An international financial free zone within the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has concluded the first phase of its blockchain-based Know Your Customer (KYC) utility project, according to an ADGM press release, Dec. 4. The Abu Dhabi Global Market’s (ADGM) regulatory body, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) along with Big Four audit firm KPMG have published a review of the project’s “successful” first phase in order to provide key takeaways for members of the financial industry. The review outlines the project’s development over a period of four months, together with a consortium of major UAE-based financial institutions …

The U.S. Department of the Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelker urged crypto industry players and regulators to prevent the illicit use of cryptocurrencies in a speech Dec. 3. Speaking at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Conference on Dec. 3, Mandelker addressed the issue of mitigating risks related to emerging technologies, including digital currencies, which could potentially be used for nefarious purposes. Mandelker stressed that financial institutions and cryptocurrency services providers must combat illicit activity and the risks of assisting bad actors. “The digital currency industry must harden its networks and undertake the steps necessary to prevent …

A South Korean financial authority has warned two major domestic banks about their lack of management of cryptocurrency transactions and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulation, local online media outlet The Daily reports Dec. 4. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) has reviewed Kookmin Bank and Nonghyup Bank and found “unreasonable elements related to virtual [currency] handling business.” However, the article notes that the regulation standards are not clear, and the FSS’s order applies only to some accounts that have been contracted with a real -name verification service, not crypto counterparty (exchange) accounts. The banks have also received orders for improvement and must …

The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has released guidelines for their new “FinTech” license, according to a FINMA official press release released Dec. 3 The Swiss financial regulator revealed that license pursuants, which can be blockchain-related and crypto-related firms, will be able to apply for the fintech license with the state authority starting from 2019. The license, which FINMA notes has “relaxed requirements” under the country’s banking ordinance, allows fintech companies to accept public deposits of up to 100 million Swiss francs (CHF), or around $100 million. Within the terms of the license, companies are neither allowed to invest …

The Estonian Ministry of Finance will shortly add amendments to a recently-passed financial bill that are meant to “tighten” crypto-related regulation, Estonian financial newspaper Äripäev reports Nov. 28. According to the article, a new version of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act came into force this week in Estonia, conforming legislation to the EU’s so-called “Fourth Money Laundering Prevention Directive.” The regulation introduced this week reportedly introduces “virtual currency exchange service providers” and “virtual currency payment service providers,” while before there only was “alternative means of payment service provider.” Still, the Financial Supervision Authority (FI) has since …

The lawyer for Alexander Vinnik, the alleged former operator of defunct cryptocurrency exchange BTC-e, has said that a district court in Cyprus has withdrawn their lawsuit on charges “of fraud, money laundering and other crimes.” This development was reported by state-operated Russian news agency RIA Novosti Nov. 27. Timofey Musatov, the head of the lawyers’ group representing Vinnik, has said that the district court of Limassol city has formally granted the plaintiffs’ petition to recall their lawsuit against Vinnik and even ruled “to compensate the defendant for all legal costs incurred by him.” Musatov added: “The case against Alexander collapsed …

On November 2, Taiwan officially tightened anti-money laundering (AML) policies targeted at crypto exchanges, requesting exchanges to monitor and prevent any illegal transaction processed using digital assets. According to the newly drafted Money Laundering Control Act and Terrorism Financing Prevention Act approved by the Legislative Yuan, one of the five branches of the Taiwanese government, the country’s Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) now has authority over crypto exchanges to ban transactions suspected of being tied to fraudulent operations. Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice (MoJ) released a statement following the approval of the new AML bill, emphasizing that the government is working towards …

The lawyer for Alexander Vinnik, the alleged former operator of defunct cryptocurrency exchange BTC-e, said his defendant will go on a hunger strike this Monday, Russian state-owned news outlet TASS reported Nov. 23. According to Timofey Musatov, the head of the lawyers representing Vinnik, the reason given for the hunger strike is that “he [Vinnik] was stripped of the right for defense in France and, consequently, in Greece.” The lawyer also noted that “it became clear that the [French-issued] European arrest warrant expired.” In 2017, Greece’s supreme court ruled to extradite Vinnik to the U.S., where he faces charges of …

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance will use an automated Know Your Customer (KYC) application provided by financial software firm Refinitiv, according to an announcement published Nov. 20. Binance personally confirmed the use of Refinitiv’s software to Cointelegraph. Formerly the Financial & Risk business division of Thomson Reuters, Refinitiv provides markets data and infrastructure, while its portfolio reportedly accounts for over 4,000 institutions worldwide. According to the announcement, the KYC solution will enable the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange by adjusted trade volume, Binance, to integrate the World-Check Risk Intelligence database into their internal workflow. This will purportedly allow Binance to streamline the screening …

The Canadian House Finance Committee has recommended that the government start regulating cryptocurrencies to prevent money laundering, Canadian digital newspaper iPolitics reports Nov. 14. According to iPolitics, the Canadian House Finance Committee suggested that cryptocurrencies should be regulated during its review of the Proceeds of Crime Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA), which occurs once every five year. The committee held 18 meetings for the PCMLTFA review, which started in February. As a result of the review, the committee put forward three ways for the government to regulate cryptocurrencies. The first recommendation is to control the exchange from fiat …

The Initial Coin Offering (ICOs) industry in France represents a minor part of the global ICO market, according to a report on ICOs released by French financial markets regulator AMF (l'Autorité des marchés financiers) today, Nov. 14. According to the recent study, the global ICO market has accounted for 19.4 billion euros ($21.8 billion) since 2014. Having experienced rapid growth since 2016, most of the market share has mainly been concentrated in 2017 and during the first three quarters of 2018, with 13.4 billion euros ($15 billion) raised within this latter period. As the AMF reported, France has accounted for …

Regulation has been a major talking point in the cryptocurrency sphere in 2018 - mainly due to the monumental crypto-craze in 2017. This has come to the fore in Europe, after the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) updated its policy on cryptocurrencies in October, which were initially established back in 2015. To understand the implications of these refurbished guidelines, one needs to understand the role of the FATF and its involvement in the regulation of cryptocurrencies. FATF and crypto Established in 1989, by the G7, the FATF is responsible for creating legal, regulatory, and operational measures to prevent money laundering …