On July 29, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted to approve orders allowing in-kind creations and redemptions for crypto asset exchange-traded products (ETPs), including those based on bitcoin and ether. This marks a significant shift from the SEC’s earlier stance, which had limited spot crypto ETPs to cash-only transactions.

Under the newly…

On March 20, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission took a step towards clarifying its position on crypto mining activities. In a recent statement, the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance provided non-binding guidance on the application of federal securities laws to proof-of-work (PoW) mining activities, stating that such activities are beyond the SEC’s purview.
Continue Reading SEC Staff Clarifies Stance on Crypto Mining

This blog post highlights key trends in futures and derivatives for 2025, including regulatory changes promoting digital assets, increased integration of crypto with traditional finance, the adoption of DeFi protocols, potential tax and legal reforms, and efforts to harmonize global regulatory standards.
Continue Reading 5 Trends to Watch: 2025 Futures & Derivatives

On May 17, 2023, Prometheum Ember Capital LLC (Prometheum Ember Capital), a subsidiary of Prometheum Inc., received approval from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to operate as a special purpose broker-dealer (SPBD) for digital assets. Prometheum Ember Capital is the first SPBD allowed to operate as a broker-dealer…

Crypto-asset businesses, particularly those offering crypto lending, non-fungible tokens, or digital wallet/payments products — which are already facing intense scrutiny from the SEC, CFTC, U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of the Treasury — should not neglect the need to prepare for CFPB and FTC scrutiny. This article explores this trend by the CFPB…

On Jan. 3, 2023, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) (collectively, the “Agencies”) issued a joint statement (Joint Statement) that reiterates prior crypto-related guidance and highlights crypto-asset risks to banking organizations. The Joint Statement follows a…

1. Non-financial misconduct – FCA guidance expected

It is anticipated that in 2023 the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will provide further guidance on the increasingly uncertain question of what kinds of “non-financial misconduct” may be relevant to an assessment of a regulated individual’s “fitness and propriety”. “Fitness and propriety”…

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in November 2022 released a targeted exam letter pertaining to communications for crypto products and services. The relevant period for this exam is July 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2022, unless otherwise noted. FINRA defines “crypto asset” as assets “issued or transferred using distributed ledger or blockchain technology.” This…

On Oct. 11, 2022, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex Inc. had agreed to settle $53 million total in fines over allegations it violated sanctions and anti-money-laundering laws. The fines come after the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) conducted parallel investigations into Bittrex’s activities. 

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