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Nebraska law establishes a cryptocurrency bank charter
On May 25, the Nebraska governor approved LB 649, the Nebraska Financial Innovation Act, which creates a bank charter for companies that hold cryptocurrencies. The new act defines “digital asset depository institutions” as banks or financial institutions that hold certain digital assets, and will allow existing state-chartered banks to establish areas focused on cryptocurrency services. New businesses will also be able to gain a state banking charter as digital asset depositories. The act provides, among other things, that “at all times, a digital asset depository shall maintain unencumbered liquid assets denominated in United States dollars valued at not less than one hundred percent of the digital assets in custody” and that “compliance with federal and state laws, including, but not limited to, know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering rules and the federal Bank Secrecy Act, is critical to ensuring the future growth and reputation of the blockchain and technology industries as a whole.”
Senate launches Financial Innovation Caucus
On May 25, Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), along with several other bipartisan Senators, announced the creation of the U.S. Senate Financial Innovation Caucus to highlight “responsible innovation in the United States financial system, and how financial technologies can improve markets to be more inclusive, safe and prosperous for all Americans.” The Senate will use the caucus “to discuss domestic and global financial technology issues, and to launch legislation to empower innovators, protect consumers and guide regulators, while driving U.S. financial leadership on the international stage.” The press release notes that the caucus is timely because of the “growing regulatory focus on digital assets,” which includes efforts by the Federal Reserve Board, SEC, and other foreign governments to create digital currencies. The caucus will focus on critical issues pertaining to the future of banking and U.S. competitiveness on the global stage, including: (i) distributed ledger technology (blockchain); (ii) artificial intelligence and machine learning; (iii) data management; (iv) consumer protection; (v) anti-money laundering; (vi) faster payments; (vii) central bank digital currencies; and (viii) financial inclusion and opportunity for all.
Brainard provides update on central bank-issued digital currencies
On May 24, Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard spoke at the Consensus by CoinDesk 2021 Conference about the Fed’s exploration of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and cross-border payments. Brainard noted that a CBDC may address concerns regarding the lack of federal deposit insurance and banking supervision for nonbank issuers of digital assets, and that “new forms of private money may introduce counterparty risk into the payments system in new ways that could lead to consumer protection threats or, at large scale, broader financial stability risks.” She highlighted that “introducing a safe and accessible central bank money to households and businesses in digital payments systems. . .would reduce counterparty risk and the associated consumer protection and financial stability risks.” Brainard noted that a Fed-backed digital currency could cause payment transactions to be cheaper, faster, and more efficient by improving processes for sending and receiving money internationally, encouraging private-sector competition in retail payments, and increasing financial inclusion.
Brainard discussed how CBDCs could affect central banks’ ability to manage the economy, saying a digital dollar would need to be designed with safeguards to “protect against disintermediation of banks and to preserve monetary policy transmission more broadly.” She cautioned that the design should complement, not replace, existing currency and bank deposits and emphasized the need for regulators to work together “to ensure that banks are appropriately identifying, monitoring, and managing risks associated with digital assets.”
As previously covered by InfoBytes, last week Chairman Jerome Powell stated that an important step in engaging the public about CBDCs involves “publishing [a] paper this summer to lay out the Fed’s current thinking on digital payments, with a particular focus on the benefits and risks associated with CBDC in the U.S. context.”
Fed highlights potential of central bank digital currencies
On May 20, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell released a video message outlining the potential use of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) in the U.S. payment system. Powell discussed how “the rise of distributed ledger technology, which offers a new approach to recording ownership of assets, has allowed for the creation of a range of new financial products and services—including cryptocurrencies,” which may carry potential risks to those users and to the broader financial system. Powell highlighted that the Fed is contemplating whether and how a U.S. CBDC would impact the domestic payments system, emphasizing that CBDCs “could serve as a complement to, and not a replacement of, cash and current private-sector digital forms of the dollar.” Powell also noted that, as part of the Fed’s ongoing efforts in exploring the potential benefits and risks of CBDCs from a variety of angles, the Fed will begin broader consideration of the creation of a U.S. CBDC by issuing a discussion paper and requesting public comment on benefits and risks. Powell stated he expects the Fed to play a leading role in developing international standards for CBDCs by “engaging actively with central banks in other jurisdictions as well as regulators and supervisors here in the United States throughout that process.”
FDIC seeks input on digital assets
On May 17, the FDIC issued a notice and request for comments regarding information on insured depository institutions’ (IDIs) current and potential digital asset activities. The Request for Information (RFI) solicits input on digital asset use cases involving IDIs and their affiliates to help the agency “inform its understanding of the industry’s and consumers’ interests in this area.” According to the agency, there are “novel and unique considerations” connected to digital assets and “banks are increasingly exploring several roles in the emerging digital asset ecosystem, such as being custodians, reserve holders, issuers, and exchange or redemption agents; performing node functions; and holding digital asset issuers’ money deposits.” FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams states that digital asset areas have “seen rapid expansion and innovation in recent years” and that “[t]his RFI gives us an opportunity to gain additional insight into the market, and what role banks might play in the future.” The deadline for submitting comments for the RFI is July 16.
DFPI: Bitcoin ATM kiosk not subject to MTA licensure
Recently, California’s Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) released three new opinion letters (see here, here, and here) covering aspects of the California Money Transmission Act (MTA) related to bitcoin automated teller machines (ATMs) and kiosks. The letters explain that the sale and purchase of bitcoin through an ATM kiosk as described by the inquiring companies is not subject to licensure under the MTA because it does not meet California’s definition of “money transmission.” In each instance, the transaction would only be between the consumer/bitcoin purchaser using the ATM kiosk and the respective company. DFPI reminded the companies, however, that its determination is limited to the activities specified in the letters and does not extend to any other activities that the companies may engage in. Moreover, the letters do not relieve the companies from any FinCEN, federal, or state regulatory obligations.
DOJ files criminal charges against individual who operated bitcoin money laundering service
On April 28, the DOJ announced the arrest of a dual Russian-Swedish national on criminal charges related to his alleged operation of a bitcoin money laundering service on the darknet. The DOJ referred to the individual’s money-laundering service as the “longest-running cryptocurrency ‘mixer,’” stating that it moved over 1.2 million bitcoin valued at approximately $335 million at the time of transactions over the course of 10 years. According to the DOJ, the majority of the cryptocurrency came from darknet marketplaces tied to illegal narcotics, computer fraud, and abuse activities. The individual is charged with (i) money laundering; (ii) operating an unlicensed money transmitting business; and (iii) money transmission without obtaining a license in the District of Columbia.
SEC commissioner updates cryptocurrency safe harbor proposal
On April 13, SEC Commissioner Hester M. Pierce released an updated version of her proposal for a three-year safe harbor rule applicable to companies developing digital assets and networks. As previously covered by InfoBytes, last year Pierce suggested that not only would the rule provide regulatory flexibility “that allows innovation to flourish,” but it would also protect investors by “requiring disclosures tailored to their needs” while still maintaining anti-fraud safeguards, allowing investors to participate in token networks of their choice. The three-year grace period for qualifying companies, Pierce suggested, would allow time for the development of decentralized or functional networks, adding that at the end of the three years, a successful network’s tokens would not be regulated as securities.
The updates to the proposal reflect feedback from the cryptocurrency community, securities lawyers, and the pubic, and include, among other things:
- A requirement for companies to provide semi-annual updates to the plan of development disclosure and a block explorer;
- An exit report requirement, which would include either (i) an outside counsel analysis explaining why the network is decentralized or functional; or (ii) an announcement that the company will register the tokens under the Securities Exchange Act; and
- Enhancements to the exit report requirement to address what the outside counsel’s analysis should address when explaining why a network is decentralized.
The public is encouraged to provide feedback on the updated proposal.
FATF updates virtual assets and service provider guidance
In March, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) updated pre-existing guidance on its risk-based approach to virtual assets (VAs) and virtual asset service providers (VASPs). The draft updated guidance revises guidance originally released June 2019, wherein FATF members agreed to regulate and supervise virtual asset financial activities and related service providers (covered by InfoBytes here) and place anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) obligations on VAs and VASPs. According to FATF, the revisions “aim to maintain a level playing field for VASPs, based on the financial services they provide in line with existing standards applicable to financial institutions and other AML/CFT-obliged entities, as well as minimizing the opportunity for regulatory arbitrage between sectors and countries.” The revisions provide updated guidance in six main areas intended to:
- Clarify VA and VASP definitions to make it clear that these definitions are expansive and that “there should not be a case where a relevant financial asset is not covered by the FATF Standards (either as a VA or as a traditional financial asset)”;
- Provide guidance on how FATF Standards apply to so-called stablecoins;
- Provide further guidance on risks and potential risk mitigants for peer-to-peer transactions;
- Provide updated guidance on VASP licensing and registration requirements;
- Provide additional guidance for public and private sectors on the implementation of the “travel rule”; and
- Include principles of information sharing and cooperation among VASP supervisors.
FATF intends to consult private sector stakeholders before finalizing the revisions, and is separately considering implementing revised FATF Standards on VAs and VASPs—as well as whether further updates are necessary—through a second 12-month review.
Digital asset company to pay $6.5 million to settle CFTC allegations
On March 19, the CFTC announced a $6.5 million settlement with a California-based digital asset company to resolve allegations of false, misleading, or inaccurate reporting concerning its digital asset transactions that violated the Commodity Exchange Act or CFTC regulations. According to the CFTC, from January 2015 to September 2018, the company allegedly operated at least two trading programs that generated orders that, at times, matched each other. The CFTC claimed, among other things, that the transactional information provided on the company’s website and given to reporting services resulted “in a perceived volume and level of liquidity of digital assets. . .that was false, misleading or inaccurate.” Additionally, the CFTC alleged that the company was vicariously liable for a former employee’s use of “a manipulative or deceptive device” to intentionally place buy and sell orders that matched each other, creating a misleading appearance of interest in certain cryptocurrencies. The company did not admit or deny the CFTC’s findings and agreed to pay a $6.5 million civil penalty.