Government

Is William Hinman a former ‘high-ranking’ SEC official exempt from disclosing his prior communications on XRP, or must he provide testimony to Ripple?

The Financial Action Task Force — the global anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing standards-setter — this week released its second 12-month review on virtual assets and virtual asset service providers, and called on countries to implement the revised FATF standards, including travel rule requirements “as soon as possible.” “The global nature of the underpinning technology […]

The Monetary Authority of Singapore is inviting proposals for retail central bank digital currency innovations to improve payment services.

Why are so few adopting FATF guidance for VASPs? Money laundering watchdog decries ‘continued misuse of virtual assets through jurisdictional arbitrage.’

SEC does not want its former head of Corporation Finance to testify or answer question about XRP. Who is William Hinman — and what might he tell Ripple?

QR Capital’s Bitcoin exchange-traded fund — the first Bitcoin ETF in Latin America — has been listed on Brazil’s stock exchange.

South Korea’s presidential office has reacted defensively to a petition calling for the chief of the country’s main finance sector regulator to step down over comments he made about cryptocurrencies.

A judge has granted Ripple’s request to force the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to reveal its non-public policies regarding whether agency employees may buy and sell XRP and other cryptocurrencies, according to a screenshot of a new legal filing shared by the lawyer representing XRP holders. Fast facts: Earlier this month, Ripple sought the […]

The U.S. SEC has settled charges against Loci and its CEO, John Wise, for allegedly making false statements in connection with a sale of digital asset securities.

Two nominees to the U.S. Treasury Department have promised, if they are confirmed in their posts, to implement new regulations relating to cryptocurrency.

Dashing hopes of greater regulatory clarity for the cryptocurrency industry, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s recently released annual regulatory agenda does not mention Bitcoin or cryptocurrency regulations.

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission today revealed plans to ban cryptocurrency exchanges in the country from listing their own coins.

Bitcoin sheds 4% but BTC’s share of the total crypto market grows after US Fed projects higher inflation and plans interest hikes earlier than expected.

In a recent conference, central bankers from Cambodia and Singapore discuss how digital currencies are transforming existing payment systems for the better.

The ASEAN Financial Innovation Network (AFIN) is partnering with enterprise software firm R3 on a central bank digital currency (CBDC) sandbox.

A judge has denied the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s request for documents related to Ripple’s XRP transactions and lobbying efforts that took place after the SEC filed its lawsuit last December, according to a new legal filing. Fast facts: “As discussed in the Court’s earlier Opinion and Order denying access to Ripple’s privileged communications, […]

A judge overseeing discovery in the U.S. Securities and Exchanges Commission’s lawsuit against Ripple Labs has granted the SEC’s request to extend deadlines by 60 days as well as a request by co-defendants Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and executive chairman Chris Larsen to obtain information from 16 cryptocurrency exchanges outside the United States. Fast facts: […]

Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, says technologies such as blockchain will help Asian nations to reduce carbon emissions.

In a new court filing, Ripple describes the damage the SEC lawsuit has already done to XRP and the payment company’s now-frozen US business.

El Salvador is proposing a bill to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in the Central American nation. In a videotaped announcement shown at the Bitcoin 2021 Conference in Miami, President Nayib Bukele said he would submit the bill this week.

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission has announced plans to ban executive employees and exchange operators from trading on their own platforms, prompting a chorus of complaints. Fast Facts: The FSC’s Financial Intelligence Unit recently met with officials from cryptocurrency exchanges to explain upcoming amendments to the Act on Reporting and Use of Certain Financial Transaction Information, […]

To defend themselves against SEC lawsuit, Ripple’s CEO and chairman ask court for help getting XRP info from a who’s who list of offshore crypto exchanges.

From digital bonds to real estate, blockchain-enabled security token offerings and tokenization are redefining corporate fundraising and investing.

Other top blockchain and crypto news: Thailand’s SEC tries to rein in DeFi via regulation. Will China’s future DCEP digital yuan offer smart contracts?

Privacy-centric coins like Monero, ZCash and Dash are seeing big price rises as the IRS and ATO issue warnings on taxable crypto transactions.

SEC says Ripple had plenty of ‘notice’ that XRP transactions could be violating the law via its many enforcement actions against other crypto companies.

The power of tokenization can fundamentally transform the fabric of the financial system, Singapore’s DBS Bank CEO Piyush Gupta told the Consensus by CoinDesk 2021 conference taking place this week.

Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse says Ripple was hit hard financially after SEC filed its lawsuit, but the company is now expanding uses for XRP’s technology.

Other top blockchain and crypto news: Australia signals progressive approach to crypto as Hong Kong moves closer to banning retail crypto trading.

Hong Kong reacts to the region’s pending legislation on limiting crypto investment to professional investors while a conglomerate enters South Korea’s crypto custody scene.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is calling for business to report cryptocurrency transactions worth more than US$10,000 to the Internal Revenue Service.

U.S. SEC chair Gary Gensler says as technology and markets evolve, regulators should be ready to bring cases involving crypto.

In a win for the SEC, a judge knocks back Ripple’s request to stop the SEC from asking foreign regulators for info on Ripple and XRP transactions overseas.

Former CFTC chairman Chris Giancarlo and Accenture’s David Treat are not in a CBDC race, but a ‘contest’ to develop money that reflects societal values.

In a paper released today by a Senate committee, the Australian government announced it is seeking help in establishing a crypto regulatory framework.

XRP’s price has slumped almost 7% in the past 24 hours after a so-called whale transferred US$93 million of the cryptocurrency to an unknown wallet on May 18, according to blockchain analytics platform WhaleAlert.

As Singapore builds Project Dunbar, a cross-border multiple-CBDC platform, its government dives into DeFi learning and ponders a CBDC for the masses.

In a new court filing, SEC tries to keep out 6 representatives of 17,100 XRP holders from joining as 3rd party defendants in the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple.

American consumers have lost an estimated US$80 million in cryptocurrency investments since October 2020, according to new data from the Federal Trade Commission, which calculated that digital currency scams had jumped tenfold year on year.

Ripple rebuts SEC’s attempt to obtain Ripple’s confidential communications with lawyers over XRP’s legal status and seeks to bolster ‘fair notice’ defense.

Yet another U.S. regulatory probe of leading crypto exchange Binance is underway, but CEO Changpeng Zhao isn’t impressed with news headlines.

Global US dollar reserves touched a 25-year low in Q4 2020, according to a new IMF report. Will a digital euro and e-RMB muscle in?

FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried joins Forkast.News to share how the exchange is able to provide new financial products while still satisfying regulators.

As retail interest in crypto grows, countries around the world are grappling with consumer protection. Asia offers a window into the array of policy responses.

In the latest volley in SEC v. Ripple Labs, the SEC contends that Ripple has waived its attorney-client privilege over legal advice on XRP’s status.

XRP sales by Ripple accounted for 0.07% of global XRP volume. Ripple says its sales were to support on-demand liquidity customers.

Ripple scores another in legal wrangling over SEC lawsuit as SEC now must disclose its confidential internal communications over XRP, Bitcoin and Ethereum.

China’s DCEP digital currency, not yet officially launched, take another leap forward with unveiling of prototype ATMs that convert foreign money to e-CNY.

In new court filings, the SEC says allowing XRP holders’ to join SEC v. Ripple lawsuit as third-party defendant would cause delays and ‘sow chaos.’

Fast-growing DeFi — still a largely unregulated industry — gives FATF an earful over its proposed ‘travel rule’ and expanded anti-money laundering rules.

XRP is up 600% since the start of the year and its holding steady as Ripple released one billion XRP over the weekend.

The RegTech grant, although not directed towards cryptocurrency, could have a profound impact on the industry.

Turkish authorities arrested six individuals in connection with the Thodex exchange fraud case.

120 investors join DBS bank’s digital assets exchange in Q1 as Cardano looks to enable Sub-Saharan Africa with decentralized identities

Ripple asks court to stop SEC from using MOU requests to get info on XRP from overseas regulators and pushes for access to SEC’s internal communications.

US and Singapore have licensing laws that give investors more confidence in crypto firms. Stephen Richardson of Fireblocks urges Hong Kong to follow suit.

Binance announces its upcoming launch of an NFT marketplace while South Korean regulator asks staff to disclose personal crypto investments.

SEC says info on Ripple and XRP transactions overseas is important to lawsuit. But of the nine foreign regulators the SEC asked, two refused to help.

Crypto investors in South Korea stir petitions to unseat the nation’s financial watchdog chief for his anti-crypto remarks.

In a new legal filing, the SEC asks court to dismiss Ripple’s ‘lack of due process and fair notice’ defense that the XRP token could be deemed a security.

Angered by cryptocurrency tax laws and a government official’s remarks on crypto investing, over 51,000 South Koreans are trying to push back via petitions.

Huobi’s institutional-grade crypto funds will invest in Bitcoin, Ether and crypto mining now that Hong Kong’s ‘very friendly’ regulators gave their thumbs up.

XRP investors and users ask to join SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple as third-party defendant. ‘Without our intervention, we are without a voice in the debate.’

Are digital assets securities or commodities? Outdated laws offer no clarity, but US is now poised to reform blockchain regulations and lead world by example.

Battlefield for SEC v. Ripple lawsuit goes global as defense lawyers seek to stop SEC from obtaining information on Ripple and XRP from foreign regulators.

Bitcoin’s soaring prices are attracting traditional investors who want in, but with an entourage rather than solo. When will the velvet ropes lift in US and Asia?

Despite its legal troubles in the US, Ripple expands XRP’s uses in Southeast Asia’s lucrative and fast-growing international money transfer market.

The former MIT blockchain professor and CFTC chair now sits atop a key regulator over crypto. How might his leadership affect SEC v. Ripple, or Bitcoin ETFs?

Other top blockchain and crypto news: HSBC bans MicroStrategy over Bitcoin affair. Tokenized TSLA and Coinbase COIN now on several crypto exchanges.

Tailwind of legal wins propel XRP’s market cap past US$70 billion as Ripple CEO and chairman ask court to drop SEC’s charges against them.

XRP joins Wanchain’s DeFi ventures while Thai mobile bank explores the financial experiment. In Hong Kong, local police bust crypto scammers.

Court ruling favoring Ripple executives and slapping down SEC catapults XRP — now the world’s 4th most popular crypto — to its highest prices in 3 years.