The Australia Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has issued its response to public consultation on cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs) alongside fresh industry guidance. On Oct. 29, the regulator released a set of regulatory requirements for funds looking to offer crypto ETPs, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and structured products, following months of industry consultation initiated in late June. According to the official guidance, ASIC has so far greenlighted ETPs based on major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) and expects more crypto assets to become a foundation for ETPs in the future: “As at October 2021, Bitcoin and Ether appear …

The biggest regulatory story of the week, if not the year, has been the United States Security and Exchange Commission’s lack of opposition to the launch of the first-ever Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds, which took eight long years to materialize. While the first ETFs are tracking CME-traded Bitcoin futures rather than the asset’s spot price, the crypto space is already anticipating a pure-Bitcoin ETF as a logical next step. This bar might prove to be immensely difficult to clear, however, as SEC Chair Gary Gensler seems far less convinced of the stringency of investor protections that such products offer. Below …

On Oct. 20, the Australian Senate Committee delivered a groundbreaking report calling for a complete overhaul of crypto legislation and licensing in the country. But, will it achieve its aim of transforming Australia into an international blockchain hub and providing a model for other countries to follow? Top-down governmental responses to innovation have always been questioned by entrepreneurs. Right now in crypto land as institutional investment flows steadily in and decentralized finance (DeFi) use cases and products have continued to flourish over the past 18 months, many crypto companies are begging for further regulatory clarity. The original Australian Senate Select …

The Senate Committee on Australia as a Technology and Financial Center (ATFC) has just tabled its third and final report in parliament, which has 12 far-reaching recommendations for the regulation of the digital asset and fintech industry down under. It proposes new licenses for crypto exchanges, new laws to govern decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO), an overhaul of capital gains tax in decentralized finance (DeFi) and a tax discount for crypto miners using renewable energy. In general, the report found that there is a need for more regulatory clarity and certainty while avoiding stifling innovation with onerous requirements. A key recommendation …

Australia’s top cyber spies are set to gain greater powers in the event of ransomware or other cyber attacks on critical infrastructure. The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), a government agency in charge of cyber warfare and information security, would be able to take over control of critical infrastructure — including energy, communications and banking systems — under new legislation introduced into Parliament. The legislation even includes health care and grocery businesses under the definition of critical infrastructure and imposes new positive security obligations. For ASD operatives to provide assistance, operators from the affected infrastructure would have to report a serious …

Amid the ongoing growth in cryptocurrency adoption worldwide, countries like Indonesia and Chile have seen a significant influx of public interest in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), according to new data. According to a Friday report by Australian blockchain education startup Coinformant, Indonesia has been leading the world in crypto interest in 2021. In Coinformant’s report, Indonesia achieved the highest crypto interest score with 5.73 out of 10, beating other counties in a combination of four factors including the number of Google searches, the number of published crypto articles, engagement level increases and crypto ownership. Chile ranked second with a score …

Bitcoiner Allan Flynn has settled his first complaint with the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) over being unilaterally debanked in 2018 and 2019 due to his occupation as a Digital Currency Exchange (DCE). The settlement comes 20 months after the Canberra resident first filed complaints with the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal against ANZ. In the settlement, the ANZ noted that it closed his accounts due to the risk of money laundering and terrorism funding (ML/TF) that it perceives among exchanges. It also acknowledged that the act of unbanking Flynn could “have amounted to unlawful discrimination contrary to …

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is going after pump-and-dump groups on Telegram. On Monday, an account under the name “ASIC” posted a message in the “ASX Pump Organization” on Telegram to warn around 300 members of the group that “we’re monitoring this platform and we may be investigating you.” “Coordinated pumping of shares for profits can be illegal. We can see all trades and have access to trader identities. [...] You run the risk of a criminal record, including fines of more than $1 million and prison time.” Many of the group’s members assumed the account to be …

Six months following its application with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), BetaShares is now close to launching a new crypto-focused exchange-traded fund (ETF). According to a Wednesday announcement, the official name of the Aussie ETF manager’s new product is BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETF. After relevant regulatory approvals, it would trade under the ticker symbol CRYP on the ASX. As with the similar Bitcoin (BTC) or crypto-focused ETFs, BetaShares’ fund aims to provide a level of crypto exposure to institutional investors looking to invest in cryptocurrencies indirectly. The new fund will track the Bitwise Crypto Industry Innovators Index, which launched in …

Australian lawmakers are taking a tougher stance against ransomware with a new plan that increases penalties for offenders. The new measures and proposed Surveillance Legislation Amendment announced by the federal government on Wednesday come after a 60% surge in cyberattacks on Australian businesses and state agencies last year. According to reports, these incursions cost the economy AU$1.4 billion (around $1 billion dollars). The Ransomware Action Plan would give authorities the power to seize or freeze financial transactions in cryptocurrencies that are associated with cybercrime regardless of the country of origin. The government aims to modernize current legislation to make it …

Bitcoin (BTC) adoption is growing in the auction world, where privacy is a key concern. An anonymous buyer purchased a legendary rally car driven by iconic rally figures Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz, which was thought to be long-lost in an auction for half a million Australian dollars ($360,000) and reportedly used Bitcoin as a payment method. Australian auction house Lloyds Auctions announced that the 1994 Subaru Prodrive 555 Group A World Rally Championship Car had been found in a barn, covered in dust, in the Victoria state of Australia. The car was originally thought to be valued at 15,000–20,000 …

Singapore’s principal financial regulator, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), has officially approved two companies to offer cryptocurrency services in the country. MAS issued licenses to Australian crypto exchange Independent Reserve and DBS Bank’s brokerage arm, DBS Vickers (DBSV), allowing them to provide digital payment token services under the Payment Services Act (PS Act), on Friday. According to an announcement by Independent Reserve, the firm became the first Australian cryptocurrency exchange available to retail and institutional investors in Singapore. Founded in Australia back in 2013, the company started setting up its first overseas operations in Singapore in late 2019, offering …