FinTech Law Watch, published by K&L Gates, focuses on legal developments and regulatory updates in the financial technology sector. The blog covers topics such as digital asset classifications, regulatory guidance from authorities like ASIC and FinCEN, and the implications of new legislation including the GENIUS Act. It addresses issues related to stablecoins, payment systems innovations like agentic AI payments, and the evolving landscape of money transmitter licensing. The blog also examines international regulatory frameworks, such as Singapore's approach to stablecoin issuance, providing insights into compliance, licensing, and operational challenges faced by fintech companies.
By: John ReVeal and Jeremy M. McLaughlin
On 22 June 2026, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the federal bank regulators issued a proposed rule to impose customer identification procedures (CIP) requirements on permitted payment stablecoin issuers (PPSI) (the…
By: Cameron Abbott, Daniel Knight, Rob Pulham, Alex Parker, Madison Jeffreys, Emre Cakmakcioglu and Annaliese Filippis
In a key decision against an Australian financial services licence (AFSL) holder, the Federal Court of Australia has ordered…
By: Judith Rinearson, Daniel Knight, Lucas Nicolet-Serra, and Kai Zhang
Our firm has a pro bono client who lost thousands of dollars trusting someone she met online. Over two years, the fraudster convinced her to move her…
By: Daniel Knight, Simon Kiburg and Joshua Dries
On 31 March 2026, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) published its conclusions paper titled Merchant Card Payments Costs and Surcharging.
Key Takeaways
The RBA outlined a range of changes including…
By: Thoreau A. Bartmann, Lance C. Dial, and Sarah V. Riddell
On 17 March 2026, the SEC and CFTC issued a joint interpretive release establishing a formal taxonomy for crypto assets and when such assets are securities under…
By: Jeremy McLaughlin and Joshua Durham
The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) recently issued an important industry reminder regarding implementation of the California Digital Financial Assets Law (DFAL). The DFPI noted that it will begin accepting applications…
By: John ReVeal, Jeremy M. McLaughlin, and Joshua L. Durham
On 13 February 2026, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued Order FIN-2026-R001 (the Order), granting exceptive relief from FinCEN’s requirement that covered financial institutions identify the beneficial…
By Daniel Knight, Ben Kneebush and Madison Jeffreys
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) published its long-awaited updates to Information Sheet (INFO 225). This represents the result of ASIC’s consultation process on the existing document (which we have…
By: John ReVeal and Linda Odom
On 9 October 2025, FinCEN issued Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Suspicious Activity Reporting Requirements (FAQs). They address four specific issues that have needed clarification with respect to suspicious activity report (SAR) filings.
First, the…
By: Judith Rinearson, Linda Odom, and Joshua L. Durham
Google’s recent announcement of the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) raises a range of fascinating legal questions. The concept behind AP2 is to have a payment system that allows consumers…
