Market Insights

April Regulator Roundup 2020

130+ regulation and policy updates from the month of April

Copper

01.05.2020

Bitcoin booms as halving nears, bullish buying crashes Coinbase, security in spotlight with Kraken custody breach, Binance DDOS and Covid-19 ransomware, enterprise blockchain deals soar and Libra comes back from the brink

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Global

Bitcoin trading volumes spike 61% in Q1 2020. More →

World Economic Forum’s first whitepaper on blockchain supply chains says toolkit can restart economy after Covid-19. More → 

60% of central banks studying stablecoins, Bank for International Settlements research shows. More →

Covid-19 cuts criminal crypto ransomware revenue by a third, says research. More →

Financial Stability Board asks for guidance on 10 regulatory recommendations for ‘global stablecoin’. More →

XRP is 2020’s worst performing cryptoasset.  More →

More investors hoarding Bitcoin ahead of bullish halving, data shows: More →

G20 to set international rules for regulating stablecoins, Libra. More →

Covid-19 highlights value of central bank digital currencies, says BIS head Benoit.  More →

$8.8trn traded on futures and spot markets in Q1 2020. More →

Bitcoin ‘stock-to-flow’ model predicts bullish halving. More →

Open interest on CME Bitcoin futures returns to pre-crash levels. More →

 

Europe

Digital Euro should not discourage private payment tech, ECB exec says. More →

EU must cover regulatory ‘blind spots’ in cryptocurrency. More →

 

Estonia

Coinex adds Matrixport to begin OTC trading. More →

France

Authorite de Marches Financiers regulator says it’s too soon for cross-border EU crypto regulations. More →

Germany

Boerse Stuttgart adds stop orders on Bitcoin trades ahead of halving volatility. More →

Ireland

 Facebook hiring 50 new roles for Calibra development office. More →

Italy

Small town mints new ‘Ducati’ currency to deal with Covid-19. More →

Malta

70% of ‘Blockchain Island’ applicants failed to win license, authority says.  More →

Netherlands

Parliament votes to adopt tighter AML laws for crypto companies. More

Central bank supports creation of digital Euro. More

Bitcoin savings platform Bittr closes citing AMLD. More

Norway

Millionaire arrested for wife’s murder in ‘$10m in Monero’ ransom case.  More →

Portugal

Energy giant EDP hit by €10m Bitcoin ransomware hack. More → 

Government to create blockchain, AI ‘free zones’ to lower regulatory burden. More →

Russia

Cryptocurrency bill reading postponed again, this time due to Covid-19. More → 

Russia completes cryptocurrency regulation bill. More → 

Slovakia

Researchers disrupt 35,000 strong Monero mining botnet:. More → 

Spain

Tax authority sends letters to 66,000 crypto traders nationwide. More →

Switzerland

FINMA backs law changes for blockchain trading. More →

Famed ‘Crypto Valley’ seeks $100m government bailout. More → 

Arab Bank Switzerland closes $10m Series A round for Taurus Group. More → 

Capital markets association adopts new standards for crypto custody. More → 

Uk

Institution-focused cryptoexchange Max Markets opens its doors. More → 

Cryptocurrencies must be strictly regulated to avoid financial collapse, says Oxford University research. More →

Action Fraud warns of 9,500 reports of Bitcoin sextorition scam. More →

Payments processor Checkout.com joins Libra Association. More →

Blockchain AML financial crime firm Elliptic names new CEO with Asia push in mind. More →

AIM-listed miner Argo Blockchain reveals 1000% revenue boost. More →

Crypto data provider Skew secures $5m funding round. More →

Telegram delays TON launch until April 2021, offers investors 72% refund. More →

Americas

Argentina

Central bank testing smart contracts for interbank settlement, clearing. More →

Brazil

Country’s four financial regulators launch info-sharing on blockchain. More → 

Canada

Publicly-listed Hive to double mining capacity with 30MW bu.  More →

3iQ lists $14m Bitcoin Fund on Toronto Stock Exchange. More →

Cuba

Country’s first P2P cryptoexchange launches despite restrictions. More →

United States

Libra rival Celo awards $700k to 13 startups. More → 

FATF report says US ‘largely compliant’ with cryptoasset recommendations. More →

New York judge denies Telegram request to distribute Gram tokens outside US.  More →

Ex-Goldman Sachs fund manager pivots hard into Bitcoin. More →

Investor group sues four exchanges, seven issuers for selling ICOs as unregistered securities. More → 

Microsoft files patent for cryptomining using body heat instead of electricity. More → 

Government Accountability Office seeks blockchain specialists. More →

Visa teams up with Fold startup for Bitcoin payments card. More →

Mining hardware giant Canaan records net $148.6m loss in 2019. More → 

FBI warns over increased Covid-19 crypto scams.  More → 

Andressen Horowitz seeks to raise $450m for second crypto VC fund. More → 

State Department, Treasury, Homeland Security and FBI launch united front against North Korea cryptohacking. More → 

CFTC charges Florida man in $1.6m forex-crypto scam. More → 

Facebook revamps Libra to single-currency stablecoins to meet regulatory approval. More → 

From July 2020 Wyoming insurance groups allowed to buy cryptocurrencies. More → 

Updated Libra whitepaper ‘does not address concerns’ of Finance Committee. More →

Americans using Covid-19 stimulus payments to buy Bitcoin, report says. More →

CFTC approves Bitnomial exchange for Bitcoin futures and options margin trading. More → 

Coinbase names Barclays veteran Tejpaul as institutional head. More →

Texas judge orders arrest of ex-State senator for ICO scam. More →

Jack Dorsey-backed CoinList moves into DeFi. More →

Bakkt promotes David Clifton to interim CEO. More →

Crypto lender dydx processes $1.1bn in Bitcoin loans in 2020. More →

Crypto-friendly Square wins FDIC permission to become a bank. More →

SEC sues Dropil over $54m ICOs. More →

Immigration enforcement seizes Covid-19 website sold for Bitcoin. More →

Dole to use blockchain food tracing in all divisions by 2025. More →

US health giant joins IBM blockchain supplier network. More →

US, UK lead DeFi startup boom, research shows. More →

Bitcoin mining manufacturer Ebang files for $100m IPO.  More →

Kentucky governor signs bill creating blockchain working group. More →

Crypto fund Iterative Capital Management sued for alleged fraud. More → 

Grayscale bought 48% of all ETH mined this year, say reports. More → 

Lawmakers lobby US Treasury to allow blockchain for Covid-19 relieft. More → 

Asia-focused derivatives exchange FTX to launch US spot trading. More →

Blockchain Association lobby group join Kik vs SEC case. More →

Crypto fund manager sued over alleged $1m fraud. More → 

TokenSoft joins US crypto lobbyist Blockchain Association. More → 

Crypto-friendly CFTC commissioner Quintenz won’t seek renomination. More → 

Ciphertrace unveils compliance tool for banks processing crypto transactions. More →

Fee-free crypto lender Celsius Network sees 60% rise in lending. More → 

Nasdaq joins with R3 to let financial institutions build their own tokens, marketplaces: .  More →

Crypto-friendly Silvergate Bank sees record 24/7 payments in Q1 2020. More →

Colorado patient data system hit with crypto ransomware. More →

Department of Transportation reveals blockchain drone-tracking plans. More →

Coinbase, Kraken crash under surge of Bitcoin buying ahead of halving. More →

Venezuela

Exchange debuts SMS-based offline Petro payments at Maduro’s behest. More →

Middle East & North Africa

Bahrain

Country’s first pharma, food tracking blockchain launches to aid Covid-19.  More →

UAE

KFC to use blockchain to track media buying in Middle East. More →

 

Central Asia

 

Uzbekistan

Regulators plan sandbox to cover STOs, mining, exhanges and cryptocurrency. More →

 

South Asia

India

Bitbuddy launches Bitcoin exchange in wake of Supreme Court ban reversal. More → 

Facebook buys $5.7bn stake in blockchain-friendly giant Reliance Jio. More →

 

East Asia & Pacific

Australia

Payments firm Eftpos trials blockchain ID for government. More →

Coinspot exchange is country’s first to win ISO 27001 cert for infosecy. More →

China

Tech giants Huawei, Tencent, Baidu join national blockchain committee.  More →

Central bank digital currency mobile wallet revealed. More →

Central bank greenlights commercial lenders to trial digital yuan.  More → 

Government employees to get half their wages in digital yuan.  More →

Digital yuan will not lead to inflation, central bank official says.  More →

Sichuan drops prices to $0.01/KWh to encourage hydro cryptomining.  More →

Ripple sues Youtube over alleged viral video scams.  More →

Most of China’s biggest banks are already using blockchains.  More →

Starbucks, McDonalds to trial China’s CBDC. More →

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China is tracking transactions using new blockchain platform. More →

 ‘Internet of blockchains’ ChinaChain debuts. More →

Bitmain customers report 20-30% fail rates on Antminer S17 and T17. More →

$7.5bn-rated AI startup Sensetime to help manage China digital yuan. More →

Court declares Ethereum legal property. More →

DeFi platform DForce returns $25m to P2P traders after wild April hack. More →

Bitmain reports $300m revenue in 2020. More →

Tencent launches blockchain accelerator. More →

Beijing court sides with ousted Bitmain co-founder in legal dispute. More →

Central Commission on Cyberspace regulator backs 224 blockchain products. More →

Hong Kong

Custody firm First Digital Trust scores $3m investment from Taiwan VCs.  More →

Indonesia

Commodities regulator gives Zipmex exchange green light. More → 

Crypto payment firm Pundi X wins Singapore license reprieve. More → 

Japan

Coinbase joins JVCEA self-regulatory organisation. More →

Rakuten wallet rolls out crypto margin trading.  More →

FSA securities regulator launches blockchain governance initiative. More → 

EY Japan using blockchain to fight counterfeits in $10bn-a-year sake industry. More →

OKCoin gains Japanese exchange license. More →

Philippines

Securities and Exchange Commission warns against 3 crypto scam fakes. More → 

Singapore

Bithumb exchange reports $30.5m profit in 2019. More →

AirAsia debuts blockchain network to bid and book air cargo. More →

Inland Revenue Authority won’t tax airdrops or hard forks under crypto law. More →

Vechain extends H&M fashion blockchain tracking project. More →

South Korea

Bank of South Korea confirms digital won pilot. More →

Finance minister calls blockchain market a ‘golden opportunity’. More → 

Taiwan

Binance agrees $400m deal to buy CoinMarketCap. More → 

Binance debuts smart contract platform on parallel chain. More → 

Binance launches cryptomining pool:.  More → 

Binance blames ‘competitors’ for DDOS attack. More → 

 

Caribbean

Puerto Rico

Governor signs law increasing crypto company registration from $300 to $5000. More →

 

Africa

Seychelles

BitMEX to stop serving all Japanese customers as new crypto laws come into effect. More → 

South Africa

Intergovernmental fintech research group proposes strict cryptoasset regulations. More → 

 

 

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