LEGISLATION
Democrat Ro Khanna Proposes Bill to Restrict Crypto Involvement by Elected Officials After Trump's Pardon
Following Trump's pardon of Binance's CZ, Democrat Ro Khanna plans a bill to ban elected officials from crypto activities, aiming to prevent conflicts of interest.
ElevenLabs Backs Congressional AI Safety and Innovation Bills
ElevenLabs supports US Congressional efforts to advance AI safety and innovation through two key legislative acts.
UK Advancing Towards a Digital Pound: Exploring CBDC Feasibility
The UK's Bank of England (BoE) and HM Treasury are advancing into the second phase of exploring the feasibility of a digital pound, also known as "Britcoin." A final decision is yet to be made, with a focus on user privacy and coexistence with cash.
FCA Unveils Guidance on Cryptoasset Promotions Compliance
The UK's Financial Conduct Authority has issued a finalised non-handbook guidance on Cryptoasset Financial Promotions, aiming to clarify compliance with new laws and balance consumer protection with innovation for long-term economic growth.
US House Committee Chair Criticizes SEC on Digital Assets
US House Financial Services Committee Chair Patrick McHenry criticized the SEC’s approach to digital assets at an oversight hearing, demanding clear rules for crypto through legislation and pressing SEC Chair Gary Gensler for a definitive answer on whether Ether qualified as a security or a commodity.
Legislation Introduced to Remove SEC Chair Gensler from His Role
United States Representative Warren Davidson has announced plans to introduce legislation that would remove SEC Chair Gary Gensler from his role and replace it with an Executive Director that reports to the Board. The move follows the SEC's proposed rule amendments that could bring certain brokers under additional regulatory scrutiny and redefine an "exchange." While Gensler has said the proposed changes could benefit investors and markets, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce has criticized the move, accusing the regulator of stifling new technology and entrepreneurship. The SEC has faced criticism for using enforcement actions to develop the law on a case-by-case basis, rather than creating clear regulations.
US House Committee to Discuss Stablecoins Regulation
The US House Committee on Financial Services will conduct a hearing on April 19 to evaluate stablecoins’ position as a means of payment and whether the payment ecosystem needs supporting legislation. Circle's chief strategy officer and head of global policy, Dante Disparte, will testify at the hearing, which will focus on various stablecoins and their use in the payments landscape. A draft bill providing a framework for stablecoins in the United States was recently published in the House of Representatives document repository.
Montana Passes Crypto Miner Rights Bill
Montana’s House of Representatives passed Bill number 178, which seeks to enshrine the rights of crypto miners and prohibit local authorities from obstructing crypto mining operations. The bill now awaits Governor Greg Gianforte’s signature to become law. The legislation establishes a “digital asset mining right,” forbids discriminatory electricity rates charged to crypto miners, and removes the authority of local governments to use zoning laws to impede crypto mining activities.
Bank of Russia Delays CBDC Pilot Rollout
The Bank of Russia's CBDC pilot rollout has been delayed indefinitely due to legislation only passing through the first reading. The number of participating private banks has also changed to 13 from 15, with the pilot involving real operations and limited consumers.
New York State Introduces Bill Allowing State Agencies to Accept Crypto
The crypto sector has attacked New York's "BitLicense" and crypto mining restrictions.
Paraguay Senate Passes Bill to Regulate Crypto Mining and Trading
Paraguay is advancing its crypto bill. Though it appears taking clues from its counterpart, El Salvador.
Brazilian Senate Committee on Economic Affairs Approves Crypto Regulation Bill
Crypto regulation on Brazilian soil gained steam after the senate’s economic affairs committee approved a bill highlighting the ground rules and day-to-day usage of digital currency funds.
Ukraine Legalizes Bitcoin amid Intensified Tension with Russia
The Ukrainian parliament unanimously voted to legalize Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies by passaging a Virtual Assets law on Thursday, amid the intensified tension with the potential military conflicts with Russia.
Spanish Lawmaker Tables a Proposal to be Bitcoin Mining Hub after Kazakhstan Internet Shutdown
Maria Munoz, a member of the Congress of Deputies, seeks to make Spain a Bitcoin mining hub following the turmoil that was continually rocking Kazakhstan.
London Lawmaker Urges Government to Ban Crypto Ads on Public Transport System
A London Assembly member from the Green Party, Sian Berry, is pushing for a broad crackdown on advertisements featuring digital currencies on the London Transport System.