The LEad Block
News Node
A curated selection of headlines and news from around this multiverse—including deals, developments and other disruptions in DeFi.
Crypto Meltdown Deepens as Stablecoin Tether Drops Below Dollar Peg.
Algorithmic Stablecoins: What They Are and How They Can Go Terribly Wrong.
Belgian Registration for New Crypto Firms Kicks in on May 1.
HFSC Technology Task Force Hearing on Recent Trends in Mobile Banking and Payments.
SEC Nearly Doubles Size of Enforcement’s Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit.
Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Tina Smith (D-MN) sent Abigail Johnson, the CEO of Fidelity, a letter regarding the “appropriateness” of Fidelity adding Bitcoin to its 401(k) investment plan menu and the actions Fidelity will take to address “the significant risks of fraud, theft and loss” posed by these assets.
California Governor Signs Executive Order to Spur Crypto Industry in the State.
9 Out of 10 Central Banks Exploring Digital Currency, BIS Says.
US Treasury Issues First-Ever Sanctions on a Virtual Currency Mixer, Targets DPRK Cyber Threats.
ISDA: Accounting for Digital Assets: Key Considerations.
Cryptocurrency Suits Could Provide Road Map for Litigation Against NFT Marketplaces, Exchanges.
Select Events
Selected upcoming events for deeper dives into different parts of the digital assets and DeFi world.
Women.Connected Quarterly Spotlight (ABA Event). May 16 (Register Here). Virtual coffee break with Lindsey Haswell for a discussion focusing on women in the profession and beyond. Lindsey is Chief Legal and Administrative Officer of Blockchain.com. She joined Blockchain.com after serving as Chief Legal and Administrative Officer at Lime and was previously a member of Uber’s legal team.
CFTC Roundtable. May 25 (View Here). Staff of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission will hold a public roundtable on May 25, 2022, from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm ET, to discuss issues related to intermediation in derivatives trading and clearing.
Surge Protection: Preparing for the Coming Wave of Enforcement Webinar Series. With the change in administration, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced in 2021 that a significant increase in corporate enforcement is coming. This policy shift is expected to add substantially to the burdens companies and executives under investigation may face, especially when coupled with additional announcements that the DOJ will surge resources dedicated to corporate enforcement. Mayer Brown has prepared a series of webinars which will include leading practitioners, in-house counsel and former government officials across practices to provide practical guidance and insight into how companies can prepare for these changes. The series will cover a wide range of topics including cryptocurrency; the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; securities; anti-money laundering; sanctions and export control; cybersecurity; and antitrust issues.
March 30: Investigating Misuse of Cryptocurrency: DOJ and FTC Enforcement Panel
April 13: SEC and CFTC Enforcement Update: Increasing SPAC Enforcement and Litigation Risk and Increased Authority to Seek Disgorgement
Learn the Lingo
Bitcoin Futures Contract:
