Securities and Exchange Commission
  • CME Announces Ethereum Futures Product Launch in February 2021
  • Paxos Conducts $142 Million Series C Raise
  • FinCEN Issues Notice of Proposed Rulemaking with New Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements for Digital Asset Transactions
  • Figure Applies for OCC Charter
  • Compound Releases Whitepaper Describing Product to Add Interoperability Between Chains
  • Germany Legalizes Electronic Securities on the Blockchain


Continue Reading Blockchain Week in Review: Week of December 18, 2020

Weekly Focus:

  • Jay Clayton to step down as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission
  • Brian Brooks nominated to five-year term as Comptroller of Currency
  • Origin Protocol attacked, resulting in estimated loss of $7 million
  • SEC issues no-action letter for IMVU
  • Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group plans launch of blockchain payments network in 2021
  • Texas State Securities Board files emergency cease-and-desist orders against ten digital asset investment platforms


Continue Reading Blockchain Week in Review: Week of November 20, 2020

Weekly Focus:

  • Kik & SEC Agree to $5M Judgment
  • CFTC Releases Advisory on Futures Commission Merchants
  • New York “Techsprint” Focuses on Virtual Currency Companies
  • Powell Considers U.S. Digital Dollar at IMF Virtual Panel
  • Ripple Considers Leaving U.S. over Lack of Regulatory Clarity
  • New Jersey “Digital Asset and Blockchain Technology Act” Moves Forward in State Legislature
  • IMF Issues New Report on CBDCs and GSCs
  • The Bahamas Rolls Out First CBDC, the “Sand Dollar”
  • Bank of Spain Releases CBDC Research Plan


Continue Reading Blockchain Week in Review: Week of October 23, 2020