- Increasing Focus on AI — AI developments and uses and the evolving legal and regulatory landscape may bring about new litigation and enforcement risks stemming from claims of algorithmic bias,
News & Commentary on Financial Regulatory and Compliance Matters
On July 29, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted to approve orders allowing in-kind creations and redemptions for crypto asset exchange-traded products (ETPs), including those based on…
Continue Reading SEC Approves In-Kind Creations and Redemptions for Crypto ETPs
On July 14, 2025, the Federal Reserve, the OCC, and the FDIC issued a joint statement addressing risk management and legal expectations applicable to banking organizations engaging in crypto-asset safekeeping. The Statement follows the Agencies’ coordinated rescission earlier this year of interpretive guidance requiring advance supervisory non-objection for crypto activities.[1] While the Statement does not impose new regulatory requirements, it provides important guidance regarding how the Agencies expect banking organizations to manage the legal, operational, technological, and compliance risks associated with crypto-asset safekeeping.…
On July 18, 2025, President Trump enacted the GENIUS Act, the first comprehensive crypto legislation in U.S. history. The law introduces rigorous rules for payment stablecoins, including mandatory federal or state approval, 1:1 reserve backing, and enhanced disclosure obligations. Digital asset service providers must fully comply by July 2028.…
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) has withdrawn supervisory guidance for Board-supervised banks concerning crypto-asset and dollar token activities and Board expectations for these activities. The Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) also withdrew joint supervisory statements on crypto-asset activities and exposures.…
In late April, at the government’s request, an Indiana federal judge put a final end to the prosecution of an Indiana man for allegations that he engaged in unlicensed money transmission (and related tax offenses) in connection with his operation of a virtual currency exchange from 2009 to 2013.…
Continue Reading Charges Dropped Against Early Cryptocurrency Exchange Operator
On March 20, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission took a step towards clarifying its position on crypto mining activities. In a recent statement, the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance provided non-binding guidance on the application of federal securities laws to proof-of-work (PoW) mining activities, stating that such activities are beyond the SEC’s purview.
Continue Reading SEC Staff Clarifies Stance on Crypto Mining
This blog post highlights key trends in futures and derivatives for 2025, including regulatory changes promoting digital assets, increased integration of crypto with traditional finance, the adoption of DeFi protocols, potential tax and legal reforms, and efforts to harmonize global regulatory standards.
Continue Reading 5 Trends to Watch: 2025 Futures & Derivatives
On Jan. 25, 2024, the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Division of Financial Institutions (DFI) and the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (collectively, the “Agencies”) jointly issued a press…
Continue Reading Hawaii’s Money Transmitters Modernization Act Will No Longer Apply to Cryptocurrency Activities
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Reps. Wiley Nickel (D-NC) and Mike Flood (R-NE) are working to overturn a controversial Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staff accounting bulletin, SAB 121…
Continue Reading Lawmakers Introduce Resolution to Nullify SEC’s Crypto Accounting Bulletin