Hong Kong’s financial regulators recently announced the conclusion of a consultation period regarding the licensing program initiative for fiat-referenced stablecoin (FRS) providers. This development marks a significant step towards creating a regulatory framework for stablecoin issuers in Hong Kong. Stakeholder Feedback During the consultation period, the Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Financial Services and Treasury
Regulation
The crypto industry has seen a massive surge in lobbying expenditures over the past seven years, according to a recent study by Social Capital Markets. The research indicates a staggering 1,386% rise in lobbying spend by crypto companies, skyrocketing from $2.72 million in 2017 to $40.42 million in 2023. This significant increase highlights a notable
The decision by Coinbase, Ripple, and Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) to send representatives to both the Republican National Convention (RNC) and the Democratic National Convention (DNC) highlights a strategic move by these companies to influence policy outcomes favorable to the crypto industry. By targeting GOP power brokers first, the firms are positioning themselves to advocate for
The recent proposal by South Korean lawmakers to delay the implementation of the crypto gain tax until 2028 has sparked debates and discussions within the crypto industry. The ruling political party put forward the bill on July 12, citing the negative sentiments surrounding virtual assets as the primary reason for the extension. They expressed concerns
After more than three years, the SEC has closed its investigation into Hiro Systems and the Stacks blockchain without recommending any enforcement action. This investigation began following the first-ever SEC-qualified offering by Stacks in 2019. The Stacks ecosystem has been decentralized since before the mainnet launch in January 2021. In June 2021, the SEC’s Enforcement
Elon Musk, the CTO and chairman of X, has publicly accused the European Commission of offering the social media platform an “illegal secret deal” to censor speech in order to avoid fines in the EU. Musk made these claims on social media in response to the EC’s publication of preliminary findings from an investigation under
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recently announced the closure of its investigation into Hiro and the Stacks blockchain without recommending any enforcement action. This marks the end of a three-year long investigation that began following the first-ever SEC-qualified offering by Stacks in 2019. The Stacks ecosystem has been decentralized since before the mainnet
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) have been gaining attention in the blockchain community as innovative entities designed for collective goals. The UK Law Commission recently published a scoping paper to discuss the legal implications of DAOs in the country. While recognizing the potential of DAOs, the Commission highlighted the challenges in defining and regulating these entities
Recently, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) made a groundbreaking decision by accepting a proposal with exceptions for certain institutions affected by the controversial Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121 (SAB 121). This move by the SEC has allowed banks and brokerages to adopt new business practices that provide exceptions to the crypto accounting compliance
Recently, the US House of Representatives made a significant decision regarding SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin 121. Despite receiving majority support for overturning SAB 121, the House failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority to counter President Joe Biden’s earlier veto. It is noteworthy that several Democrats changed their stance on the issue since an earlier
