REGULATION
Sango Coin Listing Delayed in Central African Republic
The launch of the Central African Republic's Sango Coin has been postponed for a few weeks due to legal and regulatory obstacles. The Sango Project, which is behind the initiative, stated that the delay is necessary to ensure compliance with all relevant regulations.
Bermuda Remains Committed to Crypto Despite FTX Collapse
Bermuda's Premier and Finance Minister, Edward Burt, stated that despite the collapse of crypto exchange FTX in nearby Bahamas, Bermuda will continue to accommodate digital asset and blockchain technology companies due to the benefits they offer. The territory, which implemented a regulatory framework for digital assets, recently released its first stablecoin powered by the Polygon blockchain.
Regulated Stablecoins Likely to Remain in Use by 2030
A panel of digital regulatory experts at the World of Web3 (WOW) Summit in Hong Kong discussed the future of regulated stablecoins. The group concluded that regulated stablecoins are likely to remain in use by 2030 and that their growth rate in the market supports this idea. The panelists acknowledged the growth of the crypto industry and emphasized the importance of both centralized and decentralized approaches to digital assets.
Australian Senator Proposes Digital Asset Regulation Bill
Senator Andrew Bragg has proposed a Digital Assets (Market Regulation) Bill 2023 to regulate cryptocurrency services in Australia. The bill recommends stablecoin regulations, licensing of exchanges, and custody requirements to protect consumers and promote investment.
European Crypto Startups See Record VC Investment in 2022
Despite a challenging year for the crypto industry in 2022, VC investment in European crypto startups reached an all-time high of $5.7 billion, with decentralized finance startups seeing a 120% increase in investments. Europe is also home to the highest number of crypto startups, but lags behind the US in unicorns and startups with over $1 million in funding. Investment in financial service-based startups declined by 19% compared to 2021, while infrastructure grew by 24%. The EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulations are set for a final vote in April 2023.
Mastercard Enables USDC Spending in Asia
Mastercard has partnered with Stables to allow retail customers in the Asia-Pacific region to spend and save USDC through its network. Meanwhile, worldwide banking turmoil has not slowed the blending of traditional and decentralized finance (DeFi).
Global payment provider Mastercard has expanded its partnership with the Australian stablecoin platform, Stables, to enable retail customers in the Asia-Pacific region to spend and save USDC anywhere Mastercard is accepted. The wallet will accept deposits in several stablecoins, including Tether (USDT) and Binance USD (BUSD), with all deposits automatically converted into USDC. This move comes as worldwide banking turmoil and regulatory crackdowns continue to impact the crypto space.
Coinbase warns of losing crypto industry leadership
The U.S. SEC has issued a Wells notice to Coinbase. As a result, Coinbase warns that the U.S. government’s regulatory approach to crypto has created an uncertain and unstable environment. Meanwhile, other countries, such as France, the U.K., and the European Union, are building friendlier crypto regulation ecosystems and becoming crypto hubs, causing the U.S. to lose its status as the leading hub of the crypto sector.
Coinbase CEO Compares SEC to Soccer Refs in Criticism of Lack of Clarity Around Crypto Regulation
Coinbase CEO, Brian Armstrong, compared the SEC to “soccer refs” in a game of pickleball, criticizing the regulator for their lack of clarity around crypto regulation. The comments came after Coinbase revealed they had been issued a Wells notice, which typically precedes an enforcement action. The crypto community has widely condemned the recent notice, with many agreeing that the SEC has reversed its earlier position regarding Coinbase.
Banking crisis could push cryptocurrency regulation into gray area
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire believes that the ongoing global banking crisis could lead to more uncertainty and gray area in the regulation of cryptocurrencies due to market anxiety over exposure to the US financial system and the risk of a large-scale banking system failure.
OKX to Halt Services in Canada Due to New Regulations
Cryptocurrency exchange OKX has notified its Canadian users that it will no longer provide services or allow new account openings in Canada, starting on March 24, 2023, due to new regulations. Existing Canadian customers must close open positions in options, margins, perpetual, and futures by June 22, 2023, and fiat or tokens must be withdrawn by the same date.