Latam Insights: Bolivia Sells Gold for Dollars, Argentina Bans Fintech Crypto, Fitch Upgrades El Salvador’s Credit Rating

Welcome to Latam Insights, a compendium of the most relevant crypto and economic development news from Latin America during the last week. In this issue, Bolivia passes a law to sell gold for dollars, the Central Bank of Argentina bans fintech…

Brazil Bans Telegram Temporarily Due to Alleged Lack of Collaboration in Fight Against School Violence

A federal judge in Brazil has ordered the temporary suspension of Telegram in the country and established hefty fines due to the supposed lack of collaboration of the company in a national crusade against school violence. Telegram failed to deliver information…

US Court Sentences Russian Crypto Ransom Launderer to Probation and Fine

A Russian crypto entrepreneur, charged with laundering money from ransomware attacks, has been sentenced to probation and fined in the U.S. after pleading guilty. Founder of two coin trading platforms, Denis Dubnikov, was arrested in the Netherlands and extradited to the…

Latam Insights – Inflation Skyrockets in Argentina, El Salvador Processes Digital Assets Licenses, Venezuelan Crypto Corruption Probe Continues

Welcome to Latam Insights, a compendium of the most relevant crypto and economic development news from Latin America during the last week. In this issue: Inflation in Argentina goes over 100%, El Salvador issues its first digital assets licenses, and the…

ECB Board Member Warns EU’s New Crypto Rules Not Sufficient

A European Central Bank Supervisory Board member has warned that the crypto rules in the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) bill “will not be sufficient on their own.” While emphasizing that “MiCA will set out important safeguards to prevent incidents similar…

US Treasury Report Warns of Defi’s Threat to National Security, Authors Conclude Fiat Is Used in Illicit Finance More Than Crypto

The U.S. Treasury has released a 42-page report assessing the risks of decentralized finance (defi). The report states that specific nation-state adversaries, cybercriminals, ransomware attackers, thieves, and scammers are using defi to “transfer and launder their illicit proceeds.” The Treasury’s report…

US Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Affirm Blockchain Developers and Non-Custodial Services Are Not Money Transmitters

A U.S. lawmaker has introduced the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act to ensure that developers and non-custodial service providers in the crypto space are not considered money transmitters and are not subject to the same level of regulation as custodial cryptocurrency exchanges….

80 Crypto Firms Interested in Establishing Presence in Hong Kong, Official Says

Hong Kong’s Secretary for Financial Services and Treasury has revealed that more than 80 crypto companies have expressed interest in establishing a presence in Hong Kong. They include companies across mainland China, Canada, European Union countries, Singapore, the U.K., and the…

Dubai-Headquartered Crypto Exchange MaskEX Launches Virtual Card for Worldwide Spending and Welcomes Ben Caselin as Vice President to Drive Global Expansion Effort

PRESS RELEASE. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March, 2023 – MaskEX, a rapidly expanding third-generation crypto exchange, headquartered in Dubai, has announced the launch of its crypto-backed Virtual Card, enabling users to spend their crypto as fiat in more than 176 countries…

Crypto Exchanges Allow Russians to Circumvent Sanctions, Report Alleges

Major crypto exchanges have failed to prevent sanctioned Russian banks and traders from transacting, according to a blockchain forensics report. At least two established coin trading platforms continue to allow Russians to use their bank cards in peer-to-peer deals, the analysis…