Sen. Patrick Toomey (R-Pa.), the ranking member of the committee, announced the “Stablecoin Transparency of Reserves and Uniform Safe Transactions Act of 2022,” dubbed the Stablecoin TRUST Act for short, as part of an effort to specify how the U.S.’s different regulatory agencies could approach companies issuing cryptocurrencies whose prices are pegged to the U.S. dollar or other assets. Source
The chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Gary Gensler, has asked SEC staff to collaborate with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to develop a new plan to regulate cryptocurrency trading platforms. SEC Wants to Work With CFTC on Regulating Crypto Exchanges The chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Gary Gensler, talked about the regulation of cryptocurrency Monday at an event hosted by the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. “The SEC’s remit is overseeing the capital markets,” the SEC chief began, adding that…
The U.K. government has unveiled a detailed plan to make the country a global crypto hub and “a hospitable place for crypto.” The plan includes establishing a dynamic regulatory framework for crypto, regulating stablecoins, and working with the Royal Mint to create a non-fungible token (NFT) to be issued by the Summer. U.K. Wants to Be ‘the Very Best Place’ to Start and Scale Crypto Companies The British government unveiled several initiatives Monday as part of its plan to make the U.K. “a global cryptoasset technology hub.” They include regulating…
Coinbase Ventures, an investment arm of American crypto exchange Coinbase, shared a plan to invest $1 million in various Indian cryptocurrency and Web3 initiatives via an in-person pitching event. In a blog post drafted while he was in India, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong revealed that the venture firm intends to tap into India’s software talent with the crypto and Web3 technologies and help accelerate India’s economic and financial inclusion goals. Calling India’s cryptopreneurs! Coinbase Ventures is partnering with @BuidlersTribe to host an in-person pitch day in Bangalore in April. $1M+…
Crypto trading volumes in India have plummeted following the new tax law entering into force. The new rules impose a 30% flat tax on crypto income and do not allow losses to be offset against gains. New Crypto Tax Rules in Effect The new crypto tax rules entered into force on April 1 after the country’s parliament approved Finance Bill 2022. A flat tax of 30% now applies to crypto income with no deductions or loss offsets allowed. On April 1, crypto exchanges in India began seeing sharp declines in…
With sanctions cutting off Russia from global finances, Moscow’s motivation to establish a domestic market infrastructure for digital assets grows, a top official at the Russian finance ministry has noted. The comment comes as Russians are losing access to foreign crypto platforms. Russia Recognizes Need for Local Crypto Assets Market Amid expanding international sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been turning its attention to cryptocurrencies while concerns in the West are growing that the country may use them to circumvent financial restrictions. The penalties have also affected the…
India’s government is consulting with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and Indian regulators in order to form the country’s crypto policy. “We have reached out to institutional stakeholders within the country and outside. We are taking inputs from the IMF and the World Bank and incorporating these,” said an official from the Indian ministry of finance. Indian Government in Talks With IMF, World Bank, RBI, SEBI on Crypto Policy Indian finance ministry officials are discussing a framework for cryptocurrency with various stakeholders including the International Monetary Fund…
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz has introduced legislation to prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC) directly to individuals and competing with the private sector. The senator from Texas warned that not only would this CBDC model centralize financial information, leaving it vulnerable to attack, but it could also be used “as a direct surveillance tool into the private transactions of Americans.” Senator Cruz Introduces Bill to Prevent the Fed From Issuing Digital Dollar to Retail Consumers U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced legislation Wednesday “to…
Members of the European Parliament have approved a controversial regulation that could undermine the decentralized finance (defi) sector in the EU. Some of its provisions, which are yet to be coordinated with other European institutions, aim to introduce restrictive measures for transactions involving privately managed crypto wallets. EU Parliament Moves to Introduce Verification for Defi Wallets The European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) supported on Thursday the Transfer of Funds Regulation (TFR). Among other provisions, the TFR obliges crypto service providers to apply stringent anti-money laundering measures…
Chinese authorities have jailed four individuals that were accused of kidnapping one person and demanding “hundreds of bitcoins” as a ransom payment. While the alleged kidnapping is reported to have occurred in the Philippines, the cooperation between the two countries eventually led to the arrest and eventual sentencing of the Chinese kidnappers. A Ransom Demand Four Chinese citizens accused of kidnapping and demanding bitcoin as ransom payment have been jailed, China’s Embassy in the Philippines has said. Two of the accused — namely, Liu and Zhang — were handed prison…