On December 15, 2022, the New York Department of Financial Services (“NYDFS”) issued guidance clarifying that all New York banking organizations are required to obtain prior agency approval for virtual currency-related activity (“2022 Guidance”). The 2022 Guidance is similar to prior notice guidance issued by the federal banking regulators but establishes highly prescriptive information requirements
Fintech
Sample Letter to Companies Regarding Recent Developments in Crypto Asset Markets
Last week, the Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange Commission posted a sample comment letter (see the sample letter) in order to provide guidance to reporting companies regarding the types of disclosures that reporting companies should consider to the extent that a filer has been impacted by a…
What the FSOC Report Signals About the Future of Crypto-Asset Policy
On October 4, 2022, the US Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) released its Report on Digital Asset Financial Stability Risks and Regulation (FSOC Report). Weighing in at over 120 pages, the FSOC Report provides a thorough discussion of the regulation of crypto-assets and their potential financial stability risks. Most importantly, the report sets forth several…
U.S. Treasury Issues Three Reports on the Future of Digital Assets and Central Bank Digital Currency
On September 16, 2022, the Treasury Department issued three reports pursuant to President Joseph Biden’s March 9 Executive Order 14067 on “Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets.” The issuance of the reports was followed by Treasury Under Secretary for Domestic Finance Nellie Liang giving remarks at the Brookings Institution on September 22 explaining the reports…
Artificial Intelligence & Financial Services Symposium
October 27, 2022 New York
8:00am – 5:30pm ET
Register here.
Our third Artificial Intelligence & Financial Services Symposium will resume on October 27, 2022. As in 2019, we will focus on the legal, contractual and regulatory aspects of using AI to deliver financial services. Topics will include:
- How Financial Institutions and Insurance Companies
Fintech Financing Trends
Globally, the total volume of fintech deal activity, which includes financings by private companies, IPOs, and M&A activity, has declined for three consecutive quarters. Activity in the second quarter of 2022 was down 67% from the peak, which was recorded in the third quarter of 2021. Financings by private companies in the sector were at…
Biden Executive Order Calls for Regulatory Proposals on Digital Assets and Central Bank Digital Currency
On March 9, 2022, President Biden signed an executive order titled “Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets” (the “Order”). The Order directs a broad range of federal agencies to recommend legislative and regulatory proposals to foster the development of, and address the risks presented by, digital assets and a central bank digital currency. This Legal…
US Financial Regulators Release Much-Anticipated Report on Stablecoins
On November 1, 2021, the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets (PWG) released its much-anticipated Report on Stablecoins. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency joined the PWG in issuing the report, which provides an overview of how stablecoins are created and operate, discusses the risks they present…
Global Venture Financing Trends in 2021 Q2
According to CB Insights’ latest State of Venture Report, global startup financing in Q2’21 reached $156.2 billion, a 157% year-over-year increase and a record quarter high. U.S. startup funding accounted for the largest portion of the global quarter total, raising $70.4 billion, followed by Asia raising $42.2 billion. Meanwhile, funding to China-based companies continued…
Global Fintech Venture Financing Trends in 2021 Q1
Global venture-backed fintech funding reached almost $23 billion in the first quarter of 2021, a 110% quarter-over-quarter increase, according to CB Insights’ latest report and webinar, The State of Fintech. Accounting for the increased investment in fintech companies were 57 mega rounds, or financings, that raised over $100 million. Overall, there were 614 fintech…