The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) held a public meeting of the Technology Advisory Committee (“TAC”) on March 27, 2019. The TAC is sponsored by CFTC Commissioner Brian Quintenz and Daniel Gorfine, Director of LabCFTC, is the Designated Federal Officer. The TAC, comprised of industry business, technology, and legal minds, meets periodically to discuss pressing … Continue Reading
On July 18, 2018, Acting Director Mick Mulvaney of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) announced that Paul Watkins will head the CFPB’s new Office of Innovation. According to the press release, the office, which Mulvaney created to focus on consumer-friendly innovation, “will focus on creating policies to facilitate innovation, engaging with entrepreneurs and regulators, … Continue Reading
CFTC Customer Advisory On Monday, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC” or “Commission”) issued its fourth virtual currency customer advisory, Customer Advisory 7756-18, as part of its outreach effort to educate market participants. Titled, Use Caution When Buying Digital Coins or Tokens, the advisory warns customers of the risks of speculation of future value and … Continue Reading
Floyd Mayweather, a world famous boxing champion, recently used his Twitter and Instagram accounts to help a company raise more than $30 million in an initial coin offering (“ICO”).1 Other celebrities have similarly capitalized on their “influencer” status by promoting digital tokens to their Twitter and Instagram followers. Token issuers raised over $3 billion via … Continue Reading
By Kari Larsen and Michael Selig on Posted in FinTech Trends
Nine years after Satoshi Nakamoto circulated his whitepaper and introduced the world to bitcoin, regulated bitcoin derivatives are about to be introduced in the United States. CME Group recently announced that it will begin to offer bitcoin futures based on the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate later this year[1] and the Chicago Board Options Exchange … Continue Reading
By Kari Larsen and Michael Selig on Posted in FinTech Trends
On October 17, 2017, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (“CFTC”) LabCFTC released a primer on virtual currencies, available here. The primer is an “education tool” that provides an overview of the virtual currency landscape and is “not intended to describe the official policy or position of the CFTC, or to limit the CFTC’s current … Continue Reading
By Kari Larsen and Michael Selig on Posted in FinTech Trends
On May 17, 2017, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) Acting Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo announced an “important step forward” in bringing the CFTC’s regulations into the “digital world of the 21st century.” The CFTC’s new FinTech initiative, LabCFTC, will facilitate cooperation between the CFTC and FinTech innovators. Acting Chairman Giancarlo stated that the primary aims … Continue Reading
