Without a lot of fanfare, digital asset marketplace company EDX Markets, based in Jersey City, N.J., went live with a cryptocurrency platform during a crypto winter that’s beginning to thaw while regulators are rooting out alleged crypto crooks and rogues. Crucially, EDX describes itself as “the first-of-its-kind digital asset marketplace” that sidesteps providing custody support… Read More >>
Crypto-Crime ‘Down Significantly’ in 2023: Chainalysis
“Our data shows that cryptography-related crime is down significantly this year.” So says Chainalysis, the New York City-based blockchain-analytics company. Of course, the crypto-crime goal posts do tend to keep moving, from quarter to quarter and year to year, thanks in part to would-be crypto moguls like Alex Mashinsky, founder of Celsius, a now bankrupt… Read More >>
SEC Revamps Rules for Money Market Fund Liquidity
The SEC is changing key rules governing how money market funds are handled during times of market stress and is imposing increases in minimum liquidity requirements to “provide a more substantial buffer” amid rapid redemptions, according to the regulator. However, as the 3-2 vote of the commissioners reflects there is controversy over these amendments of… Read More >>
Merrill Lynch Pays $12M to Resolve SAR Charges
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. and its parent company BAC North America Holding Co. (BACNAH) have settled with the SEC and FINRA over charges that the broker-dealer failed to file approximately 1,500 Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) from 2009 to late 2019, resulting in penalties and fines totaling $12 million. The SAR shortcomings came… Read More >>
Evidology Systems Applies A.I. to Compliance & Other News
QED Platform Uses A.I. for Deeper Analysis Regulatory technology provider Evidology Systems reports that the company is using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to implement extensions of its core QED (Quality and Evidence Driven) platform to enable scenario analysis of its underlying model “inside third-party applications and workflows.” The QED platform is a “unique combination of… Read More >>
Marcum Settles Alleged SPAC Audit Failures for $13M
If you’re a firm that specializes in auditing other firms, shouldn’t your first duty be to ensure that your audits are accurate? Or should your first duty be to ensure your own growth? The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has the obvious answer. The SEC has charged Marcum LLP, the audit firm in question,… Read More >>
Confluence Technologies Unveils TSR Tool & Other News
New Tool Helps Firms Meet SEC Rule Confluence Technologies has unveiled “Confluence Unity Rex,” which it says is a tool that will help firms comply with the SEC’s Tailored Shareholder Reports (TSR) rule. The solution provider says that Confluence Unity Rex “mines and pinpoints discrepancies in language and numeric information between financial reports,” and that… Read More >>
Group Proposes Standards for the ‘E’ in ESG
While a major backlash is underway against investment strategies based upon environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) released in late June a proposal for global sustainability disclosure standards that could bring some clarity to investing based on environmental concerns — the “E” of ESG. If adopted, the standards will… Read More >>
CFTC Taps BNY Mellon & Franklin Templeton & Other News
Officials from Key Firms Join Digital Assets Subcommittee The CFTC recently announced that its Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee will have co-chairs from BNY Mellon and Franklin Templeton. Caroline Butler, global head of digital assets at BNY Mellon, and Sandy Kaul, senior vice president, head of digital and industry advisory services at Franklin Templeton, will serve… Read More >>
The Crypto Cowboys Must Play by the Rules
In mid-June, the state of New York stopped CoinEx, a Hong Kong-based firm, from offering its virtual currency trading platform to investors in all U.S. markets. CoinEx’s global platform helps investors buy and sell cryptocurrency via its website and mobile app. But there was a catch for its U.S. clients. The company did not register… Read More >>
