On February 19, 2020, the European Commission (Commission) released a communication entitled “A European strategy for data”. It lays out a vision for a “European data space” and a plan – through legislation, technical standards and public-private initiatives
Blockchain and the Law
The "Blockchain and the Law" blog, published by Proskauer Rose LLP, focuses on legal developments and regulatory issues related to blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, and digital assets. It covers topics such as tokenized securities, stablecoin regulation, strategic Bitcoin reserves, and the evolving legal landscape for digital finance in the United States. The blog discusses federal and state legislative initiatives, regulatory proposals by agencies like the SEC, and the implications of new laws such as the GENIUS Act. It also addresses the intersection of blockchain with financial markets, compliance, and government policy, providing insights into how legal frameworks adapt to innovations in blockchain and crypto assets.
Latest from Blockchain and the Law - Page 12
Blockchain 51% Attacks – Lessons Learned for Developers and Trading Platform Operators
By Wai Choy
Once purely theoretical, “majority” or “51%” attacks on public blockchains have dealt participants a reality check: The fundamental assumption of Satoshi Nakamoto’s 2008 Bitcoin whitepaper (that computing power will remain sufficiently decentralized in blockchain networks that rely on a “…
Supply Chain Blockchain Initiative Receives Federal Antitrust Exemption
TradeLens – a blockchain based shipping consortium – received an important antitrust exemption last week from the Federal Maritime Commission. The exemption allows five major container line shipping companies within the TradeLens consortium to cooperate in providing data for…
IRS Issues New Guidance for Virtual Currency Donations
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) quietly added two new questions and answers regarding virtual currency donations to its answers to Frequently Asked Questions on Virtual Currency Transactions (FAQs) on December 26, 2019. The two new answers address the responsibilities…
Illinois Embraces Smart Contracts with New Blockchain Legislation
As we highlighted in our recent Practical Law Practice Note, Smart Contracts: Best Practices, various state lawmakers are paving the way for widespread use of blockchains and smart contracts in commerce. For example, on January 1, 2020, the Illinois…
SEC Swings Into 2020, Warning Investors of Initial Exchange Offerings
By Allen S. Li
The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy issued an alert on January 14, 2020, warning investors of initial exchange offerings and the potential for fraud. This follows the 2020 examination priorities the SEC released at the beginning of the…
Among an Array of 2020 Examination Priorities, SEC Signals Continued Interest in Cryptocurrency
On January 7, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) released its 2020 examination priorities. The majority of OCIE’s priorities for the coming year involved financial regulatory issues that do not directly…
IRS Officials Discuss Promotional Airdrops, Pre-2018 Crypto-for-Crypto Exchanges, and Other Issues Not Addressed in Recent Tax Guidance
In October of 2019, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service issued the first new guidance on the taxation of cryptocurrency transactions in over five years (the “Guidance”). The Guidance comprising a revenue ruling (Rev. Rul. 2019-24) and answers to…
Smart Contracts: Best Practices
Proskauer authored an in-depth Practice Note published by Practical Law, which details best practices for the use of smart contracts on blockchains. It discusses functional and legal considerations for both standalone smart contracts and smart contracts used in conjunction with traditional written contracts (hybrid smart contracts) and…
CFTC, FinCEN, and SEC Warn of Crypto AML Enforcement
Based on a recent regulatory statement, entities involved with cryptocurrency or digital assets should revisit their anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism obligations (AML/CFT) compliance under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).
On October 11, the leaders of the…