Committee Advises SEC to ‘Aggressively Assert Authority’ Over Crypto — Says Virtually All Crypto Tokens Are Securities

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Investor Advisory Committee has advised the SEC to “aggressively” assert authority over crypto assets that are securities. The advisory committee believes that “virtually all, if not all, crypto tokens are securities,” urging the regulator to…

Meta Winding Down Support for NFTs on Facebook, Instagram

U.S. tech giant Meta is giving up on operations with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) amid ongoing turbulence in the crypto space. The company allowed creators to share digital collectibles on its leading social media platforms last year. Meta Platforms Cutting Off Support…

White House Publishes ‘Roadmap’ to Mitigate Cryptocurrency Risks

The White House has published a “roadmap to mitigate cryptocurrencies’ risks.” The roadmap calls for authorities to “ramp up enforcement where appropriate” and Congress “to step up its efforts” to regulate the crypto sector. It also notes that legislation should not…

Bankrupt Crypto Exchange FTX Exploring Sales of Subsidiaries, CEO Reveals

Bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX is exploring sales, recapitalizations, and other strategic transactions with respect to its solvent subsidiaries. The firm’s new CEO has instructed the FTX team “to prioritize the preservation of franchise value as best we can in these difficult…

IRS Building ‘Hundreds’ of Crypto Cases — Official Says $7 Billion in Crypto Seized in 2022

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is building “hundreds” of crypto cases to crack down on tax evasion, an official reportedly said. In the fiscal year 2022, the IRS Criminal Investigation Division seized about $7 billion in cryptocurrency, which was double the…

Binance Seeks License to Reenter Japanese Crypto Market After Exiting 4 Years Ago: Report

Crypto exchange Binance is reportedly seeking to reenter the Japanese crypto market. The company exited Japan four years ago after the country’s financial regulator warned that Binance was operating illegally without a license. Binance Wants Back in Japan Crypto exchange Binance…

Bank of Russia to Promote Digital Ruble in Foreign Trade as Finance Ministry Pushes for Crypto Option

Days after the two institutions agreed on the need for cross-border crypto payments, the finance ministry and the central bank of Russia are once again highlighting their different priorities. While the treasury department aims for legalizing cryptocurrency payments in the coming…

IMF: Crypto Assets Become More Mainstream as Hedges Against Weak Currencies, Potential Payment Instruments

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) published a report stating that crypto assets have gained a “more mainstream presence as speculative investments, hedges against weak currencies, and potential payment instruments.” The IMF has called for a global response to crypto regulation that…

Bank of Russia Aims for Full Launch of Digital Ruble in 2024

The Central Bank of Russia plans to begin the comprehensive implementation of the digital ruble two years from now, according to a paper detailing its monetary policy priorities for the 2023 – 2025 period. As the development of the state-issued digital…

Crypto Lending Company Blockfi Cuts Staff by 20%

On Monday, the cryptocurrency lending company Blockfi announced that “market conditions” have had a “negative impact” on the firm’s business and it will be laying off “roughly 20%” of its staff. The message written by Blockfi co-founders Zac Prince and Flori…