Government news
Top 7 Wall Street movies you must watch
Wall Street movies offer insightful perspectives into the worlds of business, finance and power. They also emphasize how vital creativity, risk-taking and tenacity are to success. Viewers can learn more about the financial sector and its effects on society by watching these films. They can also serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration for people wishing to pursue a profession in business or finance. Here are the top seven Wall Street movies that individuals keen on learning about the financial sector must watch. “The Wolf of Wall Street” The Wolf of Wall Street is a 2013 biographical black comedy …
Adoption / March 3, 2023
US lagging on CBDCs could spell ‘trouble’ — Crypto Council policy head
A cryptocurrency researcher and former CIA analyst believes the United States government’s relatively slow start on Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) development may result in it losing grip on controlling the global financial system. Yaya Fanusie, the policy head at the crypto advocacy group the Crypto Council for Innovation explained in a Feb. 28 Bloomberg interview that sanctioned states are looking to transact on financial infrastructure that isn’t controlled or heavily influenced by the U.S. in order to move funds more freely cross-borders. If the U.S. continues to sit on the “sidelines” and lag behind on CBDC adoption, Fanusie believes …
Adoption / March 1, 2023
Coinbase launches grassroots campaign for pro-crypto policy in the U.S.
Coinbase has launched a grassroots political campaign to promote pro-crypto policies, according to a Feb. 28 Twitter thread from the company. The company said that the #Crypto435 campaign is intended to “grow the crypto advocacy community and share tools and resources,” so that crypto users can make their voices heard in all 435 congressional districts. 1/ It’s time to advance pro-crypto policy in all 435 Congressional Districts across the U.S. Introducing #Crypto435, our campaign to grow the crypto advocacy community and share tools and resources to make your voice heard. Become an advocate today https://t.co/TPJhtoP9eC — Coinbase (@coinbase) February 28, …
Regulation / Feb. 28, 2023
Is the SEC’s action against BUSD more about Binance than stablecoins?
Binance branded stablecoin, Binance USD (BUSD), is a dollar-backed stablecoin issued by blockchain infrastructure platform Paxos Trust Company, and is the third largest stablecoin after Tether’s (USDT) and Circle’s USD Coin (USDC). Paxos has claimed in the past that BUSD is fully backed by reserves held in either fiat cash or United States Treasury bills. BUSD was reportedly authorized and regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS). Paxos partnered with crypto exchange Binance in 2019 and launched the stablecoin, which received approval from the NYDFS. Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao has stated that the exchange licensed the …
Regulation / Feb. 27, 2023
FSB, IMF and BIS papers to set global crypto framework, says G20
The Financial Stability Board (FSB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) will deliver papers and recommendations establishing standards for a global crypto regulatory framework, announced on Feb. 25 the group of the 20 biggest economies of the world, collectively known as G20. According to a document summarizing the outcomes of the meeting with finance ministers and central bank governors, the FSB will release by July 2023 recommendations on the regulation, supervision and oversight of global stablecoins, crypto assets activities and markets. The next guidance is expected for September 2023, when the FSB and the …
Adoption / Feb. 26, 2023
The limitations of the EU’s new cryptocurrency regulations
The final vote on the European Union’s much-awaited set of crypto rules, known as the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulation, was recently deferred to April 2023. It was not the first delay — previously the European lawmakers rescheduled the procedure from November 2022 to February 2023. The setback, however, was caused solely by technical difficulties, and thus, MiCA is still on its way to becoming the first comprehensive pan-European crypto framework. But that will happen only in 2024, whereas during the second half of last year, when the MiCA text had already been mostly written, the industry was shaken …
Adoption / Feb. 25, 2023
Change lies ahead for haphazard crypto regulation
The World Wide Web, as its name implies, is borderless, and so is crypto. The internet and cryptocurrency’s common ethos is wide-open communication and exchange, unimpeded by national boundaries. On the ground, however, as crypto has become a more significant player in the financial system, nations have begun to consider issues of sovereignty and regulation. While many countries have so far remained open to crypto, others have restricted its use or outright banned it. The same reason that some have advocated for crypto and blockchain technology — as a means of revolutionizing the international financial system — has alarmed plenty …
Regulation / Feb. 24, 2023
Bitcoin retirement plans elicit caution from regulators
Even as the crypto market continues to forge an impressive recovery from the 2022 bear market, the industry continues to attract the wrath of regulators worldwide, especially in the United States. Three U.S. financial watchdogs recently issued stern warnings to individuals looking to invest in retirement funds offering exposure to digital assets. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, the North American Securities Administrators Association and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) warned investors that individual retirement accounts (IRAs) that include cryptocurrencies could potentially be classified as “securities,” unless they are registered with the …
Adoption / Feb. 24, 2023
Gate.io to enter Hong Kong following city’s $6.4M budget allocation to Web3
Cryptocurrency exchange Gate.io is gearing up to launch a presence in Hong Kong following the local government's planned $6.4 million (50 million Hong Kong dollar) cash injection into Web3 as per the city’s 2023-24 budget. Gate Group said on Feb. 22 that it will apply for a crypto license in Hong Kong allowing it to launch “Gate HK.” The firm's local company, Hippo Financial Services, gained a license in August 2022 to provide virtual asset custodial services. It comes as Hong Kong financial secretary, Paul Chan, announced the Web3-related funding and the creation of a crypto task force in a …
Business / Feb. 23, 2023
Gary Gensler’s SEC is playing a game, but not the one you think
On Feb. 13, a federal judge put the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission cases against former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried on hold. You’ll be forgiven if you missed this story — headlines and social media were dominated by the breaking news that the SEC was suing crypto firm Paxos for minting Binance’s stablecoin, Binance USD (BUSD). But we’re not here to debate whether stablecoins are securities. The Howey test has been discussed to death, and while it’s true that few people expect to profit from a token pegged to a fiat currency, the issue is …
Regulation / Feb. 22, 2023
Enterprise blockchain is transforming business operations and reducing costs: Web3 exec
Blockchain technology is often a valuable tool in solving various business challenges due to its ability to create secure, trusted, and transparent data sources and has gained traction across industries as businesses seek efficiency and cost reductions. Daniela Barbosa, the Executive Director at the open-source blockchain development firm the Hyperledger Foundation, spoke to Cointelegraph about how blockchain for enterprise is transforming global markets and industries. Barbosa noted blockchain technology has already demonstrated its value in various enterprise use cases, such as provenance tracking, logistics, and cross-border payments. By providing efficiency and cost-saving solutions while saving time and labor, enterprise blockchain …
Technology / Feb. 22, 2023
FTC announces investigation into Voyager's 'deceptive and unfair marketing' of crypto
The United States Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, said it had started an investigation of crypto lending firm Voyager Digital parallel to the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. In a Feb. 22 filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, the FTC said it was investigating Voyager and its employees “for their deceptive and unfair marketing of cryptocurrency to the public”. The announcement followed Bankruptcy Judge Michael Wiles initially approving of a plan in which Voyager debtors would sell the firm’s assets to Binance.US for more than $1 billion. According to the FTC filing — an objection to …
Regulation / Feb. 22, 2023