Day: July 10, 2023

Shin Hyun-Seong, Terraform Labs’ co-founder, faces indictment in South Korea related to illicit profits from the sale of Terra and Luna cryptocurrencies. The prosecution asserts Shin manipulated transactions, spread false information about the project, and sold coins just before a market crash, resulting in substantial unlawful earnings and raising crucial questions for the future of crypto industry.

Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey raised concerns about the instability and insecurity of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, advocating for ‘enhanced digital money.’ This form of money transforms digital funds into units that can execute actions in smart contracts. Bailey believes that this could offer better safety and singleness compared to current digital currencies. However, its ability to prevent security breaches remains a question.

Canada is accelerating its efforts in the global blockchain industry according to a Canadian House of Commons committee report. But alongside the potential of blockchain for cryptocurrency, supply chain, and financial innovations, it identifies the need for a regulatory framework, particularly for stablecoins. The report also warns of the risks that come with blockchain, highlighting the need for preparedness against “bad actors.”

Grayscale has argued to the SEC that the rejection of a spot Bitcoin ETF is incongruous, citing more risk in an approved Volatility Shares Trust product. It suggests an arbitrary bias in SEC treatment of Bitcoin-based ETFs. This raises pertinent questions about consistency and fairness of regulation in the rapidly evolving cryptocurrency sector.

The European Union enacted the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) legislation, sparking controversy with a daily 200 million euros transaction cap for private stablecoins. This is meant to protect investors from large-scale stablecoin failures which could impact traditional financial systems. However, critics argue it could stifle innovation within the crypto landscape.

“The cryptocurrency exchange Binance is attracting scrutiny and interest as it integrates into the Indian payment infrastructure, facilitating crypto trades in Indian Rupees. However, the lack of clear regulation and the potential for infringing exchange control rules, coupled with anti-money laundering concerns and non-payment of taxes, underscore the need for comprehensive governance in this emerging market.”

“Grayscale, a crypto asset manager, has expressed dissatisfaction with the SEC’s approval of a Bitcoin-based exchange-traded fund, while rejecting Grayscale’s own Bitcoin ETF. The company argues this shows preferential treatment and poses higher investment risks.”

U.S. Senator Thomas Tuberville has urged an investigation into special-purpose broker, Prometheum, which recently got federal permissions to offer crypto trading. The probe stems from the suspicion that Prometheum may have violated U.S. securities laws or provided dubious testimony to Congress, hence affecting investor protection and legislative process integrity.

“The incident involving Terraform Labs’ co-founders highlights regulatory challenges in the cryptocurrency sector. Despite potential market instability, these actions assure investors of accountability. This illustrates the urgent need for regulation balancing growth and investor protection in the rapidly evolving digital currency market, emphasizing transparency and responsibility.”