The week of July 14 to 18, 2025 marked a historic moment for the U.S. cryptocurrency industry, as the U.S. House of Representatives officially designated it “Crypto Week.” This initiative signaled a profound shift in how Washington approaches the burgeoning digital asset landscape, moving from cautious observation to active legislative engagement. While much of the attention landed on the GENIUS Act, it is also important to understand the implications of the CLARITY Act and the…
On August 18, 2025, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed two bills that created, in his words, first-of-their-kind safeguards in the Midwest for cryptocurrency and other digital assets. The legislation was in part a response to an FBI report that Illinois consumers lost $272 million in fraud cases involving cryptocurrency in 2024, representing the most common type of financial fraud. And, not surprisingly for a person who reportedly sees himself as a future Democratic presidential candidate,…
For a time, Do Kwon was hailed as a visionary, a “cryptocurrency king” building a decentralized financial utopia. His company, Terraform Labs, and its associated cryptocurrencies, TerraUSD (UST) and LUNA, grew to a combined market capitalization of over $40 billion. The project promised investors stability and high returns, attracting a legion of devoted followers who called themselves “LUNAtics.” Yet, as the world learned, this crypto kingdom was built on a foundation of deception. The dramatic…
On July 23, 2025, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a pivotal decision in Yuga Labs Inc. v. Ryder Ripps et al., a case that the digital art and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) communities have been following closely. The ruling not only addressed the boundaries of trademark law in the context of NFTs but also clarified the limits of expressive speech and fair use in digital marketplaces. Background Yuga Labs, Inc. burst onto the scene…
Earlier this month, New Zealand banned cryptocurrency ATMs. The move underscores a growing international trend: regulators are increasingly scrutinizing the cash-to-crypto pipeline, viewing it as a significant vulnerability for illicit finance. While the ban has sparked debate within the crypto community, it also offers a valuable case study in how jurisdictions are grappling with the intersection of digital assets and financial regulation. On July 16, 2025, David Zaslowsky published an article in the New York…
The world of cryptocurrency, for all its revolutionary potential, has also become a fertile ground for sophisticated scams. Among the most insidious and financially devastating is the “pig butchering” scheme, a form of investment fraud that preys on human trust and emotional vulnerability. However, a recent operation led by the U.S. Secret Service, resulting in the seizure of over $225 million in cryptocurrency, marks a significant turning point in the global fight against these elaborate…
The digital asset landscape is evolving rapidly, and few sectors have experienced as much transformation as stablecoins. Recent developments in U.S. regulation signal a decisive shift toward a comprehensive legal framework. Within this context, the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Circle Internet Group—the issuer of USDC, the second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization —is more than a corporate milestone. It marks a pivotal moment in the maturation of the industry and the growing integration of digital…
On May 20, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a sweeping enforcement action against Unicoin Inc., a New York-based crypto company, and several of its senior executives. The lawsuit, which alleges a $100 million fraud scheme affecting thousands of investors, stands as one of the most high-profile crypto enforcement actions of the year. It also offers a revealing lens into the SEC’s evolving enforcement posture under the Trump administration’s second term. To…
FTX’s spectacular collapse in November 2022 resulted in billions of dollars in losses for investors worldwide and triggered criminal charges against its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, who is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence for fraud. In the wake of this collapse, a group of investors filed suit, alleging that celebrity endorsers and influencers materially contributed to the fraud by promoting FTX without disclosing their financial relationships or the risks involved. The plaintiffs contended that these…
The Federal Reserve’s announcement on April 24, 2025, to withdraw prior guidance and supervisory letters concerning banks’ involvement in cryptocurrency and stablecoin activities is the latest turn by US regulators under President Trump to ease cryptocurrency regulation in the United States. See our earlier posts here, here, here and here. On the campaign trail, President Trump vowed to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet.” The Fed’s announcement said the Fed would work…