Following the trend of regulators across the globe, the United Nations Office for Project Services’ (“UNOPS”) issued a request for information regarding the application of blockchain technologies on April 24, 2017. The UNOPS has formed a blockchain group within the
FinTech Update
Financial Services News for FinTech Companies and Lawyers
FinTech Update, published by Reed Smith LLP, focuses on legal developments and regulatory issues in the financial technology sector. The blog covers topics such as cryptocurrency regulation, securities law as applied to digital assets, initial coin offerings (ICOs), blockchain technology, fraud risk management in digital finance, and compliance with emerging financial regulations. It also addresses cross-border legal challenges, enforcement actions by regulatory bodies like the SEC, and the impact of technological innovation on banking and financial services. The content includes analysis of court decisions, regulatory guidelines, and industry best practices relevant to fintech companies and financial institutions.
Latest from FinTech Update - Page 8
European Commission Requests Comments on FinTech
By Kari Larsen & Michael Selig
On March 23, 2017, the European Commission (“EC”) published a Consultation Document entitled “FinTech: A More Competitive and Innovative European Financial Sector.” The Consultation Document seeks comments regarding the development and regulation of novel financial technologies, including distributed ledger technology…
Supreme Court Holds New York Credit Card Surcharge Statute Regulates Speech
In the ongoing skirmishes between card networks and merchants in the surcharge world, the U.S. Supreme Court has just issued a significant ruling on a novel theory. Merchants in the State of New York sought to charge consumers higher fees…
D.C. Circuit Court Strikes Opt-Out Notice Requirement For Certain Faxes
On Friday, in a decision certain to please the business community as well as the Chair and new majority of the Federal Communications Committee, the D.C. Circuit struck down parts of the FCC’s October 30, 2014 Order, 29 F.C.C. Rcd.…
SEC Rejects Second Bitcoin ETF Due to Lack of Regulatory Oversight
By Kari Larsen & Michael Selig
On March 28, 2017, the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued a second denial of a bitcoin exchange-traded fund (“ETF”), following its rejection of the Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust earlier this month. SolidX Bitcoin Trust would hold bitcoin as its primary…
BATS BZX Exchange’s Proposal Disapproved by the SEC
By Kari Larsen & Michael Selig
On March 10, 2017, the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC“) issued an order disapproving BATS BZX Exchange’s proposal to list and trade shares of the Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust. The proposal, if granted, would have established a bitcoin exchange-traded…
Blockchain Technology Report Released by ESMA
By Kari Larsen & Michael Selig
On February 7, 2017, the European Securities and Markets Authority (“ESMA”) released a Report on Distributed Ledger Technology (“DLT”) (also known as “blockchain” technology) Applied to Securities Markets (the “Report”) that considers DLT’s effect on securities markets and fit to…
Blockchain Technology Report Issued by FINRA
By Kari Larsen & Michael Selig
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) published a report on January 18, 2017, regarding Distributed Ledger Technology (“DLT”) (also known as blockchain technology) that provides an overview of different DLT use cases and related regulatory considerations for market participants (the…
OCC Announces Special Purpose Charters for Fintech Firms
By Evan Thorn & Kari Larsen
On Friday December 2nd, the Officer of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced that it would consider granting financial technology (fintech) firms special purpose national bank charters. The OCC’s proposal constitutes a major development for fintech companies and the…
SEC Forum on FinTech Innovation Discusses Leveraging the Blockchain to Enhance Transparency, Verifiability and Governance in Corporate Processes
In a panel at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s recent forum on Innovation in FinTech, experts discussed blockchain’s potential role in corporate processes such as by providing an unalterable history of transactions, by tracking products and documents throughout their lifecycles,…