Search
Binance Set to Re-Enter Indian Market With $2 Million Fine Settlement
18.4.2024
Binance and nine other foreign crypto exchanges were originally blocked in India due to non-compliance with the country’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations, but Binance is set to return after a four-month absence by paying a $2-million fine, according to The Economic Times. The Indian...
Nearly 400 Crypto Firms Lose Their Estonian Licenses Under New Rules
11.5.2023
The majority of crypto companies attracted by the once favorable Estonian regulations have either abandoned or lost their licenses. According to the latest numbers released by the Baltic nation’s anti-money laundering bureau, only 100 businesses are currently authorized to provide digital-asset...
US Treasury Report Warns of Defi’s Threat to National Security, Authors Conclude Fiat Is Used in Illicit Finance More Than Crypto
6.4.2023
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.”...
Report: Nigeria to Stop Cash Withdrawals From Government Accounts
9.1.2023
From the start of March, Nigerian public officials will be barred from withdrawing cash from government bank accounts, the head of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit reportedly said. Public officials that want to be exempted from this new regulation will have to obtain a waiver from...
Full Ban on Crypto in Russia Would Be Counterproductive, Rosfinmonitoring Says
11.12.2022
Russian citizens and businesses already own cryptocurrencies, which is why a complete crypto ban would be counterproductive, according to a top executive of Rosfinmonitoring, Russia’s financial intelligence agency. At the same time, the regulator supports prohibiting payments with digital coins...
Turkey Investigates Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried for Fraud, Seizes Assets
25.11.2022
The Turkish government has launched an investigation on the former chief executive of failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried. According to local media, the authorities in Ankara have also seized assets belonging to the founder of the troubled coin trading platform. Turkey’s Financial...
Turkey’s Financial Intelligence Unit Launches Investigation Into FTX Collapse
16.11.2022
The Turkish agency responsible for tackling money-related crime has initiated an investigation against troubled crypto exchange FTX. Days after the trading platform filed for bankruptcy in the United States, the department revealed it has been tracking its activities in Turkey. Turkish Financial...
Korean Regulator Takes Action Against 16 Foreign Crypto Exchanges
20.8.2022
The South Korean financial intelligence unit is taking action against 16 foreign cryptocurrency exchanges for operating illegally in the country. “For illegal business activities of unregistered entities, maximum of 5 years of imprisonment or up to KRW 50 million of fines can...
Korean financial watchdog to block tens of unregistered exchange websites
18.8.2022
Korea's Financial Intelligence Unit is cracking down on foreign-based cryptocurrency exchanges that are yet to register with relevant authorities in the country
UAE Now Requires Agents to Report Real Estate Transactions Where Virtual Currency Is Used as Payment
12.8.2022
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said it now requires real estate agents, brokers, and law firms to report to the Financial Intelligence Unit real estate transactions in which virtual currency is used as payment. Similarly, real estate purchases or sales where “the funds used in...
Regulation of Cryptocurrency in South Africa Should Not Scare Away Investors Experts Say
30.7.2022
Two experts have said they welcome South Africa’s planned regulation of cryptocurrency but warned this should not scare away investors. If the regulation is balanced between the need to protect investors and stimulating interest in crypto investment, this “could see funds stream into...
South African Treasury on Crypto Regulations: Amendments to Relevant Laws to Be Finalized in 2022
26.2.2022
The South African Treasury says it expects the amendments to the country’s financial laws — that will see crypto asset service providers being included as accountable institutions — to be finalized in 2022. Aligning Local Laws With FATF Standards The South African Treasury...
‘Ponzi Schemes Have Created a Negative Reputation for the Industry’ — Uganda Blockchain Advocate
24.1.2022
Education and awareness campaigns are still viewed as important channels that draw people to cryptocurrencies and blockchain. This has been particularly true in some parts of Africa where bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are proving to be a useful alternative to fiat currency. Blockchain...
Estonia Clarifies Upcoming Regulations, Will Not Ban Crypto Holding or Trading
4.1.2022
The government of Estonia has approved legislation tailored to improve oversight of its crypto sector which expanded rapidly due to favorable regulations and business climate. The new law, which is yet to be adopted, will introduce stricter requirements for service providers without preventing...
Estonia Considers Revoking Crypto Licenses as Government Mulls Tougher Regulations
16.10.2021
Authorities in Estonia are working on new legislation expected to stiffen the rules for the country’s cryptocurrency sector. The Baltic nation’s regulator for the industry is considering whether to revoke previously issued crypto licenses and restart authorization from scratch....
South African Exchange Sets New Crypto Withdrawal Limits — Restrictions ‘a Deterrent for Illicit Actors’
9.9.2021
One of South Africa’s biggest cryptocurrency exchanges, Luno, has confirmed that it has started restricting withdrawals by clients. The exchange insists the limits are meant to “act as a deterrent for illicit actors moving large amounts of funds within the crypto ecosystem.”...
After Warnings from South African Regulators Binance Rejects Accusations It Provides Financial Advice
5.9.2021
Beleaguered crypto exchange, Binance, has released a statement in which it denies accusations that provides financial advice or renders any intermediary services. In a statement released on Twitter less than 24 hours after the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA)’s warning, the crypto...
Uganda Blockchain Association Endorses Calls for the Creation of Crypto Regulatory Framework
10.8.2021
Uganda’s blockchain community welcomes the recent call on authorities to create a cryptocurrency regulatory framework, a board member of the Blockchain Association of Uganda (BAU) has said. The member, Suleiman Murunga, explains that such a framework “will create investor confidence...
South Korean Regulators Warn Dozens of Foreign Exchanges to Comply With New Rules
22.7.2021
Overseas crypto exchanges marketing to Koreans will be blocked if they fail to comply with new South Korean regulations. The country’s anti-money laundering body has sent a notice to a number of foreign trading platforms warning them a registration is mandatory in order to provide services...
Uganda’s Financial Intelligence Authority Wants Government to Formulate a Crypto Regulatory Framework
25.5.2021
Uganda’s Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) says it wants the country’s Finance Ministry to help formulate a regulatory framework for crypto service providers. According to the FIA, this call for the government’s intervention has prompted by the Ugandan crypto industry’s...