Major cryptocurrency exchange Kraken is experiencing difficulties with the withdrawal and deposit channel related to the automated clearing house (ACH) via Silvergate. Kraken has reportedly notified its users that it will be unable to support ACH deposits and withdrawals starting from March 27. According to multiple online reports by alleged Kraken users, Kraken sent an…
Read more
Australia-based crypto exchange Independent Reserve is looking at opportunities to set up shop in Hong Kong, as the city continues efforts to become a cryptocurrency hub. Set to take effect in June, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) released a proposed licensing regime for cryptocurrency exchanges on Feb. 20 in line with its…
Read more
Brian Armstrong, the CEO and co-founder of crypto exchange Coinbase has compared the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to “soccer refs” in a game of pickleball, criticizing U.S. regulators for not being able to “agree on the rules” of “this new game.” The comments came after Armstrong revealed that his firm had been issued a…
Read more
The United States commodities regulator received a crash course on decentralized finance (DeFi) on March 22. Crypto executives briefed the regulator on key issues affecting the space, including exploits, decentralization and digital identities. As part of a scheduled first meeting of the CFTC’s Technology Advisory Committee (TAC) in Washington D.C., members from the crypto space…
Read more
United States Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell has conceded that his regulator was blindsided by the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), despite it being under their watch. In a press conference held just after the Federal Open Market Committee meeting on March 22, Powell said he immediately knew there was a need for…
Read more
Bankrupt crypto exchange FTX is seeking to recover $460 million of allegedly misappropriated customer funds from venture capital (VC) firm Modulo Capital, which received a sizeable investment from Alameda Research last year. As previously reported, FTX’s sister trading firm, Alameda Research was understood to have invested around $400 million in Modulo in 2022 — one…
Read more
Crypto exchange Coinbase said it received a ‘Wells Notice’ from the United States Securities and Exchange Commission recommending the regulator take enforcement action. In a March 22 blog post, Coinbase said the “legal threat” could potentially target the exchange’s staking program Coinbase Earn, listed digital assets, its wallet, or Coinbase Prime services. A Wells Notice…
Read more
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, has called for a jury trial against Tron founder Justin Sun for the “orchestration of the unregistered offer and sale, manipulative trading, and unlawful touting of crypto asset securities.” In a March 22 filing in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the…
Read more
United States Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden have cited the recent collapse of three major banks to call on the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to “rein in” audits of crypto firms. In a March 21 letter to Public Company Accounting Oversight Board chair Erica Williams, Warren and Wyden reiterated concerns over “shady audits”…
Read more
Bitcoin (BTC) saw heavy volatility on March 22 as the United States Federal Reserve hinted that it may stop interest rate hikes. BTC/USD 1-hour candle chart (Bitstamp). Source: TradingView Powell on rates: “‘May’ and ‘some’ instead of ‘ongoing’” Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed sharp moves both up and down for BTC/USD as the…
Read more