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☆ Signature Bank failure due to 'poor management,' US FDIC report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

April 28 (Reuters) - Last month's failure of New York-based Signature Bank was caused by "poor management" and a pursuit of "rapid, unrestrained growth" with little regard for risk management, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said on Friday in a report detailing its supervision and regulation of the regional bank. Bank management and its board chased growth and deposits without "developing and maintaining adequate risk management practices and controls appropriate for the size, complexity and risk profile of the institution," according to the 63-page report. The same day SVB failed, Signature lost 20% of its total deposits in a matter of hours, FDIC Chair Martin Gruenberg has said. Similar to SVB, Signature examiners reported weak corporate governance practices and failures by bank management to address shortcomings identified by supervisors, including the firm's reliance on uninsured deposits. Like SVB, Signature relied heavily on uninsured deposits and experienced a boom in growth between 2019 and 2020, when its assets grew 64%, according to Gruenberg.

☆ 31% of new crypto buyers influenced by friends. Here’s why that can be 'a horrible idea,' advisor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"I don't imagine friends are talking about when they lost money," said Lee Baker, a certified financial planner and founder of Apex Financial Services in Atlanta. "The sexy sells," added Baker, a member of CNBC's Advisor Council. On one hand, crypto can be an on-ramp to more traditional investing — which is generally a good outcome, Mottola said. There's some evidence of this happening: 36% of new crypto investors said their purchase made them more interested in investing in the stock market, the study found. However, "the friends recommending [crypto], the sources of information on social media, may not be reliable," Mottola said.

☆ Crypto leaders consider moving business outside of the U.S. regulatory space
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCrypto leaders consider moving business outside of the U.S. regulatory spaceCNBC's MacKenzie Sigalos joins 'The Exchange' to discuss takeaways from the Coindesk Consensus Conference, regulation of digital assets in the U.S., and the potential for the crypto industry to leave the U.S.

☆ Here are Friday's biggest analyst calls: Amazon, Apple, Tesla, Royal Caribbean, Intel, Hasbro & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Here are Friday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Bank of America upgrades Hasbro to neutral from underperform Bank of America said it sees resilient demand for Hasbro . Goldman Sachs reiterates Amazon as buy Goldman said it's standing by the stock after its robust earnings report Thursday. " Benchmark upgrades Intel to buy from hold Benchmark said in its upgrade of Intel that the worst is already baked in. Bank of America upgrades Pilgrim's Pride to buy from neutral Bank of America said in its upgrade of the poultry company that the worst is behind it. Morgan Stanley reiterates Apple as overweight Morgan Stanley said it's still bullish on Apple shares heading into earnings next week.

☆ The best way to develop the crypto industry is to define a framework, advisory body says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThe best way to develop the crypto industry is to define a framework, advisory body saysKing Au, executive director of Hong Kong's Financial Services Development Council, says it's important to come up with a "holistic framework" for digital assets.

☆ No 'immediate path forward': CFTC is talking to Binance after launching legal action, official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A Commodity Futures Trading Commission official said Tuesday that she hopes to find a "path forward" in the regulator's legal battle with crypto exchange Binance, noting that no decision has been taken yet on whether to settle the case or take it to court. Kristin N. Johnson, commissioner at the CFTC, said that the regulator has been in conversations with Binance to address its concerns about the company's conduct. And I want to say that typically, in the context of any litigation, we are always ready to have conversations and typically even ahead of the litigation," Johnson said in an interview with CNBC's Arjun Kharpal Tuesday. "As of the moment, we can conclude that there is not an immediate path forward," she added. Her comments mark a rare statement on the Binance suit to media since the CFTC first announced it was suing the company on Mar.

☆ Crypto is either dead in the water or about to notch new records as soon as next year - it depends on who you ask
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Max Adams | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

You can scroll a bit further down for the market's reaction to the stunning Tucker Carlson announcement, but for today, we're turning our attention to crypto. If you ask Chamath Palihapitiya, that's because crypto crossed the wrong people and now it's dead, at least in the US. While crypto may be "dead in America," bitcoin is still going to $100,000. The housing market is close to bottoming and that could stave off a bad recession. That's according to Morgan Stanley, which wrote in a research note that housing is linked to broader business cycles.

☆ Crypto must end anonymity for illicit finance, U.S. regulator says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 25 (Reuters) - Anonymity is allowing crypto assets to finance illegal activities, a top U.S. regulatory official said on Tuesday, posing national security risks that must be addressed. "It's essential for governments and particularly the industry to address that which makes crypto so attractive to illicit finance, and that is the allure of anonymity," she said. Legally compliant crypto companies should not be using "mixers" or software tools that effectively anonymise users by pooling and scrambling cryptocurrencies from thousands of addresses. Compliant crypto companies must show they have internal controls to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. "It's possible for all crypto companies to distance themselves from mixers and anonymity enhancing technology while still providing customers financial privacy," Romero said.

[1/2] Representations of cryptocurrencies and Voyager Digital logo are seen in this illustration taken, July 7, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationsApril 25 (Reuters) - Binance.US has called off its $1.3 billion deal to buy assets of bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital, citing a "hostile and uncertain regulatory climate." "The hostile and uncertain regulatory climate in the United States has introduced an unpredictable operating environment impacting the entire American business community," a spokesperson for Binance.US said in a statement. "We are focused on creating a safe platform where our customers can participate in the digital asset economy." The company had initially agreed to sell its assets to major digital asset exchange FTX, but that deal fell apart when FTX imploded in November.

☆ 'Crypto is dead in America,' says longtime bitcoin bull Chamath Palihapitiya
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Crypto is dead in America," Palihapitiya said in the latest episode of the All-In podcast. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler has said crypto trading platforms should abide by strict U.S. securities laws. "You had Gensler even blaming the banking crisis on crypto," Palihapitiya said. The SEC has ramped up its enforcement of the crypto industry, bearing down on companies and projects that the regulator alleges were selling unregistered securities. In early 2021, Palihapitiya predicted on CNBC that bitcoin would rise from $39,000 at the time to $100,000 and then up to $200,000.

☆ 'Crypto is dead in America' as US regulators target the sector for threatening the establishment, Chamath Palihapitiya says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Crypto is paying the price for challenging the establishment, Chamath Palihapitiya said. "Crypto is dead in America," the so-called SPAC King said recently on the All-In podcast. "Crypto is dead in America," Palihapitiya said. Recent examples of the SEC's enforcement efforts include a February proposal to stop investment advisors from trading in crypto, and the threat of legal action against a number of Coinbase products. Meanwhile, Palihapitiya also lamented the SEC's enforcement rationale, claiming that it is excessively targeting a company that has a history of being regulation-friendly.

☆ Crypto winter is over — and bitcoin could hit $100,000 by the end of 2024, Standard Chartered says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Bitcoin's value could jump to as much as $100,000 by the end of 2024, Standard Chartered said in a note published Monday. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and other mid-tier U.S. lenders has solidified the case for bitcoin as a "decentralised, trustless and scarce digital asset," Standard Chartered analyst Geoff Kendrick said in the note. "We see potential for Bitcoin (BTC) to reach the USD 100,000 level by end-2024, as we believe the much-touted 'crypto winter' is finally over," Kendrick said in the report, titled "Bitcoin — Pathway to the USD 100,000 level." "Given these advantages, we think BTC's share of total digital assets market cap could move into the 50-60% range in the next few months (from around 45% currently)." The woes of Circle's USD Coin and other so-called stablecoins, which aim to achieve a 1-to-1 peg to the U.S. dollar, has also benefited bitcoin, Kendrick said.

☆ Coinbase sues SEC after months of silence from federal regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Crypto exchange Coinbase filed suit against the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, asking that the regulator be forced to publicly share its answer to a months-old petition on whether it would allow the crypto industry to be regulated using existing SEC frameworks. The SEC did not offer a specific public response to Coinbase's petition, but in recent months has aggressively ramped up enforcement actions and warnings against crypto exchanges, including Coinbase. "From the SEC's public statements and enforcement activity in the crypto industry, it seems like the SEC has already made up its mind to deny our petition. So the action Coinbase filed today simply asks the court to ask the SEC to share its decision," Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal said in a blog post. "Yet Coinbase and other crypto companies are facing potential regulatory enforcement actions from the SEC, even though we have not been told how the SEC believes the law applies to our business."

LONDON, April 24 (Reuters) - Top cryptocurrency bitcoin could reach $100,000 by the end of 2024, Standard Chartered (STAN.L) said on Monday, saying that the so-called "crypto winter" is over. "While sources of uncertainty remain, we think the pathway to the USD 100,000 level is becoming clearer," Kendrick wrote. Bitcoin has rallied so far this year, rising above $30,000 in April for the first time in ten months. It gains represent a partial recovery after trillions of dollars were wiped from the crypto sector in 2022, as central banks hiked interest rates and a string of crypto firms imploded. A Citi analyst said in November 2020 that bitcoin could climb as high as $318,000 by the end of 2022.

It is considered the first criminal insider trading case involving such assets. "He abused that position of trust," prosecutors said in an April 4 filing. He added that if prosecutors mention insider trading, "there is a substantial danger of undue prejudice and confusion of the jury." "Is it insider trading of anything?" "If this case sticks, there is precedent that insider trading theory can be applied to any asset class."

☆ Before You Die, Secure Your Digital Life
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Julie Jargon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The certainties in life are death and taxes, right? Now that tax season is over, it’s time to turn your attention to the other one. People often arrange for who gets their money, real estate and physical belongings when they die. But what about the digital assets we accumulate in a lifetime—photos, social-media accounts and more?

☆ A Plan for Your Digital Life After Death
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Julie Jargon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ U.S. financial regulators to tighten rules on non-banks, systemic risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - Top U.S. regulators on Friday proposed new rules to speed the assessment of financial stability risks and make it easier to designate non-bank institutions as systemically important, subjecting them to Federal Reserve supervision. The multi-regulator Financial Stability Oversight Council released the proposals for public comment just over a month after two regional bank failures sparked the biggest financial system contagion threat since the 2008 financial crisis. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has raised concerns about non-bank financial institutions, including hedge funds, because of their lack of supervision and the potential for systemic spillovers from firms in distress. NOT USHedge fund, mutual fund and asset manager trade groups responded by saying that regulators should look elsewhere for threats to financial stability. The new framework also specifies vulnerabilities that FSOC and member regulators would consider when evaluating potential stability risks.

☆ U.S. financial regulators to tighten rules on non-bank firms, risk assessment
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - The Financial Stability Oversight Council on Friday proposed guidance to make it easier to designate non-bank financial institutions for regulatory supervision and new procedures to better identify and respond to financial system risks. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has raised concerns about non-bank financial institutions, including hedge funds, private equity firms and pension funds as a potential source of financial instability because of a lack of supervision and. The new guidance removes some "inappropriate hurdles" to designating non-bank firms and replaces them with a process that allows for firms under review to have significant engagement with regulators. RISKS, VULNERABILITIESFSOC's proposed new risk assessment framework aims to enhance the council's ability to address financial stability risks by reviewing a broad range of asset classes, institutions and activities, according to a Treasury fact sheet. The new framework also specifies vulnerabilities that FSOC and member regulators would consider when evaluating potential stability risks.

☆ House Republicans Face Resistance Reviving Stablecoin Bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Paul Kiernan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Crypto imploded in 2022, as investors lost faith in digital assets and the industry was plagued with crisis. WSJ explains how crypto became so interconnected. Illustration: Mallory BranganWASHINGTON—Lawmakers are at odds over how to regulate stablecoins as the fallout from cryptocurrency platform FTX’s collapse last year has left Democrats nervous about strengthening crypto’s ties to the broader financial system. House Republicans and Democrats expressed starkly different views in a hearing Wednesday on previously bipartisan legislation to regulate stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency that aims to maintain a one-to-one ratio to the dollar. The bill, which Republicans are trying to revive, would create requirements for stablecoin issuers while granting them access to the Federal Reserve’s banking services.

LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - Major U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase Global Inc (COIN.O) has said it has secured a licence to operate in Bermuda, as part of a wider push to expand globally. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said on Tuesday that crypto firms will develop in "offshore" havens unless the U.S. and UK create "clarity about regulation" for crypto. Coinbase is planning to launch a crypto derivatives exchange in Bermuda as soon as next week, Fortune reported on Wednesday, citing a person close to the company. In March, derivatives trading volumes on major exchanges hit some $2.8 trillion, according to London researcher CCData, versus spot trading volumes of just over $1 trillion. Crypto firms say they need clarity about regulations, but Gensler has said that crypto markets "suffer from a lack of regulatory compliance, not a lack of regulatory clarity".

☆ EU lawmakers approve world's first comprehensive framework for crypto regulation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) is the first attempt at creating comprehensive regulation for digital assets in the EU. Lawmakers in the European Parliament have approved the world's first comprehensive package of rules aimed at regulating the cryptocurrency industry. In a vote Thursday, the EU Parliament voted 517 in favor and 38 against to pass the Markets in Crypto Act, or MiCA. The legislation, which seeks to reduce risks for consumers buying crypto assets, will mean providers can become liable if they lose investors' crypto-assets. The rules will impose a number of requirements on crypto platforms, token issuers and traders around transparency, disclosure, authorization, and supervision of transactions, the EU Parliament said in a statement Thursday.

☆ Goldman Sachs' David Solomon had the right idea. But that's only half the problem.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

David Solomon at Goldman's 2023 investor day Screenshots by Emmalyse Brownstein and Dakin Campbell1. Goldman Sachs' $12.2 billion in revenue from Q1 fell short of analysts' estimates, which is never a good sign — but it's not a complete disaster. As Insider's Carter Johnson reported, there is a case to be made for a turnaround at Goldman led by its embattled CEO David Solomon. We've written a lot about the struggles at Goldman Sachs recently, and rightfully so. More on what David Solomon needs to do to get Goldman Sachs back on track.

☆ Legislation or lawsuits? The spot bitcoin ETF debate forges ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Kevin Schmidt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"However, I don't think that means that we all of a sudden get a bitcoin ETF," he added. "I suspect that even if Grayscale wins, Gensler is going to back even further away from crypto," Nadig said. "Put some constraints around the futures-based products while we wait for comprehensive crypto regulation and legislation someday." "The point is, we need legislation," Nadig said. "I think we have to have legislation that realizes digital assets are different and need different sets of rules."

REUTERS/Dado RuvicLONDON, April 19 (Reuters) - Crypto firms have been left scrambling to find banking partners after the collapse of three crypto-friendly lenders in the U.S. last month, creating a risk their business will become concentrated in smaller financial institutions. Mainstream banks have become increasingly wary of crypto clients following a series of high-profile collapses, including the bankruptcy of major exchange FTX in November last year, and a lack of regulation. "Crypto and Web3 start-ups are telling us they simply cannot get a business bank account," said Marcus Foster, head of crypto policy at Coadec, a body representing UK start-ups. A spokesperson for ING said the bank does not "target or focus actively on crypto firms" so its exposure is "very limited." But for smaller crypto start-ups, securing a banking partner could be more difficult, said Ricardo Mico, the U.S. CEO of Banxa (BNXA.V), a payment and compliance infrastructure provider for crypto.

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