April 2022
SFC allows HK’s MaiCapital to manage 100% digital-assets portfolio
The development allows the city to emerge as a top destination for asset managers looking to launch cryptocurrency-themed funds for professional investors. See related article: More traditional investors are eyeing cryptocurrency to diversify their portfolios Fast facts The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC)-licensed blockchain and virtual assets manager can manage portfolios that may comprise up […]
SEC comes around on Bitcoin ETFs
Oversight by the American commodities regulator of the Bitcoin futures ETF by Teucrium helped with the SEC approval.
March 2022
Europe’s first metaverse ETF lists on London Stock Exchange
Europe’s first metaverse-themed exchange-traded fund (ETF), the ETC Group Global Metaverse UCITS ETF (METR), listed on the London Stock Exchange Thursday, available for sale across Europe. See related article: Hong Kong gears up for its first metaverse ETF Fast facts The ETF will track the Solactive ETC Group Global Metaverse Index, which currently offers exposure […]
Bullish delays $9B SPAC merger, awaits SEC approval
Bullish has postponed its backdoor listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) through a planned special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) deal with Far Peak Acquisition Corp., as the merger still waits for approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. See related article: Crypto exchange Bullish announces soft launch Fast facts Bullish, operator of […]
February 2022
Binance US under probe for ties with trading affiliates: report
The U.S. securities watchdog has launched a probe into crypto exchange Binance’s relationship with two trading firms with ties to founder Changpeng Zhao, the Wall Street Journal reported. Fast facts The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is examining whether Binance’s U.S. arm properly discloses to users its links to two trading firms — Sigma Chain […]
Peirce dissents from SEC’s US$100M BlockFi settlement
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, dubbed Crypto Mom, dissented in Monday’s US$100M BlockFi settlement, saying the punishment does not fit the crime.
January 2022
SEC scrutinizing crypto lending by Celsius, Gemini, Voyager: reports
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is scrutinizing the cryptocurrency companies Celsius Network, Gemini Trust and Voyager Digital about their practice of paying interest on crypto token deposits, Bloomberg.com reported on Thursday. Fast facts The SEC has begun an enforcement review focused on whether these tokens are unregistered securities, the report states, citing unnamed sources […]
Amid SEC lawsuit, Ripple buys back stock and raises value to US$15B
San Francisco-based Ripple Labs announced Tuesday that on the heels of a strong year it bought back the shares it sold in a 2019 fundraise and is now valued at US$15 billion. Fast facts The blockchain payments platform developer is in the middle of a 13-months-long lawsuit filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission […]
SEC wins time to resist crucial document handover to Ripple in XRP lawsuit
A federal judge on Monday has given the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) until Feb. 17 to fight her earlier order to turn over to the defendant Ripple Labs certain sensitive government documents in the agency’s lawsuit alleging the XRP token is an unregistered security. Fast facts Ripple and XRP investors initially believed they […]
Ripple responds to SEC motion to strike its fair notice defense
Attorneys for Ripple Labs Inc. filed a response with a federal judge Monday asserting the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is misapplying a recent ruling in another case in an attempt to deprive Ripple of an affirmative defense in the ongoing lawsuit, SEC v. Ripple Labs Inc. Fast facts In Monday’s letter, Ripple argued the […]
December 2021
U.S. regulatory turf wars and a spot Bitcoin ETF are on their way in 2022
Perianne Boring of the Chamber of Digital Commerce sees agencies elbowing each other to oversee the crypto industry while investors start to pay big taxes.
Will 2022 be the year of crypto regulation?
Global shifts are underway in crypto regulations, writes Huong Hauduc of Bequant. How might the political and market forces play out next year?
Regulators and the problem of unstable stablecoins
Federal regulators have turned their sights on stablecoins. But is the attempt to tame this digital currency too late?
INX exec says crypto CEOs should talk to the SEC
Chief business officer of the first SEC-registered digital security says crypto companies got caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
Here comes the crypto derivatives boom
Investment banks’ hunger for a new revenue stream is likely to drive up the popularity and registration of crypto derivatives products.
Fidelity launches spot Bitcoin ETF in Canada
One of the world’s largest asset managers sought SEC approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF in March and is still awaiting a response.
SEC denies WisdomTree’s spot Bitcoin ETF
The SEC’s second rejection of a spot Bitcoin ETF again cited concerns about fraud and manipulation.
SEC chair Gensler calls stablecoins ‘poker chips’ again
Conversation between current and former SEC chairs at annual digital asset compliance summit focused on regulating crypto.
November 2021
SEC new enforcement actions rose 7% to 434 in FY 2021
The securities markets regulator ordered $3.85B in fines, while new actions included ‘emerging threats’ in the crypto industry.
Bitcoin ETFs beckon as SEC spurns sweet spot
Top blockchain and crypto news: Spot ETFs stymied as SEC stands firm. Is Bitcoin’s Taproot upgrade worth the wait? China’s crypto mining goes underground.
Marathon Digital discloses SEC investigation and raises US$650M in debt
In an eventful Monday, Bitcoin mining company Marathon Digital’s stock price fell on news it is being investigated by the SEC even as it raised millions in debt.
SEC enlists court to compel Terraform Labs and its CEO to testify
The creator of the Mirror protocol and its CEO Do Kwon have little recourse but to comply with the SEC subpoena to produce documents and testify.
SEC halts token registration of America’s first legal DAO
The U.S. Securities and Exchange commission halted the token registration of American CryptoFED, the first legally recognized decentralized autonomous organization in the U.S. Fast facts Wyoming-based American CryptoFED became the first DAO in the U.S. to achieve legal status in July after Wyoming passed a law that recognized DAOs as limited liability companies. A DAO […]
Ripple to launch ‘game-changer’ liquidity hub amid XRP legal battles with SEC
Trying to move beyond XRP, Ripple hopes its customers will join RippleNet with a wallet that supports fiat and other cryptos like Bitcoin and Ether.
Why the crypto industry needs compromise and education
FTX founder and CEO Sam Bankman-Fried says building products that people want is what matters most, and the crypto industry and regulators will need to find compromises to resolve some of the industry’s pressing issues.
BlockFi files for Bitcoin spot ETF with SEC amid regulatory heat
New Jersey-based crypto banking services provider BlockFi and investment management firm Neuberger Berman jointly filed for a Bitcoin spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday. Fast facts In September, the U.S. got its first Bitcoin-linked ETF with the launch of ProShares Bitcoin Strategy Fund. But ProShares’ ETF was backed […]
Biden administration report on stablecoins calls for laws to mitigate risks
The highly awaited report outlines recommendations for stablecoin regulation and asks regulatory bodies to combat risks until Congress introduces new laws.
October 2021
CFTC wants to be the primary crypto regulator
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is ready to be the “primary cop on the beat” for digital assets, CFTC acting chair Rostin Behnam said at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Fast facts As of Tuesday, “the total size of the digital asset market was US$2.7 trillion and among that $2.7 trillion, nearly 60% were commodities. […]
SEC set to receive formal authority to regulate stablecoins
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chair Gary Gensler has reiterated over time that most stablecoins are securities and should, therefore, fall under the purview of the securities watchdog. Now, Gensler is one step closer to achieving his aim of regulating stablecoins. Fast facts The U.S. Treasury Department and other agencies are putting together a report […]
Trick of the trade: Is SEC helping or reining in Bitcoin with ETF?
Top blockchain and cryptocurrency news: Bitcoin grows up. Facebook’s metaverse journey. China’s crypto investors find a workaround.
What the coming Bitcoin-futures ETF bonanza means for investors
The first US Bitcoin futures EFT is set to begin trading today. Will this exchange-traded fund bring Bitcoin closer to the masses?
BTC price nears all-time-high as futures ETFs near approval
The U.S. could see a long-awaited Bitcoin futures ETF trading on the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq in the next few days. Forkast.News spoke with market watchers to find out what it means for the industry.
SEC calls Ripple’s 30,000 legal requests in XRP lawsuit ‘abusive’ and ‘crushing’
But Ripple says its 5,000 pages of requests for admission to SEC are reasonable and could cut down on trial time.
SEC approves next best thing to a Bitcoin ETF in the U.S.
Editor’s Note On October 8, 2021, a Forkast.News article was published with the inaccurate SEO headline “Bitcoin Futures ETF Approved By SEC.” One of our readers rightfully identified this mistake. We have made the correction, and we apologize. Serving the community is our top priority, and Forkast.News would like to thank @scottmelker for bringing it […]
Judge makes XRP holders ‘friends of court’ in SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple
A US court has denied XRP holders’ bid to join the SEC v. Ripple lawsuit as third-party defendants, but XRP advocates say being ‘amici curiae’ is still a win.
SEC chair Gensler: No plans to ban crypto, says it’s ‘up to Congress’
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has no plans to ban cryptocurrencies, chair Gary Gensler said during a congressional hearing on Tuesday. He added that any decision to ban crypto is “up to Congress.” Fast facts Gensler responded to Rep. Ted Budd’s question about whether the U.S. plans to ban crypto along the lines of […]
September 2021
Bhutan to adopt Ripple’s XRP technology for CBDC pilot
Ripple’s win in Bhutan comes as it suffers a setback in a US court as judge rebuffs Ripple’s request for SEC’s internal trading decisions over XRP.
U.S. Treasury prepares to recommend stricter regulation on stablecoins
The U.S. Treasury is preparing a raft of recommendations for stricter oversight of Tether and other stablecoins, as unnamed insiders say the department has identified the greatest risks posed by the tokens, according to a recent Bloomberg report. Fast facts Making sure investors are able to transfer money in and out of tokens is a […]
SEC chair says most cryptocurrencies including stablecoins are securities
In his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee, Gary Gensler, chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, said that Coinbase lists “dozens of tokens that may be securities.” Fast facts In response to Senator Pat Toomey’s questions about whether cryptocurrencies classify as securities, Gensler said “very many” of the cryptocurrencies, including stablecoins, are in […]
SEC chair reiterates call for crypto platforms to ‘come in and talk to us’
Ahead of the U.S. Banking Committee’s hearing on the “Oversight of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission” today, SEC Chairman Gary Gensler reiterated his call for crypto platforms and projects that have securities to register with the agency. Fast facts In prepared remarks, Gensler emphasized the concerns he sees over the lack of investor protection […]
Mark Cuban to Coinbase: ‘Go on the offensive’ against SEC over high-yield product
Billionaire investor Mark Cuban says Coinbase should “go on the offensive” against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in its feud over high-yield savings account Lend. Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple — which is itself embroiled in ongoing litigation with the SEC — quipped “Welcome to the party” in a GIF tweet. Fast facts In […]
SEC pushes back on Ripple’s legal questions over XRP
Ripple wants to know how SEC regards Bitcoin, Ether and XRP, but SEC says Ripple is repeating the same questions as ‘they do not like the answers they received.’
SEC threatens to sue Coinbase over high-yield savings account
Crypto platform CEO claims regulators use ‘intimidation tactics behind closed doors’ by refusing to provide clarity.
SEC launches probe into Uniswap Labs
In another sign of increasing regulatory pressure on the crypto industry, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating Uniswap Labs, the developer behind the decentralized exchange of the same name, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. Fast facts Citing people familiar with the matter, the report said the SEC is seeking information on […]
SEC wins access to Ripple’s Slack message for XRP lawsuit
Overruling Ripple’s objections over cost, a judge gives the SEC a green light to review more XRP-related Slack communications.
SEC charges BitConnect founder with $2B ‘textbook Ponzi scheme’
The founder of the now-defunct crypto exchange BitConnect is being sued for a US$2 billion “textbook Ponzi scheme” by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, according to a Reuters report. Fast facts The SEC alleges BitConnect’s founder Satish Kumbhani, an Indian citizen, lied about the exchange’s ability to earn 40% returns on investments of BitConnect’s […]
August 2021
SEC wants to watch videos of Ripple’s company meetings
The battle over discovery escalates between SEC and Ripple over what might have been said about the XRP at Ripple’s all-hands meetings since 2014. Will there be popcorn?
How regulators should consider the future of DeFi | Ep. 1
What is DeFi, why it’s poised to enable financial inclusion, and how the showdown between decentralized finance and regulators is taking shape.
Ripple: SEC ex-chief Hinman’s views on XRP are ‘dubious’
Ripple also challenges SEC’s use of ‘deliberative process privilege’ to prevent agency documents on Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP from disclosure.
Ripple decries SEC’s demand for employee Slack messages on XRP
Ripple claims the SEC’s request for 1 million more of the company’s internal messages is costly and unlikely to resolve disputes at the heart of the litigation.
SEC’s Gensler tells Warren: crypto investors not adequately protected
In a much-anticipated reply, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler has written to Sen. Elizabeth Warren saying “crypto investors are not adequately protected.” Fast facts “In my view, the legislative priority should center on crypto trading, lending, and [decentralized finance] platforms. Regulators would benefit from additional plenary authority to write rules for and […]
SEC seeks 1 million Slack messages from Ripple for XRP litigation
The US Securities and Exchange Commission wants to review ‘terabytes’ of Ripple’s Slack chats for evidence of XRP-related wrongdoing. How much is too much?
USDC issuer Circle to become full-reserve digital currency bank
Amid a period of increasing regulatory interest in stablecoins, Circle, the digital payment company that issues USDC, the world’s second-largest stablecoin , has announced plans to become a full-reserve national digital currency bank in the U.S. Fast facts In a company blog post, CEO and co-founder Jeremy Allaire said the company was prepared to operate […]
Crypto platform Poloniex agrees to $10M settlement with SEC
Cryptocurrency platform Poloniex has agreed to pay more than US$10 million to settle charges for operating an unregistered online digital asset exchange, according to an announcement by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Fast facts According to the SEC’s order, Poloniex violated securities laws from July 2017 to November 2019 as the company did […]
First SEC DeFi bust made in US$30M fraud case
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has taken its first regulatory action involving decentralized finance in a case involving the “unregistered sales of more than US$30 million in securities,” according to an agency press release. Fast facts Gregory Keough and Derek Acree were charged along with their Cayman Islands-based company, Blockchain Credit Partners, over allegedly […]
Ripple expands XRP into NFTs amid escalating legal battles
As court grants CEO request to obtain info from Binance to bolster defense in SEC lawsuit, Ripple seeks to expand use cases for XRP Ledger.
SEC chair labels crypto industry ‘Wild West,’ asks for more powers
The cryptocurrency trading industry has been labeled a “Wild West,” riddled with fraud and investor risk, by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler, according to a Reuters report. Fast facts Calling on Congress at the Aspen Security Forum to give the SEC more power to regulate the industry, Gensler said many of the […]
U.S. infrastructure bill could bring sweeping regulatory changes to crypto
A provision in an infrastructure bill being debated by the U.S. Senate has prompted concerns in the crypto industry as it boosts Internal Revenue Service reporting requirements for investors and brokers. Fast facts According to the New York Times, the provision is an effort to help fund a US$ 1 trillion bipartisan bill and could […]
July 2021
Robinhood readies IPO as risks cast shadow over future earnings potential
The fee-free trading platform’s initial public offering promises plenty of action for retail investors, but pitfalls may lie in wait amid trading volatility and wider adoption of business model.
SEC: Commissioners’ statement not relevant to Ripple’s XRP lawsuit defense
US Securities and Exchange Commission staffers say their appointed leaders’ views do not reflect the agency’s stance on Ripple and XRP.
Court grants Ripple bid to force ex-SEC director to testify in XRP case
Ripple scores major discovery win as judge rules ex-SEC official William Hinman must answer ‘central question’ on Ethereum in the globally-watched case about XRP.
Ripple seeks to force ex-SEC director to testify on XRP next week
Despite opposition from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Ripple is pushing ahead with plans to question former SEC director William Hinman, the former head of the regulator’s Division of Corporation Finance, telling the judge overseeing discovery in the SEC v. Ripple Labs lawsuit that Hinman’s deposition has been rescheduled to July 19, according to a […]
SEC says Ripple not entitled to testimony on XRP from ex-director
Is William Hinman a former ‘high-ranking’ SEC official exempt from disclosing his prior communications on XRP, or must he provide testimony to Ripple?
June 2021
SEC seeks to stop Ripple from calling ex-SEC director for XRP testimony
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?
Bitcoin ETFs start trading on Brazil, Dubai stock exchanges
QR Capital’s Bitcoin exchange-traded fund — the first Bitcoin ETF in Latin America — has been listed on Brazil’s stock exchange.
Court grants Ripple access to SEC’s internal trading policies on XRP
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 […]
U.S. SEC settles with Loci over unregistered securities offering
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.
U.S. securities watchdog’s regulatory agenda turns blind eye to crypto
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.
Court denies SEC request for info on Ripple’s recent XRP transactions
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, […]
Court gives Ripple execs go-ahead to obtain XRP info from 16 foreign exchanges
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: […]
Ripple: Delaying SEC lawsuit would pose ‘existential threat’ to XRP
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.
Ripple execs seek info to defend XRP trades from 16 foreign crypto exchanges
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.