foreign policy
Court Upholds OFAC's Designation of Tornado Cash Under IEEPA
The US District Court upheld the OFAC's designation of Tornado Cash under the IEEPA, rejecting plaintiffs' claims of overreach and First Amendment violations, highlighting legal challenges for privacy-oriented blockchain entities.
US Government Plans to Use USDC Stablecoin to Offer Foreign Aid in Venezuela
U.S government has tapped Circle’s USDC stablecoin to offer foreign aid in Venezuela through President-elect Juan Guaidó exiled government.
Exclusive: LabCFTC's Melissa Netram Talks Advancing Policy and Regulation in FinTech and Blockchain Through Times of Crisis
The United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) established LabCFTC as an initiative under the General Counsel’s office in 2017 aimed at promoting FinTech innovation and competition. The office has been very active with over 400 different private meetings held with innovators in the last three years. In addition, LabCFTC has published three primers in the marketplace based on their understanding of smart contracts, artificial intelligence, and crypto-assets.
Cryptocurrency Adoption Is Growing, But US Needs To Adopt A Solid Blockchain Policy
In order to be ahead of other countries in the ever-growing industry of blockchain, the US needs to come up with an enforceable and consistent blockchain policy.
Open Banking & Banking Digital Transformation Congress will be held in August in Shanghai
Open Banking&Banking Digital Transformation Congress 2020 will be held on September 24-25 in Shanghai with a focus on digital transformation and open ecosystem construction of large state-owned banks, joint-stock banks, urban commercial bank, and foreign bank, etc. The congress will mainly discuss how iABCD empower retail, micro and corporate finance from perspectives of policy transmission, ecological construction, cultural innovation, business model innovation, product innovation, risk management, marketing, and the user experience, etc.
China’s DCEP Aims to Restructure the Payment Network While Maintaining a “Normal” Monetary Policy
A Chinese senior central bank official said China should maintain a “normal” monetary policy as the country has been recovering from COVID-19 smoothly.
The World Economic Forum Forms Six Tech Policy Councils Including Blockchain
The World Economic Forum (WEF) launched six different “fourth industrial revolution councils” to help regulators working on the new technology policy guidance. The new technology included artificial intelligence, autonomous mobility, blockchain, drones, internet of things and precision medicine, as revealed on 29 May.
Thailand’s Trade Policy Office to Trace Agricultural Products from Farm to Export Using Blockchain
Thailand’s Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO) has revealed its intentions of using blockchain technology to trace agricultural products from farms to export as this will optimize buyers’ confidence.
Facebook’s Libra Move to Apply for Swiss Regulator FINMA License: A Failed Permissionless Network?
Libra is moving away from its original plan of permissionless digital currency, widely accessible for the public, due to ongoing unprecedented hardship. Libra will be moving towards a coin that would be subject to foreign exchange controls and regulations.
Will Hong Kong's Status as an International Digital Financial Hub be Affected by the National Security Law?
2020 has been quite a year for Hong Kong, marked by months of political unrest, the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, and a sweeping new national security law that China imposed on the city. The national security law, unanimously passed by China’s ruling Communist Party, sets up against secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security.
Zimbabwe’s Central Bank Finally Takes a Big U-Turn to Regulate Cryptocurrencies
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, the country’s central bank, revealed that it would develop a regulatory framework to check operations of companies dealing with cryptocurrencies. The Chronicle, the local newspaper, reported that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has already begun drafting a policy framework to guide business activities of cryptocurrency firms.
Federal Reserve Digital Dollar DLT Testing Underway But CBDC Monetary Policy Lags
Federal Reserve Board Governor Lael Brainaird announced that the United States Federal Reserve is currently experimenting with blockchain and DLT in pursuit of its central bank digital currency (CBDC) or digital dollar.
Bitcoin Price as Likely as Gold to Rally Higher, Investors Await ECB Policy Meeting Outcome
Bitcoin is now more closely correlated to safe haven asset gold than ever, which enables the world’s largest cryptocurrency to be able to combat risk aversion.