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US Judge Urged to Approve Binance’s $4.3 Billion Plea Deal
21.2.2024
A U.S. Federal Judge has been urged to accept a plea deal from U.S. authorities with the cryptocurrency exchange, Binance. Prosecutors, in a memorandum, have asserted that the agreed-upon sanctions are commensurate with the extent of Binance’s deliberate law violations. Binance’s Alleged...
U.S. Bans Crypto Addresses Tied to LockBit Ransomware Group From Financial System
20.2.2024
The U.S. government tagged a number of bitcoin and ether addresses as being tied to the LockBit ransomware group, which was taken down on Monday
YoMix Replaces Sanctioned Sinbad Mixer for Lazarus Hacker Group: Chainalysis
16.2.2024
After sanctions were imposed on Tornado Cash and Sinbad was shut down following similar actions against the platform, Chainalysis revealed that YoMix, a Bitcoin mixer, has stepped in as an alternative for the North Korean Lazarus Group Recent discoveries by the blockchain analysis firm show that...
Debt Box Urges Utah Federal Judge to Reject SEC’s Motion to Dismiss Enforcement Action
15.2.2024
Debt Box, a software firm entangled in a legal battle with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has launched a countermove against the regulatory body’s attempt to dismiss the case. Filed on February 14, Debt Box’s response characterized the SEC’s motion as a strategic...
Nigeria Faces Pressure to Tighten Crypto Regulations for Financial Crime Prevention
12.2.2024
Nigeria faces calls to go further in its efforts to clarify crypto regulation after a blockchain firm successfully finished training its fifth cohort of crypto compliance specialists last weekend. Blockchain intelligence service provider A&D Forensics teaches a course on curbing financial...
UN Sanctions Inspectors Probe Alleged North Korean Cyberattacks Targeting Crypto Firms
11.2.2024
United Nations (UN) sanctions monitors are reportedly investigating specific cases of hacking attacks allegedly carried out by North Korea-affiliated hackers between 2017 and 2023. Besides attacking decentralized finance platforms, the UN monitors alleged that North Korea-affiliated hackers...
UN Expert Panel Investigate $3B Worth North Korean Crypto Cyberattacks: Report
9.2.2024
An independent United Nations jury of sanctions monitors is conducting a probe into North Korea’s involvement in $3 billion worth cyberattacks on crypto firms. According to an unpublished UN report reviewed by Reuters, the monitors accused the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)...
Belarus Sanctions ‘Antidote?’ Minsk Confirms ‘Blockchain-powered CBDC’ Launch
7.2.2024
Minsk is looking for ways to end Belarus’ sanctions woes, with its central bank confirming the planned launch of a blockchain-powered CBDC. Per Sputnik Belarus, the National Bank of Belarus (NBB) is keen to make use of smart contract technology. A spokesperson told reporters on February 3: “We plan...
Lawmaker: Lack of Russian Crypto Regulations ‘Undermines Moscow’s Anti-Sanctions Policies’
6.2.2024
A leading politician thinks insufficient Russian crypto regulation is “undermining the government’s efforts to counter” Western economic sanctions. The media outlet RBC quoted Andrei Lugovoy, the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma’s Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, as calling Russian...
Latam Insights: El Salvador Reinforces Its Bitcoin Allegiance, Milei Drops Crypto From Omnibus Bill
5.2.2024
Welcome to Latam Insights, a compendium of Latin America’s most relevant crypto and economic news during the last week. In this issue: El Salvador to deepen its Bitcoin commitment if President Bukele gets reelected, Argentine President Javier Milei drops crypto tax matters from Omnibus Bill...
OFAC Blocks Venezuelan Gold Business, Warns About Upcoming Oil Sanctions
2.2.2024
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has revoked the license of Minerven, the Venezuela-owned gold company, for commercializing gold in international markets. The sanctions on Minerven, which were eased in October, will be applied again on February 13, with oil and gas sanctions reported...
Russia Open to the Use of Crypto in Foreign Trade Says Central Bank Governor
1.2.2024
The Russian Central Bank is discussing the possible use of central bank digital currencies as a payment method in foreign trade, according to Elvira Nabiullina, the bank’s governor. Nabiullina stated that while Russia is opposed to the use of crypto payments in domestic transactions, the country...
US Sanctions on Russia Similar to Planting a ‘Bomb Under the Dollar,’ Says Russian Analyst
30.1.2024
The United States’ sanctions against Russia are undermining confidence in the U.S. dollar and may force other countries to ditch the currency, a Russian financial analyst has said. The analyst said contrary to the West expectations, the sanctions against Russia have failed to destroy...
Russian Economist: ‘US Sanctions Will Undermine Dollar and Boost Digital Ruble’
29.1.2024
A leading Russian economist has claimed that American sanctions will ultimately undermine the role of the US dollar in the global economy – and help the cross-border adoption of the digital ruble. Per News.ru, the comments came from Alexander Razuvaev, a member of the supervisory board of the Guild...
Edward Snowden Urges Crypto Community to Fund Tornado Cash Pioneer’s Legal Defense
24.1.2024
Former CIA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden on Tuesday called for financial aid to support Tornado Cash founder Roman Storm’s legal defense. Storm and his co-founder Semenov were arrested in Aug. 2023 for alleged sanctions violations in the US through their crypto mixing service, accused...
US Senator Elizabeth Warren Comments Digital Assets Are Used to Evade Economic Sanctions
23.1.2024
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized the illegal use of cryptocurrency assets by bad actors. Commenting on a report issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Warren declared that “rogue nations are using crypto to dodge sanctions and undermine our national...
US Senator Marco Rubio Warns BRICS Expansion Threatens Western Sanctions’ Effectiveness
23.1.2024
Florida Senator Marco Rubio expressed his worries about the increasing influence of BRICS, the international group, in the world’s economic system. According to Rubio, if the group keeps expanding, it will be a valid alternative to the current system, allowing nations to sway away from...
US Treasury Announces New Sanctions Against Hamas-linked Crypto Companies
22.1.2024
The United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has imposed new sanctions on facilitators and networks involved in crypto transactions linked to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. In an announcement posted on January 22, the Office of Foreign Assets Control...
Coinbase’s CLO Criticizes U.S. GAO for Lack of Analysis on Crypto Sanctions Risk
22.1.2024
Coinbase‘s chief legal officer Paul Grewal has criticized the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) following its recent report describing crypto as a tool for foreign entities to evade sanctions. In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), the Coinbase executive expressed...
Over $24 Billion in Cryptocurrency Received by Illicit Addresses in 2023, Down 40% from 2022: Chainalysis
18.1.2024
Crypto research firm Chainalysis revealed that at least $24.2 billion worth of cryptocurrency was sent to illicit wallet addresses in 2023, encompassing addresses associated with sanctions, terrorist financing, and scams. The figure is considered a conservative estimate, and Chainalysis expects...