In the first of a four-part Crypto Year in Review series, Carlin McCrory, Keith Barnett, and Ethan Ostroff look at how the CFPB and FTC viewed and regulated cryptocurrency in 2022. The panel examines statements by CFPB Director Rohit Chopra and recent CFPB and FTC enforcement actions, identifying likely regulatory trends for 2023 and beyond.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA) generally prohibits insured state banks, but not uninsured state member banks, from acting as principal in activities that are not permissible for national banks. Relying on its authority under the FDIA to limit the activities of state member banks, on January 27, 2023, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) issued
On January 3, The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the Agencies) issued a joint statement to banking organizations highlighting a number of risks associated with crypto-assets.
While the Agencies expressly state that “banking organizations are neither prohibited nor
On December 14, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) introduced the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2022 (the Act) that would extend anti-money laundering and countering of the financing of terrorism requirements to cryptocurrency and digital assets. The bill follows warnings from the Treasury Department, Department of Justice, and national security and
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a decision denying Nexo Financial, LLC’s petition to modify a civil investigation demand (CID) originally served on the company on December 1, 2021. At that time, Nexo Financial and its affiliates advertised a range of products, including interest-accruing accounts and lines of credit. In its petition, Nexo Financial
On November 28, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced a $362,158.70 settlement with Payward, Inc. d/b/a Kraken. The Delaware-incorporated virtual currency exchange allegedly processed 826 transactions amounting to approximately $1.7 million on behalf of individuals located in Iran. In addition to the fine, Kraken also has agreed to
In this episode of The Crypto Exchange, Troutman Pepper Partners Ethan Ostroff and Keith Barnett welcome their colleague Jay Dubow to discuss recent updates in the crypto space related to activities by regulators on the state and federal level around questions involving securities. Jay, who formerly worked as a branch chief in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, provides a unique perspective and insight into our conversation surrounding crypto and the SEC.
On November 7, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced a $600,000 settlement with Oklahoma-based payment processor Global Holdings. Attorney General Healey claimed that Global Holdings violated the Massachusetts Unfair and Deceptive Practices Act by sending debt settlement company DMB Financial LLC (DMB) its fees before the federal Telemarketing Sales Rule permits debt settlement companies like
On November 10, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a new complaint bulletin, highlighting consumer complaints it has received related to crypto-assets. The bulletin suggests that fraud, theft, hacks, and scams pose a significant problem in crypto-asset markets. Also, according to the bulletin, consumers reported issues with executing transactions and transferring assets between
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reached a $100 million settlement with Vonage over allegations that the internet phone service provider violated the FTC and Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA) by adding “junk fees” and using “dark patterns” to make it difficult for consumers to cancel. In addition to the fine that will be used