On May 3, 2023, a jury found Nathaniel Chastain, a former manager of OpenSea (a major NFT marketplace), guilty of wire fraud and money laundering in connection with his attempts to conceal his use of confidential business information for his own personal gain. The verdict stems from an indictment brought last year by the U.S. … Continue Reading
In this issue: • Product Integrations and Data Indicate Increased Interest in DeFi• Fintech Firms and BIS Pursue CBDC Initiatives• Blockchain Applications Announced for DAO Voting, Oracles and Data Security• SEC Brings Crypto Fraud Charges, IRS Trains Ukraine on Crypto Investigations• FATF Chief Urges End to ‘Lawless Crypto Space’ Product Integrations and Data Indicate Increased … Continue Reading
In this issue: • ETH Staking Data Published, USDC Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol Launches• IRS Modifies 2014 Virtual Currency Guidance• OFAC Adds 20 Cryptocurrency Public Keys to SDN List• DOJ Actions Target Crypto Market Manipulation and Money Laundering ETH Staking Data Published, USDC Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol Launches By Joanna F. Wasick New data reflects that the … Continue Reading
In this issue: • European Bank Launches Stablecoin; Financial Firms Expand Crypto Products• Ethereum ‘Unstaking’ Data Published; New DeFi Products Launch• SEC Charges U.S. Crypto Exchange with Multiple Securities Law Violations• States Bring Crypto Enforcement Actions, Assess Supervisory Costs• OFAC Adds New Bitcoin Public Key to SDN List• DeFi Protocol Hacked for $7.4M; Wallet Attack … Continue Reading
Background and Scope The Assessment was drafted by Treasury’s Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes (“TFFC”), in consultation with multiple U.S. agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and State; the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”); Office of the Comptroller of the Currency; and the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The TFFC also … Continue Reading
In this issue: • Montenegro Announces CBDC Pilot, BIS Compares CBDCs to Stablecoins• Ethereum Network Completes ‘Shanghai’ Upgrade• U.S. Treasury Publishes DeFi Risk Assessment; Banque De France Analyzes DeFi• Study Analyzes 2022 Crypto Tax Compliance Across Various Countries• EU Report Analyzes Cryptocurrency Use on Darknet Markets• Hackers Drain Millions from Crypto Exchanges and DeFi Protocol … Continue Reading
In this issue:• Crypto Exchange Ends U.S. Operations, Swiss Bank to Expand Crypto Offerings• National Futures Association Rule Addresses Digital Asset Commodity Activities• DOJ, Courts and State Securities Regulators Cripple Cryptocurrency Frauds• Cryptocurrency Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Report Published Crypto Exchange Ends U.S. Operations, Swiss Bank to Expand Crypto Offerings By Joanna F. Wasick Late … Continue Reading
In this issue: • Staking Market Launches, ‘Defi Cover’ Data Published, DAO Buys Golf Course• IRS Issues Guidance on Non-Fungible Tokens• Economic Report of the President Criticizes Digital Assets• SEC Charges Crypto Entrepreneur and Celebrities; DOJ Targets Crypto Fraudster• U.S. Crypto Exchange Receives SEC Wells Notice, Publishes Staking Analysis• Moscow Money Mules and Hackers: Digital … Continue Reading
In this issue:• NFT Integration Software Released; NFTs Used to Serve Complaint in Civil Action• US Treasury Official Signals Forthcoming DeFi Illicit Finance Risk Assessment• SEC Chairman Comments on Crypto Activities, NYAG Sues Crypto Exchange• US and International Law Enforcement ‘Takedown’ Crypto Mixing Service• Hackers Use ‘Flash Loan Attack’ to Steal $199 Million from DeFi … Continue Reading
In this issue: • Reserve Bank of Australia and BIS Commence Efforts to Advance CBDCs• Acting Comptroller of the Currency and PCAOB Address Crypto Risks• Binance and Binance.US Face Inquiry from U.S. Senators• SEC and DOJ Continue Enforcement Actions Targeting Crypto Fraud Schemes• Bitcoin ATM Operators Arrested, Charged with Criminal Violations Reserve Bank of Australia … Continue Reading
Dapper Labs was founded in 2018 shortly after the debut of its first NFT collection, “CryptoKitties,” which was so successful it created a bottleneck of transactions on the decentralized Ethereum Network. Seeking faster transaction throughput, Dapper Labs later launched its own decentralized “Flow Blockchain” and native FLOW token. In 2019, Dapper Labs launched the NBA … Continue Reading
Mango Markets is a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange that allows users to purchase and borrow cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency-related financial products. Mango Markets is run by the Mango Decentralized Autonomous Organization (Mango DAO), which has its own crypto token named MNGO. Holders of MNGO tokens can vote on changes to Mango Markets and other issues related to … Continue Reading
In this issue:• Proof of Stake Alliance Publishes Analysis, Advocates for Industry Standards• BIS Analyzes Crypto Market Data, Digital Asset PoC and Consultation Announced• U.S. District Court Denies Motion to Dismiss Claims that NFTs Are Securities• SEC and CFTC Actions Pursue Crypto Misrepresentation and Fraud Actions• DOJ and New York State Actions Target Crypto Fraud … Continue Reading
In this issue: • DeFi Protocols Announce Updates, US Bank Introduces Deposit Token Concept• Financial Stability Board Addresses DeFi Risks in New Report• French Museum to Host NFT Exhibit, New Report Provides 2022 NFT Market Data• SEC Proposes to Expand Scope of Custody Rule to Cover All Crypto Assets• DFS Orders End to BUSD; US, … Continue Reading
In this issue: Reports Address Crypto Ownership, Stablecoins and Dapp Adoption By Amos Kim Recent reports provide new data on various areas of the digital asset market. In one report, a survey published by a cryptocurrency trading platform found “a significant rise in crypto ownership among young women.” Among other things, the survey found that … Continue Reading
On January 4, 2023, the New York State Department of Financial Services (“DFS”) announced that Coinbase, Inc., a major U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, will pay a $50 million penalty and invest an additional $50 million in its compliance function over the next two years to remediate significant violations of the New York Banking Law and the … Continue Reading
In this issue:• Paper Explores Benefits of DeFi for FX; Australian Bank Launches Stablecoin• World Economic Forum Publishes DAO Toolkit; ETH Staking Continues to Grow• New BIS Bulletin and Thailand SEC Regulations Address Digital Asset Risks• SEC Charges U.S. Crypto Lender and Exchange with Securities Law Violations• FinCEN and DOJ Bring Parallel Actions Against Foreign-Based … Continue Reading
In this issue:• New Data Published on 2022 Crypto Exchange Trading Volume, NFT Royalties• Blockchain Development Firm Integrates Avalanche with Major Cloud Provider• Governments of El Salvador and Nigeria Take Steps Toward Crypto Adoption• DOJ Enforcement: NFT Rug Pull, Insider Trading, Crypto Fraud and Theft• CFTC Action Alleges Digital Asset Market Manipulation on DeFi Exchange• … Continue Reading
In this issue:• Crypto Apps Launch New Features, Custody Firm Achieves CCSS Certificate• NFTs Permitted for Political Fund Raising; Analysis Details NFT Wash Trading• US and International Regulators Address Crypto Risk Factors for Banks• Treasury Dept. and IRS Issue Transitional Digital Assets Guidance for Brokers• DOJ and SEC Actions Target Crypto Fraud and Unregistered Securities … Continue Reading
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Division of Corporation Finance (CorpFin) recently issued guidance (Guidance), including a “Dear Issuer” Sample Letter (Sample Letter) to assist companies in meeting their statutory disclosure obligations in light of the recent crypto downturn. Read the full Alert.… Continue Reading
In this issue: Payments Firms Launch Crypto Products, New DeFi Price Indices Announced By Shade Quailey A U.S. fintech company recently announced the launch of a fiat-to-crypto on-ramp, which facilitates fiat-to-crypto payments using “a customizable widget that developers can embed directly into their DEX, NFT platform, wallet, or dApp.” According to a blog post, the … Continue Reading
In this issue: • New Research and Surveys Address CBDCs, Institutional Crypto Investment• NFTs: Government Agencies Seek Comments on NFT IP; New Marketplaces Open• Crypto DEX and Wallet Providers Reveal User Data Collection Practices• SEC Commissioner Addresses Digital Assets and Investor Protection Concerns• SEC Institutes Proceedings Against DAO; FINRA Examines Crypto Advertising• New York State … Continue Reading
In 2016, crypto startup LBRY launched the LBRY network and the LBRY protocol, described by LBRY as a decentralized content sharing and publishing protocol that supports the creation of community-run digital marketplaces. The same year, LBRY offered and sold native LBC tokens to the public for the purported purpose of allowing LBRY users to compensate … Continue Reading