WASHINGTON — A Home oversight subcommittee requested regulators and business leaders on Tuesday to clarify what they’re doing to cease cryptocurrency fraud and different scams perpetrated on customers.
Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, head of the Financial and Client Coverage subcommittee, requested leaders of the Treasury Division, Securities and Trade Fee, Commodity Futures Buying and selling Fee, and Federal Commerce Fee for extra data on the steps they’re taking to curb the expansion of fraud and client abuse linked to cryptocurrencies.
The inquiries come because the cryptocurrency market has seen immense volatility, as bitcoin misplaced practically half its worth at one level this yr and different cryptocurrencies fell much more.
“Regardless of these vulnerabilities, the federal authorities has been sluggish to curb cryptocurrency scams and fraud. Present federal laws don’t comprehensively or clearly cowl cryptocurrencies beneath all circumstances,” reads one letter addressed to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
5 of the most important cryptocurrency exchanges have been additionally despatched inquiry letters, requesting paperwork on firm insurance policies relating to the removing of faux accounts.
A report on the impacts of cryptocurrencies and different digital belongings on monetary markets and illicit finance is anticipated to be launched within the coming weeks. In March, President Joe Biden issued an govt order calling for a number of businesses to have a look at methods to control digital belongings and gave them 180 days to take action.
On Monday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation warned that criminals are extra continuously exploiting vulnerabilities on sure decentralized finance platforms to steal cryptocurrency.
A number of main legislative proposals have been supplied in Congress this yr as properly.
Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and John Boozman, R-Ark. have proposed a invoice that might give the regulatory authority over Bitcoin and Ether to the Commodities Futures Buying and selling Fee. Stabenow and Boozman lead the Senate Agriculture Committee, which has authority over CTFC.
In June, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., proposed the Accountable Monetary Innovation Act, which might create authorized definitions of digital belongings and digital currencies; would require the IRS to undertake steerage on service provider acceptance of digital belongings and charitable contributions; and would make a distinction between digital belongings which are commodities and people which are securities.
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