The LEad Block
News Node
A curated selection of headlines and news from around this multiverse—including deals, developments and other disruptions in DeFi.
US GAO report highlights benefits and challenges of blockchain, selected policy options, and more.
EU Parliament Passes Privacy-Busting Crypto Rules Despite Industry Criticism.
New York legislators weigh moratorium on crypto mining, while some look to an executive order from the governor.
NY Banking Regulator Aims to Speed Up Crypto Licensing (Law360 interview).
Bank of Canada and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Announce Joint Central Bank Digital Currency Collaboration.
Bank of Japan to Move to Second Phase of Digital Yen Project.
Can Blockchain Tech Help Farmers Get Climate Insurance?
The Thai SEC stressed it is only banning the use of crypto for payments and is not banning crypto trading and digital assets.
S. Korea's SK Square to Launch Crypto Token by Year-End: Report.
Select Events
Selected upcoming events for deeper dives into different parts of the digital assets and DeFi world.
March-June 2022
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 9: Increased Global Coordination and the Convergence of Corruption Money Laundering and National Security Policy (View Recording)
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
Cryptocurrency Mixer:
There are two types of cryptocurrency mixers: centralized mixers (companies that operate the black box mixer and earn fees by matching/swapping cryptocurrencies) and decentralized mixers (protocols that allow a large group of users to pool cryptocurrencies for redistribution).
Cryptocurrency mixing services have been criticized as facilitators of criminal activity, such as money laundering, and are illegal in some jurisdictions.