Market Insights

February Regulator Roundup 2021

100+ regulation and policy updates from February

Copper

02.03.2021

Nigeria cryptocurrency crackdown sows confusion, Morocco eyes CBDC, Switzerland’s Zug starts accepting crypto for tax payments and India continues to weigh the implications of a potential crypto ban.

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Global

Monthly crypto exchange volumes broke $1 trillion for the first time in February. More →

Bitcoin is at a tipping point and could become ‘currency of choice’ for global trade, Citi says. More →

Mirror Trading International Named Biggest Crypto Scam of the Year After Raking in $589 Million. More →

 

Europe

Europol: 10 held for alleged $100m cryptocurrency theft from celebs, others. More →

Europe's wealth mangers increasingly focusing on Bitcoin: survey. More →

European trading giant Flow Traders reports revenue bump thanks to crypto rally. More →

ECB issues stark warning on Big Tech cryptocurrency projects. More →

Estonia

Estonia's new government still plans to regulate crypto companies. More →

Finland

Finnish study shows how the uncertainty in the Bitcoin market responds to cyberattacks. More →

France

France’s AMF Chairman calls for new approach to proposed EU crypto regulations. More →

Germany

German police 'seize' $63m in Bitcoin, don’t have password. More →

Germany’s blockchain initiative: How adoption became a reality in 2020. More →

Italy

Italy’s consob consults on regulation of Securities Token Offerings. More →

Russia

Russian government passes draft bill on Bitcoin taxation. More →

Mystery entity just set up 20k Bitcoin miners in Siberia. More →

Russia’s digital ruble model to get bank-friendly redesign. More →

Russian bill to recognise crypto as property moves ahead in the parliament. More →

Serbia

Serbian man extradited to US after being indicted in $70m crypto fraud. More →

Spain

Spanish Treasury Secretary repeats Bank of Spain's lack of regulation rhetoric. More →

El Español says Spanish authorities joint statement is a warning to companies in the wake of Tesla’s BTC buy. More →

Sweden

CoinShares to IPO in Sweden. More →

Bitcoin ETF Sellers in Sweden Urged to Avoid Average Consumers. More →

Switzerland

One of Switzerland's oldest banks now offers trading in cryptocurrencies. More →

21Shares launches the world’s first Polkadot ETP on Swizerland’s SIX exchange. More →

Tax payments with Bitcoin and Ethereum now available in Switzerland’s canton of Zug. More →

Turkey

Turkey shares worldwide cryptocurrency concerns, ministry says. More →

UK

19% Of UK private jet company sales from Bitcoin. More →

English soccer club partners with a cryptocurrency sportsbook. More →

FCA releases detailed 5-point plan to make UK a fintech powerhouse. More →

UK cryptocurrency startups coining the future of fintech in 2021. More →

Ex-London stock exchange chief says UK should embrace crypto post-Brexit. More →

IG Group to Exclude Cryptocurrencies from Offering to UK Retail Clients. More →

UK crypto exchange EXMO offline amid DDoS attack. More →

Almost 200 crypto firms applied to register in the UK over the last year as global interest in Bitcoin boomed. More →

UK firm launches service for company treasuries to invest in Bitcoin. More →

PayPal Expands Crypto Business into UK Market, Venmo App. More →

New research reveals 2 in 5 crypto investors in the UK are women. More →

UK must act quickly to ensure fintech lead, encourage crypto: treasury report urges. More →

Ukraine

Ukraine plans huge cryptocurrency mining data centers next to nuclear power plants. More →

Americas

Argentina

Cordoba Becomes the First Argentinean Province to Impose Taxes on Crypto.  More →

Canada

Canadian crypto lender Lend raises $2.7m for emerging markets expansion.  More →

Bitcoin ETF roars in debut with $80m of first-hour trades. More →

Accelerate Financial files for Bitcoin ETF.  More →

Canada okays second-ever bitcoin ETF just days after approving the first crypto fund. More →

 CI Global files to issue North America’s third Bitcoin ETF. More →

Colombia

Colombia’s financial regulator allows alliances between banks and digital currency exchanges. More →

Cuba

TradingView Data Show Bitcoin Is the Most Searched-For Asset in Cuba. More →

Mexico

Amazon Preparing to Launch a ‘Digital Currency’ Project in Mexico. More → 

United States

Ex-OCC Chief Brooks Calls Tesla’s Bitcoin Buy a Bit ‘Scary’ for Rest of World. More → 

Crypto hedge fund founder pleads guilty to $90m fraud. More → 

Binance drops defamation lawsuit against Forbes over ‘Tai Chi’ document. More → 

US Library of Congress Says Most Countries Lack Clear Tax Guidance on Crypto Staking. More → 

Bitcoin’s volatility will stop corporations from following Tesla’s example, JPM strategists say. More → 

Ethereum futures are now trading on CME. More → 

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey makes $1 million gift to Coin Center. More → 

Bitcoin for everybody: the new free course announced by MicroStrategy’s CEO Michael Saylor. More → 

Robinhood to plan confidential IPO filing as soon as March. More → 

YouTube suspends CoinDesk’s channel. More → 

MicroStrategy has $4.5bn in Bitcoin, but it wants more. More → 

Coinbase’s financials are now public ahead of stock market listing. More → 

Arcane Crypto finalises Nasdaq listing. More → 

MIT’s digital currency initiative raises $4m for effort to ‘harden’ Bitcoin. More → 

US SEC commissioner calls for clearer crypto regulations. More → 

NYDIG files for Bitcoin ETF, adding to firms hoping 2021 is when SEC finally says ‘Yes’. More → 

Yellen sounds warning about ‘extremely inefficient’ Bitcoin. More → 

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce backs DeFi. More → 

Venezuela

Venezuela is becoming one of world’s most rapid adopters of cryptocurrency. More →

Venezuela's Maduro Says He's Planning a Digital Currency 'Surprise'. More →

Visa: 25% of Latin Americans Want to Pay With Cryptocurrencies. More →

 

Caribbean

Bahamas

Mastercard launches prepaid card for world’s first CBDC in Bahamas. More →

Cayman Islands

CV5 Capital has launched a crypto fund platform for fund managers. More →

 

Middle East & North Africa

Middle East crypto industry faces obstacles. More →

Iran

Anti-Chinese sentiments rise in Iran courtesy Vitcoin firms. More →

Israel

Hogeg bringing Bitcoin to Tel Aviv Stock Exchange via shelf company. More →

UAE

Dubai Free Zone becomes first UAE government entity to accept Bitcoin. More →

Dubai-based licensing company adopts cryptocurrency payments. More →

Major Dubai crypto fund to sell $750m worth of Bitcoin to buy Cardano and Polkadot. More →

UAE, China’s central banks join Hong Kong, Thailand’s cryptocurrency project. More →

Dubai PR firm puts 75% of its treasury into Bitcoin. More →

South Asia

India

A turn for the worse? India’s crypto plan unsettling to local industry. More →

Existing laws inadequate to deal with crypto: Govt. More →

Cryptocurrencies are a major concern says RBI governor as India contemplates crypto ban. More →

India’s RBI close to CBDC decision as Paypal exits Indian payments market. More →

Indian government wants two taxes on crypto trades. More →

India securities regulator to reportedly bar IPO promoters from holding crypto. More →

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan Central Bank Plans to License Crypto Exchanges. More →

Pakistan

Armed Robbers Extort $93,000 in Bitcoin in Pakistan. More →

LUMS to introduce country’s first-ever cryptocurrency academic programme. More →

 

East Asia & the Pacific

Australia

Australia’s Central Bank says Bitcoin ‘not really money,’ no risk to financial stability. More →

China

China releases final anti-monopoly rules targeting major tech and payments firms. More →

China's inner Mongolia to ban Bitcoin mining: what it means for the industry. More →

China's blockchain service network announces Cosmos integration. More →

Tencent and Ant-backed banks are said to pilot China's digital yuan. More →

China’s Cryptocurrency Stocks Left Behind in Bitcoin Frenzy. More →

Hong Kong

New crypto regulations in Hong Kong could result in increased crime, crypto exchanges warn. More →

Japan

Japan's SBI in talks to set up cryptocurrency JV with foreign financial firms. More →

Malaysia

Major Malaysian Bank Kenanga Acquires 19% Stake in a Crypto Exchange. More →

Singapore

In Singapore, bitcoin is challenging gold as a store of value. More →

South Korea

Following GameStop, South Korea Financial regulator extends ban on short sales. More →

Bank of Korea: CBDCs are fiat currency not virtual assets. More →

South Korea fast tracks 20% tax on Bitcoin and crypto profits to 2022. More →

North Korea

North Korea cyberattacks gained $300m in cryptocurrency: UN panel. More →

Taiwan

Siam Bank's VC arm to invest $50 million in blockchain and DeFi startups. More →

Africa

Why cryptocurrency is thriving in Africa. More →

Jack Dorsey, Jay-Z out 500 Bitcoin into trust supporting Africa and India. More →

Kenya

Kenya Central Bank Explores Using Bitcoin to Fight the Depreciating Shilling. More →

Akoin rolled out in $2B medical metropolis in Kenya. More →

Morocco

Morocco's central bank to investigate the use of CBDC. More →

Nigeria

Nigeria Central Bank says cryptocurrencies were a threat. More →

Nigerians look to P2P exchanges after crypto ban. More →

Bitcoin is trading at a 46% premium on Luno Nigeria after central bank ban. More →

Nigeria’s CB tells the country’s financial institutions to close accounts tied to crypto exchanges. More →

Binance suspends deposits in Nigeria following CB directive. More →

Nigeria and South East Asia led global crypto adoption in 2020. More →

South Africa

South African taxpayers who fail to disclose income from cryptocurrency trading face possible jail time. More →

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