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REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 27 (Reuters) - Former Binance chief Changpeng Zhao must stay in the United States for the time being, a federal judge said on Monday, after the founder of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange pleaded guilty to violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws. U.S. District Judge Richard Jones in Seattle said he would review whether Zhao should have to stay in the United States after the U.S. government appealed a decision by another judge allowing Zhao to return to the UAE before his Feb. 23 sentencing hearing. Last week, Zhao conceded: "I made mistakes, and I must take responsibility." The government had said it may be unable to secure Zhao's return to the United States given it has no extradition treaty with the UAE. Lawyers for Zhao disputed that he was a potential flight risk, noting that he paid a "substantial" bail package and voluntarily came to the United States to accept responsibility for his actions.

Persons: Zhao Changpeng, Binance, Benoit Tessier, Changpeng Zhao, Zhao, Richard Jones, Chris Prentice, Hannah Lang, Michelle Price, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, United Arab, District, U.S, UAE, Binance Holdings, Justice, Lawyers, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, United States, Seattle, United Arab Emirates, Canada, Binance, New York, Washington

A spot bitcoin ETF would give investors exposure to the world's largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization without having to own it. The SEC has denied all spot bitcoin ETF applications, including Grayscale's, on the grounds applicants have not shown they can protect investors from market manipulation. The appeals court ruled that the SEC arbitrarily denied Grayscale's application because it never explained why the two arrangements were materially different. The appeals court is expected to issue a mandate specifying how its decision should be executed, which will likely include instructing the SEC to revisit Grayscale's application. Several other asset managers, including BlackRock (BLK.N), Fidelity and Invesco, have similar filings pending with the SEC for a spot bitcoin ETF.

Persons: Jim Bourg, Grayscale's, Chris Prentice, Hannah Lang, Michelle Price, Rod Nickel Organizations: U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, REUTERS, Columbia, BlackRock, Fidelity, Thomson Locations: Washington

[1/2] U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler testifies before a House Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee hearing on President Biden's budget request for the Securities and Exchange Commission, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 29, 2023. Many in the industry have said existing securities regulations are inappropriate and the sector needs fresh rules. Some DeFi platforms may fall under the proposed definition, but others may already be considered exchanges by the existing one, SEC officials said this week. "Make no mistake: many crypto trading platforms already come under the current definition of an exchange," SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in prepared remarks published on Friday. Most crypto trading platforms meet that definition, regardless of whether they call themselves decentralized, Gensler said.

Discussions between the SEC and Coinbase broke down in recent weeks, with one source saying the two sides had moved "further apart." The crypto industry believes it operates in a regulatory gray area not governed by existing U.S. securities laws - and that new legislation is needed to regulate the industry. "But if necessary, we welcome the opportunity for Coinbase and the broader crypto community to get clarity in court." Prior to Gensler's arrival, the SEC engaged in targeted enforcement, but the Democratic chair has ratcheted up focus on crypto platforms themselves. "There couldn't be a more significant development for crypto markets and crypto investors," said Philip Moustakis, former SEC enforcement lawyer and partner with Seward and Kissel LLP in New York.

The CFTC already allows self-certification for exchanges to list contracts for other products, such as commodities. Lawmakers were considering a similar process as part of proposed crypto legislation being hammered out last year. But CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero said the process would open the door to "regulatory arbitrage" as some crypto assets are likely securities that need to be overseen by a different agency, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Federal prosecutors have brought charges against three of FTX's former top executives, accusing them defrauding investors and misappropriating customer funds. "Gatekeepers should have seriously questioned the operational environment at FTX in the lead-up to its meltdown,” she said.

Dec 20 (Reuters) - Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N) agreed to pay $3.7 billion to settle charges from a U.S. consumer watchdog over widespread mismanagement of car loans, mortgages and bank accounts, the regulator said Tuesday. "Wells Fargo is a corporate recidivist that puts one-third of American households at risk of harm,” CFPB Director Rohit Chopra told journalists in a briefing. Shares of Wells Fargo were down less than 1% in late morning trading. Wells Fargo has faced multiple enforcement actions taken by the CFPB and other banking regulators for violations across the bank's business lines. Scharf became CEO in 2019, the fourth person to lead Wells Fargo since the scandal emerged.

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