Increased activity at the State and Federal level in the US has the world watching as some jurisdictions mark themselves out as crypto-friendly, while others sharpen their knives.

Europe

EU

Bruegel thinktank report argues EU should adopt cross-border cryptocurrency laws. Read more 

No ICO limits or mining ban but full EU regulation framework delayed. Read more

European Central Bank not ready for EU-backed cryptocurrency. Read more

15 multinational banks, traders including ING, Société Générale, launch blockchain commodities trading platform. Read more

European Securities and Markets Authority to ban crypto CFDs until January 2019. Read more

Austria

National Tourist office trials blockchain ad platform. Read more

Belgium

Regulator FSMA warns against new swathe of cryptocurrency platforms. Read more

Cyprus

Regulation can’t be rushed despite growing interest in cryptocurrency, says Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission. Read more

France

Paris Saint-Germain football team launches fan cryptocurrency. Read more

Regulator Autorité des Marchés Financiers adopts new framework for ICOs, investing. Read more

UNICEF France accepting 9 cryptocurrencies in donations for charity work. Read more

Autorité des Marchés Financiers blacklists 16 more crypto trading sites. Read more

Germany

Stock exchange Deutsche Borse establishes dedicated unit on blockchain, crypto-assets. Read more

Italy

Mayor of Naples outlines plan to issue municipal cryptocurrency. Read more

Ronaldo’s Juventus will debut next fan-backed cryptocurrency. Read more

Malta

University of Malta launches $300,000 blockchain scholarship. Read more

Cryptocurrency laws to come into force on 1 November. Read more

Russia

Police seize 22 crypto ATMs at behest of central bank. Read more

Chechen Republic to form country-wide Eurasian crypto mining pool. Read more

Switzerland

Smart Valor startup wins approval from FINMA regulator. Read more

Swiss Bankers Association issues guidelines for cryptocurrency firms amid problems with bank account access. Read more

SEBA startup raises $100m to build crypto-bank. Read more

Dukascopy Bank ready to launch Dukascoin cryptocurrency and Dukasnote stablecoin. Read more

Asset manager Tiberius launches metals-backed cryptocurrency. Read more

UK

Crypto, blockchain firms move to friendly jurisdictions as soon as regulation is passed, Deloitte tax lead says. Read more

‘Wild West’ crypto market should be regulated, say MPs on powerful Treasury Select Committee. Read more

Winklevoss’ Gemini Exchange seeks UK entry to grab market slice. Read more

UK Crypto-asset Taskforce to issue first report in October. Read more

London Block Exchange launch new stablecoin pegged to pound. Read more

Ukraine

National Bank of Ukraine still working on blockchain based currency despite deep political tension. Read more

The Americas

Brazil

Country’s biggest brokerage Grupo XP launches Bitcoin, Ethereum trades. Read more

Canada

Ontario, British Columbia Securities Commissions approve country’s first Bitcoin-linked Mutual Fund Trust. Read more

Colombia

New President Ivan Duque promises tax exemptions for crypto firms. Read more

Mexico

Cryptocurrency exchanges now need licence to operate from Bank of Mexico. Read more

United States

Google adds Ethereum blockchain to BigQuery data modelling program for smart contract analytics. Read more

California passes bill defining blockchain, cryptocurrency terms. Read more

Winklevoss twins win patent for offline cryptoasset cold storage. Read more

New York State Department of Financial Services approves Gemini Dollar, Paxos Standard stablecoins. Read more

Citibank creates Digital Asset Receipts to trade crypto ‘at lower risk’. Read more

OKCoin expands to 20 US states. Read more

Coinbase, Circle form pro-blockchain lobbying group. Read more

Federal judge rules ICOs covered by securities law. Read more

Morgan Stanley launches Bitcoin swap derivatives trading. Read more

Bitgo online hot custody wallet wins regulatory approval in South Dakota. Read more

CFTC chair: Crypto regulation needs ‘do no harm’ approach. Read more

NY Attorney General reports Binance, Gate.io, Kraken for regulatory violations. Read more

SEC postpones CBOE Bitcoin ETF decision, again. Read more

Congress pressures IRS for clearer cryptocurrency tax rules. Read more

World’s fourth-largest asset manager to launch crypto products by end of 2018. Read more

Walmart to use IBM blockchain for grocery supply chain. Read more

Google tweaks cryptocurrency ad ban to allow ‘regulated exchanges’. Read more

75 banks join JP Morgan’s blockchain cross-border payments platform the Interbank Information Network. Read more

Minnesota Congressman introduces three pro-blockchain bills. Read more

Crypto industry reps beg Congressional hearing for stricter regulation. Read more

Cryptocurrencies are commodities and Commodity Futures Trading Commission should have oversight, Federal judge rules. Read more

Congress urges clarity on regulation in open letter to SEC Chairman. Read more

West Virginia to use blockchain app for votes in midterm elections. Read more

FBI join SEC, CFTC in taking action on Bitcoin securities broker 1pool. Read more

SEC sets decision date on VanEck/SolidX Bitcoin ETF for 29 December 2018. Read more

Caribbean

Bahamas

Central Bank of The Bahamas warns no licences granted to any cryptocurrency exchange. Read more

Middle East & North Africa

Iran

State formally recognises cryptocurrency mining as industry. Read more

Saudi Arabia

National Commercial Bank picks RippleNet for remittance payments. Read more

UAE

Securities and Commodities Authority agrees ICO regulations, will treat tokens as securities. Read more

Emirates Blockchain Strategy recommends state-backed cryptocurrency. Read more

Central Asia

Uzbekistan

Presidential decree legalises crypto-exchanges, Bitcoin trading. Read more

South Asia

India

Reserve Bank of India submits that cryptocurrencies ‘not valid money’ in Supreme Court ban case. Read more

Supreme Court hears final arguments in cryptocurrency ban case amid severe delays. Read more

Zebpay shuts down India’s largest crypto-exchange as regulation confusion rolls on. Read more

Reserve Bank of India denies reports of official ‘Blockchain Unit’. Read more

East Asia & Pacific

Australia

Country launches IBM-based ‘national blockchain’ for small business smart contracts. Read more

ASX stock exchange delays blockchain integration to 2021. Read more

Australian Securities and Investments Commission details regulatory breaches from ICOs, crypto firms. Read more

China

Central bank blockchain trade pilot enters trial phase. Read more

Crypto traders still get around regulators despite stricter laws. Read more

Circle USDC stablecoin to launch on Asian exchanges. Read more

Bank of Communications issues $1.3bn of mortgage derivatives on blockchain. Read more

‘Chinese Google’ Baidu launches blockchain whitepaper, intends to use across $1.2bn-a-year business. Read more

Ether should be protected under property law, rules Shanghai court. Read more

Hong Kong

Bitmain miner chooses Hong Kong for IPO. Read more

Japan

LINE’s Link Coin holders can’t use cryptocurrency because of regulatory problems. Read more

Tsukuba city installs Japan’s first DLT-backed online voting system. Read more

12 more added to Financial Services Agency crypto regulation team. Read more

Self-regulatory organisations proposed for cryptocurrency exchanges, leverage limit of four times set. Read more

SBI Ripple Asia wins licence in Kantou region for interbank blockchain payments. Read more

$60m including 6000 BTC stolen from Zaif cryptocurrency exchange. Read more

Zaif faces ‘strict administrative penalties’ from Japanese Financial Services Agency regulator. Read more

Marshall Islands

State will proceed with Sovereign cryptocurrency as legal tender despite IMF rebuke. Read more

Malaysia

New gov’t task force to promote blockchain for main industries of renewable energy, palm oil and Islamic finance. Read more

Mongolia

Central Bank of Mongolia authorises Tugrik-backed stablecoin. Read more

Philippines

Securities and Exchange Commission targets crypto-exchange trading platform regulation. Read more

Laos

Central bank warns public against cryptocurrency trading. Read more

North Korea

Pyongyang using cryptocurrencies to evade US sanctions, analysts say. Read more

Singapore

Visa cryptocurrency debit cards debut in Asia. Read more

Monetary Authority of Singapore’s link up with US CFTC hints at new crypto derivatives products. Read more

World’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange Binance to open fiat exchange. Read more

Dunamu’s Upbit cryptocurrency exchange expanding into Singapore. Read more

Central bank head Damien Pang calls blockchain ‘fundamental’ to fintech progress. Read more

South Korea

Tiny province of Gyeongsangbuk announces plans for own cryptocurrency. Read more

Taiwan

Hospital becomes first to share patient data on blockchain. Read more

Financial Supervisory Commission to allow $350 cash-to-cryptocurrency transactions at local stores. Read more

Taipei City politician accepts cryptocurrency donations. Read more

Thailand

Government Anti Money Laundering unit wants its own cryptocurrency wallet to confiscate criminal gains. Read more

Forex broker Superrich to launch country’s first cryptocurrency exchange. Read more

Africa

Kenya

Blockchain task force chair calls for tokenisation of Kenyan economy. Read more

Nigeria

PundiX claims ‘Africa first’ with Bitcoin Point of Sale terminals. Read more

South Africa

Gold-backed, sharia compliant OneGram launches in Cape Town. Read more

National Treasury includes VAT treatment of cryptocurrencies in draft tax law. Read more

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