Phillip Frost Agrees to Settle Riot Blockchain Related Case for $5.5 Million

Riot Blockchain, Inc. replaced its CEO in September after the SEC charged him in connection with a fraudulent $27 million pump and dump scheme. Now another person involved in that case, biotech billionaire Phillip Frost, has agreed to pay $5.5 million to settle the charges. Also Read: The Daily: Best Selling Authors Introduce Bitcoin to … Read more

Hundreds of ICOs Being Secretly Investigated by SEC, Claims Report

Hundreds of startups are reportedly being “secretly” targeted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for their involvement with initial coin offerings. Companies that participated in ICOs are now scrambling to clarify whether their token constituted a security, and, if so, whether it was properly registered with or exempted by the SEC. Also read: Europe, … Read more

Josh Garza Sentenced to Prison and Fined $9M over GAW & Paycoin Scam

U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Connecticut has announced Homero Joshua Garza (Josh Garza) has been sentenced to “21 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, the first six months of which [Mr. Garza] must spend in home confinement, for his role in his companies’ purported generation and sale of virtual currency.” The … Read more

Thailand Updates ICO Licensing Progress, Warns Firm Issuing Token Without License

The Thai Securities and Exchange Commission has revealed the number of applications it has received from businesses wanting to operate initial coin offering portals in the country. However, at least one company is already issuing a token without obtaining approval. Meanwhile, the first Thai Stock Exchange-listed company to launch a token has a new plan … Read more

SEC Wants Second Look at Nine Bitcoin ETFs

One day after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rejected proposed rule changes for nine bitcoin ETFs, the Commission initiated a review of all related decisions. Three rejection orders made on August 22 are now stayed pending the review by the SEC Chairman and the Commissioners. Also read: Yahoo! Japan Confirms Entrance Into the Crypto … Read more

High-Profile Thai Crypto Case: Bitcoiner Lost Over 5,500 BTC – Ringleader Fled to US

A high-profile crypto case involving a well-known actor and model has come to public attention in Thailand following the enforcement of the country’s crypto regulations. Over 5,564 BTC were reportedly stolen from a bitcoin millionaire. The alleged ringleader has fled to the U.S. Thailand’s main crypto regulator is cooperating with the police on the case. … Read more

SEC Has No Jurisdiction to Look at Bitcoin for ETF Decision, Admits Commissioner

A commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has voiced her opinion that the agency overstepped its bounds to reject a bitcoin ETF recently based on the underlying asset, bitcoin. She believes that the role of the SEC is to consider the market for the ETF, not the underlying asset itself. Also read: Yahoo! … Read more

Coinbase Flexes Political Muscle, Beating While Joining Them

Widespread reporting revealed the United States’ largest cryptocurrency bank, Coinbase, has formed a political action committee (PAC). This is the debate. Is onboarding broader sectors, mainstream folks, coming at too grave a cost? Is crypto’s philosophical soul worth greater adoption? One company is threading between those tensions, siding on the venial sin of being in … Read more

ICO Round-Up: Nearly 1 in 5 Offerings Accused of Fraud, Bermuda Passes Regulations, Thai SEC Holds Hearing

A recent “analysis of 1,450 cryptocurrency offerings” published by the Wall Street Journal has claimed to have revealed “rampant plagiarism, identity theft, and promises of improbable returns.” In other ICO news, Bermuda’s parliament has passed regulations that will legitimize initial coin offerings as a means of fundraising, and Thailand’s SEC held a hearing regarding its upcoming … Read more

Onchain Capital Founder Bullish on BCH and ETH

The founder of Onchain Capital, and host of CNBC Africa’s ‘Crypto Trader’ show, Ran Neu-Ner, recently discussed his outlook for cryptocurrency regulation, initial coin offering (ICOs), and shared his outlook for several top cryptocurrencies markets. Mr. Neu-Ner described Bitcoin Cash and Ethereum as markets that he intends to ‘HODL’, adding that right now, he is passing … Read more