A report issued by TRM Labs indicated that Tether’s USDT, the largest stablecoin in the cryptocurrency industry, was the preferred stablecoin used for illicit transactions during 2023. TRM Labs alleges that 1.6% of USDT’s volume was linked to illicit activity last year, with $19.3 billion worth of USDT used in illegal transactional flows. TRM Labs […]TRM Labs Report: Tether’s USDT Was the Go-to Stablecoin for Illicit Activities in 2023
A report issued by TRM Labs indicated that Tether’s USDT, the largest stablecoin in the cryptocurrency industry, was the preferred stablecoin used for illicit transactions during 2023. TRM Labs alleges that 1.6% of USDT’s volume was linked to illicit activity last year, with $19.3 billion worth of USDT used in illegal transactional flows. TRM Labs […]
The persistent scarcity of foreign exchange may force the Nigerian central bank to delay repaying the $10.4 billion owed to local banks, analysts at Moody’s Investors Service have concluded. The central bank’s failure to pay its debts on time will likely force the affected financial institutions to similarly delay paying back their own forex-denominated debts. […]
The Australian government has said it will take steps to ensure the “regulation of crypto assets protects consumers” and one of these steps will be the reforming of “the licensing and custody of crypto assets.” The Anthony Norman Albanese-led government also said it has released a consultation paper that explores “which elements of the crypto […]
Argentina is preparing to revamp its anti-money laundering and terrorism financing law. It has proposed to include the creation of a registry for virtual asset services providers (VASPs) in the country as part of the new modifications. The changes would prepare the country for the review that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is slated […]
Israel’s Defense Ministry seized cryptocurrency wallets holding funds that were destined for Hamas, a report has said. The wallets belonged to businesses that are associated with Al’matchadun currency exchange, which itself is accused of helping to funnel funds to Hamas. Seizure Order Israel’s Defense Ministry recently seized cryptocurrency wallets belonging to businesses that are associated […]
The Colombian government has issued new regulations that force exchanges and individuals to report cryptocurrency transactions to the UIAF, the anti-money laundering watchdog in Colombia. The transactions must be reported via an online reporting system, and exchanges will be required to issue periodic reports of suspicious transactions made by users. Colombia Tightens AML Controls New […]
The Bank of Spain, the central bank of the country, criticized the adoption process El Salvador chose when declaring Bitcoin legal tender last month. In a report titled “The role of crypto assets as legal tender: the example of El Salvador,” the bank examines several pain points the country encountered while applying its bitcoin strategy, […]
The Zimbabwean government recently revealed its intention to widen the definition of securities to include virtual asset service providers (VASPs). According to a document released by the cabinet, the proposed inclusion of VASPs into the category of defined securities will be made possible via the amendment of the Securities and Exchange Act. The Money Laundering […]
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has published the organization’s 12-month review and the research highlights that only 45% of the 128 reporting jurisdictions have complied with AML/CFT policy and FATF recommendations. The annual review stresses that the “lack [of] effective” regulation makes it “challenging for competent authorities to follow the transaction trail, buying more […]
Uganda’s Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) says it wants the country’s Finance Ministry to help formulate a regulatory framework for crypto service providers. According to the FIA, this call for the government’s intervention has prompted by the Ugandan crypto industry’s failure to comply with an earlier plea for industry players to register. Terrorism Concerns Furthermore, in […]