Steptoe partner Jason Weinstein and of counsel Alan Cohn have been named to The National Law Journal’s list of Trailblazers in Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and FinTech. The list of 50 lawyers is featured in a special supplement in the September issue
Blockchain Blog
The Blockchain Blog, published by Steptoe LLP, focuses on legal and regulatory developments related to blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, and digital assets. It covers topics such as regulatory approvals and enforcement actions by agencies like the SEC and CFPB, the evolving legal framework for crypto products including bitcoin exchange traded products (ETPs) and stablecoins, and the impact of new rules on digital payments and financial promotions involving cryptoassets. The blog also analyzes jurisdiction-specific regulatory roadmaps, such as those in the UK, and discusses compliance challenges and supervisory authority over nonbank digital payment providers.
Latest from Blockchain Blog - Page 7
4 Key Takeaways from FinCEN Director’s Speech on Cryptocurrency
By Evan Abrams, Jack Hayes & Alan Cohn
The Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has principal responsibility for issuing and enforcing federal anti-money laundering (AML) regulations applicable to US financial institutions, including money services businesses (MSBs) operating as “money transmitters” in the cryptocurrency space. Followers…
FINRA Encourages Firms to Report Involvement in Activities Related to Digital Assets
By Alan Cohn & Micah Green
In a Regulatory Notice published July 6, 2018, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) encourages its members to promptly notify FINRA if they, or their associated persons or affiliates, engage in activities related to digital assets such as cryptocurrencies and…
IRS Turning up the Heat on Cryptocurrency Transactions
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) made a pair of announcements on July 2 that it is increasing its focus on taxpayers who avoid their tax obligations using cryptocurrency.
Background
By way of background, in April 2014, the IRS issued Notice…
Blockchain Takes Over the Cyberlaw Podcast
By Alan Cohn, Jack Hayes & Lisa Zarlenga
On May 21st, Alan Cohn hosted the 217th episode of The Cyberlaw Podcast. We took a deep dive into all things blockchain and cryptocurrency discussing recent regulatory developments and the current state of play of the industry. Jack Hayes discusses the…
President Imposes First US Economic Sanctions Against Venezuelan Digital Currency
By Jack Hayes, Brian Egan & Ed Krauland
On March 19, 2018, US President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 13827 (the EO), which for the first time targets US economic sanctions against a virtual currency – namely, a digital currency colloquially known as the “petro” that has been…
Information on 13,000 Coinbase Customers Turned Over to IRS – Was Your Information Among Them?
By Lisa Zarlenga & John Cobb
After a year-long fight with the IRS on turning over customer data, Coinbase both won and lost. It won in that the court significantly narrowed the type of information that it was ordered to turn over to the IRS. It…
Investing in Cryptocurrency: Tax Implications Workshop
On March 1, Steptoe is hosting a workshop in New York on the tax consequences of investing in cryptocurrency, as well as common methods of tax structuring for individuals and entities using, trading, and investing in cryptocurrency and tokens. The…
Bitcoin Captures the Attention of Yet Another Regulator
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) last week added itself to the list of regulators that have issued guidance or raised warnings about crytpocurrency when it sent a notification about interference with wireless broadband signals from a Bitcoin mining…
A “One-Stop” Guide to Blockchain Regulation and Best Practices for Responding to Investigations
By Alan Cohn & Jared Butcher
Government regulators are increasingly focused on blockchain and cryptocurrency activity, a development that some, such as IMF head Christine Lagarde have called inevitable. In the US, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and…