Wendy Rogers, a state senator in Arizona, United States, has launched bills concerning cryptocurrency, including one that aims to make Bitcoin (BTC) a legal tender in Arizona. In a recent tweet, Rogers cited data from investment firm Goldman Sachs that BTC is the best-performing asset in the world and announced that she launched a set of crypto bills. “Breaking: #Bitcoin is the best performing asset in the world this year according to data from Goldman Sachs.” Launched my #Crypto bills today, as well as Photo Radar Prohibition, which included nearly all my Republican senator colleagues as cosponsors @JeffWeninger @JDMesnard pic.twitter.com/ueUeFSEybo …

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been probing traditional Wall Street investment advisors that may be offering digital asset custody to its clients without the proper qualifications. A Jan. 26 Reuters report citing “three sources with knowledge of the inquiry” said the SEC’s investigation has been going on for several months already but accelerated after the collapse of crypto exchange FTX. The investigations by the SEC have not been known previously before as the agency’s inquiries are not public, said the sources. As per the Reuters report, much of the SEC’s efforts in this inquiry are looking …

Investors of crypto mining firm Argo Blockchain have filed a class action lawsuit accusing the miner of making untrue statements and omitting key information during its initial public offering (IPO) in 2021. A newly filed lawsuit on Jan. 26 is aimed at Argo and several of its executives and board members. It claims the firm failed to disclose how susceptible it was to capital constraints, electricity costs and network difficulties. "The Offering Documents were negligently prepared and, as a result, contained untrue statements of material fact or omitted to state other facts necessary to make the statements made not misleading," …

The chairman of the newly formed U.S. congressional subcommittee on digital assets has pledged for progressive crypto regulations to ensure that "America is the place for innovation in fintech and blockchain." Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Jan. 26, Congressman French Hill offered some of his first insights into what is anticipated for crypto regulations in the country. The Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Inclusion, which is chaired by Hill, was put together on Jan. 12 with the remit of “identifying best practices and policies that continue to strengthen diversity and inclusion in the digital asset …

Despite the plans to turn the region into a bustling crypto hub, the United Kingdom’s financial watchdog says it has given the all-clear to only41 out of 300 crypto firm applications seeking regulatory approval to date. The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) implemented the new cryptocurrency-focused regulations on Jan. 10, 2020, to supervise businesses operating in the sector and to ensure that they’re subject to the same anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) regulations as firms in traditional financial markets. A statement from the FCA has revealed that of the 265 applications that were "determined" a mere 15% of …

Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Commissioner Kristin Johnson has urged Congress to adopt legislation that "closes the current gap in the oversight of crypto spot markets." During a speech at the digital assets conference at Duke University on Jan. 21, Johnson proposed a number of amendments that would enable the CFTC to conduct “effective due diligence” on businesses, including crypto firms, that want to acquire CFTC-regulated entities. The Commissioner also wants expanded powers for the commodities regulator to enhance customer protection, prevent liquidity crises, and mitigate conflicts of interest. One of these potential changes would be to give the commodities …

Crypto proponents would be wise to keep their eyes on nonfungible token (NFT) and metaverse trademark applications this year, which are “reliable signals” of future-use plans. Speaking to Cointelegraph, intellectual property lawyer Michael Kondoudis said while many people may think big corporations are just jumping onto the NFT trend as a novelty, “it is not possible” to register a trademark in the United States with no intention to use it. Despite a relatively low cost for filing an application — ranging from $250 to $350 per class of goods/services — Kondoudis explained when a company submits a trademark application, it …

The SEC has once again rejected a proposal to list the ARK 21 Shares Bitcoin ETF on equities exchange Cboe BZX, according to Jan. 26 statement from the SEC. The SEC rejected a similar proposal in April, 2022. The SEC has just now once again rejected ARK's and 21Shares spot bitcoin, $BTC ETF listing. — unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) January 26, 2023 The proposed ETF would have been managed jointly by Cathie Wood’s Ark Investment Management and 21Shares if it had been approved. The purpose of the proposed fund was to allow investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin’s price within the confines …

The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) is working on two papers to address fundamental legal risks in the crypto markets, such as the insolvency of crypto exchange firms, according to a statement released on Jan. 26. The initiative was motivated by the collapse of crypto exchange FTX and previous bankruptcy cases that “prompted a cascade of liquidity and solvency concerns across the crypto ecosystem.” Along with other things, the papers will offer guidance for market participants regarding crypto ownership and the role of intermediates in the event of bankruptcy. “The prospect of insolvency of a major market participant requires …

Two United States senators have taken their questions about the performance of the accounting firms active in the crypto space to a higher power – the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). Failure to uncover alleged criminality and poor recordkeeping at FTX has sullied the image of the PCAOB and the accounting profession, the senators said. In a letter addressed to PCAOB chair Erica Williams and dated Jan. 25, Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden pointed out claims former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried made about passing audits by large accounting firms Armanino and Prager Metis. Current FTX CEO John …

The Web3 Foundation, which supports the Polkadot protocol, has again presented its argument that its native DOT (DOT) token is not a security. In a Twitter thread, the foundation emphasized its efforts to comply with U.S. securities laws, as well as Securities and Exchange Commission guidance on digital assets, and declared that DOT had successfully “morphed” and is software, not a security. The Web3 Foundation reposted an excerpt from a December Twitter Space where Angela Dalton, identified as an adviser to the foundation, described how representatives accepted the SEC’s invitation to “come in and talk to us.” Subsequently, the foundation …

Lawyers representing FTX in bankruptcy court have reportedly argued that former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried’s immediate family should face questioning regarding their personal wealth. According to a Jan. 26 report from Bloomberg, FTX’s lawyers requested Judge John Dorsey in the District of Delaware allow them to question Joseph Bankman, Barbara Fried, and Gabriel Bankman-Fried — the father, mother, and brother of SBF, respectively — under oath about any financial benefits they may have received from the exchange. Other FTX executives could reportedly be subject to the same line of questioning in an effort to track down assets tied to the bankrupt …