Judge ruling favors Riot in case against energy officials

Riot Platforms and The Texas Blockchain Council (TBC) have secured a favorable ruling in their lawsuit against multiple U.S. energy officials, including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). According to a filing dated Feb. 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Riot and the TBC successfully convinced the district judge that immediate harm would occur without a temporary restraining order (TRO) to halt further data collection. On Feb. 25, the court granted a TRO preventing the Energy Information Administration (EIA) —which is part of the…

Industry Input ‘Really Important’ to Stablecoin Rulemaking Under MiCA, EU Banking Officials Say

“We pay high attention to this batch and need also a very good understanding with you, so please seize this public hearing as an opportunity to dialogue with us so we start on the right footing,” Isabel Vaillant, EBA director of prudential regulation, said during the hearing. Another official said it was “really important” to get input from various stakeholders. Source

Corrupt Chinese officials exploit crypto for illicit cross-border transactions

Chinese media are repeating concerns about the use of cryptocurrencies to facilitate corruption. Local media published a report entitled “Virtual Currency Electronic Gift Cards Open New Channels for Corruption Crimes and Benefit Transfer.” It states that cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin (BTC), are opening up new channels for corruption and benefit transfer in China. In particular, incidents of bribery through means such as red packet transfers and electronic gift cards are becoming increasingly common, and these transactions are difficult to trace due to their secretive nature in the digital sphere. “Gaps and…

South Korea Takes Major Step towards Cryptocurrency Transparency: 5,800 Officials to Disclose Holdings in 2024

By compelling influential political leaders and bureaucrats to share their virtual currency investments, South Korea hopes to heighten transparency surrounding public-sector finances. South Korea is set to begin disclosing the cryptocurrency holdings of top public officials beginning in 2024, marking a monumental push toward transparency and accountability in government services. According to an announcement from the Ministry of Personnel Management, approximately 5,800 elected officials and government employees will need to report their crypto assets next year. The disclosures are part of South Korea’s public ethics and transparency initiative system, which…

Taiwan officials launch inquiry into crypto betting on election results: Report

With the Taiwan presidential election looming within a month, residents of Taiwan have been reportedly warned against using cryptocurrency betting platforms to wager on the presidential outcome. This advice comes amid an ongoing investigation, with several individuals already called for questioning. According to a recent local report, a number of Taiwanese citizens have participated in the decentralized betting platform Polymarket to place bets on the upcoming presidential election scheduled for January 13, 2024. “The community reported that several individuals have been summoned for investigation by prosecutors and investigators for participating…

SEC officials meet again with spot Bitcoin ETF filers

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission has held a new round of discussions with asset managers proposing a spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the U.S., this time with officials from Gary Gensler’s office participating in the meetings. Based on court filings, the regulator received representatives from BlackRock on Dec. 14 to discuss the proposed rule change that would enable the crypto investment vehicle to be traded on major exchanges. According to Bloomberg ETF analyst Jayme Seyffart, this is the third meeting between BlackRock and the SEC to…

EU officials reach ‘historic’ AI regulation deal

The EU Parliament and Council negotiators reached a provisional agreement on the rules governing the use of artificial intelligence on Friday, Dec 8. The agreement covers the governmental use of AI in biometric surveillance, how to regulate AI systems such as ChatGPT, and the transparency rules to follow before market entry. This covers technical documents, adherence to EU copyright, and sharing training content summaries.  The EU wants to be the first supranational authority with laws on AI, specifying how it is to be used beneficially while protecting against risks. The deal was…

BlackRock met with SEC officials to discuss spot Bitcoin ETF

Representatives from BlackRock and the Nasdaq met with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission to discuss the proposed rule allowing the listing of a spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund, or ETF. According to a Nov. 20 SEC memo, BlackRock provided a presentation detailing how the firm could use an in-kind or in-cash redemption model for its iShares Bitcoin Trust. It’s unclear how SEC officials responded to the two proposed models or if they intend to approve a spot BTC ETF after numerous delays and rejections. Looks like @BlackRock also…