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Facebook’s Libra gets stark warning from G-7 finance chiefs

AP — Finance chiefs from the Group of Seven rich democracies issued a stark warning on Thursday that cryptocurrencies like the Libra digital money recently unveiled by Facebook should not be allowed before “serious regulatory and systemic concerns” are addressed. France, which this year chairs the G-7 gatherings on topics… Read More

Bitcoin craze hits Iran as US sanctions squeeze weak economy

AP — Iranians feeling the squeeze from U.S. sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic’s ailing economy are increasingly turning to such digital currencies as Bitcoin to make money, prompting alarm in and out of the country. In Iran, some government officials worry that the energy-hungry process of “mining” Bitcoin is abusing… Read More

Japan to lead development of SWIFT network for cryptocurrency: source

Japan’s government is leading a global push to set up an international network for cryptocurrency payments, similar to the SWIFT network used by banks, in an effort to fight money laundering, a person familiar with the plan said on Thursday. Tokyo aims to have the network in place in the… Read More

18th July 2019

G7 finance chiefs pour cold water on Facebook’s digital coin plans

Group of Seven finance chiefs cast a cloud over prospects for Facebook’s Libra digital coin on Wednesday, insisting tough regulatory problems would have to be worked out first. The massive social media company’s plan to launch a digital coin has met with a chorus from regulators, central bankers and governments… Read More

18th July 2019

The dark side of Zug’s Crypto Valley

Canton Zug has been positioning itself as the global capital of cryptocurrencies, but accusations of fraud engulfing cryptocurrency markets could curb its ambitions. In the United States, legal proceedings implicating cryptocurrency exchange platform Bitfinex in a $850 million (CHF841 million) fraud scandal are forcing Zug’s so-called “Crypto Valley” to examine… Read More

17th July 2019

Designing Compliance: What US Justice Department Guidance Tells Banks

A recent update to the US Justice Department’s guidance on assessing corporate compliance programmes is intended to help federal prosecutors determine when to pursue criminal indictments or prosecution agreements with companies, but that shouldn’t deter compliance professionals from reviewing the document. There are lessons within for heads of compliance and… Read More

16th July 2019

Treasury chief: Facebook currency plan ripe for illicit use

AP — The Trump administration came out strongly Monday against Facebook’s ambitious plan to create a new digital currency, as the Treasury chief warned it could be used for illicit activity such as money laundering, human trafficking and financing terrorism. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin expressed “very serious concerns” about the… Read More

16th July 2019

IMF warns banks to evolve or be ‘left behind’ amid competition from big tech firms

Banks must evolve or risk being “left behind” as big tech companies shake up the financial system, according to new research from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In a paper published Monday titled “The Rise of Digital Money,” IMF authors… Read More

15th July 2019

U.S. proposes barring big tech companies from offering financial services, digital currencies

A proposal to prevent big technology companies from functioning as financial institutions or issuing digital currencies has been circulated for discussion by the Democratic majority that leads the House Financial Services Committee, according to a copy of the draft legislation seen by Reuters. In a sign of widening scrutiny after… Read More

15th July 2019

UK Economic Crime Plan Draws Allegations of ‘Policy Capture’ from Critics: FT

A new UK plan to tackle economic crime would fail to hold companies sufficiently liable for illicit activity beyond bribery and tax evasion, anti-corruption campaigners told the Financial Times. Under current laws, British firms can only be deemed guilty of other financial crimes if the “directing mind”—a senior manager… Read More

12th July 2019

Bitcoin ATMs Show Gap in EU’s Money Laundering Rules, Police Say

A Spanish effort to prosecute a gang that used Bitcoin automated cash machines suspected of being a front for illegal-drug payments has exposed a hole in European anti-money-laundering controls, law-enforcement authorities in the country said. Rules designed to force money handlers to vet their clients don’t apply to the cash… Read More

12th July 2019

Trump blasts Bitcoin, Facebook’s Libra, demands they face banking regulations

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday criticized Bitcoin, Facebook’s proposed Libra digital coin and other cryptocurrencies and demanded that companies seek a banking charter and make themselves subject to U.S. and global regulations if they wanted to “become a bank.” “I am not a fan of Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies,… Read More

12th July 2019

BoE says British banks ready for no-deal Brexit, trade war

British banks hold enough capital to cope with a no-deal Brexit and a global trade war simultaneously, the Bank of England said on Thursday, although a disruptive Brexit would still cause major turbulence for financial markets and the economy. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney also flagged ongoing concerns about… Read More

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