Coin Center Travel Series: Chiang Mai, Thailand
A small yet savvy technical community remains hopeful for regulatory clarity
This is the latest installment of Coin Center's multi-part travel series examining how cryptocurrency is used around the world. The cryptocurrency community in Chiang Mai is transitioning from an organic, spontaneous...
Today, Reps. Warren Davidson and Darren Soto introduced the Token Taxonomy Act, which includes several common-sense changes to federal law. First, the bill would amend the definition of “security” in...
Two new digital asset associations launch to advance cryptocurrency professionalization.
Over the last week, The Association for Digital Asset Markets and Mexican Blockchain Association both launched. Their goals are to develop industry standards, codes of conduct, and best practices among...
The SEC published much-needed guidance on tokens and trading.
It recently released a “Statement on Digital Asset Securities Issuance and Trading” that uses the example of recent enforcement actions and settlements to illustrate how the securities laws will be...
The Blockchain Alliance reaches 100 law enforcement, regulator, and cryptocurrency industry members.
The alliance, launched in 2015, is a forum for the law enforcement, regulators and cryptocurrency businesses to communicate with each other. When we helped found the Blockchain Alliance, we wrote:...
Coin Center Travel Series: Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
An active diaspora and technical workforce constrained by policy vacuum
This is an installment of Coin Center's multi-part travel series examining how cryptocurrency is used around the world. Driven partially under the radar by restrictions on the use of cryptocurrency as...
What can the EtherDelta settlement tell us about how decentralized exchanges are regulated?
Exchanges that trade securities are subject to stricter rules than those that do not
The SEC has charged and settled with Zachary Coburn for operating an unregistered securities exchange, EtherDelta, in violation of Section 5 of the Exchange Act. This may come to a...
Cryptocurrency isn’t the primary threat to sanctions enforcement
Authoritarian states may not be that interested in payments networks they can’t control
The effect of cryptocurrency technology on the U.S.’s ability to enforce sanctions is a topic that has been receiving more and more government attention. Mostly it has been a reaction...
Writing and publishing code alone cannot be a crime
A recent speech from a CFTC commissioner is concerning for free software development
Recently CFTC Commissioner Brian Quintenz gave a speech that began by asking one of the most important policy question generated by the emergence of cryptocurrencies and public blockchains: “How can...
The public internet needs public payments infrastructure
How I explained cryptocurrency and blockchain technology in the Senate
Today I had the honor of testifying in support of cryptocurrency innovation before the Senate Banking Committee. My goal was to help the committee understand not only what this technology...