Crypto Regulation News

Former FBI agent Patrick Steven Yaroch has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering after admitting he used FBI-held cryptocurrency credentials to steal about $2.47 million. Prosecutors say he carried out roughly 100 fraudulent transfers tied to 35 investigations, including wallets linked to investigation subjects and adversarial nation-state actors.

Nigeria’s central bank has introduced new rules requiring foreign-currency stablecoin issuers serving Nigerian users to operate through a locally incorporated entity with a Class 2 licence. Issuers must maintain at least ₦15 billion in paid-up capital and obtain CBN approval for each token before offering it in the country.

Greece’s parliament has approved a 10% capital gains tax on cryptocurrencies, creating the country’s first comprehensive crypto tax framework. Annual crypto gains of up to €500 will be exempt, while further transparency and audit rules are expected in the coming weeks.

Eurozone annual inflation climbed to 4.0% in October from 3.8% in September, according to Eurostat’s flash estimate. Energy inflation accelerated to 20.8%, while core inflation held at 2.5%. The renewed rise in headline prices is adding pressure on the ECB as markets assess the likelihood of another rate hike.

Europol says an international operation has seized more than 100 servers and arrested seven suspects linked to fraudulent investment platforms targeting potential victims in over 50 countries. The sites promoted investments in cryptocurrencies, forex and stocks, while call centres allegedly pressured victims to send more money using fake profits. Investigators estimate losses above €4 million.

France’s National Assembly has rejected two proposals that would have taxed unrealized crypto gains when eligible investors moved abroad. One amendment sought to bring crypto into the existing exit-tax regime, while another targeted household crypto holdings above €800,000. Other crypto tax measures remain under debate.

The Bank of Korea has begun its first survey of financial institutions’ exposure to the crypto sector, covering 18 banks and 13 securities firms. The review asks about crypto-related teams, budgets, investments, business plans and risk controls, while also examining how a major exchange hack, sharp token price decline or prolonged trading slowdown could affect the wider financial system.

Thailand is widening its investigation into Shuffle.com after cyber police obtained money-flow data from three crypto exchanges. Officials say the offshore structure and use of digital assets make the case more complex than conventional gambling probes, while the Department of Special Investigation is considering taking it up as a special case.

The SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance has added three crypto FAQs clarifying when governance participants may be treated as a controlling group. Staff said unaffiliated token holders participating transparently in governance are generally not a central party unless they coordinate separately or hold operational, economic or voting control. The guidance has no legal force.

New Jersey has ended its staking enforcement action against Coinbase by rescinding the 2023 summary penalty and cease-and-desist order. The withdrawal was made without prejudice, meaning regulators could bring a future action. Coinbase says the move should allow residents to resume new staking once service access is updated.