Category: ICOs
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ICOs and the SEC’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction: A Brief Primer
In just the last few months, the SEC has brought successful enforcement actions against EtherDelta, Paragon, Airfox, DJ Khaled and “Money” Mayweather himself, all predicated directly or indirectly on unregistered Initial Coin Offerings (“ICOs”). These settlements confirm that the SEC can and will target domestic ICOs for enforcement. But what about foreign ICOs? All those…
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French Lawmakers Propose Lower Electricity Rates for Cryptocurrency Miners
Two French legislators have made a number of proposals aimed at turning France into a leading force in the development of the industry built around cryptocurrencies. One of the ideas is to allow crypto mining companies to take advantage of preferential electricity prices. Also read: Ukrainian Village Distributes Dividends From Crypto Investment ‘France Must Have…
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Decentralization Is Not the Answer
These are turbulent days for crypto. The price of Bitcoin on Coinbase dipped to $3300 in early December, its lowest point since August 2017. The amount of capital raised through ICOs has declined in the second half of 2018, and the flow of U.S. money into new ICOs dried up well before that. The specter…
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International Cooperation ‘Critical’ to SEC Action Against ICOs
Steven Peikin, co-director of the enforcement division of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), recently described international cooperation as playing a critical role in facilitating investigations in the initial coin offering (ICO) sector. Also Read: Chinese Miners Short BTC Markets to Hedge Against Falling Prices ‘Daunting Task’ of Identifying Misconduct Speaking at Harvard Law School,…
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Chat Bot Advises Crypto Startups and Investors
Three Ukrainian companies have developed an English-language chat bot that provides consulting services to businesses and investors in the crypto industry. The AI-based platform, Ailo, offers a range of automated services but it can also deal with cases that require human intervention and professional legal advice. Also read: Russian Marketplace Allows Users to Sell Items…
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Singapore Financial Regulator Updates Guide to Digital Token Offerings
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has published new guidelines pertaining to digital token offerings. The document provides additional clarity on the regulatory requirements for intermediaries that facilitate them, while highlighting the reporting obligations of entities offering capital markets products that are not classified as securities. Also Read: P2P Markets Report: Dumping Drives Record Volume Across Latin…
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Amid Crackdown, SEC Chairman Emphasizes Compliance Requirements for ICOs
Jay Clayton, the chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), recently discussed the current regulatory climate surrounding initial coin offerings (ICOs). Clayton emphasized that all ICOs must register with the SEC to ensure compliance with U.S. law. Also Read: Estonia to Tighten Rules for Licensed Crypto Companies Requirements for Regulatory Compliance The SEC chairman…
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ICOs Use Sponsored Reviews to Attract Investors
Although the 2018 cryptocurrency bull trend has humbled many self-proclaimed crypto “experts,” the business of sponsored cryptocurrency reviews has continued to boom, influencing many market participants in the process. Also Read: Estonia to Tighten Rules for Licensed Crypto Companies ICOs Sponsor Social Media Influencers Hacken, a Ukrainian startup, partnered with social media influencers to promote its…
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SEC Charges Floyd Mayweather and DJ Khaled for Unlawfully Promoting Fraudulent ICO
In a press release today, professional boxer Floyd Mayweather and music artist DJ Khaled were charged by the SEC for failing to disclose payments received for promoting an allegedly fraudulent ICO. These are the first cases of the SEC penalizing individuals whose only involvement was promoting ICOs. The celebrity boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and renowned…
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SEC Chair Jay Clayton: No Bitcoin ETFs Until There Is Greater Oversight; “Assume Your ICO is a Security”
Securities Exchange Commission Chair Jay Clayton is reluctant to add digital currency ETFs, including Bitcoin ETFs, over fears of market manipulation, centralization, and custody security. Speaking at Consensus Invest in New York, Clayton said he will not support ETFs for a financial product until there are measures in place to ensure that it is free…