• SEC elevates stature of FinHub
    Valerie Szczepanik is moving on up at the SEC, becoming the first director of a standalone FinHub (Photo: NYU)
    Regulation

    SEC elevates stature of FinHub innovation unit

    The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Strategic Hub for Innovation and Financial Technology is now a stand-alone division, giving newly minted director Valerie Szczepanik more influence

    December 3, 2020 /

    SEC Chairman Jay Clayton said elevating FinHub to a stand-alone office “furthers our commitment to facilitate the introduction of new technologies for the benefit of investors and the efficiency and resiliency of our markets.”

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  • "Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye." —Steam
    Bitcoin,  Cryptocurrencies,  People,  Regulation

    SEC Chair Jay Clayton stepping down early

    An unpopular figure in the cryptocurrency and digital asset industry, under Clayton the Securities and Exchange Commission declared almost all cryptocurrencies were securities, led a legal assault on ICOs, and blocked bitcoin EFTs

    November 16, 2020 /

    Clayton’s SEC brought 56 cases since its July 25, 2017 DAO report first declared virtually all ICO tokens were securities. It added that the SEC stopped 18 suspected frauds involving blockchain, digital assets, or distributed ledger technology.

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  • Where the magic happens: The Securities and Exchange Commission's Washington, DC headquarters (via Shutterstock).
    Where the magic happens: The Securities and Exchange Commission's Washington, DC headquarters (via Shutterstock).
    United States

    SEC issues first no-action letter to an ICO issuer

    While not binding, the SEC staff’s opinion sends a strong sign that the ICO will be approved

    April 3, 2019 /

    The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporation Finance Wednesday issued its first “no-action” letter informing a would-be ICO producer that it did not consider its tokens securities and would not recommend enforcement action against it for proceeding with the sale.

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  • Kik loses SEC suit
    The SEC emerges victorious in its ICO lawsuit against Kik (via Shutterstock).
    United States

    SEC finally issues guidance on when an ICO token is a security

    Having to register as a security offering puts substantial limitations on the reach of an ICO

    April 3, 2019 /

    The Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday released its long-awaited (and long-promised) “plain English” guidance designed to help determine if initial coin offerings (ICOs) must register as securities.

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