Regulation

In recent times, news of the Terra ecosystem’s resounding crash seems to have faded out of the limelight. However, South Korean prosecutors are set to reopen the case as they look into whether Terra’s native assets are securities.  South Korea Prosecutors Review Terra Assets On Tuesday, local publication Korean Herald shared a release highlighting the plans of Seoul’s Southern District Prosecutors Office. The report noted that the Office’s Financial and Securities Crime Joint Investigation Team has been in touch with…

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has cleared up some rules pertaining to Tornado Cash.  While some helpful guidance and reassurance have been provided, many questions remain regarding the Office’s designation of the privacy tool.  The Treasury reiterated that U.S. persons are no longer allowed to interact with Tornado Cash. However, anyone who had their funds trapped inside Tornado Cash prior to August 8th may apply for a license to retrieve them. “OFAC would have a…

Prolific sports investor and crypto firm Crypto.com has reneged on a $500 billion sponsorship contract with the UEFA Champions league. Crypto.com had previously stepped up as an investor when the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) dropped its principal sponsor, Gazprom. At the time, UEFA had cited Gazprom's affiliation with Russia as its reason for the drop. Consequently, Crypto.com stepped up to bag in a deal that would last 5 seasons. The supposed contract would cost approximately $100 million annually…

South Korean lawmakers may be gearing up to roll out new policies that encourage the growth of the nation’s metaverse sector. According to a local report, Heo Eun-ah, a member of the country’s National Assembly recently submitted a proposal for the “Metaverse Industry Promotion Law.”  New Metaverse Policy Review Committee Since the turn of the year, the East-Asian nation has continually invested in the development of the metaverse within Korea. Per the release, the proposal aims to create a good…

A Netherlands court has ruled that Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev be denied bail. The inculpated programmer will inevitably spend a further three months in detention before any further rulings. Netherlands Judge Rules Against Pertsev 29-year-old Alexey Pertsev, one of the developers responsible for the Tornado Cash code, has been denied bail. This comes hot on the heels of his August 10 arrest. Dutch Financial Crimes Agency FIOD had apparently had their eye on Tornado Cash since June. Authorities finally…

Major stablecoin network Tether may not be on board with the US Treasury Department’s ban on crypto mixer Tornado Cash.  In an official release on Wednesday, the team revealed that they would not blacklist any of the OFAC’s sanctioned smart contract addresses. Tether in Close Touch with Law Enforcement Agencies Earlier this month, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the privacy protocol Tornado Cash. The treasury highlighted its role in laundering the proceeds of cybercrime as the…

According to various reports, on Tuesday, August 23, China entered the next phase of the pilot test for its central bank digital currency. The public transport system in the city of Guangzhou now accepts digital yuan (e-CNY) payments for bus fares. Guangzhou Transportation launched a digital RMB payment code that residents can use to pay for rides. Passengers first need to download the Digital RMB app and fund their accounts. Then they can simply scan the QR code displayed in…

Since March, Iranian authorities have confiscated nearly 9500 unlawful crypto mining rigs in the nation’s capital, Tehran.  While crypto trading is still illegal among Iranians, the government's use of crypto remains at an all-time high. Iran Acts Against Illegal Miners According to a report, Kambiz Nazerian, head of Tehran Electricity Distribution Company spoke on the matter. Nazerian said on Monday, August 22 that inspectors had uncovered the mining devices in various districts of Tehran. Last year, a release from blockchain…

According to local reports, 7 large brokerage firms have filed applications to roll out cryptocurrency exchanges in South Korea come 2023. These companies include tech giant subsidiary Samsung Securities and Mirae Asset Securities. Domestic Firms Pursue Approval to Establish Crypto Exchanges The release stated that the companies have their sights set on the first half of next year to start operations. Hence, they have begun to work towards obtaining approval from the relevant authorities before 2022 comes to an end.…