New regulatory requirements, including registration and customer disclosure requirements, apply to regulated and unregulated persons carrying on relevant cryptoasset business. By Stuart Davis and Sam Maxson On 20 December 2019, the UK government published the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Regulations (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (the Amending Regulations). The Amending Regulations update the Money Laundering, Terrorist … Continue Reading
It was a year filled with tantalizing tidbits and many loose ends. By Stephen P. Wink, Cameron R. Kates, Shaun Musuka, and Deric Behar 2019 marked the 10th year since blockchain technology was released into the wild by its still unknown inventor, Satoshi Nakamoto, who mined the first bitcoin block in January 2009. In the … Continue Reading
The EC consults on existing cryptoasset regulatory framework and considers a separate EU framework for cryptoassets outside the current scope. By Stuart Davis On 19 December 2019, the European Commission (EC) launched a public consultation to review the suitability and effectiveness of the current EU regulatory framework applicable to cryptoassets. The consultation will examine cryptoassets … Continue Reading
Latham FinTech partners discuss the evolving stablecoin landscape on the New Territories Podcast. By Christian F. McDermott, Yvette D. Valdez, and Stephen P. Wink New York partners Yvette Valdez and Stephen Wink and London partner Christian McDermott recently discussed the evolving stablecoin landscape on new episodes of The Brooklyn Project’s New Territories Podcast. The partners, … Continue Reading
Latham & Watkins provides an in-depth look at the intersection of CFTC and SEC regulatory jurisdiction in the crypto context. By David L. Concannon, Yvette D. Valdez, and Stephen P. Wink, with Paul M. Dudek and Miles P. Jennings With the rapid growth in the development of blockchain technology, virtual currencies, and token sales (sometimes … Continue Reading
HMRC confirms that cryptoassets are not considered to be money or currency for tax purposes. By Karl Mah and Amy Watkins On 1 November 2019, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) issued a policy paper on the taxation of cryptoassets for businesses and companies. This follows guidance issued by HMRC in December 2018 for individuals holding … Continue Reading
SFC outlines new regulatory framework for virtual asset trading platforms, HKMA highlights recent FinTech initiatives, and PBOC discusses China’s forthcoming central bank digital currency. By Simon Hawkins and Kenneth Y.F. Hui The fourth annual Hong Kong FinTech Week conference kicked off with a major announcement from Mr. Ashley Alder, Chief Executive Officer of the Securities … Continue Reading
Global monetary authorities and financial regulators have responded forcefully to the advent of privately developed global stablecoins. By Todd Beauchamp, David L. Concannon, Stephen P. Wink, Simon Hawkins, Stuart Davis, and Deric Behar A new report highlights the risks of global stablecoins and enumerates the legal, regulatory, and oversight hurdles a global stablecoin must clear … Continue Reading
The IRS has published a Revenue Ruling and FAQs clarifying some long-standing virtual currency questions. By Brian C. McManus, Elena Romanova, Stephen P. Wink, Sam (Seung Hyun) Yang, and Deric Behar On October 9, 2019, the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued its first guidance on the tax treatment of cryptocurrencies in at least five … Continue Reading
SEC issues cease-and-desist orders for unregistered token presales and anti-touting violations. By Stephen P. Wink, Cameron R. Kates, Shaun Musuka, and Deric Behar Not content to let the dog days of summer slip by, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued two cease-and-desist orders relating to the offer, sale, and marketing of cryptocurrencies. … Continue Reading
Latham & Watkins lawyers provide an in-depth look at the regulation of cryptoasset trading platforms in key jurisdictions. By Todd Beauchamp, Nozomi Oda, Yvette D. Valdez, Stephen P. Wink, and Simon Hawkins Cryptoasset trading is a fast-growing part of the financial sector. Some countries have wholeheartedly embraced cryptoassets; others have been more reticent to permit … Continue Reading
By Brian Meenagh, and Khaled Alhuneidi. In June 2018, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) unveiled a dedicated cryptoasset regulatory framework by way of various amendments to the FSRA’s core regulations – the Financial Services and Markets Regulation (FSMR) as well as supplementary guidance thereto. In May 2019, the FSRA … Continue Reading
FCA finalises guidance on cryptoassets and consults on product intervention measures. By Stuart Davis and Charlotte Collins FCA guidance on the regulation of cryptoassets As previously reported in this blog, the FCA consulted on guidance on cryptoassets in January 2019. This guidance is designed to help market participants understand how to classify different types of … Continue Reading
The SEC issues second no-action letter for a digital token, but will “utility” token offerings reach the next level? By Stephen P. Wink, Cameron R. Kates, Shaun Musuka, and Deric Behar Gamers, rejoice! In only its second no-action letter to date for digital tokens, the SEC cleared the way for Pocketful of Quarters, Inc. (PoQ) … Continue Reading
The Abu Dhabi Global Market’s Guidance clarifies and expands FSRA expectations for OCAB Framework license holders. By Brian A. Meenagh In June 2018, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) unveiled a dedicated cryptoasset regulatory framework by way of various amendments to the FSRA’s core regulations — the Financial Services and … Continue Reading
The regulators attempt to clarify their position on the possible custody of digital assets by broker-dealers, but questions remain. By Stephen P. Wink, Cameron R. Kates, Shaun Musuka, and Deric Behar The SEC and FINRA recently released a joint staff statement (Joint Statement) addressing the custody of digital asset securities by broker-dealers. For some time, … Continue Reading
FinCEN’s guidance clarifies the applicability of the BSA to a variety of virtual currency businesses. By Todd Beauchamp, Charles Weinstein, Loyal T. Horsley, Cameron R. Kates, and Shaun Musuka On May 9, the US Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued interpretive guidance expanding on previously issued guidance and rulings regarding the … Continue Reading
The paper discusses supervision and regulatory issues of cryptocurrencies, and finds that a central bank digital currency in the EU is not (yet) warranted. By Max von Cube In May, the European Central Bank’s Crypto-Assets Task Force published a paper on cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ether, and Ripple (referred to as narrowly defined “crypto-assets”). The … Continue Reading
The enforcement action serves as a reminder that virtual currency exchangers, regardless of size, must comply with the BSA. By Todd Beauchamp and Charles Weinstein The US Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) does not care if you are a multinational corporation or an individual operating out of your garage; regardless of size, … Continue Reading
Federal legislators introduce two bills in an attempt to provide the blockchain economy with regulatory certainty. By Stephen P. Wink, Morgan E. Brubaker, Cameron R. Kates, and Shaun Musuka US regulators and federal legislators may be heeding the calls of crypto-enthusiasts for legal clarity regarding the status of digital assets and cryptocurrencies (collectively, Tokens). Two … Continue Reading
The new legislation may act as a catalyst for a crypto-evolution within Russian law. By Andrew C. Moyle and Elizaveta Bacheyeva On 18 March 2019, the Russian legislator took the first step in introducing the Russian civil law system to the new universe of digital assets. The Russian Civil Code was amended to include concepts … Continue Reading
The SEC provides additional guidance for analyzing whether a digital asset is a security. By Stephen P. Wink, Cameron R. Kates, and Shaun Musuka On April 3, 2019, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Strategic Hub for Innovation and Financial Technology (the SEC) released a framework (the Framework) for assessing whether a blockchain-issued token or … Continue Reading
A new white paper explores jurisdictional conflicts and the regulatory status of digital assets. By Yvette D. Valdez, J. Ashley Weeks, and Jacqueline M. Rugart Members of the American Bar Association’s (ABA’s) Derivatives and Futures Law Committee recently published a white paper exploring the US regulatory landscape for digital assets (White Paper), including a 50-state … Continue Reading
The SFC’s guidance provides helpful clarity amidst growing interest in security token offerings. By Simon Hawkins and Kenneth Hui On 28 March 2019, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) issued a policy statement on security token offerings (STOs) summarizing the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to parties engaging in STOs. This guidance follows … Continue Reading
